The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Kidnap suspect arrested in Ogun community

    The Police in Warewa, Ogun State are interrogating a kidnap suspect  caught early Friday on Eruobodo Street, Arepo, Ogun State.

    The suspect, who identified himself as Felix, claimed to be an indigene of Osun State. He said he was sent by ‘an Oga’ who is based in Ondo town in Ondo State.

    Read Also: Suspected kidnapper arrested in Ondo

    According to him, he was sent to Arepo with a mandate to kidnap children. He did not specify if it is for ransom or for ritual.

    When asked for his phone, Felix said he threw it into a stream when being pursued so that the information therein could not be accessed for possible clues on his gang members.

    He said the botched kidnap was his first in Arepo.

    He also claimed not to know the name of his Ondo-based commander.

     

  • Why investment is poor in Third World countries, by Wabba

    NIGERIA Labour Congress(NLC) President Comrade Ayuba  Wabba has expressed concern over what he described as militarisation of third world countries.

    According to him, the  development is affecting investment potentials in most the countries.

    Wabba told The Nation on the sidelines of the just concluded 108th session of the International Labour Conference that the absence of peace in many countries is affecting industrialisation,.

    The labour leader said  no investor would come to any country where there is no peace.

    Wabba, who is also the president of International Trade Union Confederation, said the increase in the number of countries that has been militarised was a clear indication that something has gone wrong with the world system.

    He said: “Anywhere you are able to deny workers and citizens their means of livelihood, it will be difficult to address the issues of peace and stability. That is why the key for moving forward is future of work that can still guarantee some of the fundamental rights that workers have already earned.

    “We have seen budget of the world and the militarisation of the world. If you look at the areas of the world that is currently being militarised, you will notice an increase.

    “That is to tell us that something is wrong and that something need to be done. That is why the ideas of ILO is to use sustainable peace and development within the decent work agenda.

    “When you have decent work and many people have something to do, it will be an avenue to being about social stability and social cohesion because you cannot have development where there is no peace.

    “Investors will not come to a country where there is conflict because they want peace which will drive development.”

    Read Also: Nigeria is endowed but poor, says don

    Speaking on the lessons learnt from the centenary celebration of the ILO, Wabba said: “Looking over the years and the various roles that ILO has played in shaping the world of work, we can say with nostalgia that a lot has been achieved.”

    The supervisory mechanism of the ILO and the issue of standards is very important and many conventions have been passed. Nigeria is the first country in African to rectify these conventions.

    “We cannot take for granted the fact that the issues of labour standards everywhere around the world is important because we need regulate the issue of labour the same way we regulate economic issues round the world.

    “In fact, the issue of labour should be taken more seriously because it is about human beings. Therefore, we can say with every sense of responsibility that this is an occasion that is worth celebrating. It is also to plan for the future. That is why the theme centered on decent work and sustainable development.

    “If you look at the sustainable development goals, particularly goal eight, you discovered that it talks about decent work. At the foundation of peace around the world, is actually the issue of social justice. That is why the issue of social justice is key.

    “The future of work becomes important because going into the 21st century and the fourth industrial revolution, we have seen a lot of changes. We have seen that what is driving economies around the world is the issue of technology where attempts are being made to use technology to replace human beings. That will not augur well with our desire to have sustainable development and decent work around the world.

    “Anywhere you are able to deny workers and citizens their means of livelihood, it will be difficult to address the issues of peace and stability. That is why the key for moving forward is future of work that can still guarantee some of the fundamental rights that workers have already earned.

    “Some of the fundamental rights brought by this important institution is the right of the worker to collective bargaining which stipulates that a worker is not a slave and that they have a right to negotiate their conditions of service.

    “Going forward, in whatever economy we operate, these rights must continue to be guaranteed. That is why we have requested for a new social contract going into the digital world and the technological revolution.

    “We need to ensure that workers continue to exercise these rights which include the right to strike, the right to decent work and the right to fewer hours of work because been have seen that with the advent of technology, people are now made to work for longer hours without being paid.

    “We have heard progressive pronouncement by world leaders here with some of them being very supportive of the fact that the issue of minimum wage should be universal.

    “We heard President Macron said that because of the issue of people moving from one place to the other in search of greener  pasture, he advocating for a minimum wage in Europe that is enforceable.

    “World leaders that have come here have said that the panecea for global peace is social justice. You cannot have peace around the world if there is no social justice.

    “Therefore, if we have a pool of youths around the world that are not engaged, it is also a problem. That is why the issue of decent work is imports. Inequality around the world has increased and that is why I said that inequality anywhere is a threat to insecurity anywhere in the world.

    “We have seen this happen from one jurisdiction to another. That is why we are expecting a very strong instrument from this conference in form of conventions to address issues of violence and harassment in the world of work. We are very passionate about that as workers.

    “We have seen how minor and women are being harassed on daily basis. Therefore, the world of workers have seen this as a major issue and the need to confront it from a global perspective and have a convention that van guarantee zero tolerance for harassment and the issue of violence in the work place.”

  • Osun pensioners split over protest

    OSUN State Triangular Group of Pensioners has condemned protests by the 2011-2012 faction of retirees  over alleged unpaid 15-month pension.

    The group, at a news conference on Thursdays in Osogbo by its chairman, Prince Rotimi Adelugba, described as untrue the claim by the protesters that the state government had received and diverted the Paris Club Refund.

    In what appeared like a confirmation of the government’s response that the protest was politically motivated, the group debunked the claim by the protesters that the pensioner’s salaries were not being paid as and when due.

    Adelugba added that not all the pensioners were being owed 15 months pension arrears.

    According to him: “We are constrained to react to the action by the 2011-2012 set of pensioners, who took to the streets yesterday and today to protest nonpayment of arrears of 15 months pension. The group claimed that the government had received and diverted the Paris Club Refund.

    “As concerned pensioners, we are constrained to state that our colleagues’ allegations are far from the truth.

    “Since the current administration assumed office over six months ago, it has ensured full payment of our monthly pension and wages to all levels as and when due in line with its promise, and subject to release of allocations from the Federal Government as it is public knowledge that the state government is making efforts to improve its internally generated revenue base.

    “As we are all aware, not all of us pensioners are being owed the 15 months pension arrears. Our findings reveal that the government has not received any Paris Club Refund as claimed by our colleagues. We are also not aware that other states have been paid the Paris Club Refund.”

    Read Also: FG pensioners demand payment of 33% arrears

    The group added that some of the protesting colleagues had recently collected their bonds while a significant number of them are set to collect theirs, even as it lauded Oyetola for keeping to his campaign promise that his administration would be committed to improving the welfares of all workers and pensioners in the state.

    “ “Government’s ability to keep its promise to fully pay pensioners’ arrears and gratuity as promised is enough reason for us to believe them that they will pay our pension arrears when the funds are available.

    “In view of the above, we appeal to our colleagues to understand and appreciate the constraints and efforts of government and to maintain the peace as the government works hard to take care of our needs and welfare,” Adelugba stated.

    The government has also reiterated its commitment to improving the welfare of all workers and pensioners in the State.

    Addressing the protesting retirees yesterday at the state government secretariat, Oyetola said his administration remained committed to the general well-being of all categories of workers and retirees.

    Oyetola, who was represented by Deputy Governor Benedict Alabi, said: “Osun State is not operating in isolation and if such intervention fund would be released by the Federal Government to the state, it would not be disbursed in secret. We are running a transparent government. Our administration has never failed in performing its statutory obligations to meet the needs of its workforce.”

    Oyetola declared his government’s commitment to the welfare and the general well-being of active and passive workers

    He described as falsehood, the claims that the state had received another tranche of Parish Club Refund from the Federal Government.

    He said the state under his watch had taken to the front burner the welfare and security of lives and property of the citizenry.

    On Tuesday, a section of retired civil servants took to the streets in Osogbo over unpaid arrears of pension.

  • Yari debunks leaving N252 billion debt for Matawalle

    Former Zamfara State Governor Abdul Aziz Yari Abubakar has debunked allegations of leaving behind N252 billion debts to Governor Bello Muhammad Matawalle.

    Yari said he left over N7 billion for the take-off of the Matawalle’s administration.

    The former governor, who spoke through his media aide, Malam Ibrahim Dosara, at the APC secretariat in Gusau, added that paid a debt of over N45 billion left behind by the administration before him.

    Yari was reacting to the allegation by the Chairman of PDP Transition Committee, Malam Ibrahim Wakkala, that he left behind over N252 billion.

    The allegation, the former governor said, could not be swept under the carpet.

    He stressed that the Zamfara people enjoyed dividends of democracy under him with the inauguration of projects by President Muhammad Buhari, All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and many more prominent dignitaries.

    Yari stressed that the allegations were baseless and an effort to smear his image.

    Read Also: Matawalle inherited N252b debts from Yari, says transition chair

    He said that it was astonishing to note that Wakkala who was his deputy and Chairman, Zamfara Stare Tender Board could not differentiate between ongoing projects, awarded projects and what should be addressed as liabilities and debts.

    His media aide said: “No bank loan was left or obtained by the Ministry of Finance under Governor Abdul Aziz Yari and left behind as debt to the present administration.”

    On education, he said: “There were debts inherited by Yari from the administration before him and his administration on inception met with the various examination bodies, which Wakkala claimed Yari’s administration owed. Yari negotiated with the bodies to pay the debt by instalments.”

    The former governor explained that his government paid the examination and tuition fees of Zamfara State students.

  • Our priority for Kwara, by Governor AbdulRazaq

    Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has said his first priority is to get things back to normal and restore confidence, such as fixing bad roads, getting water running and getting moribund institutions back to work.

    He spoke Monday night when he visited the Kwara State College of Education (Technical), Lafiagi, where he assured workers who have long been on strike that they would be paid as soon as possible.

    He had earlier visited Bacita, a town in Kwara North that once housed Nigeria’s biggest sugar factory, where he said discussions are ongoing with investors to revive the industry with domino effects on employment and wealth creation.

    The governor, according to his Chief Press Secretary Rafiu Ajakaye, also visited the Lafiagi General Hospital, where he bemoaned the lack of basic amenities like water supply, electricity and refrigeration for medical supplies like anti-snakebite serum.

    He, however, hailed the Federal Ministry of Health for its interventionist programmes such as free malaria drugs.

    Read Also: AbdulRazaq to repeal law granting pensions to ex-governors, deputies

    Yesterday, AbdulRazaq visited the Duku Lade Irrigation Scheme in Patigi Local Government Area as part of efforts to ensure all-year farming.

    The governor has since embarked on extensive tours of facilities across the state, especially water works, hospitals, schools and the comatose media houses that have stopped working.

    The tours have led to the release of funds for quick measures that have seen water running in some parts of the state, road rehabilitation and ongoing efforts to bring Radio Kwara back on air after many months of inactivity.

    “Things are not just bad here. I have seen your hospital and your waterworks. They are in a bad state. But that is the way things are all over the state. What we are trying to do is to get things gradually working the way they used to be,” AbdulRazaq told workers of the College of Education.”

    “Now, how does that affect you here? We will get you back to work. We will clear whatever has to be cleared. But as I said, it is a difficult task. I will give you an example. There’s no money, but we will manage our resources. For May, we received N3.2 billion and salary alone gulped N2.2 billion. So, only one billion is left to run institutions like this and fix hospitals and waterworks. We just have to manage our resources…and put the little resources in the right place,” the governor said.

    AbdulRazaq said the administration would later embark on capital projects that would transform the state.

  • 19,210 get N1.6b Kwara, World Bank jobs

    KWARA State Government in collaboration with the World Bank has employed 18,000 poor and vulnerable persons under the second phase of the Youth Empowerment and Social Support Operations (YESSO) scheme.

    Already, in the last two years, no fewer than 1,210 spread across two local government areas –  Asa and Ilorin West – benefited from the programme.

    Head, Work Fare Projection (PWF) Implementation Unit, YESSO, Shamsudeen Aregbe gave the figures to reporters yesterday in Ilorin, the state capital, during the grand finale of the validation and orientation programme for the beneficiaries.

    He added that the World Bank would commit N1.6 billion to the scheme for the paying of monthly stipends of N7,500 per beneficiary.

    “The state’s contribution shall be in the area of provision of human capital, structures that will house the unit and provision of tools and kits that the beneficiaries will be using in the course of their engagement on the programme,” he said.

    Read Also: Our priority for Kwara, by Governor AbdulRazaq

    Aregbe said the scheme would last for a period of 12 months, commencing from July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020.

    PWF’s head added that the beneficiaries’ job would be purely a community of environmental sanitation spanning four hours per day.

    He said: “They will work for four hours in a day and four days in a week, excepting weekends and public holidays.

    “Principally, the programme seeks to reduce the level of poverty in Kwara State communities. It stands to create job opportunities for the poor and vulnerable persons from the households captured in the YESSO simple registered of poor and vulnerable persons.”

    “The beneficiaries are people of between 18 and 35, who don’t have up to junior secondary school (JSSS) three academic qualification and senior secondary school (SSS) three dropouts, who are aged 36 to 45. And above all, all these people must come from poor and vulnerable households.”

  • Benue tackles Fed Govt over Ruga settlement for herdsmen

    Benue State Government has rejected the Federal Government’s proposed Ruga settlement for herdsmen.

    In a statement, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Governor, Terver Akase, drew the attention of those sponsoring the proposal to the state’s Anti-Open Grazing Prohibition Law and the need to obey it.

    The statement reads: “It has become necessary to make the position of the government and people of Benue State abundantly clear on the Ruga settlement for herdsmen being implemented by the Federal Government across the states, including Benue.

    “A few weeks ago, the Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture with his team in Benue State informed officials of the State Ministry of Agriculture that he had received directives from the ministry’s headquarters, Abuja, to establish Ruga, which means ‘Fulani settlement’ in parts of the state.

    “The director stated that the local government areas selected for the Ruga settlements were Otukpo, Tarka and Ukum.

    Read Also: Benue rejects FG settlements for herdsmen

    “The Permanent Secretary, Benue State Ministry of Agriculture drew the attention of the director and his team to the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017 being implemented in the state. When they were also reminded about the Land Use Act, which confers on the governor the powers to administer lands in all parts of the state, officials of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture left with a promise to relay the message to their headquarters.”

    The governor’s media aide added: “They surprisingly returned a few days later with contractors to commence work on the Ruga settlements.

    “We find the approach of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture not only as a gross violation of the ranching law, but also as an insult to the sensibilities of the entire people of Benue State.

    “It could be recalled that the people and government of Benue State rejected cattle colonies and still reject the policy in whichever robes it is disguised.

    Governor Samuel Ortom made the stand of Benue State known during the unveiling of the Livestock Development Programme in Abuja last year. He stressed that the state would embrace the policy only if it supports implementation of the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017.”

    The governor,  Akase said, also insisted that Benue State has no land for open grazing of cattle “and he restated ranching as a lasting solution to the incessant herders and farmers crisis, which the country ought to embrace”.

    ”We wish to remind those pushing for Ruga settlements that the constitution of the country gives states the right to make laws for the governance of their people. Any attempt to subvert such right is a direct attack on the constitution,” the governor’s media aide said.

  • Insecurity: 867 schools inaccessible in Borno, says global group

    An international non-governmental organisation, Save the Children, has said about 867 schools in Borno State are non-functional and inaccessibility as a result of insecurity.

    It noted that 2.2 million school-aged children and teachers needed immediate education in emergency support in the Northeast.

    Save the Children Nigeria’s Country Director Benjamin Foot said this yesterday during the centenary celebration and launch of three reports by the organisation in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

    He said: “Education is a key concern in the conflict of Northeast Nigeria. The Humanitarian Needs Overview estimates that there were 2.2 million school-aged children and teachers in the Northeast who need immediate education in emergency support.

    “Eight hundred and sixty-seven schools primarily in Borno State are still non-functional mainly due to inaccessibility as a result of insecurity.

    “More than two million girls, boys and caregivers need psychosocial support services due to severe distress, hardship and displacement in Northeast Nigeria. In addition, 770,000 children and caregivers remain at risk of injury and loss of life from explosive remnants of war.”

    Foot noted that the conflict in the region had exposed children to different forms of violence, making them vulnerable to abuse, neglect and exploitation.

    Read Also: Northern Govs map out plans to end insecurity

    The Country Director said the organisation would continue to fight for children by making sure they get protection when they are in danger and have the chance to learn.

    He called on government at all levels, communities and families to provide a conducive environment for children to learn, to enable them to be protected and grow up strong.

    “We will continue to fight for children every single day. We will do whatever it takes to make sure they survive, get protection when they are in danger, and have the chance to learn, because every child should be able to make their mark on their world and help to build a better future for all.

    “We would like to ask all actors to review their commitment and join forces to create a conducive environment for children to learn, be protected and grow up healthy,” he said.

    Foot welcomed the recent bold step taken by the Federal Government in ratifying the “Safe School Declaration”.

    He said the declaration will be instrumental in ensuring that the schools will be safe zones for children to learn.

  • Troops recover 11 AK47, 2437 ammunition, 2164 cattle in Zamfara

    TROOPS of “Operation Hadarin Daji” have recovered 11 AK47, riffles, 14 Dane guns and 2,437 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition from bandits since the inception of the military outfit to date, its commandant, Maj.-Gen. Jelil Jide Ogunlade, said yesterday.

    According to Maj.-Gen. Ogunlade, the troops also recovered two pump action rifles, two locally made pistols, 2,164 cattle and duly returned them to their owners.

    The outfit also neutralised 20 armed bandits and arrested 15 suspected armed bandits, including collaborators.

    The troops, the military chief said, also rescued 49 kidnapped victims.

    He promised that his men will lay siege to bandits in Zamfara State by confining them to the bush and taking the fight to their den.

    The force commandant added that taking the drastic action becomes necessary because of the unwillingness of the bandits to show they were ready to surrender as the incumbent governor, Dr. Bello Muhammad, had offered them.

    Read Also: Troops recover four AK 47, rescue 760 in Zamfara

    “The Zamfara State governor has done wonderfully well by extending amnesty to the bandits, but instead of succumbing to the offer, the bandits unleashed over 20 attacks under 24 hours.”

    He said confining the bandits to the bush, where they belong, is initiated with a view to curtailing collateral damage associated with most military operations against opponents worldwide.

    Maj.-Gen. Ogunlade stressed that an onslaught that has never been launched in the history of the fight against banditry in Zamfara State will be soon be effected.

    He warned the bandits to surrender before it is too late.

    The commandant added that the bandits, whenever there is an onslaught, mix with people of communities inhabited by innocent people.

    He cautioned the people of the state to be on alert and inform security officials whenever they find new faces among them.

  • ‘Rivers won’t allow proliferation of vigilance groups’

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has said the government will not permit the proliferation of vigilance groups.

    According to him, youths interested in helping to build the state’s security architecture should join the State Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency.

    Wike spoke yesterday when traditional rulers from Ahoada East and West Local Government Areas visited him in the Government House. The monarchs used the opportunity to submit arms retrieved from repentant criminals in their areas after a local amnesty programme.

    The governor said the decision became necessary after OSPAC from Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area started over stepping its boundaries.

    He said: “I am being careful about vigilance groups because of what OSPAC is doing; it is now going beyond its boundaries. We will reintegrate OSPAC into the State Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency, and anyone who wants to support the security structure should join the State Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency. We will not approve local vigilance for different councils.

    “We granted amnesty in the past, and some boys went back to crime. For now, we are doing what is called ‘Binding Over’. If they renege, the law will take its course. When the court binds you over, it will be difficult for you to renege.”

    The governor also praised the monarch of Ekpeye land and Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, Ehie Edison, for taking proactive actions to improve security. According to him, the government will reward the Divisional Police Officers of Ahoada East and West, and the Joint Task Force Commander in the area, Maj. Nwachukwu, for their roles in promoting peace and security.

    The Eze Igbu Upkata, Dr. Felix Otuwarikpo, said Traditional Rulers from Ahoada East and West Local Government Areas worked with the security agencies to ensure that peace returned to Ekpeye land.

    Otuwarikpo urged the government to take steps to ensure that the boys don’t return to crime.