Nation
Senate Passes N315bn NDDC Budget
The Senate yesterday passed the N315.8 billion 2013 Budget of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the plenary session, decried the continuous late presentation of the budget by the commission and its subsequent late passage.
He advised the NDDC to ensure that it submitted its budget early enough to enhance quick passage and to enable implementing agencies to execute the budget in time.
Meanwhile, the Senate, yesterday in Abuja, approved President Goodluck Jonathan’s request to extend the state of emergency imposed on Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States, for another six months.
The Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba (PDP-Cross River), had moved the motion entitled: “Request for Extension of State of Emergency.”
He recalled that the Senate passed a resolution on May 21, following which the President declared the state of emergency. This was in order to curb militant insurgency and restore peace in the three states.
Ndoma-Egba said the approval of the extension was based on the same terms and conditions that were earlier approved and gazetted.
The Senators invited service chiefs and the Supervising Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs Viola Onwuleri, to further brief the upper chamber on the impact the state of emergency had had on the three states.
The extension of State of Emergency in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states by President Goodluck Jonathan was greeted with mixed feeling by the people of Adamawa.
President Goodluck Jonathan on November 6 wrote to the National Assembly seeking its approval to extend the emergency rule imposed on the three states experiencing the activities of insurgents.
The letter followed the expiration of the six months emergency rule earlier declared in the states in May.
Buba Ardo, a resident of Mubi said that he was happy with the return of peace to the area.
He, however, said he would want to see the emergency rule lifted for so that people, particularly the border communities, could go about their daily activities.
“I am not happy with the proposed extension of state of emergency, it should be removed while the army should remain to patrol the area,” Ardo said.
Also speaking, the Adamawa Secretary of Jamatul Nasril Islam (JNI), Alhaji Gambo Jika, said he was delighted that peace had returned to the state.
“As far as we are concerned in Adamawa, things have normalised except if there are certain things the security agencies see that we cannot see,” Jika said.
Also speaking in the same vein, Mallam Abdullahi Damare, Coordinator of North East Interfaith Mediation Centre, said it was high time the emergency rule was lifted.
He said the security situation in the state had improved to the extent that the emergency rule was no longer necessary.
The Adamawa Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Moses Taparki, also lauded the return of peace and normalcy in the state.
He, however, said it was the duty of the security agencies to decide if things were normal enough to lift the emergency rule.
“If they (security) feel the situation has improve to warrant the removal of the state of emergency they should go ahead to do it but if they feel otherwise so be it”, Taparki said.
Meanwhile, the Director Press Affairs to Gov. Murtala Nyako, Mallam Ahmed Sajoh, has said the Adamawa government was not in support of the extension of the emergency rule.
He said rather than a blanket extension, the security agencies should consider the security situation on state-by-state basis.
The Rivers state Government has identified six local government areas with the highest burden of maternal and Neonatal mortality in the state.
State Commissioner for Health Dr Adaeze Chidinma Oreh said this in an interview with newsmen at the Maternal and Neonatal Reduction innovation initiative ( Mamii)Rivers state activation workshop and state engagement meeting in Port Harcourt.
The event was organized by The Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with its Rivers state counterpart in Port Harcourt.
Dr Oreh also restated the preparedness of the state government to support current efforts by the federal government towards the reduction of maternal and infant mortalities in the country.
She mentioned the affected Local Government Areas to include, Andoni,Akuku Toru and Ahoada West
The rest according to the Commissioner are, Bonny, Etche and Emohua Local Government Areas.
She said the workshop will enable the team from the federal ministry of health and social welfare to brainstorm with the view to finding solution to the problem.
The Commissioner also gave reasons why the Mamii initiative was the best as far as finding solution to maternal mortality was concerned.
“The uniqueness of the Mamii initiative driven by the federal ministry of health and social welfare was that we used evidence to elicit the reasons for this deaths, so that the solutions will be context specific and tailored to the particular environment where those deaths are occuring
“For us in Rivers state we have six Mamii LGAs , nationally we we have 172 local government areas “the Commissioner said.
Earlier in her opening remarks,Dr Oreh said the state government is prepared to work with the federal ministry of health and social welfare to check the rate of maternal mortality in the state.
She commended The Minister of Health and Social welfare Professor Ali Muhammad Pategi for driving the Mamii initiative across the country and expressed optimism that the programm will see to the end of maternal mortality in the country.
Also speaking the National Coordinator Nigeria health sector Renewal Initiative Dr Adam Ahmed said Rivers state is the last state among Mamii states in the country to host the team.
He said the team will visit the affected Local Government Areas with the view to interacting with the people on how to check the trend.
He expressed the hope that with continuous efforts, maternal mortality will be checked.
Also speaking the permanent secretary Rivers state Ministry of Health Professor Justinah Jumbo said the government is not leaving any stone unturned towards reduction in maternal deaths.
The permanent secretary said Governor Siminalaye Fubara is a health friendly Governor who is desirous in improving the quality of health of Rivers people.
John Bibor
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Rivers state has declared a one day fasting and prayer to seek divine intervention on the political crisis rocking the state.
The Association said this at a media briefing in Port Harcourt.
State chairman of the Association,Most Rev. Dokiboeriya B. Kaladokubo said the fasting and prayer which holds February 5th at the Ecumenical center Abonnema wharf was in furtherance of the Association peace, advocacy, good governance and political stability in Rivers state.
He said the Association has observed with disappointment the dangerous trend and and gradual descent of governance in Rivers state into uncertainty and near oblivion, adding that the trend has exposed Rivers citizens to insecurity, economic hardship, loss of livelihood and the destruction of lives and property.
Kaladokubo said the association has also watched with dismay the unfolding political crisis in the state, stressing “what we see today is not merely a disagreement among political actors,it is a dangerous drift that threatens the very foundation of governance, peace, security and the collective well-being of our people”
According to him,”as the custodians of the spiritual and moral conscience of Rivers state,we can not remain silent while the state is pushed steadily towards chaos, institutional breakdown and avoidable suffering
“We are not oblivious of the fact that Rivers state like some other states in the federation often experience tension between the Executive and the Legislature “adding”when disagreement escalate they can hinder governance, delay budgets ,erode public trust and impede peaceful, constructive development”
The Christian body stressed the need for parties involved in the conflict to seek for peaceful resolution, stressing that as Christians and children of God “we should seek the path of peace and reconciliation as Christ Himself taught us”it said
The Association further encourage the both arms of government to imbibe the spirit of forgiveness and prioritize good governance in Rivers state
“We also advised all the parties in these conflict to call their supporters to exercise restraint in all their utterances and de-escalate tension in the interest of peace in Rivers state ”
CAN also described as disturbing the role some elder statesmen and individuals in the state have played and continue to play in the crisis when they should have serve as voices of wisdom, restraint and unity
“Rather than guiding the process towards peace, some have taken sides,fueled division and encouraged instability becoming more dangerous than those currently holding power”,it said.
John Bibor
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