The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian Newspapers

  • ‘How Lagos exco can succeed’

    This reminds me of the battering meted on the ministerial nominees before their confirmation. One lingering criticism of the nominees is the argument that they are mainly recycled politicians or members of the political class.

    If such critics ever took a look at the cabinets of other nations, especially advanced democracies like the United States and the United Kingdom, they would discover that experienced hands often get recycled.

    Moreover, it is a universal practice that leaders often reward those who assist them in elections with positions commensurate with their profile and quality of assistance.

    Now that the discussion has shifted to ministerial accountability, the most important variable to be considered is funding and how funds are applied.

    Read Also: Sanwo-Olu to commissioners, special advisers: ensure Lagos remains top destination

    The critical question is: How much can a Minister achieve if his or her ministry is not adequately funded? Not much. Yet, this has been the situation in the last four years.

    Take the education sector, for example. Although slight noticeable increases have been applied to the federal budgetary allocation to education in the last few years, hardly had the government cross the seven percentile mark of the national budget.

    The result is the deteriorating state of university infrastructure and facilities and the downward trend in education quality. This explains the incessant strike by the university unions and the attendant blackmailing of the Minister of Education.

    This means that President Buhari must back his call for measurable performance indicators with adequate funding and its availability when required for a specific phase of any project.

    It is not enough to mouth accountability without providing the necessary funds for the Ministers to achieve their ministries’ objectives. That was the case last time. It should not be the case this time.

    Finally, I congratulate all the Ministers inaugurated today and urge them to perform to the utmost of their ability. At the same time, I should remind them that the press will be watching every step they take for the next four years or so.

  • Okorocha to supporters: resist attacks

    FORMER Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has urged his supporters to resist further attacks from the government. He said he would no longer tolerate unwarranted assaults on his person and relatives.

    Okorocha, who addressed a crowd at the Headquarters of the Uche Nwosu Campaign Organisation in Owerri, said he has returned to the state to protect his people from government agents who have launched a war on his followers and legacies.

    The senator noted that the state was still where he left it in terms of infrastructure development, saying his predecessor has done nothing apart from hounding past government officials since he assumed office two months ago.

    Read Also: Okorocha warns Imo against harassment

    He said: “I will no longer tolerate attacks from Governor Emeka Ihedioha. I am urging my supporters to rise up and resist further attacks from the government; nobody should intimidate you, Imo belongs to all of us.

    “They have brought back impunity to Imo State, kidnapping has returned, the state is no longer safe but let not your hearts fail because Ihedioha’s stay in power will be for a little while.”

  • ‘Amaechi shouldn’t relent in his vision for better Nigeria’

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Southsouth, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, has urged former Minister of Transport Rotimi Amaechi not to relent in his vision for a better Nigeria.

    He described the conferment of the highest rank in the Catholic Church on Amaechi as a confirmation of his commitment to the service of God and humanity.

    Eze, in a statement yesterday, said the recognition of Amaechi could only be achieved through a long-term show of public spirit, dedication to godliness and untainted love for brotherhood and society.

    Read Also: Amaechi gets highest Catholic knight promotion

    The Exemplification Honour of the Knights of St. John from the Grand Master, Nigerian Temple of Noble and Exalted Knights of the Holy Cross Knight of St. John International was conferred on Amaechi on August 18 for his services to the order and humanity at the Pope John Paul II Catholic Centre in Abuja.

    The party chieftain noted that the honour would spur Amaechi to further service, describing him as a special gift to the Nigeria and humanity.

    He urged public servants to follow the footsteps of the minister-designate, whose legacies in public service he described as noble.

    Eze hailed the body of Christ for the honour done the former Rivers State governor, and called for more prayers for Amaechi in his drive for the Nigeria of our dream.

  • Navy decries alarming wreckage on Lagos water channels

    The Nigerian Navy (NN) on Tuesday raised alarm over wrecked and abandoned ships, boats obstructing navigation around the Lagos channels of the country’s waterways.

    Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command (WNC) Rear Admiral Oladele Daji who took reporters for on-the-spot analysis of the threats, said the navy was forced to cry out having written several times to the agencies charged with clearing the channels without result.

    He said the areas most affected were the Tincan Island, Kirikiri, Navy Town and Badagry creek areas of the channel.

    According to the Admiral, the navy had identified about 35 of such wrecks which were submerged along the very busy Lagos channel constituting grave danger to ships and crew.

    “The hazards associated with these wrecks is that most often especially during high water, they are submerged and hardly visible to mariners and therefore they pose the greatest threats during this period.

    “Apart from endangering shipping, most of the wrecks also constitute, environmental pollution and hazards.

    “I do not think it portrays us as a country with laws and regulations in good light especially to the global shipping community. In addition, there are several navigational aids like the boyle,  markings, light that are not functional or missing or have shifted from their original positions.

    “The absence of these navigational aids also constitute risk to shipping, especially at night or during restricted visibilities.

    Read Also: Navy nabs five suspected smugglers

    “Recall that just a few months ago, one of our vessels, Nigerian Navy Ship(NNS) Calabar while moving for patrols was involved in mishap. It struck a submerged wreck, just in the middle of the channel.

    “You will all agree with me that this could be avoided if those wrecks were promptly removed when they were identified. We have written to the authorities concern and we are hoping that actions would be taken to clear our channels of those wreckages so that ships can easily move in and out of harbour to respond to emergencies.

    “It would as well save us the money, resources that would be put into making that affected vessel operational which would have been deployed into better and more productive endeavours.

    “Other vessels apart from NNS Calabar have also suffered similar thing in the past,” he said.

     

  • Court strikes out suit on Ipaja land

    The Lagos State High Court in Ikeja has struck out a suit by some families over a parcel of land in Ipaja.

    The claimants are Chief Abibu Ajibawo, Ayinla Falola, Babatunde Abiola and Pastor Babatunde Adebiyi-Ilo.

    They sued for themselves and on behalf of Oguntoyinbo, Abiola, Falola and Ilo families.

    The defendants are Prince Owen Adeniran, Chief Sikiru Odede, Chief Ajike Ogunbiyi, “persons unknown”, Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice and the Lagos State Task Force on Land Grabbers.

    The claimants had sought an order of interim injunction restraining the first, second, third and fourth respondents or their agents from further selling or transferring a parcel of land at Ipaja, delineated on the Survey Plan BP401A&B dated 21/2/75 and prepared by B.P. Okuboyejo.

    But, counsel for the defendants, Ola Shobowale, opposed the application on the basis that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain it.

    Read Also: Families cry out over alleged attack by land grabbers, murderers

    He contended that the case ought not to be before the court because there was no writ of summons or statement of claim, except the motion for injunction.

    Ruling, Justice G.A.Safari held that the suit was instituted wrongly, thereby robbing the court of jurisdiction.

    He said: “Having not commenced the suit by either a writ of summons or an originating summons, I agree with Mr Ola Shobowale, counsel for the defendants/respondents that this suit is wrongly commenced having been commenced by a motion for injunction.

    “It, therefore, has no leg to stand upon and I so hold.

    “I, therefore, hold that this suit is procedurally defective and I accordingly strike out same…this suit is struck out.”

  • Police arrest four for murder

    The police in Lagos have on Wednesday arrested four cops for extrajudicial killing of two suspected robbers in their custody.

    The policemen identified as Inspector Fabiyi Omomayara, Sergeant Olaniyi Solomon, Sergeant Solomon Sunday and Corporal Aliyu Mukaila the command said, would be charged with murder because they breached the code of professional conduct and use of fire arms.

    The killer cops were seen in a video that surfaced on the social media shooting the suspects alleged to belong to a notorious armed robbery gang terrorizing Iba.

    It was gathered that the cops had responded to a distress call around 3pm on August 19, from one Valentine Anugu who was robbed of his mobile phone worth N450,000 by four armed robbers on two motorcycles.

    While two of the suspected armed robbers fled, the others were held, disarmed of the two locally pistol, six live and five expended cartridges they had before shooting them inside the commercial bus they (police) used for the operation.

    Condemning the action of the policemen, spokesman Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) said they went to the extreme and violated the rules on the treatment of suspects in custody.

    Although the gang was said to be notorious in the area, the police team took their celebration of the arrest to the extreme by killing the suspects, Elkana said.

    Read Also: Police nab three students for alleged rape

    “The team went extreme by killing the suspects who were already in their custody instead of taking them to the Police Station and allowing the normal process of investigation and prosecution to be initiated as stipulated under procedural laws.

    “That act of extrajudicial killing falls short of police professional standards and cannot be condoned by the command.

    The Commissioner of Police Lagos State, Zubairu Muazu has ordered a thorough investigation into the incident.

    “The police officers are currently subjected to internal disciplinary proceedings known as Orderly Room trial and if found culpable, they will be dismissed from the Force and handed over to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) Yaba for prosecution in the conventional court.

    “The public will be updated on the outcome of the investigation and trial,” said Elkana in a statement released on Wednesday.

     

  • Wike hails U.S for partnering Rivers against AIDS

    Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has praised the United States for working with the state to fight HIV/AIDS.

    Wike spoke yesterday at the Government House in Port Harcourt during a meeting with the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington. The meeting centred on promotion of the health of Rivers people.

    Wike said: “I thank the United States for working with us to reduce the prevalence of HIV/AIDS. I thank the U.S for recognising the contributions of Rivers State in the fight against AIDS.”

    The governor assured the U.S that his administration would continue to fund programmes to reduce the prevalence.

    Read Also: Wike ‘will’ develop stakeholder communities 

    “We will continue to work for the reduction of HIV/AIDS. We are glad that we are partners with the U.S. For us, health is key. Education is key. With education, you can talk to people on measures to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. At present, with the support of the U.S, we are running 115 sites to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS.”

    Symington said his country had a $75 million budget increase for HIV control activities in Nigeria, with about $25 million allocated for the ART surge activities.

    He thanked Wike for announcing his intent to eliminate user-fees for PLHIV.

    According to Symington, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), administered by the U.S. Centre for Disease Control (CDC), Department of Defence, and Agency for International Development (USAID) is implementing an Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) surge programme in Rivers State to identify and provide treatment to approximately 180,000 PLHIV, who have not previously received such.

    He said: “The United States remains committed to supporting Nigeria as it works to reduce and ultimately eliminate the scourge of HIV/AIDS among its people.”

  • Meet minister-designate from Nasarawa

    President Muhammadu Buhari will on Wednesday inaugurate minister-designates. They will be working with him to realise the “Next Level” vision of his administration in the next four years.  Journalists and pundits have continued to dissect the nominees’ qualifications.

    While I was in college, I was introduced to an excellent yardstick for measuring an achiever, one that has stuck with me ever since.

    An achiever possess four critical qualities: a bedrock of principles, a moral compass, a vision and the ability to build a consensus to achieve that vision.

    Let us now explore these four criteria that defines the Mohammed Hassan Abdullahi personae in greater depth-the nominee from Uke, a village in Karu Local Government of Nasarawa State.

    A bedrock of principles: Abdullahi builds his platform on a foundation of firm, unchanging, fundamental truths. These are the things he believes at his very core, his overarching philosophy.

    Just as in the foundation of a house, storms may buffet the structure, opposition and challenges may arise, times will change, but the foundation remains.

    Read Also: How to hold your ministers accountable

    A statesman may change the details of his policies and his methods for achieving those policies, but only in as much as those short-term tactics of expediency serve the purpose of furthering his bedrock of principles in the long run.

    A moral compass: His moral compass is rooted in a sense of absolute right and absolute wrong. When something is wrong, he plainly says it is wrong and does everything in his power to fight against it.

    When something is right, he is willing to overcome any opposition to preserve and spread it. He is a man of integrity; he speaks the truth. He leads by moral authority and represents all that is best in his countrymen, the kind of personality to work with our President. No wonder his name found its self to the ministerial list.

    A man of this character, he fits into the Ministry of Works to address the infrastructural deficit the Buhari administration has been working to address.

    For those familiar with Nasarawa State before the coming of former Governor Umaru Al-Makura, the state was seriously lacking in basic infrastructure.

    As Secretary to Nasarawa State Government, Muhammed gave the administrative leadership that led to massive infrastructural development of the Al Makura’s government.

    A vision: Abdullahi has a clear vision of what his country and his people can become. Dear President, make him our Minister of Works and Nigeria will be better off.

    Ability to build a consensus: Abdullahi demonstrated the consensus spirit when, despite calls from several quarters to contest for the Senatorial seat of Nasarawa West, he stepped out in order to build consensus.

    In considering these four qualities of  Abdullahi, it may seem like a real one has never existed, because if one had, surely everyone would be in agreement on his exalted place in history.

    But in truth, even those who agree on these criteria would have plenty of disagreement over what principles, he should espouse, what constitutes a moral right and wrong, and most importantly, what constitutes acceptable means in obtaining his vision.

    He is a tested professional and a technocrat who can bring to bear a wealth of experience in administration of varied departments/capacities gained from well over two decades into interpreting the Next Level vision of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, either in the Ministry of Works or the Ministry of the Federal Capital Territory.

    President Buhari took his time to appoint the right people as ministers. The next critical step is to put these men in the right places to enhance productivity and the delivery of the Next Level agenda in a more profound way. Abdullahi Mohammed’s track records stand him out.

  • Ekiti goes tough to recover N1.5b micro-credit loans

    Ekiti State Government has adopted a strategic that would facilitate prompt and stress -free repayment of loans running to N1.5 billion granted the people under the Small and Medium Enterprise Support Scheme since the administration of Chief Segun Oni to date.

    Special Adviser to the Governor on Micro-credit and Enterprise Development Agency (MEDA), Otunba Kayode Fasawe at a meeting with the loan guarantors in Ado-Ekiti revealed that the government was determined to recover all the loans to the last kobo.

    Fasawe said MEDA, in conjunction with the participating Micro Finance Banks (MFBs), had sought the support of the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Accountant General (AG) for the deduction of such loans from the salaries of the guarantors who are public servants beginning from the month of September, this year.

    He urged them to prevail on the beneficiaries to begin repayment to protect their own incomes.

    Fasawe said the state government was passionate about workers’ plight, which informed the delay in the implementation of the policy and the eventual call for the meeting and dialogues on the way forward.

    The Special Adviser, who said the attitude of the people on loan repayment has deprived the state from accessing further funds from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), said this had been counter-productive to the economic growth of the state.

    Appraising the success level of the policy direction, the MEDA boss added that over N30 million have been recovered during the first three weeks of its implementation, through the use of text messages and dialogues with the guarantors.

    Director of Small and Medium Enterprise in the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industries, Mr. Ayo Ilesanmi, said it was quite disheartening that loans beneficiaries  consider the money as free gift or their own share of the national cakes, adding that such beliefs have prevented other people from benefiting from government supports for growing businesses.

  • Female pupils develop app to solve traffic gridlock

    FOUR female pupils have developed a solution to address obstructive parking in the country.

    The innovative application (app), called Frostbits, will be useful in cities such as Lagos with its use of location sensors, database, and the app inventor’s interface and more.

    The four pupils from Princeton College, Surulere, Lagos under the tutelage of New Horizons Computer Learning Centres Ltd, the school’s information communications technology (ICT) partner,  emerged African regional winner for this year’s Technovation contest. The contest was held at Pan Atlantic University, Lagos.

    The app came first in the ‘Senior Division Regional 2019 Technovation competition.  The app developers are Daniella Ekekwe (Grade 11);  Gbopemioluwa Olukoga (Grade 11);  Victory Yinka-Banjo (Grade 11); and  Tanyalouise Ekekwe (Grade 12).

    According to them, users can easily park their cars without worrying about interference from other drivers.

    Speaking on the development,  Education Director, Princeton Schools, Dr Dolapo Bankole  said: ”Our emphasis in Princeton School is to produce pupils with 21st Century skills in sciences and technology, so that students from our school can compete effectively with their counterparts in Europe, America and Asia.”

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    Chief Executive Officer, New Horizons Nigeria, Mr. Tim Akano, lauded the schools’ Board of Directors and parents for the quality education the school offers. He said:  “Princeton is one of the topmost schools in Nigeria where parents, who desire the best future for their children should patronise.”

    “The standard of education is high and very robust. We are happy to be part of their success and look forward to even bigger international achievement in future together with Princeton,” Akano added.

    Princeton College (secondary school arm of Princeton Schools) is in Surulere, Lagos with well-qualified and experienced staff to produce responsible and self-sufficient citizens with strong critical thinking and academic skills.

    The school, in partnership with New Horizons Computer Learning Centre, provides a dynamic, comprehensive Information Computer Technology project-based training curriculum to all  pup[ils of Princeton College in an exciting, challenging and innovative way.