The Nation Newspaper

Category: SouthEast

  • NGO makes case for the less-privileged

    NGO makes case for the less-privileged

    Wife of the former Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation Mrs. Olajumoke Opeifa has called on governments and philanthropic organisations to make life more meaningful for orphans, widows and aged members of the society.

    Mrs. Opeifa, who is the Founder of Hydra Edge Foundation (HEF), gave the advice during presentation of food items to widows recently. At the event, put together by her organisation, about 1,400 bags of food items (made up of 700 bags of rice and gaari respectively), were presented to the widows and elderly, at Oyewole Junior Grammar School, Orile Agege.

    She said these classes of people, who formed a sizeable proportion of the population, must be adequately taken care of to reduce the widening gap of poverty in the society.

    While noting that nothing would make any meaning to a hungry person, Mrs. Opeifa said the major challenge to governance lay in reducing the poverty index. She said nothing gives her more joy than giving to the poor and making life more meaningful to the less-privileged members of the society.

    According to her, the yearly presentation of food items, which is the eighth in the series, is her Foundation’s response to making life more bearable for the vulnerable groups of the society, who have no means of celebrating the festive period with members of their families.

    She said the exercise, which began eight years ago, is in response to giving back to the society a little from what God had bestowed on her, adding that nothing is too much to give to humanity in appreciation of God’s mercy and goodness on her entire family.

    She said: “Every year, since the past eight years, we have been giving the less-privileged, especially the widows and orphans food items, especially during Christmas. This year, we decided to expand the programme a little by adding the aged. This year, 700 people, made up of 500 widows and 200 aged would go home with one bag of rice and one bag of gaari, to enable them to celebrate the Yuletide and the New Year with members of their families.”

    The Executive Secretary of Orile Agege Local Council Development Area, Mr Adeyinka Akeem described the gesture as one with a profound impact in the council.

    He urged other well-meaning members of the society to emulate such humanitarian gesture by looking at the area of need in any given society and fill the vacuum, adding that it is only when philanthropists teamed up with the government that the task of improving the lot of the common man, especially the indigent can be achieved.

    “This foundation is the biggest humanitarian group in this local government and I must say that every year, the indigent in this area look forward to this event, knowing that they would not only get foodstuffs, but also cash gifts to augment their incomes to make the Yuletide a memorable one for their families,” Akeem said.

    The chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the LCDA, Prince Sunday Ajayi praised the HEF for the gesture. He said the crowd of beneficiaries had continued to grow every year, since the programme started eight years ago.

    “This programme has continued to witness tremendous crowd since it started eight years ago. Last year the crowd was tremendous, and this year, it seems to have doubled. The foundation has continued to put smiles on the faces of the common people in this council area. We can only pray that God should continue to strengthen the group,” he said.

    One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Anthonia Anoibo, a widow, said the gesture would forever be remembered in her life, even as she prayed for the organisation to continue to wax stronger in its stride to make life more abundant for the downtrodden.

    Another widow, who had been a regular beneficiary since the programme began eight years ago said she is happy that HEF could remember the widows this year despite the harsh economic situation in the country. She said her prayer is for God to continue to uplift the promoters and those working for the organisation.

  • Way out of Osun crisis, by finance expert

    Way out of Osun crisis, by finance expert

    A finance expert, Deji Akinsola, reviews the economic situation in Osun State, pointing the way forward for the state. He spoke with Basirat Buraimah

    How did Osun State find itself in this financial mess?

    I don’t think it is fair to single Osun State out in the financial predicament enveloping the whole world.

    It is a worldwide crisis. The financial meltdown is global. It cannot be felt equally though. In Nigeria, it will be unfair to single out Osun State to be in crisis and I know it is nation-wide.

    I know many states to be 23 months behind in salary payment. Almost every state owes but then, when it comes to Osun, I think it is a peculiar case because of the giant strides that Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola came with in the first two years of his administration. It is that standard that people are using to measure him and that is why it appears that the impact is felt more in Osun.

    But the state benefitted from the bail out and financial packages backed by the Federal Government.

    When it comes to public finances, one needs to be very careful; what the states got was not a bail out but a loan. I want to crudely define a bail out. A bail out is meant to be a dash but when you are talking about a package the Federal Government made to the distressed states, it was more of a loan. People have said at different forums that the bail out from our financial crisis is death accumulation. The figures that are being pronounced by the opposition are so ridiculous. They are larger than life figures.

    The payment terms were such that they will be deducted from the federal allocations. One of the criticisms against the Osun administration is in terms of the quantum of the debt that the administration is alleged to have taken. At different quarters, they are saying it is too large.

    Speaking as a chartered accountant, the definition of too much is determined by the returns you are getting from such a loan.

    If you take a loan and you invest it, inasmuch as you can make N1 as return after meeting all obligations, it won’t be too much. If you take a loan for financing and at the end you have negative returns; that is the definition of too much.

    People have been saying that Osun State is grossly indebted and then the bail out of almost N35 billion is going to further compound that alleged indebtedness.

    When you talk about public or private financing, it is made up of two critical aspects. We have equity and debt. Equity means the contributions of stakeholders while debt is borrowing. Those are the two principal sources of funding. There are certain things you cannot do with the loan. The loan shouldn’t be used to pay salaries. If you must borrow, it must go into investments that will yield returns to repay the cost of the capital and leave you with something. If you use loan to pay salaries then you are going into a deep hole. I want to agree with the last administration in terms of bail out. It is better to look for equity to meet the expenditure. That is a way forward.

    Well, if you are talking of the way forward, we should look at where we are coming from. The administration started on a brilliant footing. No matter how brilliant your ideas are, you need funds to execute such ideas. This administration started with a beautiful vision where Osun will surpass Lagos.

    Aregbesola’s vision is to remove poverty. He invested them into the future and education. Any investment in security can never be wrong because it promotes the code of the economy. When you invest in security, it will attract both internal and external investors. It will generate income to create a better income.

    What can be done to revive the state’s economy and take it back to those glorious days?

    We need to look into good governance and education. We need to move away from oil. The 2016 Budget was based on $38 price of oil per barrel with N2.2 trillion deficits. The fall in the price of oil has widened the gap. We need to shift focus and obviously agriculture is it.

    We need to go back to the basics. Government should invest in agriculture. Government should support initiatives that will make agriculture strive. Government should not involve itself in granting agric loans. Government should not bother itself with the provision of fertiliser.

    If agriculture is lucrative, people should source the fund to meet the investment. When they now grow cash and food crops, then they can sell them. Government should negotiate with banks. In terms of sourcing agriculture and fertilisers, they should go to the banks.

    The government should make it a national policy. It should give guarantee to existing farmers and new ones. The beauty of this is that it will spur people to go into agriculture on a commercial basis.

    Apart from encouraging agriculture, which other ways can government go in raising fund?

    If you want to make any progress, there is no other way than go into taxation.

    We have to educate the people about the beauty of taxation. We have to create the awareness. Taxation and the application of taxation should be introduced into primary school curriculum, secondary and tertiary institutions so that people will have a very sound understanding and its beauty both to themselves and the government. The government should follow it up with an aggressive collection plan.

    One beauty of taxation is this; when people are taxed normally, it makes lion out of them. They want to be involved, they want to know. It is something that is affecting them directly. We have to invigorate our tax drive and initiate aggressive collection.

    As a last resort, we need to look at borrowing and we must know how much we want to borrow and what we want to do with it. We must never borrow for consumption. Salary must be based squarely on Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

    Any government that wants to succeed should use 25 per cent of its IGR for salaries.

    Other things will be internal and one of it is what we have already embarked upon and that is how to empower the people. Governance shouldn’t be about business. It should be about the provision of environment where people can do business to generate income and pay a portion of that to the government.

    The governor has introduced an Osun Certificate of Occupancy (O Cof O) that gives you a security backing.

     

  • ‘Advance the cause of Niger Delta’

    The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged Prof. Cladius Daramola to see his appointment as the Minister of State for Niger Delta Development as an opportunity to advance the cause of the oil-rich region.

    Prof. Daramola is a chieftain of the APC and indigenous of Ode-Aye in Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State.

    A statement signed by the Director of Media and Publicity, Steve Otaloro said it was unarguable that the Niger Delta region is experiencing serious depravity in recent times, adding that a holistic overhaul is needed at the moment to take the region to an enviable height.

    APC noted that the appointment of Mr. Daramola, a Professor of repute and a workaholic with eyes for details and thoroughness is therefore a commendable move.

    It said: “The appointment of Prof. Daramola, who is indigenous to Ondo State, clearly shows that President Mohammudu Buhari recognises the important role Ondo State plays as the only oil-producing state from the South-western part of the country.”

    While thanking President Buhari for the confidence he reposed in Prof. Daramola, the statement said: “We are assuring the President and the minister that the leadership and membership of the party in the state will support him and be available to render a helping hand at all times.

  • Boost for women’s education

    The Centre for Health Science Training, Research and Development (CHESTRAD), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has introduced six initiatives that will help Nigerian communities and individuals cope with the negative impacts of the dwindling oil prices at the international market which has largely curtailed government’s spending.

    With the initiatives, CHESTRAD is raising N250 million to support young women to acquire higher education.

    The President of the organisation, Dr Lola Dare, outlined the initiatives to include Oriade (universal access to health commodities and services), Tariro (early learning and child development) and Umbele (youth empowerment and sustainable livelihood).

    The others are Kambasa (educating and empowering the African woman and the girl-child), Umoja (enabling effectiveness of African civil societies and organisations) and Zabi (purposeful giving).

    Under the six projects, the organisation is leveraging on domestic financing to raise funds through Zabi to embark on the first five projects. The funds being raised are used to plug the shortfall in infrastructures, youth’s empowerment, financing higher education for young women and increasing access to health care in local communities.

    Addressing reporters in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, Dr Dare revealed that the project began two years ago, adding that many Nigerians have already subscribed to contributing minimum of N60,000 annually towards the project. Besides, some notable Nigerians have endorsed the project in addition to giving money.

    With this, the project, christened “I Will Give,” is rebuilding the lives of individuals and communities across Nigeria.

    According to Dr Dare, through Oriade, the project will widen access to improved health care for 140,000 people by 2020; support 4,000 pre-school children for early learning and child development; empower 30,000 young people with enterprise leadership skills that will help them create wealth and provide financial support for 2,000 young women for tertiary education.

    Others are provision of financial and technical support for 130 civil society organisations for effectiveness and to promote accountability in Nigeria as well as disbursing over N250 million for initiatives identified by subscribers’ database.

    Dr Dare further explained that, with the dwindling international aid and oil prices in the international market, it was time for Africa to look inward and tap domestic financing.

  • Group rues attacks on Arepo community

    The Conference of Nigeria Civil Rights Activists (CNCRA) has raised an alarm over persistent activities of militants in Arepo community Ikorodu, Lagos State.

    In a statement issued and signed by the Convener, Mr. Ifeanyi Odili, the group alleged that the militants migrated from Ondo and Bayelsa states to Arepo for their illegal oil deals.

    The group said there was urgent need for President Muhammadu Buhari to revisit the amnesty programme, adding that the hoodlums have decided to relocate to Arepo to continue their illegal act due to lack of transparency in the programme.

    CNCRA, which claimed to have investigated the militants’ activities, said they (militants) were ready to lay down their arms if government is ready to extend the amnesty programme to them.

    The statement reads: “When our research team visited Arepo community, it discovered that residents of the community have been living in fear arising from gunshots by the militants who are into oil deal. They usually engage the security agents in gun duel and when two rival groups clash, everybody runs for safety. In the process, innocent persons are gunned down.

    “Also residents of Arepo complained that members of the community disappear mysteriously while some have been killed by the militants. Few weeks ago, nine members of staff of the Department of State Service (DSS) were killed.

    “To us in the CNCRA, these are sad events. This is uncalled for and unacceptable to us. Therefore, government should put these unGodly activities to a halt by engaging them in a dialogue before the situation escalates.

    “On this note, we appeal to the government to devise a means to bring life back to Arepo.

    “Information reaching us in CNCRA is that the militants are ready to lay down their arms and start living normal life if the government extends the amnesty programme to them.

     

  • Council begins road construction

    Council begins road construction

    Sequel to the bidding for the construction of two roads in Onigbongbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) few weeks ago, Properties Limited won the bidding to construct Ettal Memunat Ayodeji Street Oregun, Olusosun and Olorunnisola Street. The construction firm has already moved to site and work had already begun.

    After an inspection tour to the construction sites, the Executive Secretary of Onigbongbo LCDA, Hon. Mustapha Abiola, expressed his satisfaction over the commitment of the contractor handling the project. He also expressed his happiness over the quality of work being done by the construction firm. He promised to give necessary supports to the firm to enable it to execute the job according to specifications and also to enable it to deliver the job as scheduled.

     

  • Osun’s strategy against unemployment

    Osun’s strategy against unemployment

    The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that no fewer than 5.3 million youths are jobless, while 1.8 million graduates enter the labour market every year. This figure could be a conservative estimate of the actual number of unemployed youths in the country, going by previous statistics released by NBS, which put the number of jobless Nigerians at 20.3 million.

    The above is a reflection of previous governments’ inability to design policies that will create more jobs, or provide enabling environment that could encourage both individuals and the private sector to expand employment opportunities without let or hindrance.

    It is in line with the above that the Osun State Government established an office known as Osun Job Centre. This is in pursuance of a key component of Governor Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola-led administration’s Six Point Integral Action Plan which is banishment of unemployment from the state. The Job Centre is established as a State Government-funded one-stop employment agency with desk offices located at each of the 30 local government areas.

    The Centre will act as a facilitator between job seekers and employers by providing employment information and services to a wide range of people, from the unemployed looking for employment, the underemployed looking for better jobs, to employers advertising job openings. It is aimed at eradicating barriers to employment by promoting education, training and business enterprise. It will contribute to the personal development of the labour force through the creation of opportunities for their productive engagement and utilisation.

    The centre provides employment service tools such as an infrastructure for the business community to post its skills needs as well as in-house computers with free access to the internet.

    To provide a venue where job seekers can meet and network with representatives of prospective employers from diverse sectors of the economic with the possibility of securing employment.

    However, the private sector also has a role to play in creating employment, as experience has shown that government alone cannot provide all the needed jobs.  Unemployed persons will also have to start working towards self-employment, through which they may even provide jobs for others.

    Unemployment and poverty have become serious problems that all levels of government must tackle with sincerity of purpose to keep the nation’s youths productively engaged and out of avoidable trouble.

    These efforts by Osun government are worthy of emulation by other states of the federation. Governor Aregbesola once declared that Osun, out of the 36 states, has the lowest rate of unemployed people, particularly among her teeming youths, due to the determination of his administration to banish poverty and unemployment among its people.

    This new move at establishing a job centre is just one of them. These efforts were recently corroborated by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, when he declared that Osun is one of the states with lowest in poverty.

    “The indication (in Osun) is that because there is a lot of investment on the people, poverty has been reduced and that is what we (the Federal Government) are trying to achieve in Nigeria,” Osinbajo said.

    Aregbesola was quoted as saying: “The development of micro and small businesses forms a core component of our poverty alleviation and economic empowerment strategy.

    “This is part of our six-point integral action plan that, among others, seeks to banish poverty, unemployment and hunger.

    “We have designed programmes aimed at unlocking our people’s creativity and genuinely set them on the path of self-employment and self-reliance.

    “I am certain that our people are hard-working and would at all time take pride in working to earn a decent living.

    “With the numerous programmes we are implementing, we are on the road to change the fortune of our state and lives of our people for better.

    “Many of these programmes such as OYES, O’REAP, O’YESTECH, O’MEALs, O’Schools, O’Beef and O’BOPS, among others, have offered many of our youths self-reliant job opportunities.”

    • Ayo Akinola, is a publisher and media consultant based in Lagos and Bola Akande is a former commissioner for Human Resources and Capacity Building, Osun State

     

  • ‘Study hard to be good citizens’

    ‘Study hard to be good citizens’

    The President, Road Safety Officers’ Wives’ Association, Ogun State branch, Mrs Adekunbi Adetunji, has urged children to improve their study skills to enable them to archieve success in their education.

    Mrs Adetunji spoke at the get-to-gether/end-of-the-year party organised by the association for children at the Ogun State Sector Command of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Abeokuta, the state capital.

    The event, she said, was aimed at  showing love to the children and to encourage unity among the officers’ wives and children as their husbands are absent due to their work schedules.

    She appealed to the children to be obedient to their parents and all elderly persons.

    She also urged them to be law-abiding in order to make their parents, society and the country proud.

    Mrs Adetunji appealed to the children to be more engaged to school  activities that would make them better citizens in the future.

    She also advised them to always seek God’s guidance and protection of their fathers who are always absent from home due to national assignments.

    She urged members of the association to ensure they instil discipline in their children, even as she said they should train them in the ways of the Lord. She said it was a good idea for parents to give children better home training.

    Highlights of the event was cutting of cake, quiz/dancing competition and presentation of gifts to the children.

     

  • ‘We’ll empower women, youths’

    ‘We’ll empower women, youths’

    In line with the Federal Government’s resolve to alleviate the suffering of the people through sound and people-oriented policies and programmes, the President of the Zion Assembly of Christ for All Nations, the Most Rev. Apostle Samuel Olawumi Ayodele, has promised to empower women and offer scholarships to students in the fold and other qualified Nigerians. This, according to him, will address the economic and educational challenges of its members. He added that “by so doing, they will be encouraged to serve God and humanity justly.’’

    Apostle Ayodele stated this after his inauguration as the President of the Zion Assembly of Christ for All Nations at Igbokoda in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.

    He said for effective administration of Zion Assembly, a group of 200 independent Zion churches, four departments had been created. These, he said, include Theology/Evangelical Department; Children and Women Department; Youth Department, Education and Governmental Affairs Department.

    Apostle Ayodele, who was ordained a minister in 1959, said Zion churches had been operating under different   denominations and leaders before now but the Holy Spirit has called for a unity of purpose where they will now operate under one umbrella with one voice to address spiritual and social issues. When this is done, white garment churches of Zion stock will be more respected.

    On what the church can do to cushion the effects of the harsh economic conditions on members, Apostle Ayodele said: “We are quite aware of this and that is why we are creating jobs through our co-operative societies and micro-credit schemes to engage our women and men. Our skills acquisition programmes are there to lend helping hands to the jobless so that they can be useful to the society. Education is vital to us, that is why we are pooling our resources to establish scholarship schemes for our children in both secondary schools and higher institutions of learning.”

    On why this relationship is just coming at this time, he said: “God’s time is the best. As He has power over the affairs of men, He specifically directed this move. The church as one fold must worship under one shepherd. What is left for me as a privileged servant is to do my utmost based on experiences garnered from several masters before me, including the late Most Rev. Apostles E.L .Ogunfeyimi and Orogbemi, to lead the group aright.

    He said  it is the plan of the group to build youths that  are sound  in character and will be  the pride  of the nation, adding “we have religious and social institutions to handle this aspect of our life’’

    On members’ participation in politics, he said: “We encourage our members to go into politics and make positive changes. Take it from me; it is a man that fears God that can govern well in the midst of temptations. It is a man that fears God that will not steal public money. It is he that will know that his position is transient and therefore would make life better for the masses. We have all the necessary mechanism to mould the character of our members and equip them for such offices so that they can make the necessary changes and impacts on the lives of the people’’.

    He said his group is conscious of the right of the other person, even as it is out for spiritual and social changes and so our focus remains integrity.

     

  • Monarch appeals to Ambode for school, hospital

    Monarch appeals to Ambode for school, hospital

    The Oniba of Iba, His Royal Highness (HRH) Oba Goriola Oseni has appealed to Governor Ambode to establish a public secondary school and hospital for residents of the community. The monarch made the appeal during his 40th coronation anniversary.

    Though he said his four decades on the throne were fraught with several challenges, Oba Oseni feels fulfilled.

    He regretted that one of his greatest challenges as a traditional ruler is the numerous litigations in which his throne was enmeshed and which affected the finances of the monarchy.

    Oba Oseni lamented the millions of Naira that lawyers took from him every year as legal fees in order to defend his community.

    This development, the monarch lamented, was due to what he called his predecessor’s lack of education; a situation that made him to enter into certain agreements which later became an albatross to his monarchy.

    “It’s good for people to be educated. If my predecessors were educated, I wouldn’t have been facing these challenges now. For instance, how can our customary tenant claim to be land owners? Do you expect me to fold my arms and watch? It might interest you to know that some of them wanted to install themselves as Oba in Awori land.

    “Many years back when I ascended the throne, lawyers could charge you N50, 000 or thereabout. But you get a case and approach a lawyer today, your bill runs into millions. I have won some of the cases and I believe God would assist me to win others,” he said.

    Looking back, the monarch is grateful to his Creator for helping him to weather the storm.

    “Unease lies the head that wears the crown! I faced a lot of problems but with the help of Almighty Father, I conquered everything. Some people who were installed as kings died after two or four years on the throne; but here we are today. If anybody had said I would still be alive, I would have doubted it,” he said.

    One of the monarch’s greatest achievements is the unprecedented development which the ancient town has experienced. The monarch recalled that Iba Kingdom is diametrically different from the ‘jungle’ it once was when he mounted the throne.

    “I’m happy about the development of Iba. In 1975 when I was called back home, one could not have access to this area. Who are you coming to meet in Iba apart from the indigenes and the isoko palm wine tappers that I met here when I came?

    “I was living in Ajegunle then. You had to enter the bus from Ajegunle, get off at Iyana-Oba and trek down here.

    “During the dry season, we would cut palm leaves and lay them on the ground; during rainy season, it was always terrible. But see the way things are now; various small-scale factories littering everywhere, hotels, private schools, LASU, our LCDA is also here.

    “When I celebrated my 35th year on the throne five years ago, I appealed to the state government to fix certain roads, and I’m grateful that ex-Governor Babatunde Fashola did very well, with the exception of Ijagemo and Ijododo. But I’m sure that by the grace of God, it will be done this time.

    On his regrets in the past 40 years, Oba Oseni said there were none.

    Everything he ever did was based on his conviction as he always consulted God before taking any action.

    He said: “I have nothing to regret since the beginning of my reign. In 1976 a year after I was installed as king, the followers of my fathers and my predecessors instituted a case against me. I was less than six months on the throne then, but some of the good works I did before I returned home, gave me lots of courage.

    “Somebody must be God-fearing and I believe in my God; that is why I still insist I have no regrets,” he said.

    Many of his contemporaries and subject understand Oba Oniba on his principled stance on issues. He is not the one to be easily tantalised with cash.

    On principles, Oba Oseni said: “I have principles. “Once I the Oniba of Iba, says ‘no’, everybody within my domain and beyond knows I will maintain that stance. You cannot convince me with money. I know I’m not rich but I can never be tempted with money to do things against my principle.”

    He noted that the immediate past chairman of the Iba LCDA had already acquired a parcel of land in the community for the proposed school.

    “Unfortunately, the Ojo Military Cantonment has acquired most of our lands. We are also contemplating a general hospital but where do we site it? So, we are appealing to government to cede a part of the land acquired by Fashola before he left office as governor so that we can build a hospital there.