Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
The Adamawa State House of Assembly recently criticised officials of some local councils over alleged abuse of due process in their financial dealings.
The Tide’s source reports that the House in February set up six sub-committees to investigate the financial dealings of the councils, following cases of unpaid staff salaries, bank overdrafts and loans reported against some officials.
The situation led to the impeachment of four chairmen by their councillors, forcing incessant strikes by workers due to irregular payment of salaries.
The House Committee on Local Government led by Mr. Kwamoti Laori made the accusation in Yola after scrutinising the finances of Hong, Gombi, Song and Girei councils.
The Committee accused the councils of flagrant abuse of due process and poor financial record keeping, especially the incomes and expenditures.
It observed that the development was capable of breeding corruption and extravagance in the management of public funds at the third tier of government.
The Committee, while in Hong, discovered to its dismay that records of income and expenditure were not up to date, while documents needed to be ascertained was not accessible.
Borno
The Borno/Yobe Command of the Nigeria Custom Service (NCS) has given an assurance that it will meet its N180 million revenue target in 2010..
Mr Ikpepe Lawrence, the Comptroller of the command told newsmen in Maiduguri, that the target was achievable going by the monthly generation.
“It may interest you to know that we are generating N15 million monthly in terms of revenue from import duties and other areas.
“This means that we should be able to generate N180 million at the end of the year,” Lawrence said.
He said that the officers and men of the command were committed to the task.
“We are not relenting because we have a duty to ensure that we collect all collectable revenue into government’s coffers.
“My officers are working 24 hours, while I give them good supervision to ensure that we attain our goal,” he said.
Lawrence, who assumed duty in 2009 as the Comptroller of the command, said that his posting to the command was a home coming.
FCT
Dr Seidu Mohammed, Director General, National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), said space science was the only technology that could fast-track Nigeria’s Vision 2020 and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Mohammed made the assertion in Abuja on Monday in an interview with the The Tide’s source. He stressed that the country could only achieve its dream of being among the largest 20th economies by 2020 through space science and technology.
“In effect, Space Science and Technology remains a major tool for achieving Vision 20:2020 and the MDGs.
Mohammed added that the earth observation satellite remained the vital way to access and exploit resources that would enable the country to have adequate information to plan its urban cities.
The satellite, he added, could also give the opportunity to experts on information technology to gather information on every house in the city capitals and enable state governments to improve on their revenue profiles.
Kaduna
Kaduna State Government on Monday , blamed its local governments for delaying the installation of transformers recently distributed by the government to the areas.
The Commissioner for Rural and Community Development, Alhaji Abubarkar Musa, told newsmen, that more than 150 transformers were distributed to the councils for installation.
He said the state government had directed the councils to fund the installation of the transformers but nothing was done.
“We thought the installation was delayed because of their late arrival, but we realised that it was the councils that delayed their installation,”he said.
Alhaji Shehu Giant, the Chairman of the state branch of the Association of Local Goverrnments of Nigeria (ALGON), however, said the councils were making efforts to ensure their installation.
“The cost of installing the transformers are often higher than the purchase cost,” he said, adding that “as soon as the councils are financially buoyant, the transformers would be installed”.
Katsina
Irrigation farmers in Katsina State have urged the federal and state governments to facilitate the establishment of markets and processing companies for agricultural produce in the area.
The state Chairman of irrigation farmers, Alhaji Salisu Lema, made the call on Friday in an interview with newsmen during a tour of irrigation sites in Funtua, Musawa, Malumfashi, Danja, Dandume and Kafur Local Government Areas.
He said the establishment of markets and processing plants at strategic locations would enhance increased production and assist in reducing poverty.
Lema explained that various crops and vegetables were produced in large quantities during dry season farming, and that such produce were being transported to different parts of the country.
He commended the state and local governments over the sale of subsidised fertilisers and other inputs, and urged them to increase the quantity of the commodity in view of the large number of farmers.
An irrigation farmer in Kafur Local Government Area, Malam Yahuza Masari, said the inputs supplied by the government were inadequate, as a result of which many farmers could not benefit from the allocations.
He noted that the absence of viable markets and processing companies had hindered growth in the sector.
Masari said most of their produce were perishables, adding that farmers had recorded huge losses due to the lack of storage facilities.
He said the situation could be reversed if appropriate markets and processing plants were provided by government in collaboration with the private sector.
Kogi
The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), has disbursed N3.6 million to 19 communities affected by the ongoing dredging of the lower part of River Niger.
Speaking in Lokoja on Friday, the Managing Director of NIWA, Alhaji Ahmed Aminu Yar’Adua, said that the money was to mitigate the adverse effects of the dredging project on farming and fishing activities in the communities.
He said that the affected farmlands and fish ponds were actually situated within the NIWA right of way but stated that the dredging was not meant to cripple the economic activities of the communities, hence the gesture.
Our correspondent reports that the benefiting communities which were grouped into two categories depending on the impact of the dredging, received between N150,000 and N200,000.
NIWA said that it has in addition, made provision for the establishment of community projects in Ohono, Adankolo, Ajaokuta and Idah.
Yar’Adua said that the money was channelled through the communities to the individual farmers because of their land tenure system, which vested land ownership in communities.
Lagos
Dr Olajide Ayinla, the Director- General, Institute of Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR), Lagos on Friday called for a review of proprietary rights to encourage research works.
Ayinla told newsmen in Lagos that such review should adequately protect the interest of originators to enable the sector to thrive.
He said fear by the private sector to invest in research and development could be as a result of poor protection under the existing laws.
“ No one would like to invest in a venture that will be an all comers’ affair without reaping the benefits,’’ he said.
The NIOMR chief said research work could thrive properly in the country if the patent rights were well protected.
He said there were indications that most of the research and development were being left in the hands of government unlike the practice in other developed countries.
Ayinla said investment of most Nigeria companies in research and development works was very low.
“ Abroad, companies contact tertiary institutions and private scientists for research work. I think investors should be sensitised on the importance of research to the companies and the economy,’’ he said.
Ayinla said research and development are more or less left in the hands of the government agencies.
According to him, NIOMR makes most of its research findings public to stimulate investment.
Niger
The Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, has given Alhaji Mahmud Dalhatu the turban as the new Makama Nupe.
Abubakar, who performed the ceremony in Bida, Niger, recently, charged the new Makama Nupe to strive to contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic development of the country.
The Tide’s source reports that the new Makama Nupe succeeded his elder brother, Alhaji Shehu Ahmadu-Musa, who died on November 19, 2008.
Dalhatu is the Company Secretary and Legal Adviser, Brass LNG Ltd.
Abubakar gave assurance that the Nupe Kingdom would honour only those who had contributed tremendously to its development in particular and the country in general.
According to him, ‘’those who are given traditional titles are people of proven integrity and as well those who show concern for the development and socio-economic well-being of the emirate.’’
The Etsu Nupe said the honour done to some illustrious sons and daughters of the area was aimed at encouraging other people to live an exemplary life.
The ruler said the emirate would continue to celebrate its sons and daughters who offered selfless services to humanity, and appealed to highly placed individuals to continue to bring development to the area.
Osun/Ogun
The Nawair-Udeen Society of Nigeria says it is opposed to the return of public schools by governments to their original owners.
Alhaji AbdulGaniyu Adegboyega, the National President of the association, said at a news conference on Friday in Osogbo that the campaign for the return of such schools was against public interest.
He explained that the take-over of such schools by government was motivated by genuine reasons, and with the consent of the owners.
“The owners were not forced to hand over their schools to government. As a matter of fact, they were compensated.
“Besides the obvious reasons of financial incapability of the private owners, government took them over to make the schools become public property and remove all forms of sectionalism.
“They are open to everyone, regardless of religious beliefs or status,’’ he added.
Adegboyega said the public would suffer so many disadvantages if the schools were eventually returned to the owners.
He declared: “Today, private schools are being run with extravagance and capitalist intincts, where their owners have turned education to money making venture by charging exorbitant fees.
“Where will the poor parents get the money to keep their children in school? The Muslim community says no to exploitation, especially in schools.”
Adegboyega explained that the Islamic tenets compelled Muslims to always explore the possibilities of making life bearable and meaningful for the poor.
He asserted that “the inordinate urge to get rich quick at the expense of others,” was also not in line with Islamic tenets.
The religious leader also urged the Federal Government to take necessary measures to check against the reccurrence of the Jos crisis, through conscious efforts to eradicate illiteracy in the society.
He said this could be done, not only through regular schools, but conferences, seminars and workshops.
Sokoto
Alhaji Garba Umar, the Chairman of Augie Local Government in Kebbi State, says the government has awarded N669 million contracts for the construction of two roads in the area.
He told newsmen in Sokoto that the roads were the 15-kilometre Argungu-Bubuce and the 10-kilometre Augie–Dundaye.
Umar also said that the government had embarked on the construction of a Primary Health Care Centre at Tiggi at a cost of N135 million.
“All these projects are nearing 95 per cent completion and they are aimed at improving the living standard of the people as well as access to quality healthcare,’’ he said.
Umar further stated that the government was constructing befitting residences for the district heads of Augie and Buyawa at N54 million .
“ This is to provide a conducive atmosphere for the traditional rulers to operate, as they play vital roles in the sustenance of peace and security,’’ the chairman further said .
Umar also announced that his administration had embarked on the construction of the first phase of the council’s secretariat at N32 million.
A professor of English linguistics at the Rivers State University (RSU) Nkpolu Oroworukwu Port Harcourt, Prof. Isaac Enyi Ngulube, has advocated for better and improved funding for language centres in Nigeria, such as NINLAN Aba and Nigeria French Language Village, Badagry, for optimum value and effective local languages development.
He also called for funded research on the development of orthographies and language documents across the country to rescue local languages from extinction, as well as having a well-planned and implemented mother tongue education in all institutions in the country, from primary to tertiary.
Prof. Ngulube made with these assertions while presenting his inaugural lecture at the university’s 121st inaugural lecture with the topic “The Career of Rough Beats: Language, Literature and the Development of our Common Humanity” held in Port Harcourt, Wednesday.
The erudite scholar, in the lecture, stressed that the study of English language, linguistics, and literature is very broad, large, and difficult, adding that he overcame the rough roads through resilience and determination.
He described language as “a purely human and non-instinctive means of communicating ideas and emotions,” noting that “the word is a fundamental need in language; you cannot study language without the use of language.”
He urged parents to be cautious with their utterances, warning that “what they refer to their children as is what they will automatically end up becoming.”
He recommended a branded English language for every profession or course of study, stressing that embedding oral literature in the teaching of students from primary to tertiary level will enable them to know their traditions and roots of origin.
“Tell them the folk stories and moonlight tales; you are sending them back to their people. You must be a human being first before becoming a medical doctor, engineer, or anything else,” Ngulube said.
He also called for better and improved production of quality language and literature teachers, provision of modern teaching/instructional materials, improved welfare packages for teachers, and provision of better infrastructure at both primary and secondary school levels.
He used the opportunity to appreciate the Vice Chancellor for the approval of the Department of English Language and Literature, adding that it had been his long-held dream for the university.
In his speech, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Isaac Zeb-Obipi, while highlighting the lecture, opined that the lecturer x-rayed the lecturer’s journey into the study of English language, linguistics, and literature, describing the field as broad, large, and difficult, but with determination and focus, he was able to defeat the beasts he encountered on his way.
Zeb-Obipi agreed with the lecturer’s recommendations on ways to improve indigenous languages in the country and directed that modalities be worked out for the university to have the Department of English Language and Literature, among others.
He highlighted RSU’s recent victory in the Bilingual Community Project organized by the French Embassy, describing it as proof of the university’s rising excellence in language studies.
The Federal Government through the implementation of the various projects of the Ogoni cleanup programme is demonstrating a strong commitment to national peace and the development of Ogoniland.
The Project Coordinator of the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project(HYPREP), Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, who made this assertion at a two-day training on Mechanism for Alternative Dispute Resolution(ADR) and other Peacebuilding Techniques for Community Leaders In Ogoni, held in Port Harcourt, said through the ongoing environmental restoration effort, potable water provision, livelihood restoration, public health interventions, and the Ogoni Power Project, HYPREP is contributing to national peace and development.
He explained that by improving the living conditions in communities and creating new opportunities for young people, the Project is also reducing the social pressure that often fuels conflict, stressing that the Project is proud of this service to the Ogoni people and the nation.
Describing traditional leaders and stakeholders as peacebuilders and guardians of community harmony, Zabbey noted that the workshop would strengthen their capacities and reinforce the Ogoni dialogue process, which HYPREP continues to support in line with its mandate on peacebuilding.
He said HYPREP is actively promoting ADR alongside other mechanisms across its project sites and other areas of operation aimed at fostering unity, fairness, mutual respect and faster dispute resolution, stressing that these are qualities necessary for the future of Ogoni people and their communities.
He further indicated that the Minister of Environment and Chairman of HYPREP’s Governing Council, Malam Balarabe Abbas Lawal is disposed to promoting peace and stability across Ogoni communities and HYPREP project sites.
The Project Coordinator, therefore, charged Ogoni leaders to be mindful of their actions, words and body language, as what they say or do can either promote peace or fan the embers of conflict.
Continuing, he stated thus,”We must always ask ourselves: Is my position on this matter in the people’s interest? Does it promote unity and progress? Will it enhance development?”
The Project Coordinator assured the participants that HYPREP is working tirelessly in line with the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for the accelerated implementation of the Ogoni cleanup programme and ensure that its benefits reach the grassroots where they are needed most.
Stressing the need for Ogoni leaders and stakeholders to explore communication and trust options to prevent disputes from degenerating into violence, the Project Coordinator noted that it was time for all Ogonis to be united for development, leaving behind perceptions that do not serve collective progress.
Similarly, the Director of the Centre for Peace and Security Studies of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof Chioma Daisy Onyige, said the workshop is a strategic platform aimed at strengthening the capacity of traditional institutions and community leaders to sustain peace, foster dialogue and promote non-adversarial engagements in the implementation of the Ogoni cleanup programme.
Prof Onyige noted that the Ogoni leadership structure commands deep respect and legitimacy, and strengthening their capacity in ADR methods such as mediation, negotiation, dialogue, facilitation, and consensus building means strengthening the foundation of peace in the region.
Participants, comprising traditional rulers and key stakeholders in Ogoni, commended HYPREP for the initiative, and assured it of their continuous support to the Project by providing an enabling atmosphere for the smooth implementation of the cleanup project in Ogoniland.
Resource persons who presented thought-provoking lectures at the workshop included the Dean of the Faculty of Postgraduate Studies of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof Kinikanwo Anele; Prof Olariwanju Lawal; Prof Chioma Daisy Onyige; and Dr Gbenemene Kpae; among others.
With significant achievements recorded across thematic areas of the Ogoni cleanup programme being executed by the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP), the Project Coordinator of the Project, Prof Nenibarini Zabbey, has said that all these are enabling pathways to the development of Ogoniland.
This is coming on the heels of milestone achievements in the following areas and their impact on Ogoni communities. They are mangrove restoration which is 94 percent complete; shoreline remediation which stands at 67.1 percent; and the phase 2 land remediation progressing to 36.55 percent.
Moreso, HYPREP has constructed 14 water facilities, providing potable water to 40 communities. With the commissioning of the water schemes in Bane and Gwara communities, the number of communities with access to clean and safe drinking water will be 45. The process of operationalising the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Restoration (CEER) which is at 92 percent complete, is ongoing. The same for the Ogoni Power Project which is progressing with wayleave compensation and construction works at Bodo and Wiiyaakaara substations ongoing
Similarly, the Ogoni Specialist Hospital and Buan Cottage Hospital are at 76.8 percent and 98.7 percent respectively.
This is alongside other public health interventions and the Human BioMonitoring Survey also in progress.
Under the livelihood
programme, over 7,000 direct jobs have been created for Ogoni women and youths, while over 5,000 have been trained in multiple skills and provided start-up kits, workshops, education grants, scholarships and other empowerment programmes. This quarter, training will commence in other demand-driven skill areas, such as cybersecurity, full-stack development, mud logging, software development, commercial diving, and underwater welding.
Zabbey had reeled out these achievements, during the third quarter interactive session between the Project Coordination Office engagement with Ogoni youths in Port Harcourt on Friday, in line with HYPREP’s strategic stakeholders policy to provide an interface opportunity to abreast Ogoni youths on the Project’s activities, while garnering their feedback.
Zabbey noted that, “This
quarterly engagement was,therefore, designed as an inclusive strategy to ensure that youth voices are heard, concerns are addressed, and progress updates are provided transparently. Also, it reflects our firm belief that a project of this magnitude must be people-centred, accountable, and participatory”.
” I am delighted to inform you that the Project remains on course to achieve its mandate as outlined in the UNEP Report on the Ogoni environment and the official gazette establishing HYPREP. HYPREP is committed to transparency and accountability in the implementation of the cleanup projects and activities”, he said.
He stressed that HYPREP’s achievements are pathways to a better Ogoniland, assuring that the Project’s goals are aimed at benefiting all categories of Ogoni youths, whether in business, farming, advocacy, education, entrepreneurship or community development.
”This Project belongs to all of you, and its success depends mainly on your participation, unity and constructive engagement. And with your support, we are confident that all challenges will be addressed in the overall public interest,” Zabbey said.
The Project Coordinator urged Ogoni youths to continue to support the Project by promoting peace, discouraging misinformation, and collaborating with project teams working in the communities, and address challenges through dialogue, rather than confrontation.
Prof Dinebari Badey, a Professor of Development Sociology in the University of Port Harcourt, delivered the keynote address, linking the nexus between HYPREP and youths in the development of Ogoniland through unity of purpose while Engr Solomon Akere, gave a talk on Ogoni youths in business.
Participants raised questions concerning the maintenance of the water projects, remediation efforts, and compensation for the Right of Way (RoW), among others.
In attendance were management staff of HYPREP who provided responses to the interventions.