The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ogun

  • Smuggling: Ogun Customs solicits monarchs’ assistance

    The Ogun Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has stepped up its anti-smuggling campaign by enlisting the assistance of monarchs in the border communities in Yewa area of the State.

    The initiative, according to the Customs Area Comptroller, Ogun Command, Michael Agbara, is in line with the vision of resuscitated Customs Community Relations Committee, adding that the meeting would hold quarterly.

    He said the meeting was convened to enhance the existing customs community relations between the service and traditional leaders of border communities.

    Agbara, according to a statement signed by the Customs Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, urged the community leaders to cooperate with customs command in the fight against smugglers.

    The Customs chief also said that the command was ready to work with relevant stakeholders and agencies to actualize its anti-smuggling campaign.

    The statement added: “In an effort to revamp the relationship between host communities at the Border Areas within Ogun state, the CAC Ogun Command, Controller Michael Agbara held a meeting with heads of traditional institutions along the border areas. Issues were articulated on how best to improve Customs community relationship among other discussions.’’

  • Strike hits Lagos, Adamawa, Oyo, Ekiti, Ogun, others

    GOVERNMENT offices, banks and public schools were closed yesterday in many states as the organised labour began its strike over delay by Federal Government to conclude negotiation on a new minimum wage.

    As reported by The Nation‘s reporters, cases of full compliance were recorded in some states as others witnessed partial obedience to the labour leaders’ directive.

    The organised labour, had on Wednesday, directed its affiliates to begin an indefinite warning strike yesterday to press home its demand for a new national minimum wage.

    Three labour groups – Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and United Labour Congress (ULC) – issued the directive after the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum given to the government to announce and implement the new national minimum wage as promised.

    Labour demanded N65,000 national minimum up from the present N18,000.

     

    Govt offices, some banks, courts, schools crippled in Lagos

     

    The enforcement teams of the organised labour yesterday set out from Ikeja to the State Secretariat, Alausa, at about 7:20 a.m. and workers, who arrived for work, were turned back.

    The organised labour led by Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Vice President Comrade Amechi Asugwuni shut Lagos airport and banks branches to press home their demands for the implementation of a new National Minimum Wage.

    Labour leaders and their members also stopped operations at branches of Access Bank, Stanbic IBTC, and Guaranty Trust Bank. Workers of the banks were sent out of the premises.

    The labour leaders also drove workers at the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) out of the parastatal’s premises.

    In an interview, Asugwuni said he was satisfied with the level of workers’ compliance with the strike.

    When asked why owners and drivers of commercial buses failed to comply with the action, he said they had been directed to stop operation.

    According to him, “We are going round to enforce the strike and we will do everything legitimate to ensure that it stands. Nothing can be more unique than this.”

    Asugwuni explained that they were still waiting for the Federal Government to call them for a meeting.

    Also speaking with reporters, the Lagos State NLC Chairman, Comrade Idowu Adelakun, said the strike is long overdue, adding that “everybody is prepared for the strike”.

    He added that labour leaders would keep registering their presence in the premises for the seven days duration of the warning strike to ensure compliance and no destruction of property.

    Association of Senior Staff of Banks Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) President Comrade Oyinkan Olasanoye and his team also joined other labour leaders to ensure that banks comply with the strike action.

    Some banks on Lagos-Ibadan express way and Lagos metropolis were closed.

    The ASSBIFI enforcement team also prevented workers from gaining access to Stanbic IBTC Bank, Ikeja branch.

    The team stormed Polaris Bank (former Skye Bank) on Awolowo Way, Ikeja and thereafter locked its gate. Workers and customers were prevented from accessing the premises.

    However, Access Bank in Dopemu and First Bank in Iyana-Ipaja opened for business with many customers carrying out various transactions.

    Fuel stations were seen attending to customers. Major roads, including Iyana-Ipaja to Ikeja and Ikorodu Road, were busy with the usual heavy traffic.

    Public school pupils stayed at home because their teachers complied with the strike by the NLC.

    Though some of the pupils said they had been informed of the impending strike by their teachers on Wednesday, many still went to school. They were sent back home.

    At the Agege Local Government Area secretariat, the gate was locked with padlock and workers wearing Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE)-branded T-shirts sat outside chatting.   One of them who did not want to be named told The Nation that the gate would be opened by 4pm. He said he was not sure when the strike would be called off.

    The court rooms of the Lagos State Judiciary were shut to adjudication of cases as workers stayed away to observe the nationwide strike.

    As a result, lawyers and litigants who came to the courts were turned back at the gate by security guards keeping watch over the court premises.

    The premises of the High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja was like a graveyard yesterday.

    The doors of the court rooms were shut by workers to prevent proceedings from taking place.

    Chief Registrar Mrs. Taiwo Olatokun, who arrived at Ikeja High Court could not gain access to her office as the main door of the administrative building was locked.

    None of the officials of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) were on ground to answer media enquiries yesterday.

     

    Federal, State Secretariats, banks shut in Oyo

     

    The strike witnessed full compliance in different parts of Oyo State as workers shut down offices yesterday.

    Public primary and secondary school classrooms were locked across the state.

    Besides, most banks visited in the city yesterday did not open for business.

    Workers deserted both the Federal and State Secretariats in Ibadan, Oyo State, yesterday in compliance with the seven-day warning strike.

    Some commercial banks in Ibadan metropolis also shut down their activities. The federal and state secretariats in Ibadan were deserted as workers obeyed the sit-at-home order.

    Entry gates of the secretariats were locked.

    A security operative in one of the banks said customers could only use the ATMs, saying that activities in the banking hall had been shut down in compliance with the warning strike.

    However, some commercial banks and filling stations across the metropolis went on with their normal duties.

    In some of the secondary schools in Ibadan metropolis, students were turned back home by principal officers who politely asked to return due to the current strike action.

    At the University of Ibadan, academic activities and administrative duties were disrupted as the Non-teaching staff joined the strike.

    Similarly, the leadership of the UI chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) directed members to comply with the strike.

    Students and lecturers, who had lectures as at 8am, were shocked to meet the lecture venues locked.

    Administrative offices were not spared as most members who had come to work were directed to return home after attending the union’s congress held at the Theatre Arts to intimate members on compliance.

     

    Workers stay at home in Ekiti

    Government offices were locked in Ekiti State as workers  complied with the Labour directive to stay away from work on the first day of the nationwide warning strike.

    The officials of the state councils of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) moved round to ensure compliance with the strike.

    The Governor’s Office, House of Assembly, High Court complex, the State Secretariat housing Ministries,  Department and Agencies (MDAs) remained desolate.

    Private business organisations like shops, hotels,  petrol  stations,  eateries and banks opened for business.

    Some of the banks that opened earlier in the day closed again at about 1.00pm when labour leaders were moving around to ensure compliance.

    Commercial motorcycle operators, taxi and bus drivers defied the strike order and continued their activities unabated.

    State TUC chairman,  Mr. Odunayo Adesoye, expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance. He expressed optimism that workers in the informal sector would comply in subsequent days.

    Adesoye, who justified the strike, argued that the present minimum wage was no longer sustainable.

     

    Business activities affected in Ogun

     

    The warning strike was effective in some parts of Ogun State.

    Business activities were paralysed in Sango-Ota. Some of the other places visited included Ado-Odo/Local Government headquarters, the courts, post office, Ansarudeen Secondary School and Primary Schools.

    Some lawyers who came to the Magistrates’ Court and High Court in Sango-Ota to transact business could not gain access to the courts. School teachers in schools visited were at the gates sending wards home.

    Some workers, who wished not to be identified, hailed the NLC and the organised labour for the strike aimed at ensuring that workers received decent pay.

     

    Civil servants join in Adamawa

     

    In Adamawa, government workers joined the strike.

    The state Government Secretariat in Yola as well as Yola North and Yola South local governments’ secretariats were shut.

    The courts were also closed while some banks rendered skeletal services.

    But at Federal Medical Centre, Yola, the doctors and nurses attended to patients.

    The Police Command in Adamawa, however, advised the public to remain calm and go about their normal businesses.

    The command in a statement by its spokesman, SP Othman Abubakar, said it had put adequate security measures to ensure that no one was harassed because of the strike.

     

    Govt offices shut in Imo

     

    Government offices in Imo State, including public schools, higher institutions and other public offices, were closed down yesterday following the nationwide strike.

    The state secretariat, which houses the ministries located on Port Harcourt road, was deserted by workers.

    Banks were also forced to shut down by NLC taskforce that monitored compliance.

    Among other government and private institutions that obeyed the NLC order was the Imo State House of Assembly, which was locked.

    The state NLC Chairman, Comrade Austin Chilakpu, who spoke with reporters, said the strike was complied with.

    According to him, “The strike is being observed to the fullest in Imo State. As you can see, the state secretariat is locked. The workers stayed away from work. This is a national directive and we are complying with it.”

    Also, the State Chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Paul Akalazu, said both the government institutions and banks complied with the order.

  • Over 30,000 benefit from ‘araya’ scheme in Ogun

    The Ogun State government has said over 30,000 indigenes have benefitted from the Community-Based Health Insurance Scheme, tagged, Araya, as part of government’s efforts at providing efficient and free health care service delivery for residents.

    Wife of Governor Ibikunle Amosun, Dr (Mrs.) Olufunso, through the Press Officer, Ministry of Health, Miss Omolola Awolana revealed this at Araya Scale Up, held at Totoro Comprehensive Health Centre, Abeokuta. She said the scheme was established in order to deliver free health care services for expectant mothers and children under the age of five. She urged members of the community to register so as to benefit from the programme.

    “I would like to reiterate that the health care services here would be free for expectant mothers and children less than five years of age. It is essential for you to have an Araya so as to be able to get free health care service. Yes, it is free and open to all members of the community, however you have to register under the Araya programme’’, Mrs. Amosun said.

    Also speaking, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye, stated that additional 500 families would be registered during the Scale Up, adding that the number of facilities providing Araya services across the state is 85.

    He added that government would make health care delivery possible for the people, so as to reduce the rate of maternal and child mortality, saying that nobody would have cause to say that there is no health facilities in his/her area.

    The Commissioner, therefore, encouraged members of Totoro community to patronise the Health Centre, noting that the facility was put in place for the generality of the people but not for a selected class, even as it is being managed by a private body to ensure effective and efficient health care delivery for the citizens.

    On behalf of other beneficiaries, Fifehan Ogunronbi and Soremekun Azeezat appreciated government’s effort in the free health services and the provision in their area.

  • Ogun APC: Aspirant urges members to insist on direct primary

    The All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has advised APC members to insist on their right to select by themselves through direct primary, the party candidate for the 2019 governorship polls in the state.

    Abiodun who hails from Iperu town in Ogun East Senatorial district, urged party faithful to fight for their freedom, allow their votes to count and not let indirect primaries to prevail where they can have their say.

    The Oil magnate gave the advice during a tour to Abeokuta South, Imeko Afon and Yewa North local governments with members of the party at the weekend.

    Abiodun appealed to party members across the state not to give up on their clamour for direct primaries as recommended by the national leadership of the party, assuring them that there is no going back until the will of the people prevails.

    The aspirant recalled that he has supported Governor Ibikunle Amosun to achieve his ambition to govern the state, but wondered why Amosun is unwilling to reciprocate same gesture.

    “I was one of the people who went to plead for the incumbent governor to be allowed to govern the state in 2007 but we failed, after that election we realise we didn’t do stomach infrastructure then we try again in 2011 with 11 state house of Assembly members around the state which I personally financed.

    “I wonder where I’ve wronged the governor with my ambition, with all the support I gave him then, not that he gave me any post or my loyaliest which I never questioned him for,” Abiodun said.

    He said the plan to elect flag bearers of the party through the delegate system as an indirect admittance of failure on the part of the outgoing governor adding that a government that is really in touch with the people would not be afraid of putting its fate in the hands of the electorates.

    He promised to return the party to the people if he is elected the APC aspirant to run along with other parties’ aspirants for 2019.

    “I promise to return the party to the people because the party belong to the people and not individual or a family party that some people feels they should have control ”

    He also urge the party faithfuls to use the ongoing continuous membership registration of our great party via the internet to drive the membership of the party.

  • Ease of doing business: More companies relocate to Ogun

    Rising cost of production occasioned by unfavourable business climate in Lagos State is forcing more manufacturers to relocate to neighbouring Ogun State; investigation by The Nation has shown.

    Most manufacturers who spoke with our correspondent confirmed that on a yearly basis many of them are forced to move out of Lagos due to high cost of doing business in the nation’s former federal capital.

    They identified some of the challenges that have made Lagos business environment harsh for them to include multiple taxation, dearth of infrastructure, ranging from bad roads to poor electricity supply, coupled with the activities of touts, popularly known as the area boys.

    Frank Udemba Jacobs, President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, who confirmed the development, told our correspondent that manufacturers now found Ogun State as a good investment destination due to the state government’s commitment to industrialise through encouraging manufacturing activities in the state.

    Jacobs disclosed that manufacturers have discovered Ogun Sate as the next investment destination because of the numerous incentives they get from the state government in the course of doing their businesses over there. Such incentives, he stated include, tax and land rebates which he says, lower production cost in the long run.

    A manufacturer in the food and beverage sub-sector of MAN who confided in our correspondent disclosed that it is easier and seamless to get certificate of occupancy (C of O) in Ogun compared to Lagos.

    Statistics from MAN agrees. A three-year data dealing with the direction of manufacturing and agro-processing investments show that Ogun is indeed topping Lagos in new investments.

    The data indicates that Ogun State has over 70 percent share of manufacturing investments in Nigeria between 2014 and 2016.

    In 2014 for instance, manufacturers invested N691.77 billion, out of which N514.87 billion went to Ogun State, representing 74.42 percent of the total.

    The contribution of manufacturers in Apapa and Ikeja in Lagos at the period under review was N15 billion and N85 billion respectively, representing a combined 15 percent of the total.

    Out of the N180.12 billion invested in the manufacturing and agro-allied industries in Nigeria in the first half of 2015, N128.3 billion went to Ogun, representing 71.23 percent, while N15.74 billion and N6.98 billion, representing 8.7 percent and 3.9 percent share of the total investment went to Ikeja and Apapa industrial zones respectively.

    Likewise, manufacturing investments worth N309.33 billion were made in H2 of 2015, out of which N302.26 billion went to Ogun, depicting 97.7 percent of the total, Apapa, Ikeja and other industrial zones across the country got the share of the remaining less than three percent with.

    Also, in the H1 of 2016, the total investment made by manufacturers in the country stood at N54.55 billion, out of which N37.51 billion moved to Ogun State at the same period, which implies that 69 percent of the overall investment in the H1 of 2016 was.

    Moreover, in the H2 of 2016, MAN survey reveals that N313.62 billion worth of investments were directed to Ogun out of the total N448.94 billion. This represents 70 percent of the total.

    The Nation recalls that the chairman of the SME Group of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), John Tudy Kachikwu, said it takes about 30 days for agro processors and SMEs to get C of Os in Ogun.

    In the three-year review, more investments moved to Agbara, Igbesa, Abeokuta, Sango-Otta, Ibafo, Mowe, Ijebu-Ode and Sagamu industrial clusters, all in Ogun State.

    Statistics shows that in 2014 alone, new investors such as Shongai Technologies Limited, Ijako in Sango-Otta, Apples and Pears Limited, Ceplas Farms Limited, Greenlife Bliss Healthcare Limited, and Sumo Steel Limited, berthed Ogun.

    The Nation also recalls that the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Ogun State, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru said in 2014 that 70 manufacturing companies were established during first four-year tenure of Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, adding that both existing and new companies were given some level of incentives and benefits that prompted rapid development in manufacturing sector.

    “There are over 100 companies in the state, but we have been able to commission 79 till date. When we came in, Ogun State was rated number 35 in terms of the place for doing business in Nigeria. What we did was not only to create a friendly environment; we also put all necessary infrastructure on ground for easy take off of any business and sustain them. We then went to the World Bank to convince them that we had improved in so many ways through creating enabling environment for business to thrive. We have also introduced a one-stop-shop, whereby investors now know who to talk to and where to go. “The last time we commissioned one of these companies, Fidson Healthcare Plc., they informed us they had employed over 500 individuals from Ogun State and another one said they had employed 10,000,” stressed Ashiru.

  • Hit-and-run vehicle crushes mother, child to death in Ogun

    A hit – and – run driver on Friday, crushed a woman and baby strapped to her back to death with his Mitsubishi vehicle in Ogun State.

    The accident which occurred at the Agro Service, Odeda, corridor of Abeokuta-Ibadan highway, also left the woman’s toddler she held by the hand with injuries.

    The Public Relations Officer, Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), Babatunde Akinbiyi, who confirmed the accident, said the vehicle marked LSR604XQ “lost control due to over speeding and rammed into the woman and his child, killing her and the one she backed but injured the one she held to her hand.”

    Read Also: Nigeria records first inflation rise of 2018

    Akinbiyi added that the driver, unfortunately, ran away before TRACE Operatives got to the accident scene.

    According to him, the accident vehicle has been towed to the Odeda Police Division while the remains of the dead were evacuated to the Odeda General Hospital.

    However, the injured toddler was also taken to the Omo Arewa Hospital Odeda for treatment.

  • Ogun APC: I moved motion on guber candidate to save my life – Oladunjoye

    In less than 24 hours after moving a historic motion at the Oke – Igbein Government House, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, for the adoption of Hon. Abdulkabir Adekunle Akinlade as the consensus candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by the Ogun State Senatorial district arm of the party, former Chairman of Ijebu East Local Government Area, Tunde Oladunjoye, has said he was forced to do so.
    Oladunjoye, an activist and journalist, revealed that he moved the motion for the purported endorsement of Akinlade  to “save” his “life,” having sensed that it is under “threat.”
    The former APC chieftain from Ogun East who tersely notified The Nation that he has left “the party and politics”  to face his professional practice (journalism), did not disclose the nature of the threat or the source, but indicated that the state Chairman of APC, Chief Derin Adebiyi,  did call him to a side  and “whispered” into his ears that he “must praise the Governor and move motion of endorsement, else dire consequences” fall on him.
    Since the emergence of Akinlade from Agosasa in Ipokia, Ogun West, last week as the consensus candidate of the APC, and following the acclaimed earlier zoning of the APC 2019 governorship slot to the zone by the party, there have been protests  from across the state over the choice gubernatorial candidate.
    The disagreement, it was gathered, was precipitated by the claim among party members that the Federal lawmaker representing  Egbado South and Ipokia Federal Constituency of Ogun State on the platform of APC, was unilaterally picked by Governor Ibikunle Amosun and foisted on Ogun APC members in manners that shut or bullied others out of the governorship race.
    But Amosun had maintained the candidature of Akinlade and candidates was based on a consensus method allowed by the constitution of the party.
    He advised  that whoever is not comfortable with the arrangement was at liberty to contest it at a “direct primary” to be organised the party on the set date.
    And in what appeared like a desperate bid by the Governor to douse the tension and also confer popular acceptance on  the emergence of Akinlade as consensus governorship candidate of the party, APC members from across the three Senatorial districts were invited to Abeokuta for a meeting where each of the districts at different times, took turn to  endorse the candidature of Akinlade.
    On Saturday which was the turn of the Ogun East, they were ushered into a hall where the State Party chairman presented Akinlade to them, demanding if they were accepting or rejecting him as the party’s consensus candidate, after he had reminded everybody of the zoning of the governorship slot to Ogun West.
    Speaking on behalf of the Ogun East senatorial district, the senatorial party chairman, Alhaji Bayo Yakub, said the leaders and members of the senatorial district, agreed with the zoning arrangement and called for support for the governor.
    The Ogun East APC later endorsed him through a motion moved by Oladunjoye and he was supported by the Majority leader, Ogun State House of Assembly, Yinka Mafe, who represents Sagamu 1 Constituency.
    Yakub admitted that there were dissenting voice to the choice of Akinlade but claimed that some of the dissenters were not genuine members since they are not card carrying members of the party.
    But Oladunjoye in a statement has since disclosed that he moved the motion under “duress” and yielded to the pressure of threat in order to preserve his life.
    “Purported endorsement of Hon. Abdulkadiri Adekunle Akinlade as Ogun State APC “Consensus Candidate” by Ogun East Senatorial District APC: I was threatened  to move the funny motion.
    “Myself and other leaders of Ogun East Senatorial District of APC invited to an emergency meeting at the Government House Oke Igbehin this(Saturday) morning for 10am
    “On getting there the Governor decided to have a meeting with the Senatorial District Executives. Since I was not a member of the Senatorial executives, I was outside waiting along with others.
    “At a point, the Governor sent the Party Secretary, Hon. Dare Ogunde to call me in. I was surprised and as I got in I wondered why I was invited as I met the meeting rounding up to go to the underground hall of the Government House Okeigbein.
    “When the issue of Ogun East having to endorse the “Yewa Consensus Candidate” was raised by the Senatorial Chairman, Alhaji Yakubu, I raised my hand to speak after few speakers have spoken.
    “As I stood up to speak, and in the open, the  State Party Chairman Chief Derin Adebiyi called me in the presence of everybody to come to the other side of the table where he sat with other leaders and whispered into my ears that I must praised the Governor and move motion of endorsement, else dire consequences await me.
    “It was a threat I never expected and right there at the Government House, I had no choice than to do so-called endorsement under duress, as my life was under threat. As a trained journalist, I was taught of  “safety first.”
    “As I left the venue, I realized that I have to first secured my safety before making any clarification. Arriving at my new location now, I want the whole world to know that I NEVER made any intentional endorsement but was threatened to do so. This clarification became necessary to put the records straight.
    “I challenge the party leaders and Governor Ibikunle Amosun to bring out the raw video of the meeting. Even when I said  it was the Governor who called the meeting, Chief Derin shouted back at me and insisted openly that I should change it that it wasn’t the Governor that called the meeting. All these were on tape, even as the Commissioner for Information, Chief Dayo Adeleye, was ditching out orders that no one should take photographs or record video.
    “In a situation like this, I consider safety first. The general public should kindly disregard any purported moving of “motion” by me. It was a set-up backed with the force of threat.
    “I am also announcing my resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC), to face  my professional calling fully as I have a second office address and cannot continue to endure with political shenanigans.
    The charade of a motion was witnessed by nothing less than 15 print, broadcast and online journalists, including State Correspondents of leading national dailies and I call on them all as witnesses.
    “I thank the party and the Governor of Ogun  State for the opportunity given to me to serve the state previously. Please join me and my family in your prayers,” he stated.

  • Man, 28, arraigned for allegedly raping woman to death

    A 28-year-old man, Kelvin Michael, who allegedly raped a woman to death, was yesterday arraigned in Ota, Ogun.

    Michael Tunde Akinola,  of  No. 21 Abebi St., Sango-Ota, is facing murder charge at an Ota Magistrates’ Court.

    A state counsel, Mr. Bale Nimnan, told the court that the accused committed the offence on August  14 at 11.00 a.m. at his residence in Sango-Ota.

    Nimnan said the accused had several rounds of sex with the 40-year-old woman, Monsura Idowu, which resulted in her death.

    Counsel to the accused, Tunde Akinola,  urged the magistrate to grant the accused pending advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

    He noted that since advice from the DPP usually takes a long time, the accused may be locked up  longer than necessary.

    Most accused persons stay between five to six years in prison pending DPP’s advice, he said.

    The offence contravened Section 325 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun, 2006.

    In his ruling, Chief Magistrate Mathew Akinyemi, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

    Akinyemi said the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and should be gainfully employed with evidence of tax payment to the Ogun Government.

    The case was adjourned until Oct. 19.

  • Ogun launches App for health insurance scheme

    The Ogun State government has launched and deployed the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) mobile devices in implementing its community-based Health Insurance Scheme, called Araya, to make health care service delivery more efficient, reliable and dependable across the state.

    The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye, spoke at the Araya ICT deployment training and handover of the mobile devices to third party administrators, organised by the Ministry of Health in Abeokuta, the state capital.

    In a statement by his media aide, Mrs. Omolala Awolana, the commissioner noted that the new development would ensure programmatic efficiency and support the rapid scale up of the intervention.

    He added that the implementation processes of the scheme, which is paper-based, would be done technologically, thereby shortening the period between registration and the linkage of the client to service.

    Ipaye said: “A health insurance is a big business globally. So, to bring about programmatic efficiency, we sort the approval of the governor to bring ICT into play. What we are doing today is to launch the introduction of ICT to help us drive the efficiency in the implementation of this special project.”

    The commissioner urged the third party administrators to effectively use the devices given to them and show commitment and dedication to their duty as a service provider.

    He said this would make health care service delivery easier for the residents of the state.

    Two of the third party administrators at the training, Mr. Damilola Sodiya and Mrs. Ogunwe Olukemi, expressed appreciation to the government for the innovation and intervention.

    They assured the users that the device would be effective deployed for the success of the scheme.

     

  • ADC gives automatic ticket to 118 legislators

    Fix Oct. 6 for Presidential primary

     

    Ahead of the 2019 general election, the African Democratic Congress rewarded 118 federal and state legislators who joined the party with automatic ticket, while planning to nominate its Presidential candidate on the 6th of October.

    National Chairman of the party, Chief Ralph Nwosu who disclosed this at the National Executive Committee meeting of the party in Abuja said the party decided to reward the lawmakers for coming out boldly to identify with the fastest growing party in Nigeria (ADC) at a crucial time in the history of the country’s democracy.

    He said that among those to benefit from the automatic ticket are five senators, Eighteen members of the House of Representatives and Ninety five me,bets of state Houses of Assembly.

    The ADC Chairman said, “We need to honour and appreciate them because they abandoned the ruling and bigger parties for a party that is just gathering momentum.

    “The development can be attributed to the fact that the lawmakers and Nigerians at large have agreed that an end must come to anarchy, insecurity, lack of focus and terrorism in Nigeria. And the best platform, right now, is ADC. They are from Adamawa, Ondo, Osun, Imo, Ebonyi, Ogun and Oyo states, among others.”

    Speaking on the party’s preparedness for the 2019 elections, Nwosu said that the primaries for aspirants contesting for the House of Assembly elections would hold on September 29, 2018, while governorship primaries would hold on October 2, 2018.

    He said the the party has also scheduled National Assembly primaries for hold October 4, 2018, and presidential, October 6, 2018, pointing out that “Aspirants have been coming to take forms for the presidential primaries. We will unveil our aspirants very soon”.

    He disclosed that the ADC has launched a campaign against vote buying and electoral corruption under the name: Coalition for Electoral Integrity, saying “We invite the media and the general public to join the party in enlightening the Nigerian electorate that trading their votes for money means mortgaging a very bright future and we must stop that”.

    He described ADC is a vision driven grassroots political party with Role-Modelling Leadership paradigm and is not in the ridiculous ‘Harvest-Bazaar’ money politics and ‘godfatherism’.

    Read Also: ADC to hold State congress to elect leaders in Ogun

    Speaking on the forthcoming Osun State governorship election, Nwosu said the party was confident of victory, pointing out that the party has received letters from labour unions, civil servants and other pressure groups in the state showing great support for the party’s candidates.

    Nwosu said, “We are assuring Osun State workers and the people, who, on their own, have shown great support for ADC’s Governorship candidate, Alhaji Fatai Akinbade and his running mate, Rtd Justice Folahanmi Oloyede, based on their excellent public service records, that our candidates will take them away from the grip of insensitive leaders and lead them far away from poverty

    “The people of Osun should be assured that we will always stand by them at all times and will not betray the confidence reposed in us. We are set to hit the ground on September 15, 2018, with our mega rally, as the first step towards taking the state to the path of prosperity.”