The Nation Newspaper

Tag: verify

  • Lagos police give gun owners ultimatum to verify, re-validate licences

    Lagos police give gun owners ultimatum to verify, re-validate licences

    The Lagos State Police Command has given a two-week ultimatum to individuals with ‘pump action firearm’ and other guns to submit their arms licences for verification and re-validation. Spokesman for the command, Chike Oti, said the exercise became necessary in view of security challenges in the country.

    “Those issued with licence to bear ‘pump action firearm’ or other repeating firearm operated by a slide action mechanism, by the Lagos State Police Command Firearms Registry(D7), are to submit their weapons and licences to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the closest police station for verification, confirmation and revalidation,” he said.

    “The move is to enable the command update its data base with information about the owners, licences, and state of the firearms. The owners of these firearms types are given two weeks’ grace period from the date of this publication (Feb. 24) to ready themselves for the exercise which will last till March 29.

    “The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, enjoins all licensed gun owners to take advantage of this revalidation programme as firearms found in the possession of anybody or group who did not participate in the exercise would be deemed as illegitimate. Such an individual or group would be arrested and charged for unlawful possession of firearm(s) in accordance with the provisions of Prohibited Firearms Act 2004, Laws of the Federation.”

     

  • PTAD to verify 21,295 pensioners in Lagos

    PTAD to verify 21,295 pensioners in Lagos

    The verification of eligible civil service pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS) in Lagos State will begin today and end on September 29, the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), has said.

    A statement from PTAD’s management in Abuja yesterday indicates that verification of the pensioners in Lagos will be the second phase of the exercise in the Southwest zone.

    It said PTAD had conducted similar verification of pensioners in Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states in August.

    PTAD said the Lagos verification was a continuation of similar exercises in four zones  involving 64,825 pensioners.

    It said that pensioners, who were hitherto not pay rolled for years were now verified and paid with arrears.

    According to the statement, 21,295 pensioners are expected to be verified in five centres in Lagos.

    The centres, according to PTAD include, Alausa, Yaba, Ketu, Amuwo Odofin and Agege.

    PTAD said the process of verification of the pensioners would consist of four distinct steps of biodata, capturing and provision of other relevant documents.

    It said that the entire process was to suitably place the pensioners in the payroll and database for payment of their monthly pension.

    It further revealed that sick pensioners would be covered in their locations, adding that a total of 108 PTAD staff were being deployed for the exercise.

    It also indicated that the Executive Secretary of PTAD, Mrs Sharon Ikeazor would supervise the exercise.

  • Conduct Bureau to verify President’s, VP’s assets

    Conduct Bureau to verify President’s, VP’s assets

    •Says public declaration of assets was voluntary

    Despite the public declaration of their assets, the Code of Conduct Bureau will still verify the claims of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

    A Federal Commissioner of the Bureau, Dr. Ademola Adebo, told our correspondent yesterday that the two leaders’ public declaration of their assets was a demonstration of their commitment to transparency.

    He said: “The verification of the assets of the President, his deputy and other public officers is already ongoing. The President and his deputy submitted their assets before the statutory deadline. That is before they took the oath of office. And the vetting started immediately.

    “So, in spite of the step they took, we are going ahead with the vetting of their assets.

    “The law says we must verify the claims in their assets declaration forms and we will do this in line with statutory requirement.”

    Responding to a question, Adebo added: “It is not mandatory for the President and his deputy to declare their assets publicly. It is a voluntary thing. It is not part of the law. They have done so in order to lead by example. This is a commendable decision.

    “The law requires that you should declare your assets before taking oath of office. President Buhari and Vice President Osinbajo took it a step further to demonstrate their commitment to transparency and accountability.”

    A senior official of the CCB, who does not want to be quoted, said: “The public declaration of assets by the President and Vice President has staved off pressure on the Bureau. We had received many queries and even threats to sue the CCB for not releasing the list of assets of Buhari and Osinbajo.

    “Now, all those who tried to score cheap points by attacking CCB have no business again.

    “If anyone believes they have made wrong claims, it is left for him or her to prove.

    “If we have issues with the assets of the President and his deputy, we will write them accordingly.”

    Paragraph 12 of part 1 of the Fifth Schedule to 1999 Constitution confers the powers to verify assets on the Bureau. It says the Bureau shall: “Examine the declarations in accordance with the requirements of the Code of Conduct or any law.

    “Retain custody of such declarations and make them available for inspection by any citizen of Nigeria on such terms and conditions as the National Assembly may prescribe.

    “Ensure compliance with and, where appropriate, enforce the provisions of the Code of Conduct or any law relating thereto.

    “Any statement in such declaration that is found to be false by any authority or person authorised in that behalf to verify it shall be deemed to be a breach of this Code.

    “Any property or assets acquired by a public officer after any declaration required under this Constitution and which is not fairly attributable to income, gift, or loan approved by this Code shall be deemed to have been acquired in breach of this Code unless the contrary is proved.

    “Receive complaints about non-compliance with or breach of the Provisions of the Code of Conduct or any law in relation thereto. Investigate the complaint and, where appropriate, refer such matters to the Code of Conduct Tribunal.”

  • Lulu to NFF: Verify our players’ ages

    Lulu to NFF: Verify our players’ ages

    Former Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President Sani Lulu Abdullahi has emphasised that for the euphoria of the Super Eagles’ victory in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa to be sustained, the country must have a pool of talented players with verifiable ages at the disposal of the Coaches.

    Lulu, who spoke in Abuja at the weekend during the inauguration of the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) of his pet project FOSLA Academy in Karshi, Abuja, said the victory of the Super Eagles is well deserved, as the team worked very hard to achieve the feat.

    He congratulated the Super Eagles for winning AFCON 2013 and the team’s Head Coach Stephen Keshi for his patriotism and zeal.

    The former FCT Director of Sports said that the objective of establishing the FOSLA Academy is to promote and sustain the high standard of football in Nigeria through the development of youth football and high level of education, and ensuring that accurate data as relates to ages of players are kept.

    “FOSLA Academy commenced academic activities in 2011 with 25 students out of which 23 students are on scholarship, and two fee-paying students. It was a huge dream but God has kept us till this very moment and we are on our second academic session with a total of 36 students (31 on scholarship and 5 fee-paying students). It is expected that when the school gets to the maximum of 600 students population, the sponsored students will be about 20%,” Lulu disclosed.

    He said that to achieve these objectives, the full support of relevant stakeholders, particularly the government, parents and immediate community are required to create the desired enabling environment for these students. Ealier, the Principal of the Academy, Josephine Ebhodaghe enumerated the achievements of the Academy within its short existence to include providing eight players to the FCT U-13 team that won the NFF U-13 Soccer Competition last year, and all the eight players penciled for invitation to the National U-13 team.

    In his remark, the Acting Chairman of the Academy, Dr. John Ogbadu said that the concept of the Academy is to serve as a pool for the various age-grade national teams to select good players with verifiable ages in the nearest future.

    Various dignitaries that graced the occasion, which was rounded off with a football match involving the players in the Acadeemy, include the FCT Director Musa Alim, FCT FA Chairman Musa Talle, among others.

  • FRSC to verify driver’s licence online

    The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) said in Abuja yesterday that it would adopt online verification of driver’s licence and number plates.

    Chief Executive and Corps Marshall Mr. Osita Chidoka said this at a news conference to mark the organisation’s Silver Jubilee.

    He said the commission would soon begin the use of electronic ticketing and check records of offending motorists.

    Chidoka said there were over 10 million records in the commission’s database of drivers, vehicles, accidents and register of traffic offenders.

    He said to ensure the inter-connectivity of its daily activities, the commission has invested in technology, with the installation of 345 V-SATs.

    Chidoka said: “Since the FRSC came on board, seatbelt usage and public awareness have risen to 70 per cent, with improved use of helmet and installation of signs on highways.

    “Prior to the establishment of FRSC in 1988, traffic situation could best be described as chaotic and unpredictable, with disturbing wave of accidents and human and material losses.”

    The FRSC has certified 534 Driver’s Training Schools and trained 100,000 drivers under the ‘Driving School Standardisation Programme (DSSP)’.

    “This is in addition to the registration of 2, 895 transport operators, inspection of 1,033 operators and the certification of 722,” he added.

    The FRSC boss noted that the next 25 years would be critical in road safety management due to the challenges of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), climate change, population growth and urbanisation.

    Said he: “FRSC will focus on improved drivers’ training, vehicle inspection, adequate road furniture and dealing with the twin evils of over-speeding and law to prevent dangerous driving.”

    The corps marshall hailed President Goodluck Jonathan for the transformation that had taken place in the road safety sector.

    He said the President’s initiative had resulted in the commission’s workers and budget increases by 40 and over 500 per cent.

    The FRSC was established under the Gen. Ibrahim Babangida regime on February 18, 1988.

    The commission said it is partnering the Federal Ministry of Works and Transport to re-introduce bicycle lanes in the country.

    The move, it said, is to ensure the safety of other road users such as bicycle riders and pedestrians.