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Tag: David Mark

  • Mark seeks end to doctors’ strike

    Mark seeks end to doctors’ strike

    Senate President David Mark appealed yesterday to members of striking Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) to go back to work in the interest of the nation.

    Mark spoke in Abuja after meeting with the leadership of the association.

    He urged them to end their strike to avoid further deaths and inconvenience of innocent Nigerians.

    In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh, the Senate President reminded the striking doctors of their strategic roles in saving lives.

    Mark, the statement said, told the doctors that they could not continue to overlook the suffering of Nigerians, who depend on them for medical care.

    Mark said the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), which had assumed a national emergency, was enough for them to suspend their strike and save the lives of their fellow compatriots.

    The Senate President told the doctors that the government was not insensitive to their demands, adding that the situation in the country called for their patriotism.

    He promised to table the doctors’ grievances before President Goodluck Jonathan for solutions.

    NMA President, Dr. Kayode Obembe, who led members of the executive to the meeting, listed the union’s grievances to include improved hazard allowance for medical and health workers, payment of 10 months’ arrears owed the doctors and the appointment of a Surgeon-General of the federation.

    Obembe called for the immediate reversal of the Federal Government’s sack of over 16,000 resident doctors to pave the way for further negotiation.

    The union leader said doctors were not insensitive to the nation’s health challenges, especially with the outbreak of the EVD.

    He added: “We are demanding that government should do the needful to improve health care services.”

    The NMA meeting with Mark is expected to reconvene next Tuesday when both parties would report the progress they make on their differences.

     

  • Mark urges NBA to help protect democracy

    Mark urges NBA to help protect democracy

    Senate President David Mark yesterday congratulated the newly elected national executive of the Nigeria Bar Association(NBA).

    Mark, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh, in Abuja, however,  challenged the NBA to rise up to the responsibility of protecting and defending the nation’s democracy.

    He hailed the election, which led to the emergence of the Austine Alegeh-led executive.

    The Senate president urged the  NBA executive to sustain and improve the sanctity of professional excellence, the rule of law and human rights, which the legal profession is known for.

    Mark said: “History has placed the leadership of NBA on you at this moment. It is incumbent on you  to justify the confidence repose in you. You will do this by upholding the integrity, professional excellence and being a team player.

    “Besides, the ordinary Nigerian believes that the Judiciary is the last hope of the common man. You should do more to ensure that Nigerians have trust and confidence in the Judiciary at all times.”

    He reminded the NBA of the need to continue to stand and defend the defenceless, protect the weak and the vulnerable in the society.

    Mark urged the NBA to make the protection and defence of democracy its cardinal objective, adding that by its calling, it is strategically placed to ensure that the citizens enjoy their fundamental human rights unhindered under a democratic rule.

    The Senate president, however, assured that the National Assembly would collaborate with the NBA in legislating for good governance  as well as the welfare and security of the citizenry.

  • Mark seeks collective action against terrorism

    Mark seeks collective action against terrorism

    THE Senate President, David Mark, yesterday congratulated Muslim faithful in Nigeria as they join the rest of the world to celebrate Eid-el-Fitr, marking the end of the Ramadan fast.

    Mark, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Paul Mumeh, in Abuja, lauded Muslims for the successful completion of the month’s fasting and prayers.

    He said the nation desires prayers at these trying times.

    He lamented the unabating security challenges the country is facing at the moment and called for collective action of all citizens against terrorists to end the menace.

    Mark said: “The prevailing situation does not call for a blame game but a collective action of all citizens against the terrorists.

    “We should have confidence in our security operatives and encourage them to do more.

    “The unfolding scenario clearly indicates that the terrorists have declared an open war on everybody and there seems to be no safe heaven any more.

    “This is a challenge we must unite to tackle.

    “One way out of this quagmire is to have a common approach against terrorists irrespective of political, ethnic or religious affiliation.

    He added: “What is paramount now is our collective survival as a people and nation. This is our fatherland.

    “We have a collective responsibility to protect our common destiny.”

    He also decried a situation where the over 200 Chibok girls abducted by the Boko Haram sect more than 100 days ago are still held in captivity by their captors.

    Mark said: “I trust that all the strategies and contacts being done by the federal government, coupled with international cooperation would yield the required dividends and free our girls alive soon.”

    He prayed for the good health and security of the girls.

     

  • Senator Mark versus BringBackOurGirls campaigners

    Senator Mark versus BringBackOurGirls campaigners

    SO far, the Senate has been unable to dispel the unfortunate impression that it is unbearably, unwisely and subserviently too close to the Jonathan presidency. If last Tuesday’s solidarity visit by the BringBackOurGirls campaigners led by former Education minister, Oby Ezekwesili, to Senate President David Mark is anything to go by, it does not look like the upper legislative chamber would be able to change anytime soon. Dr Ezekwesili, in her presentation, had complained that the government was indolent in its response to the Chibok abductions and was also harassing those campaigning for the girls’ release.

    Senator Mark, however, cautioned the campaigners to adjust their methods “so as not to be seen as working at cross-purposes with the government.” He also added that he did not “think any group should play politics with it.” Flustered by Senator Mark’s response, Dr Ezekwesili shot back irritably: “This group is a group for the citizens and a group for Chibok girls. You have not given us a very tangible response we can hold on to. I hope when we come back, we will have a tangible response.” But not to be outdone, Senator Mark also angrily retorted: “I am sure you were not expecting me to tell you the girls are going to be rescued tomorrow. Let us not reduce it to what the people discuss in the classroom. The point I am trying to make is that we should be at the same wave length. Government is doing whatever they can; I do not know the tangible answer you want, which you have not received.”

    What apparently worried the Senate president and was uppermost in his mind was the low opinion the campaigners had of the presidency. Contrast this with the response of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Tambuwal, when he received the campaigners and listened to their plaintive presentation. Said he: “I have heard you talk about insinuations and attempt to label your group something that you are not. That should not bother you. It should encourage you. Do not be deterred by that.” Thank God Nigeria does not have a unicameral legislature.

  • Mark: ASUP’s demands are genuine

    Mark: ASUP’s demands are genuine

    Senate President David Mark has said the Federal Government is committed to addressing the challenges in the Education sector.

    Mark spoke yesterday in Abuja when executives of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), led by its President, Dr. Chibuzo Asomuogha, visited him in his office.

    The Senate president noted that ASUP’s demands are genuine.

    He said the biggest investment any government could give its citizens is effective education at all levels.

    A statement by his Chief Press Secretary Paul Mumeh on the visit, quoted Mark as saying the union had a genuine case.

    Mark said: “ASUP’s demands indicate that the union is not selfish. They are requesting for not only their welfare but infrastructural development that would promote learning in the polytechnics.

    “I was delighted when I heard that the union gave room for the new Minister of Education to settle down and look into the demands of the union. This shows some level of understanding.

    “We must continue to dialogue. What we need is to resolve all the issues raised and bring back our students to the class. Polytechnic education is a unique form of education no nation desirous of development can ignore.”

    He said the Senate under his leadership would ensure that normalcy returns to the polytechnics.

    Mark said: “The Senate will continue to do the needful to bring back our students to classes and ensure normalcy returns to the sector.”

    Asomuogha hailed the National Assembly for taking decisive steps to resolve the ASUP strike and return the lecturers to the classroom.

    The union leader urged Mark and the Senate to prevail on the Federal Government to accede to the demands of the union before the expiration of the three-month suspension of the strike.

  • ASUP’s demands are genuine – Mark

    ASUP’s demands are genuine – Mark

    Senate President, David Mark, Thursday expressed the Federal Government’s commitment towards addressing the ills in the education sector.

    Mark who spoke when the Executives of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) visited him in his office noted that the demands by the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) are genuine.

    He noted that the biggest investment any government can give to its citizenry is education at all levels. This was contained in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Senate President, Paul Mumeh, in Abuja.

    He said: “The demands of ASUP indicate that the Union is not selfish. They are requesting for not only their welfare but infrastructural development that would promote learning in the Polytechnics.

    “I was delighted when I heard that the Union gave room for the new Minister of Education to settle down and look into the demands of the Union. This shows some level of understanding.

    “We must continue to dialogue. What we need is to resolve all the issues raised and bring back our students to classes. Polytechnic education is a unique form of education no nation desirous of development can ignore”

    Mark assured that the Senate under his leadership will continue to do the needful to make sure normalcy returns to our Polytechnics, “the Senate will continue to do the needful to bring back our students to classes and ensure normalcy returns to the sector.”

    Earlier, the President of ASUP, Dr. Chibuzo Asomuogha, commended the National Assembly for the steps taken so far at resolving the strike and return the lecturers to classrooms.

    He called on Mark and the Senate to prevail on the Federal Government to attend to the demands of the union before the expiration of the three months suspension of the strike.

    He added that lecturers are always ready to put in their best to develop the Polytechnic education across the nation.

  • Nigeria, U.S. vow increased action against Boko Haram

    Nigeria, U.S. vow increased action against Boko Haram

    Nigeria and the United States of America are seeking effective action against terrorism in the country in the face of increasing activities of insurgents.

    Senate President David Mark and the America Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle, at a meeting in Abuja, were unhappy at the high number of lives lost to terrorist attacks in the country.

    The situation, according to them, has also adversely affected the nation’s economy.

    Mark, described Boko Haram as not only a threat to Nigeria but a massive danger to human existence, more so in view of its network outside the country.

    He said that while the security agencies are doing their utmost to bring the situation under control, they would welcome support and assistance from the international community.

    “The United States of America is a strategic ally to us (Nigeria). We count on your support and military assistance always, especially in this battle against the terrorists,” Mark told the Ambassador.

    Entwistle pledged the continued support and assistance of his country  but cautioned the security agencies to be mindful of  human rights in the war against terrorists  in order not to cause more damage to the people they are out to protect.

  • Senator David Mark and a sports policy for Nigeria (II)

    For Eagles’ Welfare

    Who approved the staggering amount of over three billion naira to Mr Maigari’s NFF?

    We assume that football federations operating from the states and the NFF at the centre are supervised by the sports minister and the state sports councils.

    For every exercise embarked on by the federation, the councils or the minister of sports are the accounting officers. Whether it is the football association or even the judo federation, funds expended on behalf of the athletes for competitions, for the promotion of the sports must in the end be accounted for by the supervising ministry or council.

    We asked those questions once my sources in the presidency disclosed that funds had been approved to the NFF and that their president with a few of their members had departed in advance of the Super Eagles to the US and Brazil. At once, we knew the money would distract the boys and their coaches and of course put the little minds at the federation on a war path with the favoured travelling few of the federation.

    Predictably, Nigeria lost the energy to fight for the ball as Mikel Obi and Captain Yobo negotiated far into the night with Maigari and the hands keeping the dollars on how to pay the boys. Nigeria joined the ranks of Cameroun and Ghana, bickering over money and losing out on the field.

    In our time in Delta, when we moved Delta from the 12th to the number one, we experimented on the Kwame Nkrumah model, the Cuban sports policy we were able to define our winning programme to suit the environment. Money was fundamentally not the motivating proponent.

    On the other far side, notice the glorious performance of the Desert Foxes of Algeria. They were the best African side and the money paid to them by FIFA was donated to the refugees of Gaza. Keshi, Amokachie, and those fat boys with ugly hair dos should be reminded that Margaret, Hauwa, Rebecca some four months ago were taking their WASC exams in a village called Chibok. As the Eagles enjoyed and got paid to play the World Cup, the Chibok girls are still in the wilderness, cut off from civilisation.

     

    Do not cry for Brazil

    As if we have not been satisfied, as if we have not been offered everything, this samba World Cup festival will not end until the final breath-taking encounter.

    From the red corner, Germany the exponent of discipline proficiency, machine power, team efficacy would collide against Argentina in the blue corner.

    Led by the spritely Leonel Messi, Argentina is coming to battle to avenge on behalf of the Americas, the annihilation meted to Brazil by the Germans.

    Argentina led by Messi is coming to war, to prove that Messi is the undisputed best player of the planet. That Argentina, not Brazil, (since Diego Maradonna, 1986) is the best football nation.

    The Germans believing in man’s ability have perfected their football just as they made the best cars, organised the best fighting forces, built the best roads and bridges. Unlike others who believe in Allah, Jesus and babalawo to decide their fate on the football pitches, the Germans believe in their discipline and can unlike others predict their matches! Football is predictable.

  • Senate congratulates Kano Emir

    Senate congratulates Kano Emir

    •To screen Shekarau, three others today

    The Senate congratulated yesterday the Emir of Kano, Mallam Muhammadu Sanusi II.

    Senate President David Mark hailed the Emir while contributing to a motion informing the Senate of the death of the former Emir, Alhaji Ado Bayero.

    The motion titled: “The demise of Alhaji Ado Bayero, the Emir of Kano (1963 – 2014)”, was sponsored by the three senators representing Kano- Hayatu Gwarzo (Kano North), Basheer Garba Mohammed (Kano Central) and Kabiru Gaya (Kano South).

    Mark noted that the late emir was not only strict, but disciplined, frank and candid.

    He said the late emir preached against the activities of Boko Haram.

    The Senate President said: “Very few Nigerians have the qualities of leadership that Ado Bayero had. I think he was gifted and he would not do or say anything, if he did not believe in it.

    “He believed in the unity of this country. As soon as the Boko Haram crisis started, I visited him in Kano and he was very clear in his comment about Boko Haram and about the fact that Boko Haram would not do this country any good.

    “It is also an opportunity for us, irrespective of our leanings, to congratulate the new Emir and pray that God gives him the wisdom and the courage to emulate the late Ado Bayero.”

    Gwarzo said the late Bayero, upon his turbaning in 1963, established himself as a wise manager of human affairs in a  cosmopolitan city like Kano.

    “His astuteness earned him the name “Damo sark in Hakuri” by his subjects and the respect and appreciation of virtually every segment of his vast domain and beyond,” he said.

    Gaya and Mohammed described the late monarch, who was a former Ambassador to Senegal, as a wise manager of human affairs.

    Other senators also paid tributes to the late Bayero.

    The Senate adopted the  motion and observed a minute silence.

    It named a delegation to commiserate with the family, people and government.

    The Senate has said it would debate a  policy by the Imo State government, which requires all northerners in the state to wear identity cards for free movement within the state.

    It took the decision after the point of order by the Deputy Senate Leader, Abdul Ningi.

    Ningi insisted that the decision was unconstitutional and should be condemned.

    Mark said the issue would be debated today.

    The Senate president announced that the ministerial nominees sent by President Goodluck Jonathan would be screened today.

    Jonathan, last month, nominated former Kano State Governor, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, Prince Adedayo Adeyeye (Ekiti), Dr. Stephen Oru (Delta) and Dr. Abdul Bulama (Yobe).

  • NFF: No rift on appearance fees, bonuses

    NFF: No rift on appearance fees, bonuses

    The Nigeria Football Federation has blasted a report insinuating there was a rift between the Federation and players of the Super Eagles on appearance monies and bonuses at the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals.

    Nigeria football spokesman Ademola Olajire dismissed the report which suggested that Senate President, Distinguished Senator David Mark (GCON) blamed the NFF leadership for holding onto the players’ money, as low –quality fiction.

    “The persons who wrote those reports were never at that meeting. There have been a couple of meetings on the appearance fees and bonuses and all ended pretty well and on note of good understanding between the NFF and the players.

    “There is not even any money to hold onto, yet. FIFA has not paid Nigeria for participation in the competition as no one knows how far we will go to determine the amount to be paid. No country has been paid appearance money.

    “The percentage to be paid eventually has been agreed with the players and they are happy.”

    Olajire regretted that some fellows who were nowhere during the struggle to qualify for the finals have been desperate to hug the headlines through negative tactics.

    “It is unfortunate that at this period when we should all work together and be on the same page for the interest of our country, some people are hell –bent on a negative campaign to try and make the NFF look bad.

    “The Maigari administration is on record as never having defaulted on any agreement with players of the National Teams, and actually paid the Super Eagles’ appearance fee for the last FIFA World Cup in South Africa, which was inherited from the last Board.

    “The present NFF is the most successful in the annals of Nigeria football and the facts are there for all to see. No amount of hate literature will be able to take anything away from the truth.”