By AbdulFatai Beki

The Kwara House of Assembly, on Tuesday, called on the state government to relocate beggars and destitutes in various parts of Ilorin metropolis, as part of measures to guarantee security of lives and property.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that assembly made the call in its resolution after the adoption of a Matter of General Public Importance, entitled: Need to Evacuate Destitutes and Street Beggars in Ilorin Metropolis.

NAN also reports that the matter, which was moved by Mr Felix Awodiji (APC, Irepodun), enjoyed the support of all members at the plenary.

Awodiji, while leading the debate on the matter, described the presence of large number of beggars and destitutes in various parts of Ilorin as constituting security threats to the state.

The lawmaker called on the state government to ensure immediate relocation of the beggars and destitutes from the state capital to guard against insecurity in the state.

Awodiji, while expressing fears that the beggars and destitutes might be agents of evil, advised the state government not to take their presence in various parts of Ilorin metropolis with levity.

Some of the areas, where beggars and destitute are found in the state capital, according to Awodiji, are Oja-Oba, Maraba, Tanke, Sawmill, Geri-Alimi, Ipata and Post Office, among others.

He also called on security agencies in the state to strengthen their intelligence and put them on proper surveillance.

Other lawmakers, in their contributions, frowned at what they described as perpetrating evil under the guise of begging and stressed the need to curtail the situation, in the interest of the state.

The Speaker, Mr Yakubu Danladi, while reading the House resolution on the matter, urged heads of security agencies in the state to synergise with government to enhance security.

The lawmakers advised people of the state to always report strange movements in their domains to security agencies to ensure safety of lives and property. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Naomi Sharang

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has said that the National Assembly would pass the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and the Electoral Amendment Bill in May and June, respectively.

Lawan stated this while playing host to visiting UK Minister for Africa, James Duddridge, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, and other officials in Abuja.

He said that the national assembly was doing its best to ensure that the PIB was passed expeditiously.

The National Assembly is working tirelessly to ensure that we pass the PIB which is a very important piece of legislation for our country.

This time around we have devised different means and ways of ensuring that it is not only passed by the parliament but it is assented to by the President.

Our belief is that we have long been working together with the executive arm of government to ensure that we dont leave any gaps that will engender unnecessary controversy between us on the bill and so far it has been paying off.

The bill is on its final journey into the Senate and the House of Representatives chambers for consideration.

We are expecting that by the first week of May, we will be able to receive the report of our committee on the PIB. Our design and desire is that we are able to pass the bill before the end of May, he said.

The senate president said that the lawmakers believe it was also the position of the House of Representatives that they are able to pass the bill simultaneously.

We think that this is one legislation that will change the economic fortune of our country because it will make a huge difference in our earnings from petroleum resources that we are endowed with.

But we also believe that this is one piece of legislation that will give significant or sufficient incentives to the oil companies, especially the International Oil Companies(IOCs) doing business in Nigeria.

On the Electoral Amendment Bill, we have been working on that. It is also our programme, we will be able to pass it before we go on summer break. We are hopeful that we will be able to pass the bill before the end of June, Lawan said.

Earlier, the visiting UK minister indicated interest in the progress made by the National Assembly on some Bills such as the Electoral Reforms Bill and PIB.

He also sought to have a view of the Senate Chamber to know the differences and similarities with the British parliamentary chamber. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuel Mogbede

Sen. Bola Tinubu, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has expressed strong support for the progressive agenda in Nigeria, with a promise to sustain it beyond 2023.

Dr Abdulrazak Danjuma, Spokesperson of the video conference engagements, said in a statement on Tuesday, that Tinubu made the promise at a virtual conference that was well attended by Nigerians across the world.

The conference with the theme: Sustaining The Progressive Agenda For A Better Nigeria, was hosted by Mr Ade Omole, leader of the UK Chapter of the APC.

Tinubu, represented by Mr Dele Alake at the virtual conference, said that sustaining the progressive agenda would ensure a better Nigeria in the interest of all.

He commended Omole for his tenacity and doggedness in promoting the progressive agenda.

He also applauded the APC UK helmsman for spearheading the support for the party and the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration in the Diaspora.

He noted that though the term nation-building was often used simultaneously with state-building, democratisation, modernisation, political development, post-conflict reconstruction, and peace building, the concepts were however, different.

According to him, the concept of nation-building often used interchangeably with national integration, contains a vast extent of human relationships and attitude.

This, he said, ranged from the integration of diverse and discrete cultural loyalties, and the development of a sense of nationality.

Tinubu stressed that if nation-building so touched the root of peoples beliefs and attitude concerning politics, the process must be affected significantly by the character of a societys political culture.

He advised Nigerians to stop fighting one another in order to present a unified front against the common threat.

He maintained that all that was needed to address the countrys challenges was unity and love, adding that the military needed the support and prayers of Nigerians even as they confronted terrorism and criminality across the country.

The conference according to the statement, focused on the essentials for progressive leadership and progress in Nigeria, which are vision, knowledge and courage. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Florence Onuegbu

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos has urged heads of parastatals and government-owned companies on quality performance.

Sanwo-Olu gave the advice during the one-day meeting with the Chief Executive Officers of Parastatals at the Lagos House, Ikeja on Tuesday.

He said that all the heads of parastatals should work together as a team to achieve quality performance and make Lagos better than the way they met it.

The governor implored them to work as a team to deliver good governance and dividends of democracy to the citizens of the state, who they were appointed to serve in different capacities as heads of government agencies.

Sanwo-Olu who noted that they had crucial roles to play in the Lagos project urged them not to rest on their oars until the greater Lagos was achieved.

You must work as a team because you all have a role to play in good governance in Lagos State. The citizens are looking at us. There is a trophy to be earned. There is a medal to take away.

There are people that truly believe that we can make their lives a lot better. Let us make Lagos better than how we met it.

We must go out to do it and not disappoint them. If we work together, there is nothing we cannot achieve as a state.

You must work as a team because you all have a role to play in good governance in Lagos State. There is no one who is irreplaceable. You should always do a self appraisal of yourself, he said.

The Deputy Gov. Obafemi Hamzat, said that the vision of the government was to make Lagos Africas model mega city, a global economy and a financial hub that was safe and secure.

Hamzat, therefore, advised heads of parastatals to relate with one another to succeed, adding that they should all scale up activities in their respective agencies by springing up to their responsibilities.

In a presentation, Dr Mumini Alao, Publisher of Complete Football and Complete Sports, who spoke on Private Sector Management Strategies for government parastatals likened government parastatals to a football team.

Alao said that the parastatals were part of the team where each one had a role to play in delivering good governance and the dividends of democracy to the people.

He noted that parastatals should set a benchmark for themselves among their contemporaries in other regions of the world, in terms of service delivery and methodology.

The guest speaker encouraged the state government to create more avenues to improve sports activities in the state by establishing the Lagos Sports Special School and the Lagos State Sports Hall of Fame.

Alao said that the Lagos Sports Special School would help in producing more talents in the sports industry while the Lagos Hall of Fame would encourage younger generations to go into sports.

This is owing largely to the state government recognition of those who has made positive impact through sports in Lagos, he said.

In his welcome address, the Special Adviser, Parastatals Monitoring Office, Mr Afolabi Ayantayo, said that the office was to promote good governance.

Ayantayo, therefore, urged heads of the parastatals to work toward a better Lagos in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S developmental agenda of the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration.

He added that the plan was to set-up a library where activities of all parastatals and agencies of government would be well documented for all to see. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Segun Giwa

Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has described the Ondo Internal Revenue Service (ODIRS) as one of the key achievements his administration will always be proud of.

Akeredolu said this on Tuesday in Akure at the ODIRS Soft Skill Training Programme.

The Governor noted that his administration had improved tremendously on the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the State.

He disclosed that the state IGR had increased from N700 million generated monthly before the advent of the administration to over N2 billion.

Akeredolu emphasised the importance of training officers of the revenue service, noting that it would help them to build confidence and hunger for more achievements.

The ODIRS is one of the key areas where our government can beat its chest and come out and say we have done something great.

As I expect all of you to know, when we came in, the revenue generation was at best N700 million per month.

And from the figures that we saw just now, from 2018, 2019 and 2020, clearly we are averaging about N2 billion per month. That is three times what we met on ground, Akeredolu said.

The governor who commended the Chairman of the State Internal Revenue Service, Mr Tolu Adegbie, said that his appointment as head of the revenue service was not a mistake.

Let me say this, Tolu Adegbie, you have done wonderfully well. We have not made any mistake by requesting for your secondment from your office of comfort at WEMA Bank to come and assist us here in Ondo state.

We are proud of you. We note your efforts particularly. We couldnt have achieved anything without this set of young men and women who are working with you. We thank you all, Akeredolu said.

The governor charged the officers to see the training as an opportunity to improve themselves and in turn, improve the revenue generation in the state. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Minister of Defence, retired Maj.-Gen. Bashir Magashi, has assured that the planned reform of the nations armed forces would enhance their operational efficiency and fighting power.

Magashi stated this at the submission of the report by the committee set up to facilitate the reform of the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces of Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said the 21-man committee was set up in February, to make far reaching recommendations that would address the identified factors that had impeded efficiency in the nations defence system.

He said that most of impeding factors were mainly structural while others bordered on lack of synergy among the institutions and services.

According to him, it is in realisation of these challenges and in line with Mr Presidents intent that this ministry undertook the novel project.

He said that the project aimed at repositioning the armed forces for improved performances in the discharge of our constitutional mandates.

I am therefore pleased to hear that the Committee made far reaching and innovative recommendations particularly on the issues on integrated logistics support to minimise wastages in the procurement process.

It is also gladdening that the Committee made a suggestion bordering on issues of command and control as it concerns the leadership role of the Chief of Defence Staff.

I am equally delighted on the proposal that the Federal Government should convoke a comprehensive security sector reform to address the deficiencies inherent in the Nigeria Police and other para-military agencies, he said.

Magashi said that a well reformed Police Force and other para-military agencies would be better positioned to lead internal security operations in the country.

He expressed the hope that the recommendations would further enhance the fighting power of the military and boost the morale of troops to comprehensive put an end to all forms of insecurity in the land.

The minister assured that the ministry would carefully look at the recommendations with a view to implementing them for the betterment of all Nigerians.

He added that the ministry would display the needed moral courage to implement the recommendations contained in the report.

He also commended the committee for their dedication to the task of ensuring the commencement of reforms in the defence sector.

The Chairman of the Committee, retired AVM Mohammed Umaru, said the current security challenges were occasioned by the proliferation of small arms and light weapons as well as violent extremism.

Umaru said that the prevailing situation had drawn the armed forces into internal security operations and taken lead instead of the police.

According to him, if the dire situation of the police and policing is not addressed, the AFN will remain standing on our streets for a long time which is not good for the image of the profession of arms.

He said the committee made about 70 recommendations and urged the ministry and the armed forces to ensure comprehensive implementation.

According to him, to facilitating the implementation of these recommendations, it is expected that the minister of defence would ensure implementation of the report.

The fact that war changes its character with time calls for urgent action to deal with fluctuating situations.

Legislative processes to correct some of the observed deficiencies would be needed while a holistic security reform will be required to ensure a Whole-of-Government and All-of-Citizens approach to combating the emergent ills of the society.

In order words, comprehensive approaches are needed involving the military and civilian expertise.

A major underlying consideration was the need to check the quality of personnel being recruited into the system, the type of education and training they receive as well as their welfare and equipment, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice- Adm. Awwal Gambo, has urged the Defence Space Administration (DSA) to support military operations with relevant space and cyber solutions that will act as force multipliers.

Gambo made the call during the inauguration of the DSA Canteen and send forth for posted out officers on Tuesday in Abuja.

He urged the administration to interface with the Navys Maritime Domain Awareness assets, for mutual benefit, promising to support DSA in the regard in any way possible.

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) and the services are counting on you, most especially the Nigerian Navy is counting on DSA to support military operations with relevant space and cyber solutions that will act as force multipliers.

I enjoin you to interface with the Navys Maritime Domain Awareness assets, for our mutual benefit and I promise to support DSA in this regard in any way possible, he said.

The CNS, who is DSAs immediate past Director of Procurement, commended the Chief of Defence Administration, Rear Adm. Williams Kayoda, for his foresight to continue the improvement of the infrastructures of the organisation.

He said that the inauguration of the canteen was commendable, adding that as immediate past Director of Procurement, the staff canteen was part of the projects that bore his footprint.

According to him, it is a vital addition to the infrastructural assets of the DSA and will greatly enhance staff welfare.

The naval chief also lauded the administration for the decision to send forth officers that had served there in the past, adding that the gesture was an indication of the military solidarity that existed in DSA.

He commended the officers and staff of DSA for their contribution towards meeting the mandate of the administration.

Earlier, the immediate past CDSA, retired Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Whyte, said the canteen was a demonstration of DSAs resolve to improve staff welfare and enhance productivity.

Whyte, however, charged the officers and staff of DSA to show more hard work, diligence and discipline towards actualising the mandate as set out in the National Space Policy and Programme 2001.

He said that Nigerias security dynamics implied that efforts must be doubled to provide the military with the needed support to defeat the multiple threats against the national security.

We must remain resolute, patriotic, positively contributing to the task of nation building, he said.

Also the current CDSA, Rear Adm. Kayoda, said the staff canteen was part of the effort to sustain the tempo of infrastructure delivery in DSA.

Kayoda said that plans were ongoing to operationalise the Defence Space School in Delta, Defence Space Communication Satellite Centre (DSCSC) in Ado-Ekiti and other projects.

According to him, the projects when completed, will greatly enhance the capacity to support armed forces and other security agencies with relevant space products and solutions necessary for the conduct of operations in peace and wartime.

He said the event was organised to appreciate their former staff who had meritoriously served their tenures in DSA but were not formally sent forth.

A number of former staff are now holding key strategic appointments with the former Director of Procurement, Vice-Adm. Awwal Gambo, assuming office as the 21st indigenous Chief of Naval Staff, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Precious Akutamadu

Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers has imposed curfew from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. at all entry and exit points with neighbouring states of Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Imo.

Wike announced in a state broadcast on Tuesday that the curfew, which will take effect from Wednesday night, was necessitated by recent security breaches and deadly attacks.

The Government of Rivers State has decided to restrict night movements in and out of the state from the land borders of the state.

Consequently, a night curfew is hereby imposed and no person or vehicle is allowed in and out of Rivers State from 8.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m. from Wednesday, 28 April until further notice.

We wish to advise that those who have any legitimate need or reason to come into or go out of the State must do so before 8.00 p.m. when the curfew shall come into force daily, the governor said.

He stated that security agencies had been posted to monitor and enforce strict compliance with the curfew at all borders, entry and exit points with Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Imo states.

He said on April 24, innocent officers of Customs, Police and Civil Defence on duty along the Port Harcourt Owerri expressway were ambushed and gruesomely murdered in cold blood by armed attackers.

Similarly on Sunday, the state witnessed another deadly attack and killing of officers and men of the Nigerian Army right at Abua town in Abua Odual Local Government Area, he said.

Wike stated that the security agencies were investigating these attacks with a view to bringing the perpetrators to justice, expresing that nobody knew where and when the next attack would take place.

Neither do we also know the motives of the deranged characters or groups behind these senseless assaults on our state and the lives of security operatives working to keep us safe and secure.

However, what is obvious is that the attackers and their sponsors are people who came from outside Rivers State.

As a government, we are determined to doing everything within our powers to prevent re-occurrence of such murderous acts aimed at creating an atmosphere of gross insecurity and panic among citizens.

In view of its implications on the security of the state and citizens, and in discharge of our constitutional responsibility, the government has decided to impose restrictions.

The restrictions would affect movements into and out of the state from the land borders of the state,he said.

The governor urged all citizens of the state to be vigilant and report every useful intelligence or suspicious movements to the security agencies for immediate action.

He also advised the people to understand that these are strange times and nothing could be more paramount than their collective safety and security. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Abubakar Ahmed

Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara has expressed displeasure about the resurgence of armed banditry activities in some parts of the state.

This is contained in a statement signed by Yusuf Idris, the Director-General on Media to the governor and made available to newsmen in Gusau on Tuesday.

He said that the governor spoke when he visited some Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp at Unguwar Danbaba in Tsunami area of Gusau Local Government Area .

He was not happy that some recalcitrant bandits still existed in the state and terrorising innocent citizens. the statement said.

He promised the victims that more security personnel were being deployed to all the affected communities so that they could return to their homes and live without fear of any threat.

The governor, who commended the state Ministry for Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management for its quick response to the victims with food and medicaments, also promised continued protection of peoples lives and property.

He urged the public to continue to provide credible information to security agencies root out all forms of criminality in the state.

Earlier spokesman of the IDPs, who are mostly from Rijiya village of Gusau Local Government, Mallam Muhammadu Shehu, expressed their happiness over the governors visit .

Shehu, however, requested for the redeployment of more security personnel to the affected areas to enable them to return to their respective communities.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that banditry activities had recently resurfaced in the state where scores of innocent persons have been killed.

The governor was accompanied on the visit by heads of security agencies, commissioners and other government officials in the state. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

Former President of the Senate, Sen. Bukola Saraki, has advised the Federal Government to seek help wherever it could to address the escalating insecurity in the country.

Saraki, in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, said that calling for help in the present situation of the country was not a sign of weakness.

He said he was worried over cases of violence, kidnapping and terrorism recorded on Monday in Anambra Kaduna, Yobe, Niger, Lagos states and many parts of the country.

The ex-senate president reiterated the need for President Muhammadu Buhari to convene meeting of all those who could help in finding solutions to the problem at hand.

The people include former presidents and heads of state, serving and former chief justices, serving and former presiding officers of the National Assembly.

Others include serving and former heads of security agencies, traditional rulers with relevant experience, leaders of the private sector, development partners and friends of Nigeria in the international community, he said.

The former senate president said that the meeting must hold expeditiously and be followed by immediate actions.

l know there are many people who believe the fact that this suggestion is coming from a source outside government is a good reason for the president to ignore it.

I think the attitude this time around must be different. This is definitely not a time for partisanship or for people to play politics with the lives of the citizenry and the future of the country.

The security of lives and property is the first and most important duty of government and it should be taken seriously.

My suggestion here is an appeal made out of genuine concern with what is going on in our dear country, the senator said.

He called on the National Assembly to be more assertive in finding solutions to the issue of insecurity.

They must stand up and put Nigeria first before any other consideration. It is by doing this that they can genuinely help the government and their constituents, Saraki said.

He also called on the leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to do all that was necessary to help the administration get solutions to the national crisis.

He further said this was the time for party leaders to be part of the search for solution and getting the government to act swiftly in implementing good ideas that would return normalcy and the path of genuine development.

Even those of us in the opposition party recognise the fact we can only exist if we continue to have a country.

Thus, we are willing to cooperate with the government in finding solutions to this problem.

Our former leaders, I am sure, are ready, willing, and able to assist the government with their wealth of experience.

With their active role in combating the COVID-19 crisis, even the private sector has shown that if called upon at any time and on any issue, it is ready to help solve this crisis.

Our friends in the international community have also demonstrated their willingness to help us out.

However, all these actors will not jump into the arena without the government facilitating their intervention.

The government needs to call on them before this problem consumes all of us, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News