The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ONDO

  • Ondo, Plateau, Bauchi governors confirm participation at Edo summit

    AS preparations for the 2018 Alaghodaro Summit hits high gear, the governors of Ondo, Plateau and Bauchi states have confirmed they will be at the event, which marks the second anniversary of the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration in Edo State.

    The summit, tagged Edo Summit, has the theme: ‘Edo of Our Dreams: Investing in Our People.’

    It is the second in the Alaghadaro summit series. This year’s edition will showcase the government’s achievements in health care, education and job creation.

    A statement by Special Adviser, Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, confirmed that Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu; Plateau State Governor  Simon Lalong, and Bauchi State Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar, would attend the summit in Benin, Edo State.

    “As has been the tradition of Alaghodaro series, we are going to host three state governors, who have confirmed attendance. They are Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State; Mr. Simon Lalong of Plateau State and Alhaji Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar of Bauchi. We are also expecting a number of business leaders drawn from different segments of the economy. All these go to show the premium placed on this all-important event.”

    He said the summit would focus on the people, especially how the government was improving lives, enhancing access to affordable primary health care, and revamping basic education.

    Alaghodaro 2018 kicks off on Friday, November 9, with the EdoJobs Job Fair/Summit, from 9 am to 12 am; Women’s Summit, 11 am to 4 pm; and a Concert, 6 pm to 10 pm.

    On Saturday, November 10, the Governor’s Cup Golf Tournament will hold, while on Sunday, November 11, an Interdenominational Thanksgiving takes place, about 10 am, with a  Luncheon at 2 pm.

    The Edo Summit will climax the events on Monday, November 12, about 8 am.

  • NANS to embark on nationwide assessment tour of tertiary institutions

    The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) said on Friday that it would soon embark on a nationwide assessment tour of tertiary institutions in the country.

    The National President, NANS, Danielson Bamidele, disclosed this in an interview  in Abuja on Friday.

    Bamidele said that the tour became necessary in view of the poor state of infrastructure in tertiary institutions across the country.

    “We feel that government needs to do more.

    “In fact we are going to embark on campus tour to document all those dilapidated structures that TETFund has failed to do with the huge sum of money given to them over the years.

    “We are documenting all those things. We have a committee working on it  headed by myself, we are going to move round and ascertain all these things and even present it for you to see that  the state of structures of our campuses are quite dilapidated.

    “With Kick backs here and there, people give with one hand and collect with left hand,  until we meet  with TETFund  and push this issues to them.

    “And maybe after our nationwide tour then we will be able to address properly,’’ he said.

    On the increase of tuition fees by some tertiary institutions, Bamidele urged the government to address the issue to reduce the burden already felt by parents and guardians.

    Read Also: University Professor commits suicide in Makurdi

    “If you go to the various institutions in this country you see tuition been increased from even N30 N35, 000 to as high as N250,000 to N300,000.

    “I give you example of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akumba Akoko, I will give you an example of University of Medical Sciences in Ondo town.

    “One just happened recently in Rivers states University of Science and Technology and it took our intervention to claim that they did not but that was what they were actually doing.

    “They even went as far as threatening some of our members until I was involved before they said they were not increasing and this is  something that has been persistent.,

    “And off course this is something we feel that the minimum wage that is been paid is not even enough even the one we are agitating that they should increase is not even enough to pay the school fees of a child and yet we have parents who have two three children in tertiary institutions.

    “What do you expect them to do? So we feel that t is outrageous and they should off course help us acquire education instead of making every frantic attempt to keep us in illiteracy,’’ he added.

    NAN

  • Ondo: Akeredolu urged to intervene in Akure North APC crisis

    Sharing of political positions within the 12 wards of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akure North local government area of Ondo State is causing ripples.

    Stakeholders have urged Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to intervene in the affairs of the most political ‘volatile’ local government in the state to guarantee victory in future elections.

    Some party leaders in the area have said they were satisfied with the emergence of Abiodun Faleye as the party’s flag bearer for its state constituency, instead of another aspirant, Dele Ologun.

    The communique was jointly signed by 11 ward chairmen and the vice chairman, Mrs Olufunke Adu, and Secretary, Gbenga Fadeyi, among other party leaders, after an emergency meeting in Oba-Ile, Akure.

    The chairman of the party in the local government, Joshua Eleti, had, however, described the candidature of Faleye as an imposition, saying Ologun should be recognised by the national body.

    But the communique noted that it would be unfair to other communities in the local government, if the House of Assembly candidate and the Local Government chairman emerged from the same ward out of 12 wards in the area.

    It noted that the party primary conducted in the local government reflected the wishes of the generality of the party members, where Faleye won the primary with 7,947 votes as against Dele Ologun’s 2,742.

    The party stakeholders said INEC and security personnel were on ground that day to witness the primary elections as directed by the national secretariat.

    They stressed that at a meeting attended by Senator Tayo Alasoadura, party chairman, Eleti, and other leaders, it was unanimously agreed that the council chairman should come from Itaogbolu.

  • Suspected Herdsmen attack farmers in Ondo

    Hoodlums suspected to be herdsmen on Friday attacked farmers at Nirowo forest along Benin – Ore express way in Odigbo local government of Ondo State.

    Some of them were shot in the process and now receiving medical attention in an undisclosed hospitals in Ore.

    One of the victims, Sunday Wekoyo was said to have narrowly escaped death with gunshot wounds.

    Wekoyo ,an indigene of Ebonyi State was said to be a farmer and hunter in the forest for about five years.

    While narrating his ordeal on the hospital bed,he said “I was in the forest to check my traps before a group of the herdsmen numbering about 12 , who I initially thought were local vigilante group, ordered me to come closer before they opened fire on me .

    ” Out of fear, I moved near them, they pointed their guns, that was how I quickly climbed my motorcycle, and in my attempt to flee , they released the bullets on me . I became so weak immediately but managed to walk some distance to a near by camp where I sought assistance”

    He said this was not the first time herdsmen would be terrorizing them in the forest but has always been lucky.

    The leader of the vigilante group in Ore, Olawale Aboyede confirmed the incident.

    He said he was in the farm when he heard about the incident and has to quickly mobilize his men to rescue the victim to the hospital.

    Read Also: Ekiti lawmaker shot by unknown gunmen

    Aboyede said he suspected that the bandits were syndicate who migrated from another country to unleash terror on them.

    He said “from our finding , we heard that these herdsmen are not from Nigeria, they came from Niger Republic to kidnap, steal, kill and make money in the forest” .

    Aboyede narrated how one of their victims, a pastor,was kidnapped and later killed last year.

    He commended the police force for doing their best,stressing that the area is a difficult terrain and the expanse of the forest which he described as very huge with a boundary across Osun , Oyo and Ogun state.

    Besides, he urged the state government to come to their aid by empowering the locals with little stipends to construct check points at the old Benin – Ore toll gate to be be manned by Military men in order to checkmate activities of criminals

    The police spokesman,Femi Joseph, a Superintendent of Police(SP) could not be reached for comments on the incident.

  • Ondo approves N1.5b CBN loan for youths in agric

    In fulfilling his promise to make agriculture attractive to the youths, Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has approved N1.5 billion Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Agricultural Development Scheme loan to assist participants in the state’s “Youth-On-The-Ridges” programme.

    The project is among several policies of the state meant to create jobs for youths.

    The State Executive Council (Exco) approved the release of the money to enable the youths access the CBN Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme.

    Over 18,000 youths are currently participating in the agricultural programme of the state government.

    The facility will attract a single-digit interest rate designed to enable the participants become successful agro-preneurs.

    The 18,000 youths are selected from the 18 local government areas of the state and are trained in the best practices of agriculture.

     

  • Ondo promotes 1,800 primary school teachers

    As part of its efforts to boost the morale of teachers and improve the quality of education at the primary school level, the Ondo State government has rolled out promotion letters for 1, 800 primary school teachers in the state.

    The teachers were promoted after a rigorous screening exercise carried out by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).

    The beneficiaries reportedly scored high marks in characters assessment and performed well in the examination and interview conducted for them.

    Speaking on the development, the Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Ondo State chapter, Victor Amoko, commended the state government for the ‘kind’ gesture.

    Amoko, while speaking with newsmen, said that the promotion was timely as it would boost the morale of the teachers in the state.

    Amoko called on the state government to recruit more teachers in the state. According to him, education has improved under Governor Akeredolu, but added that it can be  improved when adequate teachers with quality are recruited to the state’s schools.

    Meanwhile, the state government has sunk more than 30 boreholes and renovated 100 others in Akure North Local Government Area of the state.

    The chairman of the state water agency, the State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASA), Yetunde Adeyanju, said her team began work in the rehabilitated.

    “Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has given us the mandate to repair a minimum of 100 boreholes and to sink 30 new ones in the local government area. We have mapped out how to achieve this,” the RUWASA boss said.

  • Ooni picks new queen, a Prophetess

    Several months after the crash of his marriage to Benin princess, Zainab Otiti Obanor, the  Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi picks New Queen
    He announced the cheering news on his Instagram few hours after his 44th birthday.
    “I waited patiently upon the Almighty,the King of kings,
    He eventually did it amidst trials.  Oluwaseyi Naomi the greatest arsenal you can apply on this revered throne  with many rules and regulations and undiluted tradition, heritage and culture is the fear of God which is the beginning of wisdom. You are welcome home my beautiful adorable queen.”
    The bride, Naomi, 25 is a prophetess and founder EN-HERALD  prophetic and interdenominational ministry based in Akure, Ondo State.

    She started public ministry at the age of eighteen and became a full time evangelist in October 2011.

  • ‘We may not vote for male candidates’

    Women in Ondo state on Wednesday demanded for equal gender representation in democracy, stressing that they are marginalised in politics.

    Addressing reporters in Akure, the Ondo state capital, the Coordinators, Women For Women, Restoration of the Dignity of Womanhood and Women Alert groups, Mrs Olamide Falana, Mrs Olabisi Omolona and Mrs Kehinde Adewole-Alli respectively vowed not to mobilize women to cast their votes for any political party if something was not done before the general elections.

    The pressure groups maintained that women have what it takes to rule, stressing that they should be allowed to contest favourably in any post in the forthcoming election.

    Falana, Omolona and Adewole-Alli therefore demanded 35 percent female representation in all socio-political and economic sectors.

    They said”Political party should give us the opportunity to participate in the general elections, we are now cries out of our 35 percent right across the political board for us to be liberated. We have been marginalized across the political party.

    Read Also: 700m people unable to meet basic daily needs – UN

    “Ondo state government should also consider us in appointment, we are also good in various offices not only in the kitchen or bedroom, we are not happy with the situation, government must do something now.

    “Ondo women are united in order to move the state forward, we want political empowerment for our young ones and widows”.

    The groups however explained that women in the state were prepared to participate fully in all political activities if given the opportunity.

  • APC chieftain calls for unity in Ondo

    The All Progressives Congress (APC)lawmaker representating Idanre/Ifedore  constituency in the House of Representatives, Bamidele Baderinwa (White) yesterday observed that the present bickering among supporters of the party in Ondo State may have adverse effect on its fortune in future elections.

    He however,  hailed the efforts of the National Working Committee (NWC) at restructuring the party.

    Baderinwa spoke with reporters after collecting INEC form CF001 confirming him as the candidate of APC for Idanre/Ifedore Federal Constituency in 2019 general elections.

    The lawmaker who commended the system put in place by the national leadership for the primaries stressed the need for party loyalists to respect party’s constitution, rules and regulations in every conduct.

    He said”I believe in the party supremacy and feel other stakeholders should key into this and work in tandem with laid down rules of the party”.

    “Let all those that have genuine

    interest of the party follow the procedure of the party and align with what the NWC of the party want in the interest of building a virile party that can withstand every political storm”.

    Baderinwa promised to improve on what he had impacted on the people of his constituency if given the opportunity to represent them again.

    He urged all party members to support the change mantra of the APC in order to transform the Nation and rebuild the economy in line with best practices across the world.

    The lawmaker however believed in the performance of the NWC led by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and the National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu which according to him is in the interest of party members.

    He appealed to party members to start mobilisation and work towards the victory of the APC in the 2019 general elections.

     

  • Ex-Ondo Speaker, APC aspirants petition NWC over primaries

    A coalition of Aggrieved All Progressives Congress(APC) Aspirants in Ondo on Thursday met in Akure,the state capital on the latest political development in the state.

    They discussed on how they were ‘unjustly’ disenfranchised from participating in the National/State Assemblies primaries purportedly conducted last Friday.

    A communique issued after the meeting jointly signed by its chairman, who is a former Speaker of the house, Kenneth Olawale and group’s Secretary,Kabiru Hassan urged their supporters to remain calm,stressing that efforts were being made within the ambit of the law to get justice on the matter.

    The group noted that the decision of the National Working Committee(NWC) of the party to reject the list of candidates allegedly concocted by the leadership of the party in the state was applauded by over 60 percent of the Aspirants in attendance at the meeting.

    Also, some members of the APC loyal to a Senatorial Aspirant, Prince Adeyemi Foluso said they were disappointed over the outcome of the primaries.

    At a rally in Ikare-Akoko, headquarters of Akoko Northeast, the spokesman of Adeyemi Foluso Campaign Organisation, Told Olowo-Okere said they would influence their principal to pull-out of the ruling party because of its shortcomings on the shadow election.

    According to him, they would seek other platform with genuine internal democracy to realise their goals.

    But,Foluso urged his supporters to remain calm, stressing his decision on the issue would come after the meeting with the national leadership of the APC.