Author: The Nation

63 chieftains of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Idanre Local Government Area (LGA) of Ondo State defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday.

The defectors included the Chairman, PDP Elders’ Forum in the locality, Idowu Akinseye, former Special Adviser to former governor Olusegun Mimiko, Marcus Adeoti, Lad Owoseni, former chairman Timber Finishers, Brigadier Omogbemi,

Chief Banji Kuroloja, former Personal Secretary to the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Korede Duyile and Prof. John Jejela, amongst others.

Jejela who spoke at a rally in Idanre, said the entire structure of the PDP in the locality had been collapsed into the APC.

Jejela said their defection to the ruling party would boost the strength of the APC in next year’s LGA and governorship election.

He said: “On behalf of my fellow defectors and our followers, we thank you for accepting us to your fold.

“Today, we collapsed the structure of PDP in Idanre Local Government Area for APC and we promise to boost the strength of APC in this local government.”

Ondo Chairman of the APC, Engr. Ade Adetimehin, who received the defectors, said they were politicians who always ensured victory for the PDP during elections.

Adetimehin said the APC would henceforth win in all elections in Idanre and its environs.

He said, “I am happy today that these strong chieftains of PDP decamped to our party, APC.

“I can authoritatively tell you that these are the strong machineries of the PDP who always gave us a tough time during elections in Idanre Local Government.

“Although we haven’t lost the governorship election here – we won the last two governorship elections-we are now doubly sure that we shall henceforth be having a field day whenever election holds in this local government.

“The chieftains came in large numbers with their numerous followers from all the wards in Idanre Local Government.

“They have collapsed the structure of PDP for our party, APC, in Idanre Local Government. This is one of the largest harvests we’ve ever had in a swoop in this local government.

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“We are providing a level playing field for everyone in APC irrespective of when you join us. We have become one family with one goal of providing good government for our people.”

A former lawmaker, Hon. Kolawole Babatunde said the defectors were convinced by the performance of the Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu-led administration in the state.

Babatunde expressed optimism that more members of the PDP and other political parties in the state would soon dissolve into APC.

Speaker of the Ondo House of Assembly, Olumide Oladiji congratulated the PDP defectors for joining the APC rather than watching from the sidelines.

The UNESCO Read and Earn Federation has proposed solutions for food availability following the Federal Government’s declaration of a state of emergency on food security.

The President, UNESCO REF, Prince Abdulsalami Ladigbolu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Saturday that equipping young women in Agriculture would prove vital to restoring food availability.

Recall that President Bola Tinubu on July 13 declared a state of emergency on food security due to the inflation in food items in the market caused by insecurity in the North-East, North-West, and South-East.

Ladigbolu said there was need for the President to prioritise agricultural integration to curb these exigencies.

He said that women played a pivotal role in agricultural integration, which could make it possible for the country to achieve ‘zero hunger’.

According to him, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that women comprise 43 per cent of the global agricultural workforce.

”This number you see goes up to over 60 per cent in the least developed countries.

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”In spite of the key role women play in agricultural development, they still have less access to technologies, information, resources, and finance for their agricultural activities across the globe,” he said.

Ladigbolu, therefore, said that as an organisation collaborating with the government, it had introduced an agricultural initiative to stem the shortcomings of low food supplies in the country. .
”UNESCO REF, under its Strategic Intervention Programme-ALPHA (SIP-ALPHA), has partnered with some organisations and relevant stakeholders to empower young women in Agriculture.

“This initiative is part of our commitment to contribute our quota towards actualising substantial attainment of the United Nations global goal before or by 2030 with emphasis on goal two, which aims at achieving “zero hunger”.

“Recognising the key role women play in agriculture, the launching of Young Women in Agriculture in Nigeria could not have come at any better time than now when food insecurity has become a major issue in Nigeria,” he added. (NAN)

To avert a breach of the peace following a leadership crisis, the Umueri Royal Cabinet in Anambra East Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra State has set up a reconciliation committee to meet with the President-General of Umueri General Assembly, UGA, Ambassador John Metchie.

It also condemned what it described as an attempt by a few executive members of the Umueri General Assembly (UGA) to cause division in the community.

Rising from an emergency meeting in Umueri, the Umueri Royal Cabinet said it had waded into the matter and taken some decisions to bring lasting peace to the community.

A communiqué signed by Princess Ngozi Okoye (Adaigbo), Secretary, Umueri Royal Cabinet, said the factional UGA executive acted illegally by passing a vote-of-no-confidence on the President-General of Umueri General Assembly (UGA), Ambassador John Metchie, without consultation.

It also frowned at media attacks on Metchie and Igwe Benneth Emeka and warned perpetrators to stop such activities, saying there may be legal action against any person that repeats such.

Consequently, a four-man committee was set up to meet with Metchie to find lasting peace in the community.  

The Communiqué reads: “We the Umueri Royal cabinet and Ndi Itchies have waded into this matter after a high-level meeting held on Sunday, July 16, 2023, and discussed and agreed as follows:

“That the publication and vote of no confidence on the Umueri President General by Nine UGA executives without first consulting the cabinet and Ndi Itchies is condemned

“That all the insults and defamations on the person of Igwe Okebo II and PG Metchie is an effrontery on Umueri as a whole and should stop immediately.

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“That all other write-ups in all WhatsApp platforms of Umueri including villages and print media should seize henceforth.

“Additionally, Umueri has no autonomous status yet, any person or quarter parading himself or themselves as Igwe of himself or themselves is impersonating and should be charged accordingly with immediate effect in the court of law.

“That any person found or caught or seen in contravention of the above shall be prosecuted without further warning.

” Subcommittee led by High Chief Egbema shall meet with PG Chief Johnny Metchie on Wednesday, 19th July 2023 as a matter of urgency towards resolution of the crisis.

“We assure everybody of a positive intervention in the matter.”

The Federal Parastatals and Private Sector Pensioners Association of Nigeria (FEPPPAN) has urged the Federal Government to consider an upward review of their monthly pension in its review of the workers salaries following the removal of subsidy on petroleum products.

The union also urged the government to include pensioners in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIC) enjoyed by workers.

The union made the appeal in a communique issued at the end of a one-day National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.

The communique was jointly signed by Acting Interim President-General, Babaji Magaji; General Secretary, Franklin Erinle and National Public Relations Officer, Jonathan Iyoo.

While hailing President Bola Tinubu’s determination to improve the economy by removing subsidy on fuel, the union called on the government to endeavour to put in place necessary palliatives to cushion the effect of the subsidy removal on senior citizens.

The union hailed Tinubu for staying the course in maintaining prompt payment of federal pensions as started by the immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari.

It urged the Tinubu administration to keep the tempo.

The communique reads: “FEPPPAN humbly requests the Federal Government to remember the upward review of pension as workers’ salary is being reviewed or five years after that of 2019, whichever comes first in line with Section 173 (3) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

“The Union pleads with the Federal Government to mercifully include the pensioners in the enjoyment of the National Health Insurance Scheme as workers do.

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“FEPPPAN commends and appreciates the Federal Government and PTAD for embarking on the ‘I am alive confirmation’ for pensioners.

“The union also commends and appreciates the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment for ensuring the smooth operation of all Trade Unions, particularly, FEPPPAN.

“The Federal Government’s determination to improve the economy by the removal of subsidy on fuel was commended. The Union passionately calls on the government to endeavour to put in place necessary palliatives in order to cushion its crushing effect on the senior citizens.”

Six thousand girls have benefited from the Federal Government’s training on digital literacy, the Federal Government has said.

Project Coordinator, Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment, (AGILE), Federal Ministry of Education, Amina Haruna said 140 teachers across the seven participatory states – Borno; Ekiti; Kadauna; Kano; Katsina; Kebbi and Plateau – also benefited from the training.

She spoke in Abuja during the Unity Schools Old Student’s Association (USOSA) Education Summit with the theme: “Transforming secondary education for the digital age”.

AGILE is a $1.2million project supported by the World Bank to provide training for girls in some select states.

The government, through the project, is looking at training and providing instructional materials to learners on digital literacy.

Haruna said: “We have trained about 6,000 girls in digital literacy; we have trained about 140 teachers across the seven participatory states of AGILE in Borno, Ekiti, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi and Plateau state. 11 more states are coming under the additional financing making the project the biggest in West Africa and is worth $1.2million.

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“We are looking at training the teachers because the teachers have to be equipped. We are looking at the provision of enough conducive learning to them to be able to learn.”

President-General of USOSA, Michael Magaji said there was a need for schools to embrace digital learning.

He said the target of the association was to show the benefits of digital learning to stakeholders.

Magaji said: “USOSANs have moved from complaint mode to solution mode a long time ago and this is why we are gathered here to discuss the issues and find solutions.”

Africa Head of SME Banking, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Ajayi Babatunde assured that the bank was committed to deepening digital education in the education ecosystem.

He further assured that the bank was committed financially to assisting all the players in the ecosystem.

Troops of the  Nigerian Army and Department of State Services (DSS) have destroyed an enclave of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)/Eastern Security Network (ESN) in Asaba, Delta.

The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement said the raid was conducted by troops of 63 Brigade Garrison under 6 Division and operative of DSS in a clearance operation on Saturday.

Nwachukwu said the operation was part of the sustained effort to rid Nigeria of criminality.

He said the troops conducted a raid operation on the fortified enclave located in the middle of a forested gigh ground in the early hours of Saturday.

According to him, the gallant troops overpowered the IPOB fighters in the exchange of fire that followed the encounter, compelling them to abandon their hideout in disarray.

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“The troops captured one of the fleeing fighters and recovered five AK 47 Rifles, three Pump Action Semi Automatic Rifles, one G3 Rifle and one single barrel gun.

“Other items recovered include Live Cartridges, Electric Saw, Machetes, an Axe and IPOB flag.

“The troops have destroyed the enclave and are exploiting the forest in pursuit of the fleeing fighters.

“The Chief of Army Staff, Maj.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja has commended the troops and other security agencies for their effort in the ongoing operations and has charged them to sustain the momentum to restore sanity in the region,” he said.

(NAN)