The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Council Chiefs

  • Oshiomhole hails three council chiefs over salaries

    Oshiomhole hails three council chiefs over salaries

    Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has hailed three local government chairmen for promptly paying their workers’ salaries, despite dwindling resources from federal allocation.

    The council chairmen are: Abdulmalik Afegbua, of Etsako East; Joseph Ikpea, of Esan South East and Jimoh Ijegbai, of Owan East.

    Other 15 local government areas are owing between five to 10 months salaries.

    This has prompted several protests by members of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE).

    Oshiomhole said the three council chiefs had displayed quality leadership through prudent management of available resources.

    The governor, in a letter of commendation by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof Julius Ihonvbere, expressed appreciation for the council chairmen’s success at meeting their statutory obligation when many of their colleagues failed to pay workers’ salaries.

    He noted that the record would rekindle the people’s confidence in their party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The letter reads: “These are no doubt eloquent testimonies of efficient management of human and material resources.

    “Your vision, masterly deployment of revenue, sensitivity to the yearnings of your workers and the people of your local governments have, in no small measure, helped to build confidence in governance and in our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).”

     

  • Council chief’s election upheld

    The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) election petition tribunal sitting at Wuse Zone 6 Magistrate Court, has upheld election the victory of the chairman of Abaji Area Council, Alhaji Yahaya Garba, of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as the duly elected chairman of the council in the March 16, 2013 polls.

    Chairperson of the tribunal, Chief Magistrate Binta Moahmmed, while delivering a three hours judgment, which was read by Magistrate Musa Jobbo, said the chairmanship candidate of the defunct Action Congress Nigeria (ACN), Alhaji Abdulrahman Ajiya, has failed in his petition to prove the allegations of the non-resignation of the council chairman as class teacher before contesting and over voting.

    According to him, the allegation of over voting is not proved by virtue of the provision of section 53 (2) of the electoral Act (Supra), which, he said, provides that the basis of nullification of the results of an election shall be when the number of votes cast is higher than the number of registered voters.

    He added that the allegation of the petitioner of ballot box snatching/stuffing, thuggery, intimidation, allocation of votes, harassment and security threat are criminal in nature, which, he said, require prove beyond reasonable doubt.

    “Finally, we note that the petitioner called only four witnesses. We also note that there are 43 polling units in the 7 wards complained of. This burden of proof beyond reasonable doubt has not in our view being discharged by the petitioner, as this petition therefore failed and is hereby dismissed,” he said.

    Reacting to the judgment, Counsel to the respondent, Mahmud Magaji (SAN) represented by Barrister Chris Kelechi, commended the tribunal for delivering sound and transparent judgment.

    He urged the tribunal to award a cost N500, 000 to the petitioner for the expenses he incurred in prosecuting the case, saying senior advocates were involved in prosecuting the case, which, he said last for two years.

    But counsel to the ACN Mr Y.G Haruna, a lawyer, said the judgment passed by the tribunal did not captured the areas as contained in the petition, saying he would challenge the judgment at the Appeal court.

    On his part, the chairman of Abaji council, Alhaji Yahaya Garba Gawu, who was in court after the judgment was delivered, commended the tribunal for delivering a sound and transparent judgment.

    He said the outcome judgment has proved to his people that he truly won the March 16, 2013 council election, while calling on his opponent to join hands with his administration in order to move the council forward.

    “As the outcome of today’s judgment has brought a big relief to me in order to use the remaining one year left to dividend of democracy to the good people of Abaji area council, ‘’ he said.

    It would be recalled that the ACN chairmanship candidate, Alhaji Abdularahman Ajiya, had filed a petition to challenge the victory of the incumbent council chairman, Alhaji Yahaya Gawu, of the PDP, after he was declared winner in the March 16, 2013 council election.

    Ajiya, alleged irregularities, over voting across the seven wards out of ten wards of the council, alleging further that the chairman did not resign as a class teacher before contesting the election.

     

  • Adamawa splashes N300m on 21Prado SUVs for council chiefs

    Adamawa splashes N300m on 21Prado SUVs for council chiefs

    •Acting governor defends purchase

    The administration of the Adamawa State Acting Governor, Umaru Fintiri, has spent over N300 million on Prado Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) for 21 local government chairmen barely a month in office.

    Each local government chairman was allegedly given N5 million cash for what a government source described as rate for the initial servicing of the SUVs.

    The “curious gifts” were coming barely two weeks after the local government chairmen defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The same Acting Governor, who splashed cash on the council chairmen, will today inaugurate a Judicial Commission of Inquiry into alleged mismanagement of funds by the immediate past administration of former Governor Murtala Nyako.

    Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the 21 Chairmen were given the SUVs at the Government House in Yola after a PDP stakeholders’ meeting last Friday.

    Some of the chairmen, especially those without potable water in their areas, were said to be “moody” when the SUVs were handed over to them.

    Findings in one of the respected auto marts in the country showed that a brand new Prado SUV is between N9.3 million and N11 million depending on taste.

    A fairly used Prado SUV is within the price range of N7.1million and N8.5million based on preferred choice.

    It was learnt that many of the stakeholders were shocked when the chairmen, who came to the session mostly in Peugeot 406, were “transformed” into SUVs unsolicited.

    Although the acting governor, through his Director of Press, Solomon Kumanga, admitted that the SUVs were bought to enable the local chiefs to traverse the state’s difficult terrain, investigation confirmed that it was for political motive.

    It was learnt that the car gifts were meant to compensate the chairmen for defecting to PDP; secure their support for the Acting Governor, who is lobbying to remain in office to complete Nyako’s tenure and to back the re-election bid of President Goodluck Jonathan.

    One of the stakeholders, who spoke in confidence, said: “This is certainly a misplacement of priority. We did not bargain for this after the exit of Nyako.

    “Why will an acting governor rush to go and buy Prado SUVs for local government area chairmen or why will he approve such for these office holders? Why should the purchase of SUVs be the first significant decision this new administration will take? I hope we are not moving from frying pan to fire.

    “During Nyako’s period, only negligible public officers were using Prado SUVs. For a state without enough funds, why SUVs? I think those behind the impeachment of Nyako in Abuja should call the acting governor to order.

    “I knew at the stakeholders’ session, some of these chairmen supported moves by some people for Fintiri to continue in office to complete the tenure of Nyako.

    “They are saying Nyako mismanaged funds, but what do you make of this type of reckless spending now?”

    Some of the local government chairmen confirmed that they were given SUVs and cash on Friday at the Government House.

    One of them said: “We did not really complain about cars, but the state government deemed it fit to give us the SUVs to ease our movement.”

    Kumanga, while confirming the distribution of the SUVs to the chairmen, was quick to add that the funds used for the purchase of the SUVs came from the Joint Account of the Local Governments in the state and not the purse of the state government.

    He also said the chairmen agreed to buy the SUVs at their Joint Account meeting recently.

    Kumanga, who took a little break to clarify things with his boss before responding to our correspondent, said: “The plan to buy the SUVs had been in the offing long before the administration of the Acting Governor came on board.

    “The chairmen agreed at their Joint Account meeting and they wanted the vehicles to be bought for them. The vehicles were bought from their own Joint Account and not from the coffers of the state government.

    “They opted for SUVs at their Joint Account meeting because of the difficult terrain of the state.

  • Council chiefs, cleric seek peace

    The Chairman, Ojodu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State, Hon. Olumuyiwa Oloro; his Oto-Awori counterpart, Hon. Bolaji Robert and popular Islamic cleric, Alhaji Muyideen Bello, have urged more prayers for the country.

    Oloro, who made the call yesterday, said the various troubled besetting the nation call for fervent prayer during the ongoing Ramadan. He added that he had just given some donations to over 300 Muslim faithful in his domain in support of their fasting.

    Robert and Bello spoke at the sixth Annual Bibiire Ramadan lecture and special prayer held at Ijankin, a Lagos suburb. “Today‘s lecture is timely due to the incessant security challenges in the country. We should learn how to dwell peacefully with one another. We should be tolerant of one another’s belief and be a worthy example of responsible citizenry,” Robert said

    On security, he said the council had stepped up arrangement to protect lives and property, adding that strategic measures were being taken to forestall breakdown of law and order in Oto- Awori LCDA.

    In his lecture, Bello warned politicians against making statement that could cause mayhem in the society.

    “As Muslims, this is the period to devote ourselves to Allah to cleanse the land of the terrorist activities of Boko Haram and other forms of violence perpetrated in the country. We should abstain from sin and worship our creator with our hearts,” he said.

  • Council chief seeks more polling units

    The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) has been enjoined to establish new polling units or extend the existing centres to rural communities in the area councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    Chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council, Alhaji Abubakar Giri gave the advice when he received the FCT Resident Electoral Commissioner, Chief Godwin Kwanga in his office.

    Secretary to the Council, Alhaji Usman Yahaya who stood in for the chairman at the meeting said that millions of FCT people in the rural areas are being disenfranchised during elections due to absence of polling units in those areas.

    He further said that there was a need to increase polling units in Gwagwalada Area Council as regular voters who have come of age are many in the rural areas.

    Responding, the Resident Electoral Commissioner said the team was in Gwagwalada on sensitisation campaign to get the co-operation of the people on the scheduled continuous voter registration expected to begin this year in all the area councils of Abuja.

    He explained that massive awareness would be employed to keep Abuja residents informed of the exercise.

  • Council chief donates school materials

    The chairman of Owan-East Local Government Area of Edo State, Mr. Jimoh Ijegbai has started the inauguration of 51 classrooms in 16 schools in the area.

    He flagged off the inauguration at the Uhanmi Primary School, Uhanmi in the council area.

    Ijegbai said with the exception of six classrooms provided for a secondary school in the area, the other 15 were provided with a block of three classrooms each.

    He said each of the classrooms was fitted with modern furniture, conveniences and environment conducive to learning.

    He noted that about 4,000 modern desks and chairs have been distributed to the newly constructed school and others.

    Ijegbai reiterated desire of his administration to continue to invest in the future of every child in the council through proper investment in education.

    As part of this effort, the council boss said every pupil of all public primary schools in the council area have been given six exercise books each.

    “As I have said on several occasions, our priority is that of education because we believe that to build a better and secure future for our children, the education sector needs to have the proper investment.

    “This is why immediately after I was sworn in as the council boss, we immediately commenced action by awarding contracts for construction and furnishing of these schools we are inaugurating today.

    “All the schools we are inaugurating are built with the same specification like those of the state government. We are keying into the complete revolution of the sector the Adams Oshiomhole-led administration has brought to the state.

    “What we have done in these schools is all-embracing which includes ceiling fans and white boards.

    “Coupled with the 90,000 exercise books that we have distributed to pupils, we are definitely making the right investment in education sector,” he said.

    Ijegbai, however, noted that while according education priority, other sectors are also receiving serious attention by the administration.

    The Owan-East council chief explained that drugs worth N6.5m were recently distributed to all health centres in the area.

    While disclosing that some of the health centres are being renovated, he noted that two or more have been completed.

    “The transport sector among others is also receiving attention,” he stated.

  • Council Chiefs seek equal opportunities for BSc, HND graduates

    The Committee of Chairmen of Governing Councils of Federal Polytechnics in Nigeria is advocating equal opportunities for BSc and Higher National Diploma (HND) graduates.

    Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2nd regular meeting of the committee held at the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) on Tuesday last week, Chairman Governing Council Federal Polytechnic Damaturu, Alhaji Abass Adamu said the same tests should be set for the two categories of graduates to know their capacities before they are employed.

    “Give the HND and BSc graduates the same test and employ the best out of the two. Disparity in HND and BSc is one of the major causes of under development in Nigeria,” he said.

    Adamu hinted that the HND graduates were taught by university graduates so “how can you produce HND graduates as university graduate lecturers and say that they are not up to standard? he asked”

    In his goodwill message, Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education, (NBTE) Dr Masa’Udu Kazaure said one of the major problems confronting the sector is the age long discrimination against HND graduates.

    “The cumulative effect of this on HND holders is the apparent lack of self esteem and motivation to contribute to national development,” he said.

    Represented by Publicity Officer, NBTE, Mr Hafeez Lawal, Kazaure said that the board through the Federal Ministry of Education has renewed plans to ensure that the disparity between HND holders and their university counterparts is removed.

    He also called on individual institutions to look inward and source for funding to compliment the yearly budgetary allocation from the government as according to him, funding is posing a serious challenge.

    In her address, the YABATECH Rector, , Dr Margaret Ladipo, said if the disparity between HND and BSc is allowed to continue, it will affect the growth and development of polytechnic education.

    She implored the Chairman to lend its weight to the clamour for equal consideration for the two categories of graduates.

    While giving his welcome address, the Chairman of the committee, Mr Ebenezer Babatope said the time has come for a meaningful shift in emphasis from literary education to technical and vocational education.

    He said it would address the challenge of unemployment, productivity in employment, technological development, real sector development and ultimately competition for the international market towards economic development.