The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Committee

  • Committee on council administration

    The Lagos State government has inaugurated a 19-member committee on local government reformation.

    Head of Service Mrs. Folashade Jaji said the development was to ensure that residents feel the impact of local governments.

    Mrs. Jaji described the inauguration as a demonstration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s commitment to the repositioning of the Public Service.

    The Head of Service said the committee would examine the structure and current practice of local government administration, examine the factors affecting optimum performance and quality service delivery by local governments.

    “They are to also examine the modalities for instituting inter-service exchange of staff, knowledge and skills between the State and Local Government Services; examine the modalities for the establishment of an institutionalised human resource capacity development and management policy for local government in Lagos State.”

  • Ugwuanyi constitutes 15-man Economic Advisory Committee

    Ugwuanyi constitutes 15-man Economic Advisory Committee

    Enugu State Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has constituted a 15-man Economic Advisory Committee. He said the committee would advise the government on the best economic policies that would engender sustainable economic growth.

    A statement by Ugwuanyi’s Chief Press Secretary, Uwakwe Abugu said the team’s functions would revolve around three key objectives: to promote balanced and sustainable economic growth; to promote and engender adequate employment for the people; and to promote a system of fair income distribution among the various income groups.

    The statement reads: “Ugwuanyi’s advisory committee is coming at a time when the state government has concluded that the committee will help in investments promotion, mobilisation of funds, increased internally generated revenue (IGR) and establishment of industries.

    “It is our own economic survival strategy and we intend to use the platform to encourage and re-engineer effective public-private partnership”.

    Vicar-General of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu, Msgr. Obiora Ike was named the committee’s chairman while the Economic Adviser to the governor would serve as the secretary.

    Other members are: former Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji; Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; Chairman of Innoson Group, Chief Innocent Chukwuma; former Economic Adviser to the President and Director of the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Nigeria, Prof. Ostia Ogbu; Chief Chilo Offiah, among others.

    The committee would be formally inaugurated after the state Executive Council is constituted.

  • Governor sets up 10-man committee to boost trade, investment 

    Governor sets up 10-man committee to boost trade, investment 

    •Appoints Head of Service

    Kaduna State Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai has set up a joint committee with the Nigerian American Chambers of Commerce to boost trade, investment and create job opportunities.

    The committee, which is expected to have five members from each of the partners, is headed by Deputy Governor Bala Barnabas Bantex.

    It is expected to come out with a blueprint by September on the projects proposed by the chambers, such as power generation, setting up of hatchery, providing 500 hectares at the Millennium City for Kaduna American School and rebuilding the Zaria and Kafanchan markets.

    Addressing a delegation of the Nigerian American Chambers of Commerce led on a visit to Sir Kashim Ibrahim House by its President, Mr. Sheriff Balogun, El-Rufai lamented that there were over three million unemployed youths in the state, adding that the high number of unemployed youths in the country led to insurgency and other problems.

    He has announced the appointment of Mrs. Alisabatu Dada-Onazi as the new Head of Service.

    El-Rufai made the announcement yesterday at a civic reception organised in honour of his deputy, Mr. Barnabas Bala-Bantex, in Kafanchan.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that before her appointment, the new head of service was the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

  • Rector chairs committee

    The FEDPOFFA Rector, Dr Mufutau Olatinwo, has been elected as chairman of the Committee of Federal Rectors (COFER).

    Rector, Auchi Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo State, Dr Philipa Idogho, will serve as his deputy.

    Their administration would run till the expiration of their tenures as rectors.

    Meanwhile, more awards of recognition for service to the education sector and the society have come the way of Dr. Olatiwo.

    In Minna, Niger State, the Rector bagged the fellowship/entrepreneurship award of the Institute of Classic Entrepreneurship (ICENT). He had earlier been made a member of the Advisory Board of the institute.

  • Work for school, students, committee told

    The Provost of the Federal College of Education (Technical) in Umunze, Anambra State, Prof Josephat  Ogbuagu, has urged the Students’ Union Government (SUG) caretaker committee to work for the students’ and the college’s sake. He told the committee members to be committed to their studies, since that is their primary aim on the campus.

    The Provost said their appointment was based on their track record of discipline, diligence and academic excellence, promising that the college would provide enabling environment for them to function.

    Prof Ogbuagu urged them to uphold the legacy of the past leaders, whom he said never disrupted the college’s academic calendar. “Do not succumb to pressure to do wrong or compromise standards. Abide by the college’s rules and regulations and avoid corrupt tendencies. The ball is now in your court, do it well,” he advised.

    He said, it was better to resolve issues through dialogue, urging them to discharge their duties with decorum. He urged them to lead by example and shun cultism,and acts that could set students against  management.

    The Dean, Students’ Affairs Division, Mrs C.U. Okafor, urged the committee members to follow the union’s constitution in the discharge of their duties. She charged them to maintain peace in the college.

    In his valedictory speech, the outgoing SUG President, Charles Anya, thanked the management for its support in building unionism on the campus. He urged the authorities to support the committee in managing the affairs of students.

    Responding on behalf of the committee, Raphael Ezeonyedika, its chairman, promised that student’s welfare would be the committee’s priority.  He pledged to work with students to uplift the union and the school.

    The highpoint was the administration of oath on members of the committee.

  • VC launches Ombudsman committee

    Authorities of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) have inaugurated an Ombudsman Committee to investigate the grievances of workers of the university.

    The four-man Committee was inaugurated last Tuesday by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Rahamon Bello, who charged its members to do a good job by restoring the confidence of workers in the university. The committee, which will serve for two years with effect from February 9, 2015, is chaired by Prof F.A.D. Oyekanmi of the Sociology Department.

    Mrs. Helen Oribayo is the Secretary to the committee, while Prof O. Omidiji (Cell Biology) and Prof A. Fagbenro-Beyioku (Medical Microbiology & Parasitology) are members.

    The committee’s terms of reference are to: “examine complaints and petitions on various issues as it relates to staff of the University; evaluate any other related issues that may be forwarded to the committee; and advise management on how to properly address all complaints/petitions.”

    Deputy Vice-Chancellor (DVC, Academic and Research), Prof Babajide Alo; DVC (Management Services), Prof Duro Oni; Registrar, Dr Taiwo Ipaye; Director of Academic Planning Unit, Prof Oluwatoyin Ogundipe and Director of Quality Assurance, Prof Solomon Okunuga were at the inauguration.

  •  Nigerian chairs UNHRC advisory committee

     Nigerian chairs UNHRC advisory committee

    A Nigerian-born university teacher in Canada, Prof. Obiora Okafor has been appointed Chairperson of United Nations Human Rights Council Advisory Committee.

    Okafor teaches at the famous Osgoode Hall Law School of York University, Toronto Canada, Canada’s top Law Faculty and one of the leading global law schools.

    A news item published on the Osgoode Hall Law School website reads: “Congratulations to Professor Obiora Okafor on his appointment as Chairperson of UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee (on which he has sat for the last three years.

    “Professor Okafor was also recently appointed Tier 1York Research Chair in International and Trans-national Legal Studies.”

    In 2010, he was awarded the prestigious nation-wide, 2010 prize for academic excellence by the Canadian Association of Law teachers.

    Prof. Okafor hails from Ukpo, Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State.

    He is the first African and black person in history to receive a top Canadian nation-wide award for academic excellence for his outstanding contributions to legal research and teaching in Canada and around the world.

    He is the first African to be promoted to the highest academic rank of full prof. at a Canadian University and has previously received many other honours and awards, including the Governor-General’s Academic Gold Medal and Award of Excellence of the Canadian Association of Black Lawyers.

    One of the leading international law and human rights experts in the world, he has also served as an expert panelist for the United Nations working group on people of African descent.

    Before his latest elevation as Chairperson, UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee, he held among other UN positions, Vice Chairperson/Rapporteur Member of the Bureau (leadership) of the Committee in charge of supervising the drafting of its documents and the preparation of the reports of sessions of the Committee.

    Among positions he holds ion visiting capacity include Visiting Professor of International and Human Rights Law, St. Augustine’s International University, Kampala Uganda, Gani Fawehinmi Distinguished Visiting Professor of Human Rights Law, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Abuja, Visiting Professor, International Institute of Human Rights, Strasbourg France and Visiting Scholar, Human Rights Programme, Harvard Law School, Cambridge, MA, USA

    He started his academic career in Law at the University of Nigeria Enugu Campus, where he graduated with LL.B (Honours) in 1989 and later bagged his LL.M with Distinction from the same university in 1994.

    He sojourned abroad for more academic exploits at the University of British Columbia, Canada, where he obtained another LL.M with First Class Average in 1995.

    He received his PHD in 1998 from the same University of British Columbia, Canada.

  • NBA inaugurates Anti-Corruption Committee

    NBA inaugurates Anti-Corruption Committee

    NIGERIAN Bar Association (NBA) President Mr. Augustine Alegeh (SAN) has inaugurated the association’s Anti-Corruption Committee.

    Dr. Theo. Osanakpo is the Chairman; John Baiyeshea (SAN) is Alternate Chairman and Joshua Usman  is the Secretary

    Alegeh urged the committee to strengthen the Anti-Corruption Commission, which is headed by Mallam Yusuf Ali (SAN), to eradicate corruption from the association and the nation.

    Alegeh said: “As the proponent of rule of law and voice of the people, the NBA under my watch has declared a zero tolerance on corruption, thereby reforming and strengthening the NBA Anti–Corruption Commission to monitor and report cases.

    “The fight against corruption by the NBA will not be taken seriously by any Nigerian except the NBA is seen as having done a serious battle against the perceived corruption within the Association.

    He continued: “Corruption, no doubt, is one of the major cankerworms that have eaten deep into the fabric of our national lives. It is responsible for the underdevelopment of our nation as resources meant for development are brazenly looted by few shylock individuals.

    “Over the years in Nigeria, the issue of corruption is a malaise in our society and in the whole world as well.  The NBA intends to join in the crusade against corruption in our country for the promotion of rule of law and entrenchment of tenets of democracy in our society.”

    Alegeh said example abounds on how some greedy Nigerians have cornered and looted the country’s resources. The ones that readily come to mind, he said, are the $180 million Halliburton scam, $4.5 billion fuel subsidy probe scam, $16 billion power probe, and N32.8billion pension scam to mention, but a few.

    “As part of its effort to develop and promote our nascent democracy, the Nigerian Bar Association has always been involved in the vibrant advocacy over the issue of corruption in Nigeria.

    “The leadership of the NBA issued a press statement at the last International Anti-Corruption Day on the 9th of December, 2014 that it will help the government at all levels to fight and break the corruption chain as it undermines the social and economic development in our society,” Alegeh said.

    Alegeh listed the committee’s terms of reference to include: “To Work with the 109 Branches of the NBA to set up an Anti-Corruption Committee each, to set and maintain the highest standards of conduct aimed at avoiding corrupt practices at the Bar and the Bench; to develop and facilitate policy dialogue and anti-corruption training courses/workshop for stakeholders in the fight against corruption, to develop feedback mechanism from anti corruption agencies and the public and to do all things necessary to ensure a corruption free society.”

    The President also inaugurated the NBA Prosecutors team and the Young Lawyers Forum.

  • Council sets up committee on Ebola 

    The Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), has inaugurated a technical committee to tackle the ebola virus disease.

    The Chairman of the council, Hon. Micah Jiba, told reporters that the council had mapped out strategies to curb any possible outbreak, noting that the council had to be proactive considering the central location of the council.

    Jiba, who praised the media for the level of awareness, created about the disease, also enjoined them to sustain the tempo until cure of the Ebola virus is found by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

    The council chief also praised both the Federal Government and FCT Administration for what he described as “proactive steps” to address the scourge, even as he called on religious and traditional leaders to assist government in spreading the awareness campaigns which aim at curbing the spread of the virus.

    “I praise the media for the awareness created about the Ebola virus. I have a publication of one of the national dailies on Ebola virus. Through the media, we have known that routine cleaning and disinfection of animal houses with sodium hypochlorite (bleach) or other detergents are effective in inhibiting the virus.

    “Restricting or banning movement of animals from infected farms to other areas can reduce the spread of the disease and segregation of infected animals from others. This type of awareness can go a long way in checking the spread,” Jiba said.

    Jiba revealed that the Supervising Councillor, health and other senior primary health workers are members of the committee, adding that the committee will collaborate with other relevant bodies for positive result.

  • A committee’s fight against flood, insurgency

    A committee’s fight against flood, insurgency

    In 2012, the country witnessed an unprecedented flood that destroyed homes in many states. A Presidential Committee was set up to raise funds to ease the suffering of the victims. In this report, BUKOLA AMUSAN examines the committee’s handling of the assignment.

    The response to the flood disaster that ravaged many states  in 2012, President Goodluck Jonathan inaugurated the Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation last year.

    The committee was saddled with examining the effects of the disaster on victims, causes of the flood and prevention.

    Though the committee had done some tangible work in raising funds to assist victims, it may have less work to carry out this year compared to the amount of work it carried out in 2012 when many communities witnessed great devastating effects of the flood. The scale of damage prompted the inauguration of the committee, which is co-chaired by business mogul, Aliko Dangote and human rights activist, Olisa Agbakoba.

    Fortunately, the committee has, so far, had less work to do during this rainy season as there is no major flood disaster.

    To avoid the funds raised to fight flooding being redundant and useless, it had to be channelled to tackling insurgency in the Northeast.

    A member of the committee, who is also the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri, told reporters that part of the N17 billion raised to support victims of flooding has been deployed in support the fight against insurgency.

    Dangote had announced that a sub-committee, headed by Ambassador Godknows Igali, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power, was working on plans to intervene in a various disasters and would submit its report in the first week of April for immediate consideration and implementation.

    “We didn’t have much flooding in 2013 and the rain is not heavy this year. We believe that millions of Nigerians are in need, and that calls for the need to provide between N750 million and N800 million to assist them,” Dangote said.

    Many communities are affected by communal conflicts in recent time. This, according to the committee, propelled it to move beyond its terms of reference and wade into the problems of the people.

    The committee, considering the effects of conflicts in some parts of Nigeria, perpetrated by the Boko Haram insurgents and feuding communities, decided to extend its interventions to non-flood-related emergencies.

    This intervention, according to Alhaji Dangote, was also informed by the fact that anticipated high level floods in the country, did not occur last year.

    Omeri, said the agency was working with others to create disaster mitigation awareness at the grassroots.

    He assured Nigerians of fair, balanced and equitable distribution of disaster relief projects, which he said would be sited devoid of political and other sentiments.

    Calling for support from Nigerians and international donor agencies, Omeri said there was no limit to contributions towards saving human lives, urging Nigerians, including those who had made pledges towards assisting victims of disaster with relief and rehabilitation to come forward and fulfill such promises.

    The relief committee also established an 11-man committee headed by former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Tunde Lemo, in April to implement the relief efforts.

    Although the mandate of the committee was well spelt out when President Jonathan announced its establishment during a nation-wide broadcast on Tuesday, October 9, 2012, among which was to organise a fund raisers for the relief and rehabilitation of flood victims in the aftermath of the ravaging floods that affected many states that year, the committee was also expected to advise the government on the judicious utilisation of funds raised and had the president’s authority to co-opt any other persons or organisations that it may deem useful in carrying out its assignment.

    The committee had 12 months to complete its assignment and report to the President.

    The 34-man Presidential Committee set out to raise about N100 billion through a fund-raising dinner, though donations and pledges made by prominent Nigerians during the dinner only amounted to N11.35 billion. This was despite tax incentives announced by President Jonathan for all corporate organisations that would donate to the flood relief fund.

    Dangote and the Federal Government topped the donors’ list with donation of N2.5 billion, while business giants, Chairman of Visafone Jim Ovia, and Tony Elumelu came second with N1billion each.

    By June 13, last year, the committee had invited technical and financial bids from reputable companies for building of houses as well as provision of essential amenities in the 22 states affected by the 2012 flood disaster.

    The states were Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Bayelsa, Bauchi, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, Rivers and Taraba.

    The projects to be sited in the states include two-bedroom and three-bedroom flats as well as construction of community centres. They also include procurement and installation of mobile solar-powered packaged water treatment plants and generator-powered water treatment plants, procurement and installation of solar-powered hand pumps and rehabilitation of boreholes. The committee had announced that it would give preference to contractors from the affected states to ensure timely completion of the projects.

    More cheering news came from the Presidential Committee after a meeting on March 28, this year that all was set for the commencement of the award of contracts for the provision of disaster relief infrastructure, this time in more than 24 states of the federation, from the second week of April.