The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Council

  • Council gets campaign group for Sanwo-Olu

    The Apapa-Iganmu Local Council Development Area of Lagos has inaugurated an Independent Campaign Group (ICG) in the council to work for the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship candidate, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

    It’s chairman, Alhaja Funmilayo Akande-Muhammed urged the members of the group to ensure Sanwo-Olu records landslide victory at the poll.

    “The 2019 governorship election is critical to the further development of our state. To ensure victory at the poll, it requires good planning. Your responsibility is to market Mr Sanwo-Olu from house to house until the whole Apapa-Iganmu LCDA gets the clear message of hope,” she said.

    Alhaja Akande-Muhammed urged the members to study the party’s manifestoes and “our incoming governor’s programmes. We must not take anything for granted; we must keep the flag flying.”

    Read also: Ekiti community rejects ‘Fayose-imposed’ monarch

  • LASU workers’ sack followed due process, says council

    The dismissal of 20 Lagos State University (LASU), workers followed the rule of law, Governing Council Chairman,  Ojo, Prof. Adebayo Ninalowo, said yesterday.

    He spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on the sidelines of the university’s maiden long service award.

    Ninalowo was reacting to the September 8, 2017 ratification council’s of the workers’ dismissal for alleged malpractices.

    The sacked workers include 15 academic staff and two non-academic staff. Two others were demoted.

    Three academic workers were dismissed for alleged sexual misconduct as approved by the council on October 4.

    Ninalowo said: “The dismissal is something that has to do with the law of the university.

    “It is not something that has to do with the Governing Council or anybody. If you are law- abiding, there is no way allegations will be levelled against you.

    “Where allegations are levelled against anyone in relation to the extant regulations of the university and in conformity with best practices, we investigate.

    “If the allegations of infraction of the law are established in any way, we refer to the prescription of the law.

    “If the law prescribes reprimand or dismissal, so shall it be. It is not a decision of an individual,” he said.

    Ninalowo said matters relating to human development anywhere in the world must follow self-discipline.

    He said anywhere there was deficit of self-discipline, institutional discipline must be applied.

    According to him, where institutional discipline is applied, then people must be answerable before the law.

    “It is the rule of law that is binding on all and sundry and same suggests that individuals should be treated in fairness and justice equally,” he said.

    The council has approved the promotion of 49 academic and 200 non-academic staff.

    At yesterday’s event, 543 workers who have spent over 20 years received awards.

     

  • Council to prosecute guard

    The Chairman of Oshodi-Isolo Local Government, Idris Bolaji Muse-Ariyoh, has promised to prosecute the council’s guard, Abdullahi Garuba, allegedly caught defiling two underage boys on the secretariat premises.

    Muse-Ariyoh, who described the act as “unacceptable,” said the government would not overlook the incident.

    He said he was shocked to learn about it through a short message sent to him by an official of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

    “I had to rush down immediately; and after a few questions, I asked the NSCDC to detain him,” Muse-Ariyoh said, adding that Abdullahi first denied the allegation, but later confessed, blaming it on the devil.

    One of the victims was lured with N100, while the other was promised a free bicycle ride.

    “The boys have been taken to hospital. We will ensure they are psychologically stabilised,” he said.

    The council boss advised parents to monitor their children and watch their behaviour at home.

    He said: “These children are leaders of tomorrow. The way they do, the friends they keep, the clothes they wear should be our concern.”

  • Council holds security parley

    Apapa-Iganmu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) has held a security parley with stakeholders.

    Tagged ‘Peace and Security Meeting’, it was held at the council secretariat.

    Among those present were senior council officials, traditional rulers, religious leaders, security personnel, party leaders, Neighbourhood Watch Corps members and youth leaders.

    The council Chairman, Alhaja Funmilayo Akande-Muhammed, said the parley was meant to improve security in the council.

    She urged those present to ensure peaceful co-existence in their areas.

    Akande-Muhammed said there is need to forestall break down of law and ensure security of lives and property.

    She told the stakeholders that all hands must be on deck to curb nefarious activities.

    The council boss urged youths to desist from violence.

    According to her, no meaningful development can take place in any crisis-prone community.

    She appealed to the residents to allow peace to reign and shun fighting.

    “We have been living peacefully despite our religious, ethnic and political diversity. This, we must encourage and ensure we build upon. We will not tolerate violence by anybody, no matter how highly placed,” she said.

     

  • Board opens probe as NHIS boss is suspended again

    NATIONAL Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) Executive Secretary Usman Yusuf has been suspended indefinitely by its governing council.

    The council’s chairperson, Dr. Ifenne Enyanatu, announced the suspension at a media briefing in Abuja yesterday after a two-day closed door meeting.

    Sadiq Abubakar has been appointed to act in his place.

    This is the second time that Yusuf is being placed on suspension.

    In July last year, Minister of Health Prof. Isaac Adewole placed him on suspension to allow for administrative investigation, following a directive from Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (who was then the Acting President)  that Yusuf be investigated over many allegations of mismanagement against him.

    He was, however, reinstated in February by President Muhammadu Buhari without any recourse to the suspension and the allegations.

    The latest suspension, Dr. Enyanatu argued, was based on various petitions and infractions against Yusuf.

    Consequently, she said an administrative panel would be set up to examine allegations levelled against the executive secretary.

    The panel, she said, would spend three months to complete its assignment and report back to the council.

    The reason for the suspension, she added, is to allow the panel an “unfettered” space to do a thorough investigation.

    But, efforts to get Yusuf’s reaction on the suspension were futile yesterday.

    Reporters initially learnt he would address a news conference and they waited till yesterday evening. He was nowhere to be found.

    Also, the executive secretary did not respond to phone calls.

    Addressing reporters at the NHIS headquarters, Dr. Enyanatu said: “The council has met. We have been inundated with petitions. We also observed some executive infractions that we cannot ignore, especially in administration that is committed to transparency and accountability like Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

    “So, with detailed examination or review of some of these documents, the council has made some landmark decisions. The first decision is that we have resolved to constitute an administrative panel of investigation immediately to examine the issues at stake.

    “This administrative panel has three months to complete its assignment and report back to council to decide on way forward.

    “Also, council resolved that the NHIS executive secretary is suspended indefinitely. The reason is to allow the panel unencumbered, unfettered space to do a thorough investigation.

    “Council also resolved that the Acting Executive-Secretary now is Mallam Sadiq Adamu Abubakar. Also, I want you to know that we consulted and got the approval of the Minister of Health before we came to this decision.”

    When asked if the council has such power, Dr. Enyanatu said: “Our power is derived from the law. We based our decisions on the provisions of the law. We based our decision on the provisions of the law that allow NHIS governing council to take expedite and appropriate actions to make sure that the objectives of the scheme are achieved.”

    Also responding to the question of what the council would do, should the Presidency overrule its decision and reinstate him as it did earlier, Dr. Enyanatu said she didn’t envisage such an action.

    But, a document made available to reporters by the council detailed alleged offences of the suspended Executive Secretary, which include: Alleged fraudulent inflation of the cost of biometric capturing machines.

    The 2018 budget proposal submitted by the executive secretary included the procurement of biometric capturing machines at a unit cost of N11,500,000, whereas, the market cost is only between N700,000 and N1,400,000, depending on specifications.

    When council finance committee requested for more information and vendor presentation to justify the astronomical cost, the executive secretary blatantly refused to oblige.

    It was alleged that the ICT project cost escalated, without justification, by 242 per cent from N7,783,185,805.37 in 2015 to N18,864,676,612.85 in 2016 and N14,975,032,572.30 in 2018.

    Unfortunately, the ICT project, which should significantly improve operational efficiency and service delivery, is stalled because the executive secretary alleged denied council critical information required for decision-making on the project.

    Summary of other crimes allegedly committed by him, according to the council, are: “Attempt to illegally execute N30 billion investment bonds; unlawful staff postings and willful defiance of council directive, willful refusal to implement council directive on the disbanding of illegal union, unauthorised staff travel in defiance of council directive, superfluous arrogation of project vehicles, insubordinate conduct by the executive secretary, failure to provide leadership for the development of a strategic plan for the agency despite council’s directive, plethora of petitions against the executive secretary.”

    The council also stated in the document that every effort to make Yusuf to revert to what was agreed upon was not adhered to.

    It added:  “Some highlights of the required amendments include N264 million padding discovered in the budget proposal; reduction of the 2018 training budget from over N1 billion to a realistic N250 million to avoid the training stampede in 2017 when N919,664,800 was spent, in just three months, without needs assessment and departmental training plans.”

  • Council raises the alarm over adulterated seeds

    National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC) Director-General Dr. Philip Ojo has raised the alarm over proliferation of adulterated seeds in the country.

    Speaking in Abuja during a rally to promote adoption of improved seeds, Ojo said except such act is checked, it might hinder the Federal Government’s drive to attain food sufficiency.

    He, however, noted that the  campaign for rural farmers became imperative to adopt improved and high quality seeds.  The campaign, which  took  place   at the Eagles Square, Abuja, was witnessed by stakeholders in the seed sector, including seed firms and representatives from the National Bio-safety Management Agency (NBMA), National Biotechnology Agricultural Development Agency (NABDA), Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), Voices for Food Security, Open Forum for Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB), among others.

    Ojo said: “Let’s walk together and tell the story that only quality improved seed is the way out of food security.”

    According to him, the rally was part of activities to celebrate the  National Seed Fair and Farmers’ Field Day.

    Some of the participants carried placards with inscriptions, such as, “Don’t plant grains as seeds”, “We are marching against seed adulteration and sale of fake seeds”, and Fake seed dealers are economic saboteurs and criminals”.

    “It is in pursuant to its vision that the NASC is organising this march for improved seed adoption to create awareness for enhanced adoption and use of improved seed to increase demand and drive production of adequate quantities of improved that are accessible and affordable,” he added.

    OFAB Country Director, Dr. Rose Gidado said the use of improved quality seeds remain the only solution to addressing hunger and increasing agricultural productivity. She noted that the seeds are capable of providing farmers with bountiful harvests and should be well adopted.

    The rally is expected to be carried out across the six geo-political zones of the country.

     

  • Council seeks more dry docks

    The Federal Government has been advised to establish more dry docks to create jobs and boost shipping business, especially now that the sea ports are attracting more vessels.

    Nigerian Ports Consultative Council (PCC) Chairman Kunle Folarin said dry docks were necessary to improve ship maintenance and seaworthiness, considering the number of vessels received at the sea ports.

    Their establishment, he said, would attract more cargoes to the ports and unprove trade within the sub-region. Folarin said floating docks and the dry docks should be equipped with materials for seaworthiness of vessels.

    “A ship cannot sail without being seaworthy and a ship is supposed to be dry-docked within a time-frame. Then you need dry docks to perform such compliance requirements. We probably have one (dry dock), and we are talking of Nigerian ports attracting more vessels as the year is going to an end,” he said.

    Folarin said ship owners could use dry docks for compliance with sea-worthiness certification; repairs, and for trans-shipment of cargo to other areas within West and Central African regions. He suggested that the marine environment should be well-utilised through infrastructure development.

    “In the context of Nigeria, we know that we have massive maritime potential. Nigeria has all the potential to become a key player. If we have fully utilised the opportunities provided by our maritime domain, we would have seen ship-building yards in Nigeria.

    “Certainly, our ports would have been the preferred port and hub for trans-shipment. We would have established competitive port costs that would attract more traffic to the ports’’. He suggested that a manpower-building programme should be set  up by the government and its agencies.

    He said more gains would come from developing skills such as nautical science, survey, foundry, ship-building and other manpower development programmes.

    An importer, Mr Felix Solomon, said dry docks were essential since the rate of polluting territorial waters, illegal fishing and dumping of hazardous wastes has reduced.

    He said the country needs to work with foreign partners to develop the dry docking industry.

    Solomon, however, said putting an end to the dumping of toxic waste in maritime domain and curtailment of crimes on the coastline require commitment by the Federal Government through the the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

  • Council distributes free GCE forms

    Eti-Osa East Local Council Development Area has distributed free General Certificate Examination (GCE) forms to some pupils.

    The council Chairman, Rafiu Olufunmi, said the gesture was parts of his electoral promises.

    As a responsive government, Olufunmi said, the future of the youth is paramount to development of the council.

    This, he said, motivated the council to distribute forms.

    He urged the pupils to be dedicated and work hard to make the council proud.

    Olufunmi said the council had earlier distributed free Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) exams forms and renovated schools at the resettlement Area.

    “This is one of our laudable programmes to reduce the burden on the parents,” he said.

    The beneficiaries promised to make the council proud with good grades.

  • Council seeks collaboration with private sector

    Ejigbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Chairman, Monsuru Bello has promised to support business operators in succeed.

    At the moiden Ejigbo Summit, Bello said there was an urgent need to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive through public private partnership arrangement.

    “The partnership is to offer business owners, captains of industry and corporate organisations opportunity to be part of our success story by partnering with the government in the areas of infrastructural development, programmes adoption and implementation. We are set to transform the life of our community, while we also reinforce a cordial and mutually beneficial relationship between our government and the organised private sector.

    “Our effort is about consolidating the present and creating a win-win platform for all stakeholders. It is about creating jobs, creating wealth and ensuring a strong safety net for generations yet unborn. This is a onerous task that requires the support of the private sector and our target is to make Ejigbo a safe haven for investors,” he said.

    Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy Kehinde Bamigbetan said there was the need for friendly policies to encourage the business sector.

    According to him, the summit is a step in the right direction and evidence of the spirit of continuity and what can be gained from policies which makes it easy to do business.

    He urged stakeholders to come together to establish the Ejigbo LCDA Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

    Lagos State Local Government Commission, Chairman Babatunde Rotinwa, said community participation is required for national development.

    “It is imperative to have a comprehensive list and registration of all clubs and social groups within the community and the communities should be encouraged to create neighbourhood forum to serve as meeting place for the people to share views and discuss the problems of their neighbourhood.

    “It is also important to have a continuous public enlightenment campaign machinery to stimulate members of the community to cooperate and participate in programs meant for their wellbeing,” he said.

    The guest lecturer, Prof Pat Utomi, called for collaboration between the local governments and the private sector.

    This, he said, was crucial to the development of any nation.

    According to him, many businesses in the developed countries are thriving because of the collaboration with the local government.

    “Relationship between business and the local government is crucial because it determines the prosperity of the business, the local government and the growth of the nation at large,” he said.

  • Council distributes free GCE forms

    The Chairman of Agboyi-Ketu Local Council Development Area under Dele Oshinowo has distributed General Certificate Examination (GCE) forms to some pupils.

    The beneficiaries were shortlisted after an aptitude test was conducted by the council to screen the applicants last Friday.

    Oshinowo said the gesture was to help brilliant students in their education pursuit.

    A free holiday class, he said, will be organised to prepare beneficiaries for the exam.

    The chairman urged the pupils to remain committed, saying that tax payers’ money spent on the exercise must be justified.

    He said: “To build a better society for our generation next, there is a need for us to invest in education, a passport to secure the future for our students.

    “Then, it is pivotal for you to see your presence here today as a result of your commitment to attain the best in life, as manifested during the just concluded aptitude test, where our administration genuineness to stand with merit has yielded a plus to identify brilliant pupils like you, as well as to open a channel to develop the educational sector.”