The Nation Newspaper

Tag: urges

  • Ekiti Speaker urges Fed Govt to explain delay in states’ allocations

    Ekiti State House of Assembly Speaker Adewale Omirin has urged the Federal Government to tell Nigerians why allocations to states have not been paid in the last three months.

    Omirin berated the Federal Government for its “crass insensitivity to the plight of states”, adding that it had failed to give any reasonable explanation for not paying the allocations.

    He said: “This singular act has substantiated the fear that the country is broke and can no longer carry out the functions of governance.”

    Speaking at the weekend at an empowerment programme in Aisegba-Ekiti, his country home, Omirin praised the House of Representatives for summoning the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo–Iweala, over the issue.

    He donated a Sharon VR6 vehicle and five motorbikes to the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and commercial motorcyclists in Aisegba-Ekiti.

    The speaker said he had spent over N10 million on empowerment programmes in his constituency in the last two years.

    He urged the President to be more aggressive in his fight against corruption, saying: “Something fundamental is wrong with the Jonathan administration. At a time when the allocations of states have not been paid for months, the Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella Oduah, used government fund to procure two Armoured Vehicles worth N255 million for her personal use.

    “This shows the insensitivity of the PDP–led Federal Government. I am happy the House of Representatives summoned Dr. Okonjo-Iweala to explain the true position of the nation’s finances. I want to believe that the country is broke, except we are deceiving ourselves.”

  • Urhobo group urges Fed Govt to withdraw soldiers from Kokori

    Prominent Urhobo indigenes have embarked on a peace shuttle to restore peace and sanity to strife-torn Kokori community in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State.

    The town has been thrown into strife following the arrest of Niger Delta most wanted alleged kidnap and armed robbery kingpin, Kelvin Oniarah, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State last month.

    Troubled engulfed the Urhobo community shortly after Kelvin Oniarah, led armed youths under the auspices of Liberation Movement of Urhobo People (LiMUP) in Kokori, on Wednesday, September 18.

    The alleged formation of the group followed the declaration of the alleged crime lord wanted by the Delta State Command of the Nigerian Police. He was arrested seven days later in an undisclosed hotel in Port Harcourt.

    Arising from a meeting in Warri during the week, the Urhobo Peace Initiative, an association of Urhobo Indigenes, has called on the Federal Government to direct the soldiers to adhere strictly to the role of maintaining peace and order in the community.

    The troops were deployed into Kokori after some armed youths in the town engaged security operatives in a fierce shootout when soldiers moved in to arrest some of his alleged gang members and the spiritual head of the Egba cult.

    Speaking with Newsmen, Mr. Igho Osiebe and Okiemute Kent, Chairman and Secretary of the group respectively, urged troops in the town to focus on the primary task of restoring sanity in Kokori community,

    They disclosed that efforts were on to reach out to stakeholders of the community, government and members of the LiMUP in order to ensure lasting peace in the troubled town.

    Osiebe remarked that Kokori community is a peaceful and oil mineral producing community reputed as producing the second best grade of crude oil in the world, adding that since the commencement of oil exploration and exploitation activities in the community in 1959 there have been no case of pipeline vandalization or criminal related activities to oil theft by the people of the community. He described Kokori people as “hard-working, industrious, versatile in all profession of human endeavor and generous.” He said the generosity of the people have attracted non-indigenes like the Ibos, Yoruba, Hausa and others to settle in the community to carry out their business that made the town today to be commercial nexus of the LGA

    He said, ‘I am calling on our brothers and sisters and all aggrieved parties to sheathe their swords because it is only in a peaceful atmosphere that development and progress can take place”.

    Speaking on the peaceful protest by the women over deprivation of human rights of the people of the community, the chairman called on the soldiers to put halt to complain of torture, destruction of properties and arrest of innocent people as well as attack on Egba shrine.

    He told the law enforcement agents to allow the people go about their normal business without hindrance or molestation.

    Osiebe said that the rule of law should be allow to take its course, advising that the people who are arrested should be investigated and that those who are not found wanting should be release while those ones that are suspected should be prosecuted in the law court.

  • Kano PDP chieftain urges G-7 to work with Jonathan

    The Chairman of the Kano State Peoples Democratic Party Caretaker Committee, Alhaji Hassan Kafayos, has urged the aggrieved seven governors of the party who oppose President Goodluck Jonathan, to sheathe their swords and end all disputes with the President.

    Kafayos advised the governors to know that God was responsible for the emergence of Jonathan as Nigeria’s President, adding that God gives power to whoever He likes.

    He stressed that those fighting Jonathan would fail.

    The PDP chieftain spoke yesterday in Kano during the inauguration of other nine members of the caretaker committee.

    Members of committee are: Shehu Sagagi, Kawu Gurijiya, Tukur Sallau, Jafar Sani Bello, Lawan Yanusa, Almed Tukur Rabiu Dan Shariff and Ladidi Garba.

    Kafayos urged the aggrieved members of the party to remain within the fold.

    The party chieftain advised aggrieved party members to work with open minds for an amicable resolution of their differences and the challenges of the party.

    He said: “Our country is facing various forms of development challenges. There cannot, therefore, be a more auspicious time than now for all citizens, irrespective of party divide, to join hands and collectively move our country forward under the leadership of President GoodLuck Jonathan.”

    Kefayos promised that the committee would ensure that various conflict resolution mechanisms would be used to achieve full reconciliation of aggrieved party members in Kano State.

    He said the committee would exhibit transparency and fair play.

    The party chieftain said the era of imposition of candidates was history in the party.

    He promised to use the wisdom of party elders, the leaders and other stakeholders to accomplish the committe’s assignments.

    Aminu Wali urged the party’s members to support the committee to accomplish its assignment.

    He urged the committee to be firm and resolute in the quest for justice with a view to bringing an end to crisis in the party.

  • IMF urges Nigeria, others to sustain investors’ interest

    IMF urges Nigeria, others to sustain investors’ interest

    The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has urged Nigeria and other frontier markets to formulate policies to sustain foreign investors’ interest in their economies.

    Speaking during a seminar at the International Monetary Fund/ World Bank meeting in Washington DC, yesterday, the Managing Director, Deutsche Bank, Maryam Khosrowshahi, said Nigeria already had a successful outing in the bond market, having floated a $1billion bond in the global market.

    The Deutsche Bank boss, in company of other panelists, including IMF Deputy Managing Director, Min Zhu said it was important beyond gaining access to the foreign investors’ market, for frontier economies to seek to maintain their access to the global market.

    Frontier economies, she said, must formulate clear policy framework and operate in tandem with global corporate governance practices, adding that there must be transparency, and good communication framework.

    She said investors analysed developments across markets to determine costs and identify the use of proceeds. Khosrowshahi said although it was difficult to differentiate between good and bad frontier markets, nations’ abilities to sustain their debts were key, adding that fund allocation was important.

    “There’s need for frontier markets to communicate with investors so as to eliminate all forms of ambiguity and clear any doubts about what the resources that are being sourced will be invested in; besides, debt sustainability is key,” she said.

    Zhu called for financial deepening, stressing that financial stability was important for frontier economic nations. The challenge for most frontier markets, he said, was the “strenuous” is that investment in infrastructure, adding that the issue is how to strike a balance between physical development and maintaining fiscal discipline.

    He said the external environment had “been extremely supportive of the internal dynamics of the emerging markets,” adding that in the global financial arena, “every road you allow, is bumpy.” There is no exception to the rule, he said.

  • Firm urges court to void PDP’s special congress

    A company, Bedding Holdings Limited (BHL), has urged the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja to nullify the elections conducted during the last special convention of the Peoples Democratic (PDP) on August 31 in Abuja.

    The prayer is contained in an originating summons the company filed before the court.

    It is contesting the alleged unlawful use of its patented ballot boxes for the elections.

    The plaintiff averred that by virtue of Orders Six and Seven contained in an earlier judgment by the court, which declared it the sole patentee of transparent and collapsible ballot boxes in the country, the use of such boxes without its consent, therefore, renders the purpose for which the boxes were used a nullity.

    The judgement was delivered on June 5, last year, by Justice Adamu Bello in a suit between BHL, the Registrar of Patents, Federal Ministry of Commerce and Industry as well as six others.

    Order Six of the judgement reads: “…Any action or actions whatsoever and howsoever taken or purported to have been taken by the defendants relating to the products without the prior and express licence, consent, authority and/or approval of the plaintiff is unconstitutional, illegal, unlawful and is therefore null and void.”

    Order Seven restrained the Registrar of Patents and its agents from registering or issuing the plaintiff’s valid and subsisting patent over the ballot boxes to any person or organistion, except with the consent of BHL.

    The plaintiff said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was a party in the suit in which judgment was given, adding that despite being aware of the court’s orders, it deployed the same ballot boxes for use at the PDP convention without its (BHL’s) consent, thereby disobeying the judgment.

    BHL raised two questions for the court’s determination and sought three reliefs.

    Named as respondents in the suit are: President Goodluck Jonathan; Vice President Namani Sambo; Senate President David Mark; House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal and Chairman, the PDP Board of Trustees, Anthony Anenih.

    Others are: the PDP; its National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur; Prof Jerry Gana, who acted as the Chairman, PDP Special Convention Committee and Ken Nnamani, who was the Chairman, PDP’s Electoral Committee.

    Also named as respondents are: Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, who acted as Chairman, PDP Essential Electoral Materials Committee; the chairman, Police Service Commission, Mike Okiro, who served as Chairman, PDP Special National Convention Sub-Committee on Security; the INEC and its Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega.

    The suit was filed last Thursday for BHL by its lawyer, John Okoriko, of the firm of Karina Tunyan (SAN) and Co.

    The plaintiff urged the court to determine whether “by the combined construction and interpretation of reliefs six and seven of the valid and subsisting judgment of June 5, 2012” the respondents could use its patented ballot boxes or its imitation for the PDP special congress without its consent.

  • Cleric urges courage amid challenges

    The Special Adviser to the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christians Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Edward Akande has counselled Nigerians to be courageous in the pursuit of the country’s greatness.

    He also urged all not be daunted by challenges that might come their way in the struggle to make Nigeria better.

    The pastor, who is in charge of Region 4, gave the advice at the inauguration of the Kwara Province 4 of the Region.

    The clergyman also said that Christians should prepare to soldier on and not be discouraged by challenges on their way towards attaining spiritual growth and prosperous life.

    Akande, who, in his sermon at the occasion, spoke on the topic “Give Me this Mountain” said: “to attain greatness always requires that one faces and surmounts the challenges on one’s way.”

    He further said that when Caleb in the Bible at the age of 85 demanded that he be given “this mountain,” he displayed certain virtues that helped him to secure the mountain.

    The clergyman said Caleb was confident that the Lord would give him the mountain and consistent in his faith without allowing negative thoughts or different opinion of other people to sway him.

    He noted that Caleb was certain of the promise and presence of God and was courageous by willing to go against the forces that would have discouraged him.

    Akande advised that Christians should toe the line of Caleb so that they do not remain on same spot but move to higher pedestal in their mundane and spiritual life.

    The clergyman urged members of the Kwara Province of the Redeemed Christian Church of God to continue to see themselves as members of the same family as the province is split into groups, saying they should not deny themselves of membership of the other provinces aside from the one under which they regularly worship.

    He said the grouping of the Kwara Province into 4 was meant for “expansion and extension of God’s Kingdom in accordance with the vision of our church” and does not mean existence of division in the province.

    The inauguration of Province 4 of the church was held at its headquarters along Western Reservoir Road in Ilorin with J.S. Bankole installed as its pastor-in-charge.

  • Cleric urges steadfastness

    CHRISTIANS have been urged to remain steadfast and focused in their faith and behaviour for them to be role models in the society, and inherit the kingdom of heaven.

    This was the thrust of the third anniversary and thanksgiving service of the Soldiers of Christ and King David Bands of the Holy Order of Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church (Ayo Ni O), Chapel of Divine Blessing, Victory District, Olabode Olubu Crescent, AIT Road, Alagbado, Lagos.

    The anniversary and thanksgiving, which was celebrated amid praises and worship in the church main auditorium, was well attended by members of the congregation, including Special Apostle J.A. Oyeku JP, Leader-In-Charge; Special Apostle J.O. Idowu; Special Apostle Emmanuel Aderemi Awode and guests from other churches.

    In his sermon, entitled:Fight a Good Fight, Most Special Apostle Prophet Solomon Bamidele bemoaned the attitude of some Christians, saying what happens in some churches nowadays, and in the Christendom generally gives cause for worry.

    He said many go to church toady without the fear of God noting that,“For Christians to fight a good fight, they must shun back-biting, fornication, adultery, drunkenness, keeping malice, corruption, as well as other ungodly attitude that should not be found with Christians.”

    Prophet Bamidele advised Christians to embrace those godly virtues such as honesty, humility, selflessness, saying it is only those who do the will of God that will inherit the kingdom of heaven, and not those who go to churches without the fear of God.

    Special Apostles Oyeku and Awode, who charged the congregation to be strong in faith and in the grace that is in Jesus Christ, offered prayer for the members of the two bands, as well as the entire congregation.

  • Tukur urges court to quash Baraje’s suit

    The Alhaji Bamanga Tukur-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja to strike out a suit filed by Alhaji Kawu Baraje’s faction of the party, seeking to stop him and others from parading themselves as national officers, for lack of jurisdiction.

    The prayer of the defendants was contained in an application filed by their counsel, Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama, before the court, presided over by new judge, Justice Oludotun Adefope-Okojie.

    Baraje prayed the court to stop Tukur and other officials of the party from parading themselves as national officers of the PDP pending the determination of the substantive suit.

    Joined as defendants with Tukur are: Mr Uche Secondus, the deputy national chairman; Dr Kema Chikwe, women’s leader and Mr Oliseh Metuh, the national publicity Secretary.

    Other plaintiffs in the suit are: Dr Sam Sam Jaja, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola and the PDP.

    The plaintiffs, in a motion on notice brought pursuant to Order 39 of the Lagos High Court, asked the court to restrain the defendants from parading themselves as members of the National Executive of the PDP.

    Chief Joe-Kyari Gadzama, leading other lawyers on behalf of the defendants, questioned the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit.

    Gadzama argued that the suit, filed by Baraje against Tukur and others, was a bad case, which should not have been in the court.

    In a notice of preliminary objection brought pursuant to Order 2 Rule 4 of the Lagos High Court Civil Procedure Rule 2012, Gadzama argued that the suit was not competent because the cause of the action, which has to do with the purported removal of the defendants and election of the plaintiffs, arose in Abuja and not in Lagos.

    He also argued that not only was the writ unsigned but the subject-matter of the suit is the PDP, which has its registered office in Abuja and not Lagos.

    The lawyer urged the court to note of the fact that none is resident in Lagos State.

    Gadzama submitted in the motion, dated September 6 and supported by a written address, that it is elementary that every court is a creation of law and that a court of law has its jurisdiction limited and circumscribed by the Constitution, as amended, especially at Sections 6(6)(b), 270(1).

    He said: “By virtue of Order 2 Rule 4 of the Lagos High Court, Civil Procedure Rules 2004, all other suits, apart from land and property, penalties and forfeitures and contracts, may be commenced and determined in the judicial division in which the defendant resides or carries out business.”

  • 53 gold-plated iPhones: Ezekwesili urges Fed Govt to speak up

    Former Education Minister Dr. Oby Ezekwesili yesterday urged the Federal Government to comment on the allegation that it has ordered 53 gold-plated iPhones worth about N662 million to mark the country’s 53rd Independence Anniversary.

    She wrote this on Twitter in reaction to the story, which originated from a Dubai businessman, Mr. Amjad Ali.

    Ali told the British media that the Federal Government had ordered customised iPhones from Gold and Co., a British luxury company.

    He alleged that the Nigerian government had joined his company’s growing clients, including royal families, governments and minted customers across Russia, China and the Middle East.

    Ali alleged that his company was working hard to meet the Nigerian government’s order for the phones.

    He said: “We will engrave them with the Coat of Arms, a shield and two horses.

    “Each of the device costs between £3, 000 and £50,000.”

    Dr. Ezekwesili said the Federal Government must confirm, refute or clarify issues concerning the gold-plated phones.

    She said: “The Federal Government must treat citizens with respect and confirm, rebut or clarify this obscene story of 53 gold-plated iPhones.”

  • Lemo urges NAICOM, insurers on insurance growth

    The Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Tunde Lemo, has said NAICOM should collaborate with other regulatory and government agencies to step up the enforcement of the areas where there is compulsory insurance.

    He said the commission could achieve this bilaterally and or multilaterally through the existing forum.

    Lemo spoke at the weekend at the just-concluded 2013 Insurance Professionals Forum of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria held in Ibadan.

    He said efforts should be intensified for the take-off of the industry portal and NAICOM should sustain its public education programme.

    Lemo added that the commission should handle customers’ complaints and build capacity in the industry.

    According to the CBN chief, one of the major challenges confronting the sector is the low level of insurance penetration and patronage.

    He said non-life insurance penetration was around one-half per cent or one-seventh of the average penetration of the OECD countries in 2010, while life insurance penetration was lower at around 0.2 per cent.

    “The comparison remains the same when a better measurement of insurance utilisation is used, which takes into consideration dependence on the economic development of the country as well as the benchmark insurance penetration against the world insurance penetration average (BMIP) for the non-life sector.

    “The Nigerian BMIP value indicates that the insurance industry is underdeveloped with only 43 per cent of the world average insurance penetration at the Nigerian 2010 GDP per capital level, placing Nigeria at the bottom of comparable countries, with the exception of Egypt.”

    Lemo said apathy to insurance, the unwholesome practices by practitioners, slow pace of development of the industry portal, unattractive remuneration of agents, dearth of manpower and delays in enacting bills are some challenges confronting the sector.

    He recalled that part of the reforms embarked upon by NAICOM included the enforcement of compliance with compulsory insurance in line with the Insurance Act 2003, the sanitisation and modernisation of insurance agency system, wiping out of fake insurance institutions and introduction of risk-based supervision of institutions under the regulatory purview of the commission.

    The implementation of the National Roadmap on the implementation of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) by insurance companies has also received the attention of the commission.

    He noted that the reforms, if fully achieved, would move the industry forward.