The Nation Newspaper

Category: Northern Report

  • Group donates to Kuje prison inmates

    Group donates to Kuje prison inmates

    If a total 507 prisoners at the Medium Security Prisons Kuje in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), 424 are awaiting trial while only 83 have been sentenced to death, Abuja Review learnt.

    According to sources, many of the Awaiting Trial inmates have been there for over 20 years without even going to court for hearing of their cases while those who are fortunate to scale through the huddles have been having slow dispensation of justice.

    The situation, according to our correspondent who visited the prison was pathetic for the Awaiting Trial inmates who do not know the day they will regain their freedom.

    The capacity of the prison has been over-stretched. When members of the Abuja branch of St. Gregory College Old Students’ Association, Ikoyi Lagos visited the prison, they lamented the ugly situation, even as they sought how they could help the inmates out.

    They donated the sum of N150,000 to the inmates through the prison’s authority to help speed up their trial and alleviate their suffering.

    President of the association, Chief Kimashinor Nwakalo-Imu told Abuja Review that the old students feel the pains of the inmates which was why the body visited them.

    Nwakalo-Imu, a lawyer, said efforts are on to ensure that the trials of the prisoners are quickened.

    He encouraged the inmates to remain calm and abide by the rules of the prison, adding that they shall not be left alone.

    One of the visitors who was there to see his brother who has been on Awaiting Trial for over 20 years told Abuja Review in confidence that “it is sad. My brother has been here for 20 years now on Awaiting Trial for fighting with a woman in his compound. All efforts to get him out of here have been futile. We are calling on government to speed up his trial. I can’t wait for him to be released.”

  • FCTA mounts Clean and Green campaign

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has  carried out an extensive cleaning of Abaji and Kwali area councils of FCT.

    The cleaning exercise, evacuation of refuse dumps, sweeping and clearing of major areas in the area councils was supervised by the Head, Waste and Sanitation Management, Satellite Towns Development Agency (STDA),  Mr. Ahmad Abubakar.

    Speaking with journalists at the site, Mr. Abubakar, said 17 trucks of recycling materials were removed from Babambola (waste collectors).

    “It is the initiative of the present State Minister, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, and it has come a long way because we are evacuating the waste at a stage it would turn into recycling. We are equally sensitising the waste collectors that are collecting from house to house that we have a designated area for them to dump their waste.

    “The ‘Clean and Green’ is going a long way. Some areas where we evacuate we intend to turn them into neighbourhood parks, some of the communities have already taken over and some of them we had to provide securities in order to ensure enforcement.

    He added that “in the past administration the communities were not involved but now we sensitise the communities and motivate them”.

    On how the programme will be sustained, he said “We have a sustaining programme on waste programme.

    About 17 trucks of recycling materials were removed from Babambola. We are hoping to bring in investors that would help in the recycling programme,” he said.

    Madam Sarat, a resident of Agwa Ashara in Abaji praised the FCTA for the evacuation of the waste in her area.

    “ Since the inception of FCT, when they have been clearing refuse, this is the best clearing so far.

    “Actually the area council has been doing their best but this is the best so far,” she said.

    Head of Environment Department, Kwali Area Council, Mr. Yusuf Yaqub, said there are 12 refuse dump sites but had already evacuated six of the sites.

    “We want to ensure that everybody is involved in sanitation management because sanitation management is the work of everybody not by the government alone,” he said

  • Terror, sack and sundry matters

    Terror, sack and sundry matters

    Last week started on a very sad note as the country grappled with the killings in Jaji. As if that was not enough, the incident was followed by attack on the Abuja office of the most dreaded arm of the Nigerian Police Force, the Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) the following day. The security situation, no doubt, is a setback to whatever achievement the government might have made. Nobody or group has claimed responsibilities for the attacks.

    But whichever group carried out the attacks, it has sent a message that it has no respect for anybody and that it can beat any security network.

    The Presidency has been silent on both attacks, making people feel that the government was probably overwhelmed. But the Presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati was quick to refute this, noting that rather than talking as usual, the Presidency swung into action.

    Besides, he said the Federal Government was committed to ensuring safety of life and property.

    “Immediately they occurred, the CDS and the IGP briefed the President. Action was taken immediately those two incidents occurred. The CDS has since set up a panel of enquiry after visiting the scenes of incidents.

    “On the Abuja incident, the IGP has been there, even the Minister of the FCT, after briefing the President, also convened a security council meeting at the level of the FCT.

    “What needs to be reiterated is that this government is committed to ensuring the security of life and property. Yes, there are challenges, but as these challenges surface, the government remains determined to focus on the objective of ensuring the overall well-being of all Nigerians,” Abati said.

    While the Presidency came under sharp criticism over the killings, it also received commendations for the sack of the Director-General of the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE), Ms. Bolanle Onagoruwa.

    Just like the way she came in, she was also shown the exit door after over two years in the saddle; selling government properties. Her sack came almost one year after the Senate demanded she be fired.

    Though Presidency was on why she was sacked, it was however gathered that Onagoruwa’s sack might not be unconnected with her handling of the $23.6m Transmission Company of Nigeria contract awarded to Canadian firm Manitoba Hydro International which caused the country some sorts of embarrassment as the Canadian government registered their displeasure over the incident.

    While the Presidency is doing all possible to make the country move forward, there were rumours of crack in the President’s team over the N1.3trillion oil subsidy payment.

    The rumour was milled around the two main players in the cabinet, namely, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and the Minister of Petroleum Resources Deziani Allison-Madueke.

    Those speculating the purported rift also came up with an alleged open disagreement between two ministers.

    According to the report, a delegation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation led by Allison-Madueke was said to have warned President Jonathan of an imminent fuel scarcity in the country if government failed to pay the debt after attempt to make the finance minister settle the bills failed.

    But Dr. Reuben Abati was quick to dispel this rumpus as he said: “I am not aware of any disagreement between the two ministers. I read those stories too but those stories are usually speculative. They are not based on any substance and I think we should refrain from this attempt to set one individual up against the other.

    The cabinet over which Mr. President presides over works as a team at all times. What he emphasises is team spirit. I am not aware of any open disagreement between the two ministers.”

    The Presidency has denied the possibility of any form of crack in the cabinet. It went further to say that all the ministers are on the same page on the transformation programme of President Goodluck Jonathan who is the chief driver of the economy.

    However, the talk about disputes in the cabinet has refused to abate. Beside, the issue of unpaid petroleum subsidy claims, there is that of none release of funds to the country’s missions abroad. The situation was so terrible that most of the missions could no longer operate. It took the intervention of President Jonathan before the Minister of Finance could agree to offset the debt of the missions.

    What’s wrong if the Presidency desires a new banquet hall or event centre? Are those in the Presidency forbidden to unwind?

    According to FCT Minister Bala Muhammed, the banquet hall will cost N2.2b. The construction of the new 150-seater banquet hall is awarded to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc “for security reasons.”

    The week also witnessed the Presidency in contract frenzy. It approved the contract for the purchase of two sets of five-car Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs), each with a capacity for 540 passengers and an additional six 60-seater air conditioned passenger coaches to be used for intra-city mass transit services. The contract costs N4.3b, with a completion period of 13 months. The Lagos-Kano track, which will be ready for use before Christmas, is to be revived.

    The Presidency also took another look at the idea of creating a national identity card after some failed attempts. It has budgeted the sum of N6.3b for the take-off of the scheme.

    The sum is for the importation of 13 million smartcards to be used in registering Nigerians under the National Identity Management scheme.

    The scheme, according to the Minister of Communications Technology, Omobola Johnson, is expected to kick off this December.

    A similar attempt to create a national identity card was made in 2001 under former President Olusegun Obasanjo in which a $214m contract was awarded to SAGEM; a French firm.

    Besides, the Presidency approved N30.066b for a Unified Identity Management System.

    Nigerians from age 18 up are to be captured in a data system.

    The implementation of the first phase of the project will begin immediately and ends in 2013.

  • Rotary plans free surgery for polio patients

    Rotary plans free surgery for polio patients

    IN order to encourage more people to take the polio vaccine, Foundation of Rotary International, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, has disclosed plans to organise 400 free corrective surgeries for people grappling with the disease.

    Beneficiaries drawn from different parts of the country will be conveyed to Abuja for the surgeries at the University of Abuja Specialist Hospital, Gwagwalada.

    The exercise will commence at 10:00 a.m. on December 3, 2012.

    According to the District Chair, Public Relations, Rotary District 9125, Sarah Sanda, a team of 26 doctors and volunteers will arrive at the capital territory on December 2, 2012 for a 10-day medical mission to perform minimum of 400 polio corrective surgeries.

    The team of Rotarian doctors includes 12 Ortho- surgeons, five anaesthesiologists, one pathologist, one general surgeon, and seven non-medical volunteers from Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chandigarh, Himachal, Haryana, Maharashtra, Kerala and Uttrakhand.

    Sanda also said that the doctors and volunteers from India would be assisted by Rotarians as well as Nigerian doctors, including other health personnel in the country.

    The project is aimed at gaining the confidence of local communities and to convince them to accept the oral polio vaccine as a step towards eradicating polio in Nigeria.

    She added that visiting Rotarian doctors will also train local orthopaedic surgeons to be able to do the corrective polio surgeries.

    In addition to the project, she disclosed that the visiting Rotarian doctors would train local orthopaedic surgeons in order to conduct the corrective polio surgeries.

    “In India, over 3,500 of such surgeries have been performed in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar while 18 of such projects have been successfully carried out in 18 African countries.

    “To complement the polio corrective surgeries, mobility devices such as walkers, crutches, wheelchairs, canes and surgical recovery blankets would be provided.

  • Hope rises for Abuja demoltion victims

    Hope rises for Abuja demoltion victims

    Things may soon start looking up for Abuja demolition victims as the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed has approved the allocation of 50 hectares of land to build the first phase of the Abuja Social Housing Scheme.

    The scheme was designed to take care of victims of the demolition exercises as well as low-income earners who may otherwise find it difficult to live in decent homes.

    The minister approved the scheme in Abuja while receiving the former United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Robin Sanders who led a delegation of an American-based firm, American Building Systems International, to his office.

    The minister said that the FCT Administration would continue to partner with genuine investors to build decent and affordable houses for all classes of residents of the Federal Capital Territory in order to reduce housing deficit in Nigeria’s capital.

    Senator Mohammed stated that the visit of Ambassador Sanders is heart warming; noting that it is one of the outcomes of the last US Infrastructural Summit that was also attended by Nigerian delegation including FCT.

    The minister directed the FCDA Executive Secretary, Engr. Adamu Ismaila to as a matter of urgency, allocate another plot of land at the Idu Industrial Zone to serve as site office for the American Building Systems International (ABSI).

    He recalled that about 1,000 hectares of land had been set aside for the Federal Mortgage Bank to build decent and affordable houses to take care of the same category of people by arranging a proper mortgage system.

    According to him, the FCT Administration has embarked on demolition of illegal structures in the 250 square kilometers of the Federal Capital City comprising of Phases I-V in order to rescue the Abuja Master Plan that has been badly bastardised.

    The minister reiterated that all those who lost their illegal houses to the demolition exercise would benefit from the social housing; adding however that his administration will not condone impunity or illegalities.

    Senator Mohammed also said his administration is determined to correct all anomalies as it concerns housing development in consonance with the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan.

    His said: “My administration is working round the clock to correct the housing anomaly as it does not entirely believe that supportive staff be accommodated only at the satellite towns far away from where they are expected to provide services”.

    Speaking earlier, the former American Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Robin Sanders remarked that her visit was in respect of her interest in economic development particularly in the areas of social housing and agriculture.

    Dr. Sanders pointed out that the American Building Systems International (ABSI) has the capacity to build and deliver a house in a matter of days and which will be built with Light Guage Steel Framing and local raw materials.

    She revealed that although the company would also go into partnership with the Federal Mortgage Bank but will independently deal with the FCT Administration because the needed funds would be sourced through the United States EXIM Bank to finance the project.

    The former envoy assured that the entire project would be completed and delivered within eight and nine months, all things being equal.

    Ambassador Sanders was accompanied on the visit by the Managing Director and Chief Executive officer of the American Building Systems International Inc, Emmanuel Nelson Iwuoha.

     

  • ‘No going back on new meat haulage policy’

    ‘No going back on new meat haulage policy’

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has said that there would not be shift in its policy to ban rickety vehicles and motorcycles in the haulage of meat in the territory.

    It explained that the new policy was aimed at safeguarding the residents and visitors to the FCT from cholera outbreak and food contamination which have been observed in some states of the federation.

    The policy, which became effective on November 6, requires the use of dedicated meat vans and special purpose-made tricycles with meat haulage compartment for the movement of meat in the Federal Capital City, area councils as well as the satellite towns.

    The tricycle meat vans are to convey meat to distances not more than three kilometres from the slaughter points while the four-wheel meat vans are to serve longer distances.

    The FCTA disclosed that the implementation of the new policy followed

    meticulous sensitisation and meetings with the abattoir drivers cooperative societies and other stakeholders on its benefits.

    “The FCT Administration wishes to inform the public that the reforms being undertaken in the meat haulage business is in the overall interest of the residents. The previous means of hauling meat in rickety vehicles and motorcycles in FCT are no longer acceptable. They pose numerous health hazards to residents arising from contamination of the product.

    “The specifications for acceptable vehicles required for meat transportation are solely through the dedicated meat vans and special purpose-made tricycles with meat haulage compartment. The internal coverings of the meat compartment of the vehicles are stainless steel sheets. This is to ensure non-metal contamination of the meat,” the administration stated.

    The FCT Administration warned that it would not be blackmailed by any organisation or group of persons to review a law that will safeguard the lives of the residents.

    It advised any organisation or group of persons interested in the meat haulage business to comply with the new policy.

    “The importance of consumption of hygienic food in improving the quality of life of the populace cannot be overemphasised. Meat, being a perishable produce, must be handled right or it may endanger the public health,” the administration further stated.

    It urged the Nigeria Police, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Abuja Environmental Protection Board, Federal Road Safety Corps and Directorate of Road Traffic Services to enforce the new meat haulage regulation in Territory.

    It noted that the effective enforcement of the regulation was an important thrust in ensuring best practices in meat handling in the FCT.

  • Senator condemns demolition in Abuja

    Former chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Housing and Urban Development, Chief Osita Izunaso, has condemned what he described as the inhuman demolition of Minanuel Estate in Lugbe Extension and other estates within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.

    While cautioning against further demolitions in the city, Isunaso said the action doesn’t reflect the status of a country that is having 17 million housing deficit.

    Senator Izunaso, in the statement issued in Abuja which he personally signed said: “I have viewed developments in the FCT whereby 500 housing units belonging to Minanuel Estate in Lugbe Extension, Abuja were demolished in a swoop as condemnable.

    “During my tenure as chairman, House Committee on Housing and Urban Development (2003-2007), our committee deployed all legitimate means of promoting the development of private sector participation in housing development, and this led to the formation of Real Estate Developers’ Association of Nigeria (REDAN) under the leadership of the former Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande.

    “The sad development in which investment of property developers are swept away by a single unguided action of the executive raises many questions than answers.

    “I expected REDAN to vehemently oppose the idea of demolishing completed housing estates in a country that is having a housing deficit of 17 millions.

    “REDAN is expected to champion a cause of due process and rule of law on the part of government agencies,” he added.

    He therefore advocated a synergy between the developers (REDAN) and government (as land owner) in ensuring proper housing delivery, even as he added that whoever defaults should be dealt with in accordance with the rule of law.

    He challenged REDAN to take responsibility for the recent demolition in FCT.

    “Destroying 500 housing units is like destroying a community. I hereby call on the executive of REDAN to rise up and protect the interest of its members and sustain the purpose of why they were created, which is protecting and promoting public investment on home ownership for Nigerians,” he stated.

  • More kids de-wormed in FCT

    More kids de-wormed in FCT

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Senator Bala Mohammed has said that his administration has recorded over 140 per cent increase in the number of children it had de-wormed in 2012 compared to last year’s average.

    He disclosed this at the flag-off of the FCT Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week and the inauguration of the Owner-occupier Primary Healthcare Centre in Kubwa, Bwari Area Council.

    Mohammed, who was represented by the Minister of State for the FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, said maternal and child welfare programmes were receiving serious attention from the administration.

    “Effective healthcare remains one of the fundamental objectives and principles of state policy. This administration will remain true to this core constitutional function by constantly updating our healthcare institutions with the requisite equipment and qualified personnel.

    “A crucial aspect of these initiatives will be that of investing in the capacity development of health workers as well as providing them with the enabling environment,” he stated.

    The minister disclosed that the FCT had achieved over 150 per cent increase in Vitamin A coverage, even as he expressed optimism that it would achieve the target set under the Millennium Development Goals in the FCT Health Sector.

    He noted that the administration would continue to evolve and implement programmes and projects that will promote the health of FCT residents, particularly mothers and children.

    “Our aim is to firm-up the family unit and significantly reduce the financial burden posed by the critical aspect of healthcare upon households. The family constitutes the nucleus of every society.

    “In order to have a healthy society therefore, all hands must be on deck to keep the family alive and well. It is for this reason that the FCT Administration is working assiduously to significantly reduce, if not totally eliminate, the incidence of infant and maternal mortality in the FCT,” he stated.

    On the Kubwa Owner-occupier Primary Healthcare Centre, Mohammed explained that it was designed by the FCT Administration to relieve the pressure on the Kubwa General Hospital.

    He added: “It therefore gladdens my heart to note that where we are standing today is the rehabilitated centre which has successfully gone through service-provision test-run.”

    The chairman of Bwari Area Council, Hon. Peter Yohanna, had earlier in his address, praised the FCT Minister and Minister of State for promoting good health in the area councils.

    He stated that Bwari Area Council had distributed treated mosquito nets to residents as part of measures to ensure high quality and affordable healthcare in the area council.

     

  • Committee on centenary book constituted

    The Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, has set up a Ministerial Review Committee on the Centenary Book.

    The committee is headed by the Director of Economic Planning, Research and Statistics (EPRS) in the FCT Administration, Alhaji Ari Isa Mohammed.

    Members of the committee include: the Special Adviser (Lands) to the Permanent Secretary, FCT, Chief Steven Awoniyi; Senior Special Assistant (Special Duties) to the Minister of State, Mrs. Jummai Kwanashie, and Director, Monitoring and Inspection, FCTA, Mr. Olawale Labiyi.

    Others are the Director of Abuja Environmental Protection Board, Alhaji Isa Shuaibu; acting Director of Engineering, FCTA, Engr. A.A. Abu; Managing Director, Abuja Properties Development Company, Architect Bashir Haiba, and Special Assistant to the Minister of State on Culture and Tourism, Mr. Niyi Olagunju.

    Akinjide explained that the Committee was required to collect, select and develop the content of the official Centenary Book that would give the history of FCT.

    She charged the members of the committee to establish a framework for the collection of submissions from all the six area councils including the activities of the secretariats, departments and agencies of the FCT Administration.

     

     

     

     

    “As committee members, your terms of reference shall include developing the concept and content of the Centenary Book; overseeing the production of the book; advising the Presidential Centenary Committee on any relevant matter pertaining to the production of the book, and updating the Presidential Centenary Committee periodically on the progress of the project,” she added.

     

  • Two bankers arraigned over robbery

    Two workers of Diamond Bank PLC, Okoh Ebele and Charles Amadi haev been arraigned at a Karu Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly forging the signatures of four consumers.

    The accused persons allegedly withdrew N250,000 from one of the customer’s account.

    Prosecutor Garba Mohammed told the court that the accused were arraigned on a four-count charge of criminal conspiracy, criminal breach of trust by servant, forgery and theft.

    He said the offences contravened Sections 97, 314, 364 and 287 of the Penal Code.

    Mohammed said that one Anthony Anaolu, a worker with Diamond Bank PLC, Area 11, Abuja, reported the matter at the Garki Police Station.

    He said Anaolu reported that the accused persons were staff members of Wuse Zone 4, branch, entrusted with depositors’ money.

    “The accused conspired and revealed the signatures of four different customers operating different accounts in the same bank.

    “They scanned the signatures and sent to one Charles, whose surname is still unknown and now at-large, with the intention to withdraw the customer’s money deposited with the bank.

    “In the course of their actions, they succeeded in withdrawing the sum of N250,000 from the account of one L.A Mittee, through one Amarachi Joshua, of Wuse Zone 5, Abuja,’’ he said.

    Joshia is presently also standing trial for alleged theft in the same court.

    He said that during police investigation, the accused persons admitted committing the offence.

    The accused persons, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    The Counsel to the accused, Charles Achillo, made an oral application for their bail.

    The Chief Magistrate, Ahmed Shaibu, refused the application for bail and ordered that they be remanded in prison.

    ‘The case stands adjourned to January 16, 2013 for hearing,” Shaibu said.