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Gov Orji Chairs Southeast Governors Forum

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Gov Orji Chairs Southeast Governors Forum

Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State has replaced Peter Obi of Anambra State as chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum.

Announcing Orji’s emergence in Enugu, the outgoing chairman of the forum, governor Obi said he was elected after consultations and agreement among the governors.

Obi called on the new chairman to ensure effective cooperation for the development of the zone.

In his acceptance speech, Orji promised to do his best to project issues concerning the South East in order to take it to greater heights.

“I know it is a very big task but with the cooperation of my colleagues, the task will be easy to accomplish. What I pledge is that I will put in my best for the South East as chairman of the governors’ forum to move the zone to the next level,” he said.

OrjiI solicited the support of stake holders, in order to achieve success for the region.

The meeting was attended by governors Sullivan Chime of Enugu and Martins Elechi of Ebonyi State as well as stakeholders from the zone.

Court Compels Okonjo-Iweala To Provide Details Of Govt Spending To Advocacy Group

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Court Compels Okonjo-Iweala To Provide Details Of Govt Spending To Advocacy Group

Justice Abdu Kafarati of the Federal High Court, Abuja has granted an Order of Mandamus compelling the minister of finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to disclose the details of statutory transfers in the 2013 Appropriation Act to the Centre for Social Justice, CSJ, an advocacy group.

CSJ had applied to Court for a writ of mandamus, requesting that it be granted access specifically to the details of the statutory transfer of huge amounts of money to the National Judicial Council, NJC, Niger-Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Universal Basic Education,UBE, National Assembly, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and National Human Rights Commission, NHRC.

CSJ had in a letter dated April 5 2013 to the minister of finance sought the details of the statutory transfers but was denied access, forcing it to go to court.

The group had argued in the letter that there is no law authorizing lump sum statement of allocations, stressing that “stating statutory transfers as lump sums is not acceptable in a constitutional democracy founded on the rule of law and the sovereignty of the people.”

It further argued that no agency of government, under any guise, is allowed to spend public resources in a way and manner and for purposes not known to citizens.

Section 2(1) (2) and (3) of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011 on which the application with suit no. FHC/ABJ/CS/301/2013 was based provides the following:

Section 2:(1)Notwithstanding anything contained in any other Act, Law or Regulation, the Right to any person to access or request information whether or not contained in any written form which is in the custody or possession of any public official agency or institution however described, is established.

(2) An Applicant under this Act needs not demonstrate any specific interest in the information being applied for.

(3) Any person entitled to the right to information under this Act shall have the right to institute proceedings in the Court to compel any public institution to comply with the provision of this Act.

In arguing its case, CSJ told the court that there is no dispute that the information it seeks is in the custody of the respondent in her capacity as a public official and that it has satisfied the requirement for the grant of the application.

The court, granted four of the five prayers sought by the applicant refusing the last which concerns the payment of compensation.

In granting the prayer of the applicant, held that denying the Applicant access to the details of the statutory transfer in the 2013 Appropriation Act by the respondent without explanation “constitutes an infringement of the Applicant’s right guaranteed and protected by section 1(1) of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011 and  section 48 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, 2007”.

Reacting to the ruling, the lead director of CSJ, Eze Onyekpere, said the judgement is a reaffirmation of the right of Nigerians to be governed in an open and transparent manner and through the rule of law.

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Jonathan Seeks UN Recognition For First Ladies Mission

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Jonathan Seeks UN Recognition For First Ladies Mission

Nigeria’s First Lady and President of the Africa First Ladies Peace Mission, AFLPM, Patience Jonathan, on Saturday ‎canvassed  for it recognition as an observer at the United Nation.

Jonathan who spoke in Abuja  at a meeting of the AFLPM executive bureau made up of first ladies of Congo Brazavaille, South Africa, Cameroun and Sudan, said this has become imperative as the mission had established communication with the UN and other regional organisations.‎

”‎Excellencies, as we review preparations for the eighth  Summit of the AFLPM, I note with satisfaction that we have established communication with the UN and regional organisations for the purpose of building partnership with them,” she stated.‎

Continuing, she said: ”I wish to suggest Your Excellencies,  therefore, that we should go a step further and push for a seat at the next meeting of the AU and also seek for the recognition of the Peace Mission by the UN on observer status basis.”

She recalled that at the seventh summit, which took place in July 2012, certain targets set out included building a culture of peace in Africa, complementing humanitarian support for refugees/internally displaced persons and influencing legislation on gender issues.

”After 20 months, I’m delighted to note that we have made remarkable progress in these critical areas. I wish to acknowledge that the Mission has provided relief materials in form of food items, clothing, drugs, beddings and other essential items, including monetary support to IDPs in Mali, Kenya and South Sudan,” she said.

She further stated that relief materials had been sent to ‎Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic while materials for Guinea-Bissau were ready.

She sought for measures to protect women and children in conflict areas as well as the pursuit of capacity building for women groups while restating the importance of domesticating the legal instruments relating to women and children by member countries as articulated in the UN Security Council Resolution 1325  on women, peace and security.‎

”I urge you all to explore every possible political and legal means to ensure that this legislation is domesticated in your respective countries. ‎For us in Nigeria and as part of the National Action Plan Response, we mobilised Nigerian women for a peace rally which was tagged ”One Million March for Peace” on ‎August 15, 2013 in Abuja,” she said.

The Nigerian first lady also canvassed support for all African presidents in ensuring peace for a stable as well as  prosperous polity and sustainable democratic development. ‎

She appealed to various actors in the conflicts in South Sudan, Mali and the Central African Republic to embrace peace and resolve to live together amicably.‎

Reacting, the vice-president of AFLPM for Southern Africa, Nompumelelo Zuma, said that a culture of peace should be built across the continent emphasising the need for unity.

The first lady of Congo Brazaville, Antoinette N’Guesso, who was represented by Michael Mongo, canvassed that urgent attention be directed to CAR to aid ”our brothers and sisters in conflict.”

Also, the first lady of Cameroon and regional vice-president of Central Africa, Chantal Biya‎, said the challenge in CAR  was receiving humanitarian attention.

The AFLPM was formed in 2005 to foster peace on the African continent.

1 Killed, 3 Injured As Gunmen Attack Enugu Govt House

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1 Killed, 3 Injured As Gunmen Attack Enugu Govt House

One person was killed while three others were injured as about 50 armed men attacked the Enugu State Government House in the early hours of Saturday, Fidelis Ogarabe, the chief security officer to  governor Sullivan Chime has said.

Ogarabe told newsmen in Enugu that the armed men struck at the Government House around 4:30 a.m. and attempted to force their way into the premises.

“I left the Government House at about 2:00am in the morning and was in my house when I received a call from my men around 4:00am alerting me of the presence of some armed invaders at the Government House,” he said.

The chief security officer said when he drove to the place, he saw some armed persons numbering about 50 with machetes at the gate, trying to force their way into the premises.

“I ordered my men to move into action immediately and one of them was gunned down while three others were arrested. The others threw away their machetes and escaped,” he said.

According to him, his men recovered machetes, flags and insignia linked to a cult group.

Ogarabe said a member of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, suffered machete cuts while a military patrol vehicle was also attacked in the bid by the assailants to force their way into the Government House.

He said that those arrested were handed over to the nearby New Haven police station.

It was gathered that Governor Sullivan Chime was in his country home at Udi when the armed men struck.

The chief press secretary to the governor, Chukwudi Achife, confirmed the report and the commissioner of police in the state, Adamu Abubakar, has already visited the Government House.

INEC Issues Permanent Voter Cards In Ekiti, Osun

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INEC Issues Permanent Voter Cards In Ekiti, Osun

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Friday commenced the issuance of permanent voters’ cards in Ekiti State.

The exercise is taking place in all the 2,195 polling units of the state and prospective voters are expected to submit their temporary voter’s cards in exchange for the permanent ones.

In most of the polling units in some local government areas of the state, INEC officials battled to control the crowds.

INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, in the state, Halilu Pai, said no fewer than 2,000 National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, members were trained and deployed for the exercise.

He said that another batch of 175 higher degree holders were also trained and deployed as supervisors to oversee the conduct of the exercise.

According to him, 657,000 permanent voters’ cards would have been issued to prospective voters at the end of the exercise on Sunday.

Governor Kayode Fayemi and his wife, Bisi, who were at their Isan-Ekiti country home in Oye local government area for the exercise, expressed satisfaction with the conduct and turn-out of the people.

The governor, however, pleaded with INEC to consider extending the March 9 deadline for the exercise.

Similarly, issuance of permanent voters’s card commenced in Osun State, as the REC, Rufus Akeju, presented permanent voters’ cards to Governor Rauf Aregbesola, his wife  Sherifat and the Ooni of Ife, Okunade Sijuade.

Aregbesola, after collecting his card in Ilesa, his home town, urged Nigerians to see the electoral process as a means of guaranteeing their right to choose their leaders.

”The greatest power we have as a people is the power to fearlessly elect leaders of our choice from the ward to the national level. We must also be ready to discharge our responsibilities as responsible citizens by participating actively in the electoral process,” Aregbesola said.

He advised those who registered for the 2011 elections whose names were not on the list to make themselves available during the continuous voter registration exercise between March 12 and March 19.

Elections are scheduled to hold on August 9 in Osun State and June 21 in Ekiti State.

N17 Billion Required For 2016 National Census – NPC

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N17 Billion Required For 2016 National Census – NPC

The National Population Commission, NPC, says it needs N17 billion to successfully conduct the 2016 national census.

Chairman of the commission, Eze Duru-Iheoma, said this on Thursday in Abuja when he appeared before the House of Representatives committee on Population to defend the 2014 budget of the commission.

He said that the commission requested for N34.56 billion as capital allocation in the 2014 budget out of which the Budget Office approved N6.2 billion.

He said that the amount approved by the Budget Office was inadequate to carry out activities for the successful conduct of the 2016 census.

He said that construction of ICT centres across the 36 states of the federation would gulp N5.7 billion but that the Budget Office allocated only N203 million for the ICT centres.

He said there was need to refurbish and equip NPC offices across the states and to do that, more funds would be required; hence he appealed to the committee to intervene in the matter.

Acting chairman of the committee, Abdulrazaq Zaki (PDP, Bauchi), promised that the committee would intervene where necessary.

20 Insurgents Killed In Fresh Attack On Mafa

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20 Insurgents Killed In Fresh Attack On Mafa

Musdapha Ilo, Maiduguri

A deadly encounter between men of the Nigerian Army members and members of the Boko Haram sect on Wednesday, in Mafa, Borno State, has inflicted casualties on both sides.

The insurgents apparently launched an attack on Mafa again four days after an initial attack left 39 persons dead in the town.

About two hours before the latest attack, governor of the state, Kashim Shettima, paid condolence visit to the town, where he promised to rebuild the destroyed structure and give assistance to the victims.

The attack survivors said, took place at about 4:45 pm when about 30 armed men stormed the town, destroyed all the remaining structures, killed many and maimed others.

The military, however, gave a different version of what happened, saying thatattempts by terrorists to attack Ajiri and Mafa as well as other communities in the outskirt of Maiduguri and Dikwa in the state were foiled.

The director, defence information, Chris Olukolade, a major general, said the ambush mounted by the terrorists to enable them unleash terror on the communities was also cleared by troops on reinforcement mission.

According to him, twenty insurgents were killed in a gun battle that ensued, while some of his men sustained varying degree of injuries.

He added that camps of the insurgents were destroyed in encounters at various forests and mountain locations around Adamawa and Borno States.

The director also condemned the inflammatory pronouncements by some highly placed persons in government and other quarters both within and outside the country on the situation in the Northeast, which he said are false, misleading and  intended to demoralize the troops by creating an impression that the military is overwhelmed by the terrorist group.

“For the avoidance of any doubt, it is hereby restated that the Nigerian military cannot by any standard be overwhelmed by the insurgents neither will the devious antics of their sympathisers and sponsors demoralize the fighting spirit of troops,” Olukolade said.

He therefore urged Nigerians to discountenance such propaganda messages and continue to assist the army to combat terrorism in the region.

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Oshiomhole On War Path With Labour In Edo

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Oshiomhole On War Path With Labour In Edo

From Jefferson Ibiwale, Benin

The governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole, may have to brace up for a battle with Labour in the state following plans to go ahead with the proposed competency test for teachers in secondary schools in spite of resistance put up by the teachers’ union which sees the exercise as a means to downsizing.

Oshiomhole who announced the plan to go ahead with the action during a meeting with the leadership of Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, ASUSS, in Benin City, said the exercise is not about downsizing but removing those unqualified for the profession.

“It is not an easy task but I have to do it. All I can promise you and I need to repeat it, nobody is in a hurry to sack anybody. If anything, I have directed that they should advertise for more teachers. We have to break from the past. Changes hurt but changes are inevitable,” he said.

He explained that it would be irresponsible for him to place the job of a few persons over and above the destinies of a whole generation, as the future of the child is something that cannot be compromised.

The governor said mistakes of the past which have been identified cannot be left to continue, stressing the state government cannot continue to knowingly put the future of its children in the hands of people who will do damage it.

“We have resolved, we are firm that the state cannot possibly continue to leave the children in the hands of those who will destroy their future. I will be surprised that those whose profession is teaching, setting examination and writing examination regard assessment as something degrading,” he said.

Oshiomhole noted that some states have already conducted similar tests for teachers and that there was nothing new in what his government is about to do.

In his remarks, the national president of ASUS, Charles Ifaluyi, commended the governor for the achievements recorded in the eduction sector, but urged him to re-appraise the situation and conduct an on-the-job assessment for teachers rather than the proposed competency test.

He said contrary to views that teachers are afraid of the assessment test, the teachers welcome the idea but believe that the process is flawed.

State chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Emma Ademokun, on Monday advised public school teachers in the state to shun the assessment test.

Nigeria Borrows $170m To Light Up Abuja

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Nigeria Borrows $170m To Light Up Abuja

The federal government is set to borrow $170 million from the French Development Agency, FDA, to boost power transmission in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

The proposed loan was approved by the Federal Executive Council, FEC, during its weekly Wednesday meeting in Abuja.

Briefing correspondents after the meeting, the minister of Information, Labaran Maku, explained that FEC endorsed the loan sequel to a memo presented by the minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for a $170 million credit facility to beef up power infrastructure in the FCT.

“The loan, which is usually given on exceptionally concessionary grounds to developing countries and friendly countries by the French government, was taken to undertake 270 kilometres of transmission lines and the construction of additional sub-stations aimed at boosting power supply in the FCT,” he said.

According to him, when the French President, François Hollande, visited President Goodluck Jonathan last week for the centenary celebration, both leaders agreed on the need for the loan which is to support the power infrastructure Abuja, one of the fastest growing cities in the world.

“We need to continually update infrastructure, particularly power supply, to the city as it expands from the city centre outwards. We’re happy because this loan was taken and it shows the confidence of the French government in the Nigerian economy,” Maku added.

Okonjo-Iweala, who was also at the briefing, described the loan as a very soft credit.

According to her, the terms of the loan include 1.56% interest rate per annum, commitment charge of 0.5% per annum and a service charge of 0.25% per annum payable on the amount withdrawn.

“The loan is for 20 years with a seven years grace period, that means moratorium on payment for seven years and the rest payable over twenty years. The Ministry of Power has set forward an emergency transmission programme for the entire country requiring $1.9bn and we’ve been able to raise $1.2bn so far of very soft credits,” she said.

The Finance minister added: “This $170million from the French Development Agency is part of that package. The balance of the package comes from the World Bank, $700million and the Japanese $200million. We’ve been able to raise that, all very soft credits.”

She explained that the project had been approved in the borrowing plan since 2010, but that it was shelved until recently renewed by the French Development Agency.

Nigerian Women Protest Genocide In Northeast

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Nigerian Women Protest Genocide In Northeast

By Kevwe Ebireri, Abuja

Nigeria women at home and in the Diaspora on Thursday staged a peaceful walk to mourn the death of over 40 school children of the Federal Government College, FGC, Buni Yadi in Yobe State and other senseless killings of innocent citizens in the north.

The women also condemned the abduction of 25 young girls from their schools in Borno State by gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram sect on February 12, 2014 to an unknown destination, probably to be used as sex slaves.

The walk which took off from the various designated areas in Lagos, Abuja, Benin, Owerri, Port Harcourt, Kaduna, the U.S.A and the UK at 8:30am local time, was to compel the federal government to act quickly and put an end to the destruction of lives and properties in the Northeast.

In Abuja, the walk took off from the Unity Fountain to the headquarters of the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, and the ministry of Justice, where the women registered their grievances.

protesting womenprotesting women 1

The concerned women, of various ethnic, religion and political backgrounds took turns in condemning genocide in the north which they warned could spread to other parts of the country if urgent steps are not taken now.

“We are crying because the womb that gave birth to these children are troubled. If our husbands die and our children die, what would be left? If they want women to take our clothes off and go on the streets, if that is what we need to do, we will do it,” one protesting woman said.

Her speech elicited cheers and applauds from other women showing support for her position, with chants of “Enough is Enough”.

The women also called on the federal government to ensure that members of affected communities, particularly women, are included at the decision-making table and that adequate compensation is provided for victims and survivors.

They also want security measures put in place so that well-meaning Nigerians can extend aids to victims to complement the efforts of the government.

Calls were also made to members of the terrorist group to cease the unnecessary destruction, wanton killings and abduction of citizens.

Nigerians were urged to continue to use this season of lent to pray for the unity of the country and especially for citizens of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states.

A minute silence was observed for the dead victims of terrorism in the Northeast.

In separate remarks through their spokespersons, chairman, NHRC, Chidi Odinkalu and the Attorney General of the federal and minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, commended the women for the bold step and assured them that their complaints which raise serious human rights concerns, is top priority for the administration and that all hands are on deck to put an end to the insurgency.

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