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Tag: SENATOR

  • Senator lauds Aregbesola’s education programme

    Senator lauds Aregbesola’s education programme

    The Senator representing Osun East Senatorial District, Babajide Omoworare, has lauded the education programmes and activities of Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, saying his foresight is signalling brighter future for the students and the state.

    He spoke while presenting a lecture on the theme: “Youths and culture”, focusing on the relevance and importance of investing in education as the bedrock for development of economy and infrastructure in any nation.

    The lecture, which was part of this year’s annual week of the National Association of Osun State Students (NAOSS), covered the reasons behind the socio-economic and political crises in the country and praised Aregbesola’s efforts in education as the right step to salvage the situation.

    He praised the governor for what he described as an unprecedented all-round development of the state, and noted that his current reform of the education policies and programmes would transform the state for better.

    “Without education, a society cannot advance; productivity will be low and intellectual workforce will be missing. And as important as this sector is to nation building, it will be inadequate without the needed and supportive infrastructure that can give it a real meaning. Without well-equipped, spacious, and serene classrooms, impacting knowledge will simply amount to a difficult task for the tutor.

    “Resolving this is what our focused governor has been busy doing since 2010, when he resumed office as the legally elected governor of the state, especially with the building of 50 model elementary schools, 31 middle school and nine high schools within the first phase; the distribution of free uniforms for all pupils of public schools and provision e-learning tablets which contain all the needed textbooks for senior secondary school students in the state and their teachers,” Omoworare explained.

     

     

  • Skilled manpower bane of aviation, says Senator

    What is the major challenge facing aviation? It is the dearth of skilled manpower, says Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Hope Uzodinma Speaking at the opening of the Constitutive Assembly of the Association of African Training Organisation (AATO) organised by the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) in Abuja, Uzodinma said this deficiency had prevented the sector from growing and gaining better global recognition despite its potential. Over the years, he said, there had been over dependence on the International Aviation Training Institute, at the expense of other African training centres. Uzodinma said: “Ours is to encourage them to ensure that the number of foreign training that has besieged the industry will be reduced. “NCAT, if given all the support it requires is in a position to train aircraft engineers, inspectors and instructors that can train others with a view to ensuring that local and international needs of the industry are obtained here locally because we have the resources. “But I think what we are lacking here is that we don’t have the manpower arrangement in sufficient numbers and if they are encouraged to intensify their efforts, we will have all we need to meet up with global expectations.” Also, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Managing Director George Uriesi has said the sector holds the key to Africa’s economic prosperity. He spoke at a meeting of the Airports Council International (ACI), African region, in Morocco. Uriesi said aviation was vital to the region’s growth. He harped on the designation of airports as regional hubs to maximise their potential, stressing that the development of cargo ports was aimed at opening up the country to benefit from its full potential as an agro-allied economy. Uriesi said: “The obstacle-removing leadership provided by our Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Stella Oduah, has repositioned the country as a serious global player ready to occupy its pride of place.” The conference, he said, fell within the framework of the initiative launched by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and Airport Council International (ACI), to promote safety. This, he said, had allowed stakeholders to contribute to the requirements of a safe and secure air transportation system. The conference, he added, was meant to sensitise participants on the importance of runway safety and the need for collaboration, among stakeholders in air transport.

  • Senator offers relief to victims of Fulani attack

    Senator Nenadi Usman (Kaduna South) has donated relief materials to victims of Fulani attack in four southern Kaduna villages penultimate weekend that left about 28 people dead.

    The victims of the attack are currently taking refuge at the Model Primary School in Fadan Attakar, Kaura Local Government Areas of the state.

    Usman said genuine peace can be achieved if people support efforts by government to ensure peace and security.

    She condemned the spate of violent attacks on southern Kaduna villages in recent times and expressed concerns that criminal gangs have been allowed to invade the communities to unleash terror on the people with impunity.

    The lawmaker appealed to the people to continue to live in peace and accommodate one another.

    She said: “As a woman and a mother, I understand the pains and anguish that have befallen the Attakar community hence my effort in bringing some relief materials.”

     

  • Senator empowers constituents

    Senator empowers constituents

    The member representing Nasarawa South Senatorial District of Nasarawa State in the Senate, Senator Suleiman Adokwe, has, among several dividends of purposeful representation, prioritised educational development in his senatorial district.

    Believing that knowledge remains the best legacy any parent or society can bequeath to later generations, Senator Adokwe opines that above all forms of human empowerment, education frees man from all manner of bondage or negative tendencies, even as it enriches man’s understanding of various variables. The sum total of the knowledge acquired through sound education is the transformation in all facets of human endeavours worldwide.

    To the Senator, education is a magic bullet for knowledge, wisdom and unity; it is also a quick pointer to power and sovereignty. The need for every society to do away with all forms of limitation that has prevented man from attaining immeasurable academic heights cannot be over-emphasised in the 21st Century.

    The present-day society has assumed an unprecedented level of sophistication. The revolution, innovation and breakthrough recorded in medical science, information technology; economy; defence and good governance globally, among others, have become feasible with the potency of education.

    John Dewey, an American philosopher, in furtherance to this fact, gives philosophy a social function when he argued that “philosophy is a vision whose main function is to free men’s minds from bias and prejudices and to enlarge their perception of the world around them.”

    If the social function of philosophy is vision and freedom of men’s minds and enlarge their perception of the world around them, then Senator Suleiman Adokwe’s vision for good governance and purposeful representation at the National Assembly has enlarged the perception of the people and broken the jinx of bad representation, mistrust and under-development of some critical aspects of human endeavours.

    Recognising that education is the bedrock of any society and in his bid to complement parents’ efforts, Senator Suleiman Adokwe, has, among several dividends of purposeful representation, prioritised educational development in his senatorial district.

    Senator Adokwe has taken another significant approach to boost the educational base of his people, particularly those aspiring to acquire higher education through payment of registration fees of 2012/2013 Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination JAMB/UTMES for 500 applicants.

    Apart from the 500 applicants drawn from the local councils in his senatorial district, he has equally taken the responsibility of picking every financial bills or expenses incured by these applicants. This is aside the additional 500 direct entry applicants he is catering for.

    Senator Adokwe’s style of representation right from his days in the state civil service has been result-oriented.

    The drive of this amiable Senator is propelled by vision for a better society. It is against this backdrop that he had, in the past, renovated and constructed classrooms of primary and post-primary schools, constructed science laboratories in schools in the rural areas to complement government’s efforts, attracted federal government’s projects through budgetary provisions, and granted scholarships to some indigent students in his senatorial district.

    To the Senator, education is critical to human and societal advancement as clearly demonstrated by his commitment in this direction.

    Again, it is worthy to note that the Senator has also provided succour to the people of his senatorial district through various empowerment programmes.

     

    •Joseph Ayalo is Lafia-based public commentator and analyst

  • A senator’s lying with statistics

    A senator’s lying with statistics

    I do not know whether Senator Solomon Ita Enang was being Machiavellian or he simply intended to tell a “noble lie” when he claimed on the floor of the Senate last Wednesday in the course of his contribution to the debate on the controversial Petroleum Industry Bill, that Northerners controlled 83% of the oil wells in the Niger Delta.

    Whatever his purpose, his claim, I am sure, would be hard to beat as the crudest attempt yet by any Nigerian politician to lie with statistics. This, I must say, makes the way the Nigerian media has reported and commented on his claim as if it was the truth and nothing but the gospel truth, even worse.

    Among the elementary rules of reporting are balance, fairness and verification of all claims and allegations. But even without crosschecking the facts, simple logic alone would’ve exposed the senator’s claim as untenable; everyone knows that all sectors of the oil business in Nigeria are dominated through and through by the oil majors, all of them foreign.

    Of course facts sometimes defy logic. However, the oil business is not one of those exceptions that confirm the rule.

    In its edition of September 23, 1991, the rested Citizen newsmagazine I managed did a prize winning cover story on the move by the Federal Military Government under General Ibrahim Babangida to facilitate the indigenization of the upstream sector of the oil business.

    The 14 companies whose bids succeeded were owned by a judicious mix of the wealthy from all sections of the country, including Alfred James owned by the Ooni clan, Moncroief owned by Esama of Benin, Summit Oil owned by Chief M.K.O. Abiola and Queens Petroleum owned by the Ibru clan.

    Even more importantly in the light of Senator Enang’s claim, most of the oil blocks owed by Northerners were, as pointed out by Toyin Akinosho, the publisher of the well-regarded Africa Oil and Gas Report, in an article on Premium Times online newspaper of March 7, unproductive – and have remained so to date. Anyone interested in the truth about the ownership of Nigeria’s oil industry should search for and read the article.

    If the senator’s manipulation of statistics is worrisome, worse can be said of the media. In apparently swallowing the senator’s story hook, line and sinker, we failed the elementary test of verification, balance and fairness.

     

  • Aregbesola has transformed Osun, says senator

    Aregbesola has transformed Osun, says senator

    •‘Jonathan’s govt weak’

    The Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Babajide Omoworare, yesterday said Governor Rauf Aregbesola has transformed Osun State.

    Omoworare, who represents Osun East Senatorial District, spoke with reporters in Abuja.

    The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) lawmaker said when Aregbesola assumed office, he promised to run an unusual government.

    He said the governor has transformed Osun through “unparalleled infrastructural development”.

    Omoworare said: “Do not forget that Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola was there for about seven-and-a-half years and nothing was happening. There were no projects. The only thing we met on ground was the facility obtained from the United Bank for Africa (UBA) by the Oyinlola administration to build six stadia.

    “We wondered whether we are hosting the Olympics. What do we want to do with six stadia? If you go to Osogbo Stadium and to the one being built in Ikirun, you will drive through it between 12 and 13 minutes, if there is no traffic.

    “We felt a need to renegotiate and finish the Osogbo Stadium. We renegotiated the facility, reduced the interest rate and, behold, we had more money to spend on infrastructure.

    “All local governments in Osun are building an average of 10-kilometre roads at the moment and the Aregbesola administration is working on almost all state roads.

    “If you are going to Lagos, you do not have to go to Ibadan to go to Lagos. In my district, Ijebu Ugbo is less than 30 minutes drive from Osun. The road is being fixed as I speak.

    “The little Oyinlola had to show was the dualisation of the road from Osogbo to Akonda Junction in Ede. The dualisation is being extended to Gbongan Junction and the Ibadan Express Road.

    “Former Governor Bisi Akande started what he called a Ring Road to ease congestion in Osogbo. The project was abandoned by the Oyinlola administration but Aregbesola has continued it.

    “In the area of agriculture, the government is giving land and seedlings to people interested in farming; fingerlings to those interested in fisheries and day-old chicks to those interested in poultry farming.

    “It is ploughing the land for farmers and buying their produce. Only a lazy man or a perpetual opposition member will complain about the Aregbesola administration.”

    Omoworare said the Senate could do a lot more to quicken the country’s development because President Goodluck Jonathan is not doing enough.

    He said: “I have challenges with the President’s capacity to administer Nigeria. He may be a good-natured man but governing Nigeria is more than being a good-natured man.

    “A lot of decisions have to be taken. I am not a fan of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, but when he was there, he took strong decisions.

    “But Mr. President takes too long to decide. He does not understand the rudiments of governance and administration and I think he needs to do a lot more.”

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Senator inaugurates borehole

    As part of the efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals before 2015, the lawmaker representing Lagos East Senatorial District, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, has inaugurated the MDGs projects he facilitated to the district.

    The lawmaker in his keynote address during the commissioning of the motorized borehole and accessories at Bariga LCDA, said “It could be recalled that the UN has spelt out eight Millennium Development Goals to be achieved before 2015, the number seven on the list is to ensure sustainability of environment. This is what led to the commissioning of this borehole we are witnessing today.

    “We all know the significant of water in our society, there is nothing one does in life without using water, the aim of facilitating this project to my district, is to provide a sustainable access to safe drinking water for the people that elected me to the Senate,” he said.

    The lawmaker enjoined the community to use the borehole to their benefit and promised to always maintain it periodically.

    Also, the Chairman of Bariga LCDA, Hon Akeem Sulaiman, who was represented by the Supervisor for Works of the council, Hon Adefuwa, thanked the lawmaker for the gesture. In his speech, the chairman applauded the initiative as not only timely but also needed in the district. “On behalf of the executive chairman, the whole of Bariga LCDA highly appreciate this gesture and we pray that God Almighty will give you the strength to do more to the senatorial district” he said

    Other dignitaies in Bariga LCDA such as Alhaji Seik Banire, the LGA party chairman, Alhaji Dengel Anifowose, the chairman Lagos State Assembly Service Commission, Chief Wale Mogaji, CDA Chairman, Hon Oriyomi Odubonojo, Woman Leader, Madam Adenike Akhidenor, Bale of Owode Bariga, Alhaji Chief Ademola Alabi, Bale of Obanikoro, Chief Kabiru Buraimoh gave kudos to the initiative and requested for more.

  • Senator condemns CP’s killing

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on Communication Senator Gilbert Nnaji has condemned the killing of the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Mr, Chinweike Asadu.

    Nnaji, in a statement presented to the Senate, said:

    “I wish to formally bring to the attention of this distinguished Senate, the brutal assassination of the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Chinweike Asadu, at his home in Amorji Nike, within my senatorial district.

    “The murder, which occurred on March 3, has thrown my senatorial district and the whole of Enugu into a state of shock and panic.

    “It is feared that if such high-profile security personnel could be killed just like that, how safe are the ordinary citizens.

    “It is my prayer that the Senate, in its usual manner, would rise to condemn this dastardly act. I commiserate with the Nigeria Police and the family of the fallen officer.

    “I urge the Inspector- General of Police to speedily apprehend the perpetrators of this act and prosecute them.”

  • Senator Gaya donates N5m computers to NUJ

    Senator Gaya donates N5m computers to NUJ

    Senator Kabiru Ibrahim Gaya, representing Kano South Senatorial District, has donated 20 computers, including internet facilities and 20 units of air conditioners worth N5 million to the Kano State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to boost professional standard among working journalists in the state.

    Gaya, who was governor of Kano State during the aborted third-republic, said the donation was inspired by his desire to ensure professionalism within the fourth estate of the realm.

    According to him, just like it is obtainable in civilised world, journalists, going by the nature of their job, should have privacy during the discharge of their duties, adding that experience has proved that journalists working in secured environment seldom run into hiccups like leakages of information to the public.

    Gaya, who presented the facilities to Chairman of the NUJ, Abduljalal, in Kano, said apart from the fact that it will prevent information leakagewas, it was also in appreciation of the goodwill he enjoyed with members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, whom he recalled honoured him with an award when he was the state governor.

     

  • 12 PDP governors to join APC, says Senator

    12 PDP governors to join APC, says Senator

    Former Kano State Governor, Senator Kabiru Gaya, yesterday said that at least 12 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors will soon join the newly formed All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Senator Gaya who is Chairman, Senate Committee on States and Local Government, disclosed in an interview with journalists in Abuja .

    The lawmaker said that the discussion of a select group of APC members with some PDP governors is progressing “steadily and positively.”

    Gaya who refused to give the specific number of PDP governors APC is discussing with simply said that governors are not only 12 as being speculated.

    He said, “We are already talking to some governors, not only 12 as being speculated.

    “There may even be more PDP governors and by the time APC is fully composed it will simply be the winning party from day one.

    “The discussion is progressing steadily and positively almost ready to produce result.”

    “So I hope the media will give us the co-operation we require because with the media Nigeria can be better.”

    Gaya (Kano South ANPP) said that members of APC are putting heads together to make sure that they give Nigerians “a better choice that will lead to a better fulfillment for the country’s agenda.”

    He said, “This is the party of people of interest. Why we have this merger by group of parties-the ANPP, CPC, APGA, ACN and even the DPP has also joined us.