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  • Ondo Assembly gets make-shift chamber

    Three months after a strange reptile reportedly appeared in the hallowed chambers of the Ondo State House of Assembly and sacked the lawmakers, the Assembly is now set for a ‘robust’ legislation.

    The incident was then blamed on the dilapidated state of the Assembly complex, especially the floor of the house.

    However, the state assembly yesterday inaugurated a make-shift chamber to be used as a temporary avenue for conducting the plenary sessions of the House.

    The inauguration of the temporary chamber was witnessed by the Assembly members, staff and invited Christian and Islamic Clerics, including the Bishop of Akure Anglican Diocese, Rev. Simeon Borokini.

    Read Also: ‘Ondo Assembly worst in infrastructural facilities’

    The clerics, who prayed for the lawmakers, the staff and the Ondo State Government, highlighted the importance of the legislature to the sustenance of democracy.

    Borokini spoke on the mace and the covenant box in the Bible, noting that as important as the covenant box was to the Israelites, so is the mace to the assembly and the people.

    He urged the lawmakers to work in harmony with the Executive arm in order to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.

    The Chief Whip of the House and lawmaker representing Owo State Constituency II, Adeyemi Olayemi hailed Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for his timely intervention by facilitating the renovation of the temporary chamber.

    He noted that it would further enhance the performance of their legislative duties.

    He said: “We now have a more convenient place to carry out our legislative duties pending the complete and total rehabilitation of the old structure by the Executive arm.”

    Also speaking, the Chairman, House Committee on Information, said the House was not standing akimbo as being insinuated in some quarters.

    He maintained that while the renovation of the temporary chamber was on , members were busy with other legislative assignments such as committee meetings and oversight functions.

    The legislators suspended all legislative duties in the old chamber sometime in July, following the dilapidated form of the Assembly complex.

    The state government came to the rescue by renovating a space in the assembly complex to temporarily facilitate execution of legislative activities, pending the rehabilitation of the old Structure.

  • ‘Why Makinde is reviewing inherited projects’

    The Executive Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Rev. Idowu Ogedengbe, has revealed the reasons behind the cancellation and review of some projects inherited by the current administration.

    Ogedengbe explained that his principal had been canceling and reviewing projects after determining the motive behind their establishment.

    For Makinde, who he said had zero tolerance for corruption, Ogedengbe said any project, which establishment was motivated by personal gains or which was not serving the interest of the state and its people would be axed or reviewed to ensure public good and accountability.

    The cleric disclosed this while speaking at a thanksgiving service organised by the Special Strategic Group (SSG) for Makinde’s election at Maranatha Chapel, Iwo road, Ibadan, during the holiday.

    Read Also: ‘It’s unfair to assess Makinde now’

    Since his inauguration, Governor Makinde has cancelled the N3,000 annual levy paid by pupils in public secondary schools in the state. He has also cancelled the Ibadan-Iseyin road contract, among others.

    The executive assistant also said Makinde’s election was a fulfilment of a long time prophecy about Nigeria, pointing out that the governor came at a time God ordained a new Nigeria to emerge, starting from Oyo State.

    He explained that Oyo would not just be a pacesetter of a new nation of Nigeria, but that of Africa at large.

    According to Ogedengbe, Governor Makinde stands at a vantage position to carefully assess the achievements and mistakes of past leaders in the state to learn from them and move the state forward.

    While giving the assurance that Makinde’s achievements would surpass those of his predecessors, he admonished Christians to prayerfully consider going into politics once they had got the assurance that God was directing them.

    “There is nothing wrong for Christians to go into politics. Once you are sure God is leading you towards that direction, pray very well, join a political party, attend their meetings from ward level, make sure you participate actively in all the activities of the party of your choice and make up your mind to make a positive difference as a Christian,” he said.

    Speaking earlier at the meeting, the convener of the Special Strategic Group, Dr. Olatunde Oladoyinbo, thanked members for their selfless and relentless service at the time needed.

    He urged them to pray daily for the success of Makinde’s administration.

  • Xenophobic attack: Oyo promises to assist returnees

    Oyo State Deputy Governor, Mr. Rauf Olaniyan, on Wednesday formally received 30 victims of xenophobic attacks in South Africa, who are indigenes of the state.

    Olaniyan, who received the returnees on behalf of Governor Seyi Makinde, assured them of the state government’s assistance.

    He said the assistance would not be monetary “but a proper profiling of the returnees will be done to know specific areas to assist them; thereafter, they would make their proposals.”

    Olaniyan said that the state government would consider those that qualified for government jobs, when the state was ready to recruit workers.

    Read Also: Xenophobia: ECOWAS citizens seek access to African Court

    He enjoined the returnees to abstain from any criminal acts, but see their return to their home-state as an opportunity to excel.

    Olaniyan said the current administration in the state was working hard to provide favourable atmosphere for everyone to prosper.

    The deputy governor announced a donation of a token of N30,000 to each of the 30 returnees as transport allowance back to their respective towns and villages.

    Some of the returnees, Temilade Olakojo, Oluwaseun Okeleye and Bolatito Lawal, pleaded with the state government to assist them, saying they returned to Nigeria with nothing as they had lost everything in South Africa.

  • Council primaries: Ekiti APC aspirants, reject imposition

    The crisis rocking the All Progressive Congress in Ekiti State on Wednesday deepened as some of its aggrieved local government chairmanship aspirants protested alleged imposition of candidates for the December 7 council election.

    The protesters led by two chairmanship aspirants, Mrs. Tosin Aluko and Tajudeen Gidado, besieged the party secretariat at about 9.30 am to express their grievances.

    The party had last week Saturday suspended primaries in Ado, Ikole and Ekiti East local government areas over alleged security threat and rumour that some members were planning to disrupt the process in a violent manner.

    It was gathered that the Deputy Governor and leader of the party in Ado Ekiti council, Chief Bisi Egbeyemi, and 35 others, had picked Mrs. Omotunde Fajuyi against the wishes of the two other aspirants.

    Read Also: Ekiti APC suspends local government primary elections indefinitely

    The two aspirants faulted and rejected the consensus process that produced Fajuyi as the candidate, saying it was a flagrant violation of party’s constitution, which stipulates that there must be indirect primary, when consensus option fails.

    They said the decision didn’t reflect the interest and free will of the party members, saying the principle of internal democracy should not be inhibited, but rather strengthened.

    But the APC State Publicity Secretary, Hon Ade Ajayi, said the party was not interested in the imposition of candidates.

    Ajayi also exonerated Governor Kayode Fayemi of complicity in the crises that dogged the primaries, warning that nobody should bring the governor into the controversial issue.

    He said: “Some group of people came to protest here today and said they rejected the consensus option in Ado Ekiti. They were led by Mrs. Tosin Aluko and Mr. Tajudeen Gidado. They came with placards carrying inscription that they rejected imposition; that they wanted primaries. We have never contemplated imposition as a party.

    “The party will look into their protest vis-a-vis the letter signed by the deputy governor and 35 leaders. You know that the deputy governor is the leader of the party in Ado Ekiti and you know what it means for him to have signed for consensus. The state exco will meet on the issue and take a position.

    “We are not ready to impose anybody and nobody must bring the name of Governor Kayode Fayemi into this matter.”

    Ajayi said the party had set up intervention and reconciliation committees to interface with the aggrieved aspirants on how to resolve the crises trailing the conduct of the primaries in the three councils.

    He said the party took proactive measures by postponing the primaries in the three councils on Saturday upon realising that some hoodlums wanted to hijack the process and burn down some marked houses.

    On the efforts being made to pacify the aggrieved candidates, the APC spokesman said: “We are getting representations from various communities, because we recognise the right of every individual to contest in our party without being deprived.

    “We have invited leaders from Ikole, Ekiti East and Ado Ekiti; so all the issues are being attended to and it will be resolved amicably.”

  • Southwest governors proactive about security challenges, says Akeredolu

    Ondo State Governor, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, on Wednesday said his colleagues in the Southwest geo-political zone are responding comprehensively to various security challenges facing the zone.

    Akeredolu, who is also the Chairman, Southwest Governors Forum, disclosed this in Akure during a church service for the state’s Covenant Renewal Day 2019.

    The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Agboola Ajayi, said the state was working in collaboration with sister states to re-jig the security architecture of the zone to respond adequately to new challenges.

    He said: “It is no longer news that our country is going through security challenges. Therefore, all hands must be on deck to salvage it together.

    “We are doing our best to respond comprehensively to the new challenges. Ondo State is working in collaboration with sister states in Southwestern zone to re-jig the security architecture of the zone to make it respond adequately to the new challenges.

    Read Also: OPC can tackle security in Southwest, says Gani Adams

    “Government has never relented on its efforts to curb crime and criminalities within our boundaries. We will continue this until our people can sleep with their two eyes closed. Nigeria must survive its challenges and it is possible, if we all agree and pray together in unison.”

    The governor described the church service as an opportunity to renew strength and pray to God for future good life for the state.

    He said no government or organisation could achieve craved height without the backing of God.

    Akeredolu, therefore, urged other states of the Federation and the Federal Government to renew their covenant with God on a yearly basis.

    According to him, “There is, therefore, a compelling need for collaboration of all stakeholders in the task of building a virile and egalitarian society.

    “It is indeed heartening to be in the presence of several eminent spiritual leaders of the Christian body for the 2019 edition of this special programme.

    “It will be recalled that I gladly participated in the last edition, because we know that our dear state and indeed Nigeria needs continuous prayers. Our administration, since inception, has partnered the Ondo State chapters of PFN, CAN and other groups, in almost all their programmes and events.”

  • Telecoms firms to battle Senate over 9 per cent tax bill

    Telecoms operators said on Wednesday that they would resist the plan by the Senate to pass a bill raising tax in the sector by nine per cent.

    The Red Chamber on Wednesday began the process with the first reading of “A Bill for an Act to provide for Communication Service Tax (CST) as a veritable tool for economic diversification and for related matters.”

    The bill is sponsored by Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume (Bornu South).

    The Communication Service Tax (CST) rate chargeable will be nine per cent for the use of the communication services.

    If passed, the proposed tax will replace the 2.2 per cent increase in Value Added Tax (VAT) being proposed by the Federal Government as announced by  Minister of Finance, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed.

    There were signals yesterday that the new law may pit the government against some interests.

    Read Also: Nigeria @59: We’ll always provide quality representation – Senate

    Reacting to the ongoing process in the upper chamber of the National Assembly, the telecommunication operators yesterday warned against pushing through the bill. They described it as a fresh attempt to add to the burden of ordinary citizens.

    The Chairman, Association of Licensed Telecom Companies of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo, warned that the bill, if passed into law, would lead to an increase in end-user call tariff.

    ALTON is the umbrella body of MTN, Airtel, Glo, 9mobile and other GSM Service providers.

    Adebayo said the value of N1000 recharge card would be less than the nine per cent of the tax, adding that the proposed tax will add no value to operators who will become collection agents for the Federal Government.

    His counterpart in the ATCON, an umbrella for players in the sub-sector, said the tax would negate the government’s plan to diversify the economy.

    ATCON Chairman Olusola Teniola claimed that it will be wrong for the government to tax the citizens out of existence.

    He said the impact of the tax would be transferred to the final consumers when such tax was introduced in Ghana, it led to tariff increase, Teniola said.

    He wondered if the new tax was directed at reducing the number of internet users in the country, adding that the move will certainly be counter-productive, he said: “We are a law-abiding corporate citizens; we will do everything within the law to resist the tax.”

    But the Bill promoter spoke of its merits. Answering reporters’ questions yesterday, Ndume said the CST would encourage wealth distribution in ways that would not affect the ordinary citizens.

    He said the proposed increase in Value Added Tax (VAT) by the government would have negative effect on the economy as it would not only affect the prices of goods and services but take them beyond the reach of the common man.

    Section 1 of the Bill said: “There shall be imposed, charged, payable and collected a monthly Communication Service Tax to be levied on charges payable by a user of an Electronic Communication Service other than private Electronic Communication Services.

    “The tax shall be levied on Electronic Communication Services supplied by service providers. For the purpose of this clause, the supply of any form of recharges shall be considered as a charge for usage of Electronic Communication Service.

    “The tax shall be levied on the following Electronic Communication Services:(a)Voice Calls; (b) SMS; (c) MMS; (d) Data usage both from Telecommunication Services Providers and Internet Service Providers; (e) Pay per View TV stations, etc.”

    On persons liable to pay the tax, Section 2 of the Bill said: “The tax shall be paid together with the Electronic Communication Service charge payable to the service provider by the consumer of the service.

    “The tax is due and payable on any supply of Electronic Communication Service within the time period specified under sub-clause (5) of whether or not the person making the supply is permitted or authorised provide Electronic Communication Services.”

    Section 3 added that the rate of the tax is nine per cent of the charge for the use of the communication service.

    On the mode of collection and payment into the Federation Account, Section 4 of the Bill said: “The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) established under section 1 of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, 2007, shall be responsible for collection and remittance of tax, any interest and penalty paid under this Bill.

    “The FIRS shall pay the tax collected together with any interest and penalty into the Federation Account.”

    On the submission of tax return and time for payment, Section 5 of the Bill said: “All service providers shall file a tax return to account for the tax.

    “The tax return shall be in a form prescribed by the FIRS and shall state the amount of tax payable for the period and any related matters that may be required.

    “The return and the tax due to the accounting period to which the tax return relates shall be submitted and paid to the FIRS not later than the last working day of the month immediately after the month to which the tax return and payment relates.

    “The FIRS may extend the period within which the tax return may be submitted and payment made on application in writing by a service provider, where good cause is shown by the applicant.

    “The extension shall be communicated to the applicant in writing and shall state the circumstances under which the tax return shall be submitted for the particular period.

    “A service provider who without justification fails to submit to the FIRS the tax return by the date is liable to a pecuniary penalty of N50, 000.00 and a further penalty of Nl0,000.00 for each day the return is not submitted.”

    The payment of interest and outstanding tax, according to Section 6 of the Bill, “a service provider who fails to pay the tax by the due date shall pay monthly interest on the tax due at a rate of One hundred and Fifty per cent of the average of the prevailing commercial Banks lending rate as published by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

    “For the purpose of sub-clause of this clause (1) any part of one month shall be deemed to be one month. Subject to clause 6 (6) where the interest payable under sub-clause (1) is not paid within one month after the due date, interest shall be paid on the unpaid interest at the same rate and in the same manner on the unpaid tax.”

    On recovery of tax, interest or penalty due, Section 7 of the Bill said: “A tax or penalty of any interest due under this Bill which remain unpaid after the due date may be recovered by the FIRS as a debt.

    “An amount shown as the tax on a bill or invoice for Electronic Communication Service usage is recoverable as tax from the person who issues the bill or invoice whether or not – (a) Tax is chargeable on the Electronic Communication Service Usage; or (b) The person who issues the bill or invoice is a person authorized to provide Electronic Communication Service under this Bill.

    “Where a body either corporate or unincorporated which is liable for the payment of the tax, of any penalty on interest that arises under the Bill, defaults in payment, in whole or in part after written demand, the directors, partners and    the person in control of the body are jointly and severally liable to pay the sum due.”

    “Where tax penalty of interest is payable and due under this Bill the FIRS may apply to the Court for an order that compels an individual or business – (a) from whom money is due or is accruing to the person required to apply the, interest or penalty, or…

    “(b) who holds money for or on account of the person required to pay the tax interest or penalty to pay to the FIRS that money or so much of it as sufficient to discharge the tax interest or penalty payable and due.”

  • Governor Lalong wins in Plateau

    The election petition tribunal sitting in Jos, the Plateau State capital, has upheld the electoral victory of Governor Simon Lalong.

    It said the petitioners, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship standard-bearer, Senator Jeremiah Useni, failed to prove allegations of electoral fraud beyond reasonable doubt.

    The runner up in the Plateau governorship election, Senator Useni and the PDP had petitioned the court, claiming to be the winner of the poll, having scored the majority of the votes cast.

    Read Also: Lalong sends commissioners’ list to Assembly

    Senator Useni also claimed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was wrong to have declared Governor Lalong of the All Progressives Congress (APC) winner of the election.

    Reading the judgement, which lasted over four hours, the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Halima Salami, said the petitions against Governor Lalong’s victory were not strong enough to convince the court to upturn the outcome of the March 2019 governorship election in Plateau State.

  • Surveyors harp on ethical standards, skill acquisition, others

    The Nigeria Institution of Surveyors (NIS) has agreed that the association have a need to do more on training, skill acquisition and ethical standards. They regretted that some unethical practice among members may have cost their clients some losses and is bent on addressing it with competitive training and welfare for members.

    Chairman of Association of Private Practising Surveyors of Nigeria (APPSN), Akomolafe Ademola at the annual workshop of the Group held in Ikeja yesterday with the theme “ Professionalism on the Cross: Surveying practices and legal laws”, said the objectives of establishing the sub group of the institution is to afford members the opportunity of continuous development. He said the association has put in a place a robust strategy that involves maintaining a strong and cordial relationship with relevant associations and institutions.

    Admonishing the members he said: “To ensure that our practice is robust , sustainable and rewarding and how to make it better, it is important that we practice ethically putting the interest and satisfaction of our clients in view but also working in line with set industry standards. To this end the APPSN and NIS established the Practice Monitoring and investigating initiatives to give bite to our monitoring and investigating initiatives. It is important to also to warn our erring members that the administration will in no way tolerate unethical practice of any type”.

    Chairman, Lagos, NIS, Adeleke Adesina said they are poised towards sanitizing the institution . He encouraged his professional colleagues to be multi –disciplinary to serve the public more professionally adding that those who circumvent the law will no longer be absolved.

    The Guest lecturer Barrister Ogbebor Osaretin encouraged surveyors to be multi tasking to ensure they deliver service to their clients. He said some clients have unfortunately lost their land as a result ignorance by some surveyors who were not diligent enough to get fact and figures about a particular land that is in dispute.

    According to him when land is said to be in dispute are instances whereby two or more persons claim ownership of a parcel or piece of land, with each of them relying on his or her root of title to the said land, with a view to showing a better title than the other.

    He listed 5 ways in which ownership or title to land may be proved as proof of traditional evidence;

    ii. Proof of acts of ownership, acts by persons claiming the land such as selling, leasing, renting out all or part of the land, or farming on it or otherwise utilising the land beneficially such acts of time and numerous and positive enough to warrant the inference that he is the true owner;

    iii. Proof of production of document of title which must be authenticated;

    iv. Proof of ownership by acts of long possession and enjoyment in respect of the land to which the acts are done;

    v. Proof of possession of connected or adjacent land circumstances rendering it probable that the owner of such connected or adjacent land would in addition be the owner of the land in dispute, may rank also as means of proving ownership of the land in dispute.

    He advised that a surveyor who does not know the above will incur losses for his client underscoring the need for continuous education and skill acquisition.

    He added that surveyors are the only professionals, statutorily empowered to carry out survey exercise on any parcel of land in Nigeria, with a view to determining its identity, location, size, shape, boundaries, area and description and to produce the plan thereof and should not for any reason shirk their responsibilities.

  • Old Benin technical school new bride for parents

    After 49 years of running without accreditation, the Benin Technical College, now the Government Science and Technical College, is experiencing a new lease of life, thanks to government funding. The school is now attracting pupils unlike before. OSAGIE OTABOR reports from Benin

    In the past, management of the Benin Technical College now Government Science and Technical College (GSTC) used to beg students to pick admission form into the college. It was a school seen as a place for those who could not do well in conventional secondary school.

    The sorry state of the school did not matter. In the absence of relevant facilities, the students were taught practicals in abstract. The dilapidated buildings that would welcome a first time visitor were an eye sore. The staff strength of the school depleted to 39 as no new staff member was employed when old ones retired or left for greener pastures.

    The school was first built in 1970 during the administration of late Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia. It was said to have been built due to the clamour by Oba Akenzua II  for technical skills and sports training for youths.

    Its sports complex was built by the Canadian government and fitted with an Olympic-size swimming pool and other sports facilities. The school was planned to transform into a College of Technology.

    After Ogbemudia left power, the school was abandoned and left to rot. Successive administrations did not improve on Ogbemudia’s vision. Roofs were blown off, chairs were not replaced and the machines that went bad were not repaired.

    In the words of Principal of the school, Onaiwu Federick Osazuwa: “We were training students in quantity because we could admit anybody and they could be up to 200 in a class.”

    However, all that has changed, thanks to fresh investment in the school by the Edo State government led by Governor Godwin Obaseki.

    The government built and equipped two blocks of 22 classrooms, workshops, internet facilities and air-conditioners, new bathroom and toilets,.

    Last week when this reporter visited the school, there was a huge crowd of parents and pupils at the gate struggling to check their wards’ names on the admission list.

    Obaseki visited the school immediately he was sworn in and vowed to reclaim the school’s vast land from encroachers and restore it’s glory.

    True to his words, the vast school land was fenced, including houses built by private individuals. In less than three years, the first phase of the project was delivered and admission was opened for new intakes.

    Unlike in the past when admission into the technical college was free for all, those now seeking to gain admission were subjected to written examinations and interview as the new school can only accommodate 40 students per class.

    Osazuwa told our reporter that the teachers did not believe Obaseki when he promised to revamp the college as they had heard such promises in the past.

    He said: “Many governments have come and gone but there was no refurbishing and rehabilitation of the college. Machines and tools were all grounded. Teachers were teaching practicals in abstract. Many things were neglected and the school collapsed. We have been teaching and learning under blown off roofs. The machines were obsolete. There were no teachers, no consumable materials. No subvention to the school. The teachers were just doing their best. Sometimes we bought materials for teachers. Teaching aids were not supplied. This was a standard school which has international swimming pool and sports complex. The staff strength was just 39. Some teachers retired and others left.Before Obaseki came, the staff strength was 39 – both technical teachers and non-technical staff.

    “When Obaseki first came here, he wept. He specifically went to the swimming pool. He walked in the weed inside and asked about some residential buildings in the school premises and we told him some persons sold the school land. He said he would fence the school including the buildings and revamp it to international standard. He said he will create industrial park where youths could be trained. He said he will help them to get tools to start up their businesses.

    “We thought it was a usual talk by government officials. Few days later, we saw bulldozers and surveyors working here. They started fencing  the college and reclaim the entire land. This new edifice is what you cannot get anywhere in this country. The equipment here are not found anywhere. From my office, I can communicate with all the teachers. I can watch what teachers are teaching and students are doing in their various classes.”

    Osazuwa said the college suffered in the past because the right people were not in charge.  He thanked Obaseki for reviving the college and employing more qualified hands to run the college.

    “Edo people should be grateful  to Obaseki for reviving technical education because technical education was dead. What killed technical education in Edo State was a situation where an historian or economist was appointed to head technical school. For many years, I was the first engineer to be appointed principal in this college. People who took management decision on anything that affect technical college knew nothing about engineering. A principal of technical school must know the principle and mechanism of any engine in any workshop. It is an engineering mechanism.

    “We used to have students trained in quantity but we now  train in quality, decency and credibility. Then, we could admit 200 students in a class but now we admit 40. The governor is working towards getting accreditation for the school. We are now 122 staff workers in this school from just 39, ” he said.

    Following the remodeling of the school, officials of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) led by its Deputy Director, Mallam Samaila Tanko visited the school for accreditation.

    Tanko said the delegation was impressed with facilities in the school and that the body would soon release result of their findings and make recommendations.

    Tanko urged the state government to continue in the positive trajectory it has started.

    Giles Omezi, an architect and Team Lead, GSTC Rehabilitation Programme, said phase 1 of the project was designed to be energy efficient as it has the capacity to harvest and use rainwater and operate with alternative off-grid solar energy, among other innovations.

    Omezi explained that a production cluster comprising spaces accessible to local tradesmen would soon be operational, which would make the facility a hub for job creation and skills development in the state.

    “We have solar panels for solar energy. We are harvesting rainwater as well. This is a test case of how sustainable our public buildings can be. We are going to be doing the same thing in the new phase. The institution will be fully networked with a site-wide fibre optic system, backup power from generators, off-grid renewable energy (solar power), rainwater harvesting and an integrated site-wide potable water system.

    “Old capital equipment that have been out of action for decades have been brought back to life; components with operational life in them are being reused and a sensitive attitude to refurbishing the old buildings means that we are utilising less new components and saving money.”

    He added that key infrastructure interventions in the project include a dedicated 33KVA line from the Benin North electrical substation which draws power from the NIPP Ihonvbor/Azura Power complex and a 45mbps fibre optic cable serving the college.

    Obaseki, who visited the school on an inspection tour said the commercial production hub would serve as a location for design and production of machines so as to create opportunities for students to work with those in the industry and translate what they learn to the real world.

    He said: “We have now finished building two new blocks with workshops that will accommodate about 800 students. We now need to move to the old blocks and begin to make them more modern. We are also rebuilding the electrical, mechanical and carpentry workshops. We are introducing plumbing and other trades.

    “We need more teachers that can teach technical subjects and we need to train them. We are considering different options as we are talking to foreign partners to provide technical support and assistance on how to bring people who have done this before to accelerate the training of our teachers.

    “We are working with several bodies particularly countries in the European Union (EU) as we need their support in executing projects of this nature and to help us deal with human trafficking and curtail irregular migration.”

    Some parents who spoke to our reporter said they want to enroll their children in the school because of the transformation and new buildings they saw.

    Mr. Isaiah Omorogbe, whose son did not pass the test, said he would reapply next year because jobs demand require skills and not mere paper qualification.

    Some teachers who spoke on condition of anonymity, urged the state government to provide adequate security for the school to avoid the installed equipment being stolen.

    The teachers recalled how thieves brought crane to steal two German machines in the school after overpowering security guards at the school.

    “The school has gotten a new shape and vision. What we need here is security. Last time, we lost two of our machines to robbers who came with crane and tied our security guard,” a teacher said.

  • Inferior gas cylinders

    •A call for more vigilance to Standards Organisation of Nigeria

    The danger of cooking gas cylinder explosion has increased in the country with the importation of substandard cylinders. In August, cooking gas cylinder explosion in Warri almost killed a couple, but for the quick intervention of the police and fire fighters, and proximity of the explosion to the police station. And in China, the country’s CCTV also reported gas cylinder explosions in March and April in Xianyang City and in Wuxi, Jiangsu.

    We find the existence of substandard cooking gas cylinders very alarming. It is counterproductive that at a time that the population, especially in both urban and rural areas, is increasingly warming up to transition from cooking with wood to gas, the conditions for importing cooking gas cylinders seem to have become lax to the point that cylinders without brand name and batch number are now common in the country. The fear of cylinder explosion is capable of driving citizens back to the tradition of deforestation and its negative impact on the environment.

    It is embarrassing that the in-flow of substandard cylinders has reached a level that compels staff of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to go to markets in search of substandard gas cylinders. The danger posed by defective cooking gas cylinders is serious enough for SON and the Customs to stop such products at the ports of entry. SON’s vigilance would be more effective if its mobile laboratory at the ports had tested every batch of imported cylinders into the country. This is an assignment that could have been carried out in collaboration with other safety and security units that are always present at the ports.

    Further, marketers who are frustrating SON’s staff from looking for cylinders without batch numbers are not helping matters. Government at all times has the duty to ensure that  substandard products do not thrive in the country, even if after such products had gotten through the ports without detection. Such belated checks are better than leaving citizens and their property at the mercy of imported or even domestic products that could be dangerous to life and property of citizens. Retailers of such products ought to be sensitive to the well-being of their customers.

    Relatedly, government and other stakeholders should begin massive enlightenment on how to distinguish good from bad gas cylinders, and give retailers and users adequate information about the danger in holding on to products that are dangerous to individuals and the community. It is one thing for a country to find a dumping ground for substandard products from its factories, but it is expected that the citizens, especially those in the business of importing such defective products, will be mindful of quality and safety of such products, before marketing them to innocent buyers.

    Indeed, it is high time the local manufacturing by Techno Oil Ltd of Nigeria’s TechnoGas LPG cylinders at the 31st World LPG Forum in Houston, Texas is developed to include production of cooking gas cylinders that citizens can buy without fear of causing fire to its users. The SON needs to give as much attention to certifying the Nigerian brand as it does to imported brands from China and elsewhere.

    Nigeria, among other developing countries, cannot afford to lose the war on deforestation arising from reliance on wood and charcoal as fuel for cooking. The most effective way to win this war and protect citizens from avoidable harm is to ensure that cooking gas cylinders in the country meet global quality and safety standards.