The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ekiti

  • Ekiti opeans ultra-modern crèche

    TODAY is momentous in the history of education in Ekiti State and Nigeria in general. This is because today’s occasion being the official commissioning of the Early Childhood Development Mega Centre in Ekiti State marks a strategic effort at transplanting policy into action.”

    The above were the words of Acting Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Prof Charles Onocha at the inauguration of the ultra-modern crèche, built by the Ekiti State government last Thursday.

    Onocha, who was represented by Prof Rasheed Aderinoye, said the initiative portrays the state’s commitment to education.

    “This shows the priority of the state government on education, especially, catching them young from the cradle,” he said.

    The ultra-modern pre-school was built by the government through the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) within the premises of the Ekiti State secretariat for wards of nursing mothers who are public officials.

    With capacity to accommodate 100 pupils, the school has four classrooms for infants below four and a classroom for primary one.

    Other facilities include: a play room for toddlers and an outdoor playground for pupils in the primary class, a cafeteria and a reception.

    Both playgrounds have synthetic pitches and are equipped with toys and other instructional materials.

    Prof Onocha said the facilities are of internationally standards and close to those found in China and Russia. He urged the state governor to introduce the project to his counterparts in the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), using the State Peer Review Mechanism (SPRM) platform.

    In a brief remark before Governor Kayode Fayemi inaugurated the school as part of activities to commemorate his administration’s third anniversary, the Deputy Governor, Prof Modupe Adelabu, who doubles as the SUBEB chairman, gave “Don’t do for a child what a child can do by him/herself” as the school’s golden rule.

    She said two other model centres have been built in Ikere-Ekiti, (South Senatorial District) and Ikole-Ekiti (North Senatorial District), adding that there are plans to replicate them in all the 16 local government areas of the state.

    The Director of Basic and Secondary Education Department in the Federal Minsitry of Education, Mr. D.C. Uwaezuole, whose goodwill message was read by Mrs Christiana Adaba, said: “Your Excellency, by setting up this ECCDE Mega Centre, you have demonstrated that the future nurturing of the Nigerian child albeit Ekiti children is one of the priorities that your forward-looking government is committed to.””Early Childhood Education is the foundation for early learning and this explains why a policy on Early Childhood Development was developed to encourage government’s participation in early childhood and education delivery.”

    Those who witnessed the inauguration, which was performed by Governor Kayode Fayemi included: the governor’s wife, Bisi, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr. Adewale Omirin, Head of Service, Mr. Bunmi Famosaya, Secretary to the State Governor (SSG), Alhaji Ganiyu Owolabi and wife of Ado-Ekiti monarch, Oba Rufus Adejugbe, Olori Abosede.

     

  • ‘Syndicate behind Ekiti Commission fraud’

    ‘Syndicate behind Ekiti Commission fraud’

    There are indications that a fraud uncovered in the Ekiti State Pension Commission might involve “a vast network of career public officers and bankers”.

    The Nation exclusively broke the fraud story on Wednesday. Mr. Alebiosu Esan, the commission’s accountant, allegedly stole N29 million.

    He allegedly paid cheques meant for the commission’s bank account into his account.

    Speaking with The Nation yesterday, the Commissioner for Finance, Dayo Kolawole, said: “The diversion of N29 million was not an isolated case, but a process that might have lasted a minimum of three or four years. It involves a number of personnel in the public service and banks.”

    Kolawole said the state was working with security agencies and independent audit firms to ascertain the scale of the fraud.

    He said the computerisation of receipts and financial processes in the state led to the discovery of the fraud.

    Kolawole said: “Governor Kayode Fayemi directed earlier in the year that all gratuity and pension arrears of public officers, about N3 billion, be paid. When we finished the payment, many of the cheques were left unclaimed. The governor instructed that they should be returned to the treasury and that whoever wants to claim them must be properly screened.

    “But because the payment happened suddenly, a lot of such checks accumulated in a very short while. It was these unclaimed cheques that Esan was taking to the banks using several fronts.

    “But you know the banking system is regulated in a way that there are processes, certifications and documentations to be made in respect of every transaction.

    “Diamond Bank discovered that so many cheques were coming into the system and Esan was carrying out transactions on them.”

    A copy of a correspondence from Diamond Bank to the Head of Service, titled: ‘Suspicious fraudulent transactions with Ekiti State Pensions Commission Cheques’, obtained by The Nation, reads: “Three of the newly opened accounts with our branch fell under the category of failed address verifications. In particular, it was observed that cheques from the Ekiti State Pensions Commission were used in operating these accounts.”

    Kolawole said: “We are working with the bank and getting necessary permits, such as court orders, to be able to trace the transactions of certain workers’ bank accounts. We are doing all these to establish the full scale of the fraud, as what we suspect that a ring of fraudsters are working in concert.

  • Bamidele joins Ekiti governorship race

    House of Representatives member Opeyemi Bamidele has said he will contest next year’s governorship election in Ekiti State.

    He said the decision was in response to “a popular call to service”.

    In his letter of intent to Governor Kayode Fayemi, the former Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy said he would inaugurate his independent campaign group, Ekiti Bibire Coalition, in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, on Thursday.

    Copies of the letter were sent to the Inspector-General of Police, the State Security Service (SSS) Director, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs and his counterparts in the House of Representatives.

    Bamidele, who represents Irepodun/Ifelodun Constituency, alleged that some aides of the governor were planning to disrupt the ceremony and urged Fayemi to intervene.

    Some All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders told The Nation that Bamidele would not be prevented from pursuing his ambition.

    A party stalwart, who pleaded for anonymity, said: “Bamidele is trying to create an impossible crisis. Nobody is planning to disrupt any political gathering. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirants have been holding meetings and rallies and their functions were not disrupted. He is afraid of himself. APC is one strong and united family in Ekiti. The preoccupation of the party is to continue to support the Fayemi administration to record more successes.”

    Bamidele did not indicate whether he would contest the election on the platform of the APC or another party.

     

     

     

     

  • Husband wants 30-year-old marriage dissolved

    A 60-year-old husband, Mr.Abdullahi Saka on Monday prayed a Customary Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, to dissolve his 30-year-old marriage to Mrs Iyadun Abdullahi, for allegedly committing adultery.

    Saka told the court that apart from committing adultery, his wife was frequently fighting him and some of their neighbours.

    He said that the 30-year-old marriage had produced two males and two females, who are now grown up.

    Counsel to the petitioner, Mr Ajibade Abubakar, told the court that neither Mrs Iyadun Saka nor her counsel had appeared in court since their first appearance in 2011.

    Ajibade said that the estranged wife had since returned all her husband’s property in her possession, “which shows that she is no longer interested in the marriage’’.

    The Court’s President, Mr Joseph Ogunsemi, ruled that there was nothing the Court could do now since the defendant was absent or not present in the Court at the time of its sitting.

    He adjourned the case to Oct. 28 for further hearing. (NAN)

  • Ekiti disowns FRC’s debt claims

    The Ekiti State government has condemned a publication by the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC), which put the state’s debt profile at N35.4 billion.

    It described its financial status as “very healthy” and under the control of a “prudent and efficient administration”.

    Speaking with reporters, Commissioner for Finance Dapo Kolawole and the State FRC Chairman, Mr. Bayo Aina, said the publication was “twisted, misleading and intended to bring the current administration to disrepute”.

    They said it was unfortunate that the publication on the debt profile of some states was not up-to -date, adding that Ekiti’s indebtedness stood at “only N14.5 billion as at last December”.

    Kolawole said the N20 billion taken by the Governor Kayode Fayemi administration from the Capital Market went through “clearances and was certified by the Federal Ministry of Finance (FMF), the Debt Management Office (DMO) and FRC in Abuja”.

    He said N12 billion had been repaid.

    The commissioner said the publication of the 2011 debt profile, when the 2012 figures had been presented before it, “revealed not only the FRC’s inefficiency but a complicity with politicians who cry foul needlessly and ceaselessly.”

    He said: “Ekiti is one of the few states that have domesticated the Fiscal Responsibility and Freedom of Information Laws, so we have nothing to hide.

    “FRC and DMO have set certain limits for borrowing and Ekiti has not gone beyond that. So, the borrowing by this government was done in consonance with international best practices.

    “The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the best instrument to regulate borrowing, but when it seems difficult to compute, the percentage of expenditure and revenue are considered. As at last December, Ekiti’s debt was N14.5 billion.

    “The N20 billion loan was spent on capital projects that were regenerative in nature and not spent on recurrent expenditure.

    “The moribund Ire Burnt Brick Factory that would employ about 300 people was resuscitated. The once bushy Ikogosi Warm is now worth over N3 billion in the Capital Market. It is not borrowing that is the issue, but how the government could use it to boost the economy.”

  • 70 landlords arrested over non-provision of toilets

    No fewer than 70 landlords have been arrested and prosecuted in the last two months for not providing toilets in their  houses in Ekiti State.

    The state Director of  Environment  and Sanitation, Mr Tunde Balogun, said this  in Ado-Ekiti on Friday in an interview with  the News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN).

    Balogun said   the affected  landlords were  arrested  under the Ekiti State Environmental and Sanitation Law,  2004 as well as Environmental Regulations 2009 as amended.

    The director, who vowed that more culprits would soon be arrested, said nobody was above the law.

    “There is nobody in Ekiti State who will say he is not aware of  the  existing environmental laws that were passed by the state House of Assembly and assented to by the governor.

    “It is the resolve of this government that the people change  from their old habits that are inimical to the beautification agenda of the governor, ” he said.

    He also said  the Ministry of Environment had organised awareness campaigns on the need by landlords to abide by government’s policy of  “One House, One Toilet.”  (NAN)

  • Ekiti gets child care committee

    The Ekiti State government has inaugurated an eight-man Consultative Committee to manage Early Child Care Development Centres across the state. The committee is chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Eunice Dada.

    Members are permanent secretaries Mr. Kola Ajumobi (Ministry of Information & Civic Orientation); Mrs. Bimpe Aderiye (Ministry of Education, Science & Technology); Dr. Olufolake Olujobi (Ministry of Health) and Mrs. Folake Falore (Primary Health Care Development Agency).

    The rest are Mrs. J. A. Boluwatife (Women Affairs & Gender Empowerment representative); State Chairman of the School Based Committee Chief Sylvester Adeyanju and the State Chairman of the Parents’/Teachers’ Association (PTA), Pastor Isikalu.

    The Early Child Care Development Centres were established to give children access to qualitative early education.

    Inaugurating the committee in her office in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, Deputy Governor Prof. Modupe Adelabu said: “Early childhood is a time of remarkable brain development, which lays the foundation for later learning. Once the right foundation is laid in early childhood, building at higher levels of education will be easier.”

    She said the government carefully considered the committee’s membership to enhance its success and urged the team to justify the confidence reposed in it.

    Speaking for the committee, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Civic Orientation, Mr. Kola Ajumobi, said the committee will work assiduously to make the project a success.

  • Ekiti Almajiri school takes off

    The Morkaz Ibn Junaid Primary School for Almajiris has taken off in Esun-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

    At a meeting with stakeholders in her office in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, Deputy Governor Prof. Modupe Adelabu said the school offers both Islamic and western education.

    Mrs. Adelabu, who doubles as the chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), urged residents of the host community to enroll their children in the school.

    She said the government was committed to preparing children for a better future.

    Chairman of the State Implementation Committee Alhaja Aisha Badmus, who also chairs the Almajiri School Board, said the school has 15 teachers, 61 pupils and eight classrooms, two of which were built by SUBEB.

    Alhaja Badmus urged the government to assist the school with a bus for the transportation of pupils and regularise the appointments of part-time teachers.

    President of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Ekiti chapter, Alhaji Afolabi Ogunlaye, prayed God to continue to guide the Governor Kayode Fayemi administration.

  • Ekiti deputy governor advocates eye cancer research

    Ekiti deputy governor advocates eye cancer research

    •Radiotherapy unit for EKSUTH

    Ekiti State Deputy Governor Prof. Modupe Adelabu has urged specialists to research the cause of eye cancer in children.

    She spoke at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH) in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, during a visit to two children, Daniel Popoola (2) and Kolade Abegunde (4), who have tumours growing on their right eyes.

    The children are being treated at the instance of the deputy governor. Urging their parents to cheer up and hope for the best, Mrs. Adelabu urged Prof. Foluso Owoeye and Dr. Omotoye Olusola – the consultant ophthalmologists treating the children, to give the research a thought.

    Health Commissioner Prof. Olusola Fasuba said the government would set up a radiotherapy unit in the hospital.

    Fasuba said: “By October ending, the radiotherapy unit would be functioning in this teaching hospital.”

    He said one of the children would be referred to the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, for radiotherapy.

    The commissioner said: “Surgery has been performed on the eye of one of the kids while the other is undergoing chemotherapy. By the time we are through with that, he would go for radiotherapy at Ibadan.

    “We are going to have such a facility here very soon and it is going to be the best in Southwest Nigeria. We have a consortium from England and they are bringing it down to the state.”

    Expressing concern over rising cancerous tumours in children, he urged parents, whose children are affected, to bring them for treatment.

    He said: “There are many people experiencing this challenge, but they are hiding in their homes. I urge them to come to EKSUTH before it is too late.”

     

  • Post-UTME holds

    Thousands of candidates from all nooks and crannies of Nigeria participated in the 2013/2014 post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) of the Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado-Ekiti held recently.

    The screening, which was done online, was praised by Mr Abayomi Ayansola, a representative of the National Universities Commission (NUC), who monitored the exercise.

    “I am impressed,” he said.

    The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof Patrick Oladipo Aina said EKSU embarked on computer-based screening for the admission seekers to enable them adapt to the university’s ICT culture. Speaking shortly after inspecting some of the screening centres Prof Aina said he was impressed by the peaceful conduct of the exercise. He urged the candidates to behave well if eventually admitted.