The Nation Newspaper

Category: Northern Report

  • Residents tackle violence in Ebira

    Residents tackle violence in Ebira

    Residents of Ebira, Kogi State have taken steps to scale back violent crimes in their land.

    Ebira land comprises Okene, Okehi, Adavi, Ajaokuta and Ogori Magongo which  form Kogi Central.

    Several people have been attacked, some killed in a manner that mystified the residents. Appalled by the development, the people pledged to mitigate the ugly trend.

    Several hideous crimes, including mysterious killings many of which are yet to be unravelled, continued to be experienced in parts of Okene, while the rate of kidnappings has been on the increase.

    Recently, the Director of Local Government (DLG) of Adavi Local Government Area, Alhaji Abdullazeez Ohere and the octogenarian American missionary, Rev. Phyllis Sortor, were abducted by unknown gunmen, who stormed the Hope Alive Nursery/Primary School which she runs in Emiworo, Ajaokuta Local Local Government Area.

    An old Islamic scholar was alleged to have been killed in Adavi. Those who gathered to sympathise or mourn the cleric were also killed by unidentified gunmen who disappeared and are yet to be apprehended.

    There was also the story of an old man who was returning from the 5.30am prayers who was also killed on his way to his home.

    Incidents such as these and others unreported led to the stakeholders’ meeting on security which was conveyed by the Ebira Peoples Association (EPA). At the meeting, far-reaching decisions were taken in a bid to reduce the rate of crimes.

    •Rev. Sorton
    •Rev. Sorton

    The meeting held at Hill Top Hotel, Lokoja and was attended by many interest groups, including elders, politicians, government officials, traditional and community leaders and representatives of women organisations. Some of the vices which dominated discussions were kidnappings, organised crime, assassinations, thuggery and religious fundamentalism.

    In their separate speeches, the President of Ebira Peoples Association (EPA), Dr Musa Abdulrahaman Adeiza and the National Secretary, Arudi Yahaya Isah, observed that leadership failure at all levels of the society is the cause of breakdown of law and order in Ebira land.

    The stakeholders stressed the need for the revival of existing vigilance groups or establishment of new ones to assist law enforcement agents for community policing.

    It advised that from then on, apprehended criminals should not be bailed, saying that such criminals should be transferred to police authorities with 24 hours for prosecution.

    It also noted that most crimes are committed by most motorcycle operators, even as they stressed that there was the need to enforce time limit for motorcycle operators from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. in order to check the activities of criminals.

    Investigations revealed that not only has movements by motorcycle operators been restricted in Adavi and Okene, human movements are also resticted during the period.

    They stakeholders urged that law enforcement agents, particularly, the police on official duties should wear their official uniform to distinguish them from impersonators.

    Politicians, they said, should be prevailed upon to stop encouraging the use of thugs for political activities and that the Supreme Council of Elders (SCE) and turbaned traditional title holders should rise up to the occasion by addressing press conferences and seek audience with state and local governments and law enforcement agencies in order to minimise crime rate in Ebira land.

    They also called for an investigation on the activities of masquerades in Ebira land in line with the tradition of the Ebira people, even as they would want regular oversight of hotels and hotel owners as a means of checking activities of criminals who use such places as hide outs. They also expressed their worry over the proliferation of drugs in the society and influx of mentally challenged persons among other measures to checkmate criminal activities in Ebira land.

    The forum also expressed dismay over the alleged criminal activities of Fulani herdsmen, saying it has sent people out of their farmlands in Ebira land. They called for strategies to engage them (the headsmen) before possible breakdown of law and order. One of the strategies they suggested was to explore peace and reconciliation on issues that breed unhealthy rivalry among Anebira in general.

    Interestingly, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Samuel Ogunjemulusi had warned those who use masquerade as subterfuge to unleash terror on innocent citizens to desist or face the wrath of the law.

    Mr. Ogunjemulusi had called on traditional rulers in the area to keep their masquerades in check to avoid being used by hoodlums, even as he called for synergy between the command and traditional rulers in the Kogi Central to curb the incessant killings and kidnappings that have become nightmare in the district.

    The CP, who made the appeal when he paid a courtesy visit on the Ohinoyi of Ebira land, His Royal Majesty Ado Ibrahim in Okene, said Kogi Central poses a major problem to the police.

    According to him, clannish animosity and unnecessary masquerade display which lead to loss of lives and property had hampered the peaceful co-existence of the people, adding that incidents of kidnapping and killings in recent time have become worrisome.

    He described as unhealthy the situation where politicians stockpile dangerous weapons to harm perceived opponents, saying that the command would not tolerate such acts.

    He said: “We are here to tell the royal father and other traditional rulers in the district that a new policing era has come to Kogi State. I am in the state to uphold police professional excellence and we are not be partisan because we are not politicians.

    “We are appealing to the Ohinoyi of Ebira land to talk to his subjects not to indulge in any form of violence as police would not spare any one found disrupting societal peace. The era of arrest and release without prosecution is over. We cannot allow miscreants to be tarnishing the good image of Ebira people.

    “We want to emphasise more on community policing and we need the people to give us support through useful information.”

    Responding, the monarch said the problems of Ebira people started when the crop of politicians in the land “use every available means to win elections without recourse to peace and unity of the people.”

  • ‘We suffer for lack of water’

    ‘We suffer for lack of water’

    When the community well dries up, residents, including weak, old people, trek far in search of water. That is why a non-governmental organisation, WaterAid Nigeria, which visited two communities in Plateau State, wants government to provide water and protect citizens against diseases and death. FRANK IKPEFAN reports

    The plight of residents of Wentul and Patishi, two communities in Pankshin Local Government Area, Plateau State, typifies the general challenges across the country. In the two communities in Jos South Local Government Area, safe water is a luxury. The  residents rely on the community well and when it dries up, they walk a long distance to scoop water from a small, shallow pit beside a sizeable rock. The water from the well and the pit is unfit for drinking, but the residents have no choice.

    They know that their sanitation profile is woeful and there are no medical facilities. The people sigh in resignation because they cannot help the situation.

    Stakeholders in the water sector have expressed concern over politicians’ apparent lack of interest in tackling water, sanitation and hygiene or WASH issues in the run-up to the general elections. The various candidates vying for positions, they say, have not given priority to WASH in their campaigns.

    They explained that access to basic social amenities such as safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene remains the responsibility of governments, whether federal or state.

    The Country Representative of WaterAid Nigeria, an international agency, Dr. Michael Ojo said that Nigeria remains one of only a handful of countries around the world where access to basic sanitation is actually falling rather than rising.

    According to him, only 28 per cent of the population has access to basic sanitation (over 100 million people have no access to improved sanitation). He explained that access to sanitation has continued to decrease from 37 per cent in 1990 to 32 per cent in 2000 and just 28 per cent in 2012.

    Ojo said that 23 per cent (nearly 40 million) of the population practice open defecation while 36 per cent lack access to improved water sources (over 60 million) and around 68,000 children under the age of five in Nigeria die from diseases caused by the nation’s poor levels of access to water, sanitation and hygiene.

    These figures are alarming, he said, adding that government at all levels must partner to improve access to safe water supply and sanitation. He stressed the need for politicians to not only seek for votes, but serve the people who put them there by providing services that will improve the lives of the people.

    He said: “We call on our own leaders here to embrace the spirit of the Kigali Action Plan and invest the resources needed to provide safe water, sanitation and hygiene for its people.”

    Although, issues of access to safe water supply, lie with the state, and local government, the Federal Government through intervention, can assist. This is because most communities in Nigeria cannot be accessed by state or local government.

    For example, Wentul and Patishi communities, have same thing in commonalities: No water. No sanitation facilities. No medical care. These lacks of basic social amenities make living a daily struggle. People in the two communities located in Pankshin Local Government, Jos South, walk a far distance before they can access water from a stream.

    The communities are in dire need of basic amenities of life. The women suffer most. An octogenarian was seen by this reporter trying to fetch water from what looked like an underground stream.

    Hashima, a 12-year-old SS3 student, another resident of the community, explained that she wakes up 5am daily in order to access water from the rustic well, not far from her house. The result is that she arrives at school late.

    “This is what I do every morning,” she explained in incoherent English. “I want the government to build hand boreholes for us so that we can go to school early.”

    Hashima’s concerns where reechoed by Iliya Gowok, the chairman of the Parent Teachers Association in the community, who spoke for the village head.  ”We need water, and sanitation facilities,” Gowok said. “We get water from our well and when they dry up we trek very far to the river to fetch water,” he continued.

    He explained that they have to go into the bush for defecation because they lack latrines. Asked if flies from the faeces don’t affect the water they drink, he said: “We are thinking of covering the water we drink. Our calabash too needs to be covered.”

    Asked if there were no water boards for the people to access safe water from, an official of the Water and Sanitation Unit (WASU) replied in the negative.

    ”The water board does not supply water for two or sometimes three months,” the WASU official who pleaded anonymity, told this reporter during a working visit to the state. “They base their excuse on money. Sometimes they will say they don’t have enough money to buy diesel. So our people are suffering here,” he stated.

    He explained that politicians in the state are busy deceiving the electorate to vote for them again ahead of the general elections when they have failed to live up to the votes they got in 2011.

    According to him, issues of sanitation and hygiene have basically been abandoned by politicians in their campaigns. He criticised the state government and local councils for failing to live up to their responsibilities.

    “Our government has made access to water and sanitation a luxury. It takes international nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) like WaterAid to provide water for some communities in the state,” he concluded.

    On what can be done to provide safe water for both communities, The State Programme Consultant, WaterAid,  Chukwuma Nnanna explained that both communities have been ‘triggered’ by the agency for immediate response.

    “We are working with partners in the state to make sure that people have access to safe water and sanitation. What you have seen today makes a strong case for not just increased investment but a strong advocacy for ensuring that more of our people have access to water.

    “We are supporting partners to provide facilities to communities in the state. And the two communities we visited today have already been triggered, in the sense that we have come here through our partners to encourage them to stop open defecation, and to ask them to build latrines for them to use. Most importantly, the visit is to encourage the government, stakeholders, Civil Society Organisations and everybody to come together and address the sanitation crisis.

    “Many of our people don’t have access to sanitation. Many of our people still struggle to have access to safe drinking water. And this is a big concern to us in WaterAid Nigeria and every Nigerian. We are inspired to increase our partnership and advocacy,” he added.

  • Herdsmen advised on peace

    In a bid to ensure violence-free elections in the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT) the Minister of the FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed has met the Ardos (Fulani chiefs) from the six area councils of the FCT.

    Senator Mohammed emphasised the need for stakeholders to ensure violence-free elections.

    The minister stressed that the FCT Administration would continue to protect all the residents of the FCT, including the Fulani herdsmen within the 8,000 square kilometers of the Territory; adding that Abuja belongs to all.

    In a statement issued by the Assistant Director/Chief Press Secretary to the FCT Minister, Muhammad Sule, the minister said: “My administration would continue to protect the lives and property of all the residents of the Federal Capital Territory including cattle rustling which is becoming a serious crime.”

    The minister further said Fulani herdsmen are known for their peaceful co-existence, urging them to continue along that line to ensure minimal friction between them and the host communities before, during and after the forthcoming general elections.

    He, however, reminded them that President Goodluck Jonathan has been nice to him and he is their brother; noting that they need to help him reciprocate by returning the President come March 28, 2015.

    The minister directed the chairmen of the area councils to consider putting some important Ardos in their jurisdictions on monthly salaries in order to give them a sense of belonging. He also urged them to set up a high-powered Task Force on crime and cattle rustling control to be chaired by the FCT Police Commissioner, Mr. Wilson Inalegwu.

    The new Task Force comprises the Director of the Directorate of State Security Services, Commandant, FCT NSCDC; representative of Commandant, Brigade of Guards; Special Adviser on Security to the FCT Minister, AMAC Chairman, Chief of Staff to the FCT Minister, Secretary of the FCT Area Council Secretariat, Special Assistant to the Minister on Political Matters, six Ardos representing the six area councils.

    Also speaking at the occasion, the FCT Police Commissioner, Mr. Inalegwu advised Fulani herdsmen to be careful and cautious in providing abode to their kith and kin coming in from other parts of the country.

    He gave the herdsmen a telephone hotline which they could call in times of distress.

    Responding, the National President of the Miyetti Allah, Alhaji Bello Abdullahi promised to mobilise his members to continue to support the FCT Minister, as well as President Jonathan.

    The FCT Permanent Secretary, Mr. John Chukwu, Chief of Staff to the FCT Minister, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar Sadiq, Commandant, Brigade of Guards, the FCT Police Commissioner, Director of FCT DSS, Commandant of the NSCDC as well as the Special Adviser to the FCT Minister on Security attended the meeting.

  • Japan’s N750m grant for Northeast

    The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has received a grant of US $ 3.4 Million or N750 million) for Integrated Provision of Life-Saving Emergency Interventions for Vulnerable Populations in the Northeast of Nigeria, from the Government of Japan. The grant will be used for interventions focused on the Internally Displaced Persons and conflict affected populations in the area in the sectors of Water Sanitation and Hygiene, Health, Nutrition, Child Protection and Education.

    The conflict in the Northeast of Nigeria especially in the states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa has caused large-scale human suffering for the populations in the areas especially children and women. The conflict has triggered major population movements and the number of IDPs in the north east has almost doubled in less than a year, from an estimated 647,000 in May 2014 to what International Office of Migration reports is now around 1.2 million.  Children make up about 56 per cent of those who have been internally displaced, with over half of them being five-years or younger.

    ”This grant is timely and will further boost the work UNICEF is doing in the northeast. It will make a significant life-saving contribution to alleviate the suffering of the affected populations in the northeast especially children and women” said the Officer in charge UNICEF in Nigeria Mr. Samuel Momanyi.

    Since 2000, the Government of Japan has been a major donor to UNICEF supporting interventions in child survival, prevention of infectious diseases in children and emergency interventions in Nigeria, through the UNICEF/Federal Government of Nigeria Programme of Cooperation.

    “I earnestly hope that this grant aid will bring humanitarian assistance to the affected populations, especially children in the northeast of Nigeria” said Mr. Masaya OTSUKA, Chargés d’Affaires ad interim of the Embassy of Japan in Nigeria. “The Government of Japan will continue to cooperate with the people and Government of Nigeria and the international community to mitigate the conflict through nonmilitary assistance, and to support Nigerian people affected by the conflict.”

     

  • ‘Medical evidence necessary for damages’ award’

    ‘Medical evidence necessary for damages’ award’

    Whether from the circumstances of the  case and evidence before the trial Court an award for exemplary and aggravated damages would have been justified.

    6. Whether the refusal by the learned trial Judge to make an award on Exhibit ‘O’ was justified.

    7. Whether the refusal by the learned trial Judge to make an award on Exhibit ‘M’ was justified.

    8. Whether Exhibit ‘UU’ is the valid class of license required in law to drive an articulated truck of the 1st Appellant/Cross Respondent.

    9. Whether Exhibit ‘UU’ is a private document which does not require certification for admissibility.

    On issue 1, Learned Cross Appellant’s Counsel contended that there was sufficient evidence upon which the learned trial Judge could have made awards of damages based on Exhibits RR-RR3, which Counsel told Court are the walking aids purchased by the Cross Appellant in India from life line distributors in India.

    According to Counsel, the Cross Appellant spent a total sum of 151,000 rupees in the purchase. On this issue, the Court stated that the principle involved in all compensation trials is to restore the victim to the position that he or she would have been in if the defendant’s negligence had not occurred. The Court, therefore, found the Cross Appellant’s claims sought to be proved through Exhibits RR-RR3 established.

    The Court invoked the powers of the Court under Section 15 of the Court of Appeal Act in ordering the award of the sum of 151,000 Rupees in favour of Cross Appellant.

    On issue two, the Court held that where a victim of an injury makes a claim for money award for pain and suffering, mental anguish, inconvenience, and loss of consortium, for future on-going inevitable medical expenses, these of course would be classified as claims made in General Damages. See JULIUS BERGER PLC. & ANOR vs. MR. DOLAPO OGUNDEHIN (2013) LPELR – 20421 (CA), for general principles for assessment of General Damages or the various heads of General Damages. The Court noted that it ought to take into account the pain that the Cross Appellant has suffered, the injury to her leg and entire hip region, and the handicap which she now suffers, in calculating the damages which, she should be paid for the loss she has suffered as the natural consequence of the wrong which has been done to her.

    In this connection, the court considered the fact that the claimant suffered a fracture of the left femur, and as a result of which she now has a Metal Angular plate fixed to her hips and which had collapsed for a record third time resulting in her seeking Overseas Specialist Medical attention in India. She had attended a good number of Hospitals and Clinics as well, and during which period she suffered pain.

    The Court also took into consideration the fact that the Claimant still suffers pain and may never be in a position to drive a car again. The burden now rests on the Claimant to procure the services of a professional driver.

    The Claimant had been an active sports person by virtue of her position as acting Director of Sports of the Imo State University and a member of the Imo State Sports Council. The Court held that the Claimant must be given compensation as far as money can do it which will make up for her loss proportionate to her injuries and such as will be fair assessment in the opinion of a reasonable man. The court made an award of N500million as General Damages for pain, suffering, loss of amenities, loss of expectations and enjoyment of life.

    The Cross Appellant has claimed award of damages for future inevitable on-going medical expenses and this head of claim, according to Cross Appellant’s Counsel, is based on the evidence of medical doctors/experts who gave evidence before the lower court. The Cross Appellant had claimed N122,580,084 in this regard. The Court held that in personal injuries cases, the multiplier is an estimation of the plaintiff’s annual loss or earnings whereas in fatal accident claims it is an estimation of the annual value of the dependency. See OSHOLAKE vs. LAGOS CITY COUNCIL (1972) 12 CCHCH 56.

    The Court noted that to arrive at the multiplier, Medical evidence would have to be relied upon. The PW6, in the trial Dr. A. U. Katchy, Medical Director of Hilltop Orthopaedic Clinic, Enugu, in his evidence before the lower Court, said that the Cross Appellant would remain in clinic for up to three to four years in the minimum before she could start rehabilitation. The PW5, Dr. L C. Nwagbara, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon testified that the Cross Appellant would carry the metal plate in her body for a period of three years and would require overseas trips for medical attention and post surgical observations. Learned Cross Appellant’s Counsel had opted for a multiplier of three years. The Court resolved issue three in favour of the Cross Appellant and N94,375,020 was awarded as General Damages for future ongoing medical expenses.

    On issue four, Learned Cross Appellant’s Counsel told the Court that Exhibits MM-MM19 were payment receipts from Divine Medical Complex Pharmacy, Enugu and that the receipts totalled N5,797,540. He further informed Court that the Cross Appellant pleaded these receipts at the trial.

    According to Cross Appellant’s Counsel, the Cross Respondents did not controvert the Cross Appellant on this issue neither did they raise any issues as to who signed the attached Medical prescriptions which gave rise to the purchases and the subsequent issuance of the receipts. Counsel contended that the refusal to make use of the said exhibits MM-MM19 or the reason for rejecting same by the trial Court contained at page 250 where the Court for no just reasons refused to attach any weights, thus raising suo motuand resolving same, which is the question of weights to be attached on the receipts, without giving the Counsel of the Cross Appellant the opportunity of addressing Court on it.

    On this issue, the Court held that it was highly irregular for the lower Court to have refused to ascribe probative value to Exhibits MM-MM19 after admitting same into evidence without giving opportunity to Learned Counsel to address it upon same before taking its decision. See the case of UBA LTD. & ANOR vs. ACHORU (1990) N.W.L.R (Pt.156)254; (1990) LPELR-3403(SC). This issue was resolved in favour of the Cross Appellant and the sum of N5,797,540.00, representing payments for prescribed drugs purchased by Cross Appellant from Divine Medical Complex Pharmacy Enugu as encapsulated in Exhibits MM-MM19 was awarded in favour of Cross-Appellant.

    In issue 5, Learned Cross Appellant’s counsel contended from the circumstances of the case and evidence before the trial Court an award for exemplary and aggravated damages would have been justified. Learned Counsel drew attention to the Cross Appellant’s evidence on Oath at page 34 paragraph 19 of the records of Appeal where she said that since the accident, no delegation of the defendants visited on her sick bed and that no efforts were made to replace her car or contribute towards her Hospital Bills or any of such friendly or kind gestures from them. On this issue the Court did not agree that simply because the Cross Respondents did not pay visits to the Cross Appellant in her sick bed that qualifies them as high handed, outrageous, insolent, vindictive, oppressive or malicious and showing contempt of the Cross Appellant’s right. This issue was resolved against the Cross Appellant.

    In the final analysis the Court held that the Cross Appeal succeeds in part. The Court drew attention to the observations of the Court, per ONALAJA, JCA in the case of TECHNO MECHANICAL (NIG.) LTD vs. OGUNDAYO (1990) LPELR-6760 on the award of damages in personal injuries in negligence cases. Issues 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7 were resolved in favour of Claimant/Respondent/Cross-Appellant, while issues 5, 8 and 9 were resolved in favour of Defendants/Appellants/Cross- Respondents. The Court made the following Orders:

    1. The powers of this Court are hereby invoked under Section 15 of the Court of Appeal Act in ordering the award of the sum of 151,000 Rupees in favour of Cross Appellant for the purchase of walking aids, tripod sticks et. al. (Issue One).

    2. The sum of N500,000,000 is hereby awarded as General Damages for pain, suffering, loss of amenities, loss of expectations and enjoyment of life. (Issue two).

    3. The sum of N94,375,020 is awarded as General Damages for future ongoing medical expenses. (Issue three).

    4. The sum of N5,797,540.00 is hereby awarded as an item of Special Damages representing payments for prescribed drugs purchased by Cross-Appellant (Issue four).

     The sum ofn N1,808,000.00 and N1,200,000,00 is hereby awarded for expenses incurred as Nursing and Cab Services (Issues six and seven).

     

    The sums stated here-above, were Ordered to be awarded to the Claimant/Respondent/Cross-Appellant in addition to the sum of N28,516,680 only already awarded by the lower Court as Special Damages for Nigerian treatment and the sum of 108,00 Lakh as part of her Overseas medical treatment.

    LawPavilion Citation: (2015) LPELR-24408(CA)

     

    Compiled by: LawPavilion

     

  • Mr. President’s many suitors From the Villa

    Mr. President’s many suitors From the Villa

    It is just four days to the Presidential elections, and various groups keep storming the Presidential Villa to endorse President Goodluck Jonathan for reelection.

    Prior to picking his nomination form till now, various groups ranging from artistes, actors and actresses to transporters and from other sectors of the economy had expressed their solidarity with the President.

    The latest of the visits was by the Fulani Socio-Cultural Association, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, which visited Mr. President last Wednesday not only to endorse him for the election but declared him as their “sole candidate” for the March 28 presidential elections.

    The group also made President Jonathan their Life Patron.

    The National President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Alhaji Abdullah Bello Bodejo, who spoke through an interpreter, said: “We will go back and mobilise our people to support you because you have the interest of Fulanis at heart.”

    Apart from those who came to express such solidarity at the seat of government, President Jonathan has also in the past months met many groups at political rallies and stakeholders meetings.

    Being the incumbent President seeking reelection, I warned Mr. President to be wary of most of these groups in my write-up about five months ago entitled ‘X-raying Jonathan’s form donations’.

    Then I pointed out that many of those who will come to him, just like many past presidents and heads of state in Nigeria had experienced during their times, will only come to promise heaven and earth just for what they can get out of it.

    But in that write-up I didn’t advise Mr. President to ask the many groups that would visit him to come with and show their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) because as at then it wasn’t really certain whether the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will not go back to the Temporary Voter card.

    Now that INEC seems unstoppable in its plans to use the PVC and the card readers for the elections, I hope Mr. President has been asking the various groups in the past months to show their PVCs, as a proof that they are really eligible voters.

    Even if they have their PVCs, it is another kettle of fish whether they will actually vote for Mr. President in the election or not.

    Do they really have any electoral value as they have made the President to believe? Do they really have the influence to sway the votes of their groups or constituencies in Mr. President’s favour?

    Even as Mr. President and his team will continue to ponder on these questions till the final result of the election is announced, I did warn Mr. President in that my write-up to try hard to unveil the real motives behind those who will come and declare their support to him and also try to see through donations made for his nomination form.

    Definitely, more groups and individuals will still see him with just few days to the election, I hope he will continue to shine his eyes and look at them deeper and critically.

     

    Injury time Ministers must perform magic

     

    President Jonathan last Wednesday charged eight newly sworn-in ministers to do everything to shine like footballers who just came to the field during extra-time of a match.

    The eight ministers, who just came on board with barely 10 days to the Presidential election include Musiliu Obanikoro (Lagos), who was a former Minister of State for Defence before resigning to seek the ticket to contest governorship election in Lagos State in October last year. He has now been reengaged as the Minister of State II in the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

    Before now, he represented Lagos Central in the Senate between 2003 and 2007, and was appointed High Commissioner to Ghana after leaving the Senate.

    Joel Ikenya (Taraba), who was named as the Minister of Labour, was elected to represent the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as Senator for Taraba South in 2003 and was reelected in 2007. In 2011, Ikenya made an unsuccessful bid to become the governor of Taraba state.

    Patricia Akwashiki (Nasarawa) is now the Minister of Information. She was elected Senator for the Nasarawa North constituency in May 2007.

    Hauwa Lawan Baffa (Jigawa), who has been assigned the portfolio of Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, was Honorable Commissioner for Commerce, Industries, Cooperatives and Tourism in Jigawa State.

    Nicholas Ada (Benue), who is the Minister of State I for Foreign Affairs, was a Professor of Science Education, Department of Curriculum & Teaching. He was Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Admin), Benue State University, Makurdi.

    Augustine Akobundu (Abia) named Minister of State for Defence was a retired Colonel in the Army.

    While Kenneth Kobani (Rivers) has been assigned Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Fidelis Nwankwo (Ebonyi) was named Minister of State for Health.

    President Jonathan, during the swearing-in ceremony, did not hide his feelings about the need for them to hit the ground running.

    He said:  “For the ministers this is an injury time, it is like bringing a player when you have just five minutes to go in a football match. So everyone wants to know what that player will do, the magic the player will perform within that short period. The player himself will be struggling to at least kick the ball before the end of the game.”

    “So you are coming in at a quite challenging period and I believe that a number of people will not envy you because government is coming to a close. But sometimes it is even good to come at this time because you are now well exposed to Nigerians.”

    “Your dancing steps will be watched by everybody and we believe you will dance well.” he stated

    The President’s remark could be interpreted in two ways of either asking the Ministers to contribute their quotas towards his re-election coming up this weekend or their quotas towards developing Nigeria before May 29th handover date.

    If Mr. President’s directive is towards his reelection, then the eight ministers must really perform magic in their constituencies if they have not started to canvass votes for Mr. President before the swearing in.

     

  • Hard life on Abuja streets

    Hard life on Abuja streets

    After coming to terms with the fact that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) does not guarantee jobs or safety nets, many people have taken to hawking. But what a tough choice they made, as the authorities hound and harass them, even locking some up. GRACE OBIKE reports

    It may well be the seat of federal power, parading people of immense fortune and influence, flaunting glitzy high-rise structures and wide, paved roads, but Abuja owes no one anything. Your fate is in your own hands. That is why many, young and old, take to such odd jobs as hawking just to sustain their breath in a very expensive city.

    What a choice! The very presence hawkers seems to offend the officials who manage the city. Thus, they are chased around, beaten, exploited and extorted. Sometimes, they are detained and even imprisoned.

    Officials of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEBP) are among the most dreaded by the itinerant traders. Once caught, the hawkers sometimes lose their wares in addition to being arrested.

    Some of the sellers have learnt to survive by displaying their articles beside their large sacks, ready in  a second to sweep them into the bag and run away before the AEBP men swoop on them.

    The AEPB which was created to ensure that Abuja is clean and that hawkers are kept away from the city, takes the latter of their brief  very seriously. It is normal for one to be patronising a hawker one minute and the next, he begins running and scaling obsatcles with his wares at the site of the enforcement team of the board.

    Most residents and hawkers do not have very flattering things to say about them and to say that they can be loved by residents might be far-fetched.

    Shola Oremade who was at the premises of the AEPB Enforcement Office to bail a young friend had a lot to say about the way they treated their victims.

    He said they treated people arrested like animals just because they were found hawking and that the security agencies and environmental officials made some of them kneel down, flogged and kicked those they felt where protesting or being stubborn.

    “It is inhuman to treat these people as if they are animals and not human beings in their own country, flogging, kicking and making them kneel down,” he said. “There was a man that they arrested and brought here earlier on because his vehicle was overheating and he parked by the side of the road to attend to it; they asked him for a bribe of N10,000 so that they will allow him attend to his car and when he could not afford the money, they dragged him over here to the mobile court, treating him like a criminal.”

    Aminu Malami, a teenage pure water hawker, complained about how they beat him so much that his ear was still ringing from the amount of slaps and kicks that he received even hours after the ordeal.

    Malami said they arrested him around the Central Mosque where he was running around traffic, selling his wares to thirsty customers; they grabbed him and threw him in their hilux van after his pure water which many of them drank to quench their thirst and even poured the cold water over their head as the sun was scorching real bad. Not done with him, they searched his pocked and stole the only money that he had made all day which was N200 and still beat him for resisting.

    “Even after they had arrested me and brought me to their enforcement centre, I still fail to understand why they continued beating many of us. I have received so many slaps and kicks from these people that my ear is still ringing and I don’t think that I am hearing properly with my left ear,” he said.

    His friend, Nurudeen Yahaya, who sells dates (known as Dabino in Hausa) said,

    “Usually, when they come to where we are hawking to arrest us, they take us to a corner and demand that we bribe them so that we can continue with our business; they make us bribe them with at least N2000 to N3000; if you can’t afford it, they will drag you over here to the open court where you will be required to pay a fine and if you cannot complete the fine by even a hundred naira, you will be taken to the prison in Suleja.

    “I was really lucky the last time that they came for operation around Silverbird and I was there selling my wares; I did not have enough money on me, so I gave them the only N200 that I had, which they collected and packed a lot of my dabino as compensation for the shortage,” he said.

    A welder at the Federal Housing Estate Lugbe, Leonard Chukwuka complained about how he had been unjustly treated by the team. He said his welding business was situated legally and that officials of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) always collected money for revenue from him and his neighbour and he had been at the location for years until the enforcement team of AEPB decided to disrupt his business.

    “In fact, AMAC came to serve us papers today and we explained to them what the environmental authorities had done to us and they told us to inform the environmental authorities that we are paying revenue the next time they come.

    “On the 18th of last month, they came to my place and destroyed the container and burglaries in my place of work that I was contracted to do, they carried my welding machine and truck and said that i was conducting my business in an unpermitted area but AMAC come all the time and I always pay my tax and revenue, this has been happening for years, I wonder what changed, they brought me here and I paid the sum of N5,000 but till now, they have not released the things they seized  and since that day I have not been working. The lady who owns the container that they destroyed arrested and locked me up at the police station because I had promised her the end of last month, now the police have made me promise and I signed an undertaking that I will replace her container by the middle of next month, but how am I going to do it without my welding machine and tools? The worst part is that I will have to buy new materials since they destroyed the original one she paid for.”

    Abuja Review once witnessed an incident in Zone 3 last month in front of UBA. A passerby whispered to three women hawkers that the team was behind. Two of the women took to their heels with their wares but one stood her ground, saying, “I have settled them for today” as they got to where she was seated, one of the men made to grab her soft drink container and she reminded him that she had settled, so he said, “Okay, sorry”. He left her and began pursuing the fleeing two.

    In an interview with the Public Relations Officer of AEPB Joe Ukairo, he explained that the board operates a zero tolerance policy for corrupt enforcement officials.

    He said that he had been on the radio on several occasions begging residents who witness such extortions to call their hotlines and report. He added that it will be better if residents can secretly take pictures of the action taking place or record it and send to them because the board does not only dismiss such officials but hands them over to the police for prosecution.

    He also said, “What I will say is that the AEPB is a responsible corporate body and we try as much as possible to discharge our functions within the enabling Act. “People see the environment as no man’s land [which they should] use to make ends meet but they don’t know that the floods of yesterday and of tomorrow are based on how we manage and use our environment; the environment is a living organism that cannot talk or shout when depleting and when it begins to deplete you hear of landslides, earthquakes.

    “When they sell pure water in unauthorised places, they don’t have a waste bin close-by; they don’t care how their customers dispose of the empty bags or care to pick them up; they build up after a while.

    “That is why the world over, businesses must be within designated areas where they can be reached, given waste bins that we clear at given times. These hawkers and people conducting businesses within unauthorised places are generating waste, destroying the environment without paying for it; you must compensate the environment when you injure it.

    “No one is saying that our people are perfect but we have always told the general public that if you see them on the street conducting illegal business in the name of AEPB, check their shirt numbers and vehicle numbers, if possible record whatever is happening and send to us; we will take over from there. Usually we dismiss such people and hand them over to the police for prosecution.

    “There may be one or two bad eggs but the agency should not solely be judged by their attitudes; the enforcement squad of AEPB are trained officials who risk their lives every day. Almost two weeks ago, one of our staff almost lost all his fingers, when a man attacked them with a cutlass. Recently they used a hammer to attack one of our staff; those boys that sell fuel by the roadside carry daggers on them to attack our boys.

    “Sometimes when you see them trying to use minimal force on people refusing arrest, you don’t blame them, they have gone through and seen a lot, I know that it does not justify any inhuman treatment but even under the law, reasonable force is allowed to apprehend a suspect resisting arrest.

    “Hawking is prohibited; welding in an unauthorized place is prohibited and stands prohibited. For instance, if you are coming back from work and see a detachment of Wuse market in front of your house, I’m sure that you will not like it; why should we allow them to take over the roads; I have the legitimate right to use the road and so do you, so why should we have to change the use of roads for pedestrian and vehicular movement into a shopping complex?”

     

  • Council chief urges staff on rules

    The chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council, Alhaji Abubakar Jibrin Giri has reminded the staff of the council of the need to strictly adhere to the civil service rules in the discharge of their primary assignments.

    Giri stated this during a one-day induction course organised for newly employed junior staff of the council recently.

    The chairman urged them to be dedicated to their duties, adding that if they work as a team, it would help bring about progress and development to the council.

    Also speaking, the head of personnel management of the council, Mrs. Amina Solomon warned the staff against envy which, according to her, can lead to rancour in the council.

    She also called on them to work towards bringing development to the council, urging them to be dedicated to their duties, as this will go a long way in helping them reach the peak during their service period.

    Most of the participants who spoke with Abuja Review described the induction course as helpful, adding that it will help them work properly in the duties of the council.

    It was gathered that about 60 members of staff participated in the induction course which was attended by heads of the department, units head and other senior staff of the council.

     

  • Rotary distributes grains

    Rotary Club of Ilorin, GRA,  Kwara State has mounted a road-show campaign to create awareness on its humanitarian profile.

    To drive the point home, the club distributed about 2,000 bags of rice and beans to the needy and less privileged.

    Chartered President of the Club branch and former military administrator of Bauchi and Osun states, Col. Theophilus Bamgboye (retd) led the carnival.

    The road show started from GRA to Challenge and proceeded to Post Office, Emir’s palace market, Gambari, Ipata, Maraba, Sango, Fate, Tanke, Gaa Akanbi, Ajasepo Road, Unity Roundabout and Murtala Road.

    At the Emir’s Palace and Gambari, Col. Gbamgboye and members of the club distributed 10kg bags of branded rice and beans.

    By the time the road show convoy got to Ipata, the destitute and able-bodied people were trooping out to collect the largesse.

    Speaking with reporters after the event, Bamgboye said the road show was to create awareness among the people about activities of Rotary Club of Ilorin GRA.

    He said over 2, 000 of the branded 10kg rice and beans were distributed during the road show to people irrespective of their social standing.

    Col Bamgboye said Rotary Club was a humanitarian Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) to help the needy and less privileged the society.

    Asked to compare his feelings about his participation in the road show as Rotary President and former state governor he said “there is nothing more fulfilling in touching lives in private capacity than official position as military administrator.

    .”You know, as governor of a state, it is statutory to provide social amenities with State resources but with Club like Rotary, you use personal means to better lives of lacking fellow human beings.”

    He said that the road show was to sensitise members of the public about the humanitarian mission and vision of the Rotary club.

    He added that the sensitization was also designed to make well meaning Nigerians participate in Rotary activities designed to uplift the downtrodden.

    Bamgboye said contrary to public perception, Rotary was not a secret society nor its membership restricted to the rich.

    He explained that members of the club meet weekly to make the haves contribute their widow’s mite to the well being of the needy.

    The former military administrator added that Rotary Club was involved in intervention schemes designed to make people self employed and self reliant.

    The President said Ilorin GRA Rotary has been involved in the rehabilitation of dilapidated Isolo-Opin Secondary school in Ekiti local government area of Kwara within the last one year that the club was chartered.

    Also speaking, President of Ilorin Metro, Rotarian Salami Onaolapo said that Rotary was involved in vocational skills acquisition, social rehabilitation of the indigent, education and eradication of killer diseases like Polio.

    Onaolapo said Rotary was always in partnership with government and non-governmental organizations in order to achieve its set objectives.

    He said this accounted for donations to the orphanages and leprosarium as well as training of local fabric weavers in the state.

  • ‘We’ll tackle Nyanya-Keffi traffic’

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration has intensified work on the ongoing construction of the Karshi–Ara/Apo Road project to serve as alternative for motorists moving towards the Northeast axis of the country.

    This is in order to tackle the traffic congestion with its associated problems along the Nyanya – Keffi Road.

    The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed, revealed this after meeting with some engineers of the FCT Administration on how to tackle head on the traffic bottlenecks along that axis.

    According to a statement issued by Assistant Director/Chief Press Secretary to the FCT Minister, Muhammad Sule, Mohammed noted that the FCT Administration is concerned about the plight of residents of the Federal Capital Territory plying that route, hence the serious attention being given to ongoing construction work of this segment of the road.

    He emphasised that President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration is a responsive one and would do everything possible to make the traffic problem along that axis a thing of the past. According to him, the construction work of Karshi – Apo is already 65 per cent complete, while Karshi – Ara is 25 per cent complete.

    He revealed that the total length of the Karshi-Apo axis of the road is 13.2 kilometers and that the entire distance has been cleared with all the culverts completed.

    The minister further revealed that 9.0 kilometers formation of the road has already been achieved, with 5.0 kilometers of sub-base.

    His words: “The FCT Administration has conveniently achieved the laying of stone base as well as asphalt on this road reaching 4.2 kilometers and 3.0 kilometers respectively.”