The Nation Newspaper

Tag: seeks

  • RCCG seeks IG’s help over land

    The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) has urged the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to avert a crisis at Oloke-Asese-Maba and Gideon villages in Ogun State, over the demolition of its structure by land grabbers.

    Hoodlums, armed with dangerous weapons and purportedly acting on the instructions of a church, on March 19, were said to have invaded the villages in a Volvo car and Toyota Hiace bus, destroying the headquarters of Ogun Province 8 of the RCCG, which is under construction.

    The guard at the site said the hoodlums told him to steer clear because the land belonged to a church, which they were working for. “The thugs threatened to kill me or anybody who stood in their way and boasted that nothing would happen because, according to them, they and the police have been ‘heavily settled’ to look the other way”.

    In its petition to the IGP, the RCCG urged him to intervene before the matter got out of hand.

    The RCCG claimed that it has a Certificate of Occupancy numbered 025748, dated November 7, 2006 issued by the Ogun State government.

    Wondering why another church was trespassing on the land, RCCG in 2004, sought to settle the matter amicably with the presiding pastor of the other church.

    In a letter, signed by the Assistant General Overseer (AGO), Admin/Personnel of the RCCG, Pastor A. O. Akindele, the church wrote: “It has come to our notice that your organisation is inadvertently trespassing on the piece of land measuring about 40 acres on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, precisely at Oloke Area. We wish to inform you that this parcel of land belongs to the RCCG and we have been on the land for more than four years.

    “We shall appreciate your prompt intervention and Godly directive to one Alhaji who has held himself out as your agent, to desist forthwith from continuing with the trespass”.

    The RCCG, he said, also sought the help of the Ogun State government which invited both parties in an attempt at settling the dispute.

    At a meeting in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, the government said the RCCG, which has the Certificate of Occupancy, is the rightful owner of the land. The meeting also warned the alleged trespasser-church to leave the land.

    Despite this resolution, the said church and its agents allegedly demolished the RCCG’s structure on the land.

  • Ekweremadu seeks more powers for ECOWAS parliament

    Ekweremadu seeks more powers for ECOWAS parliament

    The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS Parliament has sought more powers to enable it serve the sub-region better.

    It said the additional powers would also enable the parliament perform as its peers across the world.

    The ECOWAS parliament explained that in line with global best practices, regional parliaments around the world have transformed into full legislative bodies.

    The Speaker of the parliament, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, spoke on the need for an enhanced performance of the parliament in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, at the opening of a meeting of ECOWAS Attorneys-General and Ministers for Justice.

    The meeting is considering the Draft Supplementary Act on the Enhancement of the Powers of the ECOWAS Parliament.

    In a statement in Abuja by Uche Anichukwu, the Special Adviser (Media) to Ekweremadu, the ECOWAS Parliament Speaker said: “The enhancement of the powers the community’s parliament is certainly not aimed at competing with the national parliaments of member-states or sister-organisations and organs within the ECOWAS family, but simply the powers to enable the parliament to serve the community better, deeper and more meaningfully.”

  • MAN seeks stakeholders, others’support

    The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has called

    on the government and other stakeholders to work for the rapid industrialisation of the country.

    Speaking at the yearly general meeting of MAN’s Southwest zone, its Chairman, Dr Michael Daramola, said growing the manufacturing sector was fundamental to sustaining economic development.

    “The manufacturing sector remains the soul of every economy because it creates jobs, improves living standards and helps to grow domestic wealth,  especially when they are export-driven.

    “A strong manufacturing base is expected to also help to prevent or minimise huge import tendencies.

    “No major nation has managed to transform itself from a poor nation to a rich nation by relying solely on import of raw materials without a vibrant industrial sector,’’ Daramola said.

    The guest speaker, Prof. Sunday Otokiti said significant effort must be placed on manufacturing for the country  to achieve its  objectives.

    Otokiti,  in his lecture titled: Re-Evaluating manufacturing potentials in Southwest Nigeria, said: “Manufacturing has proved to be a driver and core instrument adopted by the developed countries.

    “To grow our industries, we need to look inwards on ways of producing our needs without necessarily outsourcing for them.

    “The highest priority should be given to technologies that expand the availability of raw materials.’’

    Ekiti State Governor Dr Kayode Fayemi, who, was represented by the Commissioner for Trade, Investment and Innovation Mr Debo Ajayi  said the government was creating an investment-friendly environment for businesses to thrive.

    “The southwest regional integration project,  when fully implemented,  will improve the economy of the region and  improve living standards through cooperation among the states.

    “We need to work together to bring about the transformation we desire.

    “To effectively do this,the organised private sector must be included in policy making processes and decision making,’’ he said.

    Fayemi added that the government’s intention in  providing infrastructural development was aimed at realising the objectives of the  transformation agenda.

  • American Chamber seeks transfer of AGOA from boi

    American Chamber seeks transfer of AGOA from boi

    Nigeria is losing billions of naira annually to the bureaucracy following the transfer of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to the Bank of Industry (BoI), resident of the Nigeria/America Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Sam Ohuanbunwa, has said Ohuanbunwa, who spoke while commissioning the Kaduna office of the chambers, called for the return of the AGOA to the Chamber for effective management so that Small and Medium Scale Entrepreneurs (SMEs) can benefit from the opportunities offered by the initiative.

    He said if the authorities in the country were concerned about creating employment and adding value to the economy through the SMEs, AGOA provided a window that should be exploited for such purposes.

    He said: “AGOA is administered by USAID and it was under the purview of our chamber, but suddenly it was moved to BOI because of Nigerian factors. Now AGOA is as efficiently and effectively managed in BoI as other Nigerian bureaucracy you can think of.

    “We have written several letters to various authorities stating our position, particularly on the need for its retrieval. The BoI does not know much about the operators of our SMEs, so how can it assist them through AGOA? he queried.

    “If you are advocating the growth and development of the economy through the SMEs, and if you are serious about employment generation, how can you keep an opportunity like AGOA under the management of BoI? It is our prayers that government will look into this matter, call the stakeholders together and let us work things out for the benefit of the country.”

    He noted that since the administration of former President Bill Clinton established AGOA, Sudan, Ethiopia, Ghana and Mali have benefitted more than Nigeria from it, lamenting that it is only the country among the benefitting countries that has not maximised the full potentials of the Act.

    Ohuanbunwa the country has not made good use of AGOA programme which the Obama administration is expected to extend, adding that the American government is impatient with Nigeria because it has all it takes to launch itself into the leadership position of the African continent.

    He disclosed that the Executive of the Chamber would soon hold a meeting to explore various business opportunities available in the northern states and expressed satisfaction with the improved security situation now prevailing in the region.

    while describing the volume of business between Nigeria and America as large, he said that Nigeria earn in excess of 30 billion dollars annually from sales of crude oil alone with America accounting for the largest chunk of the sales.

  • Olofa stool: Ruling house seeks execution of court judgment

    The Olugbense ruling house of Offa in Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State has urged the Appeal Court sitting in Ilorin, the state capital, to compel the government to instal its candidate, Prince Abdulrauf A. Keji, as the Olofa.

    The Ilorin Division of the Appeal Court, last month, sacked Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi of the Anilelerin ruling house as the Oloffa. The court subsequently ordered the government to instal Prince Keji as the monarch.

    Following the judgment, the Anilelerin ruling house filed a motion at the same court, claiming that the native law and custom of Offa says that except an incumbent Olofa passes on, another cannot be installed.

    But the Olugbense ruling house said when the former Olofa of Offa, Oba Mustapha Keji, stepped down on the directive of the state government, he still lived in the ancient town before his death.

    It alleged that the sacked monarch, in connivance with the government, was still parading himself as the Olofa.

    In a-26 paragraph counter-affidavit deposed to by the counsel to the appellants, John Baiyeshea (SAN), the ruling house noted that “contrary to respondents’ deposition, there is no vacuum in the Olofa chieftaincy stool because there is already a nominated and selected candidate, which this court has directed the government to consider for appointment”.

    Baiyeshea said: “I know that the judgement of this court is subsisting and valid and recognises only Prince Keji (the second respondent) as the proper person to occupy the Olofa chieftaincy stool.”

    Parts of the affidavit read: “That to make matters worse, the Kwara State government as well as the fifth and sixth respondents have jointly cooperated with the kingmaker (Shawo of Offa) to bring the integrity of this court to its lowest ebb by flagrantly disobeying the judgment of this court and bringing this court to contempt an odium in the eye of the public and the society generally.

    “The Kwara State government, contrary to the judgment of this court, paraded Alhaji Gbadamosi as the Olofa of Offa, in adverts of page 29 of Saturday Tribune of August 10, 2013 and at page 5 of the Herald of Sunday, August 11, 2013.

    “As a result of persistent and flagrant disobedience of this court’s judgment in similar situation, which was aided, abetted and fully supported by the Kwara State government, Prince Joshua Aina, who was dethroned as Eletan of Etan in the state by this court but who similarly paraded himself with the active support of the state government after the judgment in circumstances similar to this application, was convicted for contempt and sent to prison by this court.

    “That Alhaji Gbadamosi is guilty of misconduct in that through his agents, privies and by himself personally, he has treated the judgment of this court with impunity, contempt and utter disregard. He has been parading himself as the Olofa of Offa by driving in long convoy of cars, blowing sirens and displaying the insignia of office as Olofa of Offa.

    “That in more recent times, adverts have been placed by companies owned by the fourth respondent and privies displaying and parading him as the Olofa of Offa on the occasion of his turning 50;

    “That further acts of disobedience of this court’s order by the fourth respondent were committed during the recently concluded fasting period of Muslim faithful when he (Gbadamosi) paraded himself during daily Tafsir (sermons) as Olofa of Offa while still occupying the palace of Olofa of Offa; that during the Eid celebration he paraded himself by going to the praying ground with a handful of people in full regalia of Olofa of Offa as if there is no judgment of this court in existence at all.

    “I know as a fact that we have everything to lose if their application is granted as we will be denied the fruit of the judgement and the applicants will not prosecute this deal timeously. They will drag, delay and defeat justice.”

  • Boko Haram killings: JNI seeks blockade of small arms

    The umbrella Muslim body in the North, the Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), yesterday urged the Federal Government to curtail the spread of small arms and light weapons in the country.

    It said this would end terrorist attacks in parts of the country.

    The JNI gave the suggestion in its reaction to the killings in Bama, Malam Fatori and Konduga, near Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

    Several people were killed in the attacks.

    The group called for investigations to end similar terror attacks on innocent people.

    In a statement by its Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu Aliyu, the Muslim body restated its call for the restoration of the Global System of Mobile communication (GSM) services in Borno State.

    It noted that this would enable the residents to alert security agencies in case of security breaches or emergencies.

    The statement reads: “…The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), under the leadership of Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, JNI, received with consternation the senseless killings that occurred at police and military formations in Bama, Malam Fatori, Borno State, which were climaxed with senseless killings of innocent worshippers during early dawn prayers at a mosque in Konduga village, some kilometres from Maiduguri, Borno State.

    “The barbaric, callous, obscure and incomprehensible attack is utterly condemnable in its entirety, especially considering that over 50 persons were killed and the sacred month of Ramadan had just ended!

    “As with previous cases, the sporadic gun shots that ensued after the attacks and the burning of houses were worrisome; they call for immediate investigation that must bring an end to these repeated acts of terror on innocent souls.

    “We are indeed perplexed that with the state of emergency currently in place at Borno State and with the visible security checkpoints at every nook and cranny of the state, it is hardly believable that such dastardly acts could still occur unabated. Hence, the JNI is seriously perturbed by it and calls for a curtailment to the proliferation of small arms.

    “In as much as there is need for restraint and caution on the part of security men in the affected areas, we are interested in knowing how the perpetrators gained access to the cordoned areas with such explosives and guns. Who were they? Why were they not prevented or arrested? What were the motives behind such repeated orchestrated heinous acts? Indeed, there is much more than meets the eye!

    “In the light of the above, we call on governments at all levels to …stop these evil acts of unleashing terror on innocent and peace-loving souls by restoring law and order.

    “Above all, the restoration of use of GSM in Borno State should be a topmost priority. This is to facilitate security alert in situations where insecurity has wrecked unprecedented havoc against innocent citizens…”

  • Hotelier’s wife seeks restraint on husband’s property

    Nkiru, wife of Chief Bonaventure Mokwe, the owners of the demolished Upper Class Hotel, Onitsha, Anambra State, has urged the state government and Police Commissioner to stop tampering with her husband’s property.

    Upper Class Hotel was demolished following the alleged discovery of four human heads on the premises.

    Speaking at the weekend with The Nation, Mrs Mokwe said: ’’I am passionately appealing to Governor Peter Obi and Police Commissioner Bala Nasarawa to hold on for a while and give my husband a fair hearing, as a law-abiding citizen, before taking further actions against his property.

    “I heard they would demolish his plaza at Ose-Okwodu. Although it is still a rumour, I appeal to them to arraign my husband in court. Whatever a court of competent jurisdiction says should be obeyed by every law-abiding citizen.

    “It is not a matter that some people, who are opportune to be in authority, seeing themselves as above the law, even in a democratic society.

    “I expect that in a democratic system, we should follow due process in handling a situation like this. We all must be committed to fighting crime. But it should not be at the expense of innocent citizens being framed up without being heard. We should all be advocates of due process and rule of law. It should not be selective.”

    Mrs Mokwe said due process and rule of law should be followed in prosecuting her husband.

    She feared for her husband’s safety in the hands of State Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) office.

    The hotelier’s wife said her husband is innocent, though he is into real estate.

    According to her, Mokwe has followed due process and rule of law in dealing with his clients and business associates.

    She stressed that those who wrote the petition against her husband were desperate, because they planted “rusty” human skulls and AK47 rifles in one of the commercial rooms.

  • Rivers forum seeks arrest of minister for alleged incitement

    The Rivers Peoples Forum (RPF) has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, on his Saturday’s declaration in Port Harcourt to make life uncomfortable for Governor Rotimi Amaechi, unless he begs him.

    It described Wike’s outburst as a threat to the peace and security of Rivers state, which it said could lead to the breakdown of law and order in the Niger Delta state.

    RPF, yesterday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital, through its President, Charles Bekwele, called on the security agencies to take urgent steps to curtail the excesses of the minister of state for education.

    The group said: “Nyesom Wike must be arrested and prosecuted now, for threatening the lives of the Rivers people, for threatening the peace and security of Rivers state.

    “His Saturday’s comments could easily lead to a breach of the peace in Rivers state. The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Director-General State Security Service (SSS) must act now, to arrest and prosecute Wike for threatening the peace and security of the state. Rivers people have had enough of Wike.

    “Since the young man (Wike) was appointed minister, he has carried on like a demi-god, acting like he is above the law, abusing the people and governor of Rivers state, the same governor that nominated him to be appointed minister.

    “That is his business, if he chooses to fight his benefactor, Governor Amaechi. That is entirely is headache. However, we will not allow him to destroy the peace in Rivers state, because of his petty political fight. He is not above the law. He is just a minister, a deputy minister at that.

    “Wike must be told in clear terms that he cannot threaten the peace and security of Rivers state, because he has political ambition. Wike is very free to pursue whatever ambition he has, but must the state collapse because Wike wants to be governor?

    “How can a minister in this country even talk like that? A minister in the ministry of education, at a time when all the universities in this country are shut down, due to a lingering strike action by lecturers.

    “This minister is busy roving all over Rivers state, politicking and threatening the peace and security of Rivers state. So, when does Wike have time to find a resolution to the strike by the members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)? This is indeed sad for Nigeria.”

    The minister of state for education spoke on Saturday at a reception for him at the grand finale of the inauguration of units of the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI) in Obio/Akpor LGA of the state at the Rumueme Civic Centre, Port Harcourt. Wike is the grand patron of GDI.

    Wike asked Amaechi to come and beg him, in order to ensure peace and for him to tell the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), the secret of successful governance.

    He alleged that Amaechi was having sleepless nights, declaring that he would continue to make him and the 27 suspended members of the Rivers House of Assembly, loyal to the governor uncomfortable, for the April 22 suspension of officials of Obio/Akpor Local Government council.

    Wike stated that with the NGF chairman giving President Goodluck Jonathan his removal as minister as condition for peace and if effected, he would continue to fight for what he believed in.

  • Demolition: Osun ACN seeks residents’ understanding

    The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Osun State has appealed to the residents affected by the ongoing demolition, which is part of the Aregbesola administration’s urban renewal programme, to show understanding.

    The party, in a statement by its Acting Chairman, Mr. Adebiyi Adelowo, urged them to see the pains associated with the exercise as a sacrifice for the development of the state.

    It said Governor Rauf Aregbesola was concerned about their plight, assuring that the government would compensate those affected.

    ACN stressed the need for the people to cooperate with the government in its efforts to beautify the state, adding that the present administration meant well for the state.

    It said government would ensure that the state becomes the envy of others.

    Osun ACN warned the people against politicising the exercise, saying it was aimed at developing the state.

    It hailed the police in ensuring peace “despite attempt by an opposition party to cause crisis and confusion in the state.”

    The party thanked Commissioner of Police Mrs. Dorothy Gimba for ensuring peace.

    It alleged that some members of the opposition party were bent on causing crisis because of the urban renewal programme of the Aregbesola administration.

    The ACN noted that the peace meeting convened between the government and the opposition party averted the crisis.

  • Falana seeks review of SAN guidelines

    Falana seeks review of SAN guidelines

    Activist lawyer Mr. Femi Falana(SAN) has called for a review of the guidelines for the award of the rank of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) with a view to democratise the process.

    Falana made the suggestion in a letter to the Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Chairperson of the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC) dated July 12. He was reacting to the committee’s invitation for public comments on the integrity and competence of the 43 legal practitioners shortlisted for the award of the rank this year.

    He claimed that the secrecy behind the denial of qualified applicants can no longer be justified as the LPPCC may be compelled to disclose the reasons which informed its discretion under Freedom of Information Act 2011.

    “In the on-going exercising, some of those who met the criteria but who were not invited for the interview had been shortlisted on three or four previous occasions. As usual, the reasons for excluding them from the list of qualified applicants are not going to be disclosed. But such secrecy can no longer be justified as the LPPCC may be compelled to disclose the reasons which informed its discretion under Freedom of Information Act 2011”, he said.

    The activist condemned the on-going exercise in which qualified legal practitioners who had previously been shortlisted, were not invited for interview for an undisclosed reasons.