The Nation Newspaper

Category: Northern Report

  • Committee seeks commission for resettlement, compensation

    Committee seeks commission for resettlement, compensation

    The Ministerial Committee on the Implementation of Apo Resettlement Scheme has recommended the establishment of a commission to handle resettlement and compensation matters in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    The committee also called for the funding of resettlement programmes of the FCT Administration under the National Priority Budget.

    The chairman of the Ministerial Committee on the Implementation of Apo Resettlement Scheme, Alhaji Yusuf Tsaiyabu, stated this while submitting the committee’s report to the Minister of State for the FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide.

    Tsaiyabu noted that the establishment of a commission had become necessary in order to prevent the incessant set up of different committees to handle the resettlement schemes in the FCT.

    “The committee recommended that there should be a commission to handle all matters on resettlement and compensation in the FCT. Every issue on resettlement and compensation can be handled by the commission. It would prevent having numerous committees to handle different resettlement and compensation matters,” he said.

    He noted that the current funding of resettlement and compensation through statutory budget was inadequate.

    “The resettlement and compensation of indigenes cannot satisfactorily be funded under the FCT Administration’s statutory budget. The committee found out that the issue of resettlement and compensation is the business of the Federal Government. It involves huge capital resources, even as it constitutes security problems within the territory.

    “The committee recommended that resettlement and compensation should be funded through the National Priority Budget. The FCT Administration has to liaise with the Federal Government to include the resettlement and compensation of original inhabitants of the FCT in its National Priority Budget,” said Tsaiyabu, who is the Director, Administration and Finance of the FCT Area Council Services Secretariat.

    Receiving the committee’s report, the FCT Minister of State assured members of the committee and communities that the FCT Administration has the political will to execute the report and use it as a model for subsequent resettlement schemes.

    “We can assure you that you will begin to see fundamental changes in the way things are done in resettlement and compensation matters in the FCT. This is democracy at work in line with the transformation agenda of Mr. President.

    “The President is transforming Nigeria into a fully democratic society. This is why the participation and involvement of the people in matters that affect them is very critical. The Garki, Apo and Akpajanya communities fully participated in the committee’s report,” she stated.

    Akinjide had, on February 14, 2013, inaugurated the Implementation Committee on Apo Resettlement Scheme.

    The committee was made up of Director of Urban and Regional Planning, Alhaji Suleiman Abubakar; Chairman of Abuja Municipal Area Council, Hon. Micah Jiba; Director of Security in the FCT, Alhaji Bashir Mohammed; Director of Inspectorate, Planning and Management, Area Council Services Secretariat, Architect J. S. Kaura; Director of Satellite Towns Development Agency, Alhaji Tukur Ibrahim Bakori; Director of Development Control, Mr. Yahaya Yusuf, and Director of Resettlement and Compensation, Mr. Francis Okechukwu.

    Other members were Special Assistant to the Minister of State on Resettlement, Mr. Benedict Ogenyi; Director of Lands in the FCT, Alhaji Mainasara Babayo; Special Adviser (Lands) to the Permanent Secretary, Chief Steven Awoniyi; Special Assistant (Lands) to the Minister of the FCT, Alhaji Hussaini Badeggi; Special Assistant (Legal) to the Minister of State for the FCT, Mr. Festus Tsavsar; representative of Public Building, Mr. Momohjimoh Ibrahim; representative of Department of State Service, Mr. Adebowale Sanusi; Deputy Director of Monitoring and Control, Resettlement Department, Alhaji Baba Kura Umar, and Chairman of the FCT Press Corps, Mr. Sam Ogbeifun.

  • Govt to amend migration, marriage laws

    The Interior Ministry has convened a meeting of experts and public sector to review laws governing migration, citizenship and marriage matters with the hope to review all obsolete laws and check illegal processes in Nigeria.

    Experts at a one-day Stakeholders’ Forum on Citizenship and Marriage Administration held in Abuja made the call were made for a thorough review of existing laws guiding naturalisation, registration of marriages , citizenship application and naturalisation to minimize abuse of the process.

    Declaring the workshop open, Minister of Interior, Comrade Patrick Abba Moro, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Anastasia Daniel charged the experts to produce a valuable working document that would highlight how to strengthen human capacity and the knowledge that would lead to improved service delivery at the Department of Citizenship and Marriage Registry.

    The minister described the forum as the first of its kind saying: “it was aimed at enlightening and sensitising the public on the guidelines and procedures of the administration of the Nigerian citizenship and Marriage Registry to help address inherent challenges and bring the services to conform to global best practices.”

    “It is the intention of government to explore the possibility of establishing additional Marriage registries across the country. Furthermore, I wish to inform you that the Ministry has received proposals by two serving National Legislators to establish a marriage Registry at Egbe and Lekki, Lagos State as part of their constituency project.” Moro stated

    He, however, warned those in the habit of violating rules governing the services provided by agencies under the Interior Ministry that it will soon embark on constant and continuous monitoring of the administration of the facilities granted applicants with a view to check abuses or disregard of rules guiding the services.

    He also said that penalties and punishments will be meted out to violators of the nation’s immigration and marriage laws to serve as deterrent and “essential control measure against further abuse.”

    The minister hoped that the workshop would provide government agencies the opportunity to interface with private sector stakeholders to enable the share sensitive security information that would help the country especially now that it is grappling with current security challenges.

    Also speaking at the occasion, the immediate past Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, who was the chairman of the occasion, stated that it has become imperative for laws governing entry and exit of foreigners into the country and expatriate quota system to be amended because the laws as they are today have been subjected to deliberate abuse by aliens who do not wish the nation well.

    Yayale said: “Ways of acquiring Nigerian citizenship and what those who acquire it must do to continue retaining it, must be properly defined to remove ambiguities which have become points of abuse in the process.”

    He appealed to the experts to thoroughly dissect the available documents and relate them to the nation’s constitution and come up with useful recommendations that would assist the ministry in collaboration with the National Assembly to review the laws and make them water-tight as well as simplifying the process for qualified applicants to obtain residency permits or naturalization documents.

     

  • Expert warns against unhealthy diet, lifestyle

    Expert warns against unhealthy diet, lifestyle

    Residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)   have been warned against unhealthy feeding pattern and lifestyle.

    An expert on healthy living, Mrs Victoria Kayode, who is the founder of LivinMedia Nigeria Limited, gave the advice in Abuja at  a seminar she organised in conjunction with Baytit Investment Limited. The seminar was tagged ‘Reclaim your Health.

    In an interview with journalists at the seminar, which was held at Grace Point Resort Hotel, 7one 6, Wuse, the expert said she believed that it is better to stay healthy than looking for healing.

    Kayode, who lamented that majority of diseases and sicknesses that are prevalent today are as a result of intake of bad diets and bad lifestyle, said her passion to see people live well and make those that are sick get well, prompted her to go into the field.

    Her words: “We see people moving about with many conditions that are in a major way as a result of what they eat, what they do and what they fail to do, so we preach diet and lifestyle change”.

    She said her team has been teaching healthy living in churches, schools, mosque, offices, seminars, conferences, among others.

    However, it was the first time she was organising a free seminar for the general public in the FCT, while she disclosed plans to reach out to those at the grassroots.

    “We have been teaching healthy living as our own quota to bring to the barest minimum(if not to eradicate) sicknesses and diseases in our environment for the past eight years and we believe we still have much ground to cover”, she said.

    Highpoint of the event was talks on different health issues delivered by resource persons, blood pressure, height and body mass Index by experts and responses to questions on health asked by participants.

    While speaking on the topic Reclaim your Health, Reverend Tony Akinyemi advised Nigerians not to wait for diseases to strike before making moves.

    “We can pre-empt, prevent, be proactive and there are things we can do to stay healthy. There are preventable and avoidable diseases so everybody should be alive and awake to take the various responsibilities they have towards themselves in making sure we maintain a healthy nation because from a healthy nation we will have a healthy, productive workforce so that we can enhance our overall development as a nation,” the reverend said.

    Other resource persons who spoke at the seminar are Brigadier-General Abimbola Amusa, a doctor in the Nigerian Army who spoke on orthodox medicine and healthy living issues and Pastor Titi Somefun, who spoke on Look Fine but Unhealthy Inside.

  • Court declines to hear motorcyclists’ suit on Lagos traffic law

    COMMERCIAL motor cyclists popularly known as Okada riders have lost a fresh battle to challenge the validity and constitutionality of the Lagos State Road Traffic Law.

    A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has declined to entertain a suit filed by some of them challenging the constitutionality of the Lagos State Road Traffic Law.

    Justice M. B. Idris in his judgment upheld the submission of the Lagos State Attorney-General, Ade Ipaye that the suit constituted an abuse of court processing, a similar suit having been filed by the Applicants’ parent association before the High Court of Lagos State.

    Justice Idris agreed with Ipaye’s argument that the first Claimant in Suit No. ID/713M/12 at the High Court of Lagos State is the Incorporated Trustees of All Nigerian Autobike Commercial Owners and Workers Association, the Federal High Court found that all the Applicants before him were also members of the same Association.

    The court, therefore, held that, although both the Federal and State High Court concurrent jurisdiction to entertain matters of human rights enforcement.

    The trial judge held that the state court in this case was better placed to handle the matter.

    The judge said he arrived at this decision on the premise that the matter in the State High Court was the first one to be filed and that the matter bordered on the constitutionality of a law passed by the State House of Assembly.

    The judge condemned the practice of litigants who file processes in different courts in respect of the same matter.

    According to him, “We must prevent a situation where we allow litigants to obtain conflicting decisions from courts of coordinate jurisdiction in respect of the same subject. This matter is therefore transferred to the High Court of Lagos for proper adjudication.”

    It will be recalled that Justice Aishat Opesanwo of the High Court of Lagos State in a judgment delivered on December 13, 2012 upheld the validity and constitutionality of the Lagos State Road Traffic Law.

    Commenting on the decision, Ade Ipaye commended the decision as another progressive step.

    “We all have a duty to ensure that the processes of our Courts are not abused through forum-shopping litigation.

    “We advise the plaintiffs to partner with the State Government in our quest to provide affordable mass-transit system for all the citizens.”

  • NGO condemns killing of Nigerians

    Unity and Tolerance Initiative (UTI), a non- governmental organisation (NGO) committed to promoting Nigeria’s unity, has condemned the killing of thousands of innocent Nigerians, foreigners and security officials by the Boko Haram sect.

    The organisation made this known during a press briefing during which it unveiled its intention to halt the tide of Nigeria’s internal crises, which have snowballed into dreadful terrorism, religious intolerance and politically-induced killings.

    It said that the killings, which have claimed so many lives, destroyed properties worth billions of Naira and displaced hundreds from their homes, is unacceptable and alien to Nigerians.

    UTI firmly supports the emergency rule declared on three states in the nation by President Goodluck Jonathan and said that they are committed to tackling head on the problems that threaten Nigeria’s unity such as religious intolerance, killing and ethnicity by inculcating positive attitudinal change in Nigerians.

    The group said: “Our cardinal objective is the promotion of unity among all Nigerians; irrespective of religious, ethnic, cultural and geographical diversities and take necessary steps to change the mindset of Nigerians from negative and stultifying state to a positive and progress engendering attitude”.

  • Sambo praises minister for projects execution

    Sambo praises minister for projects execution

    Vice-President Namadi Sambo has praised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed for embarking on projects that would help in developing the capital city, even as he urged that more projects should be executed to bring about the much-needed development.

    Sambo gave the commendation at the inauguration ceremony of the 250 hectares Abuja Industrial Park Project in Idu District, Abuja.

    He said: “I am highly delighted and impressed with the performance of the FCT Administration under the leadership of Senator Bala Mohammed. This is because, on my way from the Presidential Villa to this venue, it is projects after projects, projects after projects by this administration.”

    He emphasised that the FCT Administration has displayed a high sense of responsibility and responsiveness in the implementation of the Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government.

    The Vice-President reiterated that the FCT Administration’s policy of ensuring that grants of land has built-in value to the nation’s developmental strides, in terms of infrastructure provision and wealth creation, is highly commendable.

    His words: “The FCT Administration has displayed a high sense of responsibility and responsiveness in the implementation of the Transformation Agenda.  Its policy of ensuring that grants of land such as the present one, has built-in value addition to the nation’s developmental strides in terms of infrastructure provision and wealth creation, is highly commendable.”

    Sambo therefore, congratulated the FCT Administration and particularly the Minister, Senator Mohammed on this initiative and ingenuity to provide robust infrastructure in line with the dreams and aspirations of the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.

    He remarked that President Jonathan is determined to drive the country’s economy using members of the organised private sector; adding that the Federal Government will provide incentives like tax holiday and support from its agencies.

    Welcoming guests to the occasion, the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed said that the project which enjoys active support of the government of Turkey is direct fallout of the State Visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to the Federal Republic of Turkey in 2011 in the course of his economic diplomacy tour of selected countries.

    The minister, therefore, expressed the gratitude of the administration and people of the Federal Capital Territory to Mr. President for initiating and facilitating this investment window for the territory.

    Senator Mohammed further stated that during the conceptualisation, the administration put into proper focus the primary policy objectives of the country’s manufacturing sector.

    “This is with a view to significantly drive the economy for increased productivity, expansion of value addition, enhanced competitiveness of finished goods and production of surplus for export. We are hopeful that Abuja Industrial Park will assist in ensuring a shift from a low technology based production system to more modern production processes,” he added.

    The minister also said that major component of infrastructure to be provided by the company, M/s Zeberced Limited of Turkey include a 24km road network; 10.4km of clean water reticulation; 8.6km electrical network; 9.6km of sewer line; 9.7km storm water drains; 29km telecommunication network; 24.1km of natural gas pipeline; a water recycling plant; waste water treatment plant; rail station to link existing national corridor as well as an independent power plant.

    He further stated that the project involves a total of 177 factory plots divided into five sets of various sizes to accommodate factories and light industries; training and research unit; cold storage and warehouses facilities; shopping mall, hotels, parking spaces, helipad as well as public and religious facilities including police station, Custom area, bank hall, fire station, filling station, and clinic, among others.

  • Foundation upgrades Abuja cemetery

    Foundation upgrades Abuja cemetery

    THE Al-Muhibbah Foundation, a non-governmental organisation coordinated by the wife of the FCT Minister, Hajia Aisha Bala Mohammed, has inaugurated the Christian wing of the Gudu Cemetery, Apo, FCT.

    The foundations’ Director of Programmes, Hajia Ladi Ibrahim, who represented the chairperson/founder, recalled that “the foundation, while inaugurating the Muslim and the pagan sections at the foundation’s two years anniversary last year, did promise that the Christian wing will be inaugurated in due course; a promise that is being fulfilled today.”

    Commenting on the numerous landmarks and achievements of the foundation, the chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Israel Akanji said: “I am so happy that the promise made by Mrs. Mohammed sometime last year at the inauguration of the Muslim wing of the cemetery has been fulfilled. May Almighty God continue to bless and protect Hajia Bala Mohammed.”

    He used the occasion to emphasise that his association, in collaboration with Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), will oversee the use of the newly inaugurated wing of the cemetery in line with universally-accepted best practices; noting that the era of impunity on burial sites; especially this Gudu Cemetery by members of the public and relations to deceased will be curtailed.

    Reacting, Hajia Zainab Umar of Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) called on other NGO’s in the territory to emulate Al-Muhibbah Foundation’s humanitarian services and benevolence to mankind; adding that other NGO’s must rise up to cater and take care of man’s final and permanent resting places(cemeteries).

    Hajia Mariam Lari Adamu of FCT Muslim Welfare Board praised the virtues of Al-Muhibbah’s Foundation; stating that Allah has a great reward for people and organisations that respond to the plight of the needy and mankind in generally.

    Al-Muhibbah Foundation erected the perimeter fencing of the Gudu Cemetery, constructed and built inter-locking access roads including solar-powered lights and gate house to the cemetery.

    In a related development, the foundation was at Kuje Area Council, FCT, to inaugurate and hand over the perimeter fencing of over one hectare to the Al-Ansar (The Helpers) Orphanage and donated food items worth several thousand of Naira to the home.

    Hajia Ladi Ibrahim, Director of Programmes who represented the organisation posited that the foundation is driven by a passion to assist the needy.

    Responding, Hajia Hadiza Abubakar, Naibatal Amirah, said Al-Ansar (The Helpers) is an Islamic non-governmental organisation established in 2003 with the aim of assisting and empowering the less-privileged members of the society; especially women and children and to run an Islamic-oriented orphanage in the FCT based on the fundamental principles embodied in the glorious Quran.

    She thanked the Al-Muhibbah for reaching out to them in their moment of need.

  • Minister warns council chairmen against corruption

    Minister warns council chairmen against corruption

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed has vowed that he will ensure that the area council chairmen in Abuja accounts for any misappropriation while in office.

    Mohammed stated this during the inauguration ceremony of the newly elected chairmen of the FCT area councils at the Banquet Hall of the FCT Minister’s official residence.

    He also charged them to put the security of lives and property on the front burner of their administrations as the era of politicking is over.

    Senator Mohammed emphasised that security remains a major concern and all efforts must be put into ensuring security of lives and property within their domains.

    His words: “Security remains a major concern and as you take office, you must hit the ground running to ensure security of lives and property within your domains.

    “This administration has set up machinery for effective surveillance of the FCT and you will be expected to immediately commence effective security monitoring of your area councils as well as collaborate with the FCT law enforcement agents to achieve a round-the-clock watch over your domains.

    “I will ensure that you account for any misappropriation in your area council.”

    The minister assured that the FCT Administration, as usual, would continue to ensure that all the area councils receive all funds due to them from the statutory allocation.

    Mohammed, therefore, called on the new chairmen to reciprocate the FCT gesture by avoiding waste, ensuring accountability in the management of public resources and complying fully with the Procurement Act.

    He reiterated that his administration will not shirk its responsibility for effective supervision of their operations and warned that ‘any chairman found wanting would be made to account fully for his commission or omission.’

    The FCT Minister of State, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide hoped that the new chairmen would complement the efforts of the FCT Administration to fast-track development at the grassroots.

    Oloye Akinjide advised that the “welfare of the people remains the greatest law and the greatest manifesto above political party, section or creed.”

    She reiterated that election is over and the forest fires are over; adding that what remains is the challenge of development, which neither turns in winner nor loser, neither victor nor vanquished.

    “We will remain committed to building a plural and inclusive society in the FCT in particular and Nigeria in general,” the Minister of State stressed.

    Those sworn-in included Yahaya Garba Gawu-Abaji Area Council; Micah Y. Jiba-Abuja Municipal Area Council; Yohanna Peter Ushafa- Bwari Area Council; Abubakar Jibrin Giri-Gwagwalada Area Council; Ishaku Tete Shaban-Kuje Area Council and Daniel Ibrahim-Kwali Area Council.

    The chairmen were sworn in by the Acting FCT Chief Judge, Justice Ibrahim M. Bukar who was represented at the occasion by Justice Hussaini Baba Yusuf of FCT High Court, Maitama District Abuja.

    The chairman of Bwari Area Council Mr. Yohanna Peter Ushafa who responded on behalf of other chairmen, appreciated the kind gesture of the FCT Ministers and promised to co-operate with the FCT Administration in achieving its policies and programmes.

    The event was witnessed by important personalities in the Federal Capital Territory including the Senator representing the FCT, members of the House of Representatives representing the FCT, traditional rulers, leaders of political parties, youth leaders as well as community leaders.

  • Firm introduces unity game

    Anew game show is coming to Abuja. The game known as Unity Game Show is expected to promote peace, unity and harmony by uniting Nigerians from different ethnic groups.

    The Director of Blacksmith Global Resource Limited, Stephen Nnam disclosed this during a media briefing in Abuja.

    Stephen said: “The unity game show is a weekly reality TV/Radio quiz initiative designed as an effective national tool to promote peace.”

    He added: “We intend to institute in the minds of the citizens the true essence of integration, uphold the unity, increase awareness, encourage tourism, preserve and promote the valuable customs while mending fragile relationships among various ethnicities in the country.”

    The director noted that the concept is a “time-based” quiz platform, adding that:

    “contestants represent themselves and their geo-political zones in a feat to ‘gain more’ points in cash benefits. The questions will be based on issues concerning the contestant’s region and each week‘s show ends with every competitor winning a cash reward.”

    He expressed the hope to partner with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, government and the private sector for finance and security.

     

     

     

  • Jega promises better elections in 2015

    Jega promises better elections in 2015

    The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, has said that series of activities have been put in place to ensure hitch-free general elections in 2015.

    He promised that the 2015 general elections will be superior to those conducted in the past.

    After the 2011 general elections, the INEC boss said the commission had been engaged in internal and external reviews by understanding the strengths, challenges and opportunities it experienced as a first step towards understanding what might be facing INEC in 2015.

    Jega spoke in Abuja at a Multi-stakeholders’ Forum on Elections in Nigeria. The forum with the theme: “Tasks and Responsibilities towards 2015 Elections, was organised by the Democratic Governance for Development (DGD). He said the issue of security must top the agenda of several things to be considered to ensure a hitch-free 2015 general elections.

    He was represented at the occasion by a National Commissioner, Dr. Abudukadri Oniyangi.

    With about 22 months to the 2015 general elections, Jega said the commission cannot afford the luxury of thinking that there is time.

    His words: “It is often said that an election is a process rather than an event. It is cyclical because the conduct of an election announces the beginning of preparations for the next one. Every activity an electoral management body conducts after a set of elections is meant to study, examine and plan towards an up-coming one.

    “In this sense, the series of activities the commission had undertaken shortly after April 2011 general elections are geared towards making the 2015 general elections a far better and more effectively organised than the previous elections, including the immediate past elections.

    “All hands must be on deck to ensure a hitch-free 2015 general elections. Permit me to say that the kind of roles that may interest us intensely range from issues of security, voter education and public enlightenment, training, and mobilisation of people to exercise their constitutional rights, among others.

    “The commission is, at all times, ready to listen to suggestions from all stakeholders in the political and electoral process towards improving and perfecting our electoral system.”

    Speaking at the event, the United Nations Resident Coordinator and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative in Nigeria, Dr. Daouda Toure said: “Nigeria has no choice other than to focus on building and nurturing electoral democracy because available evidence suggests that democratic governance is fundamental to realising critical human development goals, including the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This is because democratic elections are a key avenue to facilitate genuine participation by all citizens in public decision-making process.”