The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ondo state

  • Inside Nigeria’s troubled fishing waters

     Despite Nigeria’s rich aquatic flora and fauna, the country spends a whopping s N198billion annually to import fish. This is not due to the diminishing aquatic life but is a result of socioeconomic policies, insecurity in the waterways amongst other things, which have turned the once thriving fishery business into a no-go area for prospective investors. In this report, Charles Okonji examines the issues 

    This is certainly not the best of times for players in the fishery sub sector and the reason is not far to seek: the boom associated with the business is gone as local players are practically struggling to remain in the once thriving business.

    An eye opener

    Orianu Igbasanmi is a fish farmer from Ilaje in Ondo State, who in a manner of speaking was born into fishing business by virtue of his parents being fish farmers themselves. Like his father, Orianu has traversed nearly all the coastlines within the South West and South South, plying his trade.

    Sharing his experience in the last 10 years, he says business has been anything but lucrative.

    Expatiating, Orianu who used to have three fishing trawlers lamented that these have been out of use since due to lull in business, coupled with other problems, clearly beyond his control.

    Orianu is not alone. Things are no longer what it used to be in the sector  which hitherto held a lot of promise.

    The devil is in the details 

    According to the data obtained from International Trade Statistics (ITS), the country’s annual fish import is on the increasingly alarming. ITS statistics shows that in 2018 alone, the country total import bill on fish hit N198.5 billion ($543.92 million). For this reason, smuggling activities in the sector and insecurity and sea piracy kept the Nigerian fish sector below expectation.

    Dissecting issues in the sector

    An expert in fisheries and aquaculture with

    decades of experience in the Nigerian fishing and aquatic terrain, Remi Ahmed, the MD/CEO, Choice Fisheries Co. Ltd has blamed the woes of the sector on poor policy formulations and weak enforcement.

    In an interview with The Nation, he said, “If you take look at Nigeria’s population today, it is over 200 million, which is very important to fish production and consumption. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended that an average person should eat 20 kilograms of fish annually. If we have to eat up to 20 kilograms of fish on the average, then we should be aiming at producing up to 4.4 million metric ton per annum, but at the moment, we are only producing 700,000 tons per annum.

    Read Also: 20 killed, 100 houses set ablaze in Benue over fishing pond

    “You could see the deficit. Just like I introduced on what we were producing on only one plant and that is CHI in 1996 up to the year 2001. But all of a sudden it went down the drain. This mishap was as a result of poor policy implementation and management pattern.”

    Ahmed said 

    We have been agitating for proper policy framework and implementation in the sector but to no avail. Though I have been striving to get involved with the constituted committee in several occasions when the policy are been drafted for aquaculture in this country. We have been canvassing for what we call road stock bank. What we mean by road stock banking is where you get a very veritable parent stock of fish. And when you produce with it, it will grow faster and bigger, it will be decisively free and everything will be alright. You convert the feeds very well.

    When I was with CHI, the feed we were using was not imported; we produced it ourselves and majorly from our factory waste and this was because the plant was into production of chicken. A lot of broiler, drenched daily, produced daily as well as shrimps bill which we used to the produce for export. So from this a lot of waste is generated, which includes the chicken blood, intestine, the head and so on gets into our feeds.

    The growth I can tell you is that in 16 weeks, we normally have 1.2kg by the year 2001 when the stakeholders were canvassing for the so called broods stock bank, which is not yet there. It is not easy for a practitioner to go into research of rearing broods stock because, a lot of inputs go into it, right from selection, taking good ones and discard the bad ones and so on. Like I used to tell people in those days, when we were producing fingerlings (baby fishes), the last badge we normally flush it into the gutter.

    I challenge all the fish farmers in Nigeria today, nobody is doing that. These are the ones we know will not perform very well in terms of growth, and they the ones that will attract infections and diseases. For such stuck, all of them are been stocked and what we have for it is not encouraging. However, in the same period of 16weeks we normally have 1.2kg but at present, we can only boast of  getting up to 400gram.

    This ugly trend has continued until most stakeholders started believing that made in Nigeria feed is not good enough, so we went into massive importation of made foreign fish meal. As you can see the cost of bringing it down to the country pushes up the market prices of locally grown fish.

    Poor regulation on quality

    Again, due to absence of proper quality inspections and regulations; the producers of these imported feed send to us substandard quality, hence, majority of these imported feeds are not what the manufacturers are claiming. Most of them claim that feed conversion ratio of 1:0 and when you carry out trial test on them you will discover that majority of them will fail the confirmatory test, and some of them are very comfortable in this feed conversion ratio of 1:3 which is to say, if you give 1.3kg then you can only realise 1kg of flesh. Whereas, when I was doing it at CHI, we achieved 980 gram, I normally have 1kg flesh. I proved it in France and it was seen as a black man doing miracle. So, all these imported feeds kept coming into the country, but businessmen kept importing and kept making business out of it.  They don’t care whether the feed is capable of growing fish or not. I remember the top breedist plant in Lagos has gone underground. What killed this plant is imported feeds. If you see these feeds, it looks like tablet you can swallow, it is very neat.

    The nutritional content of these imported feed is not suitable for catfish and some other species. It will always lead to low productivity and loss of funds at the long run.

    Bridging the huge supply gap

    It can only be bridged if our national  fishing routes are adequately protected, and the trawlers well secured. It is also very important to note that longstanding fish farmers should be drafted into the boards that formulate regulatory policies for the sector for a positive growth.

    For instance, I started the modern aquaculture and fishery in this country when I was working for CHI, the makers of Caprison and Chivita. In the plant owned by CHI, we were producing 400 tons per annum and all of a sudden the whole thing went down and we were struggling to get half of that produced.

    When you talk of the aquaculture level or production in the fishery industry in this country today, we don’t have good data system, but like what the Minister have been quoting that we are producing 0.7billion metric ton per annum.

    You can recall that Ben Harley, a fish producing company formerly at Ijora, crashed out of business as a result of bad fish meal that was imported and the company went into debt. Though, it was doing very well before the advent of massive importation of substandard foreign fish feed.

    Notwithstanding trade restrictions on the sector, fish import from Japan increased to $48.6 million, indicating 97.8 percent upward movement. Similarly, Nigeria import bill from Norway in 2018 stood at $12.78 million.

    With data provided by the ITS it was discovered that the nation’s total global fish imports hit N198.5 billion ($543.92 million) in 2018.

    It was gathered that Pacific mackerel from Japan, which was $500 per tonne, has forced prices of Norwegian fish down by 67 percent from $1,500per tonne.

    Fish import 

    The document reports that Japan’s fish exports to Nigeria rose from $1.04 million or 2.14 percent in 2016 to $48.62 million (97.8 per cent) in 2018.

    The total global supplies of pelagic fish to the country are expected to reach between 20 million and 21 million metric tonnes in 2019.

    Statistics by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) revealed that three of the vessels had berthed with 3,509.3 tonnes at Rivers Port in Port Harcourt, while seven were at Lagos Port Complex with 27,316 tonnes.

    At the Port Harcourt Port Complex are MV Delta Reefer with 1,191.71 tonnes, MV Libra, 747.751 and Super Maritime, 1,569.84 tonnes. Also, at the Apapa Bulk Terminal Limited (ABTL), Lagos Port are Nova Zeelandia with 3,900 tonnes and Green Klipper, 3,000 tonnes. Other vessels laden with 10, 409 tonnes at ENL Consortium terminal at Lagos Port are MV Runaway Bay with 5,631 tonnes; Frio Las Palmas, 4,130 tonnes; Baltic Forward, 5,355 tonnes; Sierra Laurel, 4,000 tonnes and Orange Spirit, 1,300 tonnes.

    However the Federal Department of Fisheries (FDF) stated that the total demand for fish in the country was over 3.6 million tonnes, while domestic production was 1.027 million tonnes, stating that Nigeria’s fish deficit was 2.233 million tonnesper annum.

    According to FBNQuest Capital, not much is earned from the aquatic sector of the nation’s economy. Aquaculture has continued an integral part of Nigeria’s agriculture sector, with annual fish demand estimated at 3.3 million metric tons (mmt).

    The FBNQuest Capital explained that the present fish consumption level of the country (1.2mmt), which led to increased import bill necessitated government intervention.

    The report states; “The sector continues to suffer from poor access to credit and based on the credit extension data for Q2 2018 as agriculture received just 3.5 percent of total credit allocation. The nation’s accounts for Q2 2018, fisheries contracted by -1.3 percent y/y, compared with a growth of 4.2 percent recorded in the previous quarter, accounting for 2.1 percent of total agricultural GDP in Q2.

    “Nigeria’s per capita fish consumption is 13kg, significantly lower than the global average of 21kg.

    “In addition, it said industrial (trawling) fish farming accounted for only 7 percent of the total, indicating that commercial fisheries segment is still largely untapped.

    “The harsh business environment has slowed fishing activity; the cost of trawling has more than doubled over the past few years due to high operational costs.”

  • Morality and the next level

    Universities, including the ones mushrooming in today’s Nigeria are complex organizations with their objects, rituals, values and patterns of relations all aimed at producing and extending the frontiers of knowledge.  Even in spite of the fact that intellectual essence is the raison d’etre of the university system, the moral content is not toyed with.  Little wonder degrees are awarded on the basis of academic integrity and character. One who excels in academics without the accompanying character quotient is deemed incomplete and denied of a university degree.

    Perhaps realizing this ideal, the authorities of the Methodist Church of Nigeria in their head-hunting exercise for a university leader whose rounded vision is not in doubt went after their own who would lay both the academic and moral bases for their then newly established university (Wesley University, Ondo, Ondo State).

    The book being presented to the public today is a product of the moral and spiritual crusade genuinely and zealously pursued by ‘Tola Badejo as a Vice-Chancellor of the University for seven years that he spent.

    The book is in five chapters. The first chapter which is titled Moulding Lives in Wesley University, Ondo for Seven Odd Years dwells on how the idea of a weekly SERMON to the students of his university came about. Badejo had assumed office on April 1, 2008, alongside two Principal Officers. His first assignment as a Vice-Chancellor was to gather the workers for prayers. Since he is himself a prayer warrior, he had no problem accepting the idea of a weekly Monday Morning Devotion which was mooted by Mrs. Atuloma, the first Registrar of the University.  As the prayers and moral lessons grew in number, he christened it My Commandments. Like an oak, these commandments have become a reference point in the proper management of the University system in Nigeria.

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    The introductory chapter also gives an overview of challenges, opportunities, achievements and legacies recorded by WUSTO in its first seven years under the commendable leadership of Prof. Badejo. This chapter in my view is also a charge for continuity with the robust achievements of the years he spent building the university in all ramifications.

    The second chapter, Exploring the Character of Building Traits in the Nigerian Youth is clearly on moral regeneration which is central to the vision and mission of WUSTO as a faith-based university interested in not only producing future Nobel Laureates, but also moulding the character of its students. This chapter uses “quotable quotes” of personalities both local and international to spice the great moral lessons which the author dishes out to the students.  These lessons border on selflessness, humility, attitude, character and integrity.

    In chapter three, How to Achieve Excellence, explains how the author himself got further “soaked” by his preachment to the students.  The virtues he constantly preached to the students became his guiding principles all through his administration in WUST to this day.  One of the things to learn from this chapter is that when leaders do what they preach the society is better for it. Conversely, when leaders engage in hypocrisy as our leaders at all levels are wont to do, society becomes more engulfed in all sorts of antediluvian displays and tendencies.

    Chapter four which is Overcoming the Vicissitudes of Life deals with issues of universal value like selflessness, excellence, perfection, positive thinking, trustworthiness, self-discipline, self-control, etc. which are essential if the society is to be livable.

    He repeats these principles which he expertly took from the SHAI philosophy almost to the point of absurdum because he considers them important pillars for a successful and joyous existence.  It is not surprising that the author is a man of experience with deep insights about life in all its dimensions.

    The last chapter is titled Identifying Obstacles to Progress in Life. This was originally a lecture delivered at Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo at the instance of the Jaycees International Club.  He identifies these obstacles as procrastination, inability to manage time, ignorance, cowardice, laziness, opportunism, retrogression, etc. In his view those who are to make it in life must “sail against the wind, if the wind is blowing in the wrong direction”.

    One of the good things about this book is the meta-critical touch to it as outstanding critics and intellectuals included their reviews in the book in its present format.  This gives the book a more intellectual and rounded gravitas. It is not all books that have this kind of input from scholars of international repute. Criticism is a branch of knowledge highly sought after and readers will have the benefit of this in this book.

    Badejo is not a trained priest and does not claim to be one but is guided by the injunctions he received as a child under the influence of the Methodist Church. He has seen it all from his student days to this level and has remained committed to these values.

    In these days when missionary-based schools are using priests as heads,it is important that these priests of their institutions it is important that this priest learn a lot from the Badejos through books of this nature. Badejo used his experience to navigate the complexities of the university system and left a legacy worthy of emulation by others. Priests who found themselves as university administrators, in their moral crusading activities should understand that the university system is not a seminary but a complex network of values, characters, and all forms of dispositions. This book is a handy material for them and all other seekers of knowledge and builders of the young people.

  • Akeredolu restates administration’s commitment to rid waterways of criminals

    Ondo State governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, on Friday, received in audience, officers of the Western Naval Command led by the Flag Officer Commanding, Rear Admiral Oladele Daji.

    Governor Akeredolu said his administration will continue to support and work with the Navy to secure the waterways and rid it of criminal elements.

    The Governor noted that since the protection of the waterways has been taken off individual and given to the Navy, calm has returned to the riverine area of the state.

    Read Also: Akeredolu drops three commissioners

    While stressing the importance of securing the waterways in the state, Akeredolu said due to the nature of the coastal area, more attention must be paid to securing the area so as to forestall security breach in the country.

    Speaking earlier, the Flag Officer Commanding, Rear Admiral Daji, who said he was visiting units under his command, appreciated the Governor for the support rendered to the Forward Operating Bases, Igbokoda in Ilaje Local government area of the state.

    He said: “The FOB Igbokoda has received tremendous support from the state government in terms of speed boat and operational vehicle. We are grateful.”

    The Commander also thanked the Governor for being a good host to the FOB Igbokoda and the Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Imeri.

     

  • Ex-Ondo deputy governor to appeal suit over entitlements  

    The  immediate past Ondo State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Lasisi Oluboyo, on Thursday faulted the judgment of an Akure High Court that declared him not qualified to benefit from the pension and other entitlements for governors and deputy governors for life.

    Oluboyo took over from Alhaji Ali Olanusi as deputy governor following the latter’s impeachment by the State House of Assembly during the Olusegun Mimiko administration.

    Oluboyo had not been paid the statutory pension more than two years after he left the office with Mimiko.

    Consequently, Oluboyo through his counsel, Olumide Ogidan, sought legal intervention to compel the government to pay his gratuity and pension running into millions of Naira.

    Other defendants in the suit are Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice and the State Pensions Board.

    In the suit file in the state high court, Oluboyo prayed for the payment of his rightful entitlements as former deputy governor.

    Oluboyo sought for “a declaration  that having assumed the office of the Deputy Governor of Ondo State and having served meritoriously in that capacity is entitled to the payment of arrears of his pension, allowances, benefits and all other entitlements due and payable to him as former Deputy Governor of Ondo State.”

    Read Also: Police arrest two bandits in Ondo

    Justice Bode Adegbehingbe said Oluboyo was not entitled to any pension since he was appointed contrary to the provision of the constitution.

    According to him, a deputy governor must be elected before he can benefit from the perquisite of office.

    Justice Adegbehingbe added that since the issue of pension is an issue between employee and employer, the best court to approach is the National Industrial Court(NIC)

    Oluboyo, however, said he would challenge the court’s decision at the appellate court.

    He maintained that his appointment followed due process, wondering the disparity between appointment and election of a deputy government, who had a joint ticket with the governor during election under a political platform.

     

  • Navy destroys 2,829 firearms surrendered by ex-Ondo militants, others

    The Nigerian Navy (NN) on Thursday started the manual destruction of 2,829 firearms recovered from participants in Ondo State Amnesty Programme and unserviceable weapons belonging to the service.

    The Nation reports that 475 of the firearms were service rifles of the Navy which were no longer useable, while 2,281 others were recovered last year from repentant militants in Ondo State.

    The exercise, which was organised by the Naval Ordinance Depot (NOD), Ojo, Lagos State, following an approval by the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, was the first since the depot’s establishment in 1966.

    According to the Admiral Superintendent NOD, Rear Admiral Abdul Adamu, the weapons comprises of 2,108 single-barrelled rifles, 57 units of double-barrelled rifles, 189 short guns, 187 FN (Fabrique Nationale) rifles, 215 SIG (Schweitzerische Industrie-Gasellschaft) rifles and 73 SMGs (sub-machine guns).

    “The depot was established in 1966 as a strategic naval establishment primarily responsible for the storage and issuance of arms and ammunition to NN fleet and establishments.

    “Its overtime roles expanded to include installation, servicing and on-demand maintenance of arms on board NN ships. The depot also caters for sister services in storing their ordinances from time to time.

    “The naval headquarters recently authorized the depot to destroy the unserviceable weapons, which comprised weapons seized from repentant militants by the Ondo State Amnesty Programme and unserviceable NN weapons. These consist of 2,108 single barrel rifles, 57 units of double-barrelled rifles, 189 short guns, 187 FN rifles, 215 SIG rifles and 73 SMGs, which are earmarked for destruction during this exercise.

    “It is also significant to state that the exercise will be conducted for two days to ensure that the weapons are rendered unusable. This would involve cutting of the barrels into tiny unusable pieces and finally burying the pieced weapons in a dug hole at the depot.

    “It is believed that this approach will permanently deny criminals and miscreants access to the seized weapons, which could pose security threats to the society.

    “Solving the problem of firearms proliferation is not for security agencies alone. These criminals are subsets of the society. Thankfully, the President has signed into law a bill that prohibits bearing of arms. The police are doing well in arresting and parading the local manufacturers as we usually see in the media.

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    “What the Navy has done with this exercise is another great step to stop the weapons from finding their way back into the society. So, I recommend that sister security services with such arms in their armouries or inventory should destroy them so that bad eggs within the system do not recycle these firearms back into the society and put them in the hands of these criminals.

    “In the custody of the Navy today, this is all we have to destroy. As you know, security is dynamic and these criminals keep evolving. But we are not sleeping also. Definitely, as we arrest them in future, I am sure the Navy will also approve their destruction.”

    The CNS, who was represented by Director of Arms Naval Headquarters, Rear Admiral Danjuma Dongoyaru, decried the proliferation of firearms.

    He noted that the destruction was part of measures to curb the menace.

    Acknowledging there were other use the metals could be put to, he said the navy didn’t want to take chances that could make the weapons land in the hands of criminals again.

    “There are other uses for the metals but we do not want to take chances. We do not want a situation whereby they will get into wrong hands and are fabricated again.

    “Moreover, in the process of disarmament, after you have seized the weapons you must destroy them even if they are brand new.

    “We see daily seizures by the security agencies. A lot of weapons are being displayed but I can tell you that is just a tip of the iceberg. Destroying these weapons is a means to curb firearms proliferation.

    “Allowing them find their way back into the society will amount to fetching water with a basket. What we expect is for other security services with such arms in their custody to also destroy them,” he said.

  • Police arrest one suspect as Ondo monarch escapes abduction

    The Iresi of Osi in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oba David Olajide, on Tuesday escaped abduction by suspected herdsmen on Akure-Owo highway, near Akure Airport, en route his community.

    Osi community is less than two kilometres to Akure Airport and the same tactics used to abduct a mother and her stepson on Sunday evening by suspected kidnappers were used.

    Also, the police command Tuesday arrested a herdsman for allegedly membership of a team of abductors that attempted to kidnap the monarch of Osi town.

    It was learnt that the kidnap attempt failed as Oba Olajide confronted the hoodlums.

    Read Also: Suspected kidnapper arrested in Ondo

    The monarch said Mrs Olawumi Adeleye, 25 and Destiny Paul, 14, were released yesterday and he took them to the police headquarters in Akure.

    He said on his return to Osi community, the herdsmen attacked to kidnap him but he escaped.

    Oba Olajide said: “After the release of the woman, I took her and her stepson to the police headquarters to hand them over to the police. On my way back home, the herdsmen blocked the road with their cows, the same way they did when they kidnapped the woman and her stepson on Sunday when they were returning from church.

    “As I got to the place, I slowed down my car and I saw them coming to attack me, but I managed to escape. They hit and damaged my car, but through the grace of God, I escaped.”

    Oba Olajide said one of the herdsmen was arrested and handed over to the police.

    Police spokesman Femi Joseph said the suspect was in the police custody for investigation.

    He added: “We have the suspect with us. We are already making efforts to arrest the fleeing members of the gang, and investigation has also commenced.”

  • Abducted mother, stepson regain freedom in Ondo

    A woman and her stepson who were abducted on Sunday evening in Osi community on Akure Airport Road in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, have reportedly regained their freedom.

    Mrs Olawumi Adeleye, 25 and Destiny Paul, 14, were abducted on their way to church in a Lexus car.

    Read Also: ‘My husband takes care of his Mother than our kids’

    The suspected kidnappers were said to have used cows to block the road, which obstructed the path of the victims.

    Their assailants reportedly damaged the car.

    A family source said an undisclosed ransom was paid to the abductors.

     

  • Suspected abductor arrested in Ondo

    The police in Ondo State have arrested a suspected member of a syndicate using military camouflage to terrorise the residents for ransom.

    It was learnt that the suspect, Victor John, was apprehended by soldiers from 32 Artillery Brigade of Owena Barracks in Akure, the state capital.

    A military source on Tuesday confirmed John’s arrest in a telephone chat with our correspondent.

    The source said the suspect was apprehended at Ore in Odigbo Local Government Area during a-stop-search operation.

    Read Also: Gunmen abduct mother, stepson in Ondo

    He said: “Our men, from the Anti-Kidnapping Squad, have recorded another feat after apprehending one suspect of a kidnapping group.

    “They arrested the suspect inside a vehicle during our stop-and-search operation which was carried out by our gallant officers on the road in Ore town.

    “After his arrest, he confessed to being a member of a kidnapping syndicate that had been terrorising residents of Ondo State.”

    The source said items found on the suspect included a military identity card and one locally-made gun.

     

  • Akeredolu: Dokubo committed to Niger Delta development

    Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) has praised coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Prof. Charles Dokubo, for his commitment to the development of the Niger Delta.

    A statement on Sunday by Dokubo’s media aide, Murphy Ganagana, said Akeredolu spoke in Abuja at the weekend when he visited Dokubo in his office.

    According to Akeredolu, the coordinator has, within a short period, demonstrated a clear commitment to the objectives of the Programme.

    “Well, it is not the first time I have met him. Prof. Dokubo is someone from Niger Delta and he is committed to this programme, that, he has shown today. He has a personal commitment to everything that has to do with Niger Delta because he is one of them. So, I see that in him, and he has shown it,” Akeredolu noted.

    The governor, however, urged the Federal Government to continuously assess and review participation in the programme to provide a window of opportunity for more youths in the Niger Delta to be included in the interventionist programme.

    According to him, expansion of the scope to accommodate more persons will take away a lot of unrest in the Niger Delta.

    The governor had visited Dokubo to solicit the inclusion of some Ondo youths into the programme. These youths had been disarmed and granted amnesty by the state government.

    He said: “We are here to discuss matters that have to do with amnesty as they affect our people in Ondo State. The meeting went well and we are going to work on our decisions.

    Read Also: Still on OBJ’s letter

    “I think a few things have been done by him (Dokubo), and from our discussions, there must be continuous assessment of this programme, at least, to be sure that people do not take advantage of it. If you have had been trained or you have gone to school, then use the benefit for yourself; don’t deny others the opportunity to come into the scheme.

    “If you have been to the university or you have been trained, and you still want to be collecting money; don’t deny others the opportunity to come into the scheme; it cannot be unending that you think that the government has all the money in this world to spend. People who have been trained should not be expected to be paid money. No, it is not right.

    “I think there must come a time where people who have completed the programme should exit so others can come in; there should also be a way the programme can accommodate them; which is what we anchored our discussion on. The Federal Government should look into it so that where there are people coming in, there should be budgetary provisions for them so that they can run this programme properly.”

    Prof. Dokubo, who thanked Akereodlu for the visit, explained that including more persons into the programme is an exclusive preserve of the President, and unless there was a presidential proclamation to accommodate more persons with budgetary expansion, he lacked the powers to take such decision.

    He, however, said the programme was willing to train non-benefitting youths at the world-class training facilities if state governments in the region were ready to pay monthly stipends of their delegates.

     

  • Akeredolu now SouthWest Governors Forum chairman

    Ondo State governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has emerged the chairman of the South West Governors’ Forum.

    Akeredolu emerged chairman of the group at a Special Security Meeting of Governors from the South West region, held at the Ondo State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja.

    The meeting was held to address the growing spate of insecurity in the South West Region.

    The governors announced their decision to hold a regional security summit that will bring all critical stakeholders together to brainstorm on how to stem the tide of insecurity in the region.

    The meeting was attended by the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde; Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola, and Governor Akeredolu.

    Akeredolu, who emerged by a unanimous decision of the forum, said, that the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission has been directed to coordinate the summit aimed at further promoting the developmental agenda of the South West region.

    Read Also: Akeredolu decries corruption in judiciary

    According to him, the commission would also examine modalities that will help stem the tide of banditry, kidnapping and insecurity in the zone vis-a-vis the national agenda and response.

    He said, “There’s urgent need to stem the tide of criminal activities and banditry in our region and as leaders, we must be proactive in our approach to addressing the issue.”

    The governor disclosed that a consulting firm, KPMG, has been appointed to review the tenure of the Group Managing Director (GMD) of Oodua Investment Company, which has all the South West state govenments as shareholders