The Nation Newspaper

Category: Northern Report

  • Questions over conflicting traffic lights

    Questions over conflicting traffic lights

    For a territory known for its reckless drivers, the installation of traffic lights was welcome. But the lights also have problems, reports GBENGA OMOKHUNU 

    The first issue may well be why the N861m project took off only weeks to the end of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Muhammed administration. Then, consider also that the traffic lights have been causing all sorts of problems for drivers, many of who are notoriously reckless. Rather than stop one stream of traffic and okay another to proceed, for instance, the lights sometimes indicate that everyone should go at the same time.

    Before now, most traffic lights in Abuja were not functional, a situation that was worsened by the epileptic power supply. The highbrow areas of the city were a bit better. In most satellite towns, there are no traffic lights, and where they existed, they were mere decorations on the highway. The poles in most places were either vandalised by hoodlums or pulled down by careless motorists.

    A few months ago, over 74 traffic lights were suddenly installed by the FCT administration. Why did the FCT Minister wait till the last minute before putting the lights in place?

    When the project started a few months back, controversies followed the exercise. Many viewed the action of the authorities of Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to provide infrastructural facilities in the FCT in the twilight of the administration’s tenure, as a last minute bid to cover up its tracks.

    The residents said the FCT administration started the installation of the traffic lights as part of efforts to hurriedly complete some abandoned projects before the May 29 handover date, adding that the administration was only trying to mop up funds before the change of guards.

    Senator Mohammed hurriedly issued a statement saying that the installation of the new traffic lights was a collaborative project with the Chinese government and that its cost was N861m.

    Bala said the contract was packaged in 2012 by the National Planning Commission as a collaborative project between Nigeria and China, explaining that while China funded the contract with N780 million, Nigeria provided N81m as counterpart fund.

    He described the allegation that the project was aimed at siphoning funds as a campaign of calumny and mischief against his administration.

    Bala said: “Of course, China is bearing the whole cost of the project at the cost of N780m and as usual, with this collaborative project; they nominated the contractor, which is doing the project from China. The only thing we’ve done is to make sure that we provide the counterpart funding for the project totaling about N81m that we’ve provided as a territory and the supervision.

    “So, it’s not true, it’s deceptive and it’s misleading for anybody to think that something that we’re getting as a collaborative and multilateral assistance is something we’ve conceptualized as a last-minute bid of a project for us to go away with. This is a project I believe the incoming administration should be very happy with.”

    Bala said he was not afraid of any probe by the incoming government of General Muhammadu Buhari, saying he was ready to account for all his actions within the last five years.

    The minister also stated that he had documents and records to account for his deeds.

    Even though the minister tried to pacify the people and clarify that the installation and rehabilitation of the traffic lights were not an attempt to complete an abandoned project, many questions were left unanswered.

    For instance, why would the FCTA authorities embark on such a project few weeks to the expiration of the administration?

    Many residents are complaining of the conflicting functions of the traffic lights.

    Chukwudi, a motorist said: “The new traffic lights are causing a lot of gridlock, especially during rush hours. Most of them were not properly situated. Where is the wisdom in putting about three traffic lights on a street? For example, Mississippi Street in Maitama, has about four traffic lights. The traffic situation there coupled with the many intersections can only be imagined.

    His words, “it is a good development, these set of lights are good; those on the pedestrian can cross without fear because the traffic lights have stopped the cars; just that Nigerians are not patient enough, you’ll see some of them still bypassing the traffic lights and it’s quite absurd. The timing is also funny because it seems the contractors were just waiting for the outcome of the elections and now that Jonathan was unable to return, they just want to rush up everything so they could get their pay, that’s the scenario I see. This is something that should have been done before now, street lights should not only be built in Abuja, what is happening in the other 36 states, when you travel out you see street lights too everywhere.

    Speaking at a parley with newsmen on the FCT Transport Secretariat policy trust, the FCT Director of Traffic Management Department, Vincent Igberaese, acknowledged that up till now the contractors that handled the installation of the traffic light projects have not been paid hence the reason for the malfunctioning.

    Igberaese said: “All the areas that do not have traffic lights were discovered later that they are suppose to have traffic lights. The problem we are having with the traffic lights is that Nigerians are not patient. Putting traffic light at all junctions is very important. We are studying the situation, we are still working. It is appropriate that once you meet a red light whether there is a vehicle coming or not or the road is free or not you are expected to wait until it gives you a green light before you go. Even when the red light is still on you will still see people going against the traffic rule and blocking other people that are suppose to pass. These are some of the reasons why we are having problems with the traffic light.

    “Traffic light is to ease movement but it is creating more problem for us because of the way we are using it. I agree that some of the traffic lights are giving conflicting signal. As a department we have set up a maintenance team that goes round to look at all these problems and rectify them but the main problem we have as a department is that some of the traffic lights were constructed be contractors and up till now they have not been paid and they have not handed over to us. It is known that prior to this time we have never had a maintenance unit, maintenance of traffic light was done on a performance contract basis. The companies do not want to do maintenance due to the issue of payment.”

    He also disclosed that again, the Federal Capital Territory Administration has reiterated that the ‘Park and Pay’ scheme which was suspended in April last year after several court cases nullified the establishment of the scheme will still take off in Abuja better than it was.

    This is as a result of the indiscriminate ways of parking by the motorists in Abuja.

    He said “the Parking and pay was suspended but it will come back on the streets because if you look around now, we park indiscriminately. I am sorry to say that we are not doing what we are supposed to do for a city like Abuja.”

    Speaking also was the Director of Directorates of Road Traffic Services (DTRS) otherwise known as VIO, Abdullahi Danjuma, who said, the traffic laws of the city must be adhered to.

    He urge residents to cooperate with the traffic agencies to sanitise the city.

    According to him, the administration has so far tested 8, 000 vehicles through the computerised vehicle testing center.

    He added that six additional licencing centres have been added to the Mabushi and Secretariat centres for better service delivery across the federal capital city.

    He said: “We have made the registration of vehicles seamless, less than 48 hours”.

     

  • Mission to liquidate insurgency now or never, says Shettima

    Mission to liquidate insurgency now or never, says Shettima

    Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima is hopeful that the insurgency battle will soon be over, with the appointment of new service chiefs, reports VICTOR IZEKOR

    Happy days are here for Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima, who once lamented how he was being treated under former President Goodluck Jonathan. As governor of a state, which is the epicentre of Boko Haram insurgency, Shettima was kept in the dark about security issues in his domain by the then government. He was not invited to security meetings neither was he informed of postings of security personnel. Borno is close to Chad, Cameroun and Niger, the three countries which Boko Haram either uses as a launch pad or crosses into after attacking Nigerian communities.

    In the negotiations with those countries on how to stem the Boko Haram insurgency, the Jonathan administration also did not carry Shettima along. The governor may have drawn the ire of the government then because of his declaration that the military was not as equipped as the Boko Haram insurgents.

    Following that statement, the soldiers deployed in the Government House in Maiduguri, the state capital, were withdrawn and replaced with policemen. During Jonathan’s visit to troops in Baga after the town was recaptured from insurgents, Shettima, as host governor, was not on hand to receive him. Reason: he was not aware of the former president’s visit. Watchers felt the federal and state governments should collaborate on the war against insurgency and as such were worried by the development. To elder statesman, Alhaji Shettima Ali Monguno, the federal and state governments must work together to defeat Boko Haram. He lamented what he called the communication gap between the two tiers of government, saying it was not good for insurgency battle.

    Faced by what he felt was an adverse situation, Shettima declared: “I am an unhappy man.” With his state under Boko Haram siege, he was not getting help from the Jonathan administration, which should have supported him with men and materials. Why was this so? Was it because Jonathan and Shettima are not members of the same party? Things are now looking up for the “unhappy” governor. The appointment of new service chiefs on July 13 seems to have made Shettima a happy man. Two indigenes of his state are among the security chiefs. They are the National Security Advisers (NSA), Maj. Gen Babagana Monguno and Chief of Army Staff, Maj- Gen. Tukur Buratai.

    Speaking when he hosted the Lt. Gen. T. Y. Danjuma-led Insurgency Victims Support Fund in Maiduguri, Shettima expressed joy at their appointment. According to him, with the duo working in concert with other top security chiefs, the battle to liquidate insurgency is now or never. This, he said, is the best opportunity to curb the insurgents’ excesses. He said President Muhammadu Buhari’s choice of Monguno and Buratai as NSA and COAS was a “classic case of putting square pegs in square holes because both men have been given the mandate of liberating their state, which is the epicentre of Boko Haram activities”.

    Shettima said: “Monday, July 13 was the happiest moment of my life. President Muhammadu Buhari made a strong statement by his decision to appoint two highly competent sons of Borno to the offices of the National Security Adviser and the Chief of Army Staff. I think his strategy was to get people with ancestral knowledge of the Borno terrain. Maj. Gen. Tukur Buratai is even a direct victim of Boko Haram attacks. He lost family members when his residence was attacked earlier this year in Buratai, a town in Biu local government area. Monguno was destroyed and once occupied by Boko Haram and that is where the new NSA, retired Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno hails from. In fact, a key family member of General Monguno is still being held captive by Boko Haram insurgents.

    “These two Generals are from Borno, they know exactly where it pinches and most importantly, they understand the terrain and can easily connect with communities to get local support. Added to them is also the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar who hails from Bauchi, also in the Northeast. AVM Abubakar spent many of his formative years in the military here in Borno State. He spent over 10 years in Borno; he knows the terrain very well also and can connect with the people. I think for us, it is now or never because the President has generously put sons of Borno and the Northeast to lead the battle for the freedom of Borno, the Northeast and the rest of Nigeria, from the murderous threats of insurgents”.

    Since Buhari assumed office on May 29, there has been a thaw in relationship between the federal and Borno State governments. Unlike in the past, Shettima is now being recognised by the Federal Government. He was a member of the Federal Government delegation to Chad and Niger where the joint military operations of Nigeria and its neighbouring countries against insurgency were discussed.

    Shettima was also a member of the Federal Government delegation to the United States where securities and other issues were thrashed out. The Federal Government through the National Emergency Reflief Agency (NEMA) has also relieved Borno State of the burden of maintaining millions of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), a programme, which costs billions of naira. Under the Jonathan administration, the state bore the huge cost of the programme as the Federal Government only gave it N200 million for the scheme. The Federal Government also distributed relief materials to the IDPs at random.

    • Izekor, a journalist, wrote from Maiduguri
  • Plateau police table needs before IG

    Plateau police table needs before IG

    Inspector-General of Police Solomon Arase’s visit to Plateau State was as much an opportunity to orientate the command on stepping up internal security duties as it was for the state commissioner to press for solutions to enduring challenges. YUSUFU AMINU IDEGU reports

    There seemed to be a balance of demands as Inspector-General of Police Solomon Arase visited the Plateau State command. His mission was to press home the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari that the police should really take charge of internal security, while the armed forces concentrate on securing national borders.

    Mr Arase made that much clear but he also lectured the state personnel on human rights abuses, roadblocks, extortion, bail, training and promotions. Arase told them of a brand new police to evolve from what used to be.

    His hosts also had their list of demands if those of the IGP were to be adequately met.

    The state Commissioner of Police Nasiru Oki while welcoming the IG to the command headquarters in Jos, said, “Plateau is one of the states in the North Central  zone…comprising three senatorial zones; Plateau North, Plateau Central and Plateau South. Each of these senatorial zones has their peculiar crime situation. Like in the south, the main problem we have there is proliferation of arms, nearly every home in the south has arms. In every house there you will find at least one retired Major General, so the chunk of retired generals in the state is found in Plateau South senatorial zone, and that is a problem on its own.

    Mr. Oki also said, “In the Central zone, we don’t have serious problems with crime, but in the North, we have two areas that is disturbing, and the government as well as the command have been on it to make sure everything went fine. One of it is the issue of Fulani and the natives. There have been age-long disputes between them over arable land and grazing land. And it has been so serious that you have given us two mobile units to assist us and they are really doing wonderful job in that place.

    The second problem in Plateau North is the issue of rustling, the crime is very rampart there and we are doing our best to curb the crime.

    He stated further, “In the entire Plateau state, the population of the policemen 6000 plus, the problem we have over that is barracks accommodation. The barracks we have here need renovations. We have tried in our own capacity to repair the ones we can, but there is still need for more to be renovated. The headquarters too needs some kind of repair especially the tailoring section and the stores, the roofs are leaking seriously, such that each time there is rain, the men have to evacuate their properties and leave the place. And at the end of each rain, the men have to return there to mop up the water and clean up the place.

    “In this command we have efficient mechanics and electricians; if any of our cars develops a problem, I can beat my chest that they will repair it here without looking for mechanics outside. The men in this unit are very competent and able.

    “Sir, we want to commend you sir for the ‘operation safer highways’ you gave to us, they have been position in a very strategic point and are helping situations too. The ones you gave us before too have been given to divisions and the divisions are making adequate use of them too in combating crimes in the state generally. However, like Oliver Twist, we are asking for more, Sir.

    “We…need to establish an additional Area Command in Plateau Central.

    “Sir, we are also requesting for an additional Mobile Squadron because of the volatility of this place. There have been structures on ground, all that is needed now is to renovate the place and staff the Quarters.

    “In addition, Sir, we shall be grateful if we can have a transit camp in this place because of officers who are being transferred to this place. When the officers come on transfer they have no place to stay, you see them hanging around, sleeping at the headquarters. So if we have a transit camp in this state it will help us seriously.”

    Mr Arase said, “In as much as I appreciate the efforts of the policemen and women for making sure internal security of Plateau State remains one of the best in this country, I wish to challenge you to do more…I have listened to your commissioner on the challenges you are facing. But I can assure you that in spite of dwindling resources and logistics, we should continue to do our best because President Muhammadu Buhari is very passionate about your welfare, Mr President is ready to do all that is necessary for you to deliver on your mandate.

    “Let me inform you of the strategic thrust of this administration, first and foremost is the issue of roadblocks; [they have] been dismantled and…will remain so, but that does not mean that occasionally, when there are security threats we will not engage on ‘stop and search’. And we talk about stop and search, we are not expecting you to go back to the old ways of harassing members of the public or collecting money on the highways. This administration has a zero-tolerance for corruption, we will not encourage it. It is my belief the people that you serve are very nice people and when  they see that you are serving them responsibly, they have a way of tour hing your life the way you never expect. So there is no point for you to start extorting them on the highways.

    “Secondly, we are averse to the commercialisation of bail, and that is why I have insisted that our investigation process should be inteligence-driven. By this, I mean if you have a case brought before you, you should gather sufficient evidence before inviting the parties involved. And by the time you invite them before you, I expect that it should not take more than 24 hours for you to reach a decision to proffer charges or allow the person to go on bail.

    “We have been able to launch the “Safer Highways” currently we have 555 of such vehicles across the 36 states of the country. We have also ensure that all those issues that compel you into corruption like fueling of the vehicles and feeding while on patrol will be addressed soon. It is also good to let you know that when cases are brought before you, you should be able to distinguished between civil cases and commercial cases and also tried to resist been dragged into taking corruption.”

  • Centre trains 1,200 addicts

    No fewer than 1,200 drug addicts have been given an opportunity to lead a productive life upon being weaned off drugs.They have been trained in skills by a Kaduna State-based organisation, the Nigas Rehabilitation Centre.

    The founder of the organisation, Alhaji Lawal Muduru made the gesture known at a briefing in Sokoto.

    According to Muduru who said the centre was established in 2006, the graduates were part of the nearly 1600 inmates who had been rehabilitated by the centre.

    He said that the graduates who were hitherto drugs addicts were trained in carpentry, blacksmithing, ICT, tie and dye, shoemaking, saloon operations, cosmetics production and sewing and knitting, among others.

    Maduru said the Centre assisted them with tools to start up their own businesses so as to facilitate their re-integration into the society.

    “This is to make them self-reliant and reduce the likely stigma they may face after leaving the Centre,’’ he explained, adding,

    “The Centre currently has about 240 inmates, including Muslims and Christians, and the task of taming the drugs menace is not the responsibility of the government alone. NDLEA should be adequately funded, staffed and equipped to make it more efficient [in order to] boost the anti-drugs war.”

  • Airtel rehabilitates school in Kwara

    Airtel rehabilitates school in Kwara

    Telecoms firm, Airtel Nigeria Limited has rehabilitated a primary school, Iyeru-Okin, in Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State.

    Airtel Nigeria has earlier done a similar thing at Oremeji Primary School II, Ajegunle, Lagos Stata, St. John’s Primary School, Oke-Agbo in Ijebu-Igbo, Ogun State, Community Primary School, Amumara, Imo State and Presbyterian Primary School, Ediba, Cross River State under its Adopt-a-School Programme.

    Speaking during the commissioning of the newly transformed Iyeru-Okin Primary School, the Managing Director of Airtel Nigeria Ltd, Segun Ogunsanya said under the company will adopt government-owned schools in rural and semi-urban communities for rehabilitation or rebuilding.

    Represented by Chief Sales Officer Godfrey Efhebor, Mr. Ogunsanya said that is embarking on the programme as part of its corporate social responsibility or CRS.

    He said, “We are pleased to partner your government and indeed the people of Nigeria to participate in the area of primary education for the undeserved rural poor; education, to us, is the bedrock of development of the nation and the best place to start is the formative stage of children.

    “Nigerian government has taken various initiatives in this direction but has often not reached the poorest section of the society.”

    Airtel managing director added that has brought notable transformation to these schools by providing ultra-modern blocks of classrooms, borehole, furniture and provision of uniforms, bags and educational materials on an annual basis.

    His words: “Last year hundreds of pupils and teachers benefited from Airtel free eye screening exercises conducted in the adopted schools. In addition to this, several teachers in the schools have been trained by Airtel in collaboration with state Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) of the various states.

    “It is pertinent to add here that we have not just come to upgrade infrastructure and go away, but we will continue to support the adopted school on a long-term basis. It is certain that government alone cannot bring about the change we all are craving for, but we know that an enabling environment is necessary for change to happen.

    “We are hopeful that this project will add value to the lives of the children of Iyeru-Okin community, and who knows we may be providing classrooms for the grooming of future employees of Airtel Nigeria.

    “I will request the government to keep supporting our efforts as we strive to contribute our quota to making Nigeria a better place. Specifically, we want to urge the community members to help protect the facilities from hoodlums and vandals.”

    In a remark, the state Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed said the Airtel’s gesture deserves commendation and applause.

    The governor who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Alhaji Lamidi Alabi said that “the project represents a contribution to our educational development through corporate social responsibility intervention. We are therefore grateful to board, management and staff of Airtel for initiating and completing this project.

    “While soliciting similar intervention to other schools across the state, I urge other organizations to emulate Airtel and give back to the communities in which it operates.

    I understand that Airtel has upgraded three blocks of classrooms and equipped with white box, chairs and tables. Further the company is providing uniforms and school bags for 400 pupils including other support infrastructure materials.

    “Doing so will not only be pragmatic, it will also create significant goodwill for such communities and the companies. On our part we remain committed to promoting the security and welfare of the people through targeted social and physical infrastructure. We are also implementing policies to stimulate economic activities and attract investment inflow as pathway for people’s economic empowerment.

    “In line with this determination, I will soon outline our strategic programmes for the socio-economic and infrastructural development of our state.”

    Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary of SUBEB, Dr. Musa Dasuki said the programme would touch the lives of many in Offa and humanity at large.

    Dr. Dasuki, who was represented by Direct of Planning, Research and Statistics in the board, Raudat Yusuf said the project comprises the renovation of three blocks of eight classrooms, three offices; installation of lightings and ceiling fans; construction of borehole with an overhead tank; provision of 43 sets of table for the pupils; eight set of tables for teachers; 400 school uniforms and 400 school bags for pupils.

  • Closing in on oil looters

    His intention to fight corruption was there even during the campaigns. President Muhammadu Buhari left no one in doubt in that regard. And it was just as well because corruption has almost brought the country to its knees.

    He also made it clear that the searchlight will beam first on the immediate past administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Not even the declaration by Jonathan in the tail end of his administration that probe limited to his administration will amount to witch hunt has been able to stop Buhari in his stride.

    Buhari, last week Wednesday in the United States of America fingered some unnamed Jonathan’s cabinet ministers to be involved in theft of Nigeria’s crude oil.

    Monies that would have been used to develop the country, create infrastructures and provide jobs for millions of unemployed Nigerian youth, rather than go to the Federation Account, have been siphoned to private accounts.

    Threatening to prosecute and freeze the accounts of the culprits, Buhari disclosed that the noose is already closing in on those that have cases to answer.

    According to him, his government is presently tracing the countries where the oil were exported to and the subsequent bank lodgements.

    He said: “We are now looking for evidences of shipping some of our crude, their destinations and where and which accounts they were paid and in which country.

    “When we get as much as we can get as soon as possible, we will approach those countries to frozen those accounts and go to court, prosecute those people and let the accounts be taken to Nigeria.

    “The amount of money is mind burgling but we have started getting documents. We have started getting documents where some of the senior people in government, former ministers, some of them plotted as much as five accounts and were moving about one million barrel per day on their own. We have started getting that document.

    “I assure you that whichever documents we are able to get and subsequently trace the sale of the crude or transfer of money from Ministries, Departments, Central Bank, we will ask the cooperation of those countries to return those monies to federation accounts.

    “And we will use those documents to arrest those people and prosecute them. This, I promise Nigerians,’’ he added.

    Like the popular saying say that every day is for the thief but one day is for the owner of the house, the day of reckoning is indeed fast approaching for those that have soiled their hands in the oil sector.

     

    VP and VIP mix-up

     

    It is no longer news that there was  a mix-up in the Press Briefing Talking Point of the resolutions of the 59th National Economic Council (NEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa last Thursday.

    The talking point circulated by the Council Secretariat to State House correspondents at the end of the meeting in line with practice by past administrations, disclosed that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, who presided over the meeting, informed the NEC of plans by Boko Haram to dump refuse laden bombs in his house.

    After the story started generating reactions on the social media, the Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, in a statement on the same day denied the report.

    According to him, there was typographical error in the talking point and the aspect of ‘house of the vice president’ in the talking point should have read ‘houses of VIPs’.

    He said: “A press briefing note circulated today by the Secretariat of the

    National Economic Council, NEC, contains a typo on the very last line of the last paragraph.

    “That paragraph should read ‘The Vice President also disclosed that security reports has it that scavengers are now being prepared by insurgents to dump refuse laden with bombs in the houses of VIPs.’

    “The last line erroneously says ‘in the house of the Vice President.’ Please take note of the correction.” He said

    Following the conflicting reports, some Nigerians have viewed them with skepticism and not knowing what to really believe.

    The mix-up, no doubt, has also raised some questions whether the Council Secretariat has no qualified and capable hands or they were just handling their jobs with levity.

    If they escape last week’s mix-up unpunished, they need no prophet to warn them of greater consequences in the event of such mistake again.

    So they must sit up now as they cannot afford such dangerous slip in future meetings.

     

    Presidential Sallah bash

     

    In the spirit of the season, wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari a forthnight ago organized sallah party for Nigerian children at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Not less than three thousand children turned up for the party in the old Banquet hall, which was decorated to children’s taste.

    While loud speakers rendered various songs to the delight of the children, giant screens were also mounted showing different cartoons.

    Balloons of different colours were used to form different shapes hanging on the hall ceiling as decorations, while they were also used to form giant babies and animals placed at various points.

    While two bouncing castle were mounted for the children, funny dressed clowns were also on hand to make the children laugh.

    The children, who were given packaged meals and drinks at the party, also took part in fashion parade and dancing competition.

    Beside the children catching fun in the hall, Mrs. Aisha Buhari also remembered and sought for prayers for the less privileged children and for those at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP)’ camps due to insurgency.

    Speaking at the occasion, she said: “The future of this great country lies in your hands. You are to complement the efforts of government by working very hard in school and to be obedient to your parents.

    “Tomorrow, you may be the President, the President’s wife, senator, honourable members, governors, medical doctors, teacher, journalist, engineer, nurse, lawyer and the rest of our honourable professions.” She added

    She also did not fail to advise the children’s parents, a great number of whom came with their children to the party, on the need to encourage and monitor their children.

    While both Muslim and Christian children attended the Sallah party, it will not be a bad idea if a similar party is organised in December for the Christmas season.

  • FCTA gets media department, new CPS

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration has established a media and communication department as part of efforts to better interface with the public.

    To this end, the FCT Administration carried out mass redeployment of information officers who were recently promoted.

    Those affected in the redeployment exercise are officers who were promoted to the rank of Deputy Director and they include Mrs. Grace Zamani, Mr. Cosmos Uzodima and Mr. Mohammad Hazat Sule.

    Our correspondents gathered that Mrs. Zamani has been moved from Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) to Public Enlightenment and Civic Orientation, Mr. Uzodima was equally moved from Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS) to Research and Publication Division, while Mr. Sule has been moved from office of the Chief Press Secretary to

    Media and Communication Division.

    In a two paragraph letter from the office of Establishment and Training dated July 2, 2015 and made available to our correspondent stated that all redeployments are with immediate effect.

    The letter signed by the Chief Admin. Officer of the Department, Mr. Omosoluyi Bamidele on behalf of the Director reads in part: “I am directed to inform you that approval has been given for your redeployment to Department of Information and Communication Headquarters with immediate effect. You are expected to hand over to Anthony Ogunleye (CIO) who is being informed by a copy of this letter to take over from you.

    “You are therefore to report to the Ag. Director, Information and Communication for further posting instructions please.”

    It will be recalled that the new Chief Press Secretary, Ogunleye joined the service of FCT Administration in 1994 as Information Officer. Until his appointment, he was the Public Relations Officer of Education Secretariat of the FCT Administration where he effectively coordinated other agencies in the Secretariat.

    He equally served as Head of Public Relations in Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat and Health and Human Services Secretariat.

    Ogunleye is happily married and the union is blessed with children.

     

  • Benue communities agonise over road

    Benue communities agonise over road

    When will the agony end in Agedam and Genger communities in Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State? One of their most important roads, Shima Gyoh Road, has been in disrepair for over 10 years since contractors abandoned it.

    The bridge linking both communities have been destroyed as a result of the disrepair, throwing the residents into all manner of trouble.

    Three years ago, the state government began construction again on the Genger Bridge but the work was abandoned and it has remained that way till date.

    Many residents lamented the situation.

    Mr Matthew Zakari, a resident of Genger, said, “It really baffles me that things like this still happen in Nigeria. The abandoned road is a major setback in terms of attracting development to the community. I wish the state government can do something about it because without anything being done, more harm would be caused to those of us living in the area especially during this rainy season.”

    Pastor Onojah Ameh, of the United Evangelical Church whose church building is threatened by the bad state of the road, describes the dwindling fortunes that the church has had to battle with.

    “It has been a bitter experience for the masses living in these communities and especially the church building. The entire fence has been brought down by flood from the stream which leaves the church building under threat. It will be a thing of joy for the church and the entire community if the government does something urgently about this.

    “Because of the heavy water flow, [pedestrians and motorists] find it difficult to cross to church. This is not a good development.  So with prayers we are calling on the government whether federal or state to come to our rescue.”

    The dust generated from the untarred road has also brought members of both communities, children and adults alike face to face  with health hazards.

    Gabriel Abu, a graduate of the Federal College of Education, Obudu who resides along the untarred road in Agedam, bemoaned his fate.

    “The amount of dust we inhale during the dry season is too  dangerous to our health, not to talk of our various homes where we do what I call  minute-by-minute  cleaning, without which  one cannot stay in his or her home due to dust particles. Also since the bridge had also been affected, we cannot cross freely to the other side when we need to buy something”.

    Owoicho Obelle, a student of the National Evangelical Mission, Gboko, said, “At times, the road gets so bad I cannot even go to school because the water level is so high, making it impossible for me to cross over to the other side. I sincerely hope this present government gives priority to this road so that there can be a new lease of life for the people of these two communities”.

    Mr. ThankGod Chigozie, a businessman, also complained about how difficult it has been for him to  buy goods from the market.

    “This alone slows down our businesses and also the economy of this community is poor compared to other parts of the town. When we manage to cross to the market, on coming back, the commercial motorcyclists overcharge us because they have to take another route to our destination.”

    During the rainy season, the road becomes very bad for pedestrians and motorists. This has compelled area boys in the community to patching the road close to the bridge by trying to repair it in such a way that it will be manageable to ply on. A times, these area boys turn this service to a brisk money making venture where  one must pay a fee of either N50 or more depending on what the boys agrees on. This is restricted to only commercial motorcyclists since motor vehicles cannot ply the road as a result of the bad condition of the road and bridge.

    Due to the incessant and forceful collection of money in form of rendering help to those concerned, there have been clashes  between those area boys and motor cyclists known in the area as ‘hire men’. This often happens as a result of heated argument between the motorcyclists and the said area boys for refusal to pay the fee before crossing over to either side of the stream.

    Reacting to the development,  Terseer Liambee, a motorcyclist, who lives in Gboko-South lamented that the embarrassment received from the area boys sometimes is unbearable.

    “Some of us do not like carrying passengers who are resident in this area because the  area boys use to fight us and cease our motorcycle keys each time we don’t have money to give to them,” he said.

    Mr Dan Tavershima, who said he is an ND II student of the Akperan Orshi College of Education, Gboko but rides the motorcycle as a part- time job said it even got to a point where he was beaten up by the area boys because he refused to give them the N50 naira toll.

    A passenger on the route, Mrs. Iorzua Iorpuu testified to the brutal manner of the area boys in trying to extort money from the motorists.

    “The way these boys do misbehave and brutalize people is too bad. They do this every year when it’s raining season because there’s no one to stop them. At times when you stop a bike and tell the bike man you are going to Genger through Shima Gyoh road, they usually refuse because of the humiliation they get from those hoodlums”, she submitted.

    Our reporters however learnt that the police patrol team recently raided the place to arrest the area boys who reportedly fled leaving their work equipment behind which includesdigger, hoes, shovels, ropes and head pans. The Police team took these items with them since they could not lay hands on any of the said area boys.

    What could the government officials in the state be doing about the state of the Agedam and Genger road?

    Hon. Michael Injo Yina, the councillor representing Gboko North-West constituency, who spoke with The Nation on the reporter on the phone, said, “The Local government chairman is supposed to see that the project be completed.”

    Efforts to reach the Head of Department at the Zonal office of the State Ministry of Works in Gboko proved futile.

     

    • Idoko and Obelle are contributors to our CampusLife pages

     

  • Residents seek Dutse Road expansion

    Residents of Dutse Satellite town in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have urged the area council to expand the Dutse-Bwari Road and relocate roadside traders at the Dutse market road to ease traffic congestion.

    Danladi Joshua, a resident of Dutse Alhaji, said that the volume of traffic congestion along the Dutse market road has become so unbearable that the residents do not know the next steps to take to ease their plight that is why they need the leadership of the area council to come to their aide in solving the problems that the roadside traders are causing the people.

    According to Joshua, if the leadership can expand the road for it to accommodate vehicles and also chase the roadside traders into the market, it would ease the traffic flow in the area, saying that the most of the roadside traders do not care the suffering they are causing road users because they want to make ends meet.

    “These traders casing this traffic congestion always come with the excuse that they have to make ends meet, and this congestion is mostly at the junction of Dutse Alhaji, the first gate of Dutse satellite town, because the market is located closed to the road and this rush to beat the traffic jam sometimes causes accident at the junction.

    ”We thank the council chairman for constructing the new market and it has enough space inside, but we are saying that the authority of the Bwari Area Council should expand the road and ensure that the traders who sell their products outside the market are sent into the market, and that would ease the traffic congestion along this Bwari road,” he said.

    Agatha Ohia, a trader in the market said that why most of the traders use outside the market, is as a result of the fact that the market is usually locked as early as 6.30 in the evenings, and those that have not finished selling their wares would then choose to trade outside to sell more.

    “Some of the traders that sell outside the market have shops inside the market and others do not have, and some of them are bread sellers who believe they do not need shops and prefer the roadside.  The truth is that, even if they do not have shops inside the market to sell, that should not give them the right to use their wares to obstruct traffic flow.

    ”If the authority of Bwari area council can map out strategy to expand the road for motorists and relocate most of this traders that do not have shops inside the market. After that, they should set up taskforce to monitor the use of the market and the control of roadside traders even in the evenings, this can go a long way in solving this traffic congestion we always experience on this road, mostly on Monday Market days” she said.

  • Kwara women farmers decry herdsmen’s attacks

    Kwara women farmers decry herdsmen’s attacks

    Women farmers in Kwara State have decried “incessant attacks” on their farmlands by Fulani herdsmen.

    The women drawn from Asa, Offa, Kaiama, Baruten, Patigi, Edu local government areas, and parts of Ilorin, the state capital, are members of the Smallholder Women Farmers Association of Nigeria (SHOWFAN).

    They spoke at a meeting in Ilorin with the permanent secretary of the state Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, saying they suffered incalculable losses at the hands of cow rustlers.

    They were led by the Senior Programme Officer, Centre for Community Empowerment and Poverty Eradication (CCEPE)/Actionaid Nigeria, Ayuba Abdulrahman at the meeting.

    One of the women, Zainab Yahaya, from Kaiama local government area of the state, who narrated her ordeals in the hands of the Fulani herdsmen, said that the losses she incurred as a result of the attack on her farmland made her cry for three months.

    The rural women farmers urged concerned authorities to help find a solution to some of the challenges being faced in their farming profession.

    They added that they needed government assistance on improved seedlings, access to soft loan, provision of insecticide, fertilisers and knapsack sprayers.

    The senior programme officer of CCEPE, in consultation with the women farmers also urged to the state ministry of agriculture to always interact with the farmers, who he said are primary stakeholders, during annual budget preparation.

    He said that, “This, in our own opinion will help in ensuring a more robust, pro-farmers and gender responsive agriculture budget.”

    Mr. Abdulrahman was optimistic that the needs of the women farmers would be incorporated in the Kwara state 2015 supplementary budget.

    In his response, the permanent secretary, ministry of agriculture and natural resources, Elder Ayobola Samuel, hailed efforts of the rural women farmer in the production of large quantity of agricultural food for the populace, rather than engaging in begging to survive.

    He said that stressed that a well fed person will not be susceptible the diseases.

    The permanent secretary represented by the director, finance and supply in the ministry, Alhaji M.B. Abioye, enjoined them to continue to live in peace with their settlers, added that government was already looking into the matter with a view to resolve it.

    Elder Samuel, who said that the state government has a department for women farmers, added that cognisance of their roles in agricultural production were always taken in the annual budgeting.

    He also said that the state government had established state agricultural mall, and enjoined them to patronise the outfit in order to take care of some of their needs.

    The permanent secretary said the agro-mall would also provide the link or connection with relevant ministries, commercial banks and micro-finance banks to obtain loan with low interest rates, adding that government could not provide such loan.