The Nation Newspaper

Tag: chairman

  • Reps’ panel chairman, immigration chief, experts warn youths against irregular migration

    Youths have been warned against embarking on irregular migration abroad, especially to Europe.

    This warning was handed down at the launch of the Migration Enlightenment Project Nigeria (MEPN) yesterday at the Centre for Management Development, Lagos.

    The event, which was organised by African German Information Centre (AGiC) and African Courier, was attended by Chairman, Committee on the Diaspora, House of Representatives Rita Orji, Director of AGiC Kenneth Gbandi and Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), Europe and Publisher of African Courier Femi Awoniyi.

    Others are Deputy Comptroller of Immigration Mrs. Sadat Hassan and Prince Akinwale Ojomo of the African Diaspora Institute.

    Highlighting the ugly side of irregular migration, Orji said irregular immigrants aside the fact that thousands of Nigerians drown in the Mediterranean, they also face the risks of having their body organs harvested by traffickers.

    She also said some parents sell their lands and properties to send their children abroad illegally.

    As it stands, Germany has 32, 000 Nigerians seeking asylum and there are more than 30, 000 Nigerians looking for jobs in Dubai, according to Orji.

    The lawmakers warned that European countries are going through harsh times, advising the youth that they can achieved their dreams in Nigeria.

    Mrs. Hassan, who headed the Nigerian Immigration Desk in Berlin, Germany for five years and six months, highlighted the sad predicament of Nigerians in the country.

    “A lot of Nigerians are there suffering,” she pointed out to the audience, which comprised mainly youths.

    And in his presentation, Awoniyi said with MEPN’s campaign of ‘Look before you leave,’ his organisation hopes to “educate would-be migrants in Nigeria about the realities of the journey to Europe”.

  • Kudos for Lagos schools renovation

    Kudos for Lagos schools renovation

    Chairman, Committee on Education of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Olanrewaju Ogunyemi, has commended Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for the ongoing renovation of schools.

    Ogunyemi spoke with reporters after he led his committee members on a tour of some of the renovated public schools.

    He said he was impressed with the renovation and rehabilitation he saw during the tour.

    “This government must be commended for its efforts. The Governor has really done so much in the last two years, particularly in overhauling infrastructure in the education sector.

    “What we have seen so far shows that there is so much hope for education in the state and I would say that the dilapidation of infrastructure in the schools has been turned around.

    “I must commend the governor and the Ministry of Education ably led by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Oluranti Adebule, for a job well done, and for monitoring the contractors to deliver a good job,” he said.

    Ogunyemi also praised the  House of Assembly for ensuring that the executive is closely monitored: for appropriating funds, following up and monitoring to ensure funds are judiciously used.

    Ogunyemi recalled how the committee, as part of its oversight functions, visited Model College, Meiran, about a year ago, and complained about its poor facilities. He  is happy that the government promptly responded and the school now wears a new look.

    He said: “We visited the school over one year ago and we complained about the state of facilities there. The hostel accommodation, the toilets, the classrooms, the water system have improved.

    “The House of Assembly is happy that our Governor is working and that the Ministry of Education is responsive to the observation of the House.

    “I think on the whole, we are pleased that our oversight function is yielding the desired results. We came and we spoke, and the government has responded.”

    According to him, the committee would ensure that upgraded facilities are used very well. He added that the principals of the schools have been told to ensure that the hostels masters and captains ensure facilities are maintained.

    Ogunyemi explained that it is important for the state government to overhaul the facilities in the schools regularly. He therefore used the opportunity to call on corporate organisations, well meaning members of the public and philanthropists to support government to make education better.

    “We need public spirited individuals, corporate organisations and philanthropists to come up and exhibit corporate social responsibility and support education.

    “Education will always produce personnel that would go back to work in those organisations.

    “I am happy that some organisations, individuals and corporate bodies are contributing to move education forward in the state,” Ogunyemi said.

    Some other schools visited by the committee included Millennium Junior and Senior Secondary School, Egbeda; Estate Junior High School, Ifako/Ijaiye; and Dairy Farm Senior Secondary School, Agege.

     

     

     

     

  • Group hails NDDC chairman

    A group, the Akwa Ibom Unity Forum, Lagos, has praised the Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr Nsima Ekere, for what it called his sterling leadership qualities in developing the region without discrimination.

    In a statement issued after its August Congress in Lagos, the group said Ekere, a chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), has made Niger Deltans happy through his humility, commitment, hard work, love and selfless service to humanity.

    The statement, signed by the group’s General Secretary, Peter Umoh, a lawyer, added: “We are happy that our brother and son has made us proud in his national assignment as the Managing Director of NDDC having touched critical areas of need in the region.

    “It is an indication that when other state or national assignments are given to him, he would do even better. We are well pleased and are solidly behind him, party and his future endeavor, politically and socially.”

    The group pledged its support for Ekere, urging him not to relent in his effort to transform the region.

  • ‘We’re focused on education’

    The Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) Chairman, Abdulahi Adamu Candido has dedicated 70 per cent resources of the remaining part of his government to the development of education across the council area.

    Candido disclosed this while speaking at LEA Primary School, Kunyami where he had visited to present over 200 samples of school uniforms to about 300 happy pupils of the three-month old school.

    He said, “We dedicate 70 percent of our remaining tenure to education, which means little assistance like these will preoccupy my tenure because we want to live a legacy of giving good education to our children who could compete with children of others coming to the FCT”.

    Disclosing that the Council did not have enough resources, but was working hard towards ensuring betterment of the people, Candido promised that his administration would commence construction of three blocks of class rooms and a headmaster’s place in that school. He therefore urged members of the community to enroll their children there and continue to support the school and the government.

    Candido commended the community for not waiting for government to give them everything and urged other communities to emulate Kunyami community.

    Responding to Kunyami community leader, Chief Silas Agoyi’s statement that the community would provide land for establishment of greater developments in the area, Candido informed that all land belonged to government, only crops on the land belonged to the people who farm on them.

    The traditional leader also requested for the establishment of a secondary school in the community and other facilities that would improve the lives of the people.

    The school Headmaster, Elesami Adekunle while expressing joy at Candido’s visit, also thanked the churches, mosques and others who support them, saying “I can now smile because the school has come and it is not just for us, but also for generations to come. We had to sit on mats in classes without roofs, but today, we have roofs and desks, with seven teachers…we can only ask for more.”

    Dinatu Joshua, Councilor representing Gboye ward where the community is located also made a donation of about 200 exercise books for the pupils. Hon. Dinatu prayed God to grant the Chairman the strong mind, more wisdom and open doors in all he does, pledging his people’s support.

     

  • Oshiomhole, Ezeife, Sagay disagree on Nigeria restructuring 

    Oshiomhole, Ezeife, Sagay disagree on Nigeria restructuring 

    …Modify 1963 constitution, Sagay

     

    Former Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption, Professor Itse Sagay and a former Governor of Anambra State, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife Friday disagree on whether restructuring will lead to development of Nigeria.

    They spoke in Benin City at the 20th Professor Wole Soyinka annual lecture series organized by the National Association of Seadogs.

    Former Governor Oshiomhole who delivered the keynote address said those canvassing for restructuring were diverting Nigerians attention from the real issues of governance and leadership.

    Oshiomhole who noted that it was not the right time to discuss on whether Nigeria should remain as one said what was viable was to do things differently as a nation to make the country great and Nigerians benefit from its huge resources.

    The former Edo Governor stated that many of the country elites advocating restructuring were the same persons that pushed for creation of states since the days of the military.

    He said those pushing for the implementation of the National Confab report were doing so because part of its recommendation was that 18 additional states should be created.

    Oshiomhole who insisted that President Mohammadu Buhari is fighting corruption the right way said what should engaged Nigerians should be how to make the Nigeria project a reality.

    He noted the many states that received the 13 percent oil derivation deviated for using the purpose of the fund to procure aircrafts, built state of the art government house without building state of the hospitals, health centres and schools.

    His words, “There is no one part that is doing the rest of the country a favour more than the other parts.

    “These same people were there at the beginning. Some of the people talking now were those that said the regions were not balance and states should be created to bring government clsoer to the people.

    “They said the center was too weak. Today they turn around to say the states are not viable and the center is too powerful. We should be talking about how to apply our natural wealth to benefit Nigerians.

    “What we need to restructure are our values, the attitude to governance, issue of corruption. There are structural problem because there are two main tribes in Nigeria, the tribe of the very rich and the tribe of the very poor.

    “We should be talking about how to apply our national wealth in a way it will bring about equality in wealth distribution. We need to restructure our attitude, character and value system in a way it gives opportunity to all Nigerians.”

    On his part, Prof. Itsey Sagay called for the scrapping of the federation account to make states viable.

    He stated that restructuring the country meant return to true federalism and autonomy of the federating units.

    Prof. Sagay said it was an insult to federalism for states to be paid allocations as currently being experienced in Nigeria.

    Sagay insisted that Nigeria would never develop if it remains as a civil servant waiting for monthly salary.

    He stated the only way out was to have a national conference on ways to have devolution of power.

    Prof. Sagay however lambasted the Organised Labour, Federal Lawmakers, and the northern elites for opposing true federalism and autonomy of the federating units.

    He said organized labour want wages to be determined by the federal government instead of states.

    “The Northern elites are so used or proceeds of oil that they abandoned the thugs that make them great as a region. It is better for them to accept federalism and autonomy because it will be better for them.

    “The North will be the greatest beneficiary of autonomy. They have a great means of revenue which they are ignoring. They should convince cattle rearers to build ranches instead of whipping cattle to the south.

    “Federal legislators reasons are selfish. If you have true federalism, that free allowances will not be available for them.”

    “Any act misgovernance in Abuja reverberates across the country. The current unitary system suffocating and states are struggling to grow and dependent on the federal government feeding bottle. It is imperative we return to the 1963 modified to suit our present challenges if we are to coexist in a crisis free Nigeria.”

    Chief Ezeife however said Nigeria faced extinction if there was no restructuring.

    Ezeife noted that only restructuring would free Nigeria from the plot by the British government to keep the country underdeveloped.

    He urged Acting President Yomi Osibanjo to before 2018 convoke a conference that would discuss the country.

    “Every honest Nigerian knows we are at the brink of extinction. Nigeria will cease to exist if we do not restructure. It is a joke for people to think we should not restructure.

    “Northerners will loose most from the disintegration of Nigeria. We need to go back to the agreed Nigeria. Make the six zones federating units. Allow states in the zones to develop their own constitution.

    “Osibanjo should make sure the issue of restructuring is complete by the middle of 2018. Make sure the zones control their security.”

     

  • Oke unveils 6 point agenda for Ifako-Ijaiye

    The Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government chairman Olorun-toba Oke has said his six point agenda will reposition the council.

    He spoke on Wednesday, at the swearing in of the seven councillors elected at the last council election.

    One who listed youth empowerment infrastructure development, market management, welfare package for the elderly, improved healthcare and environmental sanitation and sports regeneration said he is poised to fast track the delivery of world class development in the council.

    He therefore charged the councillors to raise the bar if legislative activities and enact good laws that would improve the lives of the people of the council.

    Among those sworn-in by Oke at the event were; two returnee councillors Abiola Fadayomi (Ward B), and David Olaniyi (Ward D).

    Others are Abiodun Akinola (Ward A), Bola Sharafa Kareem (Ward C), Rasaq Olaleye, (Ward E), Maruf Ojugbele (Ward F) and Victor Onifade (Ward G).

    Highpoint of the event was the election of principal officers of the legislative arm, in which Abiodun Akinola emerged the Majority Leader (Speaker).

  • Global banking board elects Aina as chairman

    Global banking board elects Aina as chairman

    A foremost Nigerian banker and past President of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Dr. Olusegun Aina, has been elected as the pioneer Chairman of the Global Council of Global Banking Education Standards Board (GBEStB).

    The election of the former President of West Africa Bankers Association took place on Tuesday, July 25.

    Alongside Aina, three vice chairs were elected from the United Kingdom (UK), Hong Kong and Ghana to provide leadership for the strategically important body.

    The election has been described as a testament to growing international financial community’s confidence in the Nigerian banking system.

    In his acceptance speech, Aina noted: “It is not by accident for the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) to get this global recognition and acknowledgement. This feat is attributable to the selfless services rendered over the years by the various leaders, especially founding fathers and all presidents (present and past) of the CIBN without exception”.

    He added: “This indeed for us is a call to service as CIBN is now in the eyes of the world. By the Grace of God and the support of all, we will excel in the tasks ahead.”

    As expression of his gratitude, he said: “Thank you for nominating me to serve on the Global Council as representative of CIBN, which provided the platform for my emergence as Chairman of the Global Council, the highest decision making organ of the GBEStB.”

    Prior to his election, Aina had been representing CIBN on the 12-nation Task Force setup in 2011 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which midwifed the birth of the Global Council of Global Banking Education Standards Board, formally inaugurated on April 26, 2017.

    An initiative founded by many of the world’s leading banking institutes, GBEStB comprises of 26 founding institutions from 26 countries across the continent.

  • Babatope backs George for PDP chairman

    Babatope backs George for PDP chairman

    A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, yesterday backed the chairmanship ambition of the party’s former Deputy Chairman, Chief Bode George.

    Babatope, a former director of organisation in the defunct Obafemi Awolowo’s Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that he was in support of George’s ambition.

    He described the former Chairman of Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) as the best man for the vacant chairmanship slot of the PDP based on his fatherly figure.

    “We will struggle hard to produce a strong, effective and result-oriented party chairman. In fact, the Supreme Court’s verdict has affirmed Ahmed Makarfi as the real power house of PDP.

    “We are now expecting another chairman and we are going to get that. I am giving my full support for the chairmanship position to George because he is the most experienced.

    “George being my choice does not, however, have overriding opinion over other members of the party. Everybody is welcome to support the candidates of their choice.

    “I am picking George because of his experience as a party faithful, who will ensure reconciliation of all aggrieved members of the party. Experience is the best teacher,’’ Babatope said.

    Babatope, also a former Minister of Transport and Aviation during the late General Sani Abacha’s administration, advised that whoever emerged as the PDP chairman should ensure full reconciliation of all the members.

  • Nigerian govt urged invest in family planning

    Nigerian govt urged invest in family planning

    The Nigerian government has urged to invest more in the provision of sexual reproductive health services as a way of keeping on track the development of the country.

    National Population Commission, Director in Gombe state, Usman Shehu Ibrahim spoke in Gombe at a press conference organised as part of the activities to commemorate the 2017 World Population Day (WPD) with the theme: ‘Family planning, birth spacing: Empowering people, developing nation.’

    He said the huge investments in building social and physical infrastructure and other critical sectors of Nigeria’s national life would not yield maximum benefits unless the women and the girl child had an unfettered access to sexual and reproductive information and services.

    “The present situation in which access to family planning information and services is severely limited in unacceptable and definitely counterproductive to our march towards sustainable development.

    “The health status and general wellbeing of our women and girl child have the capacity to influence our development process,” Ibrahim said.

    He said an estimated 225million women in developing countries would have liked to delay or stop childbearing but are not using contraception, but “fulfilling their demand would avert 60 million unintended pregnancies around the world.”

    Accordingly, Alhassan Yahya, Chairman, Maternal Newborn Health Coalition (MNCH), Gombe called on the state government to create a budget line for family planning in the 2017 supplementary budget or in the 2018 budget.

    He also among other things called for equitable trained medical professionals to provide cost-effective Reproductive Maternal Newborn Child and adolescent Health (RMNCAH) services, especially in rural and hard to reach communities in the state.

    Yahya nevertheless called on the populace to shelve the misconception and baseless myths about birth control and save themselves from the ills of unwanted/untimely pregnancies.

    He insisted “Men should play active role in encouraging and supporting their women in family planning (FP) uptake. Men should also be involved in FP uptake. FP is for both men and women”.

     

  • PDP commends Osinbajo on tension-dousing steps

    PDP commends Osinbajo on tension-dousing steps

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has commended Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on steps he had taken to douse tension in the country occasioned by “hate speeches’’

    Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, Chairman, PDP National Caretaker Committee, said at a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja, that Osinbajo deserved to the commended.

    Makarfi, however, called on government to build on the effort by making all sections to be viable and operate an inclusive government.

    He advised the government to ensure that its programmes, policies and steps were tailored in a manner that no section of this country would have the impression that it didn’t count.

    Makarfi also called on leaders and governments at all levels to handle emerging challenges confronting the nation in best way possible.

    According to him, the emerging challenges include insecurity in the North-East, herdsmen/farmers’ clashes, kidnappings as well as agitations and counter-agitations for secession.

    He said that PDP believed that human and national development normally had challenges, but that “handling of such challenges determines the direction that the development takes’’.

    “As a country and a people, we have faced several developmental challenges; some have been resolved while many others are yearning for resolution.

    “Even after such resolution as it’s typical of the evolution of human societies, we should expect to be confronted by new and emerging challenges.

    “It is thus the responsibility of each generation of our leaders to grapple with and handle such emerging challenges in the best way possible. It is always a work in progress,’’ Markafi.

    On herdsmen and farmers’ clashes, he said that while both groups had constitutionally guaranteed rights to existence, government needed to come up with measures that would once-and-for-all address the issue.

    “We must, however, be able to differentiate between the business of peaceful cattle rearing and criminal activities and take appropriate steps to protect lives and property.

    “We must also secure our borders in order to prevent the influx of foreigners who may not respect the laws of our land.

    “Of concern also is the issue of cattle rustling, which is also taking an altogether unprecedented dimension.

    “This unlike the pastoralists/farmers problem, is clearly an issue of criminality, which governments and security agencies need to wake up to, to reassure victims that the state is there for them also.’’

    On kidnappings, Makarfi said it was worrisome that school students and teachers were had become targets of the criminal act.

    He said that the development underscored the urgent need for security agencies to “up their ante’’ in the fight against the scourge.

    “Apart from additional funding, equipping and intelligence gathering, capacity of the security agencies must be improved as a matter of priority as this will enable the nipping of this criminal activity in the bud.

    “We, however, wish to commend the security agencies for the bursting last week, of a criminal gang of kidnappers which had brought untold hardship and anguish to several Nigerian families.

    “It is our hope that this feat is just the start of series of efforts to not only bring this criminal enterprise to an end, but also bring the perpetrators to justice. ‘’

    Makarfi also urged the security agencies and the judiciary to ensure that criminals faced the full wrath of the law.

    He said that PDP believed that in any democratic space, allowance must be made for people to express grievances and agitate for the redress of such.

    He added that while PDP had no problem with agitations, those calling for succession should respect the rights legitimate rights and dignity of other citizens.

    The chairman described recent altercation which degenerated into the issuance of ultimatum and counter-ultimatum for some Nigerians to leave certain parts of the country as an ill-wind that blew no good.

    “Hate speeches either coming from the North, South, East or West must be avoided and be condemned by all of us.’’

    Makarfi, however, prayed for President Muhammadu Buhari and wished him quick recovery.