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Tag: CSO

  • Governor Bagudu Applauded CSO’S Activities In Nigeria

    Governor Bagudu Applauded CSO’S Activities In Nigeria

    Governor Abubakar AtikuBagudu has commended the civil society organization CSO’s for contributing to the improvement of numerous victims of flood that cut across old-aged and children, pregnant and nursing mothers in Kebbi state and the country at large.

    He spoke through the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Babale Umar Fagachin Yauri at a sympathy visit paid to the state by the National Program Officer, Action Aids Hajiya Suwaiba Jibril. She was accompanied by officials of Nana Girls and Women Empowerment Initiatives, Association of Women Living with HIV AIDS and Kungiyar Tallafin Mata Initiatives.

     Sen. Atiku Bagudu noted with appreciations that the organizations were doing well in the socio-economic development of the nation and urged for the continuation of such efforts to stem the challenges facing the country.

    He said the government doors were opened to all organizations based on their frankness and commitment in the implementations of government policies evolved to enhance the general wellbeing of the citizenry.

    He said the government has rated the inputs of women folk as “very high” in the administrative and agricultural sectors and that planned to raise their numbers amongst the top management cadre in the state was on course.

    Sen. Bagudu said a bill was sent to the Kebbi State House of Assembly that he would assent to for the appointment of a female commissioner and another on Special Advisory positions. The state Executive Council has presently two women commissioners and Head of the State Civil Service for the first time in its checkered history, he said.

    Hajiya Suwaiba Jibril had expressed her sympathy to the government and the peace loving Kebbi state people over the devastation of the flood and prayed for the total integration of all victims in the state and the nation at large.

    The country Director said her organizations was set to distribute essential medicines to the affected victims at their locations and requested the government for a medical officer to aid them in the dispensing of the drugs.

     In similar development, the Vice Chairman, Birnin Kebbi Local Government, Alhaji Umaru Sahabi Kola said 60 artificial canopies were erected where the victims of the flood were housed. He said 20 canopies were each allocated to the affected people in Wabbaku village of Kola/Tarasa ward, Makera and Maurida Wards in the wake of the floods. As the villagers ran out of drinking water, the council had drilled 2 hand pump-boreholes each at Arabi, Guraguri, Littagawo, Makera and Maurida as the immediate guide against water borne diseases in the communities.

    Alhaji Sahabi Kola said that he witnessed the dispensing of some essential drugs to the affected communities and conveyed the appreciations of the council to the donors.He also commended the people of Dole-Kaina and Kasabu of Dandi and Shanga Local Governments respectively for each contributing one big engine boat that hasten the ferrying and relocating of the affected persons across the Birnin Kebbi local government area.

    The vice chairman said the council had purchased 60 boats at N30,000.00 each and one Engine-driven boat worth N200,000.00 and N400,000.00 as the cost of the engine.

    He also disclosed other donations of 500 5kg rice bags, 500 pieces of blankets and 500 packets of birth soaps made to the local government by Mr. Jackrich a Delta State based business tycoon.

  • A’Ibom School receive grant from CSO for NABTEB preparations

    A’Ibom School receive grant from CSO for NABTEB preparations

    By Samuel Ogenyi, Uyo

    A Civil Society Organisation, Development Research and Projects Centre(DRPC) in partnership with Open Society Foundations has given a grant of N385,000 to the Government Technical College, Abak, in Akwa Ibom.

    The grant according to the CSO was aimed at supporting technical schools across Nigeria to prepare exiting students for NABTEB Examinations which would commence on Monday 21st September 2020.

    The Coordinator of dRPC, Dr. Judith-Ann Walker, represented by the Chairman of Akwamfon Sustainable Community Association, Idem Udoekong during the award presentation last weekend said the Government technical school was the only school in the State that applied for the grant.

    Walker said the grant was part of efforts to complement and support the initiatives and vision of the State government in technical education adding that the funds would enable schools to procure Covid-19 personal protective equipments for students, convene extra lessons, buy textbooks and past question papers and other materials required for NABTEB Exams.

    The Coordinator who expressed hope that the gesture would improve Students’ performance in the 2020 NABTEB examinations despite the challenges of Covid-19  noted that Akwamfon Community Association would be on ground to mentor and supervise the college to prepare its students for the exams.

    “The program was launched on 8th September 2020 through advertisements in the national dailies and on NTA 9pm News. Since that time, over  100 schools have applied from 20 States of the Federation. Only one school applied from Akwa Ibom, Government Technical College Abak and this school was selected. In total, 32 schools were selected from all zones from Nigeria.” Walker explained.

    Earlier in his remarks the Principal General of the College, Mr Friday Udoka thanked the donor agency, Open Society Foundations for the support and pledged to manage the grant judiciously for the benefit of the students.

  • You Have Indicted Yourself, CSOs Tell Masari over Comments on Insecurity

    You Have Indicted Yourself, CSOs Tell Masari over Comments on Insecurity

    The Conference of Civil Society for Peace, Security and National Development has chided Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari over his claim the nation’s security service chiefs should be blamed for banditry in his state and other states in the northwest region and not President Muhammad Buhari who he said has done enough.

    Such view the CSOs said portray the governor as been ignorant of the powers of the President and State governors in a democracy but at best indicts him for failure to provide information about the bandits which he claimed to have as the chief security officer of the state.

    The CSOs in a statement signed by its conveners, Comr. Mike Msuaan and Mallam Adamu Kabir Matazu and made available to journalists on Sunday in Abuja maintained that the comments attributed to Governor Masari points to the fact that he has not shown serious commitment to the security challenges facing his state.

    Recall that governor Aminu Masari had on Saturday blamed the service chiefs for the perpetuation of banditry in the state saying President Muhammad Buhari has done all it takes to ensure security in the region.

    The governor while saying he couldn’t understand why the service Chiefs who are from the north could not help the region averred that bandits were camouflaging and living with the people.

    “We know them and their parents,” the governor said of the bandits. To identify bandits in rural communities is not a difficult task, because you know his business, his farmland capacity, his livestock. “And if one day he buys a new motorcycle amounting to over N200,000 naira, then you must know that he is selling people’s lives”, the governor was quoted to have said.

    But the CSOs maintained that its foolery that the governor has information about the bandits operating in his state but failed to give prompting to the security operatives but preferred to shift blame forgetting that he took oath to defend the lives and property of citizens.

    “It is embarrassing that such comments were credited to governor Aminu Masari. We know for a fact that the primary duty of a government is to protect lives and property of citizens. However, when the person saddled with this primary responsibility begins to shift blame where he has clearly failed to do his duty we can imagine why the challenge of insecurity has lingers on for a long time.

    ” We wish to draw to the attention of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Katsina State, Amino Masari that it is double standard for Jim to claim the President Muhammad Buhari has done all necessary to guarantee security of the state and blame the service chiefs for continued security breaches.

    “Elementary of government operations says it all that the President takes credit for every success of his appointees and equally takes the blame for their failures”, the statement noted.

    The CSOs further added that a lot of successes has been recorded in Corning banditry and terrorism in the northwest and northeast to the admiration of governor Masari’s colleagues and wondered how he could remain uninformed about the situation.

    ” Recently, governors of Zamfara, Kaduna and others spoke clearly how progress has been made in curbing banditry. It is surprising that Governor Masari who failed to share information on bandits with security agencies would turn to accuse them of not doing enough. By this act, he has shown that he has more sympathy for bandits than the law abiding citizens of the state”, the statement alleged.

  • CSOs Lauds PMB, Onu Over Innovations in Nigeria’s Science Sector

    CSOs Lauds PMB, Onu Over Innovations in Nigeria’s Science Sector

    The conference of Harmonised Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria has commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s giants strides in science innovation within the last five years.

    The CSOs also lauded the ingenuity of the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonaya Onu in driving the various innovations since the nations return to democracy two decades ago describing it as unequalled.

    Addressing journalists at the end of an extra ordinary meeting of tge group on Wednesday in Abuja, the executive director of the organisation, Rev Solomon Semaka explained that a lot of research and innovation have come alive courtesy of the Minister.

    “Beyond critical reforms embarked upon by the Minister of Science and Technology, there is unprecedented stability among agencies under the ministry, this is no doubt a precursor to sustainable innovative drive of the current administration”

    “President Buhari has given the needed attention to scientific research in various areas, we therefore implore all stakeholders to join hands to compliment governments efforts to take the nations scientific drive to the next level”, the CSOs said.

    Further commenting on the ministers giant strides, the director of mobilisation, International Students Federation (ISF) Comrade Tamen Daniel urged the minister of science and technology to maintain the tempo, promising to push for International Students from across various foreign institutions to undergo their industrial training sessions in Nigeria so as to gain from the ongoing transformation drive as well consolidate on the ministers giants strides.

    “As a body of International Students, we are obliged to promote scientific research and technology of our country, and this is what we are committed to doing to ensure that our country is recognised on the map of great innovations and inventions”

    Also speaking on the sidelines of the occasion with journalists, Dr. Ginika O’Brien who is the patron of the International Students Federation in Egypt said he was impressed by the energy and drive of the Dr. Onu to ensure that science and technology in Nigeria is at par with other nations.

    “Scientific research is the first step to economic survival and stability of any nation, without science and technology, a nation can not move at an encouraging pace, but from the energy that is put forward by the minister, it is apparent that sooner than later, Nigeria will begin to reap the fruits of technology just like other advanced nations”

    The groups called for more synergy between the ministry of Education, ministry of Communication and Digital Economy and the Ministry of Science and Technology to achieve greater results for the future of the country.

    “What Dr Onu has been doing in the last few years is to lay a solid foundation framework that will usher in sustainable development goals in science and technology in the near future; the fruits of the Minister’s driven policies will begin to yield in the near future more than ever before” the groups maintained.

    At the end of the Press conference, both groups unanimously passed a resolution to pass a vote of confidence on the Dr Onu for his exceptional approach to policy issues and his excellent relationship with heads of agencies under the Ministry of Science and Technology.

    Dr Oduma Effiong of the Iowa State Centre for Research and Innovation said, he would ensure that the ministry’s policies and inventions are promoted and published in international Journals so as to attract more international research grants and scholarships to Nigerian students and researchers who are open to pioneering new science and technology inventions.

    A vote of confidence was unanimously passed on the honorable Minister by the groups and urged him to maintain the tempo until Nigeria is returned to the map of nations driven by science and technology.

    The group promised to present a certificate of “Excellence on Innovation and Inventions” and plaque of “Accountability and Transparency” to Dr Onu at a scheduled date in the near future.

  • Insecurity: CSO advocates emergency budget for Police

    Insecurity: CSO advocates emergency budget for Police

    Societal Safety Network, a CSO, has called on the Senate to facilitate emergency funds to address oversight in the budget of the Nigeria Police Force.

    Mr Abdulrahman Agboola, Executive Director of the organisation, gave the advice in a letter to the Senate President on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Agboola said the letter became imperative to draw the attention of the senate to challenges hampering the fight against crime in the country.

    “Honestly, there are more and more to call your attention to, regarding flaws in the appropriated budget for internal security, which unfortunately put the populace at risk.

    “Except emergency budget is raised by the National Assembly for police to address its poor funding, we can only join the masses to pray for God’s ultimate protection,’’ the executive director said.

    He said that the oppressed were mostly victims of criminality which had become wide spread because relevant issues were not taken into cognisance during formulation and implementation of policies.

    “It is not possible to apply same techniques and strategies consistently on issues and expect different results, but when the approach differs, different results can be achieved.

    “This is not to underscore the positive and productive action of other security agencies, but to say that the Police must be put to appropriate task on internal security,’’ he said.

    The executive director also said that more people should be recruited into the officer’s cadre to boost performance of the service men in dealing with insecurity.

    “There is a need for recruitments of about 50,000 personnel in officer’s cadre to the Police Force.

    “There is also the need to provide funds to cater for police allowances and fueling for 24 hours Highway Patrol,’’ he said.

    Agboola said that actions should be expedited to budget for funds on the commencement of community policing initiative of the Federal Government.

    He added that it would be appropriate for toll gates to return to the high ways to ensure effective security.