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Tag: Chief

  • 5,000 jog with ex-council chief

    5,000 jog with ex-council chief

    Over 5,000 residents of Oshodi/Isolo Local Government Area of Lagos State have jogged and walked with a former chairman of the council, Hon. Afeez Ipesa-Balogun.

    A two-term chairman, Ipesa-Balogun was renowned, among other things, for his health policies and programmes, among which was his half-marathon “Jogging with the Mayor.”  Jogging with the 5,000 was aimed at re-awakening the ex-council chief’s fitness plan and inculcating healthy living in the people. It was also to mark Ipesa-Balogun’s 50th birthday.

    The exercise, put together by friends of the former council chair, took place on March 1, 2014.

    A health talk flagged off the event followed by a free medical screening for diabetes and hypertension in addition to a table tennis competition.

    The occasion was not about merry-making, drinking and eating, the ex-council chief warned. “It is about staying healthy and fit which is most important in one’s life; that is why I chose to open the day with a jogging/walking exercise around the council area with the people.

    “The people responded very well, they were enthusiastic about it. The registration exercise for the event saw over 5,000 people indicating interest to participate within and outside the council area.

    “The exercise commenced at 6:30 a.m. at Owoseni Primary School, Adeyemi Street, behind Oshodi/Isolo Council Secretariat, Oshodi, Lagos and took us through Oyetayo Street into Bolade, then Agege Motor Road where we made a detour to Airport Road and moved until we got to Ajao Estate Junction along Airport Road before we turned into Garage-Oshodi Road, beside Zenith Bank and raced down to connect Church Street and then Adeyemi Street to return to our starting point to terminate the long exercise,” Ipesa-Balogun stated.

    The former Chairman further said ambulances were on hand at every point of the exercise just as security agencies, including the Lagos State Transport Management Agency (LASTMA) were contacted to ensure that it was hitch-free. The programme climaxed with prize presentations to the first 10 winners with the first three getting the main prizes and the next seven, consolation prizes.

    The event, according to him, was chaired by the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu while governors Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State and Ogbeni Raufu Aregbesola of Osun State were Special Guests of Honour.

    An aircraft engineer, Ipesa-Balogun joined politics a little after higher education. Barely 27 in the early 1990s, he was elected into the Lagos State House of Assembly on the platform of the defunct Social Democratic Party. In the wake of the struggle to actualise the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election, Afeez Ipesa-Balogun teamed up with others in the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) to wage the battle. He later fled into exile with the likes of his party leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to form NADECO abroad to continue the battle against military rule. He remained in exile until the return of democratic rule in 1999.

    He was elected chairman of the council for two tenures of six years. His administration was popular for roads and drainage rehabilitation and re-construction. He also initiated and built the Legislative Council Building, the Beko Ransome-Kuti Public Library, equipment of public primary schools with benches and desks, and maintenance and supply of health centres with drugs and other necessities.

  • Corps member becomes chief

    Corps member becomes chief

    A MEMBER of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) serving at the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Amarachi Kalu, has been conferred with a chieftaincy title by her host community, Efut Abasi Uwanse South Local Government Area of Cross River State.

    The graduate of Anambra State University (ABSU) was named the Utuonikang Nkori Ke Abasi Uwanse (the light of Abasi Uwanse) for her meaningful contributions to the community during her service year.

    The Muri of Efut Abasi Uwanse, represented by the Assistant Secretary, Ndabo Philips, said the community recognised the humanitarian gestures of the corps member.

    He said: “The renovated police station that we see today used to be an eyesore some months ago as it was completely dilapidated. But thank God for Amarachi who came and made a strong impact in renovating the station.”

    He listed other projects executed by the corps member, including training of the youths in skill acquisition, introduction of sanitation programmes in the community market, distribution of drugs and mosquitoes bed nets to the community and planting of plantain and cocoa for widows and vulnerable children.

    The traditional ruler said the renovation of the police station will add value to the community and aid security, saying the community would not forget the sterling efforts of the corps member.

    The conferment was part of activities during the inauguration of some projects by the corps member executed under the NYSC and MDGs Community Development Service (CDS) scheme.

    The Commissioner of Police, Cross River State Command, represented by CSP Abiola Reuben, commended the corps member’s efforts, saying he was impressed.

    He advised everyone to see the police force as their friend and be ready to rise to the occasion by providing them with support, saying it would make them discharge their duties effectively.

    The NYSC State Coordinator, Ibangha Nkereke, said corps members should make their host community to feel the impact of their service year.

    He said the gesture would boost the security situation in the community. He thanked the community for honouring the corps member with the chieftaincy title, urging other corps members to take a cue and contribute to the development of their respective communities.

    Speaking with CAMPUSLIFE, Amarachi said the projects executed were products of the NEEDS assessment she carried out in the community.

    “I carried out assessment of projects needed in the community and the renovation of the dilapidated police station, came tops in my priority list. I decided to partner with some multinational companies and individuals to make sure the projects were implemented. I am so happy and honoured to be bestowed with these awards,” she stated.

    The Secretary of Efut Uwanse Clan Commission, Edabo Ekong, praised the corps member.

    Other dignitaries at the event were Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters, Rekpene Etta; Ntongha Ewah, and MDGs Schedule Officer, Cross River State, Muri Bassey.

  • Council chief rues theft of 50 cows

    The Chairman of Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Mr. Shaban Tete has expressed shock over the stealing of 50 cattle in Kujekwa community worth N70 million after 20 gunmen invaded it.

    The community, which is about 140 kilometers from Kuje town, was attacked by the gunmen at 7: 30 p.m penultimate Saturday.

    Investigations revealed that one Mr. Wasika Sarki was short dead when he made attempts to stop the invaders.

    Tete, while speaking with journalists in the affected community, said he was shocked when he received the sad news. He appealed to the villagers to remain calm, as the perpetrators will be apprehended and prosecuted. He added that such incidence was uncommon in the council.

    “It is sad news to hear because cattle worth millions of Naira were stolen by people who have no regard for humanity.

    “It became very necessary for the council authority to come all the way from Kuje town to sympathise with the people and see the level of damage done to the community.

    “I appeal to the affected people to remain calm as the evildoers will be caught and will face the wrath of the law,” Ishaku said.

    The council chief, however, said plans were underway to have police post in the community, even as he assured that adequate security measures would be taken in order to avert such occurrence in future.

    He also urged the villagers to encourage the vigilance group in the area by monitoring strange faces coming into the community.

    Some of the affected villagers said the gunmen who were armed with AK47 assault guns shot sporadically in the air in order to scare people away so that they would escape with the stolen cattle.

    One of the affected people, Mr. Isa Balla, said 20 of his cows valued at N160, 000 each and 30 handsets were stolen by the invaders.

    “I sell handsets and rear cows in this village so that I can take care of my family. But the thieves had taken away almost all I have labored for.

    “The guns they were carrying were Ak47 and we do not have such guns in this village. Everybody ran for his life when they started shooting in the air,” Balla explained.

  • Honour for council chief

    For giving his people dividends of democracy since he assumed office, Chairman of Mainland Local Government Area in Lagos, Hon. Oladele Adekaye (LADO), has been given a Continental Good Governance and Peace award.

    Hon. Adekanye is receiving this award courtesy of Nigeria (Pro) Wrestling Federation, NWF, headed by Prince Hammed Olanrewaju Mohammed, that planned to honour 22 other local government chairmen in Lagos with similar awards during the final ceremony of the 3rd edition of BRF Wrestlemania scheduled for the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos in November this year.

    Speaking when the national executives of the NWF were at the secretariat of Mainland Local Government to inform the chairman of his nomination for the award, Prince Mohammed said the award is given out after the federation considered the report of an independent assessor that went round all local governments to assess human-face projects executed by these council bosses one of whom was Hon. Adekanye, who Prince Mohammed said has done a lot to put smiles on the faces of his people.

    While receiving the delegation of the professional wrestlers on behalf of the chairman, his deputy, Mrs. Omolola Essien, thanked the federation for deeming it fit to consider the council for the award. He added that the dividends of democracy were made possible by the visionary leadership potentials exhibited by Hon. Adekanye and the team of loyal and dedicated members of staff in Mainland local government.

     

  • NSIA chief frets over costly stocks

    Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), Mr Uche Orji said he was worried about rising stock prices as he prepares to hand over the next tranche of the fund’s $1 billion of holdings to external fund managers.

    The Authority is seeking returns of 400 basis points above U.S. CPI in its $325 million future generations fund, one of three such pools created to manage the $1 billion, and plans to be fully invested by the middle of next year. It will weigh investments in about eight asset classes from private equity to developed and emerging-market stocks even as some securities gained on signs the global economic recovery is taking hold.

    Orji told Bloomberg he’s working with Cambridge Associates LLC on filtering possible managers for the future fund after tapping former employers Goldman Sachs and UBS AG (UBSN), along with Credit Suisse Group AG (CSGN), to help manage a separate $200 million fixed income fund. That accounts for about 20 percent of the fund’s total portfolio and will start reporting performance next month.

    Borrowing costs are soaring from record lows reached in January as speculation deepens that the Fed will curtail its so-called quantitative easing as soon as this month, signaling an end to cheap money that propped up asset prices.

    “A lot of asset classes are richly valued frankly. There’s still a lot I’m not comfortable with in developed market equities. I’m not going to try and be a hero and catch a falling knife with people’s money,” Orji said.

    The wealth fund was signed into law in May 2011 by President Goodluck Jonathan and started last October to invest savings made from the difference between budgeted oil prices and actual market prices. A third pool is mandated to invest $325 million in infrastructure, with a further $150 million that can be allocated to any of the three investment groups, Orji said.

    The infrastructure fund will invest in Nigeria and be internally managed because of a lack of local managers and is considering about 15 projects, said Orji. It’s targeting returns of 500 basis points above U.S. inflation and will probably announce “a couple” of investments by year’s end, he said.

    The Dow Jones Industrial Average index has gained each year since 2009 and with Europe’s economy showing signs of recovery equity values may be set to rise further amid the possible paring of stimulus by the US Federal Reserve, said Orji. Fed policy makers were “broadly comfortable” with Chairman Ben S. Bernanke’s plan to start cutting bond purchases later this year if the economy improves, minutes of their July meeting showed.

    “Nobody knows what tapering is,” Orji said in London. “I don’t think anybody has seen this level of quantitative easing in history so we don’t even know how the market is going to act.”

    Jonathan’s government is in talks with Nigeria’s state governors on future transfers and savings after the latter protested allocations to the wealth fund, Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said July 2. The Nigerian federal government plans to step up contributions toward year’s-end and is targeting $5 billion for the wealth fund in the “medium-term,” she said.

    Such an increase would put it on a par with Angola, Africa’s second largest oil producer, which announced a $5 billion sovereign wealth fund in October. That’s headed by Chairman Jose Filomeno dos Santos, the son of Angolan president Jose Eduardo dos Santos.

    Growing the fund beyond the initial $1 billion “will not be easy and straightforward frankly, especially if you think that a country of 160 million people have competing needs for spending and you’re here fighting your corner,” said Orji.

     

     

    Nigeria saves oil revenue above the benchmark budgeted price in the excess crude account, which held $5 billion Okonjo-Iweala said in May, down from $9.2 billion in January. It relies on crude exports for about 95 percent of its foreign-currency earnings and about 80 percent of government revenue.

    “The dispute with governors over the scale and the mandate of the SWF has been ongoing since Jonathan’s election and is unlikely to reach a resolution soon,” said Alan Cameron, a Nigeria-focused economist at FCMB Group Plc in London. The start of campaigning for elections in 2015 “will only make these disagreements more difficult to resolve,” he said.

    The Nigerian Stock Exchange All-Share Ind has advanced 30 percent this year. The measure declined 0.1 percent at the 2:30 p.m. close of trading in Lagos, the commercial capital.

    Orji, who said he has personal relationships with other sovereign wealth funds from his time as an investment banker in Europe and the U.S., hopes to attract other sovereign wealth funds, such as those in the Middle East, to coinvest in Nigeria.

    “We see ourselves as a conduit,” said Orji. “This is Nigeria, we deliver good returns, the pleasure is all theirs.”

     

  • Taraba police arrest three men for killing chief

    The Taraba State Police Command yesterday said it has arrested three people in connection with the murder of the Village Head of Kole in Wukari Local Government.

    Police Commissioner Jibrin Adeniji told reporters that the three suspects were being held for allegedly killing Abdul Sarkin-Yamma.

    He said Sarkin-Yamma, until his death in May, was the village head of Kole under Bantaje District in Wukari Local Government Area.

    The police chief said the suspects were arrested on August 1, following police investigation.

    He said two of the suspects confessed to the offence.

    Adeniji, however, said the suspects said they were hired to kill Sarkin-Yamma.

    The police chief said investigation into the matter had been completed and that the suspects would be charged to court.

    Responding to reporters’ questions, the two suspects who allegedly confessed, accused their sponsor.

    They told the police that the sponsor said he was angry with the village head for allegedly making him pay N200,000 fine for injuring a cow.

    The suspects also said their sponsor promised to give them 15 cows each after the assignment.

    One of the suspects said: “It was our sponsor who gave us the gun to go and kill Sarkin-Yamma. I shot him three times without getting him.

    “It was then that my colleague used a machete to cut him until he died, after he had fallen into a ditch, in an attempt to escape from us.”

    But the alleged sponsor denied the allegations.

    He said he had never met the suspects.

    According to him, the allegation was a frame up by his enemies.

    The alleged sponsor hoped that he would be vindicated.

  • Council chief places appointees on probation

    The Chairman of Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Ibrahim Daniel, has said that all the newly appointed political appointees in the council will be on one year probation in order to asses their performances.

    Daniel, who made the declaration at the swearing-in of political appointees, said their appointments were in recognition of their zeal to move the council to greater heights.

    Replying on behalf of the appointees, the new council scribe, Abdullahi Wakili Ashara, thanked the council chairman for finding them worthy of the assignment and pledged their support and loyalty to the chairman in order to ensure rapid development of the council.

  • Students hail council chief

    STudents of Oke-Ogun origin have urged public officials in Oyo State to emulate the performance of the newly-inaugurated Caretaker Committee chairman of Atiba Local Government, Dr Jacob Ogunmola.

    The students, under the banner of National Association of Oke-Ogun Students (NAOS), spoke through their president, Wasiu Owolabi.

    Wasiu said the association was commended the achievement of the council chairman, who he said had only spent three months in office.

    The council facilitated payment of bursary allowances to 894 Oke-Ogun students in different higher institutions.

    “We are not suprised that Dr Ogunmola, with what he is doing, has surpassed the achievements of his predecessors,” Wasiu said.

    He added: “Distribution of Ajumose First Aid box to all public primary and secondary schools with relevant drugs monthly; distribution of exercise books to pupils in public schools and inauguration of health equipment like 400 pieces of digital blood pressure measurement for hypertensive patients and the distribution of 400 glucometer for diabetic patients are some of these unprecedented feats. He does not forget the aged and staff of the council.’”

    Wasiu thanked Governor Ajimobi for appointing Dr. Ogunmola, adding that students would continue to support his administration.

    While praising the State Chairman of Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Hon. Yekinni Popoola, who presides over the affairs of Irepo Local Government, he urged the chairman to continue to float populist programmes which have continued to endear the hearts of people to their administration.

    Responding, Ogunmola said he was motivated with the praises heaped on him, saying that it will motivate him to do more. He assured that they should expect more educational support packages soon.

     

  • I was chased out of Ladipo Market, says council chief

    I was chased out of Ladipo Market, says council chief

    Chairman, Mushin Local Government Area, Hon. Babatunde Adepitan has said that he was chased out of the Ladipo Market on various occasions in his bid to ensure peace at the market.

    He further said that the Aguiyi Ironsi Market had to meet certain conditions for it to be re-opened because it was very problematic.

    “Out of the 36 units in Ladipo Market, others are law-abiding and very coordinated except for environmental nuisance. But Aguiyi Ironsi had issues we had to address before it was re-opened. The leadership of the market had some issues that bothered on power tussle which; if not properly addressed, could lead to perpetual chaos which could also degenerate to a serious problem. So, that was why it was shut down.

    On allegations that he was using his powers to intimidate the traders, Adepitan said such claims were unfounded, adding that he was even helpless in handling the situation, just as he alleged that the embattled market leader, Jonathan Okolie was the cause of the problems,” he said.

    The council chief also disclosed that there were instances of breakdown of law and order because the chairman of the traders’ association was alleged to be hell-bent on being in power forever.

    He said: “A market where there is no peace; where we have ‘Bakassi Boys’; where a leader imposes himself on the people as he allegedly refused to conduct elections or handover power after his tenure had elapsed in 2009; where people are allegedly killed and maimed is very uncomplimentary. The market being within my local government, do you expect me to go to sleep? I think that gentleman’s intention was to make himself a life president. That was why he was ready to go after anyone who opposes his ambition.

    “The way he was going, Okolie wanted to take Aguiyi Ironsi Market from the local government. Imagine an individual having the intention of taking over government’s property by force? And the worst part of it all was that he allegedly went about dishing out false propaganda that the market belongs to the Igbo and that the Yoruba wanted to take it away.

    “The issue remains that Okolie had allegedly chased a lot of the traders out of their shops with the help of his ‘Bakassi Boys,’ who he stationed in the market. There are so many aggrieved parties there. And anyone who says I use my office or powers to intimidate him must be a joker. This is because, as the chairman, there were instances I went to the market and I was almost chased out by the hoodlums Okolie stationed there.

    “During one of my visits to the market, he mobilised people to be singing ‘we don’t want you; you want to steal our market.’

    The question here is who owns the market if the local government that is the real owner is now labelled the thief? All documents to show that Aguiyi Ironsi is owned by Mushin Local Government are available.

    “Another problem is that the ‘Bakassi Boys’ that Okolie brought in to foment trouble allegedly slept inside the market, which is against the law. A market place is not a residential place. But he believes that once those boys are there, nobody can overthrow him because they are fully armed. It was also alleged that he has a shrine in that market. If it is true, that indicates that he was using every power to remain as the traders’ leader.

    “If you cast your mind back, you will recall that it took the courage of the chairman of the Special Taskforce to enter into that market before those boys were arrested. The ‘Bakassi Boys’ were alleged to have threatened even the police. They were always dressed on red T-shirts with red caps and were always armed.”

    He said the local government was not able to handle the situation because the situation needed the deployment of massive security apparatus, which no local government can afford.

    “The local government is a third tier government which does not have the machinery to enforce certain level of order. We only have power in the paper and I can show you copies of letters I have written to the law enforcement agencies, including the Inspector-General of Police (IGP). The security apparatus the state government deployed the day the market was shut could not be mustered by any local government.

    On the actual cause of the crisis at Aguiyi Ironsi, Adepitan said the crisis that rocked the market started before his tenure, “even though it became worse following some clandestine ploys by some unscrupulous individuals to hijack Aguiyi Ironsi Market, which is the sole property of Mushin Local Government Area.

    “That land was allocated to Mushin Local Government Area by the former governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Since markets are under the pueview of the local government areas, the state handed over the land to Mushin Local Government Area. The local government at that time was said to have entered into a 25-year lease agreement with a developer, the late Alhaji Hassan Olajoku, who represented Paramo Company, to develop and manage the place. It was agreed that he must remit a certain percentage of the revenue to the local government on monthly basis.

    “Along the line, Paramo allegedly could not develop the place and he was said to have invited some traders in the market to participate in the development of the area. Paramo had a separate agreement with them which was to build and manage for 12 years. We were not party to the agreement but from my understanding, it appears both parties agreed that the traders will build, manage and pay a certain monthly percentage to Paramo for 12 years. Paramo will, in turn, remit some money to the local government on monthly basis.

    “The trouble there has been affecting our internally-generated revenue (IGR). It was alleged that Okolie did not allow Paramo to operate in order to pay us our money. In such situation, you do not expect us to fold our arms when our interest is affected. All we were interested in was that elections should be conducted so that peace will reign and everyone will be happy.”

    On how he intends to ensure peace and security, Adepitan said all the stakeholders have signed an agreement, adding that he was consulting with stakeholders at the Aguiyi Ironsi on the way forward.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Ekiti chief to remain in prison till January for alleged murder

    Ekiti chief to remain in prison till January for alleged murder

    Justice Oluwatoyin Bodunde of the Ekiti State High Court 4, sitting in Ado-Ekiti, yesterday ruled that Chief Dayo Orojo should remain in prison custody until January.

    Orojo, who is the head of the Ilisa Quarters in Omuo-Ekiti, Ekiti East Local Government Area, and two others have been in prison custody since September 4 for allegedly killing Mrs. Rebecca Adewumi on May 11.

    The three suspects and others at large were arraigned on a six-count charge of felony, conspiracy to commit murder, unlawful accusation for witchcraft, unlawful participation in trial by ordeal, unlawful deprivation of liberty and murder.

    The late Mrs. Adewunmi, who was 70 years old, was accused of afflicting her stepson, Ola Adewumi, with a strange ailment using witchcraft powers and was beaten to death.

    Ola died few weeks after the septuagenarian was killed.

    Urging the court to grant the accused bail, defence counsel Oladele Adedeji said Orojo was hypertensive and needed medical attention.

    He said the mother of the late Ola, Mrs. Adesola Adewumi, should also be granted bail to enable her mourn her son.

    Prosecution counsel Femi Onipede opposed the bail application. He said the prosecution was ready to present its witnesses.

    Justice Bodunde denied the accused bail. He said: “I am particularly happy that the defence counsel said prison officials have always taken Orojo to the hospital. It would have been a different thing, if the accused was deprived of such right. I hereby order that on no account should any of them be denied access to medical care.

    “It is pathetic that these people are being incarcerated, despite their conditions, but the court does not adjudicate on matters based on sentiments, or else, we would not get anywhere in the dispensation of justice.”

    The ruling on the bail application was adjourned till January 17.