The Nation Newspaper

Tag: chairman

  • Governors lack moral right to accuse Buhari of non-performance, says Sen. Sani

    Sen. Shehu Sani (APC-Kaduna Central), on Tuesday said state governors lacked the moral right to criticise President Muhammadu Buhari for non-perfomance.

    Sani, who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign and Domestic Debts, made the remark in a chat with newsmen after a meeting with community leaders in Chikun Local Government Area of the state.

    “I will say it well; no governor in Nigeria has any moral right to call President Muhammadu Buhari a failure.

    “You collect Federal allocation and local government allocation every month, so you cannot call President Buhari a failure.

    “ You collect Ecology fund, Paris Club fund and Bail-Out fund so you cannot call Mr President a failure,“ Sani said.

    According to him, Buhari has achieved a lot in government better than most state governors.

    “If you don’t want Buhari to have a cabal, you should dissolve the cabal in your own houses; and if you want Buhari to have listening ears of Nigerians, you must perform.

    “I want to call on the President, as we gear up towards 2019, he should never recommend anybody for election again to the public; he should allow people to decide who they want to vote-in and who they want to vote-out.

    “President Buhari should forget the culture of raising the hands of people; we are supporting him to contest 2019, but he should stop the culture of raising Mr A or Mr B’s hand; most of the time he is raising the hands of people who betrayed him and Nigeria.’’

    Earlier during the meeting, the Senator said he was in the area to aggregate the opinion of the statekeholders on the Kaduna Eastern by-pass proad project.

    He criticised recent hike in the cost of the contract to N42 billion without consulting the stakeholders.

    “I am here to listen to your request over the Eastern by-pass contract, which the Federal Government has now jacked up to over N40 billion.

    “I must be very clear to you that none of the federal legislators, especially those from Kaduna Central, was consulted when the issue was to be discussed.

    “I knew very well that in 2016-2017 budget, I insisted that Kaduna Eastern by-pass must be included in the budget, but I read in the pages of newspapers like any one of you that the contract was jacked up to N42 billion.

    “I don’t know how the Federal Ministry of Works arrived at such amount of money, but I believe for a project like this, there could have been the need to consult the communities where this road passed through and also the elected representatives of the people,’’ he said.

    NAN recalls that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) recently approved the resuscitation and completion of the 50 kilometre dual carriage highway.

    The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, had said that the road has nine bridges over rivers and rail crossings.

    It was first awarded in 2002 at the cost of N12 billion, to be completed within three years.

    The minister explained that already the government had paid N11 billion to the contractor since the project was initiated, adding that N32 billion was approved to complete the road.

    However, Sani said he would present a request on behalf of the community and the people of his senatorial zone to the Senate Committee Chairman on Works, Sen. Kabiru Gaya, for details of the contract review.

    “I am going to demand from the minister of works to brief the senate on how such a project arrived at over N40 billion, in this era of anti corruption and transparency, since it is the tax payers money that is involved.”

    The senator, however, commended the government for the efforts to complete the road.

  • Fatai Ibuowo elected Lagos NCP chairman

    Mr Fatai Ibuowo has emerged as the new Lagos State Chairman of the National Conscience Party (NCP).
    Ibuowo was elected on Saturday alongside 17 other new executives at a state congress of the party witnessed by officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The congress held at the Methodist Primary School, Oshodi, Lagos.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ibuowo polled 48 of a total of 54 votes cast to defeat Mr Olagunji Femi.
    The election of the chairman was through an open ballot system while the other 17 executives were unopposed.
    The National Chairman of NCP, Dr Yunusa Tanko, advised the new state executives to take the party to greater heights.
    “I congratulate you all; I see, through you, prosperity of NCP, I see, through you, growth of the party. The party will grow from strength to strength,” Tanko said.
    In his acceptance speech, Ibuowo expressed gratitude to NCP members for the support given him.

    He promised to ensure that NCP would win at least a seat in the next local council polls in the state.
    “I promise to move this party forward,” Ibuowo said.
    He gave the assurance that he would call an emergency meeting on Monday with a view to resolving the lingering leadership crisis in the party.

    Earlier in a lecture with the theme: “Nigeria in Crisis and the Need to Build NCP as an Alternative for Nigerian Masses” Tanko said that the party would not merge with any political party to be able to win elections at any level.
    “NCP is a party based on ideology and integrity.
    “NCP has never, will never and is not thinking of merging with any political party ahead of any elections, but may be willing to work with any party that is willing to work with it to move the nation forward,’’ he said.

    In his remarks, Chief Martin Onovo, the 2015 Presidential Candidate of the party, said: “This is a party of the Nigerian people, owned and controlled by Nigerians.

    “We have to rise up and elect good leaders, reduce and abolish poverty.”

  • Only political solution can resolve PDP crisis, says Dickson

    Only political solution can resolve PDP crisis, says Dickson

    The Bayelsa State Governor and Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) National Reconciliation Committee, Mr. Seriake Dickson Thursday, insisted that only political solution would take PDP out of its present crisis.

    The governor in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, commended party leaders and elders in the north for opting to support  a political solution.

    Dickson further thanked the northern leaders for identifying with the recommendations and efforts of his committee to unite the party.

    He noted that taking the path of finding a political solution to the current crisis remained a win-win option for everyone in the PDP.

    He advised against taking hard positions adding that the northern PDP leaders’ position underscored their commitment to finding peace in the shortest possible time.

    Dickson noted that at a time the party needed to put its house in order, personal interests must give way to the overall survival of the PDP.

    The statement said: “The Governor commends the PDP northern leaders for opting for a political solution in the resolution of the party’s leadership crisis. He thanks them for accepting this option and their unalloyed commitment to the PDP as a party.

    “This alternative remains a win-win option for our dear party. We must put aside our egos and sink our differences, so that collectively, we can face the challenges ahead”.

    The governor pledged that his committee would continue to undertake the right path to ensure peace returned to the party.

    The statement added: “The governor thanks them (PDP leaders) for their suggestions and recommendations. He appreciates their suggestions on the need for a political solution.

    “He also welcomes more suggestions, since the committee’s recommendations are not cast in stone”.

  • ASUU to commence warning strike in UI Friday

    ASUU to commence warning strike in UI Friday

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) University of Ibadan Chapter, says it is awaiting the approval of its national body to embark on a one-week warning strike.

    The union, at an emergency meeting presided over by its Chairman, Dr Deji Omole, on Wednesday in Ibadan, threatened to proceed on an indefinite strike to protest illegal pension deductions and shortfall of salaries.

    Omole gave the management up to March 10, to address the issues or face an indefinite strike.

    ASUU asked the Governing Council to mandate the Vice-Chancellor to present to the staff unions the budget, detailing the personnel cost, capital and recurrent expenditures as presented to the university Senate.

    According to the union, all joint unions of the institution are convinced that pension’s deductions hitherto are illegal, the university must be refunded since 2004.

    “While ASUU awaits the approval of the national body of the union to proceed on its strike, its Non Academic Staff counterparts have also resolved to proceed on an indefinite strike unless the issues are resolved favorably.

    “Failure to implement all the items stated above by Friday, the staff unions in the university, arising from the warning strike earlier issued in August, 2016, will embark on an indefinite strike,” Omole said.

     

  • ‘Ondo Monarchs are suffering in silence’

    ‘Ondo Monarchs are suffering in silence’

    Ondo state governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has been urged to treat traditional rulers in the state with dignity they deserved during his present administration.

    The Zaki of Arigidi, Oba Yisa Olanipekun noted that monarchs as custodians of culture and tradition should be accorded recognition and proper welfare.

    Oba Olanipekun,who is the Chairman, Akoko Northwest Local Government Traditional Council, described the eight years of the last administration as ‘not too rosy’ for traditional rulers in the state.

    According to him, monarchs in the state were owed eight-month stipends, noting that the situation became more precarious when communities are no more paying homages.

    He lamented that they were suffering in silence, but could not go on strike like civil servants and other professional bodies.

    Speaking to our correspondent, the monarch said; “we cannot be going cap in hands to our wealthy subjects or politicians when we are no beggars. That is the reason while it is imperative for the state and local governments to provide special welfare package for the royal fathers.

    Oba Olanipekun cited the case of his colleague, the Olojo of Ojo,Oba Micheal Adewale who allegedly collapsed at the swearing in ceremony of Governor Akeredolu.

    He stressed that if not for the timely intervention of Akoko Northwest local government chairman, Sola Aladetimhin, who rushed him to the Federal Medical Centre, (FMC) Owo,the situation would have been disastrous.

    The Arigidi Akoko monarch said four other traditional rulers in the local government are also sick without access to health facilities because of poverty.

    Zaki urged Akeredolu to support local government autonomy to make the local councils viable, while the statutory five percent from federal allocation should be given to traditional rulers for their upkeep.

    He also pleaded with the Governor to have regular interactive sessions with royal fathers to clear vital issues that would ginger development in the state.

    The traditional ruler advocated for spliting of Akoko Northwest local government with 27 Monarchs into three local government for effective administration.

    Oba Olanipekun noted that majority of them were finding it difficult to maintain their palaces and vehicles because of the current recession in the country.

  • Lagos Assembly to flush out quacks in trado-medical practice

    Lagos Assembly to flush out quacks in trado-medical practice

    Mr Segun Olulade, Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Health Services, says the committee will ensure that quacks are flushed out from trado-medical practitioners.

    Olulade (APC-Epe II) gave the assurance when he spoke at a parley organised for journalists covering the Assembly in Ikeja on Thursday.

    The lawmaker decried the menace of quacks in alternative medicines, and said that “We are getting rid of them,

    “We are going to flush those traditional medicine practitioners who claim their medicines solve all ailments.

    “I am not comfortable with some media houses that promote fake trado-medical practitioners at the detriment of our people’s health.

    “We will flux out people selling all sorts of native medicine across the state because some of these “formulae” are the causative factor for the increasing kidney failure.

    “People should desist from them. We will soon start going after them.

    “Some of them just have NAFDAC registration to practice only, then they go ahead putting the number on all formula they produce.”

    Olulade said that government had created a board to monitor traditional medicine for professionalism and safety of the people.

    According to him, once the state Traditional Medicine Board fully becomes operational, the issue of promoting quackery will be adequately curtailed.

    Olulade added that the state government would not tolerate sharp practices in public hospitals in the state.

    He, however, advised the public to report any errant health workers engaging in unprofessional conduct in the course of their duty to ensure that culprits were brought to book.

    “We have phone numbers displayed at all our public hospitals; people should make use of those numbers by sending text messages.

    “If anyone of them is found wanting, they will face the music,” Olulade added.

    The chairman, who said the challenges facing health sector in the state, included shortage of personnel and poor referral system, noted that the government would engage more hands.

    The lawmaker urged patients to make use of Primary Health Centres to reduce crowd at the secondary and tertiary health cares’ providers.

  • Why I want to be Ejigbo chairman, by aspirant

    THE Chairman of the Committee on Revenue Generation in Ejigbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State, Mr. Peter Ajayi, has declared his intention to vie for the chairmanship ticket of the party in the forthcoming local government election.

    Ajayi said the people of Ejigbo have been yearning for a positive change and that he has the ability, desire and leadership skills to consolidate on the visions of the APC in Ejigbo LCDA this time around. The aspirant believes he is ripe for the position, because he had yielded to the advice and decision of the party leadership to step down several times in the past.

    He said their persistent calls for a brilliant and creative chairman as an agent of positive change that would improve their welfare and well-being serve as great incentive and motivation for him to contest as chairman of the council. “Therefore, I cannot, in good conscience, resist or reject the call to give my service and sacrifice to my people,” he added.

    Ajayi, who is also the publisher of The View Magazine and the Executive Director of the Salvage for Development Initiatives (SDI), a non-governmental organisation, described himself as a passionate and committed member of the APC who has volunteered and worked to assist other APC members win elections in the area on a number of occasions.

    He said: “Having lived all my productive adult life in Ejigbo, I have a sincere appreciation for this thriving community. I care about Ejigbo and see its potentials. I want to be involved in the decisions that will shape our city’s future. I want to execute a vision of leadership, accountability, transparency, and creating partnerships with other progressives in Ejigbo community.

    “I have held different positions in Ejigbo LCDA such as Supervisor, Market and Revenue Generation, Consultant on Revenue Generation, and a two-term Chairman of Committee on Revenue Generation. Serving in these capacities has been interesting and it is an experience for which I will be forever grateful and very proud of.”

  • Expert to FG: Sensitise Nigerians on consequences of climate change

    Dr Samuel Adejuwon, Chairman, Digital Environmental System Management, a NGO, has called on the Federal Government to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to sensitise the citizens to the effects of climate change.

    Adejuwon told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday that massive sensitisation of the public, particularly at the local levels, would impact positively on the fight against climate change.

    He said that the essence of creating awareness at the community level was to educate the populace on specific climate change issues so as to enable them to take adequate precautions.

    “We have to continuously create awareness, especially at the local level. Government has to put in more effort; there is no amount of awareness that can be enough.

    “When we continue with the awareness, activities will be modelled along that line.

    “Although, this is essentially the work of the Nigerian Metrological Agency and I believe they are making efforts.

    “The Federal Ministry of Environment can also chip in support. The Department of Climate Change, in particular, can collaborate with other government agencies and relevant stakeholders in staging the public awareness campaign.

    “This awareness campaign will entail disseminating information to the local communities.

    “If this method can be sustained in these communities, it will further help to reduce certain problems which the nation is facing today with regard to climate change,’’ he said.

    Adejuwon identified lack of funding as one of the reasons why Nigeria was delaying the implementation of climate change conference resolutions.

    According to him, it will be difficult to implement climate change resolutions as long as the climate change department is given zero budget.

    Adejuwon stressed that if the government failed to make adequate financial provision for climate change activities and procedures, the implementation of the climate change resolutions would remain a serious challenge.

    “We can only adequately prepare for these climate change meetings; we can only carry out climate change activities if the government is ready to allocate adequate funds to the issue of climate change.

    “I see no reason why we should not be doing what other countries are doing,’’ he added.

    Adejuwon said that climate change was a global phenomenon, adding, however, that some nations were experiencing more adverse effects of climate change than others.

    He underscored the need for the government to undertake a massive public sensitisation on climate change issues, saying that such a venture would be beneficial to the nation.

    He, nonetheless, reiterated the need for the government to release adequate funds for the execution of all climate-related programmes in the country.

  • Taraba owes pensioners N14. 9bn in gratuities- Union

    Taraba owes pensioners N14. 9bn in gratuities- Union

    Alhaji Hassan Abubakar, Chairman, Taraba Union of Pensioners, says the state government is owing members of the union gratuities amounting to N14.9 billion.

    Abubakar told newsmen in Jalingo on Monday that the government owed its pensioners over N9 billion while it owed local governments’ pensioners N5.9 billion.

    He said, though the payment of pension to the state pensioners was up to date, the government owed local government pensioners between two to six months due to several cases of omission.

    The chairman said out of the total 7,163 pensioners in the state, 575 recently captured as local governments’ pensioners had not been paid pensions for over five years.

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    Abubakar said the total pension liabilities for the affected persons stood at the sum of N28 million as at October 2016.

    He identified non-review of statutory pensions after five years or during salary review, the lack of harmonisation of pensions after salary review as some of the challenges facing the pensioners.

    Abubakar said that other challenges included the non-implementation of the 33 percent increment in pensions as required by Salaries and Wages Commission and the failure of the state to key into the Pension Trust Fund.

    The chairman suggested that the National Assembly should approve N25, 000 as pension for all retirees, saying that the measure would address the challenges occasioned by pension reviews.

  • One term bill for acting president, gov. passes 2nd reading

    One term bill for acting president, gov. passes 2nd reading

    A Bill seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution and limit the tenure of a president and governor on acting capacity to a single term passed a second reading in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

    The amendment bill which is sponsored by the Chairman, Special House Ad hoc Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution, Deputy Speaker Yussuff Lasun.

    The bill provides that no person who had held the office of president or governor of a state or acting as president or governor of a state for more than two years of a term to which some another person was elected president or governor, shall be elected to the office of president or governor of a state more than once.

    The aim of the bill‎ is to give constitutional protection to the two-term tradition as contemplated by virtue of the combined provisions of sections 137(1)(b) and 182(1)(b) of the Constitution.

    These sections provide that the president and governor of a state shall serve in those capacities for a maximum period of eight years.

    However, the Constitution equally envisaged circumstances where a person can be chosen to act as president or state governor, such as when the president or a governor resigns, dies or is impeached,” Lasun said.

    If passed, an acting president or acting governor who served for more than two years in a four-year term shall only be eligible to contest election to the same office only once.

    This proposed amendment, the deputy speaker said, was inspired by the 22nd amendment to the constitution of the United States of America.

    It provides that “no person shall be elected to the office of the president more than twice.

    “And no person who has held the office of president or acted as president for more than two years of a term to which some another person was elected president shall be elected to the office of president more than once”, Lasun added.