The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Oyetola greets residents on Osun’s 28th anniversary

    Osun State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola has congratulated residents on the occasion of 28th anniversary of its creation.

    In a statement personally signed by him, the governor noted that even though the government has every reason to roll out the drums in celebration, it has decided to make it a low-key, owing to the prevailing economic situation in the country.

    He played glowing tributes to the state’s founding fathers, including his predecessors in office, for laying what he called a “solid foundation,” upon which successive administrations have continued to build on.

    Oyetola noted that the people too have spoken with a loud voice to the world that they are a people of unrivalled culture, ingenuity and hard work, adding that “we have kept faith with the vision of our founding fathers to sustainably build Ipinle Omoluabi – State of the Virtuous.”

    The governor also noted that his administration is one of continuity, saying that is why it has continued the transformation of Osun from where the last administration left off.

    The governor said the administration’s policies and programmes are driven by citizens’ needs, which were harvested during the thank you tour/town hall meetings, where the people presented their yearnings and aspirations to the government.

    Read Also: Oyetola to use culture, tradition to develop tourism

    He noted that the exercise was further validated by the United Kingdom Department for International Development’s (DFID) funded Citizens’ Needs Assessment exercise in Osun. He explained that every responsible government must make people’s demands the basis of its policies and implementation.

    The governor noted that, so far, the administration has demonstrated that it is one that can be trusted by the people at home and in the Diaspora, considering that it has begun fulfilling the promises made to the people, despite the initial litigation’s distraction that lasted about eight months.

    Oyetola said: “We promised to pay full salary to all our workers, we have not defaulted. We promised to pay our pensioners; we have also not defaulted.

    “We promised to rebuild, remodel and, in some cases, carry out total rehabilitation of existing school buildings in series four classrooms, five classrooms, six classrooms, eight classrooms, 10, 15 and 20 classrooms at a maximum of 50 pupils/students per class, to cater for communities at 200, 250, 300, 400, 500, 750 pupils per school. We have commissioned completed projects in that regard in Telemu and Morinu,  in Olaoluwa and Iwo local government areas respectively.

    “Our work as a government so far points to one fact: better days ahead.

    “We have also reconstructed and equipped 11 fire service stations, with 14 fire fighting vehicles to give confidence to the firefighters in the discharge of their life and property saving duties. We did that because security is meaningless without safety,” the governor said.

    The governor also noted that Osun, which has been known for peace since its creation in 1991, only last year, won the nation’s Most Peaceful State Award.

    To further sustain the status of being the most peaceful state in the country, the governor said the state is partnering with other Southwest states to strengthen security in the region and that soon, the Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN) will commence operation to fortify the area.

    “We are contributing 20 Armoured Personnel Carriers and other ideas and logistics to further guarantee the security of lives and property of the citizens in our state and region,” Oyetola added.

    He also said the government’s modest efforts at revamping the state’s health sector earned it a second place in the World Bank’s Save One Million Lives (SOML) initiative.

    To this end, the governor noted, 120-bed ward and 30 doctors’ quarters at the state specialist hospital, Asubiaro, Osogbo, is under construction, including massive rehabilitation work going on in the place.

  • ‘Why we revoked Moniya-Iseyin road contract’

    Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has announced the revocation of the N7 billion Moniya-Iseyin road contract awarded by the last administration over what he described as the contractor’s lack of capacity to handle the project.

    Makinde, who spoke at the launch of a $5 million Agribusiness Project initiative by Farmcrowdy, said the road was central to the government’s resolve to promote agribusiness.

    According to him, the previous government awarded the contract to an engineering firm that did not have the capacity to handle the project, adding that even though the owner of the firm was known to him, he could not mix friendship with the business of governance.

    Read Also: I’m still communicating with Ajimobi on policies, says Makinde

    A statement by Makinde’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, quoted the governor as saying that the contract was revoked to enable him to address the challenges of moving farm produce around the state.

    The governor added that the government would go ahead to re-award the contract, noting that when completed, the road would redress the challenges of moving farm produce from Oke-Ogun area to Ibadan, the state capital.

    The governor maintained that Oyo State was ready for agribusiness, noting that since his administration had promised to expand the state’s economy through agribusiness, the state was set to turn farm settlements around.

  • Another Nigerian killed in South Africa

    With the murder of Mrs. Obianuju Ndubuisi-Chukwu, a Nigerian insurance chief, still fresh, another Nigerian has been killed in the former apartheid enclave.

    The latest killing brings to about 200, Nigerians killed in xenophobic attacks between 2016 and this year.

    South Africa is home to about 800,000 Nigerians, mostly young people, according to unofficial records.

    Mrs. Ndubisi-Chukwu, who was the Deputy Director-General of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) and was killed on June 13 in her hotel room in South Africa.

    The teenager, Chinonso Obiaju, 17, a Nigerian still in high school, was shot dead in Johannesburg on Saturday.

    Read Also: Buhari, South Africa President to meet over xenophobic attacks

    The President of the Nigerian Union in South Africa, Adetola Olubajo, who confirmed the killing to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the deceased student lived in Roodepoort, Johannesburg with his guardian.

    Olubajo told NAN on the telephone that his guardian, Mike Nsofor, disclosed that he was shot at about 6.30pm.

    “He went to buy from a shop with his friend and someone chased and opened fire on them, killing him,’’ he quoted the guardian as saying.

    He added that the family would be burying him in South Africa, noting that the union’s leaders in Johannesburg would be contacting him on developments.

    Olubajo said they were going to the police on Monday to finalise on the registry and provision of his papers.

    “He was born here I learnt and the mother is in the U.S.

    “I have spoken to Mike Nsofor to pass the Nigerian community’s condolences and call for justice to be served in this case as anybody who hunts down a young schoolboy couldn’t have any justifiable reasons,’’ Mr Olubajo said.

    He implored the federal government to urgently protect Nigerians in the Diaspora.

  • Abia crawling at 28, says APGA

    The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Abia State has said the state was still crawling at 28, contrary to claims by the Okezie Ikpeazu-led administration that it had achieved appreciable progress.

    A statement yesterday by the Publicity Secretary, Ebere Uzoukwa, said the state is still crawling at 28. The party blamed past administrations and the incumbent government for the woes the state and its citizens have been subjected to as a result of poor and bad governance.

    The statement reads: “We, therefore, wish to reiterate that Abia, as envisioned and created, has not sojourned towards meeting the aspiration and dream of the founding fathers. Our problems, as a people and entity, are expressly and unarguably traced to poor and mundane leadership.

    Read Also: Ikpeazu: I will complete projects in my second term

    “It is incontrovertible that after 28 years, Abia has remained sickly and stagnant without conspicuously registering economic gains and strides of development as well as social advancement. The most recent and successive administrations have colossally failed in all endeavours to drive the vision upon which Abia was created.

    “This occasion of 28 years anniversary, therefore, calls for sober reflection given the fact that nothing at all suggests celebration of any kind. The situation, as bad as it is, also given the obvious failures of the present PDP administration led by Okezie Ikpeazu, should elicit the consciousness to collectively fight bad governance bedeviling our dear state to pave way for development and progress…”

  • Insecurity: Enugu to deploy forest guards

    Enugu State on Tuesday became the first state to commence the implementation of deployment of forest guards to stem an upsurge of insecurity.

    States in the Southeast had agreed to recruit and deploy guards in the forests.

    Enugu as one of the safest in the country, recently experienced a spate of kidnapping and killings as a result of which Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi took the proactive step of recruiting guards to secure the forests in the state where the security threat is prevalent.

    A meeting hosted yesterday by Governor Ugwuanyi with top officials and security chiefs in attendance, was used to finalise the new security plan and the endorsement of 1, 700 Forest Guards.

    At the meeting were also members of the House of Assembly led by Speaker Edward Ubosi, the 17 local government council chairmen and the director, Department of State Services (DSS).

    Read Also: Southwest gets nod to establish security outfit

    For the guards, 3,963 applications were received, out of which 2,646 were shortlisted and screened. The state has engaged 879 while the remaining 821 applicants are being screened for the next batch.

    The meeting also approved the purchase of 260 security vehicles, one for each of the 260 wards. There will also be 260 motorcycles made available for all the wards while communication gadgets will also be provided.

    It was learnt that the state government will establish the ministry of security affairs to coordinate the activities, supervise intelligence gathering and interventions within the new Enugu State security architecture.

    Methodist Church Prelate Dr. Samuel Uche applauded Governor Ugwuanyi’s effort to sustain the state as one of the most peaceful.

    Dr. Uche hailed the recruitment of 1,700 Forest Guards by the government.

    He hoped they would be “specially trained and equipped with arms and ammunition to fish out miscreants in Enugu State.”

    Speaking when he led leaders and members of the Church on a visit to Ugwuanyi, the Prelate said “Enugu is growing astronomically and spiritually” and described the governor as “a man of peace, a good man, a trailblazing governor and lover of people, who ensures serenity, tranquility and equability”.

    He is “an ecumenical and friendly governor”, he added, and prayed for God to strengthen him and “grant you unending wisdom to govern your people aright”.

    He also prayed against the security challenges in the state and the country, asking God “that the activities of these bandits will stop henceforth in Jesus Name”.

    The governor thanked him for his prayers for his family and the state as well as the strong and credible voice he lent to the debate on insecurity, youth unemployment, masses welfare, among others in the country.

    “We urge you to continue to inspire patriotism, national rebirth, constitutional leadership and responsible citizenship for sustainable peace, unity and national development consistent with the mandate of the Church”, Ugwuanyi added

  • Oyo to procure 100 security vehicles, 1.7m books

    The Oyo State government has approved the procurement of 100 units of Kia Rio automatic transmission executive patrol vehicles for security operatives.

    The council, at its maiden State Executive Council Meeting, also approved the distribution of 1.7 million books to 463,801 public school students.

    The cost implication of the vehicles was put at N832,650,000 and that of the books stands at N447,257,384.

    The meeting was chaired by Governor Seyi Makinde and attended by Deputy Governor Rauf Olaniyan, Secretary to the State Government Mrs. Olubamiwo Adeosun, Head of Service Mrs. Amidat Agboola, newly sworn in 17 commissioners.

    It was held at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s office, Agodi Secretariat, Ibadan.

    Read Also: Makinde urges men of integrity to join politics

    Briefing reporters after the meeting, Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism Dr. Wasiu Olatunbosun, who was accompanied by his counterparts at the Ministry of Works and Transport, Professor Raphael Afonja, said the approvals were given in line with Makinde’s campaign promises.

    Olatunbosun noted that the decision to give the free books and other writing materials is to complement the earlier decision to scrap educational levies imposed on students and parents by past administration as a way of reducing out of school pupils.

    According to him, junior school students comprising those from Basic one to nine (formerly primary one to Junior Secondary School three), whose total number was put at 252,644, will get six copies of 60 leaves notebook each. Those in the senior school (senior secondary school one to three), who are 211, 157, will also get six copies of 80 leaves notebook each.

    He explained that the student statistics was according to the enrollment for the 2019/2020 academic session obtained from the State Universal Education Board (SUBEB)

    Olatunbosun added that the decision on the procurement of the vehicles was arrived at after the last security meeting where the need for more security patrol vehicles was identified.

    He assured that since the decisions have gotten the approval of the state executive council, each item will be delivered, adding that the books will be ready for distribution before the schools resume for the next academic session in about two weeks.

    To ensure the functionality and durability of the vehicles to be given the security operatives, Olatunbosun noted that the government has also reached an agreement with the vehicle dealer and supplier to open up a service centre in the state to provide jobs for the people and open a market.

    The vehicles will be supplied by Messrs Dana Motors, the major distributor of KIA products.

    Makinde has also encouraged his exco members to challenge his views when he presents them.

    Makinde said he too will not fail from doing same in a bid to arrive at a robust decision in the interest of the people.

    The governor gave the advice in his remarks at the maiden meeting of the State Executive Council members at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s office, Agodi, Secretariat.

    Makinde urged the cabinet members to be passionate about their contributions, reminding them that they are only privileged to serve the people of the state in their various capacities.

  • Ikpeazu: I will complete projects in my second term

    Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has promised to complete ongoing projects awarded in the first term of his administration in his second term.

    Ikpeazu, in a state broadcast to mark the 28 years anniversary of the state, said his administration is committed to ensuring that every part of the state witnessed the touch of his administration.

    He said: “Since our assumption of office for a second term, we have taken steps to consolidate on the successes we recorded in our first term while ensuring that we finish strongly, our second and last lap. I reiterate that our cardinal objective in our second term is the completion of all the projects that we began in our first term, while laying solid foundations for sustainable job creation for our youths.

    “Mindful of the difficulty in building roads in the rainy season, we have carried out palliative remedial works on many of the bad roads in Umuahia and Aba preparatory to contractors handling them fully returning to site as soon as the rains abate.

    Read Also: I didn’t steal Abia’s N7.2b, says Kalu

    “We are currently concentrating on building new drains and the desilting blocked ones to allow free flow of storm water to the natural collection points; and as soon as the rains abate, contractors, who have already been mobilised, will resume work on most of our over 95 ongoing road projects across the state.

    “Beloved Abians, I am not unaware of the complaints that have been made in certain quarters that our projects are slow and delayed. My response to that is that we are more interested in the quality of projects we undertake than the quantity and the speed of completion. We have no interest in speedily completing projects for accolades and applause only for the projects to fail shortly after.

    “Our administration is building to last. Within the bounds of the resources available to us, we will spread them equitably across sectors while ensuring that we get optimal value for every kobo we spend. I have said it before and I will like to reiterate it that no road built under our administration will collapse in the lifetime of our administration contrary to what was hitherto obtainable.

    “We do not have the money to be returning to the same project every year. We will rather take time to painstakingly do a project once and for all than rush to finish a project within a year and it will fail by the next year…”

  • Ayade returns schools to catholic mission

    Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade has returned six primary schools to their original owners, the Catholic Church.

    The schools are Sacred Heart Primary School, Calabar; St. Mary’s Primary School and its convent school, Calabar and St. Peter’s Primary School, Ekpene Tete, Akpabuyo.

    Others are St. Benedict’s Primary School, Igoli, Ogoja; St. Joseph’s Primary School Idum, Mbube, Ogoja; St. Eugene’s Primary School, Ochon, Obubra.

    Ayade said the government had no choice but to return the schools to their original owners. He was sure the church would bring standard to bear in running of the schools.

    He said: “With the way you have conducted yourself, the government has no hesitation, in spite of our concern, but to give up the six schools at a go. It is also important that we look at the performance of the schools we are handing over today and see whether they have done well.”

    Read Also: Ganduje urges emirs to report parents who fail to enrol wards in schools

    Justifying the return of the schools, Ayade told the Archbishop of Calabar Archdiocese, Archbishop Joseph Effiong Ekuwem, that “owing to our spiritual belief in you as a man of honour and a man who God has used to move mountains, who am I to say no when a man of God has made a request, who am I to say no to God?

    “We have, in honour of you and indeed all the churches, say that what belongs to God must be given to God.”

    Archbishop Ekuwem, who thanked Ayade for the gesture, said: “Now that Your Excellency is handing back six of the schools in the three senatorial zones made up of Calabar archdiocese and Ogoja diocese, I know this is still a process and I am looking forward to a day when all the remaining schools will be returned.

    “We plead first for my sister churches, the same church of God beginning with Presbyterian Church whose name I heard today and the request they have made and those that have not asked and requested the government to give us schools…”

  • Monarch, subjects disagree over N150m

    There is tension in Mkpu-nando Community, Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State, following allegations that the monarch, Igwe Alex Edozieuno, embezzled the N150 million land proceed from the government.

    The residents on Tuesday staged a protest, carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Our Igwe is a thief, he must refund our money”; “We don’t need this hungry monarch again”; “This Igwe should be arrested and prosecuted”; “Governor Willie Obiano come and rescue us from this criminal”, among others.

    They marched on the Ama Umuawulu village square and other roads in the community, including the front of the monarch’s building singing war songs.

    However, security operatives prevented the crowd from entering into the palace premises.

    Protest leader Ifeanyi Iloakasia said the government should order the monarch to release the money.

    Read Also: Chieftaincy tussle: Boost for settlement as monarchs pay homage to Olubadan

    According to him, the N150 million was the compensation the government paid to the community for its land. He added that the N40 million for the “Choose your Project” initiative from the government was also with the monarch.

    He said: “If the government fails to come to our rescue, we will not have any other option than to seek for self help. The monarch and the estate valuer are on unholy alliance to rip off Mkpunando Community and we will not allow this to continue. The total money paid to the community by the government was N150 million, while the interest was N15 million, and till date, we have not received anything from our Igwe.”

    But Igwe Edozieuno described the protesters as liars, saying he does not owe anybody or group. According to him, the main issue for their action was not the money, but because he won the kingship contest, the defeated family is now leading the protest against him.

    He said: “They know I’m a rich man, that I have no time to touch their money. I made money when I was 20 years and rode my first car at that age. Their allegations hold no water.”

  • Foundation honours LUTH, others at 25th anniversary

    The Ibitayo Fawehinmi Foundation (IIF) will honour the Paediatrics Department of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and four others at its 25th annual awards.

    Other institutions the foundation will honour are the Paediatrics Department, General Hospital, Ondo; Roman Catholic Hospital Ondo; Old People’s Home, Ondo; and the Pacelli School for the Blind, Lagos.

    The foundation said the institutions would be honoured in recognition of their positive contributions to the society.

    Read Also: CMD: we’re restoring LUTH’s glory

    According to a statement, the event holds today at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos at 5pm.

    Founded by a pioneering furniture magnate, Mr. Samuel Fawehinmi, the foundation was established on April 19, 1994, to cater for the sick and the elderly.

    According to the Governor/Executive Secretary of the IFF, Mr. Adewunmi Fawehinmi, the foundation’s 25th anniversary will have Pa Akintola Williams as the grand patron of the event. A former Dean of the School of Business Administration, University of Lagos, Prof. Olukunle Iyanda, will be the chairman.