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  • Fresh breath for 700 earth roads in Lagos communities

    Fresh breath for 700 earth roads in Lagos communities

    To make the rural areas in Lagos more accessible, the Ministry of Rural Development is working on over 700 earth roads across the state, reports JOSEPH JIBUEZE.

    In line with its mission to enhance the quality of life, human capital and productivity of the rural populace for sustainable development, the Lagos State Ministry of Rural Development has embarked on major repairs of roads across the state.

    The projects involve the grading of earth roads and using laterite to make them accessible and opening up others.

    Work on the projects is ongoing in most of the local government areas, and more rural communities will be reached in the shortest possible time, according to the Commissioner for Rural Development, Hon. Cornelius Ojelabi.

    It is the belief of the ministry that provision of basic socio-economic infrastructure through opening of feeder roads will help drive development in the rural areas.

    Last week, a team from the ministry, led by Ojelabi, inspected some of the roads undergoing upgrading. Also on the team were the ministry’s Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations, Mrs Dupe Ileyemi; Deputy Director, Finance and Administration, Mrs Gbemisola Rufai and Director of Accounts, Mrs Olabisi Boco, among others.

    Some of the streets inspected were Adoff Road in Iba; Alhaji Kareem, Funsho Bakare, Akanni Ogundare, Orelope Street, Olubiyi, Ogunwoyo, Arowolade, Abuja Layout Zone (all in Ojo Local Government Area); Amosu-Igboro Road in Ijanikin, Out-Awori Local Council Development Area; Paul Ajose Street, Agric Isalu Road, Samuel Ekundayo Road (in Badagry), Esepe Road and Magbon Road (in Olurunda LCDA), among others.

    Hon. Ojelabi said the government’s intention is to make the rural roads motorable which, in turn, will ease movement and open them up for commercial activities.

    “It is the intention of the state government to make sure that most of our roads are made motorable. We know we have over 9,000 roads in Lagos State, and there’s no way we can embark on total construction of all the roads.

    “So, what we’re doing is to take the inner roads and make them motorable. As we speak, work is going on in not less than 700 roads across the state, and if you remove that number from 9,000, you will see that we still have a long way to go,” Ojelabi said.

    Besides, he said major construction is also ongoing on about 300 roads, adding that the grading of the earth roads is more of a palliative measure until major construction begins.

    “While the construction is going on in other areas, we want to see what we can do to provide some palliatives in terms of the existing roads to make them motorable.

    “That is why we have embarked on massive grading of earth roads across the state. We’re matching what we’re doing with the resources at the disposal of the government. So far, we have reached quite a significant number of communities across the state.

    “We’re focusing on the rural roads where we cannot afford to do a total construction of their roads for now, pending when we’ll come back and have the roads constructed. This is just a palliative measure to make sure that their roads are made motorable,” Ojelabi said.

    During the inspection of work on Abuja Layout Zone, it was observed that some homes channelled their waste water to the roads. The commissioner, who was displeased with that development, summoned the Chairman of Community Development Association (CDA), Mr Udegbunam Elias.

    Addressing Elias, he said: “This should not be allowed to happen. As the CDA chairman, you are supposed to address problems like this and ensure that houses do not discharge their water wastes on roads that are undergoing construction. If all of us key into government’s projects and maintain them, the society will be better.”

    Elias thanked the ministry for the roads upgrade. “We will ensure that this discharge of waste water is stopped,” he promised.

    Some traders, old women and children and commercial motorcycle operators were excited at the ministry’s work.

    A woman was heard saying: “Thank you for helping us so that water will not carry us away.”

    The commissioner also warned them against pouring used water or waste on the graded roads.

    A community leader, Alhaji Adio Igboro, said he thought the state had forgotten his street which is named after his great grandfather. “We’re happy that the government remembered us,” he said.

    Ojelabi said: “All of us have to be involved. If we continue to discharge our waste water on the road, no amount of quality job that is done by the contractor or the state government will make the road to last. So, all of us should try as much as possible to key into this project to make these roads much more better for us.

    “If you build a house, and know full well that you are expected to have a soak-away, for God’s sake, try as much as possible to have a very solid one where you can discharge your water waste into other than on the road.

    “Even when the road is constructed and you discharge your water on it, it can’t last. So, people should be aware that even asphalt is not water-friendly.

    “Let us imbibe the mindset that it is our money that is being put on these roads. All of us must come on board and take ownership and ensure that the roads are maintained,” Ojelabi said.

    The commissioner said the 300 roads being constructed are primarily handled by the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure.

    “At the same time, Ministry of Rural Development is also doing some road construction through our engineering department. We’ve worked on roads in Agbado-Okeodo, Ifako-Ijaiye, in Ibeju-Lekki and some other areas.

    “What we’re doing is to complement what the Ministry of Works is currently doing to make sure that we bring some sort of succour to areas that are equally expecting similar construction,” Ojelabi said.

    Chairman, Community Development Committee (CDC) in Badagry Local Government Area, Mr Kuponu Ebenezer, praised the government on the roads repairs and grading.

    “I am very much happy. If there is another word to use other than happy, I will use it. When I got here this morning and saw the work going on, in fact, I was impressed.

    “It gives me courage to tell people that the government we’re having in Lagos State is one we can rely upon; that we can work together with. So, I am happy, and I wish it will continue like that.

    “I thank Governor Fashola; I thank Hon. Ojelabi and every member of his team in the rural family. I say well done to them and more grease to their elbow.

    “We’ve been suffering for a long time. The students cannot go to school because the roads are very bad. You see some falling into dirty water. Even people going to the market suffered a lot, but with the work being done, we can now move freely and easily,” he said.

    The Ministry of Rural Development was created at the inception of former Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration in July, 1999 as a consequence of its desire and commitment to develop the rural communities and make it attractive for rural dwellers in order to reduce rural-urban migration.

    It is one of the ministries through which the state’s policies, programmes and projects on rural development are initiated and implemented.

    It started as a department under the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives and later became the Directorate of Food, Roads and Rural Infrastructure (DIFRRI).

    Since its establishment, the ministry has embarked on projects that have improved the living conditions of the rural dwellers.

  • Fresh initiative in public school management

    Fresh initiative in public school management

    The difficulties experienced in accessing and authenticating principals, teachers, students, school records and activities in online admissions may  soon be over as the Federal Capital Territory Universal Basic Education Board (FCT-UBEB) has begun integrating junior secondary schools in the Federal Capital Territory into its newly-developed Central Portal System called the Electronic School System (ESS).

    The initial data collection of students has been completed in the first phase of the initiative in the public school system.

    To kick-start this project, FCT-UBEB is running the admission process for the 2014/2015 academic year on its newly developed portal on http://www.fctubeb.gov.ng

    The ESS by the board will engender effective and efficient management and supervision of about 150 junior secondary schools in the Federal Capital Territory with a student population of over 100,000.

    The ESS is a revolutionary, web-based school management platform that was developed by Plovtech Solutions, a major player in electronic school management system, with offices in Nigeria, Ireland and the United Kingdom.

    According to the Managing Director of Plovtech Solution, Mr. Jones Ajayi, ESS will assist the school board to “securely” manage, query, report, archive all student records and all general schools’ activities for effective and efficient operations and service provision.

    ESS will enable schools to, among other benefits, electronically store and manage records and documents, including students’ admission records, all internal examination results and grades, teachers’ remarks and any other relevant information at present and in the future. In the process, it will provide secure access for document owners and management team.

    The system comes with an international standard web platform for each school on the project with their own personalised domain name which enables the school to publish all its information online, such as its history, school activities, sporting achievements, students’ projects, videos and photographs.

    It also provides the school with an online document authentication system that allows for storage of examination records, certificates, testimonials and other security documents online, verification on the school website or FCT-UBEB. The portal will enable the school authorities to efficiently administer the school as well as teach and stimulate interests of students in computer and information technology.

    A critical value of ESS is the leverage it gives the school to regularly interface with old students who will be able to register on the school portal and thus have a platform to interact and provide direct assistance when the school is in need of such assistance.

    The FCT-UBEB considers the ESS a very important tool to manage schools in the Federal Capital Territory in the current globalised environment of the 21st Africa, if the schools are not to be left behind. The FCT-UBEB, which controls about 150 junior secondary schools with over 100,000 students, is fully committed to the project.

    Plovtech Solutions, as the service provider, is well equipped with manpower and technical resources to provide training and technical support for the systems. After the conclusion of the project, FCT-UBEB will have under its control, a central Web Portal Platform and 150 unique web domains for each public school.

    The solution and the platform were presented to all the principals of junior secondary schools on September 23, this year at Abuja.

    The principals praised the effort of the school board which aimed at reducing the work load and burden involved in manually managing schools’ records.

    The Chairman of the Board, Alhaji Umaru Barau Ningi, was represented by Mr Benjamin S. Ogbara, Board Member 1 of FCT-UBEB, who urged all the principals to join the IT revolution, even as he urged them to make good use of the tool in order to run their schools effectively. He also advised them to use the internal integrated messaging system in the solution for direct communication with the board.

  • FRESH and the burden on INEC

    In all honesty, can anyone expect the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to be truly independent, going by the obvious lack of impartiality on the part of its head? To say no is to state the obvious. And the reasons are not far-fetched: First, it is a contraption created, bankrolled, sustained and regulated by the sitting government. And if the adage that he who pays the piper dictates the tune is anything to go by, then it must as of necessity do the bidding of its benefactors.

    Secondly, this is Nigeria; a country where executive meddling, undue influence and tinkering with the system are the stock-in-trade of our political aristocracy. It will be counter-productive to the agenda and perpetuity of the ruling class to allow such a strategic agency to run free of its reins on the tenets of autonomy and independence. Thirdly is the political pathogen called the PDP, a party that has exhibited Nigeria’s worst tenures of governance, whether military or civilian, and is yet intoxicated with its self-belief, and aims to perpetuate itself for at least 60 years! After 15 years at the helm, Nigerians are to expect another 45 years of abject poverty, diminishing returns of their lives, misery and insecurity, which the PDP symbolises.

    So, to ensure that PDP’s reign is not truncated, organisations like INEC are doing their utmost to dismantle all forms of opposition. The commission is also leaving no stone unturned in fulfilling its mandate, which saw it de-registering some parties in 2012, protracting the course of justice by unduly delaying the trumped up appeal of the Fresh Democratic Party’s victory in the judgment delivered by Justice Gabriel Kolawole at the Federal High Court 5, Abuja Division, which quashed its de-registration on July 29, 2013. This cannot be allowed.

    If public morality still counts, no member of the Uwais Committee on Electoral reform set up by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua should get involved with INEC. Why? One of the key recommendations of that committee is that for INEC to be truly independent; the President should not appoint its chairman. Sadly, Prof. Attahiru Jega was a member of that panel, and a signatory to its recommendations. When he was offered the chairmanship of INEC by President Goodluck Jonathan, he grabbed it with both hands. This obvious infidelity to principles is symptomatic of the degeneration of our ethical and moral ethos.

    Jega was a distinguished unionist, whose exemplary leadership of ASUU is still a reference point because he fought the military dictatorship to a standstill. As a university teacher, he rose meritoriously to become a professor. He was the sitting Vice Chancellor of the Bayero University, Kano when he was appointed INEC chairman. He certainly was not jobless, poor or hungry—key factors that inspire lust for public office by political touts in the corridors of power in Nigeria. Prof. Jega would have received my vote if he had run for public office, because of his pedigree in the human rights community. Was the allure of the lofty offer of INEC chairman simply too much for him to reject that he forgot the unwritten rule that you cannot benefit from a wrong you help to right. This sudden change of attitude by this crusader is hard to comprehend. The arrogance of INEC under his watch now seems to fire off wildly in dozens of different directions.

    To affirm his strong moral credentials, he ought to have rejected Jonathan’s offer of the INEC job, since the President refused to implement the recommendations of the Uwais panel which his boss, late Yar’Adua, set up, obviously with his full knowledge as the then vice president. No wonder he now he finds himself in the eye of the storm with the controversial de-registration of political parties, and the subsequent calls for his removal from the helm of the electoral agency.

    Now, the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly (SNPA) has called for his resignation, following the agency’s decision to create additional polling units. The bone of contention, according to them, is the basis for the skewed allocation of more units to the north, especially the war-torn North-eastern part of the country where droves are fleeing from the insidious Boko-Haram insurgency. Even a lone voice that spoke against SNPA’s demand agreed that “if indeed Jega deserves to be sacked, he should have been a long time ago…” The capricious de-registration of political parties and his snub of the FRESH court verdict is the reason why.

    It will be recalled that in the heat of his December 2012 de-registration exercise, and after the Rev. Chris Okotie- led party won its landmark judgment upturning the de-registration, a league of 20 deregistered political parties called the Coalition of Concerned Political Parties demanded his immediate dismissal for deliberately flouting the ruling of the court on party de-registration. The National Chairman of Peoples Progressive Party, Damian Ogbonna, who read the position of the coalition, said: “We state for the avoidance of doubt that we have lost faith in Professor Attahiru Jega as an unbiased umpire in the political process. Having publicly exhibited his partiality and disdain for many political parties in the country, we believe he is no longer in a position to honourably superintend in elections where the same parties are participants. Accordingly, we demand that Professor Jega be dismissed immediately as the chairman of INEC.”

    One thing is certain: the piper’s payer is dictating the tune here. INEC is playing deity, because when the story of the Commission (2007 – 2014) is written, Jega, who responded to the SNPA by saying “I will be there in 2015”, should not expect to receive accolades if he persists in dragging his own name in the mud for whatever reasons. He is unwittingly etching himself on the list of names which conjure failure and are synonymous with the breakdown of developmental aspirations and dreams of the nation. It is without equivocation that only a truly independent INEC, operated with forensic checks and balances, can ensure a truly free and fair electoral environment.

    • Ojekwe wrote in from Owerri, Imo State.
  • Fresh breath for troubled Jos Wildlife Park

    Fresh breath for troubled Jos Wildlife Park

    The Jos Wildlife Park used to be a centre of tourists’ attraction on the Plateau. But due to neglect by successive administrations, the tourists’ first-choice destination is now a shadow of itself. The animals that made the park famous are no longer there.

    After its establishment 42 years ago, the park, which had a collection of about 160 animals, comprising 40 species, received little  attention from successive administrations. As a result, it no longer boasts of more than 50 animals and birds. This is because there were no deliberate efforts to replenish the stock.

    Investigations revealed that some of the animals became very old and died; some died as a result of fire, and others were poached by hunters; a situation that has left the park almost empty.

    The symbols or signs that remind visitors of the past glory of the park are the photographs of animals that habited the park and the labelled but empty cages.

    Some of the animals available at the park are one species of ape, chimpanzee, baboons, vultures; guinea fowls, two lions, a python, one elephant and crocodiles. Major games such as buffalo, zebra, tiger and hippopotamus are not there.

    General Manager of the Plateau State Tourism Corporation John Doy said the Jos Wild Life Park was established in 1972 along with Pandam Wildlife Park and Wase Rock Games Reserve by the Joseph Gomwalk administration in the then Benue-Plateau State.

    Gomwalk, who was a Commissioner of Police, was said to be a zoologist. Doy said: “Jos Wildlife Park is located in Jos South Local Government Area of the state; it covers a land area of eight square kilometres. It was established under the Northern Nigeria Wild Animal Law of 1963, which was enacted primarily for the conservation, preservation, protection and management of indigenous and exotic wildlife resources against endangerment and extinction.

    “It was also meant to promote and encourage tourism and related activities to improve the economy of the state through ecotourism. It was equipped with 160 animals comprising 40 species.”

    Currently, the Wildlife Park is dilapidated because there has been no form of renovation in the past 35 years. However, when Governor Jonah Jang assumed office in 2007, he promised to give tourism the desired attention. He was of the view that revamping the park and other tourist sites will go a long way in authenticating the state’s motto of Home of Peace and Tourism.

    The Jang administration pledged to revive the park. But less than one year to the end of his administration and over seven years after, nothing has been done with regard to resuscitating the ailing park.

    However, the Commissioner for Tourism, Culture and Hospitality, Pastor Abraham Yiljab told our correspondent that government has worked out a strategy to breathe life into the park.

    He said: “The administration of Governor Jang has worked out a strategy to secure the Wildlife Park. The project plan is being considered at the state executive council level, after which a contract will be awarded for its fencing. Construction of Safari Road network will be part of it so that tourists can walk and drive around inside the park. The contract will also include the renovation of structures and construction of new office accommodation for members of staff working there.”

    He further said that government deliberately delayed commencement of work at the park as expected since 2007 because tourism itself cannot be handled in isolation. The state itself had to be attractive enough for tourists. The entire state requires total turn-around.

    “So, Governor Jang had to concentrate on opening up the state to tourists through massive road network. The tourism potential of the state will make no meaning if there was no good road network. That was why Governor Jang invested nearly N100 billion on road construction across the state.

    “There are also other aspects of tourism that took the attention of the state government; the gigantic Indoor Theater is one of those. It is first of its kind in Nigeria. It has a sitting capacity of 5,000 and serves multi-purpose benefits to government and citizens. There is also the newly completed Government House which cost about N9 billion and the renovation of the state secretariats, among others.

    “These massive infrastructural developments had to be done in the interest of tourism of the state. The new plan to redeem the wildlife park also includes the construction of animal clinic. The original plan for the establishment of the wild life did not include the medical aspect. But government has come up with a design of a clinic at the park for the animals.

    “Government had to bring in the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI) to help in taking care of the animals. The NVRI also took care of the health of members of staff working there so that there will be no infection that can pass from man to animal or from animal to man. So, NVRI with its expertise has been doing very well in taking care of the health of animals and that is why you hardly hear of any form of epidemic.

    There will be restaurants and chalets; this will give tourists an opportunity to stay within a very natural environment.

    “The issue of depletion of the wildlife has already been addressed. We are looking forward to securing more animals. Recently, we have secured a very huge male python which we have introduced to the female python in the park. They already co-exist without any tension among them.

    “Currently, we are working with some other zoo facilities in the country for animal exchange. Where we found we have more males we will exchange with another zoo that has female species. We are currently doing that with Aso Rock Zoo. We are also on exchange programme with the Kano Zoo and that of Maiduguri.

    “These are some of the plans government has towards replenishing the lost stock. Animals have their own lifespan, and so some of them died of age. We lost some of them due to some adverse situation such as bush burning.

    “We lost some of them to hunters who poached on the park. That is why even before we restock it, we have to secure the place. We have to provide adequate security for the animals and protect them from hunters.”

     

  • You are the chosen ones, VC tells fresh students

    Management of the Federal University of Agriculture in Makurdi, Benue State has sworn in freshers in an event held at James Ayatse Convocations Square. The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Emmanuel Kucha, disclosed that 5,868 students were admitted into the institution.

    Kucha congratulated the freshers, saying their efforts yielded success during the admission exercise. He said they were the successful among thousands that applied to study in the institution, urging them not to misuse the opportunity.

    He advised them to face the challenges ahead with strong faith, saying they must be of good character and interact with other members of the university with respect. He assured that the management would support them.

    Speaking with CAMPUSLIFE, Peter Iorna, who was admitted into Crops and Environmental Science Department, said the matriculation was the happiest day of his life. “This is the second time I applied to this school and I am fulfiled that I was chosen at the end.”

    Helen Ada, 100-Level Computer Statistics expressed gratitude to God, saying: “I am happy that my parents are alive to celebrate with me.”

  • INEC, FRESH and ‘go-and-die syndrome’

    REV. Chris Okotie’s recent article: Is Jonathan obstructing the Rule of Law? asked a pertinent question. By their statutory roles and functions, the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Senate-the highest legislative body in Nigeria, are supposed to be the drivers of our democratic culture and mien. The Presidency, the arrow head of the polity must ensure that these roles do not overlaps; when they do questions such as those raised by Okotie becomes worrisome.

    They also are supposed to be law abiding and seen to live above board in matters that will foster the growth of our democracy. Sadly, these two institutions, INEC and the National Assembly, have been acting with utter disdain and contemptuous haughtiness, becoming the proverbial leech that sucks its own blood.

    To INEC, political power belongs not to the people but to the Commission. It holds the knife and the yam. To whom it wants to cut a piece, nobody questions its sagacity. To the rest-the flotsam and jetsam, they can ‘go and die.’ How else can one explain the refusal of INEC to obey the judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction or the treachery and conspiracy of the Senate in giving vent to this illegality by seeking to amend the constitution and empowering INEC to deregister political parties that fail to win any seat in the Presidential, Governorship or Legislative elections.

    A brief prognosis of the matter would suffice here. In December 2012, INEC wrote in which it purportedly removed the name of Fresh Democratic Party from the list of registered political parties in Nigeria. Such objectionable action was surprising because then, INEC did not find anything against FRESH. Recall that the functions of INEC as contained in Section 15, Part 1 of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended) and Section 2 of the Electoral Act 2010 (As Amended) include arranging for the annual examination and auditing of the funds and accounts of political parties, and publish a report on such examination and audit for public information.

    INEC did not do this in the case of FRESH before the purported deregistration and as such did not find anything unworthy in the activities of the party except the flimsy excuse that it did not win any seat in the 2012 elections.

    However, this action was challenged by FRESH at the Federal High Court Abuja in 2012. In his judgment delivered on July 29, 2013, Honourable Justice G. O. Kolawole ruled that “…no arm of government or a body created by the Constitution or any other law, can by the exercise of whatever power granted to it, enlarge, curtail or amend the provisions of the Constitution including the provisions stipulated in sections 221-229 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended)”.

    Undoubtedly, the implication is that the ruling declared the decision of INEC to deregister FRESH as a party invalid.

    As a democratic institution founded by the goodwill of Nigerians and funded by the tax payers money it was expected that INEC would either obey this judgment and restore the rights of FRESH party to participate in future elections or to appeal the judgment and allow the courts to have the final say.

    Sadly a year after, INEC has neither appealed this judgment,nor has it accorded FRESH the rights and political recognition that go with the legal status of a political party.

    Instead, the Senate in a most surreptitious and conspiratorial manner joined INEC in perpetrating and illegality when while voting on clauses in the amended Act, as contained in Section 68 of the Nigerian Constitution (1999), which concerns INEC’s management of political parties it recently voted in support of an amendment to the Electoral Act 2010, which empowers INEC to deregister political parties that fail to win any electoral seat in the country.

    The worrisome dimension in this matter is that the Senate President David Mark had in a reply to letter by FRESH, said the matter had been referred to the Constitution Review Committee. But days after, the Senate went ahead with passing the bill.

    It is obvious that INEC is playing a hide and seek game. First, it took some time before it could file a notice of appeal the court which in itself does not constitute a proper appeal. Then it denied that it was not aware of the judgment of the court even when the commission was represented during proceedings.

    Even after he has been served with the notice of the judgment, Jega and INEC are insisting that FRESH should file a fresh application for registration. Of what relevance is the new application? Does it obviate the judgment of the court? Does it make FRESH more ready now to win elections? Does it means that the earlier registration was done in error and that there are certain provisions of the law that the party did not meet with before it was registered and had existed for more than eight years before being delisted by INEC? Did INEC register FRESH in error or is it that INEC is not just happy that FRESH took recourse to the judiciary to correct what could be described as an injustice meted out to it and its members? These are questions that we may never find answers to.

    However, there are obvious reasons why the decision of INEC to deregister parties with the tacit support of the Senate is anti-democracy. One, it contradicts the 1999 constitution and infringes on the people’s right to freedom of association, which is enshrined in Section 40 of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, which states that “Every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons, and in particular he may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any other association for the protection of interests.”

    It limits voters’ choices and in that regard, disenfranchises them. Above all, it narrows the purpose and functions of political parties to the bread-and-butter concept as parties now exist for the sole aim of winning elections.

    This action will also encourage electoral fraud among the existing parties since they now understand that to remain relevant or avoid being delisted, they must win at least a seat whether through manipulative tendencies or through any other means. Elections will now become a do or die affair.

    There is still time for INEC to redress its steps and restore to FRESH all the rights and privileges accorded a registered political party to enable it participate in the coming elections. Only by so doing, can we really say that the commission is a lawabiding body.

    •Samson wrote from Ibadan

  • Alamieyeseigha: Fresh row over Diya, Adisa, others

    Alamieyeseigha: Fresh row over Diya, Adisa, others

    A FRESH controversy broke out yesterday over the state pardon granted former Bayelsa State Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and others.

    Former Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Oladipo Diya, Maj.-Gen. A. K. Adisa, Maj.-Gen. A. T. Olanrewaju and others were also pardoned at the Council of State’s meeting on Tuesday.

    But critics of President Goodluck Jonathan’s action are saying the pardon was targeted at Alamieyeseigha and that others were listed merely “to justify the action and give it a national spread”. They had been pardoned, said the critics.

    But proponents of the action are insisting that what Diya and the others got was “clemency”, not pardon.

    Gen. Abdulsalami, the then Head of State, in the “Supplement To The Official Gazette Extraordinary No 33, Vol. 86” published on May 26, 1999, granted Diya and others clemency 14 years ago.

    The fresh pardon granted by President Jonathan to those indicted in phantom coups was to block the likely outrage over his former boss’ pardon – critics insist.

    The Oxford Advanced Learner’s dictionary describes clemency as “mercy; lenience”.

    Pardon is “a cancellation of legal consequences of an offence or conviction.”

    The ex-officers, in this case, are free to revert to their ranks.

    Transparency International (TI), the Global anti-corrupt organisation, and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday demanded a reversal of Jonathan’s pardon for Alamieyeseigha.

    But Second Republic Attorney-General of the Federation Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN) and one-time Secretary of Education, Prof. Ben Nwabueze (SAN), endorsed the pardon.

    The Presidency also, for the second day running, justified the presidential action.

    Transparency International urged President Jonathan to rescind the pardon. It said Alamieyeseigha, having been convicted for money laundering and other serious corruption offences in 2007, his pardon has sent a wrong signal.

    “This decision undermines anti-corruption efforts in Nigeria and encourages impunity. If the government is serious about uprooting public corruption, sanctions against those who betray the public trust should be strengthened, not relaxed,” said Akere Muna, vice-chair of TI.

    “Mr. Alamieyeseigha will now be able to stand for public office again.

    “President Jonathan should show that he is committed to fighting corruption and endorse the efforts of law enforcement agencies to end impunity for corrupt officials,” it said.

    Nigeria was ranked 139 out of 174 countries in the 2012 Corruption Perceptions Index. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has prosecuted a number of high-profile corrupt individuals since its inception in 2003, but most of them have escaped effective sanctions.

    The NLC, in a statement signed by its President Abdulwaheed Omar, titled “Withdraw state pardon in national interest”, said it was alarmed by the decision to pardon Alamieyeseigha who was impeached as Governor of Bayelsa State and eventually convicted by a properly constituted court for stealing public funds, and that of Mr. Shetima Bulama, a former Managing Director of the Bank of the North, who was also convicted for misappropriating the bank’s funds.

    The Congress said: “It is totally unacceptable that those who committed economic crimes in such magnitude that affected public interest be granted state pardon.

    “We still wonder what message the National Council of State is sending to Nigerians, if at the height of unprecedented corruption in the country those who have been prosecuted and jailed for stealing public money are granted state pardon.

    “The Congress finds it incongruous the state pardon granted to Alamieyeseigha and Bulama.

    “While like other citizens, they may be entitled to state pardon, Congress believes that the crimes committed are too weighty for state pardon.

    “It is our view that state pardon remains an act of mercy or reprieve dispassionately exercised or granted by the highest authority in the land for and on behalf of the government and people, and it should be a last act of mercy sparingly exercised for the good of the nation. State pardon is recognised across the world not for its own sake but for its potential and capacity for redressing judicial guilt, rewarding penitence, or for initiating reconciliation, and in some instances, for ensuring restoration, but never losing sight of national interest.

    “We are surprised that eminent members of the National Council of State could not have deeper reflections on the list brought before them by the Presidency before giving their endorsement.

    “Congress believes that decisions as weighty as state pardon should be well thought-out, transparent and devoid of any ulterior motive and accordingly, call for a reversal of the decision.

    “We also wish to remind those who canvass the view that the decision is sacrosanct because the National Council of State approved of it and that the buck stops at Mr President’s table. And in any case the role of the Council of State is strictly advisory.

    “If the anti-corruption battle must be won, the Presidency must lead by its actions,” the NLC said.

    Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe said:

    “Since he left prison, Alamieyesiegha has been working strenuously and silently to assist the President stabilise the amnesty in the Niger Delta region.

    “Alamieyesiegha is a foremost leader of the Ijaw nation and his political and stabilising influence in that region has impacted positively on the overall economy of the nation, bringing crude oil exports from the abysmal low level of 700, 000 bpd, to over 2. 4 million bpd.

    “Therefore, it is obvious that Alamieyesiegha has been a major player since his release from prison in ensuring that the blood that runs through the Nigerian economic artery is not cut off.”

    Okupe likened the pardon granted the former Bayelsa Governor to that granted the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and the late Ikemba, Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu.

    “State or presidential pardons are not intended for nobility or saints. In general, a state pardon is for those who have committed crimes and breached the laws of the land and may or may not have been tried or convicted regardless of their social status”.

    According to him, the state pardon granted the former Bayelsa Governor would not in any way jeopardise the anti-corruption crusade.

    “He lost his position, forfeited the property he illegally acquired and has demonstrated enough soberness after he served his sentence. It is out of place to suggest that the pardon is tantamount to abandoning the fight against corruption in Nigeria”

    Chief Akinjide (SAN) also likened the pardon granted to Alamieyesiegha to the pardon granted to the late Biafran leader, who led a civil war against the Nigerian state.

    He described the gesture as a worthy one which should be separated from sentiments

    Nwabueze, who spoke in Lagos, said: “The pardon is quite in order. It is within the president’s powers to grant the pardon to anybody who has committed offence against the state. In the case of Alamieyeseigha, there is nothing wrong in granting him pardon. He saw me in London and engaged my services. I appeared for him in the London court.

    “I felt bad the way Alamieyeseigha was treated. Alamieyeseigha was a state governor. Therefore, he represented part of the sovereignty of the country. For the Nigerian state to be party to the way Alamieyeseigha was arrested and handcuffed at Heathrow Airport in London was bad. It was handcuffing part of the sovereignty of Nigeria. He was a governor. You don’t disgrace him like that in the public in the view of passengers in the plane. You were disgracing Nigeria, not Alamieyeseigha alone. So. I felt very bad.”

    Nwabueze also said that Alamieyeseigha, who was subsequently impeached, faced the tragedy of being maltreated, despite his position. He said, if the state has now seen the need to make amends by granting him pardon, it is in order.

  • Fresh fire as Israeli, Hamas war escalates

    Fresh fire as Israeli, Hamas war escalates

    The Israeli military and militants in Gaza are continued to trade fire yesterday, with the round of violence that has followed Israel’s killing of Hamas’s military chief showing no sign of abating.

    Israel hit 200 sites overnight, including PM Ismail Haniya’s office. Gaza militants fired dozens of rockets into Israel, including one at the city of Tel Aviv that was intercepted.

    Meanwhile, Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal held talks with leaders of Egypt, Qatar and Turkey yesterday.

    The talks held in Cairo, which has also been hosting an emergency meeting of the Arab League. The League agreed to send a delegation to the Gaza Strip.

    At least 40 Palestinians and three Israelis have now died since Israel killed the Hamas military chief Ahmed Jabari on Wednesday.

    Israel’s military says it still has hundreds of targets it wants to hit in the Gaza Strip. A spokeswoman said that troops gathered near the border were ready to invade should the Israeli government give the order.

    The Israeli military spokeswoman said it did not see any distinction between the military and political wings of Hamas and that anything connected with the militant group was considered a legitimate target.

    An Israeli air force spokesman said it had destroyed at least 90% of long-range rockets in Gaza and severely damaged medium- and short-range rockets, and the infrastructure to fire them. However, hundreds of short-range missiles remained, he said.

    Despite the ferocity of the Israeli bombardment, some 60 rockets were reported to have been fired into Israel yesterday, with some buildings damaged and four soldiers suffering minor injuries.

    Sirens went off around Tel Aviv, with Israel’s military saying that a missile had been intercepted by a newly installed battery of its Iron Dome defence system.

    One rocket also hit an apartment building in the Israeli port city of Ashdod, wounding several. Israel has now put 75,000 reservists on stand-by, on top of the 16,000 called up in recent days.

    So far, there has been no decision on sending in the troops. However, one government minister has been quoted as saying that soldiers could launch a ground offensive into Gaza within the next 24 hours if the rocket fire does not stop.

    The Israel Defense Forces released figures on Saturday stating that, over the past three days, 492 rockets fired from Gaza had hit Israel, while another 245 had been intercepted by Iron Dome.

  • Reps, SEC in fresh row over Sallah gifts

    Reps, SEC in fresh row over Sallah gifts

    •Why we bought rams for lawmakers, by agency

     

    A fresh crisis of confidence has broken out between members of the House of Representatives’ Committee on Capital Market and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over Sallah gifts.

    Members are demanding investigation into how the SEC allegedly spent millions of naira on rams.

    The SEC had offered rams to the lawmakers but they rejected them and told the SEC bearer to tell the Director-General, Ms Aruma Oteh, to quit her job.

    It was learnt that the Committee has reported the “curious offer of rams” to the leadership of the House.

    A member of the committee said: “The SEC came to us in an unprecedented gesture because it had never sent any gift to us during festive periods.

    “The commission sent a delegation to offer us rams, which we rejected.

    “We simply told the leader of the delegation to tell the DG, Ms Oteh, to pack her things and go.

    “That clearly to us was attemptted bribe. It was the same way the commission attempted to give us N30million and later turned against us that we demanded a bribe.

    “This is a confirmation that the DG is desperate to remain in office.

    “We refused her gifts; we are standing by the resolution of the House that she should leave that seat.”

    Another member said: “What evidence does President Goodluck Jonathan need to confirm that SEC funds are being spent on frivolous projects?

    “We have informed the leadership of the House about the development.

    “We hope they will draw the attention of the Executive to this financial recklessness.

    “Nigerians are complaining about the slow recovery of the capital market, yet SEC has votes for rams.

    “We suspect that the purchase of the rams might run into millions again.

    “As we are talking, they are still begging us to come and collect the rams.”

    A third member said: “You can imagine the level of waste in SEC.

    “Is it its business to buy rams at a time many people have died as a result of the collapse of the Capital Market? We want the Executive to look into this.”

    But the DG’s Communication Adviser, Obi Adindu, said the commission did not offer the rams as bribes to House members.

    He said: “The fact is that the leadership of SEC is operating a well-known zero tolerance policy for misconduct and that is why strengthening of the Capital Market is a key line objective of the reform agenda.

    “It is a reform agenda already bearing fruits given the All-Share Index appreciating by 30 per cent between June and now.

    “On the issue of Sallah gifts, there is an established practice in the commission in which the commission extends felicitations to well-wishers.

    “Such issues does not belong in the public domain. It is not a SEC-only practice or tradition.

    “And putting such matter in the public domain may well be an attempt to undermine lawmakers.

    “What is important is that SEC has utmost respect for members of the House and we extend traditional courtesy and felicitations to them.

    “And we will absolutely not associate with any effort aimed at reducing their integrity threshold or undermining them.”

     

  • A breath of fresh air

    A breath of fresh air

    Air fresheners are very affordable, but vary in types, fragrance, prices and sizes. They are sold in markets and stores in your neighbourhood.

    Whether you are looking for a battery operated automatic metered spray air freshener system to deodorise your environment around the clock, natural air fresheners, hand held air fresheners, or you simply want a solid auto air freshener for your car, office, bathroom, reception, room, restroom, smoking area, kitchen or home, air fresheners have that touch of luxury to brighten your environment and give it a lasting fragrance.

    Local air fresheners such as airwick cost N350. The automatic ones cost between N1, 500 to N2, 000.

    Air fresheners are designed to deal with household odor problems. The fragrances create a fresh and pleasant atmosphere in your immediate environment.

    To transform your home to a great environment making you feel happy and joyous, air fresheners have a range of offerings to suit your specific needs. It is an affordable way to protect yourself against the harmful effects of indoor air pollution.

    “Without air fresheners in my home, I always feel uncomfortable. I make sure I buy them at every shopping opportunity; this is because I can’t do without them, they make my home smell great”, said Mrs. Elizabeth Ahonsi who is of the view that air fresheners are a must for every home and environment.

    Air fresheners typically emit sweet fragrance. There are two broad air freshener categories: continuous action and instant action. Continuous action products include: scented candles and devices which use a candle frame or some other heat source to heat or vapourise a fragrant formulation.

    Instant action systems are mainly aerosol sprays, or atomisers. The aerosol spray uses a propellant and fragrance packaged under pressure in a sealed metal or glass container with a valve which is opened by pressing down a button which contains a spray nozzle.

    Air fresheners introduce fragrance into the air of interior spaces either as droplets which translates to vapour or as the molecules of fragrance ingredient evaporating from a source. Fragrance diffuses into the air to mask other odors or to introduce a specific odor.

    Automatic air fresheners, handheld room deodorizers, solid air fresheners, ozium odor neutralisers, aero air fresheners, air fresheners dispensers, gel air fresheners and bathroom air fresheners are all available to achieve that desired fragrance that you deserve.