The Nation Newspaper

Category: Abuja Review

  • Streetlights: Govt spent over N900m on bills

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has said that it paid over N900 million to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) being streetlights bill from January to December 2017.

    Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, (AMMC), Umar Shuaibu, disclosed this against the background of incessant power outage in many districts.

    Lamenting the cost of maintaining the streetlights, Shuiabu said: “May I disclose that FCT Administration has released the sum of N914,741,886 million to AEDC as payment for electricity bills. We are determined to sustain and to illuminate major streets of the nation’s capital, the Council has engaged Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) to jointly make a road map towards resolving the issue of incessant power shortage in the Federal Capital City,” he said.

    Shuaibu who expressed worries that the efforts of the Council has continued to be jeopardized by activities of some criminal elements who were always vandalising public utilities, especially  street lighting cables and other equipment, stated that the administration was working to ensure that all the leakages being exploited by the vandals were blocked.

    On the issue of illegal dumping of refuse in some parts of the city, AMMC boss also disclosed that the Council has engaged 27 cleaning contractors to manage 27 districts of the city, while bemoaning that indiscriminate dumping of refuse was still persisting in some parts of the city.

    “In the past refuse are left unattended for weeks. In some cases, when evacuating refuse especially along the Airport Road and other strategic parts of the city, refuse splash around the streets as a result the waste is not properly disposed.

    “ The AEPB had eng aged 27 cleaning contractors for taking care of 27 districts within the FCC to rid the city of all solid waste and for sweeping the streets, the expressways, and the inner roads and also the enforcement are taking charge of all and Sundry  human nuisances. The new contract will take effect by June 2018 which will cover 48 districts”, Shuaibu noted.

     

  • FCTA reduces curfew hours

    The 6pm-6am curfew imposed in Bwari town as a result of the Christmas Day crisis there has been relaxed to 10pm to 5am. This is as a result of visible signs of return of normalcy to the area. The Minster, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Bello made this declaration after a security review meeting on the situation on ground in the town.

    The Secretary, Area Councils Services Secretariat, Malam Adamu Bappah, who chaired the meeting on behalf of the FCT Minister, commended all the security operatives and stakeholders for their efforts in working towards the restoration of peace in the town.

    Bello appealed to residents, community leaders and faith-based organisations to work towards the final return of peace to the town, as it is only then would peace and development come to the community. He called on all the residents to be alert to their neighbourhoods and to report all suspicious movements to the security agencies. He praised the residents for being law abiding and supportive of the efforts of the Administration to ensure that normalcy returned to the town.

    Speaking to newsmen at the end of the meeting the Bwari Area Council Chairman, Hon. Musa Diko, stressed that the security agencies would intensify joint patrols in the various neighbourhoods and contiguous border towns as well as synergise and share information with their colleagues in Niger, Kaduna and Nasarawa states.

    The various security agencies such as the Guards Brigade, the Police, Department of State Security and the National Security and Civil Defence Corps indicated that their men are on ground and prepared to deal with any situation likely to lead to a breach of the peace.

  • Concerns over fate of North’s dry ports

    Concerns over fate of North’s dry ports

    It is different strokes for different folks as far as dry ports in the North are concerned. A few are looking good. Others are just not good to go. From Kaduna to Jos to Katsina and Kano, concerns are mounting.

    Activities have commenced at the Kaduna Dry Port. And in Jos, work at the site of the dry port has reached advanced stage.

    In Kano, the non-declaration of the Inland Dry Port located in the state as “port of origin and destination,” by the relevant authorities, had stalled its operation, 15 years after its completion.

    Alhaji Ahmad Rabi’u, the Chairman of Dala Inland Dry Port Nigeria Limited, Kano, who is the Commissioner of Commerce and Industry in the state, said work on the port was completed in 2003, but that the facility had remained dormant.

    “Dala Inland Dry port is ready to commence commercial activities but is waiting for the declaration of the facility as port of origin and destination for the final technical arrangement and formal take-off.

    “In 2003, the Dala Inland Dry port Nigeria limited was awarded responsibility to operate the Kano Dry port and since then, it has passed through different stages of development.

    “All the technical arrangements have been concluded, with the exception of the declaration expected to be formalised,” Rabi’u added.

    He said the port was constructed under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, with Kano State Government holding 20 per cent equity interest.

    According to him, the port will generate a lot of revenue as Kano constitutes between 75 and 80 per cent of Nigerian cargo export.

    He said the port would be linked to rail line, and had facilities for storage, consolidation of goods, maintenance for roads and rail cargo carriers, as well as customs clearance services.

    Rabi’u, therefore urged the Federal Government to facilitate completion of the processes in view of the economic benefits of the port to the people of the state and the country at large.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) also reports that work on Fright Station/Dry Port in in Funtua, Katsina State, which started since September 2014, is progressing at a snail speed and residents are worried that it may be abandoned.

    The District Head of Funtua, Alhaji Sambo Idris, is therefore urging the Federal Government to hasten its completion because of its economic importance.

    Alhaji Abdullahi Kutawa, Acting Chairman of Funtua Local Government Council and Alhaji Bello Abubakar, National President of Maize Farmers Association of Nigeria, said they were looking forward to the completion of the project, adding that it would facilitate evacuation of agricultural products and generate commercial activities.

    Effort made by NAN to get comments from the project concessionaires, Equatorial Marine Oil and Gas, was not successful.

    The project was billed to be completed within 30 months of commencement but since then, its cost had risen from the initial N3 billion, to N5 billion.

    Under the initial arrangement, Katsina State Government will acquire 10 per cent equity, while the 36 local councils will also have 10 per cent stake, with the equity reserved for Katsina indigenes, to be issued to interested investors.

    Meanwhile, some traders in Maiduguri are calling on the Federal Government to expedite work on Borno Dry Port project to fast-track socio- economic development of the state.

    A cross section of the traders who made the call while speaking to NAN in Maiduguri, said the call was imperative considering the damage done to the state’s economy as a result of activities of insurgents.

    Alhaji Nura Ahmed, a trader, said the project would reinvigorate businesses, provide job opportunities and enhance wealth creation in the society.

    “Dry Port is desirable as part of practical measures to resuscitate the shattered economy of Borno and neighbouring states.

    “We call on the government to ensure the actualisation of the project,” he said.

    Abubakar Kime, another trader, said that the project would stimulate import and export of agricultural produce in the Northeast.

    Kime noted that all the trading routes to Niger, Chad and Cameroun, had been destroyed by the insurgents, a situation which crippled business activities.

    “Dry Port will accelerate importation of manufactured goods and promote exportation of fish, livestock, farm produce, hides and skin.

    “We came to know about the proposed project through government pronouncement; it is a welcome development,” he said.

    Efforts by NAN to get the comments of officials of Ministry of Transport and Lake Chad Basin Development Commission on the project, was unsuccessful.

    It is still not clear where the project will be sited in view of the ongoing military operation in Lake Chad region.

    President Muhammad Buhari had announced plans to establish Dry Port in Borno, alongside Kano, Kaduna and some other states in the North.

    The situation at the 33-hectares Heipang Inland Container Deport in Plateau is however different as Mr Bawa Peters, Executive Director, DUNCAN Group of Companies, handlers of construction work at the deport, told NAN that they were anticipating the creation of 5000 jobs from the project that had reached 70 per cent completion stage.

    He appealed to business men in the North to patronise the project when completed, saying that it would save them the massive cost involved in traveling to sea ports to clear their goods.

    “Vigorous work commenced at the site five weeks ago; the progress is massive and will be sustained till the job is completed,” he assured.

    Peters called on the Federal and Plateau state governments to ensure the construction of a railway line to the terminal.

    “Government should also ensure that there are good roads, electricity and other facilities that will link the container depot.

    “Already, offices for banks, clearing agents, fire service bay and port police post are almost completed; it means we have gone very far,” he said.

    Activities are gradually picking up at the Kaduna Dry Port which started operation at the beginning of the year, says the Manager of the port, Mr Rotimi Raimi.

    According to him, the general cargo activities being carried out in Lagos seaport are also taking place in Kaduna, adding that they have been getting encouraging inquiries from businessmen on how best to utilise the port.

    He said importers in the North now had an alternative of cheaper means of doing business without demurrage, as goods are received within 24 hours.

    “Inland Container Depots in the hinterland was informed by the need to reduce the congestion in Lagos ports and provide ease of doing business.

    “What we are advising importers to do is to adhere to the Federal Government’s guidelines on importation; importers or exporters that do not know what to do, should come to us; we are going to enlighten them on all the processes so that they can be guided accordingly,’’ he said.

    He said in terms of job creation, the port had provided fully furnished offices for all government agencies, shipping representatives, banks and restaurants, making it a one-stop-shop for businesses.

    “We are expanding and in a few years to come, a lot of employment opportunities will be created; the employment rate, both direct and indirect, will be multiplying on a yearly basis,’’ he added.

    The manager said a Modern Examination Bill for the Nigeria Customs Service, the first of its type in the country, had been installed at the port.

    He said 30 wagons would be used to pull and push containers to the terminal from the train station.

    According to him, the port has the capacity to handle 29,000  tons of cargo yearly, with room for expansion.

    On security, Raimi said facilities had been put in place, with government and private security personnel, CCTV cameras and electric fence complementing each other to ensure the safety of goods.

     

  • Olofa stool: Victorious ruling house ready for dialogue

    Olofa stool: Victorious ruling house ready for dialogue

    Indigenes of Offa, Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State are in jubilant mood.  Thanks to the victory of the Olofa of Offa, Oba Mohammed Mufutau Gbadamosi,  at the Supreme Court.

    Oba Mohammed of the Anilelerin ruling house was enmeshed in a legal battle with the Olugbense ruling house.

    The aggrieved Olugbense ruling house approached the court to set aside its earlier verdict. But the court turned down the prayers, advising the losers to make peace with their counterparts.

    The Council of Offa Princes and Princesses said it was ready to reconcile with the contending party.

    But the council also known as “Igbimo Omo Olofa” asked the lineage to purge itself of those it called “impostors and infiltrators” within it before any room for dialogue ýcan be considered.

    It said those on the side of Offa monarch were opened to talk like the monarch did before the aggrieved party opted for litigation.

    The Chairman, All Purposes Committee of Council of Princes and Princesses of Offa, Alhaji Abdulganiyu  Oyewale, told reporters in Offa in company of other members of the council.

    He said it was appalling and disgusting that some strangers were trying to alter history of kingship of the ancient town having failed the previous attempts.

    Oyewole explained that documentary evidences showed that the bona fide descendants of the then Oba Olugbense had stopped laying claim to the revered stool of Olofa due to age long curse placed on them by their progenitor ýover some atrocities committed against him.

    He said the true survivors from the lineage of the then traditional ruler would not attempt to contest the throne cognisant of the potency of the spell placed on them long ago.

    Oyewole noted that Keji family, which claimed to be part of Olugbense lineage, was never part of it because there was nowhere in the history a princely tag would be accorded such name.

    He contended that available evidence ýrevealed that Keji was the descendant of the Oluode of Erin-Ile, a neighbouring town of Offa, whose pregnant wife fled her matrimonial home and took refuge in the Palace of Oba Olugbense, saying that all efforts to return her to her husband proved futile.

    The chairman recalled that the note of warning sounded to real members of Olugbense lineage that those behind the agitation were pushing them to the abyss of ultimate destruction was disregarded.

    He regretted that the proponents of kingship rotation in Offa town failed to ask themselves why it was the only Keji family that has been laying claim to the throne of Olofa.

    “It is unfortunate that those who claim that they are bona fide descendants of Oba Olugbense have never asked themselves why it is the Keji family alone (Bakare Keji, Mustapha Keji and now Raufu Keji) that has been in the forefront of the claim to the throne. Are there no other descendants eligible to contest for the throne, even if they will not succeed?

    “The mere fact that it is the Keji family alone that is interested in the Obaship underscores the story that bona fide Olugbense descendants still fear the efficacy of the curse pronounced by their progenitor. But, as the Keji family is not a descendant of the Oba, it believes it is immune and cannot be affected by the ancient curse.

    “In truth, the progenitor of the Keji family is not Oba Olugbense but one Ojelabi, who historians say, was the son of the Oluode of Erin-Ile. The story goes like this. The pregnant wife of the Oluode of Erin-Ile ran away from her matrimonial home and took refuge in the Palace of Oba Olugbense. She was taken before the Oba, who she told of a quarrel she had with her husband at Erin-Ile and had to run away.

    “The husband was invited but he sent words back that he no longer desired the woman in spite of her pregnancy, and the Oba could do whatever he wanted with her. She was allowed to stay and subsequently delivered of her pregnancy and the child was named Ojelabi.

    “Ojelabi grew up within the Palace environment, got married and had a son he named Moronkeji or Morenikeji (short form ‘Keji) literally meaning my companion. This Ojelabi was the  progenitor/forebear of Bakare Keji, who in turn fathered Mustapha Keji (the tax collector), the father of Raufu Keji now aspiring to displace (God forbid) Oba Muftau Mohammed Gbadamosi, Esuwoye II.

    “What other piece of evidence is there to show that the princely tag being accorded the Keji family is a fluke. They are not Olugbese’s Descendants and will not be allowed to change the course of history.

    “The fact being emphasised here is that no member of the Keji family has a right to the stool of Olofa because they are strangers in Offa. Their progenitor was never a prince of Oba Olugbense by birth. One other evidence that substantiates this fact is that in Yoruba anthropology, except that he is barren and was later blessed with a child, no Yoruba Oba will ordinarily name his child Moronkeji or Morenikeji as in this case.

    “Oba Olugbense had over 300 children of which 140 princes were said to have aspired for the throne even when he was alive and had no cause to name any child of his Moronkeji. So far, having debunked all the falsehood told in their publication, it could be expected that sooner than later, someone will come up with the story like “Ojelabi” was the son of Arokan Otaogbaiye, who stood in for Oba Adegboye while on exile at Ofatedo”. That will be yet another joker in their quest to once again distort history as they tried to do with the Alafin Lamodi’s story,” Oyewale said.

    On the judgment of the apex court, he commended the judiciary for being upright and standing firmly on the crest of truth.

    Oyewale said: “As a prince of Offa, I feel very highly elated and happy. I did not expect anything less than the victory we have achieved. And I believe that with this victory, the issue of this Obaship tussle has finally come to an end.

    “I want to use this opportunity to thank all Offa people both at home and abroad for the support they have given us over this issue and pray that Almighty God will now open up the progress we have always wanted to achieve in Offa.

    “Prior to now, we have always been open-minded. At a certain stage before the other side went to court, we have tried to persuade them to let us talk. We told them we were brothers but for one reason or the other, they didn’t believe we are brothers, they wanted to be on their own and we knew that they can never achieve their aim of sending us out of the Palace of Offa.

    “We wrote to them, asking them to consider, they never responded.  But one thing was clear that even if we were going to talk to them, we were not going to talk to all of them; they would have to purge themselves before we talk to them, because we clearly believed that the so called Olugbense ruling house is not made up of genuine.

    Olugbense descendants

    “So, that was why we were appealing. And in fact, we did tell them that if they failed to abide by our advice, that they were going into ruins.”

     

  • Buhari, Obj and 2019

    Buhari, Obj and 2019

    Last week Tuesday was a day President Muhammadu Buhari and those around him will not forget in a hurry.

    It was a day the former President Olusegun Obasanjo decided to come down hard on Buhari’s democratic governance.

    Obasanjo, who had spent two terms of four years as a democratic President, criticised the Buhari’s administration, which just crossed two and half years mark.

    The former President said that the Buhari’s administration and his party, the All Prgressives Congress (APC) have failed Nigerians.

    Stressing that Buhari’s administration was not different from those of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before his assumption of office, Obasanjo believed that the present administration is also enmeshed in corruption.

    The long and short of his letter was that President Buhari should take a well-deserved rest and not contest the 2019 Presidential election, when his first term of four years expires.

    Following the release of the letter, the mood in the Presidential Villa that Tuesday remained very dull till sunset when workers closed for the day.

    None of the President’s media handler was also willing to take on the elder statesman over the letter that day.

    Last Tuesday was not the first time the former President was releasing such letter to the public. Obasanjo had written such open letters to former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Those letters, many Nigerians believed, played a great role in the defeat Jonathan suffered at the polls in 2015.

    Even though, the President Buhari’s administration had disclosed that it received Obasanjo’s latest letter in good faith, the letter no doubt have caused a great division among Nigerians.

    While some Nigerians hailed Obasanjo for being courageous, patriotic and hitting the nails on the head, others felt that his criticism was misplaced.

    Apart from others believing that the economy under Obasanjo’s eight years rule was nothing to write home about in spite of the higher prices of oil in the international market, some Nigerians were also of the view that Obasanjo, in government, will never allow himself to be tele guided by anybody.

    For the National Secretary of Action Democratic Party (ADP), James Okoroma, Obasanjo’s letter has set the stage for a new Nigeria.

    He said: “The damage caused by the Buhari Government is enormous and we must endeavour to rebuild our country. The former President made it clear in his statement that the Buhari government is a monumental failure.

    National Chairman of United Progressives Congress, (UPP) Chief Chekwas Okorie described the letter as timely, adding that the Buhari administration has done enormous danger to the unity of the country than any administration before it.

    He said: “The fact remains that Buhari is non performing, nepotism, sectional and very clueless. He has put Nigeria in more danger than any President before him. He doesn’t behave like one who fought during the civil war. Nigeria is more divisive under Buhari.”

    Also, National Chairman of Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) National Chairman Alhaji Ganiyu Galadima said “The advice of President Olusegun Obasanjo to President Mohammad Buhari not to contest in 2019 is apt and sincere. President Obasanjo is a former Nigerian President known for his truth and bluntness.”

    The PDP, through a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan said that Obasanjo’s letter has vindicated PDP’s position on Buhari and the APC.

    A former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and leader of the National Intervention Movement (NIM) Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) said President Buhari has nothing more to offer, describing Obasanjo’s suggestion for Buhari not to run for second term as “great”.

    Activist-lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), supporting Obasanjo’s statement, said it was a wake-up call for President Buhari.

    Falana said: “President Olusegun Obasanjo’s intervention is a vivid expression of the frustration of the Nigerian people with the Buhari administration.

    “The statement is a clarion call on President Buhari to remove the incompetent and corrupt cabal of power mongers that has hijacked political power from him. Through sheer nepotism and cronyism, the regime has lost the massive goodwill that heralded it to power.

    “The success recorded in the fight against insurgency in the northeast zone has been eroded in the wave of kidnapping and reckless killing of unarmed Nigerians by AK47-bearing herdsmen.

    “The success of the fight against corruption and impunity has been rubbished by the inability of the regime to remove corrupt public officers.”

    Although Vice President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Monday Ubani felt Obasanjo’s letter was long overdue, he warned that Obasanjo should not see himself as the determiner of Nigerians’ fate.

    Ubani said “Recall that former President Obasanjo has written such letters to virtually everyone that took over from him and if you will remember such letters were even written to former military leaders like IBB and Abacha. Such scathing and virulent attacks on leaders before and after him are therefore not novel.”

    Rooting for the incumbent, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Dr. Victor Oye, said that Buhari does not need Obasanjo’s advice.

    He said: “Obasanjo’s opinion and Nigerian’s opinions differ. People might have different opinion. What we need now in Nigeria is for us to remove unnecessary tension.

    “Even if Buhari is not going to run in 2019, we shouldn’t create unnecessary tension because the man himself knows what to do and he doesn’t need Obasanjo’s letter to take such decision. It is Buhari’s entitlement to run for second term, but if he is saying he cannot run, he knows what to do.

    “When Obasanjo was president what did he do? Was he a wonderful leader? Did he tar road in South-east? Enugu to Port-Hacourt road he didn’t do it. Okigwe to Oga he didn’t do it, and so on, and he is busy talking about nepotism. Obasanjo does not have moral justification to say such a thing,” he said.

    Also the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), declared that Obasanjo cannot stop Buhari from running for Presidency in 2019.

    A member of the House of Representatives Alhassan Ado Doguwa (APC, Kano), in a press briefing had said Obasanjo lacks moral and political credibility to advise Buhari not to contest in 2019 considering Obasanjo’s own attempt at returning to the Presidency contrary to the provision of the nation’s constitution.

    He said, “The former President, who was used to engaging in very unreasonable political comments should know that he cannot in any way be a stumbling block against the popular desire of Nigerian to give President Buhari a second term to rule this great nation, which unfortunately was put to a state of economic and political quagmire by the likes of Obasanjo and his cohorts.

    “After all a man who is involved in all sorts of corruption issues in his administration and indeed his unpopular bid to violate our respected constitution by wanting to take a third term is not any way a credible democratic voice to count on.

    “Nigerian should consider him as mere confusionist, mischievous and an enemy of true democracy in Nigeria as he has always been,” he said.

    The APC also said that weit remained the best option for Nigerians in spite of Obasanjo’s criticism.

    The party’s National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abudullahi, said “We acknowledge our challenges as a new political party, even as we believe that APC remains the best option at this time for all Nigerians who are genuinely committed to the country’s progress and development.

    “While we do not agree with everything the former president said, especially on his assessment of the government and our party we note the sundry issues raised by the former President, and we assume these were made in good faith,” he said.

    Although the Buhari’s government had disagreed with most of Obasanjo’s positions and criticism of the administration, but many Nigerians will really want to know if Buhari, at the end of the day, will not re-contest in 2019 as a result of the letter.

    Only time will tell as events towards 2019 general elections unfold.

     

  • Lawmaker awards scholarships to 120 students in Sokoto

    A member of the House of Representatives, Abdussamad Dasuki (APC- Sokoto), has awarded scholarships to 120 students in Sokoto.

    Dasuki, representing Tambuwal and Kebbe local government areas of Sokoto state, launched the programme on Saturday at Sanyinna town of Tambuwal Local Government Area.

    Represented by the Chairman, Education Committee, Alhaji Abdullahi Dogon-Daji, the lawmaker said the scholarship was a direct financial assistance to encourage students to excel.

    “We will continue to support the government’s effort under the leadership of Gov. Aminu Tambuwal to ensure the success of education in the state.

    “Education as a priority sector of the present administration, will surely achieve success as we jointly give support.

    “As such, we will continue to commit our energy and resources generally to ensure the success of the steps taken by the state government,” Abdussamad said.

    “All the students selected in my constituency were not from well to do families and needed the assistance.”

    He praised the members of the committee for their foresight in making the programme successfull and urged the beneficiaries to utilise the assistance in pursuit of their studies.

    The District Head of Sanyinna, Alhaji Garba Shehu, commended the lawmaker for initiating the programme.

    He said that the programme would surely go a long way in promoting the standard of education in the area.

    He called on individuals and political office holders to emulate the gesture, to encourage more development in the area and the state at large.

    The state House of Assembly member, Alhaji Mode Ladan (APC- Tambuwal East), described the gesture as a modern system of developing the society.

    He promised to emulate same to ensure academic excellence among the teeming youth.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that each beneficiary received N10,000 scholarship.

     

  • FCTA, ITF to collaborate on skill development

    In a bid to curtail the rate of unemployment in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the country in general, FCT Minister Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has expressed the readiness of FCT Administration to collaborate with Industrial Training Fund (ITF) to inculcate necessary entrepreneurial and vocational skills in FCT youths.

    The Minister gave this indication when the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of Industrial Training Fund (ITF) Sir Joseph Ari paid a him a courtesy call on Tuesday.

    He said: “We are ready to partner with Industrial Training Fund to reduce unemployment in the Territory by ensuring that our youths acquire the necessary skills that would make them self-employed and employers of labour. This is especially very important now that there is so much influx of people from every part of the country into the Territory.”

    Malam Bello, who was represented at the occasion by the FCT Permanent Secretary, Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa, lauded the enormous contributions of the ITF in repositioning the nation’s economy on the path of sustainable growth and development.

    His words: “We know that Industrial Training Fund (ITF) is one of the foremost institutions that has helped Nigeria economy tremendously. In fact, your role is even more critical now that we are having unemployment issues.”

    The Director-General and Chief Executive Office of Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Sir Joseph Ari, explained that given the position of FCT as the gateway of Nigeria, the Agency believed that partnership with FCT Administration, particularly in the area of skill acquisition would assist immensely to achieve the dream of President Muhammadu Buhari of empowering young people with requisite skills.

    “We are here to synergise with FCT Administration being the gateway of Nigeria to achieve the dream of President Muhammadu Buhari which is hinged on empowering people with skills in different areas, he explained.”

    The director-general further remarked that the Agency has keyed into the policy of Federal Government concerning ease of doing business and other international trends.

    In another development, closing ceremonies for the nationwide National Industrial Skills Development programme embarked by the ITF in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Trade and Industry, in the 36 states of the federation, is to commence in Abuja on Monday, January 29, 2019.  A major highlight of the event would be the presentation of starter-packs to all graduands. According to a release by the Fund, this is to ensure that beneficiaries utilise the knowledge acquired from the training for entrepreneurship, vocational and overall economic development of the country.

     

  • ‘Restructuring will distract Buhari’

    For those agitating for restructuring, a group under the auspices of Buhari Votes Guard and Awareness (BVGA), has said  the development will distract President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Restructuring, BVGA said, will also consume huge amount of money needed to tackle the unfortunate killings in some states.

    Briefing reporters on the state of the nation in Abuja, National Coordinator of BVGA,  Kailani Muhammad, said Buhari was committed to the unity of the country.

    Muhammad, who was part of the All Progressives Congress (APC) dignitaries President Buhari hosted at the Presidential Villa last week, said: “Notwithstanding the decisive demarcation of the dreaded Boko Haram sect, for example, security challenges such as kidnapping, armed robbery, communal clashes, recent killings in some states and others are issues that Mr. President is talking head-long. For the country to be restructured as is being agitated would seem a distraction and will consume huge amount of money that is needed to tackle these challenges. Fortunately, our security agencies are doing their best to sort out these issues of security breaches by criminals.

    “Many agitators and critics of President Muhammadu Buhari’s position on restructuring of the country seem to miss the point he was making. It would seem more Nigerians are truly more concerned about the structure rather than the process. The president has said severally that he has kept a close watch on the on-going debate about “restructuring”, and opined that no human law or edifice is perfect.

    “President Buhari has repeatedly assured Nigerians that his administration would continue to be ever receptive to ideas which would improve governance and contribute to the country’s peace, stability and change for the better. Because of his commitment to nation building, our nation is witnessing a new and impressive turnaround in our security and socio-economic situation. Government said there is going to be a summit on security. Government you can see is not resting on its oars. The security agencies are now working round the clock to see that they ensure peace in the country. There is no society that has no security challenges even in the United States of America. The government here is trying to do its best. The security challenges were carried over from last administration.

    “On the re-election of the president in 2019, the BVGA boss said: “Buhari is our best candidate and he should run for continuity. We do not have any strong candidate. Last Thursday, President Muhammadu Buhari called upon us for a special dinner. He called his strong supporters and I was one of them. The president is fit, he has integrity. Corruption is fighting back. And since the masses are the ones that are saying that Buhari should seek re-election in 2019 I do not think that it is fair for anyone to say otherwise. Those telling Buhari to quit are enemies of Nigeria who do not mean well for the country. We should support the president to complete his first four years and still give him another four years for continuity. The issue of fuel scarcity is sabotage. We must live as one Nigeria. Some people are trying to destabilise the government before 2019. This country belongs to all of us.”

     

  •  Govt warn politicians: don’t deface Abuja with posters

    The Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) has warned political parties, politicians and their supporters not to deface the city by indiscriminate pasting of campaign posters on public structures.

    AMMC Coordinator Shuiabu Umar  took the campaign to the head office of the Labour Party in Abuja.

    Umar said: “The essence of our visit is to sensitise Labour Party (LP) and by extension all political parties leadership (in the FCT) on some of their activities. Indiscriminate posters deface our city. We are aware that the elections are coming, and before you know it, so many posters will be everywhere in public places, on peoples buildings and so on.”

    Urging LP to sensitise its members on the imperative to be law-abiding, by not constituting nuisance with indiscriminate campaign posters, the Coordinator further explained: “It embarrasses us especially when foreign visitors come in. Abuja is not the capital of Nigeria only, but Africa and indeed, the black race because in every five black people you meet outside, at least three are Nigerians. It is our city of pride and we are the ones to keep it neat and workable.

    He listed other mandates of the AMMC to include controlling developments in the city by enforcing relevant guidelines; ensure environmental sanitation of the city as well as enhancing green development of Abuja, adding that as human beings, it was incumbent we lived in symbiotic relationship with our environment, adding that his organisation would furnish the political parties with already existing guidelines on proper ways of advertising in the city.

    Director, Department of Outdoor Advertisement and Signage (DOAS), Yusuf Ibrahim Yakassai who spoke later decried poster pasting on even signages which are meant for directional purposes, especially for those who are unfamiliar with the city, reaffirming that “pasting of posters is totally illegal in Abuja.”

    Yusuf therefore wondered why some politicians, contesting seats in the states, would come and cover Abuja with their posters, instead of pasting such posters in their respective states.

    The Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) Directro, Baba Shehu Lawan while speaking next said: “we have laws in place to arrest originators of the posters and prosecute them, but the Hon. Minister (FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello) has advised that we first sensitise which is why we are here. The importance keeping Abuja clean cannot be overemphasised and the onus is one us to do it.”

    The AEPB boss lamented that some even use certain gums that makes removing of the posters very difficult, even with the use of hot water.

    LP National Chairman Alhaji Abdulkadir Abdulsalam appreciated the FCTA in its efforts to maintain the aesthetics of Abuja and keep it clean. He promised to discuss with party members, with a view to ensuring strict compliance with the guidelines .

    He said: “Abuja is for all of us, but when the whole place is messed up with posters that does not even concern visitors; it leaves them with bad impression about our city. Any Labour Party person who places posters will remove them by himself.”

    Abdulsalam urged that the guidelines be produced in local languages that would be easily understood by the people.

  • Yellow Fever vaccination: Irepodun targets over 200 communities

    The Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State has said the ongoing Yellow Fever immunisation targets people in over 200 communities across the council, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    The Local Immunisation Officer, Mrs Felicia Oguntoye, disclosed this on Saturday in an interview with NAN in Omu-Aran, the council headquarters.

    Oguntoye said the ten-day long exercise, which was being carried out in the 66 units of the 9 wards of the council, was for people from nine months to 49 years old.

    She said that yellow fever still remained prevalent among the populace as thousands were dying from the disease, especially in the remote communities.

    She urged parents, traditional rulers and religious leaders to give necessary support to ensure that every eligible people benefitted from the exercise.

    “To be fully protected against yellow fever, it is important that residents from nine months to 49 years of age are vaccinated within the ten days period of the exercise.

    “To avoid yellow fever outbreak, children and adults in every village and community should receive routine vaccinations from the designated centres,” Oguntoye said.

    She described the disease as capable of causing damage to vital human organs as well as death.

    According to the officer, some of the symptoms are fever, muscular pains, fatigue and vomiting.

    She pledged the council’s readiness to meet the set target, saying that the council had purchased adequate vaccines for the routine exercise.

    Oguntoye listed some challenges of the exercise to hindrance through religious belief and difficulty in locating Fulani settlers in remote areas.

    She also decried inadequate manpower, facilities and logistics to enable the health workers cover the targeted recipients.