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Tag: assignment

  • ‘Don’t compromise your assignment in the elections’

    The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Port Harcourt, Gen. Jamil Sarham, has warned officers and men not to get involved in next year’s elections beyond their statutory duties.

    Gen. Sarham gave the warning at the weekend when he unveiled a 25-bed space structure and gunboat built by the Commander of Sector 3, Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) at Okrika in Rivers State, Ismailhil Oloyinde.

    The GOC said the military’s role in the exercise had been handed down to them, and so officers should not go beyond ensuring a secured environment for successful elections. He insisted that any personnel, who violates the mandate, would be sanctioned.

    He said: “Let me remind us that as 2019 is approaching, and our roles are spelt out, the Army must remain apolitical, non-partisan and neutral, and only provide a conducive, secure atmosphere for the election.

    “Let me warn officers and men of 6 Division to steer clear of partisan politics; you must concern yourself only to your assigned duties; you must not compromise your position under whatever guise.”

    Gen. Sarham praised Oloyinde for the initiative and lauded his foresight to motivate troops to do better in their assignment.

    He added: “Soldiers will want to perform, but if you want them to perform ultimately, take time to take care of their welfare and you will get the best of them.  I think the outgoing commander of Sector 3, Ismailhil, understood this very well, and that is why he took up the giant project to make sure that they have a place to sleep when they are on transit.”

    Oloyinde said he took the step of improving on the four bed-space accommodation he inherited from his predecessor to motivate the troops to better service delivery.

    “The mandate of OPDS is to protect oil and gas infrastructure and deter militancy, sea robbery, crude oil theft and other forms of crime within the JOA that could impact negatively on economic activities in the Niger Delta.

    “The attainment of this mandate, among other factors, is incumbent upon rapid deployment of professionally-responsive and motivated personnel in a conducive environment for administrative and operational exigencies.”

  • Why Tinubu’s assignment is crucial, by APC chiefs

    Why Tinubu’s assignment is crucial, by APC chiefs

    Senator representing Kaduna Central Shehu Sani has warned that avoidable doom awaits the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the 2019 polls,  should Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu fail to reconcile aggrieved members.

    This came as Kaduna State APC governorship aspirant Alhaji Sani Sha’aban said the strength of any political party depends on its mechanism for resolving internal crisis.

    Sha’aban hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing Tinubu to chair the reconciliation committee.

    Sani, a chieftain of APC and chairman of Senate Committee on Foreign and Local Debt, spoke yesterday with reporters in Abuja.

    It was his own reaction to Tinubu’s appointment by Buhari to lead the APC team of consultation, reconciliation and confidence-building.

    Tinubu’s assignment, among others, is to forge cohesion within the APC ahead of the 2019 general election. It involves resolving disagreements among party members and leaders.

    It also involves reconciling political office holders in some APC-controlled states and addressing crises in the party’s chapters in Kano, Kogi, Kaduna, Bauchi and other states.

    “It is going to be a tragedy if he fails. This is what I know and I can speak in parables,” said Sani, who has not been in a good relationship with his Governor Ahmed Nasir El-Rufai.

    According to him, the Kaduna State governor has pocketed the party and wants to impose his will and unleash terror on members, by exploiting his proximity to the President.

    He said Tinubu´s appointment has halted, for now, the defection of most APC members to other political parties.

    Sani said it was no more news that the APC was faced with crises in some states where it holds sway, adding that the crises have defied solutions for over two years.

    The senator noted that efforts made in the past have failed to address the multi-state crises.

    Sani while confirming that the Kaduna State chapter of the party is now having a parallel executive, said it was left for the Tinubu team to address the situation before it gets out of hand.

    “It is left for Asiwaju to build the bridges. Lagos is known for bridges; therefore, we hope that there will be Seventh Mainland Bridge to connect the divide, but we are not sure of this.

    “Right now, the party is already divided in Kaduna and it is for the national secretariat to note this and we have said it in clear terms,” he said.

    Sani advised the Tinubu reconciliation team not to take sides but to give equal treatment, especially as far as Kaduna state is concerned, in the interest of the party and its members.

    He noted that the PDP was not destroyed from the outside, but from the inside, adding that it was the marginalised and oppressed elements within the party that became the final nail on its coffin.

    Sha’aban, an ex-member of the House of Representatives, who spoke in Zaria, Kaduna State, said crisis in a political party was an ingredient of democracy, adding that politics was all about solving crisis.

    “Therefore, crisis in political parties is normal but it all depends on how best a party resolves such crisis,” he said.

    He said:  “Chief Tinubu is capable and suitable for the post. I am confident that he will definitely deliver the goods successfully.”

    On his political ambition, Sha’aban said his politics always incline toward the masses, identifying their needs and devising measures to address such problems.

  • Mba gets FIFA assignment

    Mba gets FIFA assignment

    FIFA technical advisor on refereeing and NFF refereeing consultant,  Linus Mba, has been appointed by world football –governing body, FIFA, as Referee Assessor for the 2018 FIFA World Cup preliminary match between Namibia and The Gambia.

    The match will take place in Windhoek, capital of Namibia on October 13.

    With both teams set to execute the first leg of the fixture in Banjul two weeks earlier, the match at the Sam Nujoma Stadium, starting 4pm Namibian time, will have Botswanan Joshua Bondo as referee, with fellow Botswanans Oamogetse Godisamang, Moemedi Godfrey Monakwane and Lekgotia Leonard Johannes as assistant referee 1, assistant referee 2 and fourth official respectively.

    Jorge Mario Fernandes from Angola will be the match commissioner, and Nigerian Mba will be the referee assessor.

    Mba, a former FIFA referee, also served in the CAF Referees Committee and is highly -respected globally in the area of referee assessment and training.

  • Athletes’ disposition to national assignment

    Today as I reflect on the outcome of the International Friendly match organised by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for the Super Eagles against their counterparts from Uganda, I can’t help but comment on how our athletes and national team players have over the years lost the ‘fighting and biting’ attitude that differentiates the Nigerian from all other peoples of the world.

    Slowly but steadily we have seen our national team players reduce their zeal for the nation and also lower their steam and hunger for the nation as can be seen in the way they carry out their duties on the field  of play.

    While from a professional point of view it can be said that the team that played against Uganda were a new one and, secondly, the team had only one training session on the morning of the match, as such the players did not have sufficient time to blend and understand themselves before the game. Nevertheless, I am of the strong opinion that the team failed to show the needed character.

    One would have expected that the Nigeria team would at least show a fighting attitude rather than the laissez-faire attitude that was displayed on the field. I appreciate the introduction of some new players into the team and I feel strongly that the future of the Super Eagles is very bright if only the players can decide to redouble their efforts and work as a team with the needed fighting spirit.

    We need to also appreciate the fact that despite the various challenges faced by the NFF they were still able to put together international friendly matches for their teams.  This is commendable and I feel that all the players at the various national teams should consider playing for their country as a great honour and privilege instead of merely seeing it as the norm.

    Another thing of interest to me is the depth of our technical crew and in looking at this, I would want to ask what coaching qualification they possess; are they well certified to perform the duties and roles they are now performing? Do they understand that coaching is beyond showmanship?

    However, it is instructive to state that the essence of friendly games is not to win but to identify the weaknesses of a team with the aim of correcting observable mistakes in a real game situation. Also, it affords the technical crew the ability to see the inherent skills and talents of their respective players, that is why during friendly matches both teams will have to agree on the number of players to be substituted.

    Coming back to Nigeria, I am convinced that the team is already in Nelspruit, South Africa for the match against the Bafana Bafana. This match must be taken very seriously as it has the capacity to either propel the team’s image and brand recognition and also that of redefining the future perception of Nigerian football.

    A renowned football administrator once confided in me that no matter how good you are as a sport administrator if the players for any reason decide not to play, the entire structure will be affected. That is why it is said that the sport administration destiny of any administrator is on the feet of the players.

    Finally, I want to encourage the various national athletes to have a rethink and possibly vow to be more committed in honouring future national assignments, while the administrators should also be seen to be doing their best in adequately preparing athletes for major competitions. The coaches are also not left out, they must be seen improving themselves on contemporary techniques of coaching.

  • ‘168,000 corps members for INEC’s assignment’

    ‘168,000 corps members for INEC’s assignment’

    About 168,000 corps members that have registered to serve as ad-hoc workers in the general elections may participate in the exercise.

    The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Johnson Olawumi, said this at the weekend at a news briefing on the national honours award of the scheme scheduled for today.

    The NYSC boss said although 34,000 passed out of the scheme recently, they would still be used as ad-hoc workers during the exercise.

    Brig.-Gen. Olawumi, who said about 2.8 million Nigerians have participated in the NYSC since its inception, added that the scheme had put in place watertight strategy that would guarantee the safety of the corps members during the elections.

    He also added that about 164 ex-corps members that distinguished themselves during their service year would be rewarded by President Goodluck Jonathan today.

  • SOFOLUWE TO PILLARS, ENYIMBA: Don’t treat continental assignment with levity

    SOFOLUWE TO PILLARS, ENYIMBA: Don’t treat continental assignment with levity

    Management of league winners Pillars and runners up Enyimba have been told to take preparation for their continental outings seriously if they wish to do well.

    Former international Yisa Sofoluwe, who gave the charge, said there is more to winning the premier league and picking a continental ticket, noting that lack of proper preparation, poor approach to management and over confidence had in the past stopped teams with potentials from achieving set goals.

    The Dean of Defence, as he was fondly called in his days in the national team, added that with the improving standard of play in the league Nigeria ought to start calling the shots at all levels in the continent.  He, however, expressed confidence in the quality of players at the disposal of both teams, insisting that laurels can come on a silver platter, especially with maximum support from their state governments and club management.

    “The league was highly competitive this season and both teams cannot be said to be pushovers, but they must avoid the usual pitfalls like poor preparation and travel arrangement among other things.  If they get the support I think they will do well,” he enthused.

    Sofoluwe, who is being courted by some clubs ahead of the next season, re-echoed the need for all departments of the league to improve so that whoever emerges champion can withstand the heat anywhere.

    “We must continuously improve the league in all aspects, standard of play, officiating, management in fact everything so that whoever wins the league at any point in time can truly beat his chest and be in a position to compete anywhere, but where a team emerges through sharp practice, such as poor officiating, it will tell along the line,” he said in a chat with SportingLife on Friday.