The Nation Newspaper

Tag: commissioner

  • Imo NDDC commissioner warns against project duplication

    The Imo State Commissioner in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr Kyrian Uchegbu, has warned against the waste of resources through project duplication.

    The warning was contained in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the Commission, Mr Tony Omah, and released in Owerri on Tuesday.

    It noted that avoiding such waste would fast track the achievement of sustainable development in the Niger Delta area.

    According to the statement, Imo residents should take advantage of some of the programmes of the commission to improve on their living standards.

    It listed such programmes to include women and youth empowerment and the free healthcare delivery services.

    The statement warned contractors handling NDDC’s projects against doing substandard jobs as the commission was determined to encourage international best practices.

    It called on the youth in the Niger Delta to shun violence and refrain from negative activities to embrace peace for quicker development.

     

  • How commissioner defrauded me, witness tells court

    An Abuja High Court yesterday heard how a Kano State Civil Service Commissioner, Aminu Ibrahim Gaya, allegedly defrauded a businessman, Uche Okoli, in a land transaction.

    Okoli, who testified as the first prosecution witness, told the court that he chose to deal with Gaya because he “trusted him by virtue of his office.” He was led in evidence by prosecution lawyer, Larry Aso.

    Gaya (61) was at the time of the transaction in 2006 an assistant director with the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Abuja.

    He is now a commissioner in the Kano State Civil Service Commission. He is said to own GYANO International Limited, with which he allegedly committed the offence.

    Okoli, an estate agent and managing director of Multi Shelter Limited, told the court how he paid N5 million to Gaya for the land, known as Plot 49 Katampe Extension, Abuja and was issued documents, which later turned out to be fake.

    “After I made payment, the accused gave me a receipt. He also gave me a Right of Occupancy, with which the Certificate of Occupancy was processed.

    “I later sold the land to my client. But when he applied for documentation, he was told by the FCDA that the documents he presented were not genuine.

    “When I was told, I tried to locate the accused. I was told he had left his Area 1 (Abuja) residence.

    “When I could not locate him, I wrote a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The man I sold the land to also petitioned the EFCC.

    “The EFCC invited me to explain the documents. I told them that I bought the land from the accused and that the papers were issued by him.

    “The EFCC did its investigation and got the accused arrested,” Okoli said.

    Under cross-examination by defence lawyer, Mohammed Waziri, Okoli said he had been in real estate business for about 10 years.

    When asked whether he, before making payment, attempted to authenticate the documents issued to him by Gaya, Okoli said he did not.

    Okoli said he acted on the trust he had for Gaya and the office he held.

    Gaya was arraigned last year and had been on bail.

    Justice Olasumbo Goodluck fixed further hearing in the case has been fixed for March 24.

  • Commissioner urges ‘best teacher’ to work hard

    Commissioner urges ‘best teacher’ to work hard

    Lagos State Teacher of the Year (Primary School Category), Mr Ganiyu Alawiye was presented with a Kia Picanto, his reward, last Thursday at the Ministry of Education, Alausa.

    He was named the best teacher for the category at the 2013 Education Merit Award organised by the ministry penultimate week and publicly recognised along with other recipients.

    At the brief ceremony, the Education Commissioner, Mrs Olayinka Oladunjoye, who presented the keys to Alawiye, urged him to continue working hard and counseled other teachers to join in the race for the next edition of the award.

    “He has done well and we are giving him this car. And we charge him to work harder. The same way, we are telling other teachers that when you work hard we identify you; and reward you,” he said.

    Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Mrs Gbolahan Daodu also added her voice to the call for teachers to be more dedicated.

    “We have always been admonishing them to be committed; hard working and devote most of their energy these children. They are the moulders of all of us. But they need to do more for standard to improve,”she said.

    Alawiye, who teaches at Our Lady of Fatima, Mushin, said he was happy that his hard work paid off. He said he led pupils in the Mushin Local Government Education Authority (LGEA) to victory at competitions organised by the ministry of education.

    “I have been training students and when I train, God crowns my effort with success. They usually come between first and third positions. We won the best award in Science and Technology; we were the second in the BRF Quiz competition last year, and this year we have already reached the final. I am a master trainer for the National Unified Continuous Assessment Programme and also for Bridge IT,” he said.

    Alawiye, a Mathematics and Chemistry Education graduate of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, also thanked the Education Secretary, Mushin LGEA, Yusuf Olokodana, for insisting on excellence from teachers.

     

  • Police Commissioner Mbu, softly, softly

    The Rivers State Commissioner Mbu is a man of arrogance. On Sunday, he was on Channels TV explaining why his men dispersed an All Progressives Congress (APC) rally in Obio Akpor, which resulted in Senator Magnus Abe developing low blood pressure and internal bleeding.

    The violent and direct attack on Abe is a frontal assault against democracy. The police have been unleashed on the people. The police seem not willing to arrest first, but primed to shoot first and ask questions later. The country seems burdened with a Police Force that has now become an agent provocateur and a tool of political oppression.

    Former Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu, in a reaction on the matter, said: ” The Jonathan Presidency is willing to sacrifice the lives of countless Nigerians so that it can continue to lord it over Nigerians. If they could shoot a current Senator in broad daylight on a Sunday, imagine the mayhem they will set upon the average citizen seeking to advance his political rights. Their purpose is not to govern Nigeria but to break down the rule of law and our democratic institutions so that they may own Nigeria.

    “The illegal conduct of the Police in Rivers should be called what it is; it is uniformed gangsters, a coup against democracy. The rights and the protection guaranteed to the Nigerian people should never be a function of the party they are affiliated with. Under the current Jonathan government, we move towards fascism.”

    The Rivers APC has described as barefaced lies CP Joseph Mbu’s account of the event. It described Abe’s fate as “attempted murder”.

    It faulted Mbu’s claim that it applied for police permit for most of its rallies but failed to do so for the Obio-Akpor rally. It said it rather applied for police protection for the Obio-Akpor rally and instead Mbu’s men disrupted the rally.

    Mbu’s claims raise posers about what minimum force means? If minimum force landed Abe in hospital, maximum force would have sent him to early grave?

    It must be pointed out to Mbu, who is pretending not to know, that the Constitution gives Nigerians the power to associate freely without any need for police permit.

    CP Mbu and his sponsors need to pray Abe lives, as things may get out of hand if he leaves!

    As the 2015 elections draw near, the police must watch it. If things continue the way they are, then this country is in danger. People must be free to associate.

    The words of the late Mahatma Gandhi suffices here: “Remember that all through history, there have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they seem invincible. But in the end, they always fall. Always.”

    The National Assembly must rise to its statutory responsibility in defence of the people’s rights and to exercise legislative oversight of an executive branch through the police which has lost all sense of democratic balance and fair play.

    If the National Assembly does not rise at this juncture, things will only worsen.

    Mbu also needs to watch it. Even if he is being sent on an evil assignment, he should reject it because of his tomorrow.

    Softly, softly Mbu. Those using you will get tired of you at some points and look for another person to use and you will have the value of an orange already soaked.

     

     

  • Commissioner’s wife showers women with gifts

    Commissioner’s wife showers women with gifts

    The wife of Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Maureen Umanah, hosted women from Abak, Etim Ekpo and Ika Federal Constituency, to a Christmas celebration at her residence in Abak.

    The event was attended women political leaders from the three local government areas.

    Mrs. Umanah donated food items, including bags of rice and cash to the women, in appreciation for their steadfast support to Governor Godswill Akpabio and his wife, Ekaete, whom she described as her mother and role model.

    She said she was inspired by the leadership qualities of the Governor and decided to emulate him by gathering women of her constituency to extend her love and care to them in the spirit of Christmas.

    Mrs Umanah advised her fellow women, who are occupying positions of authority to borrow a leaf from the wife of the State Governor, Mrs Ekaete Unoma Akpabio, and use their good offices to promote the welfare of women, especially the widows.

    She also lauded Governor Akpabio for extending his transformation programme to her hometown, Abak, as witnessed in the areas of construction of schools and bridges as well as provision of good road network, linking the city with neighbouring local government areas.

    She acknowledged the fervent prayers from the women of Abak, Etim Ekpo and Ika Federal Constituency to the success of the present administration and solicited their continued cooperation for the government to deliver more dividends of democracy to the citizenry.

    Apart from presenting the gifts, Mrs Umanah also took time to sing and dance with the women.

    The donation was in the categories of widows and other women from each of the three local government areas.

    Some of the beneficiaries described the philanthropic gesture by the wife of the Information Commissioner as the first of its kind in the political history of Abak, Etim Ekpo, Ika Federal Constituency.

    The Assistant Financial Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mrs Victoria Ime Thomas, described Mrs. Umanah as a caring mother and sister, who has set a pace for other wives of government’s officials to follow.

    For the PDP Woman Leader in Essien Udim, Mrs. Rosemary Anthony Umo, the Christmas gifts have further motivated women and reaffirmed their belief that they have a caring Commissioner and wife, who have the interests of women at heart.

    On her part, the Woman Leader in Etim Ekpo, Mrs Obon-odo Ini Uko, eulogized Mrs Umanah for remembering women, stressing that they will forever remain grateful to her and her husband.

    Another beneficiary was the Party Woman Leader in Abak, Mrs. Mercy Isonguyio. In her appreciation, she emphasised the need for women to always unite and support political and elective office holders for them to succeed.

  • Commissioner challenges resource persons on impact assessment

    Commissioner challenges resource persons on impact assessment

    Ondo State Commissioner for Community Development and Cooperative Services, Mr. Clement Faboyede has challenged over 90 resource persons who are to carry out impact assessment on the projects executed by the state government through the ministry to be proactive and carry out the job with high sense of responsibility.

    Faboyede, who gave the charge while addressing the resource persons during a seminar organised for them on impact assessment of the projects of the ministry in the last four years said the assessment was in the interest of sustainable development of state.

    He pointed out that data collected during the assignment will be useful in the task of transforming the entire state, as it will enable the government to know the challenges facing the projects and proffer solution to them before executing more of such developmental projects that will improve the living status of the residents of the state.

    His words: “Thank God, some of our change agents are here, Ministry’s Supervising Officials and the other external experts to measure the level of impact of our projects on the people especially in the grassroots where our projects were built based on the demand of the people. After their findings, they will come up with recommendations and advice on how it has affected the community either generally or individually.

    “We want to use this medium to encourage all of you to carry out your duties diligently so as to get the accurate results. I hereby appeal to the residents of the communities to cooperate with our people to get the correct feedback and data that would help in taking Ondo State to the next level of development.

    “Data collection and assessment is the work of the technocrat but we the politicians make use of these assessments for the progress of the state, the more Mr. Governor has this information the more he will develop the state to attract more developmental partner”.

    Faboyede enumerated the achievements of Dr Olusegun Mimiko through the Ministry of Community Development and Cooperative Services and appreciated God for the remarkable achievements recorded over a period of four years in about 600 communities spread across the state.

    While educating the participants on the 3 ‘Is’ initiative of the ministry, the Permanent Secretary Mrs. Funmilayo Osundolire said the state government has done greatly in the area of infrastructure and institution adding that industry which the third ‘I’ stood for will be embarked on soon.

    According to her, Change agents will move round to ask question on the homogeneous raw materials in those community where micro industry which is the third ‘I’ would be established to make the state the commercial hub of South West and Nigeria.

    “Before now, developmental projects were being imposed on the people. Often times, what they needed was different from what was being given to them. But today, the reverse is the case. The Mimiko-led administration brought in new innovation whereby change agents were engaged by the ministry to interact with the people and carry out need assessment thereby knowing their project priorities before government execute it for them,” she said.

    Mrs.Osundolire said impact assessment is important to have interface with the grassroots people and consolidate on the good works of government in those areas which she said will go a long way to check rural-urban drift.

    Some of the consultants to the project drawn from different organisations include, Mr. Dele Akinyemi, Mr. Justin Okwuofu from Programme Coordinator PRO-NATURA Int’l (Nigeria).

    Some of them who spoke at the occasion pointed out that impact assessment is one of the aspects of development that government needed to pay quality attention to for sustainable development and all encompassing participation for the purpose of considerable progress in the society.

    One of the resource persons Taiwo Omojola said that the training had opened his eyes to proper data collection and filling of questionnaires by their potential target audience and that they would help those who did not know how to read and write for the purpose of precision.

  • Commissioner lauds college

    The Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Solomon Olaniyonu has praised the Oyo State College of Agriculture, Igboora for its giant strides in youth empowerment.

    He gave the commendation during a visit to the institute. He said he was impressed with the college’s ability to re-engineer, add knowledge and train students to be self employed, thereby creating jobs for the youth.

    The commissioner assured the management of the government’s readiness to partner with institution to train and provide jobs for the youth through agriculture. Olaniyonu noted that for any organisation to have a multiplier effect on his investment, the human resources must be idealistic.

    He commended the governing council, management and staff of the college for their commitment and dedication to the goals which made the college to be third best among 37 others in Nigeria.

    The commissioner explained that he would use his good office to mitigate some of the challenges facing the tertiary institutions in the state, he therefore confidence that with God on his side he will not fail.

    Reacting, the Ag Provost of the College, Prof Gbemiga Adewale congratulated Olaniyonu on his appointment, while expressing his confidence in his ability to will use his wealth of experience in moving the education sector forward.

     

  • NDE distributes self-employment packs to Akwa Ibom youths

    The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) has distributed self-employment packs to 100 youths in Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom.

    They include ovens, electrical tools, sewing machines, computers, generators, hair dryers and wheel barrows.

    NDE state Coordinator, Mrs Patience Osunkwo, said at Upenekang at the weekend that the beneficiaries were trained in carpentry, hair dressing, computer application, electrical installation and barbing, among others.

    She said the training, which lasted for six months, was at the directorate’s School on Wheels Training Scheme.

    She said: “The school on wheels adequately equips youths to set up and run businesses in their chosen fields.’’

    According to her, the beneficiaries received resettlement packages, according to their chosen trades.

    She urged the beneficiaries to use the skills to multiply wealth and reduce poverty in their communities.

    The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Adasi Ubulom, said the programme would provide the beneficiaries and their dependants with the means of livelihood, adding that it would remove them from criminal activities.

    The commissioner said the programme would also help the beneficiaries to avoid being used as thugs during elections, urging other local governments to follow embrace the training.

    He advised the beneficiaries to regularly update their knowledge to keep abreast of developments in their chosen fields.

  • Commissioner opens TVE conference in Berlin

    The Rivers State Education Commissioner, Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi has praised Germans for partnering with the government in the establishment of a Technical and Vocational Education (TVE) Centre in Port Harcourt.

    Speaking at the opening of the 15th Education Conference of the German skilled crafts sector in Berlin, which focused on the export of vocational education and training, the strengths of the German dual training system and the recruitment of skilled employees, Mrs Lawrence-Nemi said the partnership will create a future for Rivers people

    As the centre of oil and gas business in West Africa, the Commissioner said Port Harcourt needs to develop an effective TVE centre to equip young people with vocational skills.

    “Our Governor visited Germany sometime last year and was impressed with what he saw concerning the human capacity building in your country. He discovered that youth unemployment in your country is low. This he found out was because of the well-functioning German Education system especially in the area of Vocational and Technical Education.

    “Rivers State is one of the 36 States of Nigeria. This city is the hub of oil and gas businesses in West Africa. It has two Seaports and an International Airport. As the Treasure Base of the Nigerian Nation, the city has witnessed over the years influx of multinationals and international oil companies. Hence the development of a very effective technical and vocational institution in the State is very vital. My Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi wants to create a future for the Rivers State people using the German style. We believe our marriage with ZWH will give us that,” she said.

    Mrs Lawrence-Nemi also said that the TVE centre will be functional by the first quarter of next year. She said agreements have been signed while the equipments will soon be installed in the centre, and training commence for the trainers.

    At the centre, she said the youths will acquire various skills like bricklaying, tiling, plastering, electrical, metal and welding and sanitary works when in full operation.

    The Education Boss noted that the vision of Governor Rotimi Amaechi is to create an economy where every youth will be employable by different multinationals operating in the State by the German firm, ZWH.

    ”We also believe that with the ZWH and German craft that are being imparted to our youths in the areas of bricklaying, tiling, plastering, electrical, metal and welding and sanitary works would make these youth’s readymade materials for the industries and even self-employment,” she said.

     

  • Eleme flyover ready next week, says Rivers commissioner

    Motorists plying the Eleme Junction Flyover Bridge in Rivers State have been assured that their plight would soon be over.

    The company handling the repair, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, would next week conclude work on one lane of the bridge.

    Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Chief Victor Giadom, who gave the assurance, said the rehabilitation work on the bridge had become necessary to complete the technical aspects not done earlier after Julius Berger had left the work due to the spate of kidnapping and harassment of its workers.

    “Julius Berger said they were not able to do what they were supposed to do in some aspects of the bridge because there were kidnapping and rainfall, and with that type of situation, technical work was hurriedly done,” Giadom said, adding that the reconstruction work being done without extra charges on government would help stabilise the bridge and make it more durable and safe.

    The commissioner, who spoke in Port Harcourt, said the Rivers State government had warned those erecting illegal structures on the proposed Sakpenwa/Bori/Kono Road to desist, as they would not be compensated following the dualisation of the road.

    He said government had watched with consternation, the rate residents of the area were erecting illegal structures with the aim of seeking compensation.

    Said he: “When the state government observed that some people have started erecting illegal structures, such as shrines, graves, buildings and so on, the chairmen of Tai, Gokana and Khana local governments were requested to inform them that the state government would not pay any compensation for such illegal structures.”