The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Lawmaker

  • Lawmaker distributes uniforms to Lagos school

    Member of the Federal House of Representative representing, Amuwo-Odofin constituency, Mr. Oghene Ugoh, has distributed free 1,000 school uniforms to four schools in Amuwo-Odofin area of Lagos State.

    The exercise, which had the support of a charity body-Warri Boys Social and Welfare Association, was held at the Palace of Alafin of Kuje Amuwo-Odofin, with hundreds of residents comprising teachers, parents, community development association and representatives from beneficiary schools.

    Speaking at the event, the donor said the items were to support parents whose children in the area go to school with torn uniforms

    He said: “I gave free buses to the children. Sometimes I board the bus together with them and I see a lot of children in torn uniform. So I informed the Warri Boys Association to help with 1, 000 uniform and they obliged, I am very grateful.”

    He noted that the development of local communities is a responsibility of every public office holders. He noted that  he was willing to do his best to lessen the suffering of the rural poor.

    President of the Warri Boys Social and Welfare Association, Pius Enakerakpo, said the body’s decision to sponsor the production of the uniform was informed by their desire to spread love, goodwill and care to hapless individuals in the society.

    He said Warri Boys Social and Welfare Association comprised top businessmen who came together for the purpose of supporting member’ gestures geared towards charity.

    Some of the beneficiary schools include; Satellite Secondary School, Ibese Secondary School, Festac College, and Z I Primary School.

  • Shanty dwellers delaying Lagos mega city plan – Lawmaker

    Shanty dwellers delaying Lagos mega city plan – Lawmaker

    A Lagos State legislator, Mr Setonji David, has urged people living in shanties in the state to look for alternative accommodation, saying that the state’s mega city status will not tolerate shanties.

    David, Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Physical Planning and Urban Development, made the appeal in an interview with newsmen in Lagos on Thursday.

    He was reacting to the state government’s plan to demolish all shanties.

    The lawmaker said: “No responsible government will allow a few people to abuse its environment with shanties. Also, we don’t want disaster in Lagos State.

    “Shanties are in lowland areas along water bodies; when there is downpour, they block canals.

    “A lot of people live in shanties in the state but shanties degrade our environment.

    “They are illegal structures; a responsible government cannot allow illegal structures to continue to spring up.’’

    David, who is representing Badagry Constituency II in the Assembly, said that the government desired that residents should live in a healthy and conducive environment.

    “We are advising the people to build their houses in a proper way.

    “Go to the Lands Bureau to verify the authenticity of the land; go to the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development to get the necessary permission.

    “Follow the law; the government cannot close its eyes to illegality. If the government does otherwise, you would blame the government.

    “Safety of lives of the people is important to the government, which is why we were elected. So, shanties cannot be allowed to remain in the state any longer,” he said.

    According to him, residents in shanties would continue to have health challenges.

    “The less number of people that visit hospitals, the better for the state,” he said.

    The Lagos State Government has been demolishing shanties across the state.

    It said on Tuesday that it would soon remove all shanties at Oko Oba Abattoir to ensure a healthy and hygienic environment.

  • Lawmaker holds water safety workshop for pupils

    A member of Lagos State House of Assembly, Rasheed Makinde, has hosted pupils of public and private schools in Ojokoro Local Council Development Area (LCDA), to an advocacy workshop.

    The pupil’s also went on excursion to the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Water Safety Project as part of efforts to commemorate the World Water Day.

    The event, held at the APC Secretariat at Jankara in Ojokoro, Lagos, attended graced by teachers, principals, political and community leaders.

    Makinde said the event would educate and expose pupils to usage, purification and safety of water.

    “As safe and readily available water is important for public health, whether it is used for drinking, domestic usage, production or recreational purposes, the well-being of my constituents is paramount as contaminated water and poor sanitation are linked to epidemic transmission such as cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, hepatitis A and typhoid,” he said.

    The facilitator, Dr Sam Okom said, water was an essential commodity.

  • Lawmaker commends journalists for imbibing tenets of democracy

    Lawmaker commends journalists for imbibing tenets of democracy

    Chairman, Committee on Information and Strategy of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Tunde Braimoh has commended journalists covering the assembly for imbibing the tenets of democracy. He expressed gladness that the journalists elected new executive members of their association without any rancour.
    “We do not take you for granted. The Speaker has a lot of respect for you. The way you perceive us may not be the way you want us to be and we can become better friends. I was glad with the way your electoral committee members carried me along in the whole process, they have been open-minded and I want us to continue to tolerate one another. I have age-long traditional relationship with the press and there is no publisher of the past decade that is not my friend ” he said.
    The lawmaker said further that it is unlike him not to be friendly with the press, and called on the journalists to change their negative perception about him, adding that they should work with him to take the assembly to the next level. He described journalism as a noble profession, and advised the pressmen not to be far from him as the Chairman of the committee overseeing their activities.
    The Chairman of LAHACA, Mr. Akinboye Akintola said in his speech that the last executive of the association of which he was the Chairman, produced a constitution to regulate the activities of the association, while they also opened an account for the association for accountability. He promised that the annual get-together of the association is a continuous exercise, while charging other members of the executive council of the association to be ready to work for the interest of the association.

  • Jibrin calls for Buhari’s resignation

    Jibrin calls for Buhari’s resignation

    Suspended member of the House of Rep, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin on Friday called for ‘negotiated exit’ of President Muhammadu Buhari from office.

    Jibrin made the call in a series of tweets on his verified social media handle @AbdulAbmJ, saying that the country can not afford a sort of part time president at this time

    He noted that the President obviously has an health challenge which he must urgently attend to.

    “The president I see on camera needs full home care not office, moderately quiet life, enough rest and quality time with his family.

    “The interest of Buhari himself, his family and friends, some officials and regional sentiments are interest that should be addressed.

    Read tweets below:

     

     

  • Lawmaker seeks troops deployment in Aba

    A lawmaker representing Aba North and South Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, Ossy Prestige has called for the deployment of police and military personnel to Aba, the commercial heart of Abia State.

    Hon. Prestige was speaking at a media briefing in the commercial town, explaining that the deployment has become necessary following the upsurge of criminal activities in the city.

    According to the lawmaker, the entire security structure in Aba has collapsed, leaving the city at the mercy of bandits, kidnappers and ritual murderers who overpower regular police with their sophisticated weapons.

    He noted that if nothing urgent was done to arrest the situation, the city which is yet to recover from the impact of armed men invasion in 2010 may witness yet another mass exodus of its residents and businesses to neighbouring states.

    “On Friday, February 24 Prince Kalu Mang Dieke was kidnapped and gruesomely murdered and his body…dumped around the notorious Orji Kalu Uzor Bridge by suspected kidnappers and killers in Aba. On that same day, one Elezue Ireke, an Aba-based businessman was also abducted and till date nobody knows his whereabouts.

    “On Monday, February 27, eight members of the Abia State vigilante group were killed in cold blood while returning from a town hall meeting in Umuahia by suspected armed bandits and kidnappers who ambushed them along Aba-Owerri Road, Umungasi Aba.

    “On January 24, one Adamu Abdulahi was killed in his room at Pound Road by Georges in Aba while an INEC official Chief Mba Abali Mba was kidnapped on January 29, his car has not been recovered till date.

    “My junior brother was kidnapped and later found with gunshot wounds while his vehicle and abductors could not be traced till date.”

    The Aba North and South Federal lawmaker said that he was optimistic that if there would deployment of more personnel with adequate operational Vans, sophisticated communication gadgets and right equipment to fight crime, they would be able to curb the menace of robbers and hoodlums in Aba and its environs.

    “I am confident that if the Inspector General of Police, Director Department of State Security (DSS), Commandant General Nigeria Security and Defence Corps and Chief of Army Staff dispatch well equipped and battle ready personnel to Aba North and South lives and properties of innocent Nigerians will be secured and protected.”

     

  • Epe youths hail lawmaker

    A coalition of youth bodies in Epe Local Government  of Lagos State, under the aegis of Epe Youth for Progressive Governance ( EYPG), has hailed  the lawmaker representing Epe Federal Constituency,  Wale Raji, for his quality representation.

    Raji, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), once served as the permanent secretary in the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, Cooperative and Commerce.

    In a joint statement by the Convener, Bamidele Ahmed and Secretary, Folorunsho Oluwakemi, the group praised the legislator for fulfilling his promises.

    It described Raji as a ‘trailblazer’, whose achievements in his first 20 months were commendable.

    “Governance is all about catering for the people. While politicians are fond of making promises during campaigns and not fulfilling them, the indefatigable lawmaker has shown that the path of honour is possible to follow by matching  promises with fulfilment.

    “His empowerment scheme within this short period has achieved a lot that will remain  indelible in the minds of people.”

  • Lawmaker urges parties to eschew tribal sentiment

    The lawmaker representing Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State in the National Assembly, Mr Daniel Reyeneju, has admonished political parties to educate their members and ensure that their best candidates go for political contests.

    He said only the best, well-educated candidates would ensure that political and tribal differences are put aside when issues germane to national development are subject of discourse and contest, adding that superior ideas should always triumph for Nigeria to achieve greatness.

    The position was contained in his welcome address at a symposium tagged, “The Burden of Representation in Our Democracy,”  held in Warri, in honour of Late Mrs Omawumi Udoh, who represented the Warri South Constituency I in the Delta state House of Assembly from 2003 until her death in December 2016.

    He said, “The contest of ideas remain a veritable aspect of development (because) I know very well that in countries whose respective democracy earned the appellation of ‘advanced’ one of the cardinal focuses is to ensure the education of members of political parties.”

    “Nation building is an endless process. It is within this context that we can understand why even the presumably most developed countries of the world remain endless enmeshed in all that is required not only to develop, but also to sustain development.

    “In such interactions, ideas and logics are up for contest and the superior ones must be allowed to triumph. One of the fundamentals of such interactions is that such forum will ideally present opportunity for many participants to learn more and acquire new ideals, including cross-fertilising of ideas,” he added.

  • Lawmaker honoured for community development

    For his active roles in community development and media-friendliness, a member of the Osun State House of Assembly, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye has been rated as the best lawmaker in the Southwest.

    Oyintiloye, representing Obokun State Constituency, was honoured by the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) as the best lawmaker in the Southwest for the year 2016.

    The lawmaker, who chairs the House Committee on Information and Strategy, was honoured alongside Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, among others.

    Secretary to the Osun State Government Moshood Adeoti presented the award on behalf of the corporation in recognition of the lawmaker’s contributions in media and community fields.

    Speaking after receiving the award, Oyintiloye urged government at all levels and citizens to pay more attention to the development of rural communities.

    Identifying the gaps in the area of mentoring, capacity building, provision of support services to the vulnerable and marginalised groups, youth and infrastructure development, he said to tackle those challenges, community service must be embraced.

    He said: “I advocate bottom-up approach to development, which is community-driven. We must revert to the old-African cultural mode of developing our community to achieve more result. We must imbibe the culture of community spirit, community service and community development.

    “As for me who represents an agrarian constituency, that is what I have been doing, as I have sponsored five bills that are all in relation to community development. Less than two years in the House of Assembly, I have used my earnings to develop my communities.

    “I call on government at all levels and citizens to pay more attention to the development of rural communities so that the people there can also have sense of belonging and play their roles effectively.

    “Nigeria will outlive recession, no doubt, but we must work very hard, sacrifice, open and patriotic for us to get out of recession. All Nigerians, regardless of social strata, can add value and must add value towards the development of their communities, state and the country.”

    Describing the award as inspiring, the lawmaker said it has re-energised him to continue in the community service of his Obokun State Constituency.

    He commended the FRCN for acknowledging good works, promoting diligence, merits and rewarding them accordingly, saying that celebrating excellence will go a long way in resetting the value system and aiding the anti-corruption war.

    FRCN’s Zonal Director, Mohammed Bello, said recipients of the awards were selected based on merit, saying they have made impacts in their various callings and deserved to be honoured.

  • Igbo leaders endorse lawmaker’s defection

    Igbo leaders endorse lawmaker’s defection

    Igbo groups in Lagos under the platform of Ndigbo United have  supported the only Igbo lawmaker in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Jude Idimogu, who defected from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to All Progressives Congress (APC). He defected along with five other PDP legislators.

    At a meeting held in Isolo by Igbo leaders, the traditional head, Ugochiniyere Asianya, said they were satisfied with the reasons adduced by the legislators for his defection.

    Asianya said the decision taken by the legislator was wisebecause it will protect the interest of the Igbo in Lagos.

    He said: “Go out and say it loud that we are in support of your defection,we will follow you everywhere you go. Tell the leadership of the House that the Igbo nation in Lagos support your action,we give 100 percent support to the ruling party”.

    According to him, the lawmaker has all it takes to go far, as he has demonstrated high level of humility in the office.

    Another Igbo leader, Ikem Agbasi,  said :”I am pleased with the way the lawmaker has conducted himself so far. We will support you anywhere you go ,we are fully behind you,” he assured the lawmaker.

    The Lagos APC Publicity  Secretary, Mr Joe Igbokwe, called on  Ndigbo in Lagos to support and be loyal to the ruling party. He urged the Igbo people to change their strategy in politics and remain united to protect the interest of the Igbo nation in Lagos.

    Igbokwe said: “We have developed this country together, we have investments everywhere,  we are not going to leave them for anybody. Adding that, “there is no permanent friend or enemy  in politics, our people need to change strategy, Igbo people should work with APC. I want to appeal to all of us to sit down and play better politics.”

    A member of APC Board of Trustee, Dr Ken Modi Ken, also expressed satisfaction with Idimogu’s defection to the APC, saying the decision was right for the Igbo vision. “I am happy that you have joined the ruling party,we need to protect the Igbo investment in Lagos, the economy of Lagos is in our hands. The APC will not disappoint you all,” he said.

    Explaining why he defected, Idimogu said he took the decision in the interest of Igbos in Lagos and not for any selfish reason.

    He said:  “As the only Igbo member in the Lagos Assembly, l am supposed to be the voice for the Igbos in Lagos but it’s difficult for me as a member of opposition party, PDP.

    “Four years will soon be over, and many of you will ask me directly or indirectly what are my achievements. I want to achieve, I don’t want to be a failure.

    “Of course, the government of Mr Akinwumi Ambode has shown me love, the leadership of the House has be magnanimous enough but the truth remains there are things I wouldn’t get as a PDP member.

    “We should not forget, we are in Lagos, this is Lagos, I want all of us to support Ambode to achieve greatness. At our villages, we can do whatever we like, but here in Lagos, the party is the way.”

    He informed the Igbo leaders that since he moved to APC, some infrastructural projects had been penciled ins by the governor for the constituency.

    “As I speak with you now, since I join APC another four new roads have been approved in my constituency. So, we will miss so many things if we play opposition here. I should not be a fool.

    “So, I have thought about it, this step is necessary to protect the interest of Igbo people and my constituents. Majority of Igbo in Lagos are businessmen and women, we must try and support the ruling party.”

    Earlier, the Chairman of the event, Chief Ejikeme Okeke,   called on Ndigbo to support Idimogu for second term.