News

NASS May Consider Report On Security Crisis, Next Week -Lawan

Published

5 years ago

February 26, 2020

President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, disclosed, yesterday, that the Senate may, next week, consider the report of an Ad-Hoc Committee on Security Challenges with a view to finding solutions to Nigeria’s security problems.
Lawan made the disclosure during the plenary sequel to the consideration of a motion brought to the floor by Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed (APC – Adamawa Central).
The Senate had on January 29, 2020, set up the Ad-Hoc Committee chaired by the Senate Leader, Yahaya Abdullahi, to interface with the security agencies on the level of insecurity in the country and report back to the Upper Chamber within two weeks.
According to Lawan, the Senate would engage with the Executive arm of government on the resolutions of the ad-hoc committee as contained in its report.
He added that the Upper Chamber would also work closely with the House of Representatives and Nigerian citizens towards ensuring that solutions are found to the lingering security problems in the country.
Lawan said, “The Senate discussed and debated so much on the insecurity in the country and set up an ad-hoc committee under the leadership of the Senate leader.
“The committee is working very hard; we are trying to look for solutions to the insecurity bedevilling the country. We are not going to rest on our oars until we are able to provide solutions.
“This is the essence of our being in government. Of course, it will require that we work with the House of Representatives and the Executive, as well as the citizens because I believe that the citizens have to be taken into confidence in the fight against insecurity.
“So, we will not waste any time, as soon as the report is ready, I believe by next week, probably the report will be ready. We are going to look at the report of the ad-hoc committee and take those important and very viable resolutions, and engage with the Executive arm of government.
“I think we are on the same page with the Executive arm of government, everybody is worried, and we will do whatever it takes, and I normally say, if we have to invest so much money, so be it, because there’s nothing more important than life, even infrastructure.
“Life is more important than anything, so, we need to protect the lives of Nigerians who have sent us here,” Lawan added.
Earlier, Senator Aishatu Ahmed, while coming under a point of order on matter of urgent public importance, bemoaned attacks on Gombi Local Government Area of Adamawa State by an insurgent group armed with seven gun-trucks and motorcycles on February 21, 2020.
According to the lawmaker, “three soldiers were killed in the dastardly attacks, while properties worth millions of naira were burnt or destroyed, including: public hospital, school, telecommunication facilities, police stations and so on”.
She added that “the Garkida crisis, which has led to the destruction of lives and propriety, was planned by insurgents to have a religious connotation considering that churches and residences of some prominent indigenes were burnt, an act aimed at destroying the foundation of peaceful co-existence among Garkida community and Adamawa State as a whole.”
The lawmaker warned, “As a result of this, the urgent need to take more drastic actions in the face of such affront on the national security architecture, the region, and indeed, the entire nation is long overdue.
“In view of the enormity of the situation, the Federal Government needs to put more innovative measures in place to frontally confront these challenges.”
Consequently, the Senate, in a three-point resolution, urged the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Tukur Buratai, to re-establish a military command base in Garkida, and also all major settlements bordering the Sambisa forest.
The Upper Chamber called on the North East Development Commission to immediately embark on rehabilitation of public and religious institutions destroyed and provide relief materials to victims of the insurgency.
Meanwhile, the Senate, yesterday, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to “immediately” reconstitute the Federal Character Commission (FCC) in line with extant laws.
The call followed a motion sponsored by the Minority Leader of the Senate, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, on the “urgent need to reconstitute the Federal Character Commission.”
The Upper Chamber noted that the tenure of the present commission had elapsed and that failure to reconstitute the commission would amount to a “breach of the Act establishing the Federal Character Commission and the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”
In his contribution, the Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan, noted that the FCC was one of the national tools that work to ensure equity, unity, fairness and justice in terms of employment distribution across all the 36 states and the FCT.
“It is very important we have the full complement of the commission in place, and I believe that with this resolution, it will expedite action to reconstitute the membership of the commission,” Lawan said.
In his lead debate, Abaribe noted that Act No. 34 of 1996 and Section 153 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) provided for the establishment of the Federal Character Commission (FCC).
He said that the subsection 1, 2 and 3 of the Act stipulate the establishment, membership and tenure of office of the chairman and members of the commission.
Abaribe said that Section 3(1) of the Act states that the chairman and members of the commission shall hold office for a period of five years in the first instance and for a further term of five years on such terms and conditions as may be specified in their letters of appointment.
He added: “Further aware that (the) Federal Character Commission body has lapsed since 2018 as against its Act.
“Observes that since 2018, the Federal Character Commission has been run by an acting chairman, who has now become a sole administrator.
“Further observes that no provisions of the Act or the Constitution stipulate the need for the office of a sole administrator or an acting chairman.
“Note that the Federal Character Commission (FCC) has been a tool for unity, equitable formula distribution and good governance of the nation,” Abaribe said.
He insisted that failure to reconstitute the commission amount to a constitutional breach of the Act establishing the FCC.

News

Ibas Inaugurates RSIEC, Service Commissions, Healthcare Board In Rivers …Charges Appointees To Embrace Principles Of Service

Published

2 days ago

July 18, 2025

The Tide

The Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral (Rtd) Ibok-Ete Ibas, has charged newly appointed Board members to uphold the highest standards of discipline, competence, integrity, and unwavering dedication in their service to the State.

He emphasized that such commitment is critical to stabilizing governance, restoring democratic institutions, and advancing the principles of good governance in the State.

This was contained in a statement by the Administrator’s Senior Special Adviser on Media, Hector Igbikiowubo on Monday.

Ibas issued the charge on Monday while inaugurating the reconstituted Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), Rivers State Civil Service Commission, Rivers State Local Government Service Commission, and the Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board at Government House, Port Harcourt.

The Administrator urged the new appointees to embrace their roles with diligence, patriotism, and a commitment to transforming Rivers State through excellent service.

Addressing the Chairman and members of RSIEC, Ibas underscored their pivotal role in ensuring credible local government elections that reflect the will of the people.

“Your task is clear but demanding: to conduct free, fair, transparent, and credible elections at the grassroots level. You must resist bias, favoritism, and external interference while restoring public confidence in the electoral process,” he stated.

“The independence of your actions is crucial to sustaining peace, stability, and grassroots governance. I urge you to act with fairness, impartiality, and professionalism—even in the face of difficult choices,” Ibas added.

The Sole Administrator also charged the Rivers State Civil Service Commission on the need to eliminate mediocrity and foster a culture of excellence through merit-based recruitment, training, and promotions.

“The civil service must transition from favoritism to competence, integrity, and accountability. Your commission will lead reforms, including digital transformation and standardized practices across ministries, departments, and agencies,” he said.

He disclosed that extensive training programmes are underway, with a committee set up to overhaul the public service framework for greater efficiency.

Meanwhile, Ibas urged the Rivers State Local Government Service Commission to ensure professionalism and discipline in local government administration.

“As the closest tier of government to the people, you must drive reforms that insulate the system from politics and mediocrity. Your mandate includes merit-based recruitment, training, and enforcing standards for effective service delivery,” he stated.

In the same vein, the Administrator charged the Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board with revitalizing healthcare delivery across the state’s 23 local government areas.

“Primary healthcare is the foundation of a sustainable health system. Your board must ensure facilities are adequately staffed, equipped, and operational focusing on maternal health, immunization, malaria control, and community health services,” he said.

He emphasized data-driven operations, incentives for rural health workers, and restoring the referral system to improve healthcare access.

He also assured the Board of sustained government support, including funding, for the effective discharge of their mandates but warned that board members would be held accountable for their performance.

The newly inaugurated members include: RSIEC: Dr. Michael Ekpai Odey (Chairman) with Prof. Arthur Nwafor, Prof. Joyce Akaninwor, and others as members.

Civil Service Commission: Dr. Livinus Bariki (Chairman), Amb. Lot Egopija, Mrs. Maeve Bestman, and others.

Local Govt. Service Commission: Mr. Isreal Amadi (Chairman), Rear Adm. Emmanuel Ofik (Rtd), Dr. Tonye Pepple, and others.

Primary Health Care Board: Dr. Dawari George (Chairman), Dr. Chituru Adiele (Executive Director), Prof. Kaladada Korubo, and representatives from key ministries.

News

Rivers PDP Debunks Sale Of LGA Election Forms

Published

2 days ago

July 18, 2025

The Tide

The Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, Dr. Kenneth Yowika, has debunked claims that the party has commenced sale of forms for chairmanship and councillorship elections across the 23 local government areas of the state.

Yowika made the rebuttal in a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday, describing the publication on the social media as baseless and untrue.

He urged members of the PDP to disregard the claim, saying that official communication regarding the sale of forms would be disclosed through the appropriate channels.

“With reference to information trending on social media, it has been falsely claimed that the sale of forms for Chairmanship and Councillorship elections in the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Rivers State will begin soon.

“However, the party has firmly denied these rumours, stating that they are baseless and untrue.

“The party has its own established methods of reaching out to its numerous supporters.

“The People’s Democratic Party, a law-abiding organisation, will patiently await the release of guidelines from the recently inaugurated Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) before considering any sale of election forms.

“The PDP is urging its members to remain calm as official communication regarding the sale of forms will be disclosed through appropriate channels,” the statement read.

Enoch Epelle

News

South-South contributes N34trn to Nigeria’s economy in 2024 – Institute

Published

2 days ago

July 18, 2025

The Tide

Prof. Pius Olanrewaju, President of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), has stated that the South-South region contributes N34 trillion to country’s economy in 2024.

He made the remark at the South-South Zonal Banking and Finance Conference in Calabar, yesterday.

He spoke on the theme, ‘’Building An Inclusive South-South: Economic Diversification as a Catalyst For Development.’’

Olanrewaju, who quoted the data from the Cable Data Index, said the feat was more than 21 per cent of Nigeria’s real Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The president described the growth as ‘’ impressive,’’ saying that it was not driven by oil alone but significant expansions in trade, services, and the creative industries.

According to him, to fully harness this potential, coordinated financial, technological, and policy support is essential.

“As we work to reposition the South-South for broad-based prosperity, the financial system must play a central role, not merely as a source of capital, but as a catalyst for innovation, ideas incubation, and inclusive economic growth.

“This conference, therefore, provides a strategic opportunity for stakeholders to reimagine the South-South economy, not merely as a resource belt, but as a region of diverse capabilities and resilient enterprises.”

Olanrewaju added that Nigeria must move beyond old models and chart a new course for the development of the South-South region, where financial institutions and stakeholder collaborate to diversify the economy for shared prosperity.

He, however, commended Gov. Bassey Otu for his pledge of land for CIBN Secretariat in Cross River and being the first sitting governor to willingly undergo and complete the Chartered Bankers Programme.

On his part, Gov. Otu said that the conference discussion on the economic diversification in South-South region was timely against the backdrop of global trade and economic volatility that was affecting the nation’s economy.

Represented by his deputy, Mr Peter Odey, Otu said the South-South region must now act with urgency to diversify its economy while leveraging its shared natural endowment in agriculture and extractive resources.

“This conference must help develop tailored financial solutions that reflect the unique strengths and realities of states like Cross River in the south-south.

“Diversification should be evidence-based and must be backed not just by financial advice but project focused financing and real investment support,” he noted.

He said that Cross River had taken the bold step to invest in its agricultural sector by launching an Agro processing hub.

Otu further said that the state had invested in aviation by acquiring more aircrafts for Cally Air, construction of the Bakassi Deep Seaport and injecting N18 billion in its tourism sector.

Similarly, Mr Tolefe Jibunoh, Cross River Branch Controller of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said that the region was blessed with natural resources, cultural diversities and immense human potentials.

Jibunoh, who was represented by Mr Segun Shittu, Head, Currency Control Office, CBN, Calabar, noted that strategic diversification could unlock unprecedented opportunities for growth in the region.

He added that the CBN remained steadfast to maintain monetary possibilities and promote a sound financial system as a catalyst for sustainable economic development for the benefit of all.