The Nation Newspaper

Tag: GOVT

  • Amosun: Govt alone can’t develop society

    Amosun: Govt alone can’t develop society

    Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has urged the private sector not to leave the development of society to government alone.

    Amosun said this yesterday during the inauguration of a four-storey Threeco Construction Limited office complex at Oke Aro.

    The governor, who was represented by House of Assembly Speaker Surajudeen Adekunbi, described the initiative as people-oriented and promised to support the firm in its efforts to develop rural areas.

    He said: “An initiative such as this aids development and creates more jobs for our youths.

    “We hope other well-meaning individuals and corporate organisations will emulate it and develop our communities as government cannot be left alone with development.”

    The firm’s Chairman, Otunba Muraina Banjoko, thanked the governor for attending the ceremony, saying it will spur the company to consider other development projects in Ogun.

    The four-story complex, he added, can accommodate a banking hall and other offices and was valued at N70million.

    Dignitaries at the event included member representing Ifo/Ewekoro in the House of Representatives Ibrahim Isiaka, Secretary to the State Government Taiwo Adeoluwa and Lagos lawmaker Ganiu Hamzat.

  • ITF laments yearly dip in govt funding

    ITF laments yearly dip in govt funding

    The Industrial Training Fund (ITF)  has decried the low funding of the Students Industrial Works Experience Scheme (SIWES) by the Federal Government.

    Its Director-General, Joseph Ari who spoke during ITF’s Field Service Department SIWES Division regulatory agency meeting in Abuja,  lamented that  the agency records yearly decrease in Federal Government’s funding.

    He said: “The schools involved in the scheme are over 395, cutting across universities, colleges of education and polytechnic, as other universities and polytechnic key into the scheme, while participants of the scheme are on the rise, the funding has continued to deplete owing to other commitment of government.

    “ITF has been given very bad image- many people have said ITF have billions of naira that has not been paid, not knowing that what it gets for SIWES is not even adequate to cover the scope of its activities.

    “In 2010, to run the scheme was N2.47billion which was budgeted but what was appropriated or released was N1billion, which is about N1.47billion short fall. That is why every year, we keep having backlog,  N2.33billion was budgeted in 2011, while N1.17billion was appropriated. Over a billion was the shortfall.  In 2012,  N2.88billion was budgeted while N911million was appropriated.

    “In 2013, N1.19billion was budgeted while N1.1billion was appropriated. In 2014, N2.3billion was budgeted while N1.31billion was appropriated;  in 2015,  N2.59billion was budgeted out of which N1.60billion was appropriated. In 2016, the budget for SIWES is N2.85billion and nothing ws released.

    “We are not talking about the overhead that has ceased to be appropriated since 2014; so management in its wisdom felt that we need to have a way forward. A,s we continue with the backlog, we have discovered that many participants of SIWES have left the programme many years before they even got payment.”

    He lamented that the shoddy funding of the scheme was not helping the education of the children which is the key and licence to the world. “With education, you prepare the life long experience and survival of individuals, so we cannot handle this very sensitive scheme with levity,” he added.

    Ari said the management felt there will be need to have a regulators meeting, adding that these are the challenges associated with the scheme. “What are the ways forward? There will be a further meeting with all stakeholders of SIWES in the country where we will take a holistic position on the matter and address it.

  • NLC slams govt on job creation, EFCC chair, others

    Labour yesterday chided the Federal Government for failing to create jobs in 2016, despite its promise to create three million jobs yearly during the campaign for the 2015 elections.

    In a New Year message, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Ayuba Wabba urged the government to use 2017 to deliver on its electoral promises.

    Wabba said the government must go back to the drawing board.

    He said the New Year presented an opportunity to review the previous years and to offer the platform to re-strategise for better performance in governance at all levels.

    He said: “After some 20 months in the saddle, it is perhaps time to ask the government to give a scorecard to the Nigerian people that went through a lot of odds to elect this government. How many jobs have the Federal Government and the 23 states controlled by the ruling party create in the course of the last 20 or so months, in furtherance of its pledge to Nigerians during the electioneering campaign.

    “We had stated in our past May Day and New Year messages, as well as other policy pronouncements, that we have some ideas on how we can create new and sustainable jobs.

    “Unfortunately, no one in government has thought it necessary to give us a hearing on what these ideas are, and what they entail. Presently, we are not even sure which ministry or agency of the government is the focal point on job creation.”

    The NLC welcomed the plan by the government to give five per cent of stolen funds to whistle blowers but expressed disappointment with the non-confirmation of the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu.

    He said: “The Nigeria Labour Congress welcomes the recent Federal government’s decision to institute reward of up to five per cent on recovered stolen funds to any successful whistle blower. This policy which was approved in December, by the Federal Executive Council, we understand is one of the recommendations of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption.

    “We also understand that a bill to support this policy is already before the National Assembly. We call on the National Assembly to give expedited hearing to the bill so that it could be signed into law by Mr. President in the first 3-6 months of the New Year.

    “In the interim, we urge the government to give serious thought to our demand for the protection of whistle blowers at the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri and the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, who have been made to bear the brunt of the anger of the Chief Executives of these institutions.”

    Wabba said the failure by the Senate to clear Magu after acting in that capacity for one year was a major setback to the anti-corruption crusade of the government.

    It added that the circumstances leading to the non-confirmation of Magu left many questions unanswered.

    “Is it not common practice that before such a nomination goes to the Senate,that the Executive arm normally ensures that the nominee to such sensitive positions gets security clearance?

    “This is of course without prejudice to the power of the National Assembly to ask for an independent report from any agency of government, if it deems it necessary in the course of its legislative and confirmative functions.

    “As NLC, we are worried that the President was unable to get such a key appointment through Senate confirmation. This is despite the fact that the President’s party – the APC – controls the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly.

    “We are equally concerned that an inter-agency conflict or rivalry might have played a role in the events leading to the non-confirmation of the EFCC chairman-designate.

    “Since these agencies are all part of the Executive arm, Mr. President clearly must take responsibility and rein them in so that they work in concert to implement government’s cardinal programmes.

    “The lesson from the non-confirmation of the EFCC chairman going forward is that the Executive arm must work with the Senate and its leadership to ensure that nominations into key and sensitive positions are treated speedily before they resume in the new positions.

    “This is because as we can see with the EFCC case, they’re bound to step on toes of vested interests in the course of their assignment. The longer they stay without confirmation in acting capacities, the more this affects their chances of being confirmed.

    “As NLC, as we have maintained right from the outset, we will continue to support the anti-corruption effort of the present administration, because of our belief that corruption is at the heart of our inability to develop to our full potentials as a nation.

    “We however urge the Federal government and all the anti-corruption agencies under it to act to avoid the perception gaining ground that only members of the opposition are targeted in the anti-corruption fight. Indeed a leading member of the opposition recently said that those defecting to APC are doing so to escape prosecution on corruption charges.

    On the state of power, Wabba said Nigerians had continued to have darkness rather than light, adding that three years after the rushed privatization of the power sector, things had moved from bad to worse.

    It recalled that in March 2015, the CBN gave N213 billion stabilisation facility to the new private owners of the power sector, adding that less than two years afterwards, the government is planning to secure another N309 billion bond for the electricity sector, without visible improvements in their services.

    He urged the government to muster the necessary political will to deal with the challenges of the power sector and either reverse the opaque privatization of the sector hurriedly done by the last administration, or ensure that those who run the sector provide electricity on regular basis and at rates consumer can afford.

  • Govt promises good education for Chibok girls

    Govt promises good education for Chibok girls

    Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima has promised qualitative education for the 21 Chibok schoolgirls recently freed from Boko Haram incarceration.
    The schoolgirls were part of the over 200 pupils abducted at the Government Girls Secondary School Chibok on April 14, 2014.
    The governor visited the girls in the private residence where they were being held in Chibok town, saying he was happy to see them in a cheerful mood. He urged them to think about their future.
    Shettima said: “As you know, 56 of your colleagues who escaped abduction are currently in two international schools where they have been since 2014. We are taking care of all their educational needs from school fees to other basics. Left to me, I would want the 21 of you to join them in those two schools so that you can all feel at home and move on.
    “However, the Federal Government has a plan which we will jointly discuss and come up with a decision that is acceptable to you our daughters. President Muhammadu Buhari loves you so much and he is deeply concerned about our daughters that are yet to be freed. He is working on that and we are all working.”
    The governor was accompanied by Senate leader Mohammed Ali Ndume (Borno South) under whose district Chibok falls,   representatives of Chibok community alongside other top government functionaries. Shettima entertained the girls and their relatives before visiting other projects in Chibok.
    The girls thanked the governor and presented a gift of a medium-sized photo frame with a bold ‘THANK YOU’ printed on it. The frame has pictures the governor took with the girls when he visited them in Abuja. The frame also has individual pictures of each of the 21 girls.
    Glory Dama, one of the 21 girls, presented the photo frame on behalf of her colleagues. She said they deeply appreciated the show of love by Governor Shettima and his wife, Nana.” Governor Shettima is a dear father”, she said.
    Shettima also announced the appointment of Yakubu Nkeki, the Chairman of an association of the Chibok schoolgirls’ Parents as councillor of Mbalala ward in Chibok local government area.
    “We appointed Yakubu Nkeki as councillor for him to have a formal platform to continue his advocacy for the welfare of families of missing Chibok girls, for him to ensure that they are given special consideration at all times by the local government area on all issues, particularly on welfare, on issues of their health, empowerment etc.
    “Nkeki will also serve as a constant reminder to the council that there are parents like him who live in pains. He is simply there to advocate for the welfare of the parents and also as someone who has been a victim, he will stand by efforts of government to protect schools through Community surveillance in addition to formal security establishments” Shettima said.
    The governor also consoled parents whose daughters are yet to be recovered, promising that all hands are on deck to ensure the return of all the girls.
    Shettima presented gifts of assorted clothing to the girls and their parents.”Nothing is too much for these girls and their parents. They have suffered so much and deserve our support” the governor said.
    The 21 schoolgirls were taken to Chibok by the Federal Government to spend their first Christmas in the town with their families. However, it was not a homecoming for the girls who were prevented from leaving the expansive compound of Hon. Aimu Foni, the member representing Chibok in the House of Assembly.
    There was a massive security build-up prior to the arrival of the girls last Friday.
    The Brigade Commander, 28 Task Force Brigade, Mubi, Brig. Gen. Felix Omoigui, also relocated to Chibok.
    Apart from the Army, there were personnel of the Department of State Security (DSS) the Police Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) with the operational name of ‘crack’, the Nigeria Peace Corps, The Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), Borno State Vigilante Group, the Baka Boys, among others.
    It was learnt that none of the 21 girls is from Chibok town but from surrounding villages under Chibok local government.
    Also, many of the family and friends who besieged Chibok town for a chance to see their daughters were left in frustration as security cordon prevented them from seeing the girls.
    “ We have been waiting since 7:am to see our daughter but the security is preventing us, we are not from Chibok and we have to ride bicycle for two hours to get to our village, we do not understand why the government is hiding them,” a parent complained.
    It was also learnt that residents of Chibok town have been under increased restrictions as soldiers mounted guard around the perimeter of the house curtailing the movement of the people.
    A high ranking security operative explained that the security of the girls was of utmost importance. The official who pleaded anonymity said there were security reports that Boko Haram might want to embarrass the government by recapturing the girls.
    “The families should please exercise patience, we have a red alert and we have instructions to protect these girls with everything we have got. Soon, everything will be okay,” the official said.

  • Govt completes Abuja road 34 years after

    Govt completes Abuja road 34 years after

    Most visitors to Abuja will testify to the fact that Abuja roads can proudly rub shoulders with roads in the developed countries. Having seen beautiful ten-lane expressways in all entries into the city, beautiful highways, flyovers and over head bridges, these visitors will be shocked at the state of most Abuja inner roads.

    After the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Mallam Muhammad Bello was sworn into office, promised to concentrate on road repairs. He said he would not only concentrate on the city centre but would equally work on roads in the satellite towns, communities and area councils.

    In furtherance to fulfilling his promise, Mallam Bello recently opened the completed sections of roads B6, B12 and Circle Road, including three underpass bridges at the National Stadium end of the road connecting the Central Business District with the Airport Road.

    The underpass bridge project was designed to provide conduit for huge pedestrian traffic crossing to and out of the National Stadium from the proposed Stadium Railway Station after every sporting event.

    The road from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to the Federal Secretariat beside the Millennium Park, which was abandoned for years, has also been completed and opened to traffic.

    A source said: “The minister pledged that his administration is embarking on massive completion of some critical roads within the Federal Capital City with specific promise to complete the 10-Lane Kubwa and Airport Roads by December 2016 and first quarter of 2017 respectively as well as B6, B12 and Circle road around the three-arm-zone.”

    FCT Director of Engineering Services Department, Adamu Abu, stated that the B6, B12 as well as the Circle road projects, which are nucleus roads traversing the Three-Arms-Zone, Central Business District, were awarded in phases and the first one, was in 1983.

    The Three-Arm-Zone houses the Presidential Villa, National Assembly and the Supreme Court. The Central Business District houses the federal ministries, cultural zone, diplomatic areas among others.

    The director stated that the second stage of the project, which included all the roads crossing the B6 and B12 along the Central Business District, was awarded in 1988. He also revealed that the second carriageways of the B6, B12and Circle Road project was awarded in 2007 but was moving at a slow pace due to poor funding, adding that this administration fast tracked it by making available adequate funding in the 2016 Appropriation.

    Abu added that the FCT Administration had paid contractors for the executed and certified work done.

    In a related development, the FCT Administration has completed and opened the Murtala Muhammed Expressway (Kubwa Road) to the public.

    Bello had pledged last month that his administration was embarking on massive completion of some critical roads within the FCT with specific promise to complete the 10-Lanes Kubwa road and Airport Road by December 2016 and first quarter of 2017.

    FCT Director of Engineering Services Department Adamu Alfa Abu said the Kubwa road has gone a long way in knocking off traffic congestion.

    The director revealed that the FCT Administration discharged all its obligations by making all outstanding payments to the contractors for the executed and certified work done, which has enabled the contractor to return to site and complete the job.

    According to him, minor works like the installation of streetlights on the bridges as well as the provision of access road to the Red Bricks Estate due to the elevation of the bridges would soon be completed.

    Some of the drivers and motorists who spoke to journalists commended the FCT Administration for keeping to its promise of completing the overhead bridges and bringing succor to the motorists as the knotty traffic logjam often experienced on that axis of the road has since disappeared.

    A taxi driver said their travel time has not only reduced but fuel being wasted in traffic bottlenecks has also reduced thereby increasing their profit.

  • Make loans accessible, body urges govt

    The Association of Economists and Statisticians of Nigeria (AESN) has advised the Federal Government to make loan accessible and affordable to all.

    AESN Vice President, Mr. Olusola Gbadamosi, who spoke during the associations 12th mandatory seminar and 11th induction programme in Lagos, said there is need for government to give more loans to people at zero interest and make the loans accessible, so that people can begin to do something given  the current economic recession.

    He spoke on:  Opportunities in Recession.

    Gbadamosi, who is also the managing partner of Bofas Consulting, identified some of the opportunities people can engage in to minimise the effect of recession to include, diversification into production of essential items.

    “The country is no more about oil; it is now about agriculture, vocational skills, training and re-training. Virtually all homes and families are feeling the recession; people do not have jobs, people are being laid off and people are suffering,” he said.

    A Senior Lecturer in the Agriculture Extension & Management Department, Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), DrWoleOgunyemi also urged Nigerians not to allow the economy to slip into depression.

  • TUC urges govt to save economy

    The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has called on Federal Government to do its best to bail  the economy from recession, noting  that with a healthy economy, Nigerian youths would have better choices.

    This was said by the Lagos State Chairman of TUC, Azeez Ogunremi during industrial relations lecture tagged: “Transformational Leadership and Organising The Unorganised’ put together by the Congress.

    He stated that the high rate of unemployment could be tackled with the  improvement in the economy.

    According to him, ‘’Unemployment in Nigeria is a big issue. Those who are employed do not know what will happen tomorrow. There is no way we can solve unemployment without addressing the economy of the country. If the economy is okay, there will be employment opportunities.  The government should make it a priority to improve the economy. Labour is to work for the survival of the organisation.

    “For us we want to educate our labour leaders to know what to do at the right time and doing the right thing. Some companies have folded up today. The purpose of this workshop is to enlighten our labour leaders on how to organise the unorganised.”

    The State Controller, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr. Olawale Shado said, “the issue of union recognition is statutory. In psychology, we have two types of employers. We have some with unity frame of reference and others with paternity frame of reference. For the paternity frame of reference, they are employers who believe that they are fathers to the workers. And you know in our culture, the child is not in the position to challenge the father. They don’t want to share decision with their workers.

    “For the one with unity frame of reference,  this type of employer is ready to embrace union and ready to share decisions with the employees. On the practical aspect, some employers feel that when there is a union in place, radicalism and confrontation will come into place, and their job will be threatened. Like I mentioned earlier, an employer has no choice when it comes to the issue of union recognition because it is constitutional and statutory. As  far as the law as concerned, the law is very clear on this.”

    The National President, Association of Senior Staff of Banks and Insurance and Financial Institutions, Mrs. Oyinkan Olasanoye, said the increasing rate of casualisation in companies had made it necessary to train labour leaders on how to negotiate conditions of service.

    She said: “We realised that over the years that there are so more casual workers than the full time workers.  The difference between these workers is the irregularity in their conditions of service. We felt that the only way we can assist them to have a regular condition of service and dignity of labour is when we try as much as possible to organise them. The lecture is  a way of telling our members why we need to organise the unorganised”

    The Managing Consultant, Alz Trust Limited, Mr. Austin Okoro, addressed the theme, “Transformational leadership and organising the unorganised.

  • Edo govt pledges probe into Benin Mall fire

    Edo govt pledges probe into Benin Mall fire

    A midnight fire has razed a four-storey modern shopping mall in Benin, Edo State capital.

    Popularly called Phil Hallmark, the mall is located on Sapele Road.

    Scores of sympathisers, including Governor Godwin Obaseki, House of Assembly members and other political bigwigs visited the scene yesterday to commiserate with the owner, Mr Philip Edigin.

    A resident, Tony Kabaka, described the burnt mall as the “Shoprite” of Benin.

    It is the only modern shopping in the ancient city.

    Sources said the fire started at midnight and lasted till 8 am yesterday, despite efforts to put it out throughout the night.

    Goods estimated at billions of naira were destroyed. The four floors, including an extension, used for administrative purposes, were razed.

    Workers of the firm were discussing what would become of them, especially during the Yuletide.

    Some fire service men, who pleaded anonymity, said preliminary investigation showed the inferno was caused by a wrongly connected inverter.

    The government pledged to conduct an investigation into the cause of the fire.

    Governor Obaseki spoke yesterday during his inspection of the mall.

    The governor said investigation would be conducted into activities of the state fire service.

    Obaseki, who expressed shock at the damag, described it as catastrophic and a major disaster.

    He said: “This incident, happening at this time of the year, is a catastrophe. I have asked for a written report and an investigation into the cause of the fire. We will also investigate the claim by an official of the state fire service on lack of equipment.

    “I understand that trucks were distributed by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the state government during the last administration.”

    The governor noted that to avert a future fire at the Super Mart, all vehicles and the Super Mart would be provided with fire extinguishers.

    Managing Director of the Super Mart Mr Philip Edigin said the fire started at midnight.

    He said efforts to get the state fire service to come to the company’s rescue were abortive as the fire service allegedly said it did not have diesel to perform its job.

    Edigin said he got help from the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) fire service, Integrated Data Services Limited (IDSL), Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) and University of Benin (UNIBEN) before the state fire arrived at 6 am.

  • Oyo Govt condemns Ibadan violence

    •Holds town hall meeting in Saki tomorrow

    The Oyo State government has condemned the invasion Kudeti and Isale Asaka areas of Ibadan by hoodlums. It vowed to use the full apparatus of government to deal with any individual who engages in violence that is inimical to the peace in the state.

    A statement by the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogun said the government had directed relevant security agencies to deal with the hooligans, adding that such acts of thuggery and hooliganism would no longer be condoned.

    The government appealed to residents of the affected areas to remain calm and called on security agencies to increase their presence in the areas and other areas too, so as to foretsall a recurrence.

    “We assure our people that we value their well-being, lives and property, and we will, at all times, live up to expectations to provide security for them,” the statement said.

    Arulogun added that the government would beef up security during the yuletide.

    Also, in furtherance of its drive to engage the citizens on government programmes and activities, the government will hold another series of its town hall meeting tomorrow in Saki.

    According to Arulogun, the Saki town hall meeting is one in a series of such to be held. This, he said, is to allow a direct interaction and feedback from the citizens.

    “The meeting will serve as a platform for communication and engagement between the government, the governed and other key stakeholders,” he said.

    The meeting, to be conducted in Yoruba and English languages, will hold at the Harmony Gardens, Gedu Estate, Saki.

  • Govt sets up panel to probe incident

    The Akwa Ibom State government has said it will set up a high-powered commission of enquiry to examine the causes of Saturday’s building collapse at Reigners Bible Church International in Uyo, the state capital.

    Many worshippers died while several were injured.

    In a state-wide broadcast, Governor Udom Emmanuel said he was in the church when the incident occurred. The governor said he supervised the rescue and evacuation of the injured to hospital.

    He said: “A high-powered panel of enquiry is being constituted to ascertain the factors leading to collapse of the church building, with a view to forestalling a recurrence of any such incident and bringing to book any person found to have compromised professional standards in the construction of the building.”

    Emmanuel commiserated with families of the victims.

    The governor pledged that his administration will pay the medical bills of the injured.

    He appealed to the citizens to remain calm and pray for those in critical condition in hospital.

    Urging the Christian community to pray, Emmanuel advised the people to avoid speculation because the situation was getting the best attention.

    He said: “I supervised the rescue operation and evacuation of the injured to hospital. I directed all emergency organisations and agencies of government and corporate organisations, especially construction companies, to be involved in the exercise. They acted promptly, and I commend them.”