The Nation Newspaper

Tag: relocation

  • ‘Ekiti will implement apex court’s verdict on council relocation’

    The Ekiti State government has assured the people of Eda Oniyo that the Supreme Court judgment, which moved the headquarters of Ilejemeje Local Government Area to their town, will be implemented.

    Deputy Governor Bisi Egbeyemi, who made the promise, advised residents of Eda Oniyo to refrain from any act that could disturb peaceful coexistence with other communities in the local government area.

    A statement yesterday by his Special Assistant (Media), Odunayo Ogunmola, said the deputy governor made the remarks while hosting the Eleda of Eda Oniyo, Oba Julius Awolola, and other leaders of the community in his office.

    Stressing that the state government had accepted the judgment, Egbeyemi urged the people to exercise caution and patience as the process to implement the judgment had begun.

    The deputy governor said a committee set up by the state government, which he chairs, had been working on the implementation of the judgment to ensure that peace reigns between Eda Oniyo and Iye, which had hosted the local government headquarters for 19 years before the apex court’s verdict.

    The Supreme Court, on December 15, last year, ruled that the relocation of the local government’s headquarters from Eda Oniyo to Iye, 19 years ago, was unknown to law.

    It ordered the relocation of the local government back to Eda Oniyo.

    The highest court in the land held that the establishment of the headquarters of Ilejemeje Local Government Area in Eda Oniyo was backed by statute and could not be relocated elsewhere without the promulgation of a new law.

    The deputy governor lauded the tenacity of the community in toeing the path of peace in pursuit of justice throughout the 19 years the case lasted in the courts.

    Egbeyemi said: “I want you to guard your victory jealously; don’t allow your people to annoy the government. The Supreme Court cannot do what we are expected to do.

    “Immediately the judgment was pronounced, as a law officer and as the one in charge of chieftaincy and Obas’ matters, I met with the governor and the governor said a committee be set up to look into the matter.

    “We have accepted your victory. If we are not going to do anything, we wouldn’t have set up a committee. But you have to be very careful.

    “The committee is working and it gave us a time frame to report back. At the end of our meetings, we will report back to the Executive Council of Ekiti State for consideration.”

  • Satellite residents seek relocation of tank farms

    Residents of Satellite Town in Lagos State yesterday called for the relocation of the tank farms, container terminals/ bonded warehouses in their area.

    The facilities, they told reporters at a briefing by the Satellite Town Forum (STF) were causing chaotic traffic.

    They expressed fear that the facilities could cause fire because of their proximity to people’s homes.

    STF Chairman Michael Imitini said the activities of the facilities owners posed danger to the inhabitants and motorists on a daily basis.

    Read also: Motorists traffic blues

    Imitini said: “In a day, over 400 tankers loaded with petroleum products are trapped on a narrow road. Most time, petrol leaks from the tankers, causing panic among residents, who fear this can result in fire. The activities of the owners of these container terminals/bonded warehouses have made life unbearable for residents.”

    STF Press Committee Chairman Mubuisi Okafor said the tank farms and container terminals had caused accidents in which lives were lost.

    STF Secretary Kamol Akorede, said there was need to prevent impending disaster.

     

  • Relocation: Ateke Tom, DSS stave off invasion of Shell Base by Rivers youth group

    The intervention of former Niger Delta warlord and the Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom in Okirika Local Government Area of Rivers State, His Royal Majesty, King Ateke Tom and the Director, Department of State Security Services (DSS) in the state, staved off a massive protest against Shell supply base  yesterday.

    The protesting youth had gathered in their hundreds in Onne  and were about marching on the supply base of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO) in the Oil and Gas Free Zone, Onne, when the royal father and the DSS Director intervened, prevailing on them to give room for dialogue before the planned protest.

    National President of the Rivers State Youth Federation, Saviour Patrick was subsequently invited to a meeting with the duo to discuss the grievances of the youths.

    Patrick said the group resorted to protesting the planned relocation by SNEPCO of its Supply Base from Onne, to Lagos; a move which he said will lead to significant job loss in the state.

    The outcome of the meeting was still being awaited  as at press time.

    Last month, more than 1,000 youths under the aegis of the Onne Youths Council (OYC) staged a peaceful protest at the SNEPCO Supply Base, asking the company to rescind its decision on relocating the base from the free zone to the Lagos port.

    The President of OYC, Comrade Philip John Tenwa, who led the peaceful protest, said the planned relocation would lead to the loss of more than 5,000 direct and indirect jobs.

    The protesters carried placards with various inscriptions condemning the planned relocation of the supply base and requested relevant authorities to intervene in the matter.

    He said, “We are here today on behalf of our numerous members and indeed the entire Onne Community to draw the attention of the Nigerian government and indeed the world to the plan by Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO) to relocate its Supply Base from the Onne Port to Lagos.

    Shell’s Media Relations Manager, Bamidele Odugbesan, said the oil giant is not relocating its logistics operational base in Onne. He said the firm is only developing an alternative logistics  base in Lagos as part of expansion to create more value.

    On the protest, he said stakeholder engagement is continuing.

  • Minister orders relocation of security chief, deployment in schools

    Minister orders relocation of security chief, deployment in schools

    Minister of Interior Abdulrahman Dambazau yesterday directed Inspector General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) boss Abdullahi Gana to relocate to the Northeast and liaise with the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole and  governors of Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states.

    Dambazau said they should also ensure the deployment of their personnel in all schools in the liberated areas.

    The minister’s spokesman, Ehisienmen Osaigbovo, said the directive became necessary to forestall a re-occurrence of attacks on innocent school children.

    He said the government was making efforts at rescuing the Dapchi schoolgirls and other Boko Haram captives, with the commencement of 24 hours air surveillance by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).

    The minister also condemned recent clashes that resulted in loss of lives and property in Kajuru Local Government Areas of Kaduna State and urged security operatives to ensure that the perpetrators were brought to justice.

    Also yesterday, Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan urged parents not to withdraw their girls from schools as a result of the abduction.

    Lawan told reporters in Damaturu that parents needed to trust that the government was doing everything to secure all schools for a conducive learning environment.

    Acccording to him, a state like Yobe needed to double its efforts to encourage more of girl-child education both in western and Islamic education.

    “Parents should continue to trust us that we mean business.  That we are always thinking of how to ensure   that there is security for the schools, especially in states like ours where girl-child education needs to be promoted and encouraged.  We  have to do a lot more to secure the  schools,  especially the girls’ schools, so that parents have some comfort and sense of satisfaction that their children are properly protected. They shouldn’t withdraw their children from school or become discouraged and start developing lukewarm attitude towards education. Our girls need to be educated both in Islamic and western education. In fact, it’s a challenge for us to encourage these girls to be in school,” Lawan said.

    Yobe State Commissioner for Education Mohammed Alamin accused the media of sowing fear in the minds of parents with their reports on the Dapchi attack.

    Mohammed Lamin was quoted as saying in an  interview with BBC Hausa Service: “You, the media people, are responsible for this fear. You are scaring the parents with your reports; that is why some of them are even thinking of not sending their children to school again, not even about relocating them to other places.”

    The Senate leader gave a pass mark on the response of the Federal Government so far in trying to rescue the girls, but faulted the security arrangement at Dapchi before the attack.

    ”I want to say that I am satisfied with the attention given at the moment, but I wasn’t  satisfied with the security arrangement before the incident. After the Chibok girls’ abduction where over 200 girls were abducted and we are still struggling  to get some of them back, we should have had a better security arrangement around our schools especially the girls schools.

    “The President responded promptly and gave leadership by asking the military to move in and, of course, by sending a high-powered  delegation to the state.

  • Firm out to help ease relocation stress

    A firm, Autodrive Nigeria, is set to take off the stress of moving from one office to the other.

    The firm, in a statement by its director of operations, Kenneth Musa, yesterday, said:  “Changing location can come with unanticipated stress, not just on the exertion of physical strength but also mentally and emotionally.

    “We observe that people have a lot of connection to an old location and a new destination, we try to ensure that both the stress and emotions of changing office location or new home or any other relocation need is carefully planned and executed.

    “I know that many individual and corporations every now and then requires logistics to move goods or properties from one point to the other, while many companies considers this as mere logistics, we at Autodrive considers it much more than a logistics service, people attach emotions when transporting to new location, we take note and take care of that emotional connection.

    “No doubt, any form of relocation is not fun, it can be challenging, it requires paying attention to details and not missing out on essential documents or goods, Autodrive assist in drawing up that checklist to ensure that nothing is left behind as you step into a new location.

  • IYC condemns Reps’ rejection of IOCs HQ relocation to Niger Delta

    The umbrella organisation of Ijaw youths, the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, has condemned the rejection by the House of Representatives of a motion to relocate the administrative headquarters of international oil companies (IOCs) to the Niger Delta region.

    In a statement yesterday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, by its spokesman Daniel Dasimaka, IYC expressed displeasure about the alleged insensitivity of the Federal lawmakers.

    It said: “IYC is deeply saddened by the callousness and insensitivity of the members of the House of Representatives to the plight of the people of the Niger Delta, as amply demonstrated on May 2 by their rejection of the motion sponsored by Goodluck Opiah, praying the House to direct the multinational oil and gas companies to relocate their administrative head offices to the Niger Delta region.

    “We strongly believe that this action of the members of the House of Representatives has the potential of derailing the seeming calm in the Niger Delta, which resulted from positive steps, like the presidential directive made earlier this year by the then Acting President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, mandating all IOCs to relocate their administrative headquarters to their host communities in the Niger Delta.

    “The siting of the administrative headquarters of the IOCs outside their areas of operations has contributed to their adoption of policies and taking of decisions that are inconsiderate of the externalities of oil and gas exploration and exploitation in the Niger Delta, such as pollution, environmental hazards and degradation, leading to the dislocation of our local economy.

    “We, therefore, condemn the antagonists of Opiah’s motion, titled: Calling Oil Companies to Establish Operational and Administrative Offices in the Niger Delta Region, Where they Engage in Exploration and Exploitation.

    “We categorically and unequivocally condemn Speaker Yakubu Dogara’s unfortunate comments that ‘as a businessman, I cannot be forced toý site my business where I know it is not safe.’ If the region is not safe for the IOCs to site their administrative headquarters, as the Speaker has insinuated, how come it has been safe for them to carry out their main business of oil exploration and exploitation for close to 60 years?”

    The organisation also said the alleged short-sightedness of the Federal lawmakers had needlessly delayed the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and retarded the viability of seaports outside Lagos.

    It said this had denied Nigeria of huge investments, revenues and employment opportunities.

    IYC said the earlier Nigerians realised that the Niger Delta crisis was a national and global problem, thereby acting accordingly, the better for the citizens.

    The organisation hailed the lawmakers from the Southsouth, Southeast and some of theirý Northeast and Northwest counterparts, who walked out of the House to show their displeasure to the alleged injustice.

    It said: “We find it disturbing that since the then Acting President voluntarily made the commitment on behalf of the Federal Government, he has failed to match his words with adequate action to fulfil it. We are, therefore, tempted to construe Prof OsInbajo’s statement as mere political declaration, aimed at currying plaudits.

    “We have not forgotten that in March, Prof Osinbajo directed the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, to engage with the IOCs on the way forward over repeated calls for the relocation of their head offices to the states where they produce crude oil from. Nothing seems to have been done to make it a reality. We are calling on the Presidency to expedite action to implement the Presidential directive.

    “We are also calling on the oil and gas companies to comply with the presidential directive by immediately relocating their headquarters to the communities of their operations. This is in their strategic interest, because when oil facilities are attacked in the Niger Delta communities, it is not the parochial lawmakers that are affected most.”

    The Ijaw youths’ umbrella body expressed the readiness of its members to work with relevant authorities to kick-start the implementation of Federal Government’s policy on modular refineries.

     

  • NIA: Inspectorate Department’s relocation logical

    The Nigeria Insurers Association (NIA) yesterday said the relocation of the Inspectorate Department of the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) from Abuja to Lagos made economic sense.

    It said it is a good development for the industry.

    NIA is the umbrella body of 58 insurance companies in the country. Its support is coming against the backdrop of  protest embarked upon by NAICOM’s workers over the relocation of the department to Lagos.

    NIA Chairman, Eddie Efekoha who spoke during a press briefing in Lagos said the association has not met with its regulator, NAICOM but has been reading and listening to media reports on the matter.

    Efekoha said the relocation made sense as the operators have about 95 per cent of their operations and head offices located in Lagos.

    He said for them, the relocation brought about productivity and efficiency in their direct daily contact with NAICOM.

    He further stated that the regulatory body was doing well in terms of regulation.

    He said: “It makes sense to relocate or to make sure that those who are in direct and daily and regular contact with NAICOM as a regulator are just next door to them. I think it brings about productivity and efficiency. They are here in Lagos and we don’t need to catch the next flight from Abuja to Lagos.”

  • Prison relocation

    •News of possible relocation of the Ikoyi Prison in Lagos has positive implications, and may well be the much-needed fillip for the country’s prison system  

    Reports quoted the Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare, as saying that the 61-year-old Ikoyi Prison had outlived its usefulness where it is currently located. He provided information about the envisaged relocation during an interaction with reporters after monitoring the October edition of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in Ikoyi-Obalende Local Council Development Area of the state.

    It was in the context of environmental management that he said:  ”We also visited Ikoyi Prison to see the challenge there. I can assure you that we will tackle it. We will see how we would work with the Federal Prison Service to ensure that we provide sewage system.”

    However, according to the commissioner, beyond the question of environmental pollution and the undesirable consequences, there is the question of locational irrelevance. Adejare said: “There is a larger thing coming into play soon; that is relocation of the prison. The facility had passed its usefulness. The most valuable land in Africa is there. We should not have such in that location. We are discussing with the Federal Government to deal with the relocation. In the interim, the Lagos State Government will provide the prison with better sewage system.”

    Indeed, it is a measure of inevitable social dynamism that the Ikoyi Prison is now considered out of place in a place it has occupied for over half a century. There is no doubt that the locality in which the prison is situated has evolved over time, and has acquired a prosperous character. It is, therefore, unsurprising that there is a conflict between location and locale.

    But the matter is much more complicated than success being uncomfortable with the presence of the prison as a metaphor for failure. The reality is that Ikoyi Prison, like many other prisons across the country, needs a new lease of life, which cannot be guaranteed at its present site and in its present condition.

    It is on record that the members of a Senate Committee on Interior who toured prisons in the country noted in their report that “a majority of the cells leak during the rains and the perimeter walls and some cells have, in some cases, collapsed.” The report also said: “In many of the prisons visited, the committee was moved by the plight of the inmates; many of the cells meant to accommodate about 50 inmates were found to accommodate about 150 inmates, all cramped together.”

    Chief among the problems facing the country’s prisons is the issue of congestion, which continues to overstretch prison facilities resulting in deplorable conditions within the prison walls. It is noteworthy that the Prisons Service records, as of August 29, showed a total inmates population of 63, 000, with 17,897 (28 per cent) convicted while 45, 263 (72 per cent) were awaiting trial.

    It is a helpful development that the Federal Government is collaborating with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to substantially tackle overpopulation in prison yards across the country. UNODC Country Representative Ms. Christina Albertin, shed some light on the partnership at a workshop on effective implementation of non-custodial measures in Nigeria, which was held in Abuja in August. According to her, the justice project aimed at supporting improvement in prison conditions across the country was being funded by the European Union and being implemented at the federal level and in nine states:  Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Imo, Kastina, Lagos, Osun and Yobe.

    The bottom line is that the country’s prison system urgently needs to be modernised in line with the demands of the modern age, with a view to realising the noble objective of reformation of the inmates.

  • Benue traders seek market’s relocation

    A Benue State group, Indigenous Traders Association (ITA), has called on the government to relocate Wurukum market to the International Market.

    The group said the call became necessary following reported cases of crime, accidents and traffic gridlock, which are common in the market.

    A letter addressed to the Commissioner of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Tersoo Kpelai, signed by the Chairman Paul Yarkwan and Secretary Moses Ogbole, urged Kpelai to hasten the relocation to save further destruction of lives and property during heavy downpour.

    “This year alone, the traders in Wurukum market have lost property worth millions of naira to rains, thieves and street urchins. This is the regular congestion which makes the market prone to accidents.

    “We call on the government to immediately move the market to Makurdi International market, which is more specious,” the group said.

    Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus in the Wurukum market has called on members to relocate to Maurdi International Market as directed by the ministerial committee.

    Chairman Ternenge Anyanikyaa and Secretary Patrick Newman said party members could not afford to go against the government’s decision, more so since it was an-APC led government which gave the directive.

    The officials advised the traders to relocate first and then take their complaints to the ministerial committee for necessary actions.

    However, the traders have kicked against the planned relocation, saying they should be first compensated before they are relocated.

  • Arewa community divided over planned relocation of Mile 12 market

    The Arewa community in Lagos is divided over the planned relocation of Mile 12 market.

    Some members of the community have declared their support for the move, the leadership of Arewa traders in the market has condemned it. The traders alleged that their kinsmen who are supporting the move are “backstabbers”.

    When  Governor Akinwunmi Ambode spoke about the market’s planned relocation after the Agiliti riot, president of the Arewa community declared the group’s support for the proposal.

    The group also condemned former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwakwanso for trying to mediate with the Lagos State government to reconsider its plan.

    But the leadership of the Amalgamated Foodstuff, Ram and Cattle Dealers Association expressed surprise over the statement, describing it as very unfortunate.

    The Financial Secretary of the Mile 12 traders association, who is also the youth leader, APC, Lagos Arewa community, Alhaji Shehu Usman, said the community’s efforts to be peaceful with others is being destroyed by what he called a deliberate spread of falsehood.

    Usman, who described the action of the leadership of the Arewa community as suspicious, said: “We know the sponsor of that story. But it is very unfortunate that the person is an Arewa like us. The question that should agitate the mind of anybody is which kind of person would work against the interest of his people? It is a sad commentary on how far some people will go to destroy a good thing for their selfish interest.

    “Why would anybody want to condemn prominent Arewa leaders like Kwakwanso, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, senior National Assembly leaders and several others who tried to intervene, for being good and responsible leaders? When you call yourself a leader, you must be seen to be working for the interest of your people. It is rather unfortunate somebody would come out to condemn a leader over such matter.”

    Usman, while tracing what he said was the genesis of the story, said the leaders who are mostly traders in major markets in Lagos, worked for the state’s development.

    He said: “During the last campaign, we came together to work with our party, the APC. It is on record that the leadership of all the markets where you find Arewa community in Lagos joined forces without collecting any money from anybody.

    “Our findings have now revealed that those behind the spread of divisive messages are those who planned to make money from the party, but whose plans were thwarted by our action. You can ask anybody, we have always worked with the people and government in Lagos State without any problem. But the action of these people can bring about bad blood between us.”