The Nation Newspaper

Tag: assures

  • Commissioner assures residents on roads

    The Lagos State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure has pledged to focus keenly on implementation and completion of all the projects it started last year.

    Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, who disclosed it to reporters during a parley, said the ministry this year, would continue to provide standard roads and ensure even development in all parts of Lagos.

    According to him, 83 out of the 285 road projects completed in 2013 include: Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge in Eti Osa Local Government area; Ibeshe Road in Ikorodu LG area; Alaba Cemetery Road, Salabiu Olanrewaju Road, Simbiat Abiola Road, Badejo Kalesanwo, and a host of others.

    He said the essence of the phasing is to avoid concentration of development in a particular locality, noting that contractors had begun work on Liasu Egbe Road Phase II; Awolowo Road, Phase II in Ikorodu and Ago Palace Way, Phase II. He explained that the challenges encountered in the course of the construction process were responsible for the delay in execution.

    The commissioner said: “One of the challenges in the rural local government area like Badagry, Ojo is that building roads there is more expensive because majority of the roads are waterlogged. Other challenges are court actions against the government, which create extensive delay in project completion.”

    While clearing the air on the misconception that development is restricted to certain areas, the commissioner said no local government in the state is marginalised as road projects are in earnest in every local government. Hamzat said the network connectivity of an area to other major ones, traffic bearing load and ability to discharge water are some of the criteria taken into consideration when selecting areas for development.

    “In some areas like Somolu and Agege, we didn’t start work early enough because we were focusing more on the canals. It doesn’t make sense to build a road when you cannot actually discharge the water. There must be an upfront somewhere. We are not just building roads to move people and traffic; we are also building roads to move water because the life span of that road will be diminished if it cannot move water,” he explained.

  • Africa Prudential Registrars assures on quality investor services

    Africa Prudential Registrars (APR) Plc has assured that ongoing strategic initiatives would lead to paradigm shift in investors services and further reinforced the company’s leadership position in the share registration industry.

    The assurance came as APR received the International Quality Crown (IQC) Award in the Gold category from the Business Initiative Directions (BID) in London. The IQC Award acknowledges cutting edge companies from around the world for their firm commitment to excellence, innovation and leadership. BID is a leading global organization that promotes quality culture in top businesses.

    Speaking on the IQC award, managing director, Africa Prudential Registrars (APR) Plc, Mr. Peter Ashade, said the company was committed to creating a paradigm shift in investors services and the share registration business in Nigeria and Africa in general.

    According to him, over the years, the company has built a reputation for innovation and high quality of service; which has helped to maintain its leading position in Nigeria.

    “This award validates our ongoing efforts to provide unique offerings in the share registration and investor services business. We thank the BID for the honour and recognition,” Ashade said.

    APR has steadily recorded a positive return on investment for its numerous local and international investors, the most prominent of which is Heirs Holdings, the pan-African investment company with long term, strategic interests in key economic sectors that generate social wealth.

  • FERMA assures of better roads at Yuletide

    FERMA assures of better roads at Yuletide

    Garba Mubi, the executive director of Road Maintenance Management Services Department,Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA), has promised better roads this Yuletide.

    Mubi spoke in Ibadan, Oyo State, when he rounded off a two-day inspection of the Southwest.

    He said: “FERMA is ready to make the roads safer this Yuletide.

    “In pursuit of its mandate and for sustainability of good roads, the agency is using a Surveillance/Preventive Road Maintenance Strategy to ensure that Nigerian roads are better and safer always.”

    Besides Mubi, the FERMA team had Baba Yakubu, acting general manager, West Operations (Southwest 1).

    The team visited Oyo, Kwara and Ekiti states to assess the activities of the agency.

    Nubi said FERMA had repaired roads, particularly the Oyo-Iseyin, Omuaran–Egbe, Ado-Ekiti-Aramoko-Esa-Oke, Ado-Ekiti-Iluomoba and Ibadan-Ife-Ilesa.

    The agency chief said FERMA’s activities were limited by lack of funds.

    “Although we have financial challenges, the agency is ready to make the roads better for users.”

    He said the dry season offers the opportunity for road construction and maintenance, saying: “Some of these roads have been fully recovered for safe passage.”

    “Most of our roads experience heavy traffic at Yuletide and that is why we are stepping up activities ,” he said.

    Mrs Mary Adeniran, zonal co-ordinator in Southwest said FERMA stressed that the dry season offers a better time for the job.

    Adeniran said: “The agency pays more attention to celebration time, when the road traffic will be heavier.”

    Others on the tour is the Maintenance Engineer for Oyo State, Olusesan Akingbade.

    FERMA came into existence in 2002 by an Act of the National Assembly, with the mandate to maintain over 36 kilometres of federal roads nationwide.

  • Alleged N27.5b theft: Court assures Atuche of fair trial

    Alleged N27.5b theft: Court assures Atuche of fair trial

    Justice Lateefat Okunnu of a Lagos High Court, Ikeja yesterday assured a former Managing Director of Bank PHB, Francis Atuche, of a fair trial.

    Justice Okunnu gave the assurance after Atuche’s counsel, Chief Anthony Idigbe (SAN) and Mr Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), complained that the court was not according the former bank chief a fair hearing.

    Atuche and his wife, Elizabeth, were charged to court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly stealing N27.5billion belonging to the defunct bank.

    Charged alongside the couple, was a former Chief Financial Officer of the bank, Ugo Anyanwu .

    At the resumed hearing of the matter yesterday, Idigbe said himself and Oyetibo were appealing the N10,000 cost awarded against them by the court on October 3, 2013.

    At the last hearing, Justice Okunnu had penalised the two defence counsels for “wasting tax payers money”, following their absence from court proceedings.

    Chief Anthony Idigbe while moving an application dated October 9, this year, argued that there was no justification for the penalty imposed on them by the trial judge, saying they had written to the court regarding their absence.

    Chief Idigbe, therefore, sought the leave of the court to appeal against the order at the Court of Appeal.

    He prayed the trial court to stay execution of the order,pending the decision of the appellate court.

  • Reps panel assures sacked Mobil workers

    The House of Representatives has assured disengaged 1,400 contract workers of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited of justice.

    The assurance was given by the House Committee on Public Petition during an investigative hearing surrounding the implementation of terms of agreement between the two parties.

    Chairman of the Committee, Uzor Azubuike, also said investigation into the disengagement of the contract workers and the implementation of the terms of agreement by the international oil company became imperative because of the number of people involved and the implication on their socio-economic well being.

    While adjourning hearing till November because the representative of Mobil, Executive Director, Human Resources, Udom Uloyo, claimed not to be briefed about the petition the Chairman stressed that the investigative hearing must be held and successfully concluded.

    “This is a serious issue because of the number of people involved. The case is just like that of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) that sacked about 4,000 workers.

    “We intervened and made our recommendations to the House. In this case, we are going to investigate it and if possible we won’t mind going to Akwa Ibom for the hearing because we cannot ask over 1,400 people to come to Abuja as we have to ascertain that these are not a rented crowd,” he said.

    Uloyo, however, advised the parties not to be over enthusiastic about the hearing, as the committee was not a court of law and can only make recommendations to the House for approval based on the evidence available to the committee.

    The Registrar of the International Institute for Humanitarian and Environmental Law, Cyprian Edward-Ekpo, who represented the disengaged workers, said the petition was sent to the House because the ex-oil workers have been subjected to humiliation by the oil company while demanding their rights.

    Hearing was adjourned till next month.

  • Dangote Cement assures on price, quality stability

    Dangote Cement Plc has assured that it would continue to stabilise the price of its products without compromising the quality.

    The company said this would create reasonable profit for its stakeholders in the building industry, especially the block moulders.

    The Group Executive Director, Sales and Marketing, Knut Ulvemoen, gave the assurance when he spoke at a sensitisation workshop in Abuja for block makers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its environs.

    The workshop was organised by Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and sponsored by Dangote Cement Plc.

    Knut decried the prevalence of substandard sandcrete blocks.

    He explained that some block makers, in the attempt to miximise profit, used the wrong blend of cement and sand, causing defects in structures.

  • No hike in fees, VC assures students

    No hike in fees, VC assures students

    The vice-Chancellor of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Prof Femi Mimiko, has said the management does not have plan to increase the school fees as being speculated.

    He said there was no iota of truth in the rumour.

    Speaking at the Information Unit of the university, Prof Mimiko said the management would not deviate from the policy of the Ondo State government, which said it could afford any student to drop out of school for the reason of tuition.

    The VC said there would not be any increment in the present session, explaining that the government had a policy in place that was being directed at ensuring the weakest in the society would not be disadvantaged.

    With the assurance, students and their parents praised the management for maintaining the status quo.

    Mr. Gbenga Arajulu said: “As a parent, I am deeply impressed with this development and I congratulate the university management for not reneging on its promises.”

    Mr Ayodeji Adejuwon, another parent, who described the development as a relief on parents, said: “I am elated that the university is maintaining the old school fees.”

    Gbenga Akinbolade, 400-Level Mass Communication, said the rumour made many students to be panic, adding that with the clarification by the VC, “we are grateful to the authorities and I believe this good trend will continue to project the image of the university”.

  • Army chief assures non-indigenes of safety

    CHIEF of Army Staff (COAS) Lt-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika was yesterday in Onitsha. His mission was to assure resident-settlers in the Southeast of safety and allay the fears of non-indigenes.

    The General said there would be no reprisals over the bomb attack on Sabon-Gari bus station in Kano, Kano State.

    The COAS urged community leaders to prevail on the people to remain calm.

    Lt-Gen. Ihejirika, who was represented by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Div, Nigeria Army, Enugu, Maj- Gen Adebayo Olaniyi, toured the Onitsha Main Market and the Head Bridge Market as well as the Arewa Park, among other markets on foot for over three hours.

    He held talks with the various market leaders and traders on the need to maintain the peace and shun inducements for a reprisal.

    Commending the maturity of Ndigbo in handling the situation, he thanked Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and leaders (religious and community) for their proactive measures to ensure the threat for a reprisal was nipped in the bud.

    Gen. Ihejrirka, who later addressed a stakeholders meeting at the Officers’ Mess, 302 Artillery Regiment of the Nigeria Army, Onitsha, said that reprisal attacks could never solve the security challenges facing the country.

    He said: “Let me also state categorically that the insinuation of a possible reprisal attack is unfounded as it exists only in the imagination of some unpatriotic elements desperate to cause tension.

    “I am, however, aware that a few non-indigenes, resident in Onitsha, have out of perceived fear, moved away from their abode to other areas for safety.

    “There is no report of any form of attack to warrant these movements. Since yesterday when the report was received, troops of the Nigerian Army and other security agencies have mounted patrols to monitor the situation in major towns and flash points across the Southeast.

    “I can, therefore conveniently inform you all that there is no tension of any sort and citizens, including non-indigenes, should go about their businesses without fear.’’

    He sued for peace across the Southeast, especially in the commercial city of Onitsha, assuring that the army was on top of the security challenges.

    Gen. Ihejirika addedthat Sunday’s bomb attack in the ancient city of Kano was unfortunate and needed serious maturity to handle.

  • Govt assures Nigerians of social protection

    Chairman, Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Dr. Juliet Ngozi Olejeme, has assured Nigerians of the Federal Government’s social protection that would boost essential health care benefits and reduce poverty and inequality.

    She said the Social Protection Floor is a foundation for sustainable and inclusive economic growth that has proved to be a powerful anti-crisis measure that protects and empowers people, and contributes to boosting economic demand and accelerating recovery.

    Dr. Olejeme, who is also Chairman, Trustfund Pensions, told The Nation that despite global economic crisis, the government’s social protection floors would still empower people in the informal and formal economy.

    She said: “We assure Nigerians of Federal Government‘s social protection floors that would boost essential health care and benefits, as well as reduce poverty and inequality in the country

    “Despite the global economic crisis, the government’s social protection floors will empower people by creating employment in both the formal and informal sectors.

    She stressed that social protection has proved to be an anti-crisis measure that contributes to boosting economic demand and accelerating recovery.

    She explained that “achieving the social protection schemes would complement the transformation agenda of President Jonathan through improving and promoting social equity and sustainable growth at human development index necessary to stimulate more employment in all sectors of the economy.”

    She said the waves of global economic shocks had underscored the need for countries to reinvent the mechanisms and phenomena for social protection, equitable development and balanced growth.

    “Government social protection policies and programmes referred to initiatives that deliberately sought to protect people and groups against risk and vulnerability, mitigate the impacts of shocks on livelihoods and support people who suffer from chronic incapacities to secure basic livelihood,” she said

    She said the social protection policies are aimed at zero-tolerance on workplace accidents, injuries and fatalities, adding that the government is determined to collaborate with the social strata and other stakeholders to guarantee a cleaner, safer and healther work environment for all workers.

    The principle of social protection has been ingrained as part of the government’s resolve to implement the system, she added.

  • AFN assures fairness in selection of athletes

    AFN assures fairness in selection of athletes

    The Athletic Federation of Nigeria (AFN) on Wednesday said it has put in place measures to guard against age-cheats at the forthcoming Africa Athletics Youth Championships in Warri in March. Commodore Omatseye Nesiama (NN), Technical Director of the federation, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the championships, which is for ages 16 and 17, would hold between March 28 and March 31.

    “I can assure that participating athletes at the championships will win through fair means because we are not hosting purposely to win, but to show example. We will ensure that winning is not a do-or-die affair. There are talks already that we must win at all costs, but I am saying it is not compulsory to win. We are not hosting to win,’’ he said.

    According to him, athletes’ real age at the competition will be ascertained through their birth certificates and school records. He added that screening of athletes to ascertain their actual ages would also be conducted through documentation from their parents or guardians.

    “We must be able to host well without cheating. We are not going to take any athlete that has been in any athletic club for more than a year. We are going to be serious with our screening because we need to nurture young athletes,” Nesiama said.

    The AFN Technical Director said that the federation does not need over-aged athletes who would not be able to cope with youth programmes, as they progressed.

    “In fact, we are not going to allow athletes who are already running for clubs to feature because the competition is mainly to discover new and young talents. We have different programmes for different categories and if we get it wrong now, we will continue to miss our set objectives and we will be deceiving ourselves.

    “If we present a team that is truly the reflection of the ages required and we do not win, I have no problem about that. “I will be happy because we would have assembled the right age of athletes that will be groomed properly for future competitions,” he added.