The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Council

  • Council chief to residents: Let’s cooperate

    The new Executive Secretary of Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government in Lagos State, Mr Olurotimi Adeleye, has urged residents of the council area to team up with his administration for rapid development.

    Adeleye, who spoke at the inauguration of the four-man transition committee of the council, urged all party chieftains in the area to bury their differences and work together for the cause of the party.

    He enjoined all eligible voters to ensure that they collect their Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC), which according to him, is the only instrument through which they can exercise their electoral franchise.

    Adeleye said: “My tenure in this local government may be short, but let us all team

    up to ensure its success. One of the ways to do that is to mobilize all residents to get their voter’s card so that we all can have a voting right in the election coming up next month.”

    He assured all of his determination to run an open-door administration adding that he is open to advice and criticisms geared towards promoting the good cause of the people of the council.

    The council chief congratulated the committee members for being found worthy of the onerous assignment ahead by the leaders of the party and charged them to guard their loins for the task ahead.

    The council’s immediate past chairman, Apostle Oloruntoba Oke, said: “The Executive Secretary lives in this council and he is a development-focused man. Several times in the past, he used to call my attention to areas where the people are going through development challenges. So, I have no doubt about his competence. I can equally vouch for those on his team. They are people who merited being chosen for the assignment on hand.”

    The committee members are: Mr Samuel Asa, Mr Lukman Adeleye, Mrs Bisi Adepetun and Wahab Kareem. were administered their oath of office by the council’s Legal Officer Mrs Olayinka Gbosanya administered their oath of office.

  • Council chief warns cultists

    Cultists among youths and other criminals who have been tormenting residents of the Bariga area of Lagos State have been warned to turn a new leave or face the wrath of the law.

    The new Executive Secretary of the Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Mr Kolade Alabi, who gave the warning yesterday, said his administration would not condone any act that could disrupt law and order in his domain.

    Alabi, the immediate past vice chairman of the LCDA, said he would step up enlightenment and re-orientation campaigns across the area, urging parents, guardians, community leaders and traditional rulers to join hands with the council to foster peace and orderliness in the area.

    The LCDA, he promised, would continue to partner all stakeholders, especially the police, to tackle crime and delinquencies among youths.

    Among other key people-oriented commitments, Alabi assured residents of the area that his administration would embark on massive infrastructural development of the area.

    “We will do more on road and drainage rehabilitation to aid free access in our domain. By so doing, we will be tackling flooding. I urge our people to imbibe decent waste disposal habit in line with the policy of the state government.

    “All members of the LCDA’s Transition Committee, the management and staff, have resolved make enough sacrifices to take the council to the next level in the interest of our people and democracy. Above all, we are deeply committed to actualising the ideals of our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) here,” he said.

    The council chief, who assured residents that he would run an open administration attend to demands without any discrimination, urged them to cooperate with him in whatever way.

  • Council holds stakeholders forum

    Council holds stakeholders forum

    All it a political gathering, you won’t be wrong. The refurbished auditorium of the Mosan-Okunola Local Council Developmental Area was fill to the brim on Monday People from diffrent walks of life  thronged the council as early as possible, all the first Stakeholders’ Forum under the administration of Princess Opeyemi Adunni Akindele, the council’s Executive Secretary (ES).

    Being her first interactive session with the people, Princess Akindele was at her best as she received her guests in twos, threes and then in scores.

    They exchanged pleasantries, share jokes and banters.

    Many congratulated her on the new appointment while the elderly  prayed for her success.

    The traditional rulers were led by the Baale of Akinogun, Prince Martins Oladega; marketers by the Iyaloja-General of Mosan-Okunola LCDA, Alhaja Aminat Alabi and Mrs. Comfort Alabi from Abesan Primary School represented the teachers. Others in attendance included: representatives of Community Development Committee (CDC); artisans; farmers and the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN).

    In her opening remarks, the council chief said the meeting was germane for the socio-economic development of the council.

    “We realise government alone cannot fashion out the needs of the community, hence the necessity for this meeting to receive inputs from all stakeholders so that at the end of the day, we shall have a budget presentation that meet the aspiration of the people,” she said.

    According to her, any project that would be embarked upon would be a realistic one, promising to complete any project initiated during her tenure.

    She assured them that at the end of her three-month spell, the council will wear a new look.

    During the interactive session, Mrs. Alabi canvassed for the deployment of more security personnel in public schools within the council.

    “We have gotten school materials from the state’s Ministry of Education with a warning that they must be well kept. With the porous security in our various schools, all these streets urchins could break into our offices and destroy the materials,” she said.

    She also asked for provision of boreholes and other amenities  in the schools.

    Chairman of the Mosalasi Unit of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Mr. Folunrusho Fasuyi, described the event as “unique because the person at the helm of affairs is someone the people love and she is a mother with great heart.

    Fasuyi enjoined the ES to have a listening ear and take advice that would move the council forward.

    He urged her to develop the hinterland by opening up roads for  farmers to get their products to the market without stress.

     

  • Council chief warns against bush burning

    Council chief warns against bush burning

    Chairman of Kuje Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Shaban Tete, has cautioned traditional rulers against bush burning, which he said has negative effects on the development of any society.

    Tete also said that the council would soon organise a sensitisation programme for all village heads across the 10 wards of the council on the dangers of bush burning.

    The council boss, who stated this when some village heads and district heads visited him, said the council’s decision to organise the sensitisation programme was timely since farmers have started harvesting their farm produce.

    The council boss said that lives  and property worth millions of naira have been destroyed as a result of indiscriminate bush burning, especially at the rural communities, which sometimes nearly resulted in clashes between farmers and herdsmen.

    Tete said it is at the peak of every year dry season, which is the harvest period, that some parts of the country always witness herders and farmers clashes, in which lives and farm produce are lost.

    “Our major concern is how to ensure that there is always peace between farmers and Fulani’s in our various communities, especially now that we are into harvesting period, sometimes you will hear that some farm produce have been burnt as a result of bush burning, which sometime accusing fingers are pointed at the Fulani herdsmen, “ he said.

    Tete, however, noted that bush burning, has adverse effect on the society, saying even the federal government has always champion the course of ensuring that people desist from bush burning.

    “I want it make it categorically clear that at the end of the sensitisation programme, any village heads that fail to take the message home to their subjects on the dangers of bush burning and any crisis that later broke out either between farmers and Fulani’s as result of loss of farm produce, such chief or village head would be held responsible,” he warned.

  • Council chief praised for building market

    Residents of Dutse Alhaji in Bwari Area Council have hailed the council administration led by Hon. Peter Yohanna for what they described as the bold steps taken to build a modern market after demolishing the old one.

    Mrs Agnes Ukachukwu, a resident of Dutse Alhaji said that the move by the chairman of the council to upgrade the market is really commendable, because the previous market was an eye-saw, that the ongoing ultramodern construction has given market trading a new meaning in the area.

    According to Ukachukwu, the construction of the ultralmodern market, which is still in progress, is an evidence that the council chairman feels the plight of the people and is doing everything possible to ensure that he fulfills the promise made to the people when he was campaigning for the office of the chairman.

    “I must say that we are proud of what is going on here in this market, we never thought that we will ever have such a modern market in Dutse Alhaji, because have heard so many promises without the government fulfilling them. So, this one is really a surprise, that means there is hope for us in this country,” she said.

    Ms. Glory Gimba, another resident explained that the ongoing upgrade of the market has given the entrance of Dutse Alhaji a new look, saying that the usual rowdy entrance to Dutse Alhaji has suddenly become well organised due to the standard of the market at the junction.

    “The present of the market has really shapen things here, mostly the entrance of the Dutse Alhaji which used to rowdy. The okada riders and street traders are no been put on check by the Police. I pray it continues this way for a long time. This is really a very good development and we appreciate the leadership of the council for it.

    “Initially, when they demolished the old market, we thought they just wanted to punish. But, we are surprise to see this standard market under construction right under our noses. We are really happy and we appeal to the council chairman to use his good heart to make the fees for the shops affordable to the common residents like us,” Gimba said.

     

  • Council warns against indiscriminate refuse dumping

    Council warns against indiscriminate refuse dumping

    The Chairman, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area, Ogun State, Comrade Rotimi Rahmon, has warned residents of the area to desist from the unhealthy practice of dumping garbage on the highways and market places.

    Comrade Rahmon gave the warning while addressing traders along the Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway, former tollgate, Ota, Ogun State.

    He said illegal dumping of refuse has become a serious problem in the state. Not only does it constitute a drawback on the state’s beautification efforts, but has also become an issue that has many adverse effects on the environment and the residents.

    The situation, he added, had become worrisome, even as he described it as sabotage to state government’s efforts towards ensuring healthy environment for the citizens.

    He said Governor Ibikunle Amosun has been trying his best by transforming the state just for the benefits of the residents, noting it has been a great concern as some people still sabotage the administration’s development efforts.

    Rahmon said: “Dumping of refuse on the highways does not only hinder the free-flow of human and vehicular movements but also pollutes water sources and could easily cause skin damage, respiratory infection, diarrhoea, digestive disorder, ear, lungs and liver diseases, among others.

    He urged everyone living within the state to desist from the undisciplined act, adding that full enforcement against perpetrators will soon begin.

    He advised the residents to always dump their garbage at the appropriate sites that could not constitute hindrance to the free-flow of vehicles.

    The council chief also urged them to put their garbage in sacks before dumping them at the council’s approved dumpsites to make their evacuation by refuse trucks easier.

    He urged the traders/hawkers to vacate the expressway for the safety of their lives, even as he urged them to look for safer environment. He noted that it will be difficult for heavy duty vehicles to manoeuvre if they develop faulty brake.

    Rahmon also warned both council officials and impostors against illegal extortion from traders and commercial transporters.

    He said it has been discovered that some people paraded themselves as those on the employ of the council and printed fake tax receipts and commercial tickets to give to people to extort them.

    “Henceforth, anyone caught in such acts will be prosecuted,” the council chief said.

    Rahmon urged parents, traditional rulers and politicians within the state to warn their children/ward to desist from such act, saying he will no longer heed to anyone’s pleas in the cause of arrest of any offender.

  • ‘Ohaneze council coming’

    Are Ndigbo discriminated against in Abia State because they hail from elsewhere? If that is true, an Ohaneze development council in the state will correct that.

    That is the position of Chief Friday Nwosu, a governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He said he will create such a council if he succeeds Governor Theodore Orji next year.

    Addressing a rally convened by the Nzuko Ohanaeze Ngwa Na Ukwa and Ukwa/Ngwa Peoples Council at the Ngwa Cultural Centre in Aba, Nwosu said that the creation of such a council has become necessary to unite Ndigbo rather than discriminate against them as non-indigenes in sister states.

    “If I become governor, I will create an Ohanaeze Local Government Development Council to take care of all Ndigbo who are not from Abia State; they will become indigenes. Ndigbo will no longer be regarded as non-indigenes in Igbo land.  The dichotomy between the Ukwa/Ngwa and non-natives will be gone forever. We must ensure the unity of Ndigbo wherever they find themselves.”

    Speaking for their organisations, National Coordinator, Nzuko Ohanaeze Ndi Ngwa Na Ukwa, Mr. Maurice Uchechi and Chairman, Ukwa/Ngwa Peoples Council, Prof. Benjamin Eheazu, endorsed Nwosu as their consensus candidate for the 2015 governorship election in the state, insisting that he remains the right person to succeed Governor Theodore Orji.

    The two Ukwa/Ngwa socio-political groups attributed their decisions to endorse Nwosu to his sterling performances in the past and his contribution to the sustenance of peace in the state party, adding that the guber aspirant has the best capacity to take Abia to the next level among his contemporaries.

    According to them, “The people of the nine local government areas of the Ukwa/Ngwa bloc want a grassroots person who has always identified with the cause of the people. Barrister Friday Nwosu perfectly fits the bill; his integrity, levelheadedness and godliness towers above other aspirants. With Barrister Friday’s Nwosu’s attributes of honesty, transparency, godliness and untiring dedication to the cause of the people, Ukwa/ Ngwa gladly presents him to Abia people as a consensus candidate for the position of governor in 2015.”

    “The Ukwa/Ngwa people cannot fail to present the right candidate to Abia people; we adopted Nwosu because he has proved his mettle over the years.

    “We have adopted Barrister Friday Nwosu as a consensus candidate for the governorship position because we know those of our son who can deliver on such tasking assignments. He is somebody who doesn’t succumb to any kind of inducement; financial or otherwise. I think this is the problem that he has with the powers that be.

    Ukwa/Ngwa people have been longing to produce a governor of Abia State; we won’t like a situation where when the seat is given to us, it is given to somebody who can’t perform because of one reason or the other or to somebody who have acquiesced to a lot of pressures. In a situation like that, at the end of the day, such a person will mess up things and they will say, is it not Ndi Ukwa/Ngwa who wanted to be governor. Now we have given them the seat and they have messed up. We won’t allow such a situation to happen. We believe that Barr. Friday Nwosu is above this and would truly serve the people.

     

  • Court strikes out suit against Shippers Council

    Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court in Lagos has struck out a suit filed by Seaports Terminal  Operators of Nigeria (STOAN) against the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC) due to non-compliance with the court’s rules.

    The judge said the parties came by way of originating summons but did not raise issues (question) for determination.

    “Since the court cannot proceed without knowing the right and interest of the parties which are inextricably tied to the question of determination, the court cannot proceed on that,” he held.

    The terminal operators on October 31 secured an interim injunction stopping the NSC from implementing the new directive on port charges.

    The  NSC had on October 29 published an advertisement announcing the reversal of the unilateral increase in storage charges at the ports by terminal operators.

    The storage charges was last increaed by the government on May 1, 2009.

    NSC also ordered an increase in the storage period at the ports from three days to seven days. It also directed shipping companies to reduce their charges from N26,500 to N23,850 (20 ft container) and from N48,000 to N40,000 (40 ft container).

    NSC further asked shipping agencies to refund container deposits to importers and agents within 10 days after the return of the empty containers.

  • Council inaugurates health care centre

    Council inaugurates health care centre

    Before the expiration of his tenure in office, the former Chairman of Ikosi-Isheri Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Hon. Abdlefatai Oyesanya inaugurated a public health centre for the people of Idera Ajegunle in Owode area of the council.

    The council chief said improvement in the health sector in the council was part of the fulfilment of his electioneering campaign promises.

    According to him, health issues have been his priority, even as he said it informed the inauguration of free drugs, free delivery packs for pregnant women and proper documentation of health records in the council.

    He said the free medical treatment was available in different locations across the council, adding that drugs and medical personnel are on ground to attend to patients at all time.

    “The provision of health care for the people is one of the major promises to the people during our electioneering campaigns before we came on board. Today, we have provided more than enough health care centres across the council and we promise to do more,” he said.

    Oyesanya therefore called on the people of the community to maintain the facilities at the centre so as to sustain it for the future generation.

    Speaking on behalf of the community, the Onikosi of Ikosi land, Oba

    Samuel Alamu Kehinde said the chairman had been contributing to the development of the community ever since he came on board as the

    council chairman.

    Describing the chairman’s achievements as giant strides, the monarch said he

    was not surprised that the council chief constructed the health centre for the people of the community because he has been working hard to improve the living standards of members of the community.

    He urged other council chairmen across the country to bequeath landmark achievements in their respective domains so that their names will be etched in the minds of the people when they leave office.

    “I want to advise other council chairmen to imitate him so that their names will not be forgotten as soon as they leave office,” the monarch said.

  • A council chief’s scorecard in Benue

    A council chief’s scorecard in Benue

    OF the 23 council chiefs in Benue State, that of Okpokwu, Hon. Juliana Obeta is clearly giving a good account of herself. Obeta, one of the two women who chair the third tier of the state government in the Benue South senatorial zone, beat all other contestants to clinch the Nigeria Union of Journalists’ “Best Local Government Chairman in Infrastructure“ award.

    She is said to have committed huge funds into infrastructure:  roads, culverts, schools, electricity and health care delivery.

    Since she assumed duty two years ago, Hon Obeta concentrated on opening up access roads in the hinterland and installing more transformers to make life more meaningful for the residents and check a drift to urban areas.

    She told The Nation that she channelled her energy into connecting every settlement and villages in Okpokwu Local Government Area to public power supply because it is a sure way of creating employment, using small – and media-scale industries.

    Apart from electricity, Mrs Obeta, a recipient of many awards, said that she attaches great importance to the health of his people.

    Within two years of her administration, she built new clinics and upgraded others in every council ward in her council.

    To boost food production, farmers were given loans and fertilisers free of charge.

    While most of the local government councils grappled with payment of salaries in the state, in Okpokwu, under Obeta, all salary arrears have been paid, with the  Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) giving her a clean bill of health with a  vote of confidence.

    Some politicians were said to have tried to cause disaffection between her and the state legislature, but that did not hurt her relationship with the local lawmakers.

    She told The Nation that her achievements in office have been made possible with the support of the local legislature.

    Her modest achievements are said to have surpassed all the council chairmen in office. This probably inspired the council residents to request that Governor Gabriel Suswam reappoint her as caretaker chairman of the council pending elections.

    She said that her success story in office is as a result of prudent application of resources,. With the drop in federation account accruals, she has embarked on a comprehensive internal revenue generation.