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No Going Back On Amotekun, S’West Govs, Yoruba Leaders Insist

The Chairman of the South-West Governors Forum, Rotimi Akeredolu, yesterday, assured that there was no going back on the implementation of the security outfit codenamed Amotekun in the region.
He was quick to dismiss the fear that it would be used for the purpose of ethnic persecution.
Akeredolu said this at the public hearing on the bill organised by the Ondo State House of Assembly held in Akure, the state capital.
“There is no going back. We are not going to compromise the security of our people. We have put our hands on the plough there is no retreating. Let me disabuse the mind of the people it will not be used for the purpose of ethnic persecution.
“We have cleared the grey areas with the security agencies. So, we are now good to go with Amotekun.
“There are those that are in support of Amotekun and some not in support. But those in support will triumph.
The Amotekun issue is not the initiative of just one state but it involved all the six states of the South-West which included collaborations of the AGs and speakers.
Other stakeholders at the public hearing include, the Afenifere represented by its National Secretary, Basorun Seinde Arogbofa, who lauded the six governors for the initiative by putting aside politics in the interest of the safety of the people of the region.
Afenifere said that the Yoruba region went through terrible experiences in the hands of herdsmen citing the kidnap of the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Chief Olu Falae and the gruesome murder of the daughter of its National Leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, Mrs Funke Olakunri.
He said that restructuring was the answer to the myriad of problems bedevilling the country.
The group asked the personnel to be fair a firm while dispensing justice.
In his submission, the former SGF, said that Nigeria is not safer with the present security architecture, noted that “Amotekun is the arrival of Yoruba freedom. What we want is our safety in our region.
Falae said, “Yoruba cannot secede from Nigeria we have suffered to make Nigeria what it is today. We have invested time and resources in Nigeria.
“Amotekun is a free opportunity to free ourselves. Our freedom is what we won’t compromise. Amotekun arrival represents the freedom of Yorubas from oppression within the Nigerian nation. Amotekun should bury such thought as the move was not part of plans for the Yorubas to secede from Nigeria”.
Speaking on behalf of traditional rulers in the state, the Olubaka of Okaland, Oba Adebori Adeleye said that Amotekun should have power to arrest and prosecute offenders.
The Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon Bamidele Oloyelogun, said the safety of the people in the region was paramount to the governors hence the initiative.
He added that lives are being wasted on daily basis and this has to stop.
Oleyelogun assured that all inputs made at the public hearing will be taken into consideration when harmonizing the Ondo State position with the other five South-West states.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
News
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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