The Nation Newspaper

Tag: others

  • Herdsmen’s kids, others to be immunised in Ondo

    Wives of Fulani herdsmen and those of Igbira residents in Ondo State have trooped out for the immunisation of children under five years against measles.

    The response of non-indigenes in Akoko camps to the immunisation excited health officials, who had insinuated that there would be apathy among the camps.

    Leader of the Fulani in Oyin-Akoko camp Alhaj Musa Fulani attributed their active participation to earlier sensitisation and meeting at the instance of Primary Health Care (PHC) at Okeagbe-Akoko in Akoko North West Local Government Area.

    It was a forum where non-indigenes were briefed on the benefits of free immunisation.

    The PHC Coordinator in the council, Dr Abdulazees Adewale, said the immunisation had met with 109 per cent target.

    The coordinator said his officials visited churches, mosques, camps and schools to immunise children.

  • FEC okays N6.97b for UN building security, others

    THE Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved N6.97 billion for provision of security equipment and associated infrastructure for the bombed United Nations (UN) building in Abuja.

    The building was bombed by terrorists in August 2011 with many innocent lives lost.

    Briefing State House correspondents at the end of FEC meeting, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Mohammed Bello said: “The council approved N6,972,986,898 billion for the contract for the provision of security equipment and associated infrastructure, including furnishing for UN building that is currently under construction in Abuja for a period of 12 months.

    “The UN building was bombed in August 2011 by terrorists that almost destroyed the entire building as well as led to the loss of lives.

    “At that time, as part of Nigeria’s commitment to the ideal of UN and the support and also as reciprocation of what the UN has done for this country over the years, the government decided to reconstruct the UN building. I’m very happy to say that the construction is almost completed.”

    He added: “But in order to secure the building properly against future attacks of the type that occurred in 2011, the UN at the highest level contacted the government of Nigeria and requested that some very critical security infrastructure needed to be put up in that building to enable the approximately 18 agencies of the UN that are presently housed in many buildings across Abuja relocate to the building.

    “The contract was awarded to the main contractor that constructed the building – that is messers Julius Berger PLC at N6,972,986,898.”

    The minister said the scope of the contract is to provide the latest level of security perimeter fencing that is capable of withstanding bomb blast as well as fortifying gates to the highest international standards, including creating three police posts.

    The scope, he said, also include the installations of body scanners, baggage scanners and the installation of close circuit television across the internal and external portions of the building.

    Minister of State for Aviation Hadi Sirika said the council approved a contract for the procurement and installation of very high frequency radio equipment in Kano, Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and 10 other airports in the country.

    The 10 other airports, he said, included Enugu, Calabar, Benin, Jos, Kaduna, Maiduguri, Sokoto and Ilorin.

    The new contract, he said, would improve radio communication and ensure that the whole country is adequately covered.

    “The total sum of the contract is N1,147,506,398.98 and the completion period is 20 months,” Sirika said.

  • UNICEF, others to tackle malnutrition

    The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has launched a programme to find solution to malnutrition among children and women in the country, especially in some states in Niger Delta.

    UNICEF, in a four-day Community of Practice Workshop on Nutrition in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, brought a team of nutrition experts to teach government modalities of tackling nutritional challenges.

    The workshop, which was organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, had representatives of Akwa Ibom, Rivers  and Delta states in attendance.

    UNICEF’s Communication Officer in Enugu Onuoha-Ogwe Ijeoma, in her presentation, solicited media assistance to create awareness on importance of nutrition.

    She said media tools were required to advance a social and public policy for required attitudinal change on nutrition.

    She said such tools would help to identify and proffer solution to policy gaps; mobilise community action plans and reach expected targets.

    A nutrition expert, Ngozi Onuorah, said the executive and the legislature should leverage their budgeting powers on behalf of children and mothers.

    She said state’s budget from children’s rights perspective should be probed and pressure mounted on the executive to ensure allocation of substantial resources to sectors relevant to children.

    “The legislature has the opportunity to question the executive during the budget debate and make nutrition and food security a budgetary priority,” she said.

    She appealed to stakeholders to advocate for increased budgetary allocation for sectors and institutions providing services for children, such as social protection, education and health.

  • Buhari, Abdulsalami, govs, others grace Dangote’s daughter’s wedding

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday  attended the grand wedding of Fatiha, daughter  of  business tycoon, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and her groom, Jamilu Abubakar, in Kano

    The  groom is a son of former Police Inspector-General, Muhammad Abubakar.

    The wedding took place at 12 noon at the Emir of Kano’s palace.

    It  was conducted by the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, and supported by the Chief Imam of Kano, Prof.  Sani Zaharaddeen.

    Buhari, in his capacity as the bride’s father, received the N500,000 dowry from the representative of the groom at the occasion.

    Other important personalities that graced the occasion include former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar (rtd) and House of Representatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara as well as some senators, governors, ministers and traditional rulers from across the country.

    Others were former National Security Adviser, Gen. Aliyu Gusau (rtd), members of the business community, politicians and members of the diplomatic corps, among others.

    The event, which was also attended by prominent Islamic scholars and other well wishers from across the country, witnessed a large turnout of workers from various companies owned by the renowned business mogul.

    Security at the occasion was tight as all the entrances leading to the palace were cordoned-off by heavily armed security operatives.

     

  • ICAN, others disagree over Forensic Bills

    The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and other groups yesterday disagreed over two bills -Bill for Chartered Institute of Forensic and Investigative Auditors (CIFIA), and the Bill for Chartered Institute of Forensic Accountants of Nigeria (CIFAN).

    The promoters of the two bills during a Senate public hearing said the main objective was to entrench forensic accounting and audit in financial investigations of public and private entities.

    This, according to them, would help in generating reports that could be tendered and admitted in court for the prosecution of financial crimes.

    Presenting their memoranda at the session, promoters of the CIFAN, Prof Usman Ali Awheela and CIFIA, Mrs. Victoria Ayishetu Enape complained that their members are not being allowed to practice forensic accounting and auditing as there was no enabling laws to that effect.

    Mrs. Enape said: “If the Bill for Chartered Institute of Forensic Accountants of Nigeria is passed, it will help Nigeria to have skilled professionals to deepen the fraud prevention, detection and preserve money in government treasury for infrastructural development that is fast disappearing in our country today.”

    She dismissed fears among stakeholders that the establishment of the proposed professional bodies would trigger conflict with ICAN and other existing accounting bodies.

    Also, Awheela argued that forensic accounting is the unique blend of education and experience in applying accounting, auditing skills and investigative techniques to uncover truth, form legal opinions in order to assist in litigation support.

    “Forensic accounting professionals provide assistance on cases which are primarily related to calculation and estimation of economic damages and related issues that include white-collar crimes,” Awheela added.

  • 10 feared dead, others injured in Abuja multiple accidents

    10 feared dead, others injured in Abuja multiple accidents

    ABOUT ten people, including a soldier,were said to have been feared dead yesterday, following  multiple road accidents on the Nyanya/Mararaba Road in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Abuja.

    The incidents, which were said to have happened at the popular Nyanya Tipper Garage, involved a truck belonging to a soft drink company and two others belonging to a construction company.

    Witnesses told The Nation that the accidents were as a result of brake failure of a truck heavily loaded with chippings and was descending the Kugbo hill.

    An eyewitness, who did not want his name in print, said the truck lost control and hit several other vehicles.

    “It was in that process that the second truck, which was equally loaded with chippings, brushed the soft drink truck which was  well loaded with crates of drinks and some other vehicles and fell down,” he added.

    Confirming the accidents, the Nyanya Unit Commander,  Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Micheal Agu, said the actual number of the casualties could not be ascertained, as the rescue operation was still ongoing.

    He, however, stated that many people who were affected had been rushed to both Nyanya General Hospital and Asokoro District Hospital.

    Another eyewitness said: “The number of people who died in the accidents and those who sustained injuries were not immediately available. One soldier, who was controlling traffic after the first accident, was said to have died on the spot after the second truck lost control and hit him.

    “Some injured persons were taken to Nyanya General Hospital; some to Asokoro General Hospital. I can’t say now their number. But one soldier was hit and he died instantly.”

    As at the time of filing this report when The Nation visited the scene, there was free flow of vehicles, as FRSC officials, soldiers, men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and Vehicle Inspector Officers (VIOs) have taken over the traffic of the area.

  • Katsina APC receives PDP decampees, others today

    Katsina APC receives PDP decampees, others today

    The Katsina State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will today be hosting grand reception for prominent politicians and their supporters who decamped to APC from the opposition parties in the state, including decampees from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

    A statement from the state chairman of APC, Alhaji Shitu Shitu and made available to newsmen, said the prominent names of decampees include: Senator Ibrahim Idah; Former Speaker Katsina State House of Assembly,  Rt. Hon. Ya’u Umar Gwajo-Gwajo and his associates; Former Director General, PDP Katsina State Campaign Organization for 2015 general election, Alh. Bature Umar Masari,

    Other decampees are: Former Commissioner for Agriculture, Musa Adamu Funtua and 264 former councilors of the PDP; Former Chairman, the Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM),   Dr Yusha’u Armaya’u and 34 local government executives.

    President Muhammadu Buhari and other national executive members of the party are expected to attend the event, the release added.

  • Odunmbaku, Okoya, others honoured in Abuja

    Publisher of the Nigerian Role Models, Dr. Luke Okojie, has advised people in leadership positions to strive to leave a legacy for which they would ever be remembered.

    He was speaking at the 10th anniversary of Accolade Communications Ltd and launch of the Nigerian Role Model which equally featured the African Leader Par Excellence and Accolade Ambassadors Hall of Fame Awards in Abuja recently.

    Prominent among personalities honoured at the event were Cardinal (Dr.) James O. Odunmbaku of the All Progressive Congress and Chief (Dr.) Mrs. Shade Okoya, Deputy Managing Director of Eleganza Industries Ltd.

    The event, which was jointly put together by Accolades International and International Centre for Comparative Leadership for Africans and Blacks in the Diaspora, also had Rev (Dr) Mercy O. Ezekiel of the Christian Pentecostal Mission; Mr. Jim Obazee, immediate past Executive Secretary of the Financial Reporting Council  of Nigeria; Barrister Moljengo Kaltungo, a Director at Niger Delta Development Commission; Chief (Dr.) Godwin Oruh, Chairman and Chief Executive of Oruhtrade International Limited; High Chief (Dr.) Ona Ekhomu, Chairman, Trans-World Security Limited; Mrs. Quincy Sumbo Ayodele, Founder/Chief Executive of Quincy Herbals; Mr. Sijibomi Ogundele, Founder/CEO of Sijimoto Construction Limited; Mr. Ubong King, Chief Executive Officer of Protection Plus Services Ltd as recipients, among others.

    The 206-page second volume of the Nigerian Role Models (A compendium of Distinguished Nigerians), covers personalities making commendable contributions in all facets of the Nigerian society.

    Dr. Okojie said the awardees are men and women who have distinguished themselves in various fields of human endeavour by assiduously, diligently and relentlessly working for the improvement and the development of mankind.

  • Akintola, Onikepo Akande, others get CCII awards

    Akintola, Onikepo Akande, others get CCII awards

    Legal luminary, Chief Niyi Akintola (SAN); a two-time Minister of Industry and former chairman of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Dr. Onikepo Akande; wife of the Chief of Defence Staff, Mrs Omobolanle Olonisakin, Deputy Governor (Operations) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Bayo Adelabu and the National President of Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Alogba Olukoya, were among Ibadan indigenes honoured yesterday for their contributions to humanity.

    The event, christened: Award for Patriotism and Friendship, was organised by the apex umbrella body of socio-cultural groups of Ibadan indigenes, the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII).

    The ceremony is among the week-long events to commemorate this year’s edition of annual Ibadan Cultural Festival.

    Eleven individuals and two corporate organisations were honoured for their contributions to the development of the ancient city and its people.

    While Ibadan indigenes were presented with the award of “Most Patriotic Ibadan Indigenes,” non-indigenes were honoured with “Most Outstanding Friends of Ibadan.”

    The honoured organisations were First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Plc and Nigeria Breweries (NB) Plc.

    The event, which held at Liberty Stadium in Ibadan, was attended by traditional leaders, government functionaries, local government chiefs, cultural ambassadors, drummers, traditionalists, community leaders, friends, families and well-wishers of the awardees.

    Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi; his wife, Florence; the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji as well as Oba Lekan Balogun, Oba Eddy Oyewole, Oba Lateef Adebimpe, Oba Tajudeen Ajibola, Aare Musulumi of the Yoruba Edo and Delta, Daud Akinola; the General Officer Commanding, 2 Division of the Nigerian Army in Ibadan, Maj.-Gen. Okudili Azinta were among dignitaries at the event.

    Other awardees included a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Seyi Makinde; Oyo State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Azeez Adeduntan; Mogaji Akin Alabi, a broadcast veteran Yanju Adegbite and Asiwaju Yinka Fasuyi.

    Ajimobi, who presented the awards to Akintola, Olonisakin and Adeduntan, hailed CCII for the awardees.

    The governor described the awardees as worthy individuals.

    He advised the residents not to always politicise every celebration, saying an event like Ibadan Cultural Festival should be devoid of politics but an avenue to celebrate the people and their culture.

    CCII President General Yemi Soladoye said the award ceremony was organised to celebrate the sons and daughters of Ibadan as well as the non-indigenes who have contributed to the progress and peace of the city.

    He said the awardees were n9ot selected for their financial muscles but to showcase them as worthy individuals.

    Akande urged the people to work for the completion of the new palace, which he said had been stalled for years due to paucity of funds.

    She called for a board of trustees (BoT) to include the donors for the completion of the project.

    Chairman of the Planning Committee, Asiwaju Nurudeen Akinade, noted that the cultural festival was meant to bring desired development to Ibadan by showcasing the city’s culture to the world as a source of attraction and development.

     

  • Lagos APC kicks against tenure elongation for Oyegun, others

    Lagos APC kicks against tenure elongation for Oyegun, others

    The Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC) has kicked against the “elongation” of the party’s national and state executives tenure, saying it is against the country’s and APC’s constitutions.

    Rising from a Consultative Forum held at the State House Marina, Lagos and attended by party elders from across the state, the leaders said the extension of the tenure of the party’s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, and his executives by one year was against the spirit of the country’s and APC’s constitutions.

    Section 223 of the 1999 Constitution as amended provides for periodical election on a democratic basis for principal officers and members of the executive committee of political parties. According to the constitution, election of the officers or members of the executive committee of a political party will be deemed to be periodical if done at regular intervals not exceeding four years.

    Article 17 of the party’s constitution also provides for a four-year tenure for its national and state executives, which is renewable for another four years.

    The leade of the party in Lagos State Central Senatorial District, Chief Tajudeen Olusi, spoke with journalists after the consultative forum.

    He said: “We have taken reports of the state APC chairman in respect of the NEC meeting held in Abuja. We have also had the privilege of receiving great reports from our leader from the reconciliation committee.

    “We have considered the issue of extension of tenure and we are of the firm belief that the decision is a breach of the constitution of our party and of the country. We are against the elongation of tenure.

    “We shall continue to make our decision known to the party and to the president”.

    The tenure of Oyegun and the executives is due to expire in June.

    Section 223 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, as amended, specifically states that:

    “(1)The Constitution and rules of a political party shall

    (a) provide for the periodical election on a democratic basis of the principal officers and members of the executive committee or other governing body of the political party; and

    (b) ensure that the members of the executive committee or other governing body of the political party reflect the federal character of Nigeria.

    (2) For the purposes of this section –

    (a) the election of the officers or members of the executive committee of a political party shall be deemed to be periodical only if it is made at regular intervals not exceeding four years; and…”

    In extending the tenure, the APC National Executive Committee had relied on Article 13.3 (ii) of its constitution which states that The NEC can discharge the functions of the convention in a period of emergency.

    Article 13.3 (ii) of APC Constitution specifically states that the NEC of the party is empowered to;

    “Discharge all functions of the National Conventions as constituted in between Conventions”.

    But the provision in Article 13.3 (ii) is not limitless and open-ended. It is a responsibility restricted by the same constitution, which provides exclusively under Article 30 (i) that: ”This Constitution and Schedules hereto can be amended only by the National Convention of the Party.”

    The party’s constitution provides the processes for constitution amendment.

    Article 30 “(ii) Notice of any proposed amendment by any member or organ of the Party shall be given to the National Secretary at least twenty-one (21) days before the date of the National Convention.  The notice, which shall be in writing, shall contain a clear statement of the proposed amendment and reasons thereof.

    (iii) Notice of proposed amendment(s) shall be served on the members of the National Convention at least fourteen (14) days before the date of the meeting at which the proposed amendment is to be considered.  Publication of the notice of the proposed amendments in a National Newspaper shall be deemed to be sufficient Notice.

    (iv)The Constitution or any part thereof shall stand amended if a proposed amendment is supported by at least two thirds of the delegates present and voting.

    (v) Where new positions and Offices are created as a result of the amendment of this Constitution, the relevant Executive Committee shall until the next Convention or Congress fill such positions and office in an interim capacity.”