The Nation Newspaper

Category: Northern Report

  • Drivers get ultimatum on registration

    The Transportation Secretariat of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has given all unregistered commercial vehicle operators up to October 1 to have their bio-data captured in the secretariat’s data base or be barred from operating within the FCT.

    Mr. Ifeanyi Ughamadu, Head of Public Relations of the Secretariat explained in a statement a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent, that the operators’ bio-data would be captured at the Transportation Secretariat data base, after which the information would be made available in hard and soft copies to agencies and organisations that require such for cross checking of the identities of the licensed taxi operators in their premises.

    Ughamadu further said residents of the territory should refrain from patronising unregistered and unpainted taxi cabs in the FCT, even as he said that the directive has become necessary following several reported cases of crimes committed against innocent commuters by criminals using unpainted vehicles.

    “To ensure the safety of commuters in the territory, the Transportation Secretariat has embarked on bio-data capturing of all commercial vehicle operators in the Territory,” he said.

    He also stated that the suspension of the scheme has not affected the implemented on street parking policy in the FCT. He added that motorists are advised to adhere strictly to the long practices on street parking policy in the city.

    “The Transportation Secretariat wishes to remind motorists of the consequences of wrong parking on the FCT roads. He called on them to adhere to the FCT traffic rules so as to make the city a lively place to dwell in.

    “Any vehicle that is parked on the walkways, flower verges, drainage covers and or blocking free traffic movements would be towed away and the vehicle owner will pay for the cost of the removal,” he stated.

  • VVF: Coalition against a scourge

    VVF: Coalition against a scourge

    For Maimuna, multiple tragedies came early in life. She was not quite 14 when she was forced to marry a man she had never met. Soon after, she got pregnant but the baby died at delivery. Then, she went down with vesico-vaginal fistula or VVF and was taken to hospital.

    Her father compelled her to marry a 29-year-old man a few days to her 14th birthday. She never had any foreknowledge of the marriage; she was only informed after the ceremonies regarding her marriage had been concluded.

    Maimuna was quoted as saying that marriage was never on her mind, and that she was surprised when her friends informed her at the stream that people had gathered in their house for her marriage ceremony.

    “I thought they were joking, she said. “A few moments later, some older women came to tell me that I should go to my aunt’s house for a meeting. That was when I was told that my marriage had just been concluded and that I was now a wife. I asked my friends who the husband was and I was told.”

    Maimuna is among the over two million people globally living with VVF, and for no fault of theirs.

    The National Strategic Framework, which is committed to the eradication of the disease, says that there are between 12,000 and 20,000 new cases of VVF every year in Nigeria.

    The Country Representative of the United Nations Population Fund in Nigeria, Ms. Ratidzi Ndhlovu said Nigeria accounts for over one third of the global burden of fistula, adding that “these numbers are not acceptable, not when fistula is all but eliminated from the developed world”.

    This is corroborated by medical experts from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria who argued that “from available information, Nigeria has the highest number of VVF in the world”.

    VVF was reported by Derry in 1935 after an examination of the mummified remains of Egyptian Queen Henhenit (11th Dynasty, 2050 BC). Since then, the disease has remained a challenge for gynaecologists.

    Fortunately, the diagnosis and surgical management of vesico-vaginal fistulas are associated with high cure rates if performed by qualified surgeons.

    A recent study in Nigeria revealed that about 9% of girls suffering from fistulas married before menarche. Obstetric fistula is a hole in the birth canal caused by prolonged, obstructed labour due to lack of timely and adequate medical care, leaving the woman with devastating injury (a fistula) that renders her incontinent. This condition harms women physically, socially and economically, and often leads to isolation from families and communities, thereby deepening their poverty and worsening their sufferings.

    Sufferers of the ailment are easy to distinguish them from other people. They usually carrying little buckets with a little string in between their legs. Such buckets usually contain liquids. In Kaduna State, they are usually found at the Gambo Sawaba General Hospital where there is a VVF Centre equipped by Nigerian Breweries Plc with support from Heineken African Foundation. The Nation was informed that Rotary International and the Federal Ministry of Health have also played a great role in ensuring that victims of this ailment receive adequate care.

    In July 2010, the Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries Plc, Nicolaas Vervelde said at the commissioning of the centre that about 95 per cent of VVF cases were found in Africa. Vervelde said over two million women suffer from the disease globally, with about 95 per cent in Africa, adding that more and more women are developing VVF as a result of complications during childbirth especially among young women and those not attended to by qualified midwives.

    He also disclosed that the company was working out a training plan for two in-house surgeons to ensure the sustainability of the VVF operations in the hospital as well as support the training of traditional birth attendants to enable them better attend to women with limited access to the hospital. The company went through with its promise and sent two medical doctors to the Netherlands for training and were supposed to work with the state government for at least two years on their return.

    The United Nation has declared May 23 every year as the International day to end Obstetric Fistula. The Nigerian government has taken special interest in the ailment and designated three VVF centres as National Obstetric Fistula Centres form prevention, treatment, training and research. Speaking at the commemoration of the International day to end obstetric fistula in Kaduna, Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi  Chukwu said that “the prevention and treatment of obstetric fistula is a priority for the federal government as part of its commitment to improve the maternal reproductive health indices. Evidence abound that prevention is the key and as such, government working through the Midwives Service Scheme and SURE-P MCH programme have ensured the availability of functional PHC to guarantee skilled birth attendants and supply of essential maternal health commodities for the provision of quality antenatal care, clean safe delivery and postnatal care for women and children”.

    The Minister said further that “Presently, for the treatment of VVF, there are 15 VVF centres out of which the federal government has designated three as National Obstetric fistula centres for prevention, treatment, training and research. Furthermore, government is repositioning commitment to give succour, hope and life back to VVF victims under the Transformation Agenda.”

    On her part, the UNFPA Representative in Nigeria, Ms. Ratidzai Ndhlovu said “Nigeria is contributing over one-third of the global burden of fistula. These numbers are not acceptable, not when fistula is all but eliminated from the developed world”.

    She noted that “the consequences of fistula are devastating – it leaves those affected ashamed, ostracised and in many cases alone, which further deepens their poverty and magnifies their suffering. For UNFPA, where we work to ensure no woman dies while giving life, it is also our commitment that no woman should be injured while giving life. To address the neglected health and human rights violation of obstetric fistula, UNFPA, together with partners around the world, launched the global campaign to end fistula. With support from UNFPA, 47,000 women and girls have undergone fistula repair surgery. Partner organisations have provided treatment to many more women and girls living with fistula.”

    While calling for action from both the government, civil society, Community and Faith based organisations as well as the media to end the ailment, she said “government should strengthen health systems to ensure the prevention of high quality maternal health care that is accessible to all women, ensure free or highly subsidised delivery care and caesarean sections and a fully functional data management system for the collection of data including notification of fistula cases the promotion of and support of girls’ enrolment and retention in school. Government should also integrate fistula treatment into free antenatal care and delivery plan, taking services closer to vulnerable women, equipping all treatment centres with appropriately and continuously offer free treatment as well as strengthen government owned skill acquisition centres and link with fistula treatment centres to empower survivors.

    Wife of the Kaduna State governor, Hajia Fatima Mukthar Yero argued that obstetric fistula is a preventable and in most cases, treatable childbirth injury that leaves women incontinent, ashamed and often isolated from their communities.

    “It occurs when a woman or girl suffers prolonged, obstructed labour without timely access to an emergency caesarean section,” she said.

    Mrs Yero wants the world to reach a consensus and draw up a regional strategic plan with concrete actions on how we can mobilise resources to prevent obstetric fistula, treat the hundreds of thousands of survivors and rehabilitate and reintegrate them into society.

    The successful treatment of fistula cases depend largely on the availability of trained, specialised and highly committed experts and surgeons, nurses and other support staff. In 2011 about 54 doctors and 66 nurses were trained through the collaboration of the UNFPA on the management of Obstetric fistula in the country, while the government took steps to address the lack of budgetary allocation to the treatment of VVF cases. It budgeted N300 million in 2010 and N160 million in 2012 for this purpose. However, investigations revealed that there is no budget line for VVF treatment at the state level.

    A gynaecologist and Technical Adviser at Development Communications (DevComs) Network, Dr. Olalekan Olaniyan, says early marriage, illiteracy, ignorance and poverty exposes women to obstetric fistula. He argued that poor health-seeking behaviour, delays in using health facility, delays in reaching health facility, poor health infrastructure (for Caesarean delivery when needed) make the risk of Obstetric fistula even greater. However, the World Health Organisation (WHO) believes that obstetric fistula is preventable and can be avoided by delaying the age of first pregnancy; ending harmful traditional practices; and timely access to obstetric care.

    Dr. Olaniyan wants government to improve health systems and social infrastructure, in order to provide prompt caesarean session for women going through prolonged and obstructed labour. He also advocates the alleviation of poverty, illiteracy and end of harmful traditional practices.

  • NGO promotes Nigerian culture, language

    EAGER to save the country’s declining culture and values, a non-governmental organisation, the Teenz Global Foundation (TGF), has organised a contest in drama, culture, dance as well as quiz for students in the Federal Capital Territory in a bid to promote Nigeria’s ethos.

    About 312 secondary school students drawn from 14 secondary schools in the FCT participated in the competition and each school was represented by 20 students.

    The students were drawn from Junior Secondary School, Gwarinpa; Junior Secondary School, Asokoro, Divine Medicine Secondary School, Promise Child Secondary School and Anglican Girls’ Grammar School.

    Founder of the (NGO), Ijeoma Idika-Chima said the organisation is committed to instil love, peace, respect and harmony in Nigerian teens.

    She lamented the influence of Western cultures which she said are eroding the core values of Nigeria’s cultures, which were once dear to the society.

    Ijeoma said: “A river that forgets its source would certainly dry up. This is what might become of us if we allow our culture to fizzle out while preferring other cultures. The Teenz Nigeria project is, therefore, a catalyst to changing this negative trend.

    “We want to promote indigenous languages among Nigerian teenagers. We are also into motivating schools and encouraging the teaching and learning of our local languages.

  • Neighbours at war

    Neighbours at war

    The residents have not always been at loggerheads. They have got on well, doing things in common despite the plurality of tribes and religions. But on May 10, the peace of the community was shattered.

    Kachia is about one and a half hours’ drive from Kaduna metropolis. It is the traditional headquarters of the Kadara people, even though it is also home to the Kadara, Hausa and Bajju people as well as other tribes.

    That Saturday, what started as a minor disagreement snowballed into a major crisis that led to the burning and destruction of places of worship and residential houses.

    Leaders in the community cannot point to who actually started the crisis.  But sources in the town told The Nation that trouble started when a fence being erected on a parcel of land used by the Muslim community for prayers was pulled down for allegedly exceeding the boundary into the surrounding property. The land, which is said to belong to the state Ministry of Works, is located beside Government Secondary School, Kachia and also serves as a foot-path for people that live behind the land.

    The source said: “There is a parcel of land which the Muslims normally use for their prayers during Sallah celebrations. They decided to fence it because, according to them, people come in there to defecate. In the process of fencing the land, the people around there claimed they have exceeded the boundary and pulled down the fence. Last night (Saturday), the Muslim youths decided to attack the nearby Nasara Baptist Church and burnt it down. Christian youths followed suit and burnt down the mosque at Government College, Kachia and another mosque in the area. The situation has been brought under control and I can confirm that there was no death.”

    Another source told The Nation that trouble started when some youths went to fence a prayer- ground to prevent encroachment, but discovered that one part of the ground that was earlier renovated and fenced had been damaged by unknown persons. The issue of pulling down the fence was said to have been reported to the council Chairman who promised to rebuild the damaged portion of the fence but failed to keep the promise.

    On Saturday, some Muslim youths noticed more damage to the fence and felt that those who damaged it must be Christian youths and headed for a nearby church, and set it ablaze. This was said to have angered the Christian youths who went in search of mosques to vent their own anger on.

    The source said: “Two weeks ago some youths went to fence a Muslim prayer-ground to prevent encroachment of people into the ground but they couldn’t finish the work that day, and when they went back they discovered that a portion of the fence was demolished by unknown persons. The youths alerted the local government chairman, Mr. Peter Agaite and he promised to repair the damaged portion, but failed to do so. When the youth went back to continue the work, they saw another portion of the ground being damaged again. And out of suspicion, they demolished a near-by church. The youths of the demolished church did not take it lightly, and started demolishing a near-by mosque, creating tension and panic everywhere in Kachia and environs”.

    Speaking with The Nation, convener of the Concerned Southern Kaduna Professionals, Dr. John Danfulani insisted that the Kachia crisis is all about neighbour against neighbour.

    “Some people,” he said, “decided to fence government land because they felt that people are trespassing on ‘holy field’ where they normally pray. You know the kind of society we live in where people claim what does not belong to them. If government had ceded that land, it would have been a closed matter.

    “But others saw the act of fencing the land without government permission as usurpation of government’s powers. However, nobody really knew who destroyed the fence because it was done at night. Secondly, this is not an issue of Hausa/Fulani because we still have Kadara, Gwari and other tribes as well as Muslims in Kachia.

    “The issue at stake is neighbour fighting neighbour and has nothing to do with external people coming for an attack. But the government ought to come out to declare a stand on that piece of land, otherwise, the problem will still be there.

    “If the land has been given out, the government should come out and make a pronouncement that the land has been given to the Muslim community or the people who are trying to fence it. The government has been giving out land for religious and developmental purposes. If the government is bold enough to do that, I am sure that people will not react the way they did. That land has been used for Muslim prayers for long and it has remained like that. This fact must be stated. I think this act of trying to fence it triggered that suspicion, but government should be bold enough to say they have given out the land and I can assure you that there will be no problem. It should be understood that this is not an issue of people coming from outside on the issue of Kachia”.

    The government immediately warned trouble makers to desist as government will no longer sit back and fold its arms and allow enemies of peace to cause mayhem in the state. The government directed security agencies not to spare anyone found to have been responsible for the breakdown of law and order in the state.

    The governor said government will no longer tolerate act of unwarranted violence against innocent citizens in the state, saying “enough is enough”. He said “Government will not fold its arms and allow ‘enemies of peace’ cause mayhem in our state. I call on all law abiding citizens to go about their businesses without fear of intimidation as security forces have already been directed to deal decisively with trouble makers”. While assuring the people that security agencies have already commenced investigations into the cause of the crisis and will not spare anyone found culpable “no matter their status in the society. We will no longer tolerate these acts of unwarranted violence against innocent citizens, enough is enough.” He stressed that the State Government will continue to pursue its peace building agenda and will not rest on its oars until Kaduna is returned to its pre-crises era when all the people lived harmoniously side by side in peace. The Governor called on the entire people of the State to become peace ambassadors by supporting the ongoing peace building process

    While on a visit to the scene of the crisis, Yero vowed to ensure that anyone found culpable in the crisis is punished, adding that security agents have already commenced investigation into the cause of the ugly incident has since commenced and government will ensure that persons found to have perpetrated the violence are prosecuted no matter their status in the society. According to him, “investigation is already on and whoever is found to have a hand in this crisis will face full wrath of the law. I want to assure the people and I will call on people not to try thwarting the course of justice by protecting suspects during arrest.” Yero ask the people of the area to prevent their children from engaging in violent acts during crisis saying “if you allow your children to engage in such acts, they will one day turn against you when there is no crisis.” He admonished women in the area to desist from protesting half naked and called on them to always present their grievances with dignity and respect to womanhood and pleaded with people of Kachia and environs to continue to live in peace with one another despite differences in tribes or religion.

    The governor who visited the hospitals where those injured during the crisis promised that the state government will take care of the medical bills of the injured and pleaded with both Muslims and Christians affected in the crisis to forgive each other and continue to live in peace saying “Kachia is known for peace and is the least of areas expected to witness such crisis. It is unfortunate that this crisis was over a very trivial issue and Government will wade in to ensure that all sections are justly treated in this matter.”

    He directed the ministries of Works, Lands and education to resolve immediately take steps to resolve the dispute which occurred over the fencing of the eid prayer ground and immediately create access road to a community behind the land. He also directed that the fence be built by Government.

    The police claimed that no death was recorded during the incident. The local government chairman, Peter Agite reportedly said that four persons lost their lives.

    Agite was quoted as saying that two of the victims were coming back from their place of business when they were ambushed by hoodlums while the other two were believed to have been shot by the security on patrol for violating the curfew.

  • Kwara farmers assess agric enhancement scheme

    Kwara farmers assess agric enhancement scheme

    Smallholder farmers in Kwara State have assessed the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS) and scored it low. But the state government believe the programme is making progress and that the farmers’ verdict is skewed.

    GESS, a programme of the federal and state governments, targets smallholder farmers with subsidised farm inputs, specifically fertilizers and seeds through a voucher system. The scheme is powered by e-wallet, an electronic distribution channel that sends text messages through GSM phones to registered farmers, who in turn go to redemption centres to purchase fertilizers at half the price and receive free seeds. The programme was introduced in 2012.

    To assess the scheme, the Centre for Community Empowerment and Poverty Eradication (CCEP), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), convened a stakeholders’ meeting involving government officials, service providers and farmers. At the meeting some performance indicators were generated.

    The indicators included timing of input delivery, quality seeds and fertilizer, distance from farmers’ location to the redemption centre, quality and seeds redeemed, cost of seeds and fertilizer, registration process, awareness of GESS, farmers’ access to telephone handset, ease of collection and communication between farmers and ministry of agriculture.

    The NGO and the farmers said the scheme has come up short.

    Deputy Director, Agricultural Services, the State Ministry of Agriculture, Reverend Bamidele Isaac told The Nation, saying, “We, before this time, frowned at the yardstick they used in assessing the performance of GESS programme for smallholder farmers in Kwara State. We have 16 local government areas and they used only three local governments to draw their conclusion. By my own thinking, three councils should not be a yardstick for generalisation of their assessment. For proper assessment, they should have sampled a minimum of eight local government areas and the councils should be randomly sampled, not lopsided as they have done.

    “Even the areas they surveyed the people do not have access to the media. GESS programme which is a joint programme of both the federal state government is progressing positively in the state. Obviously improvement will continue until about 100 or probably 90 per cent level is reached. It takes a gradual process for every new programme to be perfected.

    “We use mass media to sensitise the people on the availability of the programme. We also use our extension agents to sensitize the people.”

    On the contrary, Programme Manager, CCEPE, Ayuba A. Akindele countered, adding that “we believe that what is happening in one local government is even enough to justify the others. The reason for this is very simple. This GESS is targeted at smallholder farmers and we believe smallholder farmers exist in every local government area in the state. And we believe that government is there to serve each and every member of the society irrespective of their locations. Having gone far in covering three local government areas of Asa, Kaiama and Edu comprising over 25 farmers cooperatives, we believe that is enough sample for basis of generalization.

  • 100 for free medical care

    100 for free medical care

    As part of activities to mark this year’s World Family Doctors’ Day, the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN) has offer free medical services to 100 FCT residents in some designated hospitals within the territory.

    President of the Association, Dr. Frank Odafen, who revealed this in a statement, said the free services included medical examination, treatment and surgical operations that gulped about N20 million.

    According to him, the event which held at Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja included a scientific session, where lectures would be delivered.

    Dr. Odafen further said the association visited two schools in the FCT to offer dental and eye examination services for children, saying his members are out to improve the abysmal health indices, which the country is known for by the year 2020.

    “We are out to assist the government and people of Nigeria in the provision of smooth, efficient and effective healthcare delivery system in the country,’’ he said.

    He also said the non-governmental organisation is aimed at promoting health and allied services, to promote the welfare and integrity of its members for the overall improvement of all medical profession.

    The association is the official body made up of the organised private sector health care delivery in Nigeria and it is a member of World Organisation of Family Doctors.

  • The other side of First Lady

    The other side of First Lady

    To unravel the seeming confusion on whether the reported abduction of over 200 secondary schoolgirls of Government Secondary School Chibok, Borno State was real or part of political antics in the state, the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan joined in the investigation a fortnight ago.

    To carry out the investigation, she invited key actors in the Chibok saga to the Presidential Villa, Abuja. And to assist her in the investigation were wives of state governors, women opinion leaders, leaders of key women organisation and relevant women stakeholders.

    Before the key actors present at the meeting started answering questions that the gathering was not a law court, she said: “We are not asking you questions to kill you, or to harm you or to send you to court; we are not judges. But it is just to help to unravel the truth and to stop the killing in Borno State because our hearts are heavy. We want to help you and we want you to sincerely answer our questions. If you don’t know the answer, say so and we will end it there. Nothing we can do.”

    The First Lady, who also prefers to be called “Mama Peace” broke down and wept twice during the over eight hours meeting that started at 6:02 p.m. on Sunday, May 4 and ended at 2:13 a.m. on May 5, 2014.

    She broke down the first time when she realised that some major actors in the saga from the state did not turn up for the meeting.

    While there have been divided opinions on whether she actually wept out of emotion or premeditated to weep in front of the cameras to attract sympathy for her husband, as someone who sat throughout the meeting, it was a struggle between the Channels TV cameraman, Elder George Edemevughe and other cameramen filming that aspect of the meeting as some staff of the First Lady attempted to shut down the cameras.

    Her weeping was also infectious as some women seated round the table in the First Lady’s Conference Room could not hold back their tears.

    The intent of this write-up is not to ascertain whether the tears were real or fake. It is also not to justify the probe or otherwise. And it is also no longer in doubt whether the abduction of over 200 secondary school girls was real or mere politics as Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau on Monday last week, released video clip showing the girls in his custody.

    Besides the weeping during the First Lady’s investigation, the probe also showed some humorous part of Mama Peace, even though she expressed bitterness in some instances. Some of those in the meeting couldn’t help laughing at her remarks most times. She may not really mind how the message is conveyed, but what matters to her is getting the message across.

    When she realised that the Principal of the school, Asabe Kwaburah, did not come with any teacher, matron or the school’s gateman to help in the investigation, the First Lady asked: Na only u waka come? (Meaning “You came alone?”).

    During the question-and-answer session when the principal insisted that the school was a standard school and as she was having difficulty responding to questions, Mrs. Jonathan said: “Madam, see tissue, if you are sweating, take tissue and clean your sweat. Clean your sweat well so that you can answer our questions.” This attracted laughter from the gathering.

    Faulting non-relocation of the entire students in line with the advice of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) before the girls’ abduction and the following relocation of the remaining students after the attack, she said: “It is now that you relocated the children after the kidnap. That is medicine after death. Why did you not relocate them to that place at the first instance if that place is safer?”

    When there were conflicting figures of students who registered and sat for some subjects in the school from the WAEC official and the Principal, the First Lady, with her calculator in hand, told the Principal: “Madam, what you are telling us here now is not Mathematics. Is it that we have gone out of Algebra and Mathematics? We are in another world because what you are telling us is not feasible again. Do you register differently from WAEC? Do you have your own marking scheme?”

    Turning to journalists at the meeting, she said: “Members of the press are you people with us in this Mathematics lecture?”

    Tired with the irreconcilable figures from the Principal, she told other women at the gathering: “I beg make una ask una questions and leave the woman. Let us not continue to waste our time on one woman matter.”

    At a point when the meeting was becoming rowdy and several persons speaking at the same time, the First Lady said: “If we didn’t permit you to talk, we will send you out. We are in the Villa. We are not here for demonstration, we are peaceful people.

    We are begging you operatives of the State Security Service (SSS), anyone that makes unwarranted noise, please help us take her out.”

    These were very few instances when the gathering couldn’t help but laugh during the meeting.

  • Sanitising the roads

    Sanitising the roads

    Shuttling from one part of town to another has always been a headache to the authorities of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). But they keep trying to bring order on the lanes.

    The territory is vast but that has not made transportation any easier. Commuters still find it difficult moving around. Even the authorities are not having fun either. They have had to monitor taxi drivers as much as they have closely watched the activities of unpainted cab drivers in the FCT.

    Now, with the ban of mini-buses and worse, the bomb scare, residents are changing their movement patterns. Most prefer standing on the speed lanes to board taxis, or private cars because they seem to be a lot safer these days.

    Communters now hardly use designated car parks and the indiscriminate parking of cars to load passengers in both the city and satellite towns creates traffic congestion in places where such congestions should not be. These behaviours worry the FCT minders.

    Although residents are aware of the danger of boarding commercial vehicles outside designated parks,  with the increase of fraudsters in the city, most still prefer to risk it to going to designated parks which they now call the lions’ dens.

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), through its Transport Secretariat, has reminded residents that ignorance of the law is no excuse, and that if they break traffic rules, they will be punishment, if caught.

    Secretary, Transport Secretariat FCTA, Mr. Jonathan Ivoke who addressed reporters during a routine raid, said that touting is not permitted in the FCT and the secretariat has gone as far as arresting some touts.

    He added that the level of indiscipline among motorists and passengers in the FCT if not checked, will turn the territory into a lawless place, which is what the authorities want to avoid.

    His word, “This is part of our daily enforcement duty, from time to time, i come out, to try to add vigour to the enforcement , the position we are right now is on the speed lane in area one, vehicles are not suppose to stop to pick passengers or even drop, because this is a speed lane.

    “The designated speed here is more than that of the service lane but because this drivers are so indiscipline, it is the reason we come out from time to time, working in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies like the Police, Civil Defence, Road safety and even the Nigerian Prisons.

    “They help us to add to the manpower and equipments; just behind, we have the area 3 terminal that is spacious enough to accommodate all the vehicles, but they will prefer to stay on the road, which has caused a lot of accidents and we don’t want this situation to continue.

    “What we want to do is station our men here in collaboration with the police so that they will not be attacked and this will be done all over Abuja, in conformity with the master plan. We have licensed these taxi drivers and one of the contents of the licensing process is that they will have to obey traffic rules and regulation. Last month we issued them a query and what we are going to do is that, some of them that are very stubborn, we are going to withdraw their licence.

    “We will be impounding most of these vehicles and once we do, we will take them to the mobile courts and the magistrate will impose fines on them, we will then collect the information of the driver, his biometrics and fingerprint and when we arrest him again, a stiffer penalty will be given to him.

    “On a general scale, we are amending the bylaw, the FCT road transport regulations; the last one was done in 2006, we are going to make sure that it is very comprehensive.

    “Our officers are all over Abuja including entrances into the city like Nyanya and Kubwa; they will have to rise to the occassion and impound airing vehicles and take them to the mobile courts, that is our daily assignment and we have to do it. We want the residents of FCT to see what is happening and the sensitisation will continue to go on. We are hoping that some of them that are genuine drivers will go to the parks, terminal or bus stops pick their passengers and go on which is why we renovated these parks.”

    He pleaded with residents not to patronise unpainted and unregistered taxis, saying they can be dangerous.

    A resident Tajudeen Shittu who witnessed the raid while waiting patiently for a bus at the bus stop, said, “Well I was told that it is not safe to stand on the speed lane and that whoever dies, would have died for nothing. So the idea is good but I dont know why they’ve started arresting people and they will not make public announcements so that people will know and be careful.

    “The way they are going about it now is unfair and God will reward them.”

    Angry residents at the Eagle Square shouted back at Ivoke as he insisted that more than 15 buses move to the Square terminal before passengers could board.

    The team, by the end of its tour of Area 1 down to 3, Centra Area and Wuse, impounded more than 20 vehicles and their owners were told to report to the mobile courts.

  • Senator provides amenities for constituents

    Senator provides amenities for constituents

    THE member representing Plateau North Senatorial zone at the National Assembly, Senator Gyang Nyam Shom Pwajok has embarked on some development projects in order to lift the communities that make up his constituency.

    The lawmaker’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Chuwang Dung said the Senator has, in less than two years of his election into the Senate, touched lives in over 30 communities in his constituency.

    Communities that have benefited from Senator Pwajok’s humanitarian gesture are Vom, Gurra Top, Bisichi, Loh, Mr Ali, Dorowa, Ganawuri, Maza, Forbur, Rahol Kanang, Vwang and Rantiya, among others. The projects he executed for the benefit of the these communities are rural electrification, community hall, blocks of classroom blocks, primary health centre as well as rural water projects.

    The Senator said: “You all remember the circumstances that led to my election into the Senate; it was the security challenges in my constituency which I promised to tackle head-on.

    “The security challenges I inherited propelled me to take the bull by the horn and work toward restoration of peace to the troubled parts, in collaboration with stakeholders from my zone. I can say with all confidence that the crises in my constituency have been addressed significantly. It may not be possible to eradicate it immediately but the spate of attack has been reduced to less than 10 per cent.

    “Northern Senatorial zone is a hot bed of Plateau politics and Nigeria at large. For me as a young man to be representing the zone, I feel highly honoured. The peace we are enjoying resulted from combined efforts. I thank God for the calmness we are experiencing now.

    “The happy thing, in spite of the security challenges, is that our efforts have paid off because we have been able to address the sources of conflict, re-unite the people and restore the needed peace. At the same time, I have been able to provide certain basic social amenities for the people of my constituency.

    “So, with some efforts here and there, spate of bloodshed has reduced significantly. People can graze their livestock and farmers can cultivate their land without any fear of attack. The next effort is to continue to cement the prevailing cordial relationship existing among the people, so as to sustain the current peace and make it a permanent.”

    As part of the efforts to sustain the prevailing peace, Senator Pwajok said he organised Peace Basketball tournament for basketball teams in the senatorial zone, adding that the purpose of the competition was to spread the message of peace, tolerance and mutual respect among youths in the zone.

    Noting that his constituency is located within the state capital and covers areas of the Greater Jos Master Plan, the Senator said the Satellite communities lack some basic social infrastructure, even as he said government alone cannot cater for all needs of its citizens considering the lean resources at its disposal.

    “It is against this backdrop that I began to look at areas where I can intervene with my own little resources. I discovered that my people are lacking certain social amenities. You will be scared to know the level of poverty around you.

    “But, as their representative, I refused to be scared by this intimidating level of poverty. I just have to prioritise so that I can contribute my own quota towards their well-being,” he said.

  • AMAC staff alarmed over incessant car theft

    A staff of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) has raised alarm over incessant stealing of workers’ cars parked at the car park of the council secretariat.

    Mr. Salisu Kabiru, who was a recent victim said he parked his car in the usual secretariat’s car park which was provided by the council. He said after he had closed for the day’s work, he was surprised to discover that his car has been stolen.

    According to him, he had always been parking his red Saloon, one door, 92 model car, with registration number BS 211 RSH and chassis no. JHMEG 43400SO30708, at the secretariat’s car park since he started working at the council secretariat, but did not think that he will become a victim.

    He further said there have been over four reports of stolen cars at the council secretariat, which made the management to issue a directive for vehicle pass to be designed to vehicle owners, adding that since the directive, nothing has been done towards the design of the vehicle pass.

    “The fact is that we have different security personnel in the secretariat. But I can not really say what they are doing to ensure the safety of lives and property here.

    “The car park has one way that serves as entrance and exit, but somebody will just come and steal cars without any security personnel noticing it.

    “They have been stealing cars there. Cars belonging to a staff in administrative department, an SSS woman’s car and one Civil Defense man’s car, were stolen. When management suggested that vehicle pass tags should be made, they did not do it. If the pass were made, thieves will not be able to come here and steal cars any how.

    “I also blame it on the carelessness and lapses on the part of the security personnel at the secretariat. Whenever you come to the council, you will see them concentrating at the entrance gate, without surveying other parts of the premises. The leadership of the council should do something about this development. It is not good at all,” he said.