The School of Management and Business Studies of Lagos State Polytechnic (Laspotech), will hold its international conference on Monday.
The theme of the three-day conference is “Sustainability of Political, Economic and Educational Systems in Developing”.
The conference will feature the Vice Chancellor of Caleb University, Imota, Lagos, Prof.Ayodeji Olukoju, as lead speaker.
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Chief Victor Umeh has described national conference as a veritable platform for deciding the future of Nigeria.
Umeh said the conference would afforded Nigerians the opportunity to interact and chart the way forward for the nation, even as he described the membership of the conference as a good thing for the Igbo nation.
Speaking in Umuahia while commissioning the party secretariat Umeh said that though the conference did not agree on all the issues raised but that some fundamental issues of national importance were discussed which would help the country navigate through it turbulent and challenging period if implemented.
Umeh said that the issue of special fund for rebuilding the North East was rejected because it did not consider the fact that the civil war victims in the South east were not compensated, adding that the fair and just thing to do will be to accommodate victims of the war and other conflicts across Nigeria.
He maintained that the conference could not agree on derivation but believes that whatever would be decided eventually would be based on equity and justice.
The APGA national boss called on the Igbo nation to remain united in order to make impact in national discourse saying that APGA slogan is unity.
He said the party was poised to take over Abia State government House in 2015 and transform the state as it did in Anambra state.
Umeh said that the legacies of the late Premier of the defunct Eastern Region, Dr Michael Okpara were still unparalleled in the annals of the state noting that it was the former Premier’s UPGA that transformed to APGA. He described the party as the Igbo identity and the symbol of Igbo unity.
He said, “Next year, 2015, APGA is the party that will take the lead and we will do more than we have been doing now; Abia State will be like Anambra state.”
The national chairman of APGA reminded the supporters that Ojukwu’s dream for the Igbo was for unity “because he believed that when we are united nothing shall be impossible for Ndigbo.”
The APGA chairman said the transformation the party was promoting would be total touching every aspect of life including infrastructure development, employment and qualitative education.
The Executive Director of Media Stead International Limited, Mr Okala Uzochukwu, yesterday disclosed that this year’s Media Stead Women’s Conference and Award would hold at the Airport Hotel, Ikeja, on Saturday.
Awards’ recipients, he said, would include women in the banking sector, politics, media, oil and gas, business and education.
The categories of the awards include: Virtuous Women Award, Nigeria Education Development Award, Special Honorary Recognition Awards and Female Media Personality Award, among others.
The guest speaker is a foremost female activist and member of the ongoing National Confab in Abuja, Dr. Joe-Okei Odumakin.
Barring last-minute cancellation, the University of Ibadan (UI) will host students from various higher intitutions to participate in the maiden African Students For Liberty (ASFL) conference.
The event will hold at the Trenchard Hall of the institution.
ASFL African Programs Manager, Olumayowa Okediran, said the conference was borne out of the need to take Africa out of the duldrums through developmental policies.
He said: “Africa has been an alms acceptor for too long. The narrative has been that the continent is poor that it cannot by itself break free from the shackles of poverty; it has been about a continent struck with the pestilence of corruption and horrendous economic situations. We are out to change this notion via practical solution.”
The group is an offshoot of Students For Liberty (SFL), a non-profit organisation aimed at empowering students to become leaders and change agents in their communities.
Resource persons at the event are pro-liberty speakers, including Co-founder of SFL, Alexander McCobin; Director of Global Peace Foundation, Ms Ida Nganga; founder and Chief Executive Officer of Dominion Group of Companies, Calvin Burgess; a social media entrepreneur and popular blogger, Japheth Omojuwa, former law-maker and writer, Dr Wale Okediran; CAMPUSLIFE Editor, Wale Ajetunmobi and Ayo Sogunro, among others.
There are plans [to kill the final report of the National Conference.
Northern delegates met at a highbrow hotel in Abuja at the weekend to ensure that the report does not see the light of day.
The conference, which ended abruptly last week, is to review and adopt its report on August 4, preparatory for presentation to President Goodluck Jonathan.
A former Senator, a woman, “is the arrow head” of the conferees who met and resolved to “seek the understanding” of senators and House of Representatives members from the North to scuttle the report.
The senator, a source said, is “peeved that the South would gain some mileage if the report of the conference is implemented as proposed”.
Part of the strategies adopted at the meeting, the source said, is to “aggressively pursue enlistment of support of Northern members of the National Assembly to scrutinise the report to ensure that portions considered to be against the interest of the North are blocked from being ratified.”
The meeting, said to have been held on Friday, was said to have lasted till the early Saturday.
Delegates who attended the meeting were mandated to use the opportunity of the annual recess of the National Assembly to reach out to the lawmakers.
Although the conference made some landmark resolutions, it failed to agree on derivation and revenue sharing formula.
The conference advised the federal government to set up a technical committee to resolve the issues.
Local government administration, state police, derivation principle, land tenure, state creation, pilgrimage and alleged new constitution almost broke the conference.
As disagreement simmered, some Northern delegates were pointedly accused of working to break the conference.
Northern delegates were particularly uncomfortable with the resolution to have local government administration transferred from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent legislate list.
They also bickered over the recommendation to empower states that desire it to create their own police.
Part of their argument was that most Northern states cannot afford to fund state police.
Some of the Northern delegates also expressed concerns over the resolution to create additional 18 states, with a special one for the southeast zone.
The most contested conference report was the Devolution of Power report. Its committee was co-chaired by former Akwa Ibom Governor Obong Victor Attah and former Inspector General of Police Alhaji Ibrahim Coomasie.
Coomasie, leader of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), led Northern delegates to the conference.
Most of the recommendations made by the Committee on Devolution of Power were adopted by the conferees but derivation principle was contentious.
To resolve the issue, the conference secretariat allowed time for mediation by leaders of the six geo-political zones which resolved that the derivation benchmark be raised to “not less than 18 percent”.
The leaders also proposed that five per cent of the Consolidated revenue fund should be set aside for reconstruction of insurgency ravaged North east geo-political zone, with a proviso that the fund be made open to every state where terrorists caused destruction, beginning with the Northeast.
Northern delegates opposed the generalization of the fund and insisted that the five per cent insurgency fund should be specifically Northeast, Northwest and Northcentral geo-political zones.
Southeast and southwest delegates said that the fund should take care of every state where terrorism had occurred.
The Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH) has hosted the eastern zonal conference of the Christian Medical and Dental Association Students (CMDAS). The three-day event with the theme: Latter rain, took place at the Living Faith Church, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. It was attended by medical students from all teaching hospitals in eastern part of the country.
Welcoming the participants, President of the NDUTH chapter, David Adika, said it was high time medical students returned to the founding values of the profession, advising them to remain focused.
National Mission Secretary of the association, Emmanuel Ajayi, who spoke on: Character of the kingdom, said medical students should come to terms with the present realities of the profession, saying they should exemplify Jesus Christ in their dealings.
Highlights of the conference were academic seminars, report of mission activities by the various schools, case studies and choir ministration by the host school. The conference ended with prayers for Nigeria, the medical profession and the teaching hospitals in the eastern zone.
Jerry Okoro from the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital said the programme was enriching. “I really enjoyed the academic segment and case studies session. I am going to put to practice what I have learned.”
Northern delegates to the National Conference yesterday remained unyielding in their opposition to the 18 per cent derivation principle proposed by the conference committee on Devolution of Power.
Today’s concluding session of the conference has be tagged “a make or break session.”
A source close to the leadership of the conference told our correspondent in Abuja that the refusal of the leader of northern delegates, former Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Coomasie and others to sign some proposed amendments to the key recommendations of the Devolution of Power committee is a source of worry to the conference leadership.
Apart from Coomasie, others who did not endorse the proposed amendment are Alhaji Mohammed Umara Kumalia, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, Prof. Jerry Gana, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu and Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama.
The proposed amendment is entitled “Amend recommendation (a) on page 39 of the report of the committee on Devolution of Power by substituting with the following.”
The new document was endorsed by Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, Adamu Maina Waziri, Senator Ibrahim Ida, Chief Olu Falae, Gen. Alani Akinrinade, Gen Ike Nwachukwu, Prof. Anya O. Anya and 18 others.
The proposed amendment states: “1(a) Provided that the principle of derivation shall be constantly reflected in any approved formula as being not less than 18 per cent of the revenue accruing to the federation account directly from any natural resources.
“1(b) That not less than 50 per cent of the total derivation fund accruable to a mineral bearing state shall be due and payable to the host communities within the state where the resources are derived in accordance with the production quota contributed to such community.
“2, There shall be established a mineral’s development fund which shall not be less than 5 per cent of the revenue accruing to the federation accounts. The funds shall be applied to minerals development in the state. This is borne out of the need to urgently and practically expand the economic base of the country, increase the gross domestic product, generate employment and promote the general development of the country.
“3, There shall be a national intervention fund which shall be 5 per cent of the annual revenue accruing to the account of the federal government for the stabilisation, rehabilitation and reconstruction of infrastructure in areas affected by terrorism and insurgency, especially in the Northeast zone of Nigeria and any other state in Nigeria that may be affected by terrorism and insurgency.”
The source noted that “all entreaties to convince Coomasie and a few others to endorse these amendments have failed.”
He added that “tomorrow’s (today’s) session will be the make or mar session of this conference.”
Information emerged yesterday that some southern delegates met on Saturday in Abuja to articulate how they would vote as block on some sensitive recommendations of the Devolution of Power committee.
A source who attended the meeting assured that “we are united and resolved that it is 18 per cent derivation principle or nothing.”
He added: “We have the believe that some northern delegates planned to break up the conference on the pretext of opposition to resource control.”
Deliberations stalled as Kutigi summons elders
Delegates lost their temper yesterday at the National Conference, screaming, shouting and swearing. The trouble was over the derivation principle.
Northern delegates, led by former Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Coomasie, vehemently opposed the recommendations of a select group of elders to peg the derivation principle for oil producing states at 18 per cent.
The proposal sought to increase the derivation principle from 13 per cent to 18 per cent for oil bearing states.
Another thorny issue for the conferees was the percentage of revenue sharing formula between the Federal and state governments.
The stalemate on the issues forced Conference Chairman Justice Idris Kutigi (rtd) to summon a meeting of “50 wise men” (a group of zonal elders) to seek a way forward for the conference.
Signs of trouble started early in the morning before the proceedings.
Deputy Conference Chairman Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi invited Prof. Anwalu Yadudu for a “private discussion”.
The convener of the Consensus Bridge Building Group, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, accused Yadudu of working in concert with others to break up the conference.
Akinyemi was said to have urged Yadudu to assist the conference in finding a common ground on some contentious issues.
At the beginning of proceedings, Akinyemi told delegates that on Wednesday, Ambassador Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, gave a verbal report of the consensus committee on derivation formula.
He added that Gambari had submitted a written copy of the report to the conference secretariat.
Hardly had Akinyemi concluded his speech when Alhaji Basir Dalhatu, a northern delegate, moved a point of order.
When he was recognised, Dalhatu said he was a member of the consensus negotiation team but did not sign Gambari’s report.
Dalhatu also told the House that most of the signatories were not original members of the team.
The conferee said that he asked Dokpesi, who produced the report, to meet with him for reconciliation of certain portions of the document.
He vowed not to accept the report unless certain sections of it were reconciled.
When Dokpesi walked into the chamber, Akinyemi told him that the document he served the House had been challenged on the floor.
Akinyemi said he had agreed with Kutigi to give Dokpesi and Dalhatu one hour to reconcile gray areas of the report.
One hour later turned into hours as other members of the negotiation team joined Dokpesi and Dalhatu.
As delegates waited endlessly for the consensus- building team to return, Mr. Isaac Osuoka, a member of the civil society, said the consensus group was unknown to the procedure rules of the conference.
Osuoka asked delegates to ignore the group as “it is self-appointed illegal assemblage of delegates.”
Justice Kutigi overruled him and insisted that delegates were free to form themselves into groups.
Dr. Haruna Yerima from Borno State said the conference should do away with voice vote.
He warned that any decision arrived at on the Committee of Devolution of Power report through voice vote would not be acceptable to the northern delegates.
Senator Musa Adede warned that the conference was drifting.
“This conference is deviating and drifting from how we started. Those attempting to intimidate the chairman must retrace their steps in the interest of this conference and the country. Nobody must be allowed to intimidate the chairman.”
As tension continued to rise, Justice Kutigi said the conference would skip derivation and go ahead to consider other recommendations of the Devolution of Power committee.
On revenue sharing formula, the committee recommended that the ratio should be 42.5%, 32% and 22.5% for federal, state and local councils to replace the subsisting 52.28%, 26.72% and 20.02%.
Some delegates proposed that the sharing formula should be 60% in favour of states and 40% for the federal government, bearing in mind that the conference had adopted the proposal that local council matters should be transferred to the states.
There was uproar as most northern delegates insisted that provision must be made for local government councils.
Senator Mohammed Saidu Dansadau from Zamfara State said: “The constitution states clearly that the revenue sharing formula shall be between federal, state and local government. Therefore any revenue sharing formula the conference want propose must be between the federal, state and local government. Nothing less of than that.”
Those behind the agitation to scrap local government councils shouted him down and reminded him that the conference had already adopted a proposal to make local government matters state affair.
Akinyemi reminded delegates that they voted to transfer local government councils to the state.
He said the voting had its consequences.
Proceedings were halted for over 45 minutes. The unfolding scenario compelled Akinyemi to warn that the leadership would no longer permit point of order or point of information.
Delegates were not deterred as they continued to discuss loudly in groups.
Akinyemi reeled out further proposals sought by delegates as the revenue sharing formula to include: 35% for federal and 65% for states; 42.5% for federal and 57.5% for states.
Akinyemi said the issue should be stood down for necessary consultations.
The acrimony between northern and southern delegates widened as the consensus building group walked into the chamber.
Akinyemi asked “High Chief Dokpesi where is the document?”
Northern delegates shouted “no document, no document, no document, no wuruwuru here”.
Akinyemi objected to the use of the derogatory word wuruwuru (deceit) as confusion continued in the chamber.
He asked that the microphone be handed over to Alhaji Coomasie, leader of the northern delegates.
Coomasie said: “I am the leader of northern delegates to this conference and a member of elders who have met for three days to arrive at some comprise on the issue of derivation.
“We failed to reach any comprise on the issue. Therefore any report submitted to the secretariat on the issue, do not have the backing of the northern delegates. We reject such report.”
Coomasie’s speech made delegates to cluster in groups while the shout of “no, yes, no, yes” reigned in the house.
Akinyemi said since consensus had failed, the conference must move forward.
He listed 18%, 21%, 21.5%, 25%,, 30%, 40%, 50% as the percentages of derivation delegates proposed to vote on.
He also read the proposal which sought the scrapping of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Amnesty Programme, and Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs while their function should be transferred to the states.
Akinyemi read another proposal which wanted an interim bridging arrangement of 50% derivation which will be phased within 10 years and eventually increased to 100% over the years.
Justice Kutigi said the problem of the secretariat was that the ballot paper for voting has only the provision of “yes or no”.
“Our problem is how to group the proposals into two to record the voting pattern,” he said.
There was more confusion in the House as delegates began to shout on top of their voices.
Chief Olu Falae, leader of Yoruba delegates and a member of the consensus group elected to read the conclusions of the team, noted that Nigeria’s problems would come and go while the country would remain.
Falae said he is a member of the consensus – seeking committee that had been meeting for three days.
He asked for decorum to enable him read the committee’s conclusions.
The shout of “yes and no” interjected him.
Falae persisted to read the conclusion amid loud shouts of “no document!, no document!.”
The document read: “Proposed amendments to the report of the Committee on Devolution of Power.
“Amend recommendation (a) on page 39 of the report of the committee by substituting with the following:-
“1(a) Provided that the principle of derivation shall be constantly reflected in any approved formula as being not less than eighteen percent (18%) of the revenue accruing to the Federation Account directly from any natural resources
“2(b) That not less than 50% of the total derivation fund accruable to a mineral bearing state shall be due and payable to the host communities within the state where the resources are derived in accordance with the production quota contributed by such communities.
“2. There shall be established a Solid Mineral Development Fund, which is currently 3% of the Federal Government Account referred to by the committee on page 40 of its report, it shall be increased to 5% and will be applied to Solid Minerals Development in the states.
“3.There shall be a National Intervention Fund, which will be 5% of the annual revenue accruing to the account of the Federal Government for stabilisation, rehabilitation and reconstruction of areas affected by terrorism and insurgency, in the first instance in the North East of Nigeria and any other parts of the country affected.
“Or in the alternative
“3,There shall be a National Intervention Fund which shall be 5% of the annual revenue accruing to the account of the Federal Government for the stabilization, rehabilitation and reconstruction of areas affected by terrorism and insurgency, in the first instance in the North East of Nigeria, North Central, North West any other parts of the country.”
Falae proceeded to the high table to hand over the document to Justice Kutigi.
There was commotion in the chamber.
Justice Kutigi made attempts without success to bring order to the house.
“Be orderly, please be orderly” Justice Kutigi shouted.
He said it appeared the consensus committee did not conclude its job as reported by Coomasie.
“Our intention is to give them more time to conclude their job,” he announced.
What followed was shouts of “no, no, no we want to vote!”
Amid the confusion, Justice Kutigi announced that proceedings would be adjourned till 9am on Monday.
He invited the committee of 50 wise men for a meeting today to look for a way forward for the meeting.
The Yoruba delegation dissociated itself from the report of the Consensus Group on resolving the impasse on derivation issue.
A statement by Dr. Kunle Olajide, Secretary South-West Delegation, noted that the report, which was presented by Gambari on behalf of the group, in addition to proposing 18 per cent derivation to the oil bearing states, also proposed 5 per cent first line charge for the development of mineral resources and another 5 per cent National Intervention Fund in Boko Haram devastated areas in the Northeast as well as other areas affected in Northcentral and Northwest.
It said: “The Yoruba delegates, arising from a caucus meeting, rejected the report, stating that it gave a wrong impression of what the intervention fund was set to achieve.
“The fund should be aimed to serve the collective interest of the country and not a sectional interest as presented by Prof. Gambari.
“Southwest delegates view Gambari’s projected amount to depletion of the Federation Account through nebulous funds to promote insurgency in the country.
“It is also aimed at legalising the impoverishment of non-oil bearing states in Southwest, Southeast and Southsouth as these states, neither benefit from derivation nor the so-called intervention fund.”
No doubt swindlers are increasing their activities by the day.They evolve new strategies and tactics to defraud unsuspecting victims. They use different means just to lure anyone. One of such is a scenario where they invite innocent people to attend fake events with fake invitation letters.
On the surface the letter may seem harmless but deep down there is more to it than meets the eyes.
Find below a sample of the fake letter.
Dear Colleague,
The International Youth & Women Foundation (I.Y.W.F) is pleased to invite you to participate in our forth-coming International Conference on (Child Abuse, HIV/AIDS, Racism And Human Trafficking). These event will begins from (July 9th-12th, 2014) in California, United State of America and (July 16th– 19th 2014) in Dakar, Senegal. I am honored to invite you to attend this event as my guest.
For more details and requirement for your registration, kindly contact our secretariat office via Mrs. Karissa Desmond E-mail: (info.global.youth.i.y.w.f@usa.com) Also, feel free to contact me if you need any further details related to this event. Endeavor to inform the secretariat that you were invited to participate by (Ms. Sabrina Jackson) a staff member of the International Youth & Women Foundation.
Note that the Organizing Committee and Our donor sponsors will take the full responsibility of all registered participants Visa processing for the United States & Senegal respectively. That will include your Round trip air tickets to both events. While delegates will only be responsible for his/her own hotel
accommodation in Dakar, Senegal were the second phase of the event will take place. I do hope you can make time in your busy schedule to attend this conference and share your ideas on this topic on the panel!
Please let me know whether you can make it as soon as you can, through my personal e-mail: (sabrinajackson545@yahoo.com)
Thanks!
Ms. Sabrina Jackson
International Youth & Women Foundation
Los Angles, California
United State of America
•Want Local councils removed from Exclusive List
Delegates to the National Conference backed yesterday the agitation for creation of more states.
They were, however, divided over whether or not to remove local government councils from the Exclusive Legislative List and place it in the Concurrent Legislative List.
No resolution had been taken on the issues but most delegates who contributed to the debate of the committee report on political restructuring and forms of government saw creation of more states as one sure way to address the problem of imbalance in the country.
A particular mention was made by most speakers of the necessity to carve out one more state for the Southeast geo-political zone as a balancing measure.
Some delegates also supported the proposal for power rotation to create the sense of belonging in all parts of the country.
Former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Chief Bayo Ojo noted that the quest for power rotation in the country was as a result of the denial of minority rights.
Ojo said that following the recommendation of the Committee on power rotation, most of the quest for more states and self determination by ethnic minority groups has been due largely to marginalisation and domination that characterised the political relations among the various groups and component units at the state and local government levels.
He said: “The failure of previous constitutions, including the 1999 to provide for power rotation at different levels has led to deep sense of alienation and bitterness that can not be easily assuaged by mere legal positions that are not entrenched in the constitution.
“This obvious lacuna has resulted in a situation where many ethnic groups in most States are entirely excluded from taking part in government contrary to the provisions of Section 14 (3) and (4) of 1999 constitution but it is also the primary cause of political and social instability at all levels of government.
“It’s a step in the right direction with the committee’s recommendation that power rotation should be entrenched in political party’s manifestoes but that is not enough.
“To make it lasting, a new subsection 5 should be added to Section 14 of 1999 constitution that the Office of the President shall rotate between the north and the south, the office of governor to rotate among the three Senatorial Districts and office of Chairman of Local council to rotate between the Local governments.
“In addition the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should divide the Local government into two or three equal parts for the purpose of the contest for the position of Chairman.”
Chief Sola Ebiseni, delegate on the platform of Local government Administration from Ondo State drew applause from majority of the delegates when he highlighted what he described as the injustice of local government creation by the military.
Ebiseni gave facts and figures to back up his argument that the best way for the country to go was to empower states by making local government matters residual issue.
He said: “With the present constitution, no new Local government can be created, Lagos a State tried it, it was unsuccessful. Any attempt to create Local government through the National Assembly as dictated by the constitution will amount to a nullity.
“The implication is that even those who are clamouring for minority rights will never get local government created for them.
“The only problem that people have, in my opinion, is that the list of local government contained in the 1999 constitution be removed and empowered the States.
“I want to say that the removal does not a mean scrapping of Local of Local government but it is intended to cure the ambiguities, injustice and inequity in the constitution as we have it today.
“If I may state this, the South West geo political zone, Lagos State was created in 1967 with a population of almost 15 million people, this constitution gave Lagos 20 Local government Areas.
“Osun was created in 1991 with a population of about three million people, this constitution gave Osun 30 Local government Areas.
Katsina state was excised from Kaduna, that still had more Local government than Katsina, yet Kaduna was left with 23 Local governments but Katsina having 34.
“The combination of Local governments in Kano, Jigawa and Katsina is more than the entirety of Local governments in the South East.
Bauchi is the most populous State in the North East, but today it has 20 Local government, while Borno with less population has 27.
“In the North Central, Benue has the largest population but not less than three States in the region has more Local government than Benue.
“In the South South, Rivers State has the largest population with 23 Local government while Akwa Ibom has 32.
“We cannot, as a country, allow this kind of injustice to thrive by people who are romancing with the past.
“What this Committee has recommended on Local government is a national consensus, There was nothing mentioned about Local government in the 1963 constitution.
“Local government issue is residual, it belong to the State. It was the same recommendation by the 2005 Political Reform Conference. It was the 1979 and 1999 military constitutions that are imposing this arbitrariness on our nation.
“This Conference will not address the massive injustice done to the minority groups of this country by not allowing the States, who know the geographical and biographical composition of their areas to handle local government affairs.”
Former Imo State Governor, Achike Udenwa, appreciated the recommendation of the committee for addressing the imbalance in state creation especially the proposal one satte should be created in the South East geo-political zone.