The Nation Newspaper

Tag: group

  • Group urges Fed Govt to pay agric support debt

    The Federal Government and the Ministry of Agriculture have been urged to pay the outstanding debts owed previous participants of the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GES)  programme to encourage everyone’s participation in actualising of government’s high food production and agricultural diversification.

    The GES programme  is an offshoot of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda encouraging firms to supply fertilsers and seeds to 2500 agro dealers for delivery to farmers.

    Nigeria Renascent Group, a proactive pressure group, in a statement in Lagos, stated  that with the prevailing situation in the country, vis-à-vis government action to agriculture, famine is imminent in the country, if the government does not  act fast by ensuring that important agricultural stakeholders are brought into the project of creating food for all.

    It, therefore, urged the government to pay the debts owed previous participants of the GES programme for this to materialise.

    In the statement signed by Mr. Abdulrasaq Lawal, the group stated: “The zest at which participants engaged in the GES programme, which saw many farmers smile and employment figure rising, has diminished.

    “The reason is not far-fetched. Many of those who participated actively and whole heartedly have since stopped because they cannot continue, owing to the huge debt of over N47 billion naira owed them by the Federal Government. While the few others who are participating now are doing so with measured involvement to avoid inactivity”.

    The group urged the government to “get all stakeholders on board by first settling the outstanding debts owed to them”.

    “This will serve as an impetus and will make them enthusiastic and give them the zeal to go all the way in seeing to the success of government diversification to agriculture policy,” the statement said.

  • Appoint monarch for Ikeja, group tells Ambode

    The main elite group in Ikeja, Lagos, the Gbobaniyi Royal Association of Ikejaland, has petitioned the Lagos State Governor Akinwumi Ambode over the delay in the appointment of a traditional ruler for the community.

    The group, in a letter dated February 13 and signed by its President, Chief Babatunde Alaran, and General Secretary, Mr. Samuel Soremi, lamented that despite having written no fewer than eight letters to the state government,  nothing has been heard from the government

    The group noted that the last Olu of Ikeja, Oba Rauf Amore, joined his ancestors in October 2014 and that ever since, the community has been without a monarch.

    It added, however, that the Body of Kingmakers in Ikeja, once led by the late former deputy governor of Lagos State, Chief Rafiu Jafojo, forwarded the name of Alhaji Samsondeen Adeleye to the Ikeja local council as the new Oba-elect, way back in December 2014.

    The group said stakeholders in Ikeja had become worried over the delay in the installation of a monarch, stressing that the situation had given room to various speculations.

    “Our deep concern is predicated upon the insinuations and speculations within the polity over the delay in the installation of a monarch,” the group said.

    Only recently, Adeleye, the Ikeja Oba-elect, denied a speculation that he was a member of opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

    He said: “As a private citizen, I have been in the progressive parties all my life; and currently, I am one of the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains in Ikeja.”

  • Group seeks accommodation for residents

    The Southern Nigeria Peoples Mandate has appealed to Anambra State and Federal Governments to resolve the accommodation problem of more than 100 persons displaced by the February 15 tanker fire in Onitsha.

    The group’s President, Mr. Augustine Chukwudum, who made the plea in Onitsha, said about 15 families were rendered homeless.

    He said they were left with nothing after an articulated vehicle spilled inflammable content near the DMGS Roundabout, which resulted in inferno.

    The fire reportedly razed 13 buildings, 15 vehicles, five tricycles and three filling stations.

    Chukwudum said such a gesture would bring relief to the affected families, who were rendered homeless.

    “The human elements affected by the incident should be given optimal attention.

    “These 15 families of more than 100 persons altogether should be given befitting temporary accommodation before any other investigation should continue.

    “This is an eye opener for the government to ensure mushroom filling stations are not sited in residential neighbourhood.

    “Fuel and gas businesses should be sited away from residential areas, especially densely populated area of Onitsha metropolis.

    “We urge public spirited individuals, philanthropists and people who have spare clothes, household items and foodstuffs to assist the displaced persons,’’ he said.

  • Group praises Saraki’s youth entrepreneurship campaign

    Group praises Saraki’s youth entrepreneurship campaign

    The Young Entrepreneurs of Nigeria(YEN), the umbrella body and voice for Nigerian young entrepreneurs, has commended Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki for consistently leading, articulating and promoting practical initiatives that will ignite growth of youth entrepreneurship and create jobs.

    YEN National President,  Chris Kohol, said the association was encouraged by series of positive actions taken by the Senate under Saraki’s leadership, adding that such actions have the potential to make youth involvement in entrepreneurship more attractive and profitable.

    Kohol listed such actions to include the historic amendment of the procurement bill, which makes it mandatory for government agencies to patronise locally made goods; the Made-in-Nigeria Campaign, which the Senate president is leading, to encourage Nigerians to patronise and take pride in locally manufactured goods.

    He also identified Sariki’s recent call for youths to take advantage of the Agriculture Financing Bill, which the Senate passed not long ago, as another action that galvanized youth involvement in entrepreneurship.

    Saraki had at several public functions and engagements lent his voice as a consistent advocate for youth empowerment. For instance, while delivering a keynote address at the 2016 Kings College Founder’s Day Lecture last November, he said  fruitful engagement of youths in the country would boost productivity and help rescue the economy from recession.

    ”The country urgently needs to unleash the energy and creative capacity of the youth to ensure that we produce goods and services for local consumption and imports,” the Senate president said.

    Kohol noted that the advocacy and actions, which Saraki is driving using the power of his office will help create a ready market backed by a strong demand that strengthens existing small scale businesses and opportunities for the millions of unemployed youths to get involved and take charge of their lives.

    His words: “The actions of the Senate president show that he cares about youth development. This demonstrates that he is a true friend of youths in Nigeria. We have noted that he never misses a chance to speak about the importance of youths to national economic development and the need for government to closely engage and carry out programs that will help youths take charge of their lives instead of waiting for non-existent white collar jobs.”

  • Group to Fed Govt: tackle criminals without bias

    The Muslim Association of Nigeria (MAN) has appealed to Nigerians to stop the colouration of crime based on religious sentiments.

    Its President Alhaji Sulaiman Yusuf said the Federal Government should punish offenders, regardless of their tribe or religion.

    Yusuf said this at the first 2017 National Executive meeting of the association in Lagos.

    He noted that herdsmen were first Nigerian citizens and should be prosecuted accordingly if they are found guilty in court of crimes.

    The cleric said: “Let’s pay more attention to the issue of national security. During this hardship, we should not compound people’s problems. They should be free to go about their activities safely. The best way to address issues that we have around us is to be open-minded. We are Nigerians. Whosoever behaves well, we acknowledge them, whoever doesn’t behave well, we identify them as an individual or group and deal with them decisively. The moment you start bringing in religious colouration, you start having sympathy for people.

    “Nigerians should see people as Nigerian citizens and if they are not doing well, we bring them out and deal with them, without necessarily bringing out the issue of religion. This is not palatable for us.”

    He noted that citizens’ basic rights to life and security should be defended, rather than infringed upon.

    “I think what government should do is that wherever you may be in any part of Nigeria, if you identify any group of people that are not doing the right thing, there are rights and obligations. We are citizens and we have the right to live. But you should know where your right stops. You don’t tamper with other people’s rights. So people need to be educated and properly guided. And if they are doing things that are wrong, we should stop them in time. Time is very important in anything we are doing. If you waste time, things will get worse. It should be recognised that you have no right to start killing people unnecessarily. They are people like you. They are not different. We are all made by God. You are not special in anyway,” Yusuf said.

    The Muslim leader also called on government to step up efforts to revive the economy through agriculture and provision of employment.

    Yusuf said: “Also on the economy, we still have a large number of unemployed youths out there. I think we need to do more to ensure that unemployed graduates have jobs to do. Idle hand is the devil’s workshop. People are crying of hardship every day and this has to be revoked.

    “More should be done on our agricultural expansion programme to ensure that food is available for the citizens. We are happy with the collaboration Lagos State is having with Kebbi. More of such need to be done. We are not limiting these issues to Federal Government. The state and local governments also have their roles to play. They must buckle up this year and deliver as expected. People are waiting on these three tiers of government to deliver on their promises so that life can be better off for the citizens.”

  • Group gets co-chairman

    Nigerian Business Coalition Against AIDS (NIBUCAA), with over 36 members, will change its leaders on February16 at Oriental Hotel, Victoria, Lagos.

    NIBUCAA is the voice of the Nigerian private sector response to HIV and AIDS.

    Managing Director of Total E and P Nigeria Nicolas Terraz and CEO/Group Managing Director  (GMD) of Access Bank Plc Herbert Wigwe are the incoming co-chair.

    NIBUCAA’s Acting Executive Secretary Gbenga A. Alabi who visited the Vintage Press Limited, publishers of The Nation newspaper,  headquarters in Lagos,  made  this known

    Dignataries expected at the event include former President Olusegun Obasanjo and out-going co-chair Dr. Pascal Dozie (CON).

  • Group urges Ohaneze to promote Igbo unity

    An Igbo group, the Izu-Umunna Cultural Association (IUCA), has congratulated the new President of the Ohaneze Ndigbo, Dr. John Nwodo, on his election.

    A statement by its President, Dr. Ugo Ihekuna, and Secretary General Chief Elvis Chukwu, described Nwodo’s election as very apt, especially coming at a time the Igbo nation is facing a lot of challenges.

    The statement said, “We are optimistic that your election will give Ohaneze Ndigbo a new sense of direction and purpose and lay to rest the lingering squabbles that had bugged down the smooth running of Ohaneze Ndigbo for some time now.”

    IUCA urged Nwodo to bring his wealth of experience as a technocrat, statesman and administrator to bear on his new assignment, “We hope that the Ohaneze Ndigbo will direction and purpose under your leadership,” it added.

    Izu-Umunna also congratulated the electoral body, led by Prof. Anya O Anya, for conducting a free and fair election.

  • Group accuses Northern Federal varsities of denying Christians admission

    The Fellowship of Church of Christ Nigeria (TEKAN) has alleged that Federal-owned tertiary institutions in the north are denying Christian children admission into certain courses.

    The Christian group with headquarters in Jos, the Plateau State capital, raised the alarm at its 62nd General Assembly held at the  church’s headquarters in Jos.

    TEKAN is made up of 15 denominational churches in the North.

    In an 11-point communiqué issued at the end of the five-day conference, the group said: “The assembly wish to express great concern about admission into higher federal tertiary educational institutions in the north, which are denying Christian children placements into some professional courses, such as Law, Medicine, Engineering, Architecture and Pharmacy.

    “We consider such act as an abuse of constitutional rights of the Christian children and whoever that is responsible for such should desist.”

    The group faulted Prof Ishaq Oloyede’s appointment as JAMB Registrar and the alleged ban on the teaching of Christian Religious Knowledge in public schools.

    The statement reads: “The assembly also condemned the appointment of Prof Ishaq Oloyede, the General Secretary of Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, as the Executive Secretary of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) in view of his track record at the University of Ilorin.

    “The assembly also expressed great concern over the prohibition of the teaching of Christian Religious Knowledge in government schools in Nigeria. We condemn such prohibition because we consider it as an abuse of religious freedom in the country.”

    The Christian group called on President Muhammadu Buhari to look into the issue of discrimination against Christians in the north.

  • Fund science labs, develop Nigeria, says group

    The National Association of Colleges of Education Academic Technologists of Nigeria (NACEATION) has attributed societal ills to the government’s inability to fund science laboratories in tertiary institutions nationwide.

    The group said well-equipped science laboratories are an ideal ‘portal’ for groundbreaking researches could provide employment to the country’s teeming youth population, and address terrorism and other insecurity challenges.

    Its National President Dr Olusegun Agun,said this at the fifth NACEATON national delegates’ conference which held at the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education (AOCOED) Oto/Ijanikin, Lagos.

    He said: “If the government can pay more attention to science researches like other advanced countries, all idle hands shall be gainfully engaged. Reasonable research centres for industrialisation are universities, colleges of education and polytechnics through well-established and equipped science laboratories. This result of neglect by government is what we are seeing in all sectors of Nigeria.

    Agun warned that Vision 2020 would only be a mirage unless technologists were accorded their right of place. Against this backdrop, he craved more training for members nationwide.

    Agun lamented that marginalisation of NACEATON members has often resulted in the supply of equipment that neither meet the needs of the laboratory nor are inappropriate for its structure.

    Agun also faulted the disparity in Hazard Allowance paid technologists in universities and polytechnics compared to those in colleges of education.

    “It is unpleasant to know that academic technologists in universities and polytechnics collect as much as N3,000 per month as their laboratory Hazard Allowance, while those in colleges of education collect as low as N3,000 monthly. It is clear this is injustice and there is no equity in the implementation of policy. Our members are also marginalised in the area of TETFund (Tertiary Education Trust Fund), while other cadres of staff in colleges of education enjoy same,” he lamented.

    AOCOED Provost Dr Ladele Aina and Registrar Mr Muhideen Shehu Oladamiola reassured the group that management would continue to hold dear welfare of NACEATON members.

    Aina said AOCOED hosting the conference was a testimony that the college identified with the body.

    “The college hosting this congress helps build the awareness of the existence of academic technologists as a part of our drive for success. Therefore I hope part of your discussion should be on how to improve on hands on practical experience. For years, students have been theoretical-oriented but this is the time for new orientation because the world has since moved beyond that,” he said.

    Muhideen said the institution would appreciate a proposal on how to improve the capacity of NACAETON members in AOCOED.

    Omoru Wilson, a delegate from Delta State College of Education Mosoga, Delta State was optimistic the deliberations, would, among other things, shoot down a scenario whereby certain departments treat members as mere errand boy.

    “In some department like Biological Sciences, Academics do not give technologists the opportunity of a practical work. They use us like attendants or mere errand boys without due recognition. They can do that in Chemistry department because it is the lab technologists who best can put things in order,” he lamented.

    The host chairman Mrs Nwalia Olubunmi recalled how NACAETON started in June 2011 at Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo.

    According to her, over 80 delegates were expected to feature at the congress.

     

  • Group hail Bello over staff verification

    Group hail Bello over staff verification

    A group, Kogi Youth Leaders Initiative (KYLI), has lauded Governor Yahaya Bello for the successful completion of the Staff Verification Exercise.
    The group made the call in Lokoja yesterday, when it visited the Director General on Media and Strategy to the governor, Kingsley Fanwo.
    National President of KYLI, Adejoh Daniel, praised Bello for the courage and political will to ensure only genuine workers draw salaries from the coffers of government.
    His words: “We are proud to associate with our ‘talk-and-do’ governor. Former governors knew about the rot but shied away from tackling it because of their political ambitions.
    “As a governor representing the youth, Bello has done us proud; he has shown what youths can do when allowed to serve.
    “We can see the picture of where the governor is going and we have come to assure him we believe in his dream of a better Kogi State. We will go round the state to sensitise the people on the need to support the ongoing reforms in the civil service.”
    Fanwo thanked the group for their “undying patriotism towards a better Kogi”. He assured them of the governor’s readiness to “work with credible organisations who share the dreams of the New Direction Agenda of the present administration.”
    “The Staff Verification Exercise is a legacy project aimed at blocking the free loss of resources into the pockets of unintended beneficiaries who had been siphoning the resources of the state in the past.
    “Governor Bello believes in pursuing what is right for the state. As a democrat, he has always briefed the people on the position of the exercise and has given affected workers the opportunity to prove their cases.
    “The governor is also considering giving safety nets to affected workers. He won’t leave them in the lurch as efforts are on to empower them and make the environment conducive for them to thrive,” Fanwo said.
    The media aide hinted that the final lists have been given to heads of Ministries, Departments, Agencies and Local Government Councils for public display to enable affected workers with genuine cases seek redress. The list will be published on the government’s official website for ease of access.