The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Mr Suraj Adekunbi

  • Ogun Assembly decries activities of land grabbers

    The Ogun state House of Assembly has expressed concern over the rising cases of land grabbing in the state, in spite of the Anti Land Grabbing Law passed by it .

    To enforce adherence, the House on Wednesday supported the law with a resolution compelling the state government to set up a taskforce to enforce the law and get offenders charged to court.

    Mr Biyi Adeleye, House Committee Chairman on Land and Housing said on Wednesday in Lagos during plenary that the activities of land grabbers had rendered no fewer than 750 people homeless.

    Mr Adeyinka Mafe, the Majority Leader, who moved a motion for the resolution, said security operatives should be involved in an effort to restore peace to Makun and Sagamu areas of the state.

    Mafe called on the state government to invoke relevant sections of “Prohibition of Forcible Occupation of Landed Properties Law’’ by setting up a task force to stop the activities of land grabbers.

    Speaker of the House, Mr Suraj Adekunbi described the situation as unfortunate and appealed to the state government to immediately comply with the House resolution.

    Adekunbi called on security agencies in the state to ensure effective enforcement of the law passed to checkmate the excesses of land swindlers who had been terrorising the people across the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Assembly on Oct. 11 passed a bill into law prohibiting forcible entry and occupation of landed properties.

  • Ogun moves to provide free treatment to accident victims

    Ogun moves to provide free treatment to accident victims

    Mr Suraj Adekunbi, the Speaker of Ogun House of Assembly, says accident victims within the state will soon enjoy free medical care when the bill seeking to provide the fund for road accident victims is passed into law.

    Adekunbi said this on Tuesday at a stakeholders forum on a bill for a law to provide the fund for road accident victims emergency treatment through the purchase of “Road Accident Emergency Fund” emblem by all vehicles plying the state.

    The speaker, represented by his Deputy, Mr Olakunle Oluomo, explained that the bill would create a platform for funding of first aid treatment for accident victims by both private and public hospitals.

    “This bill needs urgent attention especially when we look at the alarming number of vehicular accident casualties resulting from lack of proper medical attention.

    “It has been observed that when accidents occur and victims are rushed to the nearest hospital, the first hindrance usually encountered is the inability of the victim to pay or deposit money before being given medical attention.

    “The House has come up with this bill to provide the required funding for effective and efficient first aid rescue and treatment to the victims of accidents,” Adekunbi said.

    He promised that all the inputs of the stakeholders would be put into consideration before the bill is finally passed.

    Dr Hassan Adelakun, the Director, Ogun State Ambulance Service, said that the bill was laudable, saying that other states would copy the idea.

    Mr Olaseni Ogunyemi, the Corp Commander, Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE), said that the bill would give succour to victims of road traffic accidents.

    Ogunyemi said that the scheme was ambitious and would complement the efforts of traffic managers in the state.

    He suggested that there should be a comprehensive register of hospitals with their locations, saying that this would assist in conveying accident victims to the nearest hospital.

    Mr Yinka Fashina, the State Chairman, Red Cross Society of Nigeria, commended the sponsors of the bill, saying that it should also include measures to ensure safety on the highways.

    Fashina said training should be given to all road users, especially commercial drivers and passengers.

    Present at the stakeholders’ forum were members of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, representatives of truck owners and members of National Union of Road Transport Workers.

  • Bill upgrading MAPOLY to university scales second reading

    The Bill to upgrade Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) to a state University of Technology, on Wednesday, scaled second reading at the Ogun House of Assembly.

    The bill is titled: A bill for a law to provide for the establishment of Moshood Abiola University of Technology and for matters of administration and discipline of students connected therewith.

    The Majority Leader, Mr Adeyinka Mafe, who moved the motion for the second reading of the bill, described it as historic, adding that it would encourage more students to study science and technology courses.

    “We have come to a stage whereby the nation is trying to diversify; it is very important to encourage our people in terms of research.

    “We need to encourage our people to go into science and technology so that we have entrepreneurs like they do in other advanced countries.

    “In Ogun State, we have so many secondary schools, if we have this University of Technology, it will give an opportunity for indigenes of the state that wants to study courses that are not available in our state universities,” he said.

    The majority leader urged the lawmakers to give the bill accelerated passage, saying that the people of the state would appreciate it.

    In his submission, Mr Victor Fasanya, (Abeokuta South 1), who seconded the motion, said education was the bedrock of socio-economic development of any country.

    Fasanya, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Education, explained that the bill would have a great impact on academic research which would lead to a technological breakthrough.

    According to him, the bill is timely, as Nigeria requires more people who would extend the frontiers of science and technological development.

    Also, the Deputy Speaker, Mr Olakunle Oluomo said that if established, the university would offer opportunities for more students from the state seeking admission into tertiary institutions in the country.

    “It is futuristic and timely to have a university of technology that will accommodate our ICT graduates, it is good for all of us to make history.

    “MAPOLY started 37 years ago and it has the infrastructure and every other thing,” he said.

    During plenary, the bill for a law to provide for the establishment, incorporation, constitution and function of the Ogun State Polytechnic, Ipokia scaled second reading.

    Mr Suraj Adekunbi, the Speaker, commended the lawmakers for their contributions and thereafter ordered that the bills be committed to Committee on Education, Science and Technology for further legislative action.

  • Ogun 2017 budget estimate objectives are realistic–Speaker

    Ogun 2017 budget estimate objectives are realistic–Speaker

    The Speaker, Ogun  Assembly, Mr Suraj Adekunbi, has expressed optimism that the objectives of the 2017 budget presented to the House by Governor Ibikunle Amosun would be realised.

    Adekunbi expressed this hope while fielding questions from newsmen in Abeokuta on Wednesday.

    The governor had on Tuesday, presented a budget proposal of N221.12 billion for 2017 to the House of Assembly for approval.

    The Speaker explained that the 2017 budget tagged: “Budget of Repositioning” would complement and assist in the rebuilding mission of the State Government.

    He said that a review of the 2016 budget revealed that 56.2 per cent performance had been achieved as at October, saying this could be improved upon with the cooperation of all stakeholders.

    Adekunbi assured that the government would continue to partner with the relevant stakeholders, Non-Governmental Organisations and donor agencies for support towards actualising more infrastructure development.

    “The assembly will strive within its constitutional powers to ensure the speedy passage of the Appropriation Bill.

    “It will further reposition the state to immediately prepare ground for the delivery of more democratic dividends to the people,” he said.

    He called for the support of all citizens in the actualisation of the budget.

    Adekunbi promised that the lawmakers would put in place necessary resolution to enable the government begin the arrangement for the inclusion of the state in the list of oil-producing states.

    He said that the development would enable the state to earn more money to finance its projects.