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  • Claims of zero allocation to A’Ibom Councils untrue -Lawmaker

    Claims of zero allocation to A’Ibom Councils untrue -Lawmaker

    The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has described as untrue claims by some Council

    chairmen that they were running their councils on zero allocation.

    This is after some of the Chairmen attributed their low performances to the lack of funds, claiming they are not given any allocation.

    But the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Aniefiok Dennis, alongside his counterpart and chaiirman of the Committee on Local Government, Mr Mark Esset said the claims were false.

    Addressing Journalists in Uyo, as part of activities to mark the Assembly’s two legislative years, the lawmakers urged Local Government Chairmen not to use such alibi to deny the people at the grassroots some dividends of democracy.

    Dennis said since the Assembly has resumed plenary today(Tuesday), the house based on its oversight functions would ensure that local government chairmen perform their duties effectively adding that if the claims were anything to go by, the council Chairmen should approach them through their petitions.

    “The issue of zero allocation is totally false. Though no Chairman will ever admit that he has money, I stand to be challenged, those that want to leave a legacy also have some projects that can stand in their names.

    “It’s very unfortunate for a Chairman to tell you that there is zero allocation. As the head of the committee, I interface with the commissioner for Local government and I know that every month, allocations are sent to them directly after the Joint Account Committee meeting.

    “Our position is that let the local government formally complain to us about zero allocation if it’s actually true. We have resumed.” The chairman explained.

    Speaking on the achievements of the house for the past two years, Denis said the House has sponsored about 52 bills so far which some of them have passed the third reading while 19 of them assented to.

    He said the 7th Assembly was concerned about moving people-oriented motions citing debt management bill, Public Procurement bill, Violence Against person bill among others as examples.

    He said the Speaker has set up a committee that would interface with the commissioner for Justice and Attorney General in the State on fine-tuning the bills before presenting them to the Governor for assent in order to hasten the process.

    According to him, “we move not just motions, but people-oriented motions that have to do with the people. Like the debt management bill that was assented to, we don’t want a situation whereby the Executive will on its own have control, we want the public to have a say.

    ‘Public procurement bill was also passed into law. Now, there must be bidding, not just one person coming to take a job, there must be local content as far as the law is concerned.

    ‘If there is a job that can be appropriately handled by our people, there is no need to bring someone from outside to do it.

    ‘The violence against persons law has been assented to by His Excellency. Unfortunately, during the lockdown, we had a lot of rape-related issues, gender issues concerning the girl child and women generally.”

    On the suspension of strike action by the workers in Akwa Ibom State University, the Chairman said the Assembly with the collaboration of the Executive was able to resolve the crisis less than 48 hours after the intervention.

    “Through our oversight function, the strike action in the Akwa Ibom State University was called off within 48 hours of the intervention of the Assembly. As you are aware, academic activities have resumed in the two campuses of the university.” Denis said

  • Forget 2023 Elections And Fix Insecurity, Lawmaker Tell Politicians

    Forget 2023 Elections And Fix Insecurity, Lawmaker Tell Politicians

    The Senator representing Ekiti North in the National Assembly, Olubunmi Adetunmbi, has asked Nigerian politicians to forget political activities for the 2023 general elections and address the worsening security situation in the country.

    Adetunmbi stated this on Monday during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, noting that without security, polls cannot hold.

    “We should suspend this issue of focus on 2023 and focus on how to salvage this country so that people who have the capacity, knowledge, vision and the solution to solve this problem, that is what we should interrogate and not scoring points,” he said.

    “The people who want to use security as a means electioneering and edging out those in power for them to come back there, what do they govern when there is no Nigeria?

    “When there is war in Zamfara, there is a problem in Katsina. In Ogun State, there are displacements. In Oyo, Ekiti, there are killings going on. In the east, everything is happening. In that kind of context, how do you govern regardless of what party you belong to?”

    Speaking further, the lawmaker called on all Nigerians to collaborate to overcome the security issues facing the country.

    As measures to tackling the security issues, President Muhammadu Buhari earlier this year replaced his four top military commanders in a bid to better combat the insurgency that has also displaced more than two million people from their homes since 2009.

    ISWAP split from mainstream Boko Haram in 2016 and became a dominant group, launching attacks on military bases and ambushing troops while abducting travellers at fake checkpoints.

    Since 2019, the army has mostly withdrawn from villages and smaller bases into so-called “super camps”, fortified garrisons meant to give better protection against attacks.

    But critics say the strategy has left jihadists with more freedom to roam untouched in rural areas and made highways vulnerable to kidnappings and assaults.

  • Strange Disease kills over 50 In Kogi — Lawmaker Cries Out

    Strange Disease kills over 50 In Kogi — Lawmaker Cries Out

    From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja

    No fewer than 50 persons have loss their lives to a strange illness in Etteh Community in Olamaboro Local Government area of Kogi State.

    The lawmaker representing Olamaboro Constituency in the Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Ujah Anthony Alewo who disclosed this in a motion of urgent public importance presented at the floor of the house on Tuesday, said the strange disease has killed over 50 persons in his constituency.

    It was reliably gathered that the disease which is still unknown comes with symptoms such as headache, red eye, loss of appetite, inability to urinate or defecate, convulsion and finally death.

    “It’s sad and quite disturbing that the residents of Etteh Community in Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State were thrown into confusion by the outbreak of an epidemic alien to them.” he lamented.

    The causes of the disease According to the Lawmaker is still unknown, noting that infected patient die within one week of contacting the disease.

    According to him, “It was more worrisome, all efforts to reach out solutions using the local herbs and treatment at local health centres with referrals to neighboring clinics and hospitals at Ogugu and Okpo in Olamaboro respectively was not successful.”

    ” The reports reaching my constituency office from the community leaders, confirmed that over 50 people within the economic and productive age of 25 to 40 years died from September to date, thereby stalling agricultural, social and economic activities which directly affect the food security of the agrarian and artisan Etteh people”. he added.

    He prayed that the house should mandate its Committee on Health and Social Services and the commissioner for health for an on-the-spot assessment of damage to lives and to direct medical experts to the affected area to unravel the cause of the epidemic and treat accordingly.

    Alewo in his prayers urged the house to do a passionate appeal to the State Government to send palliatives to the affected areas to cushion the huge loss incurred by the people of the Etteh Community.

    Seconding the motion, the lawmaker representing Dekina Biraidu constituency, Moses Ododo stressed that, the lives of people in the community needs to be urgently saved as it will adversely affect the economic input of the agrarian community in the State.

    The Deputy speaker Hon. Ahmed Mohammed in his submissions hinted that the Community shares boundary with Enugu State and stressed the need for urgent action to avert further spread and loss of lives and further prayed that the State Government should construct a Hospital in Etteh Community to avert future occurrence of such epidemic.

    In his ruling, the Speaker, Prince Mathew Kolawole requested for a minutes silence for those that loss their lives due to the attack of this epidemic, adding that, the House should write to Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja for support.

  • Lawmaker threatens IGP over endless secret detention of journalist

    Lawmaker threatens IGP over endless secret detention of journalist

    By Ujah Simon,  Kaduna
    A Lawmaker in the National Assembly and Chairman House Committee on Drugs and Narcotics, Hon. Francis  Ottah Agbo has raised alarm on the endless secret detention of a journalist by the police over a publication.
    Hon. Agbo who called for the immediate release of the journalist by inspector General Police (IGP), threatened that he’ll drag the matter to the floor of the Green Chamber, If police failed to released him before the house reconvened.
    A statement issued and made available to journalists our correspondent, Monday stated that “A 72-year old Nigerian Journalist,  Oga Tom Uhia, has been kept under secret detention by the Nigeria Police for three weeks, and still counting.

    “Information reaching me indicated that the incarceration of veteran Uhia  was ordered by the Minister of State for Power, Chief Goddy Jeddy Agba, over a publication in the July 2020 edition of Power Steering Magazine, owned by the detained victims Journalist”, the Lawmaker stated.
    According to him, inspite of several interventions from well meaning Nigerians, the Press Council,  the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), “both the National Secretariat and the FCT Council, Chief Agba  has insisted that the senior citizen and Septuagenarian Publisher must rot in perpetual detention.

    “As a journalist myself, I have read the publication, and I don’t see the justification for the torture and mental slavery that my brother colleague is being put through!

    “If Chief Agba (the minister) is pained by the publication, he should approach the court and stop intimidating the publisher. By harassing Uhia, the Minister has taken laws into his hands!

    “Uhia fought for our hard earned democracy which Chief Agba is enjoying, and instead of nurturing it has by this act, attempted to jeopardise it.

    “IGP, protect your integrity! Failure to release Journalist Uhia, I will bring this matter to the floor of the Green Chamber when the House reconvenes! A stitch in time saves 9!”, he warned. End.
    Pix: Tom Ohia Oga, kaduna based Nigeria journalist, detained endlessly by police over a publication. 

  • Security: Kaduna lawmaker demands more action from government

    Security: Kaduna lawmaker demands more action from government

    Mr Yusuf Mugu, member representing Kaura Constituency at the Kaduna State House of Assembly, has demanded more action from the state government to end incessant killings in communities in his constituency.

    Mugu told News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday, while reacting to the killings in Kaura and other parts of the state, that it was regrettable.

    The lawmaker condemned the alleged killings of residents of his constituency and tasked the state government to secure people’s lives and property.

    “The government should as a matter of urgency, employ all arsenals within its reach to stem the ugly trend which is fast becoming a norm.

    “It is rather unfortunate that our people can no longer sleep with their two eyes closed without fear of yet another attack,” Mugu said.

    According to him, the situation was worrisome considering the fact that the farming season would soon set in and farmers had started clearing their fields.

    He urged the state government to create additional police outposts and increase military presence in local government areas in southern Kaduna.

    “You will also recall that this attack occurred barely a week ago when two persons were assassinated in Matsirga community in Zangon Kataf local government,” he said.

    He consoled with the families of the deceased persons and called for more vigilance.

    Two persons were killed while one other was critically injured in an attack on Wednesday by suspected gunmen at Zangang village, Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State. (NAN)

  • Edo APC crisis: Federal High Court dismisses forgery suit against lawmaker-elect

    Edo APC crisis: Federal High Court dismisses forgery suit against lawmaker-elect

    The Federal High Court sitting in Benin city and presided over by Hon. Justice M G. Umar has dismissed a certificate forgery suit filed by Nosa Victor Omoregie of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against Hon. Dumez Ugiagbe of the All Progressive Congress (APC). Both parties had contested the 9th March 2019 House of Assembly elections to represent Ovia North East Constituency I and Ugiagbe were declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). But Omoregie had approached the Federal High Court and had amongst other prayers urged the court to declare that the defendant was not qualified to contest the said election haven allegedly tendered a forged / fake West African Senior School Certificate to INEC and to ultimately declaring that he be sworn in being the first runner up in the election.

    LG chairmen However, Hon. Dumez Ugiagbe had by a Motion on Notice challenged the jurisdiction of the court filed by his Counsel Paul Osarenkhoe Esq. leading E.O. Oviosu Esq. and urged the court to dismiss the suit has failed to deliver its Judgment within 180 days as provided for by Section 285 (10) of the 1999 Constitution 4th alteration No. 21. Upon argument on both sides, the Court in a considered Ruling upheld the arguments of Paul Osarenkhoe Esq learned counsel for the Applicant and dismissed the claim against Hon Dumez Ugiagbe in its entirety. Osarenkhoe told Vanguard yesterday that “This is a matter in which there was an allegation of certificate forgery and the claimant was asking for a declaration that there was a forgery. “They called two witnesses and they were cross-examined: one from INEC and one from WAEC, subsequently we filed an application stating that the court has lost jurisdiction to continue to entertain the matter haven failed to deliver judgment and we asked that the case be dismissed.”