The Nation Newspaper

Tag: decries

  • Senate decries killing of health workers

    The Senate yesterday said the killing of health workers in Kano and Borno states was unacceptable.

    This followed the adoption of a motion on the “Killing of health workers in Kano and Borno States,” sponsored by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta North) and 12 others.

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the plenary, said the government must not be intimidated by criminals.

    He lamented the increasing number of criminals in the country without a corresponding number of security personnel.

    The government, he said, should take steps to increase the number police personnel.

    Ekweremadu described as worrisome a situation where people commit crime and are never found.

    According to him, such a scenario emboldens criminals to commit even more heinous crimes.

    He said: “What happened in Kano and Borno states is unacceptable. It is diminishing us as human beings.

    “Government should not be intimidated. All of us including religious leaders should educate the people on the need to eradicate polio.

    “I find it embarrassing that we still have polio in Nigeria . We should provide security for those involved in the eradication of this disease.

    “A situation where we have about 350,000 police personnel in a country of over 160 million people is inadequate.

    “It is our prayer that what happened in Kano and Borno States will be the last.”

    The Federal Government yesterday donated N1 million to each of the families of the nine slain polio immunisation workers that lost their lives in an attack by gunmen in Kano.

    The government also donated N200,000 to each of the two survivors of the attack.

    Presenting the donation to Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, the Minister of State for Health, Dr Ali Pate, said the money was not compensation, but assistance to the family of the slain officials.

    Pate, however, said the Federal Government had already commiserated with the families of the victims.

    Receiving the donation on behalf of the governor, the Deputy Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, hailed the gesture.

    He said the money would be given to the families of the deceased.

    Gaduje said the government had already donated N500,000 to each of the bereaved families, while N250,000 was given to the survivors.

    He also praised Dangote and Bill and Melinda Gate Foundations for supporting the families of the victims with N500,000 each.

  • Sokoto decries NULGE boss’ claims

    Sokoto State Government has said it has taken exception to the false claims by Mr. Ibrahim Khalil, who parades himself as the National President of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), adding that it is demanding an apology from him on behalf of the Northwest governors.

    Khalil spoke at a news conference.

    He said governors in the Northwest zone have created a vacuum at the local government level by refusing to conduct council elections.

    A statement signed by the Special Assistant to Governor Aliyu Wamakko on Media Matters, Sani Umar, described the claims as not only misleading but ignorant and ill-informed, adding that it showed that Mr. Khalil is not aware of the happenings in his constituency.

    “It is equally self-serving and sycophantic for him to single out one state and make a sweeping generalisation, while in fact, he lacks information about what obtains in other states in the zone because he has confined himself to his office and chosen to be an armchair critic.

    “Mr. Khalil’s statement is a claim by a disgruntled leader, who leads without knowing those he leads or where they are. Otherwise, he would have known that there are other governors, who abhor vacuum and make sure it does not exist in their local government,” the statement said.

    It said for the avoidance of doubt, Khalil should be educated on the facts about Sokoto State with regards to council poll.

  • Agbakoba decries poor welfare of judgess

    Former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) has called for a comprehensive welfare scheme for serving and retired judges.

    In a letter to the Chairman, National Judicial Council (NJC), Justice Maryam Mukhtar, he said it was disturbing and distressful that a justice of the Supreme Court, who served for 46 years would receive “a paltry” salary and would retire without a home or good pension.

    He said judges tell the same tales of woes upon retirement, but there has been no action.

    He urged the NJC to begin “a transformational process to address these issues.”

    Agbakoba, a Life Bencher and NJC member, said there is an urgent need to transform the Judiciary.

    “I fail to understand why the Judiciary will not have a radically-enhanced budget to address the needs of its judges.

    “I will propose as a first step that housing, medicals, cars, enhanced salaries and allowances are provided this year.

    “I will urge that a comprehensive welfare scheme be put in place for judges, both serving and retired,” Agbakoba said.

    The human rights activist said subjecting retired judges to stress before getting their pension should also be stopped.

    “I find it distressful that NJC issues the occasional advert requesting distinguished honourable judges to queue before junior officers to present credentials as a proof of entitlement to pension!

    “All judicial officers will retire. Is this the situation they hope to face?”

    Agbakoba referred to an interview a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Olufunlola Adekeye, granted a newspaper, which he said contained a catalogue of woes and deprivation suffered by judges upon retirement from the service.

    “I urge that this issue is tabled at the next meeting of the NJC for a robust discussion,” he added.

  • ACN spokesman decries neglect of ethnic group

    The Publicity Secretary of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has urged governments in Kwara State to carry along the Igbomina in the scheme of things.

    He decried the relegation of the ethnic group in the state.

    Alhaji Mohammed enjoined the Igbomina at home and in the diaspora to take their position in the scheme of things.

    He spoke in Ilorin at the 10th anniversary of the National Association of Igbomina Students.

    Represented by a chieftain of the ACN in the state, Ayansola Atolagbe, the ACN spokesman said: “We need to be more focused as a people known for industry, honesty, hard work, decorum and sense of purpose. This is the time for unity. We should speak with one voice politically.”

    He said the carefree attitude of the Igbomina in politics would affect the socio-economic development of the area.

    The 2003 governorship candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Kwara State donated N100,000 to the association, which also launched its almanac.

    His representative pledged to donate N25,000.

  • Kogi ACN decries alleged plan to divert women’s N230m to party members

    The Kogi State Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) yesterday decried alleged moves by the government to share the N230million meant for the women in the state to only card-carrying members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    In a statement in Abuja by its Chairman, Alhaji Haddy Ametuo, the party berated the government for saying the over N2billion for flood victims is “intact” while the victims were dying.

    The statement said: “Another issue begging for attention is the N230 million donated by Alhaji Aliko Dangote to be shared among 1,000 women per local government at N10,000 each.

    “The money is meant for Kogi women, irrespective of their political affiliation. But there is a clandestine move by the government to share this money among only PDP women.”

    The party said Dangote is a reputable businessman and philanthropist, who alleviates poverty in Nigeria.

    It added: “We shall continue to act as a watchdog for Kogi State people until things are done the right way and until justice, equity and fair play become the norm in governance.”

    ACN regretted that the last floods, which destroyed parts of the state, left scars on its victims.

    The party said the government has not shown it cares about the victims.

    It said: “The complaints, cries and groans of the flood victims in the relief camps reached a peak when they took to the streets last month to protest their neglect and abandonment.”

    ACN said the government feigned ignorance of the protest and kept silent over it since.

    “As the most credible opposition party in the state,” it said, “we owe Kogites the moral obligation to act as a check and balance on the government.”

    ACN added: “It would not be fair for us to continue to stand aside and look while fraud, corruption and inhuman treatment are meted out to people that deserve sympathy.

    “Over N2billion was donated to the victims by various groups and individuals, besides food and other materials.

    “Most of the workers of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and other relevant agencies have suddenly become rice and mattress sellers while the big ogas have suddenly developed ‘wings’ from this flood-induced windfall.

    “We went on air to complain about the inhuman act and the only explanation that came from the government, especially the Head of the Committee on the Flood and Deputy Governor Yomi Awoniyi, is that ‘the money is intact’.

    “The question now is: Is the money meant for a fixed deposit account or to alleviate the suffering of the unfortunate victims?

    “Is the money meant to bury the flood victims, when they die, or to help them recover and live?

    “If the answer to the above questions is no, then we demand the immediate release of the money to be used for its original purpose.”

  • Activist decries sack of AAU workers

    Activist lawyer Morakinyo Ogele has given the authorities of the Adekunle Ajasin University (AAU), Akungba-Akoko, 14 days to reinstate the 60 workers of the institution, who were disengaged last month.

    He said no cogent reason was given by the university for their sack.

    Ogele said: “After perusing the four cores of their sack letter, I found no cogent reason for sacking them. I put you on notice that the whole exercise is illegal and unacceptable.”

    The activist said he would seek redress in court, if the workers were not restated at the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum.

    “We shall not hesitate to file a writ of certiorari to quash the letter”, he added.

  • Cleric decries bad roads, unemployment in Ebonyi

    THE Anglican Bishop of Ngbo Diocese in Ebonyi State, Bishop Christian Ebisike, has decried the high poverty level, unemployment among youths, bad roads, epileptic power supply and inadequate water supply in most rural communities in the state.

    Bishop Ebisike spoke at the third session of the first Synod of the church with the theme: Evangelism: the prime obligation.

    The cleric said the level of poverty in the state is high, adding that the government needs to establish industries and create jobs.

    He said: “We have discovered that the level of poverty is high in Ebonyi State. The people, especially the youths, need jobs. There is need to alleviate their poverty through the establishment of industries and creation of jobs. There is inadequacy, if not lack, of good roads, potable water and electricity in many communities.

    “Many industries in the state are moribund. The most annoying is the huge Nkalagu Cement Factory, which is now a monument of ruins. The once pride of the Southeast has become a shadow of its old self with thousands of its workers now living in abject poverty.”

    The bishop noted that though efforts by the Martin Elechi administration to establish another cement factory is commendable, it is better to rehabilitate the old factory for the workers to have a new lease of life.

    Ebisike said the insecurity by the Boko Haram sect and the incessant killings of Igbo in the North could be a ploy to exterminate the ethnic nationality.

    The cleric said the political marginalisation of Igbo has reached an alarming rate.

    According to him, the Nigerian situation is like the sour grape.

    He said: “Instead of growing from grace to glory, our dear country has continued to fester, wallowing in more sleaze, corruption, rising unemployment and insecurity and an unacceptable paradox of filthy wealth in the hands of a careless and selfish minority. This leaves the majority trapped in rising poverty.

    “Not only has corruption gone viral, there was the recent grim revelation of pension fraud at the Federal Public Service and the Police Service Commission; the fuel subsidy scam, running into trillions of naira. Also, there were the capital market probes, where the hunter became the hunted and the N536.15million National Examinations Council (NECO) scam. We recall the lunatic looting of his state’s treasury by former Delta State Governor James Ibori, who was described as “a common thief” abroad but a saint in Nigeria. These cannot but worry a sane mind.”

    The cleric sought solutions to the nation’s myriad woes and severe punishment for criminals without any sacred cows.

    Ebisike said: “It is high time we stopped the free-fall capacity collapse of our system because our children are getting increasingly disillusioned as a result of unemployment and our infrastructure are progressively decaying. The leaders and the led should know that only righteousness can exalt a nation.”

  • Group decries call for Petroleum Minister’s removal

    Group decries call for Petroleum Minister’s removal

    A non-government organisation (NGO), the Association of Good Governance and Probity in Nigeria, has decried the renewed call for the resignation or dismissal of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, over the leaked report of the Mallam Nuhu Ribadu-led Task Force on Oil Revenue.

    The leaked report, which the taskforce has denied having knowledge of how it leaked, had, according to Reuters, indicted the Petroleum Ministry. The report by Reuters said the $183 million realised from signature bonuses paid by oil companies to the federation was missing.

    The report also accused the Ministers of Petroleum Resources that served between 2008 and 2011 of giving out seven discretionary oil licences for which the $183 million signature bonuses were paid.

    The Reuters report further accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) of allowing international oil traders to sometimes buy crude without formal contracts, and said the corporation had short-changed the Federal Government of billions of dollars in the last 10 years by selling crude oil and gas to itself below the international market rates.

    Spokesman for the Association of Good Governance and Probity in Nigeria, Mr. Daniel Agada, corroborated Alison-Madueke’s responses to the allegations. For instance, she said no discretionary award of oil blocks has taken place “during this administration and that the NNPC buys crude oil at international rates.”

    The group said from its investigation from the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), the most recent discretionary oil block award took place in 2008 before Alison-Madueke became the Minister of Petroleum, while others are marginal fields.

  • Ondo ACN decries attack on members by LP thugs

    The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Ondo State yesterday decried the alleged manhandling of its supporters by Labour Party (LP) thugs.

    The violence, it said, had been going on since the result of the October 20 governorship election was announced.

    In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Rotimi Agbede, ACN said: “Worse hit are the Yoruba non-indigenes from Osun, Oyo, Kwara, Ogun and Ekiti resident in the state. These LP thugs have unleashed a series of attacks on these innocent people, leading to bodily harm and destruction of property, for daring to vote against the LP.

    “The attacks, which were carried out in several local government areas, including Ondo East, Ondo West, Idanre, Odigbo, Ose and Ifedore, have left many people hospitalised and several others homeless.

    “It is unimaginable that a party, which claimed to enjoy the people’s support at the election, cannot even manage its flawed victory, but has resorted to intimidation to cover up the electoral absurdities perpetrated.

    “Having realised that its pyrrhic victory may not stand the test of time and a proper scrutiny at the electoral tribunal, LP employed this latest weapon of intimidation to force the opponents into submission.

    “Ondo State is the first in the country where the winner of an election will single out the supporters of rival parties for attacks.

    “We have heard of bad losers in the past, but the situation in the state presents a clear case of “bad winners”, who are desperate to hold on to a defective mandate.

    “The ACN in Ondo State condemns this barbaric act put up by the LP and wonders if the celebration of electoral victory involves the spilling of innocent blood.

    “We warn the ruling party against fuelling regional crisis in the Southwest with the serial attacks on Yoruba non-indigenes in the state. This would hinder the regional integration much desired by the Yoruba.

    “ACN demands to know when security agencies would put an end to these ungodly acts by LP members. They have continued to look the other way, leaving the innocent people to suffer. We urge security operatives to live up to expectation and not precipitate avoidable crisis with their lukewarm attitude.”

  • Osun Speaker decries loose petrol pump prices

    The Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Mr. Najeem Salaam, has decried the indiscriminate pump prices of petroleum motor spirit (popularly called petrol), saying selling the product above the fixed price and the perennial scarcity have shown that the people manning the petroleum sector should be removed.

    The Speaker, in a statement signed by his spokesman, Mr. Goke Butika, implored the Federal Government to restore normalcy to the sector and protect the masses who are being exploited daily.

    He said failure to do so would give the citizens the impression that the government was not concerned about their welfare.

    Salaam urged the Minister of Petroleum to state the position of the Federal Government on the matter, noting that keeping mute while the exploitation by the marketers continues implies that there is a conspiracy.

    He said: “Let it be known that Nigerians are experiencing a difficult period with the trickle down effect of exploitable loose prices of petrol. It’s a crime for people in charge of petroleum to keep mute, while some unscrupulous marketers are smiling to the banks.”

    The Speaker enjoined the National Assembly to wade into the matter with a view to halting corruption in the petroleum sector.

    He added: “Each time the pump price of petrol fluctuates, the economy of the nation is threatened and the poor are made to suffer.”