The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Federal Capital Territory

  • INEC releases final list of Gov, Assembly candidates Thursday

    The final list of candidates for Governorship, State Assembly and FCT Area Council elections will be published on Thursday, the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ) has said.

    Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said the list will be published in all the State offices nationwide and the Commission’s website.

    Yakubu spoke on Wednesday in Abuja at the Swearing -in of a new Resident Electoral Commission (REC) Elder Monday Udo Tom from Akwa Ibom State.

    This brings the total number of RECs nationwide to 36 out of 37 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    The Commission is awaiting the confirmation and appointment of the nominee for Osun State.

    He also revealed the commission has implemented ten out of the fourteen activities outlined in the commission’s scheduled programs of actives.

    “Your appointment is coming just 16 days to the 2019 General Elections. We have already implemented 10 out of the 14 activities in our timetable and schedule of activities.

    Read Also: INEC worries over conflicting judgments, orders

    “The final list of candidates for Governorship, State Assembly and FCT Area Council elections will be published in all our State offices nationwide and the Commission’s website, tomorrow Thursday 31st January 2019.”

    Congratulating the new REC, Yakubu informed him that though he will be posted to a state within his geo-political zone, he can however be posted anywhere in the country.

    He said: “Furthermore, as a REC, you can be posted to any part of the country at any time as the exigencies of service require. For now, you will be posted to a State within your geo-political zone but you will never serve in you State of origin throughout your tenure. In line with this principle, you are hereby deployed to Bayelsa State.”

    The new REC holds a BSc. degree in Biological Science and a Master’s degree in Microbiology.

    He served as lecturer and civil servant in Akwa Ibom State.

  • Crossfire

    The 2018 Christmas homage paid by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) community on President Muhammadu Buhari last Tuesday was meant to be more or less a religious gathering.

    But the political missiles exchanged following remarks at the brief ceremony held inside the official residence of the President was of large magnitude.

    It resulted in crossfire between the Presidency and the camp of the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is the Presidential flag-bearer of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2019 elections.

    The comments at the religious gathering was claimed to have prompted Atiku to write the President a letter faulting his utterances at the homage.

    Buhari during the Christmas homage had told his visitors “The three fundamental things we campaigned with are still very relevant. On improving the economy, which we are still going to explore, we have done well in agriculture, and those who embraced farming are not regretting it and we have also addressed unemployment and we are very lucky, through that we are now attaining food security.

    “The third thing with which we will campaign is the issue of corruption. I told you what I did when I was in uniform but now when I have to go by this system (Democracy,) where people have to be arrested and then prosecuted, taken to court and then with evidence, we will collect back what they had taken illegally and for doing that, people are calling me Baba go slow.

    “I am going slowly but whatever the case, I will not stop pointing fingers at those who have abused trust by taking money that does not belong to them.

    “I will keep on trying to do my best for this country and get back what belongs to the country. We are going to do the roads, revive the railway and electricity with the little resources at our disposal.

    “Fighting corruption, yes, we are slow because the system is slow. It’s not Baba that is slow but it is the system so I am going by this system and I hope we will make it,” he said.

    But barely twenty four hours after the President’s remark, Atiku picked holes in the comments through open letter he wrote to the President.

    Atiku, in the open letter to the President last Wednesday said “My attention has been drawn to a statement by President Muhammadu Buhari on the occasion of a Christmas homage paid on him by members of the Federal Capital Territory Community in which he blamed his inability to fight corruption on the Nigerian system.

    “According to the President, his administration is slow in fighting corruption because the system is slow.

    “My immediate response to this is to commend President Buhari for admitting that he has failed in fighting corruption. The President has just corroborated Transparency International, whose latest Corruption Perception Index shows that Nigeria is more corrupt today than it was under the

    previous administration, having moved 12 places backwards in the CPI, from 136 in 2014 to 148 this year.

    “But my point of departure from the President is in blaming his failure on the system. I disagree. The system has challenges, yes, but where there is political will, the system can make progress.

    “I was Vice President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007 and we used that same system to speedily convict no less a personality than an Inspector General of Police, and several others including cabinet ministers and other high officials.

    “Mr. President, the problem with your anti-corruption war is not the system. You are the problem!” he said.

    Atiku went on to list four examples where he felt the President didn’t do well including the cases of the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal, the former chairman of the Presidential Task Team on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina, the $25 billion NNPC contracts awarded without due process, and the billions found in an Ikoyi apartment.

    The former Vice President added “Based on the above statement of facts, I will not allow you to make Nigeria the scapegoat for your failure. Your failure is personal, and not national.

    “Besides, your excuse is deceptive, because you have staunchly resisted restructuring. If you really believed that the system is the problem, you would have embraced restructuring.

    “Unfortunate as your admitted failure in the war on corruption is, it is your economic policy that is the greater failure. Your lack of ideas and your politicisation of the corruption war has made your administration fight legitimate businesses and the opposition.

    “I might add that it is actions such as this that have led to an unprecedented capital flight which has caused joblessness and made Nigeria the world headquarters for extreme poverty under your watch.” he said.

    Atiku’s letter that Wednesday got at least two responses the same day from the President’s camp.

    The first to react was the All Progressives Congress (APC’s) National Publicity Secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu, who are said “The PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is exhibiting early signs of depression, resulting from obvious frustration.

    “Consequently, he is unable to focus on his campaign. Otherwise, he should tell Nigerians why a discredited person like him should be elected as president instead of raising puerile allegations daily.

    “President Buhari and APC, not his programmes for the country, appear to be his main campaign issues. Nigerians are desirous of a campaign that focuses on issues that matter to them.

    “For Atiku and his PDP co-travellers, the only interest is to grab power and continue where they stopped in their avarice. The APC administration is eager to showcase the impressive achievements we have recorded in the last three and half years. This is the campaign that matters to us and this is what Nigerians are interested in.

    “The trajectory is exciting as we see a brighter future shaping up. We won’t yield to the PDP’s shenanigans. The obvious strategy of the PDP is to truncate the country’s journey towards economic buoyancy and social stability. We will not play the PDP’s game. PDP is acting an anti-people’s script.

    “President Buhari remains unshaken by the desperate efforts being made by Atiku and the PDP to blackmail the APC government. Everyone who was involved in corrupt practices would be brought to justice.  PDP is not offering any alternative to the progressive course this government is pursuing.

    “It is actually apparent that the party is not contesting the 2019 elections to redeem itself, least of doing any good for the country, but simply to seize power to escape justice for the grevious crimes committed against the people of this country. Nigerians won’t be fooled by the rapacious PDP gang. Never!” he added.

    Later the same day, the Director of Strategic Communications (Official Spokesperson) of the

    President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organization, Festus Keyamo also replied Atiku.

    He said “Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to the Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar disputing the assertion by President Muhammadu Buhari that the system in Nigeria allows corruption to thrive because the system is slow in tackling corruption.

    “Alhaji Atiku Abubakar further blamed President Muhammadu Buhari for perceived failure in addressing some instances of ‘corrupt practices’ under his watch.

    “Let us remind Alhaji Atiku Abubakar that he is one of the greatest beneficiaries of the failed system in tackling corruption that was in place before President Muhammadu Buhari took over in 2015.

    “We know he is aware of this, hence his latest diatribe against President Muhammadu Buhari amounts to nothing but disgusting grandstanding and an attempt to mock the system.

    “If the system in Nigeria was indeed working, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar would not have acquired substantial shares in INTELS in clear conflict of his duties as a Customs Officer whilst in office. Those shares would have belonged to the Nigerian people by now.

    “If the system in Nigeria was indeed working, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar would not have run a monopolistic company called INTELS all these years, ripping off the Nigerian people and the Nigerian State before Muhammadu Buhari came and broke that monopoly.

    “If the system was working, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar would have been prosecuted and jailed for various acts of corruption and abuse of office after he left office as Vice President.

    “Alhaji Atiku Abubakar latest adventure in trying to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in matters of integrity with President Muhammadu Buhari is a political suicide mission from which we thought his handlers would have tried to steer him away. But alas! They have decided to test the waters. Locally and internationally President Muhammadu Buhari stands several miles away from Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in matters of integrity.

    “When the President used all his life in public office building a reputation and a name, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar used all his life in public office to build mansions and acquire personal wealth. Now Judgment Day has come when the credentials needed by the Nigerian people for the highestoffice are not the buildings and wealth but the simple quality of integrity. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar cannot eat his cake and have it.”

    What is playing out now is definitely the beginning of what to expect as the campaigns begin in earnest and the 2019 general elections rush in.

    But peace loving Nigerians will not want what is playing out now in the polity to escalate.

    They will, no doubt, want a peaceful environment to exercise their franchise and also still have a country called Nigeria at the end of the elections.

     

  • FCT education management seeks early budget for planning

    As part of efforts to reposition the education sector in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the Education Secretariat Management Committee has recommended an early budgeting cycle with full involvement of the Department of Policy Planning, Research and Statistics.

    The secretariat also affirmed that the administration will in 2019 adopt new measures to make the education sector more effective.

    To demonstrate the new steps, the education secretariat at its just concluded two days retreat of education secretariat management committee, recommended for a condition survey of its facilities with a view to developing a Needs Assessment that will drive its budget projections.

    The committee also urged FCT Department of Policy, Planning Research and Statistics on the production cost of training a child in the FCT.

    In a communique by the Assistant Director in charge of Information at the secretariat, Mr. Tony Ogunleye, the secretariat said the Department of Quality Assurance has been directed to enforce the Guidelines on the Establishment and Operations of Educational Institutions in the territory.

    It explained that no school should start operating before registration with the Department, adding that Boards and Departments in the Education Secretariat should work harder at integrating and collaboration in the discharge of their mandates.

    According to the communique, the Education Secretariat has recommended for a bi-annual retreat in its calendar of activities, with an intensified efforts on orientation of newly employed teachers.

    The committee suggested that there should be an early budgeting cycle with full involvement of the Department of Policy Planning Research and Statistics, planning officers from boards and departments as well as school heads in the budgeting process should be intensified.

    Another recommendation reached at the meeting called for a quarterly report of their progress and challenges to management.

    Boards and Departments in charge of students’ admission are advised to devise means of ensuring that only children within the approved age specifications are admitted into FCT schools” the communique stressed.

    The recommendations are: “The Department of Policy, Planning Research and Statistics is to produce the cost of training of a child in the FCT; Boards and Departments in the Education Secretariat should work harder at integrating and collaboration in the discharge of their mandates; The Secretariat is to conduct a condition survey of its facilities with a view to developing a Needs Assessment that will drive its budget projections; The Education Resource Centre should improve the services of FCTA public libraries, while Boards and Departments managing schools are required to encourage the reading culture in schools.

    “The Department of Quality Assurance is directed to enforce the Guidelines on the Establishment and Operations of Educational Institutions In the FCT, in particular, no school should start operating before registration with the Department; FCT Universal Basic Education Board and FCT Secondary Education Board are to collaborate on measures to decongest schools in the FCT; The Education Secretariat should institute a bi-annual retreat in its calendar of activities.

    “Orientation of newly employed teachers should be intensified; The budgeting cycle should start early and the involvement of the Department of Policy Planning Research and Statistics, Planning Officers from Boards and Departments as well as school heads in the budgeting process should be intensified; Boards and Departments are to use the Sector Plans as the base for their Action Plans and, are henceforth required to make a quarterly report of their progress and challenges to management.

    “Boards and Departments in charge of students’ admission are advised to devise means of ensuring that only children within the approved age specifications are admitted in to FCT schools; Completion of all on-going projects at the permanent site of FCT College of Education Zuba to facilitate movement to the permanent site.

    “The Secretariat should deploy all necessary means to engage the political leadership, other Secretariats and Departments of the FCTA in achieving its budgetary requirements and discharge of its mandate in the most efficient and cost-effective manner.”

    The retreat was held under the leadership of the secretary, Dr. Bala Liman. Officials pledged the secretariat’s commitment to completing all on-going projects at the permanent site of FCT College of Education Zuba to facilitate movement to the site.

  • Crossfire

    The 2018 Christmas homage paid by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) community on President Muhammadu Buhari last Tuesday was meant to be more or less a religious gathering.

    But the political missiles exchanged following remarks at the brief ceremony held inside the official residence of the President was of large magnitude.

    It resulted in crossfire between the Presidency and the camp of the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is the Presidential flag-bearer of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2019 elections.

    The comments at the religious gathering was claimed to have prompted Atiku to write the President a letter faulting his utterances at the homage.

    Buhari during the Christmas homage had told his visitors “The three fundamental things we campaigned with are still very relevant. On improving the economy, which we are still going to explore, we have done well in agriculture, and those who embraced farming are not regretting it and we have also addressed unemployment and we are very lucky, through that we are now attaining food security.

    “The third thing with which we will campaign is the issue of corruption. I told you what I did when I was in uniform but now when I have to go by this system (Democracy,) where people have to be arrested and then prosecuted, taken to court and then with evidence, we will collect back what they had taken illegally and for doing that, people are calling me Baba go slow.

    “I am going slowly but whatever the case, I will not stop pointing fingers at those who have abused trust by taking money that does not belong to them.

    “I will keep on trying to do my best for this country and get back what belongs to the country. We are going to do the roads, revive the railway and electricity with the little resources at our disposal.

    “Fighting corruption, yes, we are slow because the system is slow. It’s not Baba that is slow but it is the system so I am going by this system and I hope we will make it,” he said.

    But barely twenty four hours after the President’s remark, Atiku picked holes in the comments through open letter he wrote to the President.

    Atiku, in the open letter to the President last Wednesday said “My attention has been drawn to a statement by President Muhammadu Buhari on the occasion of a Christmas homage paid on him by members of the Federal Capital Territory Community in which he blamed his inability to fight corruption on the Nigerian system.

    “According to the President, his administration is slow in fighting corruption because the system is slow.

    “My immediate response to this is to commend President Buhari for admitting that he has failed in fighting corruption. The President has just corroborated Transparency International, whose latest Corruption Perception Index shows that Nigeria is more corrupt today than it was under the

    previous administration, having moved 12 places backwards in the CPI, from 136 in 2014 to 148 this year.

    “But my point of departure from the President is in blaming his failure on the system. I disagree. The system has challenges, yes, but where there is political will, the system can make progress.

    “I was Vice President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007 and we used that same system to speedily convict no less a personality than an Inspector General of Police, and several others including cabinet ministers and other high officials.

    “Mr. President, the problem with your anti-corruption war is not the system. You are the problem!” he said.

    Atiku went on to list four examples where he felt the President didn’t do well including the cases of the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal, the former chairman of the Presidential Task Team on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina, the $25 billion NNPC contracts awarded without due process, and the billions found in an Ikoyi apartment.

    The former Vice President added “Based on the above statement of facts, I will not allow you to make Nigeria the scapegoat for your failure. Your failure is personal, and not national.

    “Besides, your excuse is deceptive, because you have staunchly resisted restructuring. If you really believed that the system is the problem, you would have embraced restructuring.

    “Unfortunate as your admitted failure in the war on corruption is, it is your economic policy that is the greater failure. Your lack of ideas and your politicisation of the corruption war has made your administration fight legitimate businesses and the opposition.

    “I might add that it is actions such as this that have led to an unprecedented capital flight which has caused joblessness and made Nigeria the world headquarters for extreme poverty under your watch.” he said.

    Atiku’s letter that Wednesday got at least two responses the same day from the President’s camp.

    The first to react was the All Progressives Congress (APC’s) National Publicity Secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu, who are said “The PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is exhibiting early signs of depression, resulting from obvious frustration.

    “Consequently, he is unable to focus on his campaign. Otherwise, he should tell Nigerians why a discredited person like him should be elected as president instead of raising puerile allegations daily.

    “President Buhari and APC, not his programmes for the country, appear to be his main campaign issues. Nigerians are desirous of a campaign that focuses on issues that matter to them.

    “For Atiku and his PDP co-travellers, the only interest is to grab power and continue where they stopped in their avarice. The APC administration is eager to showcase the impressive achievements we have recorded in the last three and half years. This is the campaign that matters to us and this is what Nigerians are interested in.

    “The trajectory is exciting as we see a brighter future shaping up. We won’t yield to the PDP’s shenanigans. The obvious strategy of the PDP is to truncate the country’s journey towards economic buoyancy and social stability. We will not play the PDP’s game. PDP is acting an anti-people’s script.

    “President Buhari remains unshaken by the desperate efforts being made by Atiku and the PDP to blackmail the APC government. Everyone who was involved in corrupt practices would be brought to justice.  PDP is not offering any alternative to the progressive course this government is pursuing.

    “It is actually apparent that the party is not contesting the 2019 elections to redeem itself, least of doing any good for the country, but simply to seize power to escape justice for the grevious crimes committed against the people of this country. Nigerians won’t be fooled by the rapacious PDP gang. Never!” he added.

    Later the same day, the Director of Strategic Communications (Official Spokesperson) of the

    President Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organization, Festus Keyamo also replied Atiku.

    He said “Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to the Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar disputing the assertion by President Muhammadu Buhari that the system in Nigeria allows corruption to thrive because the system is slow in tackling corruption.

    “Alhaji Atiku Abubakar further blamed President Muhammadu Buhari for perceived failure in addressing some instances of ‘corrupt practices’ under his watch.

    “Let us remind Alhaji Atiku Abubakar that he is one of the greatest beneficiaries of the failed system in tackling corruption that was in place before President Muhammadu Buhari took over in 2015.

    “We know he is aware of this, hence his latest diatribe against President Muhammadu Buhari amounts to nothing but disgusting grandstanding and an attempt to mock the system.

    “If the system in Nigeria was indeed working, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar would not have acquired substantial shares in INTELS in clear conflict of his duties as a Customs Officer whilst in office. Those shares would have belonged to the Nigerian people by now.

    “If the system in Nigeria was indeed working, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar would not have run a monopolistic company called INTELS all these years, ripping off the Nigerian people and the Nigerian State before Muhammadu Buhari came and broke that monopoly.

    “If the system was working, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar would have been prosecuted and jailed for various acts of corruption and abuse of office after he left office as Vice President.

    “Alhaji Atiku Abubakar latest adventure in trying to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in matters of integrity with President Muhammadu Buhari is a political suicide mission from which we thought his handlers would have tried to steer him away. But alas! They have decided to test the waters. Locally and internationally President Muhammadu Buhari stands several miles away from Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in matters of integrity.

    “When the President used all his life in public office building a reputation and a name, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar used all his life in public office to build mansions and acquire personal wealth. Now Judgment Day has come when the credentials needed by the Nigerian people for the highestoffice are not the buildings and wealth but the simple quality of integrity. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar cannot eat his cake and have it.”

    What is playing out now is definitely the beginning of what to expect as the campaigns begin in earnest and the 2019 general elections rush in.

    But peace loving Nigerians will not want what is playing out now in the polity to escalate.

    They will, no doubt, want a peaceful environment to exercise their franchise and also still have a country called Nigeria at the end of the elections.

     

  • Minister: only 35% of infrastructure developed in Abuja

    The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Muhammed Bello has revealed that only 35% of Abuja’s infrastructure has been developed.

    Bello said that the FCT was projected with a 3.1 million population when fully built within a projected 25-year-period.

    He added that the capital city is the fourth largest in the country and one of the fastest growing in Africa with over 2.75 million population squeezed within just two phases of the planned five phases.

    Speaking at the commemoration of the movement of seat of government from Lagos to Abuja, he said that it has been 42 years since its creation and 27 years after the movement from Lagos.

    The Minister who was represented by Executive Secretary, FCDA, Mr Umar Gambo Jibrin, urged everyone to see Abuja as a national heritage.

    He said, “42 years since its creation and 27 years after the movement from Lagos, Abuja indeed, has come of age. It has surpassed Logos as the destination for foreign direct investments. It has become a major aviation and conference hub for West Africa. We have also inaugurated a modern light rail transport system that is the first of its kind in the sub-region and FCT, indeed, has become the melting pot of Nigeria that it was conceived to be.

    “However, the city’s demographic expansion has proceeded beyond the protected growth plan when the city was founded. FCT was projected for 3.1 million population when fully built within a projected 25 years period.

    “I urge all of us to see Abuja as our national heritage and join hands to protect it. This is because so much hes been invested in the building of the new capital -infrastructure, public utilities, institutions etc. Today, however, we are confronted with a new set of challenges, namely; vandalism of public utilities like manhole covers, bridge railings, transformers and streetlight poles and components, transformers as well as plain acts of sabotage and disobedience to rules that make for orderly living.”

    Executive Head, Editorial Board, The Guardian newspaper, Mr Martins Oloja who was the keynote speaker of the occasion, stated that Abuja has been an orphan of some sort.

    He said, “Abuja has been an orphan of some sort perhaps because of near absence of democracy in its governance processes. All the 36 states’ governors are elected but the ‘militicians’ who gave us this constitution made Abuja just a part of the Office of the President, no thanks to Sections 299-302 of the 1999 Constitution as amended. Even the original inhabitants, who have been agonising without organising well about unfulfilled promises since 1976, could not remember Abuja @ 40 and I said so in February 2016.”

     

  • States to access World Bank’s $750m loan, grant soon — FG

    The 36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, will soon access World Bank’s $750 million loan and grant facility.

    A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Minister of Finance on Media and Communications, Paul Ella Abechi, said this was made known by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, while addressing the 7th Community of Practice (CoP) made up of state Commissioners of Planning and Budgeting in Abuja.

    Ahmed expressed optimism that states will continue with their fiscal responsibility which will serve as platform to access the loan and grant from the World Bank.

    The Community of Practice meetings enhance the state Commissioners of Planning and Budget’s capabilities in performing their functions and serve as platforms for facilitating peer learning and information exchange, strengthening coordination, collaboration and networking.

    The finance minister revealed that: “during the course of these meetings we had the benefit of hosting the World Bank and several other communities, including the Governors’ Forum.  During the course of this exercise, the Ministry of Finance had to, on instruction from the President, provide bailouts to the state because at one point states were not able to pay salaries.

    Read also: The kidnap that nailed us

    “Part of the conditions that was given for those bailouts is a fiscal responsibility plan which needed to be implemented for the states to continue to be qualified to access the funds that the Federal Government was giving.

    “This FSP was quite successful because as a result of that we saw improvements in the public financial management in a lot of states, some of which is evident in the increase in the IGR and also the increase in the frequency of the preparation of financial statement in the availability of budget that used to never been found anywhere, the minister said.

    The minister added that “this year, it was so good that the World Bank said this group has done well and therefore we are going to give $750million in the form of concession loans and grant which will be available soon for the states to access”.

    She told the states that “we are in the process of going to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to get the approval; the World Bank on its own has already approved this and others. So we hope that you will continue to implement your fiscal responsibility so that you will qualify for this facility as well as the grant.

    “Those principles agreed by NEC are still as relevant today as they were in 2016. So I want to urge the CoP to ensure that the monitoring aspect of this is still continuing in one way or the other.”.

    She also charged the CoP to make monitoring of the process of implementation of budget a cardinal objective, because it would benefit and enhance what they are doing to improve the standard of living of the people in their states.

    “Let me add that the need for monitoring is beneficial because it will enhance process improvement; it will also help us to refocus ourselves as well as our principles to stay on those commitments that are made, but most importantly it will enhance public service delivery to the citizens”, she stated.

  • Why I wear white Tiv attires – House Committee chair on FCT Orker-Jev

    Before his recent appointment as the House Committee Chairman on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Hon. Emmanuel Orker-Jev had functioned as the Chairman House Committee on Rules and Business since the inception of the 8th Assembly. In this interview, which he granted just before he was moved from the Rules and Business Committee, the lawmaker, who represents Buruku Federal Constituency in Benue State tells VICTOR OLUWASEGUN and DELE ANOFI the pressure of running the engine room of the House of Representatives. He also explains how he unwinds after the hectic hours in the green chamber.

    For more than three years, you have been the Chairman of the Rules and Business Committee in the House of Representatives, which is considered the engine room of the House. How have you been coping?

    I really cherish the opportunity given to me by the leadership to chair the committee. When we came initially, the stress was much because everybody wanted to prove himself, especially the new members. Some would put pressure on you. There are times you have 300 to 400 motions at a time while in a given week, you can’t move more than 30. Imagine having 200 motions and everybody wants their motion listed at the same time! It only takes God’s grace, otherwise, you sour your relationship with people who would think that you are preventing them from shinning.

    We learnt that some even come threatening that their motions must be listed. Did that happen to you?

    It depends on the kind of person you are. If by the way you conduct yourself people believe that if you are induced you will do certain things for them, they will go and tell the story and people will come to you. From the first day, I made it clear to people that they didn’t have to offer me anything for their items to appear on the order paper. And by the grace of God, I have not heard any accusation from anybody. I believe in building integrity. It is easy to think that if I collect anything or get material edifice, I will be better placed; but your name will be sacrificed in the process.

    Talking about desperation, at the early stages, some people came and attempted to shout, but I knew it was an act of desperation to satisfy people, so I handled such with a big smile and we became friends when I insisted that the right thing should be done.

    How do you feel in situations where the motion being presented had been treated before and dumped into the trash bin only for some members to rejig it?

    We have our standing rules and I always insist that we are guided by our standing rules, which says that you cannot re-present a matter that has been disposed off within the same session. By our rule, a session is one year, usually from June to June. But outside of that, you can re-present it. So, if it is in the second session and somebody raises that issue, I will refer them to the rules that nobody has breached any rules.

    There are times that somebody will point out that this matter had been disposed off in the last session, meaning that we are right to bring it. But since we are still trying to pursue the implementation of what was brought, it will amount to wasting the time and resources of the House to represent it again. In that case, the House may say no rule has been breached, but for the purpose of saving time and resources, why don’t we try and implement what the house agreed on?

    Talking about rules, are you not surprised that many members don’t even have an idea of what the rule says or they have it but do not read it?

    Thank God, it is not everybody that does that. When you have a coalition of 360 people across Nigeria in one place, I am not here to judge anyone. It is true that some don’t particularly pay attention, but a lot of members here take their jobs seriously. At least, if they want to have something on the floor, they investigate to find out which rules they are making reference to. So, I can’t contradict what you are saying because it happens in some instances. But majority are still very alert to their responsibility. Even if they don’t know, some will rush to me, saying, ‘Chairman, I want to bring this up; which is the rule that applies to the circumstance?’ I will let them know the rule and they do the right thing.

    There are two bills that have been causing a lot of concern. The grazing bill and the water resources bill. What is your take on them?

    There are actually three or four bills on ranching. But on a second thought, taking a legal eye at the bills, it was decided that the Land Use Act gave the custody of the land to states, i.e., the respective governors. So, we cannot sit down in Abuja and do a law on land that will cover the entire federation. That is the responsibility of the state governors, and because of that, we put those bills in the cooler. That is why some states took on the challenge to come up with those laws, like in Ekiti, Taraba and Benue. So, legally, it is the states that should come up with those laws.

    As for the water resources bill, you know that I came from a very contentious area and some read a lot of meanings to it. I consulted with the man that brought it and he said the bill was done in accordance with international best practices. I am still insisting that he should give me the brief so that we take a second look at it because the speaker said we should go through the bill and also get in touch with the Chairman of the House Committee on Water Resources, Pategi. So, the matter has not been settled yet. When I get the written brief of what is in the bill, it will determine whether we should revisit it or not. Those were the explanations Pategi gave me when I went to meet him on this matter. So, the matter has not been concluded yet.

    You are a lawyer with long standing experience. Some people say that some of the bills brought to the floor are cosmetic. Do you agree with that?

    I don’t. When the Speaker took over, he brought what was known as the legislative agenda for the Eighth Assembly, one of which was to reform our archaic laws. He put together a panel of seasoned lawyers both within and largely outside because most of the laws came about during the colonial era and can’t apply in the modern society. So, they sat and recommended about 300 instances where we could reform our bills. So, that is why you have a large number of bills.

    Cosmetic? No. As a law-making body, we are entitled to making laws in all areas of our lives, both critical and non-critical. Just today, I was discussing with somebody who was talking about the university he graduated from 15 years ago which does not have record keeping capacity. If you have laws making it mandatory, will you call it cosmetic? Elsewhere, you have records of 500 years still being kept somewhere. We should have that kind of scenario here too. Every area is important; not just the critical ones.

    You have rural development and youth empowerment as your area of legislative interest. Are you happy with the development in the rural areas and the level of youth unemployment in the country?

    Definitely not. But it is the function of the way out federation is structured. You now have a situation where if you go to the state where the local government is supposed to be clearly autonomous, the states use the money meant for them and dish it out as they wish, forgetting that rural development is the responsibility of the local government. So, I am not happy. Until we allow the local government to function as stated in the constitution, we will continue to have this problem. The money for local government is appropriated only on paper. In reality, the state spends their money for them.

    On the issue of unemployment, when you have unemployed youths, it is like a time bomb. If the youth that are actively involved, they won’t have time for cultism, drugs and so on. So, I am not happy. This administration promised to take care of that, but if they have, it is for us to see.

    There are allegations that some members of the House only come in, sign the register and go. Is it true?

    I would say that it is illegal if you have not attended at least 181 days of sitting in one year. I can’t give that answer. I can only speak for myself when it comes to matters like this.

    Everybody has been sent here by his constituency to represent them. It will be unfortunate if people are indeed doing that. I can’t deny that there are such cases, but it is not for me to pass judgment. It is left for the people that sent them to know after four years whether the people they sent actually represented them or not.

    E-parliament is supposed to tackle people like that, but it is not working…

    You know how it is. The present leadership attempted to do that but it failed us. Even though the willingness to conduct the affairs using e-parliament is there, the experts who are supposed to put us through failed us. So, what can we do? There would come a time where we would perfect the e-parliament and begin to track everybody’s persuasion.

    What is the total legislative days for a year?

    The minimum number of days which is 181 days has only been fixed while the maximum has not been fixed.

    Let us talk about your social life. How did you meet your wife?

    I met her through a friend who introduced us to each other and we got married. I am not the partying type and you won’t be too wrong to call me an introvert. Nobody thought I would be a politician because I felt politics was for rough guys. But somehow, my community drafted me into politics. I am the first person in my constituency to have won election twice; not even as a councilor or a local government chairman. This is my third time in the House.

    In the National Assembly, the number of female legislators is dwindling. What is the remedy?

    The communities should decide who they want to represent them. If you say that females should be given a certain percentage, I don’t know how that could be sorted out in the field when it comes to politics. Until that debate crystalises, I don’t have a very strong opinion on that.

    Since you are not the partying type, how do you spend your leisure time?

    I play the guitar and do video editing because I have a studio in my house, not as a professional.

    You always appear in white traditional Tiv attire. Is there any reason for that?

    No. I am just in love with white. Some have preferences for colour but I just love wearing white. In the evening, I wear jeans and T-shirt, which are not white. But in terms of formal dressing, white is my favourite colour and, of course, I am a proud Tiv man.

  • Motorists in FCT want roads repaired

    Motorists in the Federal Capital Territory have called on the Area Council Chairmen to repair roads to reduce road accidents and ensure ease vehicular movement.

    The motorists, who made the appeal in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, described the situation of most roads in the territory as worrisome.

    According to them, the deplorable state of roads in some communities had caused accident, hardship and difficulty for human and vehicular movement in the area.

    Mr Sunday Kaka, a motorist in Gwagwalada, said that the road along old Kutunku area had been dotted with potholes, ditches and culverts, adding it was verge of collapse.

    The negative development, he noted, had made it difficult for vehicular movement.

    “The bad roads in the area damage our vehicles and make us to constantly spend money in repairing them.

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    “The road to abattoir area is also in a bad condition and is making meat business difficult for operators in area,” he said.

    Mr Isuwa Wodi, another motorist in Kuje Area Council, said the linking Kuje and Gwagwalada had always been a problem for a very long time, either in the rainy or dry season.

    He said that: “Every administration will come and promise that contract has been awarded to fix the road and yet nothing is done.

    “This year, several churches have done some charity works by pouring sand and gravel in an effort to smoothen the road for easy access.

    “We are appealing to the area council administration to fix dilapidated roads, to ease movement in the area.”

    Responding, the Chairman, Kuje Area Council, Abdulahi Galadima, assured residents of area that efforts were being made to rehabilitate the township roads for easy access.

    Galadima, said that the council was working with the FCTA administration to ensure that the road linking Kuje and Gwagwalada is repaired.

  • Agency trains 500 Abuja residents in digital skills

    The Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA) is training 500 residents of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in digital skills to enable them to effectively maximise the digital space.

    The Managing Director of AEA, Mr Arabi Tukur, made the disclosure at the opening of the training in Abuja on Thursday.

    He said that the training by AEA, in conjunction with the Google Inc. was part of activities to mark 2018 global entrepreneurship week.

    He explained that the training was meant to accelerate business, create employment opportunities and reduce poverty in the territory.

    Tukur noted that the training was designed to also improve the knowledge and skills of 500 participants in the digital space, so as to enhance and facilitate business growth for societal development.

    He reiterated the commitment of AEA to ensure continuous improvement of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector.

    The managing director, therefore, urged participants to be open-minded and focused toward exploring the digital space for self development.

    A resource person, Mr Tayo Olosunde, says digital skills for Africa is a Google initiative in conjunction with various training partners, aimed at training young people in digital skills.

    Olosunde said that the initiative was geared toward closing the digital knowledge gap in Africa and to improve employability and job creation.

    He explained that empowering entrepreneurs with digital skills remained critical to the development of the society.

    Olosunde, who submitted that it was an opportunity to drive the Google digital skills programme, noted that the training was one of the ways through which entrepreneurs could go global.

    He, therefore, urged participants to take the training serious and to leverage on the opportunities to become entrepreneurs and business owners.

    ”We are happy that the participants have been so inspired and have been connected to online portal, where they can continue to do the online training.”

    He said “this would also help to connect other global entrepreneurs to actually exchange resources and values and create jobs, as well as leverage on the wealth in the web.”

    Participants included media practitioners, MSMEs, among others.

    The trainees were assembled in batches for a four-day free digital skills, which kicked off on Thursday, at the AEA Entrepreneurial

    Complex, Jahi, Abuja.

  • NGO collaborates NDLEA to curb the menace of drug abuse

    The Vanguard Against Drug Abuse (VGADA), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), says it will collaborate with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) FCT command, in the fight against drug abuse.

    The President of the organisation, Dr Hope Abraham disclosed this in an interview with the agency reporter on Friday in Abuja.

    He explained that the collaboration aims to successfully curtail the drug menace in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    Abraham said that the collaboration had become necessary due to the rising cases of illegal consumption of prohibited substances, especially among youths.

    “Substance abuse has been on the rise in recent times and the rising case in Abuja has called for concern to the general public.

    “We want to urge the NDLEA to help in the fight against drug abuse by organizing more workshops and sensitization programmes to alert our targeted audience on the menace,” Abraham said.

    He claimed that the organisation had, on its part, embarked on occasional sensitization programmes to the dangers of drug abuse in various schools in and across the country.

    Abraham said that recently it organised a programme in Kogi State University (KSU), Anyigba, where dangers of drug abuse were emphasized at length.

    He, however, noted that the responsibility of sensitizing youths to the dangers of illicit drug consumption could not be left to the NGO and the public without the help of the NDLEA.

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    “We cannot do this on our own without involving the NDLEA to help in the fight and see to the end of drug abuse in Nigeria,” he said.

    He advised parents to monitor their wards and children to know the kind of company they kept, adding that it would help to reduce the rate of the abuse.

    The president of the organisation also urged public spirited individuals to join hands in the fight, saying, “We must all take on this fight to safeguard our future.”

    He called on the government to provide more facilities for the rehabilitation of victims of drug abuse to aid their reintegration into the society.

    On his part, Mr Peter Adegbe, Public Relations Officer, NDLEA FCT command, said that the agency was willing to collaborate with the NGO and the public in the fight to curb drug abuse.

    “It is a good thing to know that organisations have been working towards a drug free society by sensitizing youths on drugs and its adverse effects.

    “We as an agency are willing to partner to combat drug abuse both in the FCT and in other parts of the country,” he said.

    NAN