Administration
Senator Saraki urges Nigerian government to seek help over escalating insecurity
Former President of the Senate, Sen. Bukola Saraki, has advised the Federal Government to seek help wherever it could to address the escalating insecurity in the country. Saraki, in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, said that calling for help in the present situation of the country was not a sign of weakness. He said he was worried over cases of violence, kidnapping and terrorism recorded on Monday in Anambra, Kaduna, Yobe, Niger, Lagos states and many parts of the country. The ex-senate president reiterated the need for President Muhammadu Buhari to convene meeting of all those who could help in finding solutions to the problem at hand. ”The people include former presidents and heads of state, serving and former chief justices, serving and former presiding officers of the National Assembly...
Delta governor: We inherited N100 billion unpaid pension under compulsory pension scheme
Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Sunday said his administration inherited about N100 billion unpaid pensions under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS). Okowa disclosed this at the third session of the 8th Synod of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Ughelli Diocese. The session was held at Bishop Agori-Iwe Memorial Church, Ughelli. Okowa said that the financial burden forced 18 state governments out of 26 that enlisted on the scheme to withdraw, leaving only eight state governments, including Delta, in the Programme. The governor explained that the major challenge which forced the states to withdraw and others not to enrol in the scheme, was the huge backlog running into billions of naira. He said that his administration was up-to-date with payment of pensioners in the old scheme. ...
Cross River agency chief calls for legislation to back labour migration
The director-general, Cross River Migration Control Agency, Prince Michael Nku Abuo, has called for enactment of a legislation to back labour migration in order to engender national development. Abuo made the call at the Cross River State Migration Summit held in Calabar, the state capital on Saturday. The DG, who also represented the state governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, at the summit, pointed out that several solutions by both federal and state governments have been given to address the issue of unemployment in order to curb the challenge, but the way forward is to tackle the menace was through labour migration. According to him, Cross River Migration Control Agency was exploring and advancing for opportunities for citizens of the State who are at home and in the Diaspora under a work study p...
PANDEF seeks South-south security outfit
The Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) has paid a consultative visit to former President Goodluck Jonathan in Abuja to discuss the current security situation of the country and South south matters particularly the need for a regional security arrangement for the South-South as being done by other zones in the country. The PANDEF delegation led by the National Chairman, Senator Emmanuel Ibok Essien, said they visited the former President because he was a key voice in the country, and the political leader of the Niger Delta Region, and that his vast knowledge and understanding of the complexities and intricacies of the country, and the region, would be of immense benefit to PANDEF, and other groups in the country in the efforts to resolving the challenges we are confronted with. The group in a s...
House rejects bill seeking to reduce cases in Supreme Court
The House of Representatives yesterday voted out a bill seeking to limit the category of litigations that can be appealed at the Supreme Court. The intention of the bill was to reduce the workload on the apex court, and speed up justice delivery. The lawmakers at the plenary yesterday considered for second reading, ‘A Bill for An Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999; the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (First Alteration) Act, 2010; and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Second Alteration) Act, 2010, to make appeals to the Supreme Court to be by leave in order to reduce workload on the court, expedite hearing and determination of appeals, and encourage efficiency and quality; and for related matters.’ Chai...
Edo: Police charge 331 suspects to courts in two months
The Police Command in Edo on Wednesday disclosed that no fewer than 332 suspects have been charged to courts in the last two months. Mr Phillip Ogbadu, the Commissioner of Police in Edo, disclosed this at a media briefing in his office in Benin, on Wednesday. “From Feb. 5 till date, we have charged 332 suspects out of the 357 arrested within the period to various courts”, Ogbadu said. He explained that 58 suspects were arrested for alleged kidnapping, while 100 suspects were arrested for alleged cultism. He further explained that 81 suspects were also arrested for alleged armed robbery, and six suspects arrested for alleged rape. “We arrested 50 suspects for alleged murder, seven suspects for alleged defilement. “We also arrested 16 suspects for unlawful possession firearms, 13 suspects we...
Lagos inaugurates six-man governing board for alternative high school for girls
Lagos State Government has inaugurated a six-member Governing Board for Alternative High School for Girls In Aboju area of the state. The moves aimed at promoting the growth of both formal and informal education in the state. The state government, therefore, in demonstration of its commitment to full implementation of its mass literacy policy, charged the board to ensure that the school continues to excel in all its activities while sustaining its current impressive standard. The Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu on Education, Barrister Tokunbo Wahab, inaugurated the board. Wahab, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mr Adeniran Kasali, stated that the government carefully selected technocrats with diverse experience and achievements in education and public service to let th...
Akwa Ibom wins CIRDDOC 2020 best budget transparency award
In a move that gives credence and endorsement of the commitment of the Udom Emmanuel led administration in ensuring openness, transparency and accountability in budgeting and governance, the Akwa Ibom State Government has been ranked one of the best performing states in the 2020 sub-National Budget Transparency Survey. The survey which was conducted by the Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre (CIRDDOC) to ascertain the level of budget performance by states of the federation revealed that Akwa Ibom and four other states topped the budget performance index for the year, 2020. The Nigerian States Budget Transparency Survey Report also revealed that Akwa Ibom and some other Nigerian States have significantly improved budget transparency and participation, and has improved the ro...
Osun governor urges Muslims to embrace coronavirus vaccine
Gov. Ishaq Oyetola of Osun on Saturday urged Muslims to support government”s effort and embrace COVID-19 vaccination to curtail the spread of the life threatening virus. Oyetola gave the advice at the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society, Abuja Branch 26th Annual Ramadan Lecture and special prayer for the nation, held at the society’s Central Mosque at Maitama District, in Abuja. Newsmen report that the lecture has its theme: “Islamic Perspective on COVID-19 and Vaccination.” Represented by his Deputy Chief of Staff, Abdullah Binuyo, the governor enjoined Muslims to unite and fight COVID-19 that was threatening the life that Almighty Allah has given them to uphold and cherish. He noted that vaccination sustained life while coronavirus threatened it, saying that “as Muslims, we must rally round government...
FCTA bans farming activities, illegal markets on airport expressway
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has banned farming activities, street trading and illegal motor parks on fringes of the Umar Musa Yar’adua Expressway, leading to Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport. The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, made this known when he led management team of the administration, political leaders and some traditional rulers to inspect various developments on the road axis on Friday in Abuja. Bello, who frowned at the bizarre conducts of residents constituting nuisance to the public, stated that no resident or organisation would be allowed to carry out any illegal activity on a major road leading into the nation’s capital city. He noted that while residents were encouraged to engage in legitimate economic activities to mitigate poverty and cont...
Bandits kill nine persons, rustle 500 cows in Sokoto
The government and people of Sokoto State are in deep mourning over bandits attack that left at least nine persons dead and several others injured. The attack happened on Thursday in Rarah, a village in Rabbah Local Government of the State. The assailants also rustled away about 500 cows. It has been wailing and gnashing of the teeth in the community since the attack. The Sun reports that a statement from Abdulnasir Abubakar Sanyinna, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Public affairs to Governor Aminu Tambuwal, also confirmed the attack. It stated that the Governor alongside heads of security agencies in the state had condoled with people and relatives of the victims. “Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal today condoled with the people of Rarah town of Rabah LGA over the recent killing of nin...
RCCG apologises to minister over Osun road project
File Photo Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), on Thursday, dismissed alleged payment of N151million to a firm for a road rehabilitated by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in Osun State. Fashola in his submission before the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, probing the allegation, said the claim by the church was untrue. He said the 15-kilometer road was awarded to Messrs Cartil Construction Nigeria Limited at the cost of N662.7million by the Federal Government in 2011. He said the Ministry paid N99million as 15% mobilisation fee and N52million to the contractor after the firm achieved 26.2 per cent of work done on the road in March and December 2011, respectively. He insisted that the award of the contract and the subsequent p...
