NIS: Senate Orders Probe Of Tragedy

Justice P.N.C. Agumagu, taking a bow before members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, during his screening as Chief Judge of the State in Port Harcourt, yesterday.

The Senate yestyerday described as a national calamity Saturday’s recruitment exercise conducted by the Nigeria Immigration Service that led to the death of over 20 job applicants as a result of stampede.
Contributing to a motion sponsored by the Chairman, Committee on Interior, Senator Atiku Bagudu, the senators, who took turn to speak, unanimously condemned the manner in which the exercise was conducted nationwide.
However, they disagreed on whether the Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, should be sacked or not.
The plenary, presided over by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekwerenmadu, mandated its committee on interior to conduct a public hearing on the matter and report back to plenary in one week.
The Upper House also urged the executive to come out with a marshal plan to tackle the rate of unemployment in the country.
Ekweremadu also called for the provision of social security for the unemployed in the country.
While the All Progressives Congress caucus called for the sack of the minister, others objected.
Objecting to the call for Moro’s sack, Senator Victor Lar (Plateau-PDP) opined that the real issue, which he noted was the unacceptable level of unemployment in the country, should be addressed.
In his contribution, Senator Ita Enang noted that unemployment is worse than insurgency and called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on employment.
Senator Smart Adeyemi (Kogi-PDP) said all the levels of government should device means of creating jobs.
Babafemi Ojudu, the caucus spokesperson of the APC in a statement noted: “The tragedy (NIS) has further graphically underlined the insensitivity of the President Jonathan administration to the plight of the people.