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Tag: Abeokuta

  • Ogun targets N4bn revenue in 2018

    Ogun targets N4bn revenue in 2018

    Ogun state ‘s Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Bimbo Ashiru, on Monday said the ministry had put in place machinery to generate  N4billion in  revenue next year.

    Ashiru said  this while defending the ministry’s 2018 budget proposal at the Ogun House of Assembly  in Abeokuta.

    The commissioner explained the amount proposed by the ministry was achievable, saying the ministry had mapped out strategies  to block all leakages in revenue collection.

    He said the ministry had proposed to generate N200million from registration of trade and artisans in the state while N3billion would be generated from haulage.

    “The ministry intends to intensify efforts on monitoring and enforcement for effective collections of haulage fee across the state.

    “There are over 24,000 business premises payers in the state. The sum of N300million is budgeted to be generated from registration and renewal of business premises.

    “N500million will be generated from inspection of quarries, monitoring of activities of quarry operators, regulation of illegal mining in the state and collection of surface rent,’’ he said.

    Read also: Shopping malls: Ogun to revoke unused allocations

    Ashiru also said that the ministry had proposed to spend the sum N740million on capital expenditure while N420million had been earmarked for recurrent expenditure.

    Defending the budget of his ministry, Mr Muyiwa Oladipo, the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, said that the ministry had earmarked N2.6billion as its total expenditure for 2018.

    Oladipo explained that the ministry had also proposed to put in place a museum in each of the three senatorial districts in  the state.

    “There is no museum in Ogun East. We intend having one to be called `Museum of Cultural Heritage and Data’.

    “The likes of Ogunde museum will complement that of the state,’’ he said.

    Declaring the budget defence open, Deputy Speaker, Mr Olakunle Oluomo, said  the exercise was not meant to witchhunt  any Ministry, Department  or Agency, but part of the constitutional duties of the house.

    NAN

  • Obasanjo condemns resurgence of slavery in Africa

    Obasanjo condemns resurgence of slavery in Africa

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Thursday, condemned the resurgence of slavery in some parts of Africa, saying that the development was worrisome.

    Speaking at the 2017 Annual Conference of the Comptroller General of Immigration held at the MITROS Residences in Abeokuta, Obasanjo said that slave trade in the 21st century should be condemned in the strongest  term possible.

    The theme for the conference was : ” Managing Migration and Facilitating Trade and Development in 21st Century Nigeria : NIS’ Perspective”.

    The former president noted that the current development in Africa should be a sober reflection for African leaders.

    He explained that the leaders must feel a sense of regret on what they ought to do, what they had done and what they had not done.

    “I believe that slave trade in the 21st century should be condemned in the strongest language possible and nobody who is involved in it should be excused.

    “What can we do and what must we do? We must ensure that conducive atmosphere is created for genuine exchange of goods and ensure development within our country, sub-region, continent and the world which we live.

    “But then today, migration has a very nasty connotation particularly when you watch the television and you hear the story of thousands of our youths daring to go through the desert.

    “Then after they have embark on such perilous  journeys, some of them are sold as slaves. Slaves in the 21st century, Africans being sold by Africans and maybe to Africans.

    “All of us as leaders must feel a sense of regret and have sober reflection on what we have done or what we have not done to bring this about to our own people, ” he said.

    Obasanjo, charged the men of the NIS  to imbibe the culture of training, professionalism, integrity, loyalty, and service, saying that all these must not be taken for granted.

    Read also:Politics not about life and death – Obasanjo

    In his address, the Comptroller – General of NIS , Muhammad Babandede, said that the service was committed to safe and regular migration of Nigerian citizens and foreigners.

    He disclosed that the current issue being witnessed  in Libya was not new to the NIS and it had regularly engaged in measures and activities to reduce the menace.

     

    Earlier, Gov. Ibikunle Amosun who declared the conference open, also condemned the resurrection of slave trade in Libya, saying that African leaders should rise to condemn the act.

    Amosun charged all the participants at the conference to see the programme as an avenue to brainstorm and come up with practical solutions that would be of benefits to the Nigerians and the country.

    NAN

  • One dead, two injured in Ogun auto crash

    One dead, two injured in Ogun auto crash

    One person has died and two others injured in a road accident involving Leyland truck and a pick – up van on Abeokuta township road, Ogun State, on Monday morning.

    The accident occurred around 22:50am on Abiola Way, Abeokuta, when the pick – up van rammed into the rear of the Leyland truck carrying bunches of bamboo, according to the Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), Babatunde Akinbiyi.

    Akinbiyi stated that one person died in the accident while two others were injured.

    “The fatal accident involved a Leyland lorry blue colour with registration number XA 306 KJA
    and Ford pick – van marked KSF 659 CY.

    “There were three male occupants at the time with two of them injured while one person died. The driver of the Ford pick up was over – speeding and ran into moving loaded bamboo  lorry from rear.

    “The remains of the dead were  deposited at state hospital ijaye while the two accident vehicles have been evacuated to state Motor Traffic Division(MTD),” Akinbiyi said.

    Read Also: Three die in Ogun road accident

  • Truck crushes pregnant woman, six others to death in Ogun

    Truck crushes pregnant woman, six others to death in Ogun

    Seven persons, including a pregnant woman, were crushed to death in an accident involving a white Volvo truck and a red Nissan blue bird at mechanic village along OGTV/Ajebo road in Abeokuta.

    Mr Clement Oladele, the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), in Ogun, who confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday, said the incident happened on Tuesday night.

    Oladele said that the truck with registration number: KJA 731 XP had break failure and lost control which led to a head-on collision with the blue bird car with registration number: ED 638 EKY, coming from opposite direction.

    “The truck was coming from OGTV road going into Abeokuta, while the car was going to Mile 6. The truck had break failure, lost control and crossed to the opposite lane and hit the incoming vehicle.

    ” The accident involved nine people – seven males, one female and one child, but five males, one female and one child died in the accident.

    “The only dead female victim was pregnant, ” he said.

    The sector commander said the corpses of the victims were taken to Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, mortuary, and the injured ones were admitted to the same hospital.

    He, however, said that the driver of the truck who caused the accident had fled.

  • Police arraigns 17 over invasion of party secretariat by faction of Ogun PDP

    Police arraigns 17 over invasion of party secretariat by faction of Ogun PDP

    Kashamu’s loyalists recapture Secretariat

     

    Police in Ogun State on Tuesday arraigned 17 people at a Magistrate Court sitting in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, over the invasion of the state Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) by a faction of the party.

    The 17 suspects were arrested on Monday in different locations in Abeokuta for allegedly taking part in the invasion and forceful occupation of the party Secretariat on IBB Boulevard of the metropolis by the newly elected executive of the PDP led by Sikirullai Ogundele.

    They were charged with conducts bordering on breach of peace, contempt of court order and disrespect to the magistrate court via charge number MA/723c/2017 and punishable under section 516, 249(d) and 133(9) criminal code, laws of Ogun State, 2016.

    The alleged contempt pertains to an order earlier given by a magistrate court sitting in Abeokuta presided by Magistrate Idowu Olayinka which in his ruling, restrained PDP constituted Panel from holding “Any congress, gathering, public assembly or meeting likely to cause breach of peace in Ogun State or any part of Ogun.”

    However, the accused persons pleaded not guilty to the all the charges.

    Counsel for the accused persons, Kayode Akinsola and Muyiwa Obanewa made an oral bail application for the accused persons, arguing that the offences preferred against the 17 are bailable.

    Read: Ogun PDP: Kashamu’s camp reclaim Secretariat, arrest 17

    The Prosecutor, Inspector Olakunle Sonibare, did not oppose the application and Magistrate Idowu Olayinka, granted them bail in the sum of N150, 000 with one sureties each in the like sum.

    The sureties, according to the Magistrate must be residents within the magistrate division and must provide three years tax clearance each.

    Meanwhile, the lingering crisis within the Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) deepened on Tuesday as in less than eight hours after the Sikirullai Ogundele led executive of the Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dislodged the factional chairman, Engr. Bayo Dayo, and his team from the party’s state Secretariat on IBB Boulevard, Abeokuta, Dayo’s camp fought back and reclaimed the building.

    Dayo’s camp which is loyal to Senator Buruji Kashamu in a counter – strategy, stormed the facility on Monday evening with armed Policemen drafted from Zone 2, Lagos.

    The Publicity Secretary of Bayo Dayo – led factional executive of Ogun PDP, Bolaji Adeniji, told The Nation that they have recovered the building from Ogundele’s camp.

    Bolaji described Ogundele and his executive members as dissident group, accused them of invading the party Secretariat and stationing people suspected to be political “thugs” there.

    Ogundele and other members of the newly elected executives had stormed the Secretariat by noon on Monday and sacked junior workers and other people found there, triggering confusion as the affected workers caught unaware scampered for safety.

    But some hours later, Kashamu loyalists turned the tide against Ogundele and colleagues, went to the Secretariat and evicted their boys keeping vigil at the building.
    And addressing journalists yesterday at the embattled Secretariat, Engr. Bayo Dayo, who noted that he escaped undetected when the factional PDP members invaded the facility, said nobody can take over the Secretariat while his tenure as authentic state Chairman remains till 2020.

    Bayo alleged that four plasma television sets, three fridges, three computer sets, photocopy machines, standing fans and party documents were carted away from the offices of Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and organising secretary by the other faction.

    He said the Monday incident was not the first time Ogundele led faction would invade the Secretariat, adding that the said Ogundele is on bail from an Ogun State Magistrate Court following an earlier invasion of the Secretariat in 2016.

    The Chairman blamed the National Caretaker Chairman of the party, Ahmed Makarfi of being responsible for the crisis in Ogun PDP and other Southwest states.

    Bayo: “Makarfi is taking sides with some people in South West, he’s only adding to the problem of the party, his intention is to wipe out PDP in the South West.

    “We can’t blame him because he was a spectator at the Port Harcourt convention, someone just picked him and made him the caretaker Chairman, there’s nothing like caretaker in our constitution.

    “He’s only after a personal agenda, because he wants to be President and he has some people he’s working with, I know that the house of lies built by Makarfi and his hirelings will soon collapse, we are more than ready to challenge this illegality up to the highest court in the land.

    “Makarfi is a product of rule of law, because he wouldn’t have been where he is if not because of the supreme court judgement, he must also respect the rule of law because this exco is recognised by the law.”

    Read Also: PDP factions battle over Ogun Secretariat

     

  • Ogun PDP: Kashamu’s camp reclaim Secretariat, arrest 17

    Ogun PDP: Kashamu’s camp reclaim Secretariat, arrest 17

    In less than eight hours after the Sikirullai Ogundele led executive of the Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) dislodged the factional chairman, Engr. Bayo Dayo, and his team from the party’s state Secretariat on IBB Boulevard, Abeokuta, Dayo’s camp fought back and reclaimed the building.

    Dayo’s camp which is loyal to Senator Buruji Kashamu in a counter – strategy, stormed the facility on Monday evening with armed Policemen believed to have been drafted from Zone 2, Lagos, and arrested 17 persons stationed at the party Secretariat by the new elected executive led by Ogundele.

    The Publicity Secretary of Bayo Dayo – led factional executive of Ogun PDP, Bolaji Adeniji, who confirmed to The Nation the recovery of the building from Ogundele’s camp, said the 17 people arrested at the Secretariat would be arraigned in court today.

    Bolaji described Ogundele and his executive members as dissident group, accused them of invading the party Secretariat and stationing people suspected to be political “thugs” there.

    Ogundele and other members of the newly elected executives had stormed the Secretariat by noon yesterday and sacked junior workers and other people found there, triggering confusion as the affected workers caught unaware scampered for safety.

    But some hours later, Kashamu loyalists turned the tide against Ogundele and colleagues, went to the Secretariat and evicted their boys keeping vigil at the building.

    Read Also: PDP holds parallel state congresses in Oyo, Ogun

  • New FUNAAB VC gets instrument of office

    New FUNAAB VC gets instrument of office

    The substantive Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Prof Felix Kolawole Salako has assured that he would “be fair to all.”

    He gave the assurance shortly after getting his instruments of office from the Acting Vice Chancellor, Prof Ololade Enikuomehin on Tuesday in the presence of Principal Officers and other top members of staff according to a statement by ‘Kola Adepoju, Acting Head, Directorate of Public Relations, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB).

    Salako noted that God had been with the University despite the recent crisis, noting that the Governing Council should be commended for mustering courage to appoint three Principal Officers in a flawless process within same period.

    The soil physicist said that his approach to administration would revolve around his core values of justice and fairness.

    According to him, the productivity of staff would be of paramount interest to him while diligence and efficiency among workers would also be rewarded.

    “I have the responsibility of the Vice Chancellor to protect the interest of the University. I have the responsibility to ensure that workers are comfortable. That workers have what is due to them, that students have what is due to them too,” he said.

    Prof Salako, who was the pioneer Director of the Centre for Community-Based Farming Scheme (COBFAS) at FUNAAB, officially assumes duty today.

  • Ogun revenue agency generates N33b in 8 months — Chairman

    Ogun revenue agency generates N33b in 8 months — Chairman

    Mr Adekunle Adeosun, the Chairman, Ogun State Internal Revenue Service (OGIRS), said on Friday that the agency generated more than N33 billion from January to Aug. 2017.

    Adeosun made this known during an oversight visit of the State Assembly’s Committee on Finance and Appropriation to the agency’s head office in Abeokuta.

    He said that the amount generated with the eight months under review was part of the estimated revenue of N41 billion approved for 2017.

    According to him, the agency has already recorded 81 per cent performance.

    The chairman stated that of the N33 billion generated by OGIRS, N31.6billion came from personal income tax, more than N1.2billion from withholding tax, and N318.5million from road tax.

    “Some of the revenue also came from property tax, pools and lottery, levies and also from registration and other miscellaneous collection,’’ he said.

    Adeosun explained that the achievement recorded in the area of huge revenue collection could be attributed to regular tax education and enlightenment of the public by the state government

    According to him, the enumeration of existing and potential tax payers also contributed significantly to the success recorded.

    “We do not have any interference from the governor of the state on the issue of tax collection which has significantly contributed to the success of OGIRS in its aggressive revenue drive.

    “It could also be attributed to collaboration and exchange of information with Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and aggressive tax drive within the confine of the law.

    “Low level of voluntary compliance by self employed individuals and informal sectors and paucity of funds to buy operational vehicles are some of the challenges we are facing in OGIRS,’’ he said.

    Responding, Chairman of the state assembly committee, Mr Akanbi Bankole, congratulated the management of OGIRS on the huge revenue collected.

    Bankole, however, charged the management of OGIRS to expand the revenue base of the state with a view to delivering more dividends of democracy to the people.

    He urged OGIRS to ensure that carried members of the Ogun assembly along in the execution of some of its policies and programmes to improve the relationship between the lawmakers and the agency.

    Read Also: Ogun ‘church’ where Satan is a ‘brother’, worshippers are served alcohol

  • PDP Chairmanship: I can’t move without Obasanjo’s advice – Daniel

    PDP Chairmanship: I can’t move without Obasanjo’s advice – Daniel

    … Seeks Baba’s blessing

     

    Former Governor Gbenga Daniel on Friday visited ex – President Olusegun Obasanjo at his Presidential Hilltop Estate, Abeokuta, Ogun state, to consult and solicit support ahead of his planned declaration of intention to run for the Office of the National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    Daniel, who governed Ogun State for eight years on the platform of PDP, is expected to formally declare his intention for the PDP chairmanship position in Abuja next Wednesday.

    The ex – Governor who had since reconciled with Obasanjo after the duo fell apart in the build up to the 2011 governorship election in the state, noted that given the status of Obasanjo as a foundation member of PDP, it was necessary that he seeks his input before proceeding with the ambition to lead the party at the National level.

    Other PDP bigwigs spoiling to also lead the once touted as the largest political party in Africa, are chief Bode George and the Chairman of Daar Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi.

    Daniel  and his entourage comprising  members of the Ogun State Caretaker Committee of the party, former State Chairman of PDP, Elder Joju Fadairo, former House of Representatives member, Hon. Kayode Amusan, former minister, Alh. Sarafa Ishola and Director of Mobilization and Organization, Ogun PDP, Deji Kalejaiye among others, who arrived Obasanjo’s home around 10am, entered a closed door meeting with him after about an hour long – waiting.

    Others in the entourage are Chief (Mrs) Iyabo Apampa and  former Deputy Governor in the state, Alhaja  Salimot Badru.

    And when they emerged later, Daniel told journalists that he came to “consult with Baba Obasanjo and seeks his advice” regarding his ambition to run for the office of the National Chairman of PDP, adding that he can’t make any  move in that direction without the ex – President’s input.

    “I’m contesting for the PDP chairmanship position. I’m consulting and Baba is one of the foundation members of the party and we can’t move without him,” Daniel said.

    He said PDP is now united and being rejuvenated to make it a party to beat both in Ogun State and at the centre.

    “We have been united. You can see all of us are here. We have realised that united we stand and divided we fall. There are no many problems or many challenges. What you see is just called internal democracy.

    “And to summarize it, we just want to return the party to the people and once that is done, I think the people will be in control, he added.

    Also, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of PDP for the state, Mr. Tunde Odunye, told journalists aside seeking Obasanjo’s support, they also confessed their “transgressions” to him and got his “forgiveness” as a father would forgive erring children.

    However, it should be recalled that Obasanjo had in the build up to the 2015 general elections, publicly tore his PDP membership card before Television Camera and announced his quitting of partisan politics to become an elder statesman and father of all of Nigerians.

     

  • From Abeokuta to Abuja

    “A man who can’t tell where the rain began to beat him cannot know where he dried his body.”- An Igbo epigram

    It comes as a pleasant coincidence. Just a few days after the Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, cleared the air on the state’s debt profile, drawing plaudits from the vast majority of residents and stereotyped censure from a few opposition elements, the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, equally cleared the air on the financial position of the federal government, especially the debt profile. From what I have read in the papers, there is no doubt the vast majority of Nigerians will applaud the minister, and of course, criticisms must be expected from a few.

    Constructive criticism is the oil of democracy while destructive censure constitutes a clog in the wheel of progress. No government, the world over, will get everything right. There must always be room for improvement. But when opposition elements and some commentators stand before a skyscraper and still claim what they see is a bungalow, all in the name of “Pull him Down”, then we are in the realm of disruptive politics, which is fatal to the socio-economic progress of any society.

    Debt is an emotive issue in every part of the country. Nigerians know that borrowing is an aspect of economic measures. But they are averse to borrowing because of the mismanagement of the past. In the past, a government would claim they borrowed one humongous amount for one project or the other. You ask, “Where are the projects constructed with the money? Where are the roads built? Where are the classrooms or school buildings erected? Is there any improvement in the health care delivery?” They have practically nothing to point to; little or nothing to show for the resources. So when any new government comes on the scene and talks about loan, Nigerians simply don’t want to listen. And that is why responsible governments must keep up the dialogue with the people, so that they don’t become victims of transferred aggression.

    Before you talk of borrowing, Nigerians at least expect certain measures to be in place. First, you block loopholes inherent in the old system, raise your revenue generation and ensure financial discipline. I recall one of the major steps taken by the Amosun government in 2011 was to streamline the accounting system and put an end to the proliferation of government bank accounts by the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). Electronic payment was introduced to ensure that government revenues would no longer end in private pockets. As a result of these measures, the income generated by the Ministry of Commerce suddenly rose from the average of N45 million per annum under the previous administration to N550 million per annum (representing 1,122% increase) within a space of one year! Of course, the governor is a reputed expert in financial prudence. There are no free monies in Ogun. Amosun insists on value for money for every project executed. From a paltry sum of N750m per month inherited Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), the Amosun government has moved the IGR to N6 billion monthly; the administration is doing everything possible to raise the figure to N10 billion in not too distant future.

    Reading the article by the Minister of Finance on the debt debate on Monday jogs my memory on my piece in early 2015: “It would seem an understatement for President Muhammadu Buhari to speak of inheriting an empty treasury. I think we should thank God that the President even met a treasury at all. With the monetary bonanza, bazaar and lottery that characterized the electioneering of the ruling party in the last general elections, we should be grateful to the almighty that both the purse and its contents had not disappeared altogether.”

    I also recall another intervention in the fall of that same year, “I believe we also need prayers in this country. Why is it now that we have a President Muhammadu Buhari that is committed to good governance and accountability that we are confronted with paucity of cash? Why has the price of oil chosen this momentous time to plummet to this level? Even if the new government achieves complete diversification of the economy, will it fructify overnight, in one, two or three years? Why should it be at this time that we have a highly conscientious and honest central government that we should have this kind of financial situation as a country? So we need prayers in this country.”

    I think what Minister Adeosun has done is to remind us of the road we had marched as a people in recent years and the sedulous efforts that the Buhari administration is making to turn things around for the country. And the hard work is yielding positive fruits. To quote an Igbo epigram, “A man who can’t tell where the rain began to beat him cannot know where he dried his body.” For instance, it is so easy to forget that about 28 states could not pay salaries before Buhari came to power. Mass sack of workers loomed large in the horizon. Yet, the President released bail-out funds, Budget Support Fund and Paris Club Refunds to all the states irrespective of party affiliation. As Adeosun pointed out, “Through the implementation of the Efficiency Unit and enrolment of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, we have successfully saved N206bn in payroll costs using technology to drive the cleansing process, with the removal of 54,000 fraudulent or erroneous entries. This was attained without the negative social impact of retrenchment.” Two hundred and six billion naira is up to the budget of a state government in Nigeria!

    The non-oil revenue drive of the federal government is producing results, some in an unprecedented manner. Just recently, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) remitted about N8 billion to the Federation Account without any increase in fees payable by candidates, whereas the highest it ever paid under the previous government was a meagre N3 million! The Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) remitted only a paltry N4.95 billion to the Federation Account in 2015 but the figure rose dramatically to N24 billion within a space of one year under the Buhari administration! Major revenue-generating agencies are turning in fantastic figures to the Federation Account.

    The Almighty, of course, answers prayers. As the Buhari administration intensifies investment in agriculture, solid mineral resources and other non-oil income sources, the price of crude oil in the global market appears promising once again. All this shows that better days are ahead for Nigeria.

    The article by the Minister of Finance is stirring and most affecting. “The administration has always been transparent and the reward for transparency should not be consternation but rather, patient and informed analysis. The administration has expended more on capital projects than any previous one, despite tight fiscal conditions… is working harder on revenue generation than ever before. Blocking leakages, demanding efficiency and even breaching previous “no-go” areas like tax compliance for our higher earners. All these efforts are aimed at ensuring that Nigeria has an economy that distributes wealth and opportunity fairly among her citizens.”

     

    Soyombo, a journalist, sent this piece from Abeokuta.