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Tag: commissioner

  • Oyo Assembly pardons commissioner

    Oyo Assembly pardons commissioner

    •Olowofela tenders apology letter

    The Oyo State House of Assembly has pardoned the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Adeniyi Olowofela, for alleged misconduct.

    The Assembly had passed a “vote of no confidence” on him because of his “disrespect” for the lawmakers when he appeared before the House last week.

    It was learnt that the lawmakers pardoned the commissioner following a letter of apology Olowofela personally wrote and addressed to the Speaker and other members of the Assembly seeking their forgiveness over what transpired during the proceedings on November 23.

    It would be recalled that the House had passed a vote of no confidence on the commissioner when he appeared in the house following his response to the issues raised on the school feeding programme of the Federal Government.

     

  • Commissioner denies alleged N4b fraud in govt house contract

    Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Housing and Town Planning Ime Okon Ekpo has denied allegation that he embezzled over N4billion in the N37billion contract awarded for the design and building of Government House, Uyo.

    The contract was awarded by the ex-Governor Godswill Akpabio administration.

    Ekpo retired from the civil service as director in 2004 and was appointed by Akpabio to oversee the Government House contract as project manager in 2008.

    But the Chairman of Otto Trinity Studios, one of the consultants to the project, Ubokutom Nyah, has instituted a petition on behalf of four other consultants, alleging that the commissioner defrauded them to the tune of over N4billion in the construction of phases l, ll and lll of the project.

    The petition, dated August 24,  with copies made available to reporters, is titled: “Petition against Architect Ime O. Ekpo for corrupt enrichment, abuse of office and fraudulent conversion of more than N4 billion consultancy fees during execution of Government House Complex, Phase l, ll and lll in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State”.

    Nyah, in the petition addressed to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) chairman in Abuja averred that in 2013, the Akpabio administration awarded a contract for the building  of a new Government House at about N37billion.

    The contract, he said, was to be executed in three phases, namely phase l, ll and lll with five consultants- Otto Trinity Studios (Architects), Amana Consortium (Structural/Project Manager), Eno Iwoketo and Associate (Mechanical), Dranibs Engineering Nigeria Ltd (Electrical) and Integrated Practice Consultants (Quality Surveyors) appointed for professional service.

    The petitioner, who was appointed lead architectural consultant by the government over the Government House project, alleged that “the professional fees of those consultants were discussed, agreed and N5.2 billion made available for payment to the consultants.”

    The consultancy fee, according to him, was moved by the government into the account of Julius Berger Nigeria PLC under the contract agreement for disbursement to the beneficiaries.

    Nyah alleged that the commissioner failed to administer the funds to commensurate with the contract agreement, adding that he shortchanged the consultants and diverted over N4billion to his private account.

    ”The substantial disparity between what Ekpo is offering us as balance of professional fees payable and over authentic claims is deserving of a dispassionate investigation because we know that authentic fees were captured in the contract and provided for by the government.”

  • Don’t panic over Monkey pox, Commissioner urges Ondo residents

    Don’t panic over Monkey pox, Commissioner urges Ondo residents

    Following the recent outbreak of Monkey Pox in over six states and the resultant panic that trailed it, Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Wahab Adegbenro, has allayed the fear of residents by calling for calm. He said though there were reported cases in neighbouring states, Ondo State is still free of the outbreak, thus, there is no cause for alarm.

    Adegbenro said the infection is transmitted by monkeys, squirrels and other animals and is in the same class as chicken and small pox. He disclosed that Monkey pox was first discovered in the Republic of Congo after the elimination of small pox and that it was not as bad as the old small pox or Ebola. Some of its symptoms according to him include: severe headache, fever, sore throat, body and back ache as well as rashes all over the body.

    He appealed to residents to abstain from ” bush meat” for now, and urged them to ensure that meats are thoroughly cooked before eating. He advised that any suspected case is immediately reported to the nearest hospital. Adegbenro said the government is combat-ready and on top of the situation as its emergency preparedness and Surveillance teams both at the State and LGA levels have swung into action.

    Other proactive measures put in place, according to the commissioner, include provision of isolation wards in all state Specialist Hospitals in the State,  large scale sensitization and public enlightenment in print, electronic and social media, among other things.

  • Commissioner: no room for quacks in Sokoto labs

    Sokoto State Commissioner for Health, Dr Balarabe Shehu Kakale has said there is no room for quackery in the medical laboratories in the state.

    He urged the management of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) to join hands with his Ministry to eradicate the menace in the state.

    Kakale spoke when he received  the MLSCN Acting Registrar, Mr Tosan Erhabor.

    He said Governor Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, quackery would no longer be tolerated in medical laboratory facilities because of its harmful effect on the people.

    According to him, B.Sc and HND holders or others with similar qualifications should not be working in the medical labs as they had not been trained to do so.

    “We cannot condone quackery. If you are not a professional, trained specifically to work in the medical laboratory, but you decide to go and work there, that could also be suicidal considering that you might not know how to handle certain specimens that you may be exposed to. Therefore, you could easily be infected.”

    The Commissioner recalled that a directive had been issued to the Ministry of Higher Education to stop posting polytechnic students to medical laboratories for Industrial Attachment.

    While pledging support for the Council’s efforts to stamp out quackery and ensure that medical laboratories performed up to expectation, Kakale also enjoined the MLSCN to help his Ministry advocate more funding for the health sector, particularly at the Federal Government level as the budgetary allocation to the sector had not achieved much.

    “We have to work together, as no single person or group can do it alone.

    ‘’The Federal allocation to the health sector is a problem. Also, there are existing laws that have not been effectively implemented, including the National Health Act which, if fully implemented, could positively impact medical laboratory services,” he said.

    The MLSCN boss explained that the courtesy visit was in furtherance of the cordial relationship between the Council and the Sokoto State Government, especially the Ministry of Health. He urged the state to work with the Council towards eradicating quackery which he described as the most virulent cankerworm militating against progress in the medical laboratory services sector in the country.

    “Suffice it to say that the activities of quacks have continued to put the lives of our citizens at risk, in addition to creating crisis of confidence for which citizens with the wherewithal prefer to travel to other climes in search of perceived quality diagnosis.

    ‘’Quackery is not only when a trader or carpenter pretends to be a doctor or a medical lab scientist. Anyone that is working in a field, pretending to have the requisite training and experience, which they don’t actually possess, is, indeed, a quack! Thus, there should be no room for BSc. HND and ND holders; including Corps members in any medical laboratory in this state, even for the purpose of internship, when there are qualified Medical Lab Scientists, Technicians and Assistants available for such duties,” he said.

    While expressing the Council’s readiness to collaborate with the state to sanitise medical laboratories there, Erhabor advised the Ministry to ensure that tertiary health facilities in the state commenced the process of getting their laboratories accredited as soon as possible in addition to keying into the Council’s External Quality Assurance (EQA) scheme.

    “These schemes,” he noted, “were established to ensure that medical laboratory tests results based on the same reagents, specimens, and parameters etc., are incontrovertibly accurate and similar irrespective of the location of the facility.”

  • Ekiti workers to EFCC: charge commissioner, accountant-general to court

    Ekiti State workers have urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to charge the Commissioner of Finance, Chief Toyin Ojo, and Accountant General, Mrs. Yemisi Owolabi, to court, if they are found to be corrupt.

    They said the continued detention of the officials in EFCC facility was affecting payment of salaries and smooth running of government business.

    State Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Raymond Adesanmi, spoke yesterday at this year’s World Teachers’ Day celebration at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

    The EFCC arrested Ojo and Owolabi on September 28 in Abuja when Governor Ayo Fayose declared his intent to run for President on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Represented by his Vice-Chairman, Kayode Akosile, Adesanmi said: “If the EFCC has anything against them, they should charge the commissioner and accountant general to court so they can come home and pay us our salaries.

    “We are currently hungry and we want to collect the little we are entitled to. The actions and the inactions of politicians are taking a toll on workers in Ekiti.”

    At the ceremony, Fayose announced automatic promotion to Level 15, all level 14 graduate primary school teachers, and car gifts with a weeklong holiday in London or Dubai for best teachers in primary and secondary school and the state’s tutor-general.

    The governor said the gesture was informed by the success the state recorded in the National Examination Council (NECO) Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) for two consecutive years.

    The Best Primary School Teacher is Mrs Grace Ojo, of SUBEB Model School at Omuo-Ekiti and the Best Secondary School Teacher is Mr. Ephraim Egunjobi, of Iworoko Community Secondary School at Iworoko-Ekiti.

    They got new Hyundai cars from the governor.

    The Headmaster-General appointed by the governor, Mrs. Anike Apata, also got a new Kia car.

    Fayose also announced the appointment of Mrs. Oluwatoyin Arogundade as the Tutor-General for Ekiti Central.

    For this year’s World Teachers’ Day, Fayose dished out a cash gift of N100 million, which will be paid directly into the personal accounts of the teachers.

    The governor promised to increase the cash gift to N150 million next year should the state come first again in NECO next year.

  • EFCC’s arrest of commissioner, AG lawless, says Ekiti govt

    The Ekiti State government has said the arrest of its Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Toyin Ojo and Accountant General, Yemisi Owolabi, is unconstitutional and a show of executive lawlessness.

    The two state officials were arrested last Thursday by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged misappropriation of state resources.

    Addressing reporters yesterday in Abuja, the Attorney General and Justice Commissioner Kolapo Kolade said the action of the EFCC breached a subsisting order issued against the commission by a Federal High Court in 2016.

    According to him, the court barred the commission from arresting, detaining or investigating any state official or officials – whether past or present – without any report of indictment by the House of Assembly.

    Kolade said the government had approached the court to challenge the serial arrests of its officials by the EFCC on issues outside the purview of the anti-graft agency.

    The commissioner said the court order was duly served on EFCC on November 27, 2016, adding that it had not been vacated by the court or any other superior court.

    He said: “Following the Interim Order, the EFCC wrote a petition to the chief judge of the Federal High Court for the transfer of the case to another Federal High Court judge. The case was subsequently transferred to the Akure Judicial Division of the Federal High Court.

    “The Akure Judicial Division of the Federal High Court sat over the case on January 24 and restated the earlier order by the Ado Ekiti Judicial Division of the Federal High Court.

    “The case was adjourned till February 15 for hearing. But the judge referred the matter back to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to have a second look at transferring the case to the Akure Judicial Division of the Federal High Court.

    “The order of the Federal High Court has not been vacated till date. In other words, the issue of the arrest and or detention of the Ekiti State government officials is still subjudice.

    “The EFCC is not above the law and the agency is bound to obey lawful orders made by courts, as in this case.

    “The actions of the EFCC are, to say the least, unlawful and show executive lawlessness.”

     

  • Clampdown politically motivated —Commissioner

    Clampdown politically motivated —Commissioner

    Ekiti State Commissioner for Information, Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Lanre Ogunsuyi, has described the arrest of the Commissioner for Finance, Chief Toyin Ojo and the Accountant General, Mrs. Yemisi Owolabi, as an act of “executive recklessness politically motivated.”

    Ogunsuyi said he sympathised with individuals and interest groups celebrating the EFCC clampdown which he said would not affect the presidential dream of Governor Ayo Fayose.

    He dismissed allegations of treasury looting, operation of secret Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) accounts and jacking up of contracts of Ado-Ekiti flyover and New Market, among others, as a “figment of the imagination of those peddling them.”

    Ogunsuyi described the Fayose administration as “the most transparent and the most prudent in the history of Ekiti State,” challenging anybody with contrary proof to come out with same.

    He said: “The arrest of the Commissioner and Accountant General is an act of executive recklessness and politically motivated. Assuming that the duo are wanted, why did the EFCC choose the day of declaration when they followed their boss to Abuja as the day to arrest them?

    “The same EFCC has refused to treat several petitions against former Governor Kayode Fayemi’s handling of the state finances during his administration. Chief Ojo and Mrs Owolabi are visible, accessible and always at their offices.

    “I sympathise with those celebrating what the EFCC has done. It is quite unfortunate.

    “Ekiti is in difficult financial situation because of the repayment of loans obtained by Fayemi, and we have repaid N40 billion in the last 36 months deducted at N1.2 billion per month.

    “The allegations of treasury looting and financial mismanagement being peddled some mischievous individuals and groups only exist in their imaginations. Let them bring out concrete evidence or keep shut forever.

     

  • Actor sworn-in as Commissioner in Cross River

    Actor sworn-in as Commissioner in Cross River

    Hollywood actor, Eric Anderson, has been officially sworn in as Commissioner forTourism, Culture and Heritage in Cross River State.

    Anderson, an indigene of the state, took the oath of office on Wednesday in Calabar, the state capital.

    His Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Obaji Abung-Akpet, in a statement announcing the appointment, described Anderson as one, well fitted for the position, adding that it was also remarkable that the swearing-in ceremony coincided with World Tourism Day celebration.

    Until his appointment, Anderson was Special Assistant to Cross River Government on Tourism.

    The thespian is known to have featured in some notable Nollywood films, including ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’, ‘Streets of Calabar’, and ‘One Good Man’, among others.

  • Assembly summons Education commissioner

    Benue State House of Assembly yesterday invited Education, Science and Technology Commissioner Prof. Dannis Ityavyar to plenary next Thursday.

    This followed improper implementation of guidelines by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, which led to a chaotic situation in management and administration of schools.

    Ityavyar, who will be in plenary at 10 am., is expected to explain policy guidelines regarding management and administration of schools.

    Speaker Terkimbi Ikyange spoke after a debate on a motion of urgent public importance by the Majority leader, Benjamin Adanyi, who drew attention of the ministry to the unwholesome practices by schools.

    Adanyi, a lawyer, said there was arbitrary and indiscriminate hike of fees by proprietors unchecked by the ministry.

    He lamented that private and public schools ignored the practice of transfer of used books, saying at the beginning of every session, parents go through pains of buying textbooks.

  • Commissioner seeks support for Governor

    As 18 commissioners take the oath of office today in Ondo State,  one of them, Prince Solagbade Amodeni, has urged residents, particularly workers, to rally round the Oluwarotimi Akeredolu administration.

    Amodeni noted that despite recession, Akeredolu had programmes to impact the state and its people.

    Such programmes, he said, would soon materialise.

    He hailed Akeredolu for appointing credible indigenes as commissioners, saying the administration’s team would assist in lifting the state.

    The 18 commissioners will take the oath of office from Governor Akeredolu (SAN) at the International Event Centre (Dome) in Akure, the state capital.

    Among them are two women chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    He hailed APC supporters, traditional rulers and residents of Akoko South East for reposing confidence in him to serve in Akeredolu’s administration.

    The commissioner-designate pledged not to disappoint the people.

    A teacher at Afe Babalola University in Ado-Ekiti ABUAD), Oluwagbemiga-Gabriel, described Amodeni as a towering figure of character and integrity.

    The lecturer criticised a group, Vanguard for Good Governance (VGG), for allegedly campaigning against Amodeni, adding: “Nobody can play God for the destiny of every mortal.”

    He said: “Amodeni is a foundation member of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and he worked closely with the late Adebayo Adefarati. The faceless group, which earlier kicked against his nomination as commissioner, has now failed. It is a gathering of wicked souls against a principled man.

    “It is to the credit of the APC chieftain that despite the storm to stop him from becoming a commissioner, he remained calm and maintained dignified silence throughout his ordeal.”

    Oluwagbemiga-Gabriel, an APC supporter, recalled the support Amodeni gave to Akeredolu in the 2012 and 2016 governorship elections.

    He praised the governor for recognising Amodeni’s role, saying it led to his appointment against all odds.

    The lecturer urged the people to fear God in their actions.