The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Council inaugurates community CDA exco

    Residents of Irepodun Community Development Association (CDA) at Olopomeji area of Odogunyan in Ikorodu North Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State has inaugurated their fourth executive to direct affairs of the CDA in the next two years.

    The team is chaired by ex- Leader of Second Lagos State Youth Parliament and a two-term Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) in Ikorodu North Alhaji Olalekan Murisiku.

    Others are: Vice Chairman I Emmanuel Jayeola; Vice Chairman II Wasiu Tugbebo; General Secretary Olasoji Taiwo; Assistant Secretary Ojo Ojelade; Financial Secretary Afolabi Akinsola; and Treasurer Usman Nurudeen.

    They were inaugurated by Head of Department of Agric, Rural and Social Development in Ikorodu North LCDA Mrs Folashade Tobun.

    Represented by her asistant, Mr Olalekan Kuti, Mrs Tobun urged the exco to abide by laws of Lagos State establishing CDAs.

    “The law that establishes CDAs in Lagos State frowned at keeping associations’ money at home or in individual bank accounts. Any individual or group of people who embezzles community money will face the music, ” she said.

    Read Also: Akoka CDA organises under-13 football competition for Ipaye

    She noted that it was wrong for your predecessor not to handover books of accounts, attendance register, membership register, certificate of registration issued by the council, and all CDA property to new executives at the end of their tenure.

    The departmental head presented a copy of the constitution of Lagos State CDA to Alhaji Murisiku.

    Murisiku thanked residents for the confidence repose in him.

    He said his administration would be open to constructive criticism.

    “It is an enormous task ahead of me and my team to continue the progressive journey our founding fathers have started.

    ‘’As your chairman, I know I have a daunting task before me. I shall display the highest level of commitment and loyalty to our communal interest towards engendering development, ” he said.

    He promised that the executives would be transparent and accountable.

    “Our goal is to reposition this CDA and lay a solid foundation to thrive. Our focus is achieving people-oriented programmes and projects. These, we shall pursue collectively and vigorously, if you support us”, he said.

  • Lagos pilgrims receive luggage in Makkah

    Lagos pilgrims received their luggage at the weekend.

    Pilgrims came to the Lagos House 1, Makkah, to collect their luggage.

    Amirul Hajj Dr AbdulHakeem Abdul Lateef, had announced that luggage would be distributed on Saturday.

    He told pilgrims the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON) had notified state boards their luggage were ready.

    He urged the pilgrims to ensure their luggage do not exceed 32 kilogrammes.

    Read Also: Amirul hajj urges pilgrims to obey hajj rules

    Lagos has started a sensitisation workshop ahead of the five-day hajj rites. The elderly are to get special treatment during the rites.

    Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee of State Muslims Pilgrims Welfare Board Alhaji Ahmed Jebe said the committee would create comfortable conditions for pilgrims.

    He urged pilgrims to prepare to be humbled by the diversity of people they come across in the journey, asking them to be patient in dealing with everyone.

    Jebe said the satisfaction lies in completion of the tasks and using the  lessons learnt to make the post-hajj life fruitful.

    The chairman called on pilgrims to dedicate their time to hajj rites and distance themselves from distractions.

  • Constituency projects: ICPC recovers N117m items from another Senator, seals compound

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has confirmed the recovery Constituency Project items worth N117,123,375.44 million from the Senator representing Enugu North Senatorial District, Sen. Chukwuka Utazi.

    The commission said it has impounded the items sealed off the Senator’s compound.

    Utazi, who was a former chairman of the Senate Committee on Anti-corruption and Financial Crimes, was alleged to have warehoused 203 grinding machines, 60 motorcycles,  five transformers, 168 and 51 numbers of motorcycles and tricycles.

    The Senator however said he wanted to distribute the items during the National Assembly annual vacation for effective supervision.

    ICPC claimed that the the contract for the procurement of the items was awarded on 23rd January 2018, under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of the Senator’s constituency projects.

    The lifespan of the 8th Senate, when the items were procured, expired on June 5 this year.

    A statement by spokesperson of ICPC, Mrs. Rasheedat A. Okoduwa, mni said the items were recovered as part of the ongoing effort at ensuring the satisfactory execution and completion of all Constituency Projects across the country.

    The recovery nationwide is being done through the Constituency Projects Tracking Group (CPTG) initiative.

    The statement said: “The items covered by this amount and recovered from the legislator are 168 and 51 numbers of motorcycles and tricycles respectively. They were discovered to be stashed away in a compound in Mkpologu town of Uzo-Nwani Local Government Area, believed to be owned by the Senator.

    “ICPC findings indicated clearly that the contract for the procurement of the items was awarded on 23rd January 2018, under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as part of the Senator’s constituency projects.

    “Investigations have also shown that the companies awarded the contracts for the project are as follows: Al-Amir Int. Ltd., Du-Lumac Ltd., Com Technologies System Ltd. and Chumax Agency Ltd.

    “Additionally, ICPC recovered 203 grinding machines, 60 motorcycles and 5 transformers in the compound which had been procured under another constituency project.

    “Thereupon the Commission impounded all the items and sealed the Senator’s compound.

    “The tricycles, motorcycles and grinding machines were meant to be distributed to the lawmaker’s constituents to empower them as part of the Federal Government’s efforts to alleviate poverty.

    “The Senator has pledged to ICPC that they would be distributed to beneficiaries on Tuesday 6th August, 2019.

    “While ICPC is investigating circumstances that led to the items being in the possession of the sponsoring legislator rather than the implementing agency, its officers will be on the scene to supervise the distribution.

    But Sen. Utazi said he purposely wanted to distribute the items during National Assembly annual vacation.

    He said he will distribute the items as from Tuesday.

    He said he could not distribute the items during election period to avoid bring accused of inducement of voters.

    He said items were supplied by the Federal Government before the election.

    Utazi said: “I showed them materials for the empowerment including 51 tricycles, 208 motorcycles, 212 grinding machines and five electricity transformers.

    “They expressed happiness that the materials supplied by the Federal Government for senatorial empowerment in my district are all intact and I informed them I will start the distribution next week.

    “ICPC routine checks on project empowerment materials are for all federal lawmakers not for me alone.

    “Some journalists should try to investigate first before publishing, those that published that story did not even care to call me to verify the information they received.

    “As a Christian, I hand over to God everything about my life as well as those who accuse me falsely so as to blackmail me.

    “The source of the information that my house in the village has been sealed by ICPC has evil intention to tarnish my image.

    “I purposely want to distribute them during National Assembly annual vacation to enable me to supervise the distributions as well as to ensure that the right people benefited.

    “By next Tuesday, I will start the distribution of the materials in Igboeze-South and Igboeze-North council areas, Wednesday will be for Udenu LG, Thursday Nsukka LG then Friday will be for Igboetiti LG while Uzowani LG will be on Monday August 12.”

  • MNJTF refutes ISWAP attack, killing of 40 soldiers

    The military has refuted claims that the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) killed 40 soldiers in an attack on Multinational Joint Taskforce (MNJFT) troops at Baga, Borno State.

    It described the alleged Monday killing reported by the media as completely unfounded and being sponsored by purveyors of fake news.

    According to a statement released Friday afternoon by spokesman for the MNJTF Timothy Antigha, a Colonel, there was a desperate attempt by certain individuals to promote falsehood, adding that the story was “completely unfounded.”

    Read Also: Soldiers allegedly rape varsity student

    He said the July 29 face-off between the troops and ISWAP left the terrorists bloodied as 10 of their members including four suicide bombers were killed.

    Antigha said ISWAP also lost  equipment during the encounter, wondering why news reflecting “much more than the opposite was being circulated.”

    “The public is therefore alerted and advised not to be misled by purveyors of fake news. ISWAP and their collaborators are down and hemorrhaging, hence the desperation to declare victory where no action took place,” he said.

  • DSS operatives to testify in Agbonyinma petition

    Operatives of the Directorate of State Security have been subpoenaed to testify in the petition filed by Hon Ehiozuwa Agbonyinma against the election of Hon Jude Ise-Idehen for the Ikpoba-Okha/Egor Federal Constituency seat.

    Ehiozuwa is asking the tribunal to declare him winner of the election. At the continuation of hearing of the petition yesterday, the tribunal fixed August 19 for the DSS operatives to appear before it.

    Counsel to Agbonyinma, Robert Emukperu, informed the tribunal that the DSS operatives are to tender statements obtained from ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

    Agbonyinma who testified in the case described the phone call he received from an INEC adhoc staff, Suleiman Ikhuoria, as a ‘miracle call’.

    He said he immediately reported to the DSS who carried out sting operation by giving him marked money to give to Suleiman.

    Read Also: Just In: DSS arrests Omoyele Sowore

    The tribunal accepted to listen to the audio recording of the conversation between Suleiman and Agbonyinma.

    Suleiman had called Agbonyinma thinking he was talking to a PDP chairman.

    From the tape, Suleiman was heard in the telephone conversation that he has delivered for the PDP.

    Other witnesses that testified said results were not announced at the polling units but taken to the Ward collation centre. Aigbogun Emmanuel said he signed altered results for him to have evidence to show his party.

    Promise Igbinevbo said there was no collation of results and the votes were not counted in Unit 5 Ward 8.

    Chairman of the tribunal, Justice O. Ogundana, adjourned sitting to August 19 for the respondents to open their defence.

  • Abia Speaker to NMA: Tackle quackery

    The Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Engr) Chinedum Orji, has charged members of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in the state to check against quackery in their midst.

    This is even as he has further urged them to punish appropriately hospitals in the state that use the services of quacks in their establishment.

    Orji spoke at the 2019 Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the NMA, Abia State branch at the Villa Roy Hotels with the theme “State’s Health Legislation: Role in Effective Healthcare Delivery.”

    He wondered why the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN) could be sanctioning its members by closing up unqualified pharmacies whereas the NMA would not do so.

    The Speaker who was represented at the occasion by the Member representing Umuahia South State Constituency at the Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. (Barr.) Jerry Uzosike encouraged Abians to take their health very seriously.

    Orji who stated that the Abia State House of Assembly is not witch hunting anybody or institution as it is only carrying out its oversight functions, added that posterity would not be kind to the House members if they fail to exercise their oversight functions.

    Read Also: Agenda for new minister from Abia

    He further disclosed that just this year, the Abia State House of Assembly has passed into Law “The Abia State Primary Healthcare Law no 2 of 2019” and that the 7th House is not resting on its oars as it has continued to make laws for the betterment of the people.

    The speaker said the 7th Abia State House of Assembly as part of its oversight functions wants to know exactly what is happening at the Abia State primary health centres, hence, the recent setting up of three ad hoc committees on health alone.

    The Speaker, who was the Guest of Honour at the occasion, promised to provide the legislative environment that would boost efficient delivery of members of the Nigerian Medical Association and congratulated the body for organising the event with such a carefully chosen theme.

    In her Address, the Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, Abia State Chapter, Dr (Mrs.) Iwuoha E.C, called on each Honourable Member of the Abia State House of Assembly to prioritize healthcare in their respective constituencies and go further by taking responsibility for at least one Primary Healthcare Centre within their localities with a view to making them model centres.

    Various speakers at the conference sought for mandatory legislation on Compulsory Health Insurance Scheme in Abia State and other related issues.

    The Chairman of the Abia State House of Assembly Committee on Health, Hon Stanley Nwabuisi, was part of the Speaker’s entourage to the occasion.

  • Ikpeazu woos Abia in Diaspora

    The governor of Abia State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has commended Abia indigenes in the Diaspora for their untiring towards education development through their planned provision of scholarship for Abia children.

    Ikpeazu who was speaking at his Country Home, Umuobiakwa when he played host to a delegation of Abia State Indigenes in Diaspora, United Kingdom, led by its president, Mr. Uche Kay.

    The governor, who promised that his government would do everything necessary to encourage them to invest in the state, also assured that he would provide the necessary ambiance that makes them achieve the establishment of their proposed school in the state.

    Read Also: I’m hale and hearty, Ikpeazu tells Abians

    Earlier in his speech, Kay said Abians living in the United Kingdom are motivated by the Governor’s educational development policy and decided to come home to assist in the education of Abia children.

    He disclosed that they have concluded plans to provide scholarship to five children in each of the 17 LGAs totaling 85 persons.

    The plan according to him is to make the scholarship an annual one, revealing that the target is to give 500 Abia children scholarship between now and 2023.

    He explained that the scholarship scheme which is for students from JSS 1 to SS3 would cater for their uniforms, books, school fees, Junior and Senior WAEC and every other fee they have to pay during the period.

  • Edo councils to adopt new revenue collection system

    The Chairman of the Edo State Chapter of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Hon. Jenkins Osunde, has said that the 18 local councils in the state have concluded plans to switch to a new system of revenue collection.

    Osunde, who is also chairman, Oredo Local Government Area, disclosed this at the end of the monthly Edo State Joint Account and Allocation Committee (JAAC) meeting at Government House, in Benin City.

    He noted that N24,094,500 out of the N3.261 billion that accrued to the 18 local councils in the month of June (distributed in July), was used to pay for Airtel Internet connectivity that will drive the new revenue collection system, adding, “The Airtel internet connectivity will provide the network that will be used for the new system of revenue collection we are migrating to.

    Read Also: Fayemi seeks new formula for revenue allocation

    “The 18 LGAs are contributing towards the new internet connectivity and we need to send the money before the connection can be done.”

    According to him, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) teachers’ and non-teachers’ salaries gulped N929,462,153 while Local Government contributions for pension is N423, 429, 894.

    Osunde added that payment for pension arrears gulped N100 million while Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) by LGAs in the month of July was N196,590,479.

    He said there was an increase in the IGR realised in July compared to that of June, noting, “The share of the IGR to the LGAs in June was N159,618,465 while the share to the LGAs in July was N160,340,540.”

  • Police threaten politicians over covered number plates

    Anambra State police commissioner, Mr John Abang, has threatened politicians, government officials and others who cover their vehicle number plates to desist from it or get arrested and prosecuted.

    This was contained in a statement on Saturday in Awka, by the command which was made available to reporters through the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Haruna Mohammed.

    The command declared that such act was not only unlawful, but constituted security threats to the public.

    Besides, the command said those doing such a thing were using it to perpetrate various forms of crimes in the state.

    Read Also: Police bans use of tinted glasses, cover plate number

    According to the statement, “Information at the disposal of the Anambra State Police Command revealed that unauthorised persons in the State are using unmarked or vehicles with covered plate numbers to perpetrate crimes in the state in order to avoid being detected by the law enforcement agencies”

    “Such acts are not only unlawful but also constitute serious security threats to the public which if left unchecked could jeopardise  the efforts of the police  towards promoting safety and security in the state which the law enforcement agencies are working assiduously to sustain.”

    “In view of the foregoing, the Commissioner of Police CP John B, Abang, has ordered with immediate effect the arrest and prosecution of persons using unmarked and masked vehicle plate numbers without authorisation.

    “Consequently, the CP also warns that any security personnel found escorting their principal with an unmarked vehicle or those with covered vehicle number plates will be arrested and dealt with accordingly” the command said.

  • Nigerians won’t regret Buhari’s re-election, Omo-Agege assures

    The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, on Saturday said that no voting age of any Nigerian will regret the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term, saying that Mr President was committed to solving myriads of problems confronting the country.

    Omo-Agege said his emergence as deputy senate president was made possible through the efforts of President Buhari and other key leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Omo-Agege said this at his Orogun country home, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta last Thursday, when arrived to a heroic welcome at the Osubi Airstrip in Okpe Council Area of the state.

    Since his election as Senator and deputy senate president, this was the first time Omo-Agege would be returning home since his reelection as a senator representing Delta Central senatorial district and subsequent elevation as deputy senate president of the 9th Senate.

    Read Also: Omo-Agege congratulates Buhari on his successful swearing-in

    Omo-Agege, who arrived with the 2019 State APC governorship candidate, Chief Great Ogboru, the state party chairman, Prophet Jones Erue and other prominent party leaders, thanked the people of Delta Central for the mandate given to him.

    His arrival with Ogboru, however, doused the rumour of the cold war between him and the APC governorship candidate in 2019 general elections.

    Omo-Agege said, “You all knew how I got to the position of the deputy senate president. It is a position that has not come to the South-South region since 1999. But today, we got that position and all of this only became possible because of the full support of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “I told you that if you vote for me and Buhari, you will not regret it because Buhari loves Urhobos and Nigerians; and he has fulfilled it by giving us DSP and a Minister.”

    Omo-Agege while thanking all APC governors, National Leaders of the APC and fellow senators of the ninth National Assembly for ensuring that he emerged the DSP, further vowed not to let his people down by fulfilling all his promises made to them during the electioneering campaigns.