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Tag: CSOs

  • CSOs to FG: increase budgetary provisions to education

    Some Civil Society organisations on Friday called on the Federal Government to increase budgetary allocation to the education sector.

    The CSOs, BudgIT, Public and Private Development Centre (PPDC) and Basic Rights Watch (BRW), during a joint press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, said that allocation to the education sector in the last three years had declined.

    The conference was on education funding, access to funds and accountability process and recommendations for agencies under the education ministry.

    BudgIT’s Lead Partner, Seun Onigbinde, who spoke on behalf of the civil society organisations, said the challenges in the sector was worrisome.

    According to him, the development of the sector rests largely on adequate funding and proper monitoring of the use of funds.

    He said it was unfortunate that funds set aside for intervention are not accessed by state governments.

    Onigbinde said: “Over the years, allocation to the education sector have stalled below 11 percent, falling short to the 15-20 percent Incheon Declaration benchmark. In the last three years, allocations to the education ministry, as a percentage of the federal budget, has even declined.

    “It must be noted that the development of the education sector rests largely on adequate funding and proper monitoring of the use of funds. Unfortunately, funds set as intervention are not accessed by state governments.

    “With this in mind, we call on state governments to prioritise education by accessing funds to help develop the sector. Intervention funds to improve education through the tertiary education trust fund (TETFund) and universal basic education commission (UBEC) should be accessed by state governments and tertiary institutions respectively, as they must fulfill the requirements.”

    He called on the Federal Government to spearhead urgent reforms which are needed in the sector.

    Onigbinde noted that the rot in sector could be seen in the quality and performances of Nigerian pupils.

    He said Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, has a lot to do in order to revamp the sector and should not only talk about declaring a state of emergency on it.

    Onigbinde said Nigerians need to raise questions about the inconsistency of the government in the education sector, so as to awaken them to their responsibilities.

    He said: “We have talked about the colourless administration of the current authorities at the Ministry of Education. We have not seen genuine reforms in the education sector. The government itself in 2018 talked about an emergency situation in education. They didn’t need to declare an emergency in advance. We expected them to start addressing the emergency immediately. But it simply shows that education has yet to become a priority for the government.

    “The rot in the education sector is generational and you can see the quality of pupils from schools and graduates from universities. This was not so in the last 20 or 30 years.

    “Hence we need to raise our voices and ask questions from the government. How have we funded the education? Is it adequately? We have money sitting in the federal purse through the Universal Basic Education Commission but you see some states not accessing the funds, because you tell them to bring the counterpart funding.”

    In a joint release, the civil society organisations recommended that “the federal and state governments should prioritise education by creating a soft landing for states to enable access to the UBEC grants.”

    “For Nigeria to reverse the trend of education decline, we call on the Federal Government to align budgetary allocations with the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s standard,” the CSOs added.

  • JAMB, NECO ‘ve shown that anti-graft war is working, say CSOs

    THE activities of the National Examinations Council (NECO) and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board have shown that the anti-graft war of President Muhammadu Buhari is working, a coalition of civil society organisations, under the umbrella of Concerned Civil Society Groups for Educational Development, said yesterday.

    The CSOs said the successes recorded by the two government agencies in blocking financial wastage at NECO and JAMB had dispelled such doubts.

    Co-convener of the group, Danesi Momoh, in a statement in Abuja, said the anti-corruption stance of the two examination bodies has led to remittances of several billions of naira into the Federal Government coffers.

    He hailed NECO, Acting Registrar Mr. Abubakar Gana, for blocking the loopholes through which the agency’s funds were looted in the past.

    Momoh said the NECO registrar has made procurement processes more transparent with significant reduction in procurement costs, thereby liberating more funds for the agency.

    He said: “If there was any flicker of doubt about the fight against corruption by the Buhari-led administration, the twin successes recorded in crushing corruption and financial wastage at NECO and JAMB dispels such doubts.

    “Surely, the government is out to ease the plight of Nigerians and these model cases show us how the war against corruption can have a positive direct bearing on all citizens.”

    He hailed the Federal Government for reducing NECO and JAMB fees, adding that the gesture would make higher education attractive for the common man.

    Momoh said the feat was made possible because of the prudent steps taken by Minister of Education Adamu Adamu that has ensured transparency and good management of resources of government agencies under the Ministry of Education.

  • Edgal urges streets to get CSOs

    Lagos State Police Commissioner Imohimi Edgal has advised Community Development Associations (CDAs) to appoint Chief Security Officers (CSOs) following incessant complaints about petty thieves and car vandals in some neighbouhoods.

    In a statement yesterday by his spokesman, Chike Oti, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Edgal directed Area Commanders and Divisional Officers (DPOs) to work with the CSOs and vigilance groups to contain the crime.

    Oti said: “All streets/communities should as a matter of urgency appoint a CSO from their midst. This exercise is to be coordinated by the CDA of such area. It will be the responsibility of the CSO to get the phone numbers of DPOs, operation officers and patrol, guard officers closest to them and distribute same to members of their community.

    “It will be the responsibility of the CSO to arrange for street guards, who will keep watch at night and raise the alarm when necessary to frustrate night marauders. It will be the responsibility of the CSO to reinvigorate and coordinate the already existing joint vigilante/police patrol at night between midnight and 4am, in conjunction with the DPO of that locality.

    “In areas where vigilance groups have not been formed, in accordance with laid down legal/operational modalities,  it will be the responsibility of the CSO to liaise with his DPO to ensure that these vigilance groups are set up.

    “The CP has observed that the two toll free lines, 767/112, are jammed due to call traffic. To reduce the strain on these lines, the CP has released the following 10 numbers domiciled at the Citizen Complaint Hot Centre (CCHC) for use by communities to alert law enforcement officers: 08067945296, 08063025274, 08063104759, 08113615350, 08113683077, 08096283148, 08096283173, 08089781657, 08126404930, 08081426895.”

  • CSOs seek probe of investment and securities tribunal

    A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) have called for the probe of the management of Investments and Securities Tribunal (IST).

    Specifically, the group called on the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed to look into the activities of the tribunal between 2016 to 2017.

    Chief Convener of the CSOs, Olayemi Success, made the call at a news conference in Abuja yesterday.

    He alleged that before the inauguration of the tribunal in September 19, last year, the tribunal was inactive for almost two years as a result of the dissolution of the previous tribunal without immediate replacement.

    This, he alleged, had made officials of the tribunal to grow wild in corruption and lack of transparency.

    According to him, the officials, under the Amalgamated Union of Public Cooperation Civil Service Technical and Recreation Employees (AUPCTRE), are threatening to cripple the tribunal by bring its activities to a halt.

    “Before the inauguration of the current tribunal on September 19, 2017, the tribunal was inactive for almost two years as a result of dissolution of the previous tribunal without immediate replacement.

    “Obviously, this period has made the officials to grow wild in corruption, lack of transparency, lateness to work, abandoning of duty post without permission, siphoning government’s fund without due process were the status quo the staffs want to maintain even after the inauguration of a new tribunal that are ready to work and pursue the vision of the tribunal.

    “We call on the  Minister of Finance to personally look into the issues at the Investment and Security Tribunal by personally listening to the officials agitation and the response of the tribunal with a view of salvaging the situation as it is in our view that the scheming of the union is to sabotage and undermine the federal government’s efforts of building a veritable capital market and entrenching a sustainable and vibrant investments and securities tribunal that can stand the test of time and give enough confidence to the investors on our capital market,” he said.

  • CODER, seven other CSOs score Osun guber poll high

    Six reputable civil society organisations have given the recently concluded Osun State gubernatorial election their seal of approval and praised the umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) “for exhibiting professionalism and neutrality despite threats, intimidation and blackmail before and during the election.”

    The groups and their representatives are Dr. Mrs. Olufunke Adesina of the Centre for Women Agenda (CWA); Comrade Adedapo Ajisegiri of the Campaign Against Social Injustice (CASI); Comrade Onotosho Hakeem of the Centre for Sustainable Dialogue (CSD); Dr. Oyedokun Alli of the Development Advocacy Group (DAG); Comrade Jerry Nwachukwu of the Rights Monitor Agenda (RMA); Comrade Wale Adeoye of the Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reforms (CODER); Samuel Bakare, Nigerian Human Rights Community (NHRC) and Comrade Ajayi Popoola of the Coalition for Peaceful Election (COPE).

    In a statement issued yesterday in Lagos, the groups said the election was largely peaceful and congratulated the people of Osun State for “their civil, peaceful and orderly conduct in jealously guarding their mandate and proving that the will of the people is supreme in a democracy.” The state ment reads in part, “We, the undersigned civil society organisations, as election observer groups, heartily congratulate the good people of Osun State for trooping out to the polls both on the 22nd of September and on the 27th September, 2018 rerun election, to elect the state’s helmsman whose outcome is a reflection of the will of the people as expressed at the polls.

    “We note with gladness that INEC deployment of its personnel and materials on election day was timely, efficient and has received accolades from all relevant stakeholders for a superlative performance. We equally commend the international and local observers for their high sense of responsibility in observing the process according to global best practices.”

  • CSOs raise alarm over plots to drag Army’s reputation into politics

    The Coalition of CSOs on Good Governance in Nigeria has raised  the alarm over what it descried as grand plot by some paid agents of  unpatriotic politicians towards dragging the Nigeria Military into the murky waters of politics with a view to heat up the polity and causing untold distractions in the ongoing Boko Haram War in North East Nigeria.
    The group accused one Dr. Idris Ahmed and some other elements of planning to tarnish the hard-earned image and reputation of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai .
     The CSOs also cried out over the alleged plan to thwart the progress that have been made in fighting terrorism and return Nigeria to the days when road in major cities have to be sealed off with concrete boulders.
    Evangelist Gabriel Donko, National Convener, in a statement obtained on Tuesday, said Ahmed and his paymasters called for an outright sack of the Chief of Army Staff and some frontline commanders in the Theatre of War, it also smacks of mischief, abetted by pecuniary gains.
    “This makes us wonder how much blood they are willing to get on their conscience and that is assuming this is a concept they are familiar with,” Donko said.
    The statement noted that the smear campaign is not only futile, it is of poor taste and laced with ulterior motives because of the personalities of the characters involved.
    He said, “The point when the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria begins to act on the tantrums of these kind of inconsequential urchins then the end has come. Thankfully, nothing on record suggests that the ill-advised clamour would be treated higher than the nonsense that it is.
    “These characters are indeed men of low moral standing in the society, whose stock in trade revolves around propaganda, blackmail, and extortion. We had it on good authority that the demands for the sack of the COAS was the direct outcome of a refusal to pay Dr. Ahmed and his co-travellers money in 10 digits as was being demanded.
    “The Coalition of CSOs on Good Governance in Nigeria wishes to use this medium to inform the general public of the nefarious activities of Dr. Idris Ahmed and, his group of marauding elements which from all purpose and intents do not wish for the war against Boko Haram insurgents to come to an end for their selfish reasons. Since their meal tickets are tied to the continued existence of Boko Haram, we strongly suggest that they earnestly seek out new food sources as the Boko Haram channel is one that has now been guaranteed to run dry in the coming months owning to the superlative manner in which the Nigerian Army under General Buratai has dealt the terrorists repeated devastating blows.
    “And for the purpose of clarity, the Nigeria Army under the leadership of Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai has catapulted professionalism to the point where its institutional ethos and mission has seen significant improvement in the last three years. Discerning Nigerians and indeed any right thinking person on earth will at some point pitch media reports against the reality on ground, save for the few bad eggs whose activities cannot be excused from being influenced by subversive interests, the unbiased observer will find an Army that has been improved in hardware and welfare for its personnel.
    “On the issue of massive corruption as enumerated by Dr. Idris Ahmed, it is more of an act of ignorance and mischief because the anti-corruption war introduced within the army has seen all officers declaring their assets and also the introduction of a transparent procurement process. It is most unfortunate that those who handed him the brief to malign General Buratai omitted to inform him that the corruption tag was one that never stuck on the General because the corruption they allege against him could only have been conjured by a fevered imagination. The Army as an institution has also evolved to embrace best practices in its process and cannot be the same as when those paying Dr. Idris Ahmed held sway there.
    “The Coalition of CSOs on Good Governance in Nigeria not only frowns at such attempts to paint the Nigeria Army in bad light, but it also wishes to alert the various security agencies of the activities of Dr. Idris Ahmed and his paymasters, who have so decided to constitute themselves into clogs in the wheel of our progress as a people and as a nation. All the services should be at alert as Dr. Idris Ahmed and his co-travellers will in the coming days intensify their efforts at doing damage to the Armed Forces. This manifest in form of sabotage, impersonation, sponsored mutiny and not ruling out copycat terrorist attacks to create the impression that the military has lost control of the situation.
    “We at this moment call on well-meaning Nigerians to continue to extend their support to the Nigeria Military towards winning the war against Boko Haram Insurgents and entrenching an era of peace and tranquillity for sustainable development. It is up to Nigerians to send characters like Dr. Idris Ahmed on retirement and make the well-deserved peace in Nigeria long-lasting.
    “Finally, we categorically state that the Nigeria Military is not involved in politics and has never been, and as such political merchants and contractors should be guided accordingly.”

  • Ekiti governorship election credible – Observers

    A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) based in Ekiti State on Monday affirmed that the July 14 governorship election won by the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, reflected the wishes of the electorate.

    The CSOs, whose representatives were on the field as election observers, said the election was free, fair and credible contrary to claims to the contrary in some quarters.

    They urged the people of the state and other Nigerians to be wary of “fake election observers” hired to impugn on the integrity of the poll.

    The three groups – New Initiative for Social Development (NISD), Centre for Social Justice, Good Health and Community Development (CENSJHOD) and International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) – condemned vote buying at the poll.

    While noting that virtually all parties were complicit in the vote buying saga, the observers said development cannot vitiate the process or taint the overall result of the poll.

    Addressing a joint news conference in Ado-Ekiti on Monday, NISD Executive Director, Abiodun Oyeleye, said some groups who called themselves “election observers” and discredited the poll were allegedly hired to do the hatchet job.

    Reading from the report of the observers, Oyeleye praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies for improved performance which led to success of the poll.

    Oyeleye said the CSOs were part of the Nigerian Election Situation Room, the umbrella body of all election observers accredited by INEC to monitor elections.

    He said: “There were fake observers, those who claim to be observers but reside in the Government House. We have the video clips of those who call themselves observers but were following government officials all around.

    “We had our observers on ground; in fact, in NISD alone, we trained 50 observers. The report of our observers on the field was that the election was free, fair, credible and reflected the election wish of people of Ekiti State.

    “Although there are incidences of vote buying, all parties induced one way or the other. Some parties did ‘prepaid,’ others did ‘see and buy’ while we had parties that shared electronics before the election.

    “The election represented the will of the people of Ekiti State, with the exception of votes buying we noticed. Many of those who cast their votes were willing to be bought. Some even waited at the polling units waiting for the highest bidder. And our observation showed that all parties were culpable of this.”

     

     

  • CSOs shutdown NASS over misappropriation of cattle ranch fund, want Jonathan arrested

    Coalition of Civil Society Organisation for Peace and Good Governance, on Tuesday stormed the national assembly in Abuja in protest of alleged misappropriation of fund approved for the establishment of cattle ranch in the country.

    The protesters, who besieged the national assembly complex in their numbers, admitted that the death toll that has arisen as a result of the herdsmen and farmers conflict in Nigeria has reached an alarming stage, stressing that if urgent and proactive measures are not taken, it has a potential to threaten the very foundation of the country our forefathers laboured to put in place.

    The protesters, who were seen displaying placard, bearing various inscription, noted that some individuals that do not have the interest of this great country at heart have continued to engage in acts inimical to our progress as a nation.

    Speaking on behalf of the coalition during the protest, Comrade Jonathan Ogwuche, National President/Convener lamented the alleged embezzlement of the 100 billion naira cattle ranch fund released by the administration of former president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in 2014, for the establishment of mini ranches nationwide to curb the frequent clashes between herdsmen and farmers.

    According to him, the National Economic Council approved the release of the money in 2014 for states to build “mini” ranches after clashes between herdsmen and farmers escalated but the money developed wings and flew.

    He called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for under whose watch this heist was perpetrated

    Ogwuche said, “Even as we are aware that the money was released without the approval of the National Assembly, there was no evidence of how it was utilized; there has not been any ranch constructed anywhere in the country to account for the expenditure of the money.

    “It is also expedient to mention that this act of national sabotage has left the country with human and material casualties from herdsmen and farmers conflict.

    “We are appalled by this act of rascality aimed at national disintegration by elements and principal political actors of the previous Peoples Democratic Party-led government in Nigeria.

    “With blood flowing freely in Nigeria as a result of this crime against humanity, these political actors are still roaming the streets freely and flaunting their ill-gotten wealth.

    “It is a clear four years after the release of the funds, yet nothing has been done or heard on the case, yet innocent Nigerians are dying on almost a daily basis.

    “As a background, a committee set up by the Federal Government in 2014 on Grazing Reserves under the Chairmanship of the former Governor of Benue State, Mr. Gabriel Suswan which identified issues causing the conflicts between herdsmen and farmers to include struggle for land and water and uncontrolled influx of nomadic herdsmen, and thus noted that grazing reserves and cattle routes already gazetted had been encroached upon, and such routes should be recovered and improved upon, taking into consideration present day realities.

    “As a result, the Committee recommended the release of N100 billion through the Central Bank of Nigeria as seed funding to all the States for the construction of ranches.

    “Despite the release of the money, there has not been any ranch constructed anywhere in the country to account for the expenditure of the money, and as a result, the conflicts they were intended to cure have exacerbated.

    “Having stated the above, it becomes more curious as to why there has been an unholy silence from the National Assembly, despite a resolution to set up an ad-hoc committee to investigate the disbursement and utilization of the N100 billion released for the construction of mini ranches across the country over a year ago.

    “The House of Representatives has yet to investigate the N100bn disbursed to some states by the Central Bank of Nigeria to build cattle ranches, one year after it passed a resolution on the matter. The House had yet to constitute an ad hoc committee to start the investigation.

    “At this point, we are constrained to believe that monies must have exchanged hands in a bid to kill the matter completely despite the innocent lives that are lost on a daily basis in Nigeria.

    “ It also appears that some elements within the National Assembly might have conspired with those behind the dastardly act of embezzling the 100 billion naira to kill the probe.

    “We are therefore urging the National Assembly not only to investigate the matter but to also live up to the expectations of the people they are representing in their various constituencies to ensure that all of those that were part of the embezzlement of the funds are brought to book.

    “We also call for the immediate arrest and prosecution of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for under whose watch this heist was perpetrated, to establishing whether or not he was a part of the fraud.”

  • Family of murdered teenage girl seeks justice in Ibadan

    …police detain killer suspect

     

    The parents of a teenage girl , Lateefat Kofoworola Abubakar who was hit by a bullet and died few minutes later during last Saturday’s local government congress fracas in Oyo state have demanded justice.

    The 18-year-old Lateefat Kofoworola Abubakar, who was shot in the head by an official of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) last weekend.

    Reeling from the pains of the unfortunately loss, the families of the girl have petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari, Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, the state Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to assist in ensuring that justice prevails in the gruesome murder of their daughter.

    The deceased was killed by the NSCDC personnel at Idi-Oro, Dugbe area of Ibadan while on her way to get drugs at the pharmacy store.

    It was gathered that the late Kofoworola who wrote her last WAEC papers three days before her sudden death, had earlier complain of headache at about 12noon on the fateful Saturday.

    It was further gathered that a fracas had ensued between two factions of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the area, during the conduct of the May 13th local government elections in the state and NSCDC men who were supposed to control the situation started shooting sporadically from the vehicle on getting to the scene.

    Her elder sibling, Gbemisola, who address newsmen in Ibadan yesterday said what they want is justice since the NSCDC personnel lied he lost his foothold while he was coming down from their vehicle and his gun triggered off by itself “we pray to Allah to grant my sister Aljanah Firdaus. But all we seek for is justice,” Gbemisola noted.

    Gbemisola refuted the NSCDC personnel’s statement when her family visited him in police custody.
    According to her, ‘’what he (the suspect) told us is pure lie, how can a security person who have common sense said gun triggered itself while he was coming down from the vehicle.

    Read Also: Alleged torture: Motorcyclist committed suicide, says NSCDC

    In his reaction father of the victim, Kolawole Abubakar, debunked reports making the rounds that the governor has visited to commiserate with the family.

    Meanwhile, the Oyo State Police Command spokesperson, Adekunle Ajisebutu in his reply to journalists over the weekend said the suspect, an NSCDC personnel, is in police custody.

    According to Ajisebutu the Commissioner of Police, CP Abiodun Odude, has directed the State Investigation and Intelligence Department, Iyaganku to carry out diligent investigation into the incident.

  • CSOs urge eligible voters to register

    Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have urged people in Anambra State to register with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before end of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR).

    The groups spoke in Awka at a one-day sensitisation workshop on electoral participation for youths.

    Coordinator, Shoulder for Gender Support and Development Initiative, Mrs. Chioma Okeke, decried the apathy in Anambra State and Southeast.

    She called on participants, mostly youths, to register in the CVR.

    Okeke listed challenges faced in the registration centres as  absence of INEC officials at venues, alleged extortion of those wishing to register by officials, and non-collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).

    “INEC has to do more to cover eligible voters in the registration process. In some places, efforts are made to register people, even going to their houses, but the officials are not there,” she said.

    Coordinator of Kingsfaith Development and Youth Empowerment Initiative Mr. Chukwuma Chukwura expressed concern that people could not take time off to register or collect their PVCs at INEC office.

    He said those who have registered in Anambra were small compared to the population.

    “It is a serious source of worry for us how our youths behave when it comes to politics.

    “They are very active on social media, posting all sorts of things about Nigeria and some individuals, but in practice, they are not doing anything; common registering to vote, they will not. For those who manage to register, go and get your PVC, no way.

    ”Worse still, on the day of election you see them playing football and drinking at joints because they feel it is not their business. This is why very small per cent of them voted in the last governorship election.

    ”What we are saying is that INEC, the political class and communities should encourage those who have not registered to do so before the time is up,” Chukwura said.

    Addressing participants, INEC’s Head of Public Relationsin Anambra Mr. Leo Nkedife corroborated the CSOs’ observation that the turnout for the CVR was poor.

    He urged the people to take advantage of the exercise, saying registration was free.

    Nkedife asked the people to report anyone demanding money from them.

    He said only 22 per cent of 2.15 million voters in Anambra participated in November 18 election, adding that over 142,000 PVCs are awaiting collection at the INEC office.

    The head of public relations said INEC had improved in the conduct of elections, as people’s votes now count.

    Prof. Collins Okafor, of Department of Political Science, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, blamed the apathy on lack of confidence in the electoral process.

    He said apathy include: refusal to register, refusal to belong to a party, refusal to vote and refusal to protest against rigging and other malpractices.

    Okafor said those who did not participate in politics contributed more to the political and economic crisis.