The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Council

  • Ogun council secretary resigns

    The Secretary to the Imeko Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State, Olusola Oke, has resigned.

    Oke,  in his August 25 letter of notice addressed to the Executive Chairman of Imeko Afon,  said his resignation takes immediate effect.

    The former SLG told reporters in Abeokuta, the state capital, that he was frustrated about local government administration in the state.

    “People look up to us to address some of their needs. The council has not performed. The aspirations of our people are not met. I decided to resign to preserve my name and the integrity of my family.”

  • Council chief signs 10 bills into bye-laws amid fanfare

    Council chief signs 10 bills into bye-laws amid fanfare

    The chairman of Ifako-ijaiye Local Government, Apostle Oloruntoba Oke, has signed 10 bills into bye-laws.

    The ceremony was witnessed by over 500 residents representing all the community development associations (CDAs).

    Oke said the laws were enacted to improve the quality of life of the people.

    He said the bye-laws went through the processes including public hearing to get the input of stakeholders before they came into being.

    The laws were enacted to streamline the various activities within the council’s geographical location to conform with its aspiration of making it more responsive and effective to the greatest number of residents, Oke said.

    The Council Chief listed the bye-laws to include: The conversion of some roads within the council area to one way drive, and one regarding the one-side parking; the routes prohibition and control of motorcyclist activities; the environmental cleanliness and provision of dustbin refuse disposable bags.

    Others are: the pest control in regulated premises bye-law; tree planting/cutting, foodstuffs, regulated premises maintenance of sewage tanks and drums for commercial ventures, the environmental sanitation and waste management, house numbering in the local government area and the revalidation of street naming law.

    He said with the bye-laws, it has become an offence for any resident to flout any of its provisions, urging groups to obtain copies of the laws for their education and guidance as well as take cognisance of its provisions in their interactions with the local government.

    Oke said those roads designated as one-way would soon be appropriately marked to avoid crisis, adding that all the laws would take effect from next month.

    Giving insights into the byelaws, a councilor, David Olaniyi, said they addressed areas, such as safe motoring, environmental cleanliness promotion of the green culture, and the control of routes prohibitions for motorcycle operations.

    Earlier the council’s Majority Leader, Israel Olaniyi Fadare, said the laws were enacted in line with Sections 1&2 of the 1999 Constitution.

  • Council boss many headaches

    His victory during the local governments’ election did not go unchallenged by the opposition party at the election tribunal. On swearing-in, Dr Augustine Arogundade, the chairman of Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area in Lagos, met a debt of N97.9m from his predecessor.

    He also discovered that the roads in the council are in deplorable state. These and many more were the challenges Arogundade faced as council boss.

    Not deterred by the herculean task before him, the medical-practitioner turned politician did confront the challenges headlong.

    Today, Arogundade’s administration has repaired and tarred no fewer than 10 roads in the council.

    The council boss has also been able to impact positively in the lives of the people of the council through people-oriented programmes.

    With some of the roads in good shape, Arogundade has make business transactions and movement easy for the people.

    “This administration is the first in Agbado Oke-Odo LCDA to construct roads, tar them, build schools, health centres, vocational training centres, construct market and provide for all other needs of the people, so if you go round, you will see so many roads that have been constructed with our resources and assistance by the state government,” he said.

    Dr Arogundade spoke at a recent meeting with party leaders and youths to acquit them of his administration’s performance and give account of his stewardship.

    “We faced some undaunted challenges such as the one and half years litigation to reclaim our mandate and the continuous criminal case against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) contestant. Today, we have not only weathered the storm, our policies have fetched us series of awards.

    Arogundade said: “We have won award for social/rural infrastructure development, we have also won award on peace and security as the most peaceful and secured council in West Africa,” he said.

    He said his administration will carry out a robust and all involving empowerment programme for the people of the council.

    “We will do empowerment programme for the aged, youth and women in our community, we will empower the youths and provide them with jobs.”

    The council boss said though he might not be able to do all, but said he would build on what he has done and provide more dividends of democracy to the people in each of the wards that make up the council.

    “I agree that it may not have been equally spread, but I use this medium to assure all that more dividends of democracy will be extended to all wards,” he said.

    One of the party leaders, Mr Adekunle Fayoyin, Ward G Agbado Oke-Odo and coordinator of the forum of ward chairmen in the council, said the council boss has performed more than his predecessors in office.

    “He has performed quite well, he is the first chairman to tar our roads and builds schools for our children,” he said.

  • PVC: Council boss decries INEC’s arrangement

    PVC: Council boss decries INEC’s arrangement

    The Caretaker Chairman of Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State, Prof. Adeniyi Olowofela, has condemned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its shoddy arrangement for the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) registration.

    He spoke during his visit to Anglican Primary School Ward 9, where registration took place.

    Olowofela said the equipment available to the INEC officials were inadequate, adding that if things continued in such manner, many eligible voters would be disenfranchised.

    Said he: “In Ward 1, of 800 people, only 50 registered. In Ward 2, of 780 people, only 71 registered. Ward 3 is not different. That was how it happened in all the wards in the local government.

    “If things continue like this, there is no way eligible voters will not be disenfranchised.”

    Olowofela urged INEC Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega to provide more machines.

    “The election cannot hold in 167 days’ time with this kind of arrangement. Among the 80,000 people willing to register, only about 100 have been registered.”

     

  • Council chairman donates to motherless home

    Council chairman donates to motherless home

    The chairman of Ikosi Isheri Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Hon. Abdelfatah Oyesanya has donated some items to the Motherless and Old People’s home in the council.

    The chairman made the donations as part of activities marking his birthday celebration. Items donated include food stuffs, baby materials, pampers, food flasks, clothes, beverages among others.

    On why he chose to celebrate his anniversary by reaching out to the less privileged in the society, Oyesanya said it was his way of appreciating what God has done in his life.

    “This is my little way of thanking God for His blessings on me since I began fulfilling God purpose in life. We also want to share out of their pains and plights.”

    The chairman who, along with his family and council chiefs, was received by the Matron of Love Homes, a motherless home in Isheri area of the council, Miss. Oluwawemimo Adebiyi said he was obliged to contribute to the welfare of the less privileged in the society especially as he had just added a year.

    Oyesanya also called on Nigerians to imbibe the spirit of generosity adding that those at the lower rung of the ladder also need the support of the people.

    “There is nothing too much or too small in assisting the less-privileged. I urge all to cultivate the habit of giving to the poor in the society,” he said.

    The council chief also advised the other political office holders and other well-to-do in the society to always help the old people and the less-privileged in the society.

    “My advice to other political office holders and businessmen is that they should take care of these old people and the motherless,” he said.

    While reacting Adebiyi said the council boss has demonstrated that he did not forget the needy in the society and he understands their plight. She also called for support the less privileged in the society.

    The same items were also donated to Optima Old people’s Homes in Isheri area of the council. The representative of the Chief Matron of the home who pleaded anonymity said the council boss has demonstrated generosity saying other well to do Nigerians should emulate him.

    She commended Oyesanya’s gesture, just as she prayed God to meet the donor at the point of his needs and replenish his pocket.

  • Council seeks N160b yearly for power transmission

    Council seeks N160b yearly for power transmission

    The inaugurated National Council on Power (NACOP) is seeking N160 billion yearly to fund the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to achieve a cost reflective tariff.

    This is part of its recommendations during its conference last week in Abuja.

    The  council includes  stakeholders from the operators, state governments, commissioners, Federal Ministry of Power and agencies in the sector.

    According to NACOP, 75 per cent of the fund should be set aside for Capital Expenditure (CAPEX).

    The document said: “ Until such a time that a cost reflective tariff is established and 90 per cent or greater of annual earned market revenue is received, it should be ensured that annual funding provided for the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) from market, appropriations sources is not less than N160billion, with 75 per cent fund earmarked for Capital Expenditure ( CAPEX.).”

    NACOP said until such a time when appropriations are required to fund the TCN, employee salary, employee benefits, and critical business infrastructure needs should be funded from appropriations on a prorata basis, based on the prior year’s earned market revenue shortage percentage.

    It set a target of 6,500Mega Watts (MW) by the end of the year.

    The council also recommended a medium term target for transmission capacity and capability of 12,000MW and 10,000MW by the end of 2016.

    NACOP also urged the development of a bankable coal to power study to minimize in coal plant development.

    The council sought the encouragement of the development of small scale power plants as embedded generations which can be increased to evacuate the 132kV for eventual ceding to distribution companies.

    It recommended that the Federal Government should encourage manufacturing of power assets and components.

    NACOP urged state governments to take stakes in Independent Power Projects ( IPPs).

    It recommended that the Federal Government should bank securitisation either through the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trader (NBET) or the Federal Ministry of Finance.

    The council urged state government to make land with certificates -of -occupancy readily available to potential investors as incentive.

    NACOP sought a robust development plan from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and a commercial gas rate to attract investors.

    It urged the signing of Gas Security Agreements and Gas Transportation  Agreements.

    The council sought a national policy on securing gas oil infrastructure , payment of outstanding gas debt and passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

    The Managing Director of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) , Neil Croucher, at the weekend said that the firm will inject about $200 million in five years to boost power supply and distribution in its coverage area, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger states.

    According to him, no fewer than 20 injection substations would soon be inaugurated by his company and  these would deal with the pockets of low voltage being experienced in some areas.

    The company in a statement yesterday said Croucher appealed for patience by all customers of the company, saying that due to the decrepit equipment that the AEDC inherited, it would take huge investments, which his firm is committed to, and relatively long period before significant improvement in power supply would be achieved.

    He spoke when the FCT chapter chairman of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) Dr. Wasilat Shittu, led a team of officials of the group to meet with executive members of the AEDC in Abuja.

    The AEDC and MAN agreed to collaborate towards improving power supply to the various industrial sites in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and beyond.

    According to Shittu, many industrialists in Abuja and environ had refused to connect to the national power grid to avoid the damage that frequent interruptions in power supply could cause to their equipment.

    She said, however, that with the privatisation of the power sector and the “noticeable improvement” in electricity supply in the territory, MAN was encouraged to visit the AEDC to discuss the possibility of having “stable and quality” supply of power to their industrial sites.

    “We appreciate that it’s no longer business as usual. I was a civil servant and so when I talk about business as usual I really know what it means. However, we need assurance of greater improvement in supply so that more of our members would connect to the national grid”, she said.

    Croucher listed numerous high impact projects that the utility firm was executing to ensure a boost for power supply.

  • We have problems, says LASU Council chair

    The Chairman of Governing Council Lagos State University (LASU), Mr Olabode Agusto, has  said the 30-year-old university has enormous problems which can only be addressed by the joint efforts of stakeholders.

    This is coming on the heels of the reverting of the school fees to the old the N25,000 by Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN).

    The announcement at the university’s 19th convocation has jolted students, parents and teachers into celebrations. However, Augusto said it is about time LASU becaame more creative in attracting funds to make it more productive and world-class.

    In his address at the convocation, which witnessed award of higher degrees, on Thursday last week, Agusto said individuals with suggestions on how to move LASU forward must find a common ground.

    “In the rest of the year, we shall engage each of our stakeholders groups. We need your help in order to provide 21st century skills to our next generation of leaders. A wind of change must begin to blow over LASU to enable us deliver the LASU we envision,” Agusto said.

    Funding a 21-century university, Agusto stressed, was capital-intensive. He alluded to the 2009 agreement between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Nigeria Universities (ASUU), which estimates that each student in Nigeria universities needs N2.6million for quality education, translating to 36 per cent of the national budget. According to him, no government is most likely to shoulder such huge financial responsibility amid other pressing challenges in other sectors.

    At the inception, LASU tuition was pegged at N250 before it was later reviewed to an upward N25,000 in 2005 under the administration of the immediate Vice-Chancellor Prof Lateef Akanni Hussein.  It was later increased to between N198,000 and N350,000 under the tenure of the current Vice-Chancellor Prof John Oladapo Obafunwa in 2011.  Following repeated protest by students this year, government slashed down the increment by 34 to 60 per cent on June 11. In June 20, the LASU management released the naira and kobo version of the reduction which ranged from from N76,750 (Faculty of Arts) and N158,250 (Faculty of Engineering and College of Medicine).

    To realised more funding for LASU, Agusto urges the management to establish a viable financial aid program for poor students willing to learn; provide professionally and financially rewarding careers to workers, and beautify the university environment. Sponsors, Agusto stressed, must also be determined to make input into the education of their wards.

    Other measures, according to him, include ensuring uninterrupted academic calendar, making the university viable to providing consulting and other services to governments/private sectors, and improving on the quality of her graduates which will in turn tell on the public perception of the university.

    This year’s convocation witnessed a very dismal turnout of graduands which the university put at 9,169 comprising Full time, Part Time and Diploma. Also conspicuously absent was the Best Graduating Student- Ajayi Idowu Iseoluwa with a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.67 in Electronics &Computer Engineering.

    Except Oredeyin Oluwadamilola Olatunji from the School of Transport; Anuforo Anderson Chidi from the School of Communications, as well as Seriki Tosin Victoria from the Faculty of Management Sciences, others students who emerged overall best in their various faculties were not on ground to receive their awards.

    On the other hand, the occasion was also a litmus test for the newly-appointed Registrar Mr Akinwumi Lewis who for the first time, organised the convocation.

    Ahead of the convocation, which was slated for February, this year, the university was embroiled in crisis bordering on the management refusal to open examination portals ahead of the second semester examination. This put a clog in the wheel of the graduation as the university was temporarily shut and had to be reopened in phases. After the examination, the Students Union  protested to force state government to reduce the tuition which was introduced three years ago.

    ASUU and SSANU were later to commence industrial actions for the same reasons and members’ welfare. The groups were prevailed upon to sheathe sword so that students could graduate and   mobilised for the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)  pragramme.

  • Make your vote count, council chief urges students

    Barely two weeks to the commencement of voters registration exercise slated for 15 August 2014, in Cross River State, chairman of Akamkpa Local Government Area, Hon. Joseph Itotup, has urged students to come out en masse to participate in the exercise. He said it was the only way to exercise their franchise in the 2015 general elections.

    Itotub spoke when students under the aegis of the National Association of Akamkpa Students (NAAS) visited him in his office last week. He said arrangements were on to ensure students in the area gain requisite skills acquisition to be self-employed.

    “We are making arrangements to make sure all youth from this area are trained in various skills and to give indigent students scholarship studying various professional courses in and outside the country. As the Chairman of this council, I would continue to create an enabling environment for you because I know we have prospective governors and law makers here. I assure you that very soon, I would release your bursary which would be increased to N20,000,” he said.

    The president of the association, Enyam Kelvin, said he was working hard for the welfare of the students in the various tertiary institutions in the country.

  • Improve grassroots, Fayemi urges council chiefs

    Improve grassroots, Fayemi urges council chiefs

    •Appointees take oath

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has sworn in caretaker chairmen in the 16 local governments and the 19 local council development areas (lcdas).

    Fayemi said they were chosen for their competence and closeness to the grassroots.

    He urged them to be diligent, noting that they would be held accountable by God and the people.

    The governor said: “I have no doubt that going by the pedigree of the leaders being sworn in today, there will be accelerated progress in meeting the needs of our people at the grassroots. These are leaders carefully chosen, not only on account of their competence, but also for their closeness to the grassroots.

    “I urge you to live up to the expectations of our people in serving them with diligence and honour. Above all, remember that power belongs to God and to Him shall we  ultimately give account.”

    On the creation of the lcdas, Fayemi said it was to meet the “long and persistent clamour of our people for the creation of new local governments”.

    He said the chairmen would play pioneering roles in the establishment of structures, programmes and policies for good governance at the grassroots.

    Speaking for the chairmen, Ado West LCDA Caretaker Chairperson Mrs Omotunde Fajuyi said they will justify the confidence reposed in them.

    At the event were the Deputy Governor, Prof. Modupe Adelabu; former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva; House of Assembly Speaker Adewale Omirin; All Progressives Congress (APC) State Chairman Chief Jide Awe; top government officials and traditional rulers.

    The council chairmen are Tope Olanipekun, Ado; Mrs Omotunde Fajuyi, Ado West LCDA; Sunday Ibitoye, Ado North LCDA; Raheem Balogun, Ado Central LCDA; Richard Apolola, Ekiti Southwest; Ayodeji Olaniyi, Igbara Odo/Ogotun LCDA; Tope Alonge, Oye; Olumide Adeyanju, Ifeloju LCDA; Adeyeye Bolaji, Ifesowapo LCDA; Dipo Ogunleye, Efon; Tope Ogunleye, Ilejemeje; Aribasoye Adeoye, Ajoni LCDA; Akinwale Alebiosu, Ero LCDA; Sina Ogunleye, Ifedara LCDA; and Kareem Agunbiade, Ekiti West.

    Others are Ayodeji Ajayi, Ise/Orun; Febisola Adewale, Emure; Olunide Fadipe, Isokan LCDA; Ojo Atibioke, Irewolede LCDA; Mrs Remi Balogun, Irede LCDA; Chief Dayo Ajayi, Ijero; Azeez Awolokun, Irepodun/Ifelodun; Gbenga Omole, Ikere West LCDA; Femi Ayodele, Ikere; Rotimi Afolabi, Ido/Osi; Bayo Akerele, Araromi LCDA; Damilare Ajayi, Gbonyin; Sunkanmi Onipede, Moba; Rotimi Ajidara, Ekiti East; Fadumiye Ayodele, Ayedire; Lateef Akanle, Ekiti South East LCDA; Olatiboye Titus, Okemesi/Ido Ile LCDA; Joshua Ayorinde, Eka Meta LCDA; Razak Aladetuyi, Ikole; and Kayode Ogunsakin, Ikole West.

  • Suspected thugs invade Oredo Council

    Suspected thugs stormed the secretariat of Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State yesterday and stopped the impeachment of the council boss, Mr. Osaro Obazee.

    The hoodlums were said to have invaded the secretariat, following last week’s removal of the leader of the legislative arm, Mr. Monday Oboigba, by eight of the 12 councillors.

    A new leader, Nohayi Obaseki, was elected.

    It was learnt that Oboigba’s removal was to pave the way for the removal of Obazee, perceived as a loyalist of Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

    Sources said Obazee and other council bosses were referred to as ‘batch b’ waiting to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    When The Nation visited the council secretariat yesterday, suspected thugs were sitting with the policemen drafted there to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

    It was gathered that attempt by the councillors to resume sitting was prevented by the hoodlums and the councillors ran away.

    The council boss, however, denied the impeachment plot.

    He said he was surprised to see “boys” at the secretariat.

    Obazee said he was not aware of any leadership change by the councillors, because, according to him, a letter from the clerk said the councillors’ meeting ended in chaos.

    He said: “My detractors wanted to create distraction by penetrating the councillors to create an impression before their master that they were the people who effected leadership change in the House. It is not an issue that cannot be resolved. We are meeting the councillors and we will resolve the matter.

    “I have a letter written to me by the clerk, informing me of what happened at the councillors’ meeting. I have not received any letter saying the leadership of the House has been changed. As far as I am concerned, Oboigba is the leader until I am informed that the leadership has been changed. The letter by the clerk stated that the sitting ended in chaos and one of the councillors left with the mace.

    “I don’t stand on the fence. I’m a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC). I don’t have the membership card of the PDP and Pastor Ize-Iyamu remains my friend but with a different political ideology. We only disagree on political ideology. I’m a member of the APC.”

    The leader said they made a change because the people who imposed them have defected to the PDP.

    He told reporters that the action was not to impeach the chairman but to appoint those they trusted.

    Said he: “We went to the office to conduct our oversight functions today (yesterday), but we were blocked at the gate by youths who sang war songs. We ran. Later we learnt the chairman addressed them behind the council that they should take positions in the council. But we don’t know why he is doing that because the change in the legislative arm is our legislative duty. It has nothing to do with him. So there should be no interference.

    “The members said we want a change and that was what happened. We are even surprised that the people asking us to rescind the removal are PDP leaders and we wonder what their business in the matter is.”

    It was learnt that some council bosses perceived to be loyal to Pastor Ize-Iyamu are finding it difficult to convince APC leaders that they are loyal.

    A source named the council bosses under watch, besides Oredo, to include that of Orhiomwon and Igueben.