Passage: Mr Fuji Garbage " Alhaji (Dr) Sikiru Ayinde Barister is Late

 The Late Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barister

 The Late Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barister

The Late Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barister

The popularly known musician Alhaji Agba passed out this afternoon at St. Mary hospital, London after several illness.

Dr. Sikiru Ayinde Barrister had been sick and in, out of hospital in the past two years now before his been confirmed dead at St. Mary Hospital, London.

62-year old Ibadan zoological garden gets a facelift

Ibadan Zoo

After the payment of the required fee, visitors are allowed into the University of Ibadan Zoological Garden, which is almost as old as the premier university itself. The first sight that confronts the visitor seen is the different species of birds like geese, parrots, and ducks in their cages.

Each cage has a label that offers information on the species of birds or animals, and this include their biological and common names, habitat, feeding and sleeping habits, and so on. A detour will reveal a water-moat enclosure, where crocodile sun themselves. This leads to the reptile house, where different species of snakes, turtles, and monitor lizards from around Africa are kept in a safe glass container.

Visitors are warned not to touch the glass for their own safety. As is the case in every section of the zoo, each glass container has a label offering information about the animal that lives there.

The exit from the reptile house leads to tall iron cages holding different species of monkey, chimpanzees, and orang-utan. A walk further into the zoo and one sees the wild boar lounging in the mud at the water-moat enclosure. Right beside it is a cage where a fox inhabits. Adjacent to it is a stable housing a horse.

A climb down the bamboo bridge leads to the lion enclosure, where a pride of lions are kept. A lucky visitor might witness the feeding of these ferocious creatures with live goats. After that are cages holding hyenas, an ostrich, antelopes, camels, and herby goats.

Indeed, there is much to see in the old zoo at the University of Ibadan.

The zoological garden is one of the oldest zoos in Nigeria. It was originally created in 1948 as a place to house the animals used for research and teaching in the Zoological Department of the university. It became a fully fledged zoo and opened to the public in 1963.

Built on 10 acres of land, a curator, Mr. Bob Golding, was appointed to manage it. He later expanded and diversified the animal collection. The zoological garden soon became a popular site where many people went for relaxation and to view the wild animals in a safe environment.

 Read more: http://www.punchng.com

Desperate lawmakers dig in ahead of 2011 polls

L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan and PDP chairman Ezekwezili Nwodo.

Okwesilieze Nwodo, the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was not particularly happy when he arrived his office at Wadata Plaza, from the National Assembly last Monday evening. A few hours earlier, he had attended a public hearing of the bills to amend the Electoral Act 2010 during which he presented the position of the ruling party.

Mr Nwodo felt uncomfortable with the exercise, particularly the lawmakers' defence of the proposed amendment which, if passed into law, will admit the federal lawmakers to the national executive committee of their respective parties.

According to one of his aides, the national chairman summoned a few members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to his office and within minutes, put a call across to the Senate President, David Mark and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole informing them of the intention of the leadership of the party to meet with its members in both chambers.

An agreement was reached for the PDP leadership to meet with the about 80 senators and 260 members of the House on Wednesday and quickly, Mr Nwodo's aide on national assembly affairs went to work to make the necessary arrangement for the parley.

The agenda was obvious - the amendment bill, which the party boss and all the stakeholders who attended the public hearing, had condemned.

Source: http://234next.com

Aregbesola inauguration: Opening floodgate of probes in Osun

Aregbesola

With the change of leadership in Osun State, TUNDE ODESOLA writes that the new governor, Rauf Aregbesola, has a lot of contentious projects executed by his predecessor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, to look into

Damocles was a courtier in the palace of King Dionysius II of Syracuse, Italy. Lusting after power and royalty, Damocles exclaimed that Dionysius was truly fortunate. But the king, in an attempt to teach the courtier a lesson, offered to switch position with him. Damocles jumped at the offer and he was placed on the throne. In his majesty, Damocles, while on the throne in a fleeting moment, savours royalty but when he looked up to view the ceilings, he saw a huge sword held at the tip by a single hair of horse tail hanging above his head!

The Sword of Damocles fell on the three and a half years old administration of Okuku-born Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola on November 26, 2010 when justice flooded Osun State like a rolling river as an Appeal Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, swept the torn and tattered umbrella of the Osun Peoples Democratic Party away. A five-member panel of judges led by Justice Clara Bata Ogunbiyi, including Justices Mohammed Lawal Garba, Paul Adamu Galinje, Chima Centus Nweze, and Adamu Jauro, after a five-hour judgement, returned a unanimous verdict that the April 14, 2007 governorship election in the state was characterised by violence and fraud. The judges ruled that the Action Congress of Nigeria governorship candidate, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, is the winner of the election.

Before the verdict, there had been some topical political issues over which both the then opposition party and the ruling party sharply differed. One of the areas is the acquisition of an N18.38bn loan obtained by the defunct administration of Oyinlola. The ACN had objected to the acquisition of the loan by Oyinlola and described it as a conduit created to siphon public funds. In paid advertorials and news conferences, the Osun ACN had called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission to investigate the circumstances surrounding the loan. The ACN had warned that it would not repay the loan if it eventually wrestled power from the PDP. Aregbesola, in an interview, had faulted the loan, saying it was callous, scandalous and irritating.

He said, ”How can a state as poor as Osun obtain a loan of N18.38bn with a monthly repayment interest and capital charges of N620m? This means that the state will pay N1.4bn yearly on the loan. The loan is repayable in three years. Here is a state that borrows between N900m and N120m monthly to pay workers salaries and pensions. Can you imagine how the loan was disbursed? I will tell you; the loan was disbursed without the commencement of the projects earmarked. Isn‘t that absurd and wicked? How can you disburse money upfront before a project is done? I constructed gigantic projects in Lagos without mobilising Julius Berger. Lagos State paid after the job was satisfactorily done. If not for ulterior motive and going by the remaining months in their tenure, only N3bn should have been disbursed so far but they have disbursed N12bn. The projects they obtained the loans for are worthless. They say they want to build six stadia; where are the stadia? On every naira the state government is spending on the loan, it is gaining four per cent and losing 14 per cent. What is the sense in that?

Another contentious issue the ACN faulted before it got to power was the bomb blast allegation in which a serving Magistrate, Mr Ayo Oyebiyi, and many ACN members were incarcerated. Some explosives had gone off inside a grey colour Peugeot 505 on June 14, 2007 at the Governor‘s Office Secretariat, Abere, disemboweling an occupant simply named Tunde. Another occupant, Richard Adesanmi, lost an eye to the blast while the third occupant identified simply as Henry fled the scene. The case is still in court as at the time the Oyinlola administration was nullified.

Read more: http://www.punchng.com

Senate shelves debate on multi-billion naira transport ministry scam

Tony Anenih, a former transportation minister and leader of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

Around this time last year, a damning report detailing how Tony Anenih, a former transportation minister and leader of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and some of his successors in the ministry, allegedly misapplied billions of naira meant for the rehabilitation and construction of federal roads, was listed for debate - for the third time in a row - by the Senate.

It was not taken; but postponed by one month because the budget was considered the pressing issue at that moment. December came and went and it kept appearing on the order paper as a matter to be taken "next month." The report which took the ad hoc committee 18 months to produce kept appearing that way till February this year when it was again listed to be debated and adopted in March.

Later, at the same time that the late president, Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, became invisible, the report also disappeared completely from the calendar of the Senate and has not been re-introduced till date.

The transport probe report is filled with revelations of alleged serial malpractices, and shows how, in 10 years (1999 to 2009), through multiple contract fraud, connivance between contractors and government officials, some N633 billion was spent on only 4,752 kilometres of road; shortchanging the government to the tune of N47 million per kilometre of road.

Source:http://234next.com

Mark and Bankole to buy official residences

The four people that make up the leadership of the National Assembly; Senate President David Mark, his deputy Ike Ekweremadu, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, and his deputy Usman Bayero Nafawa , will soon be owners of choice real estate in Abuja.

They are to benefit from the largesse of President Goodluck Jonathan who has given permission to the four men to purchase their current living quarters.

It is not clear what price has been put on the houses, but the commonwealth will pay for the president's generosity to the tune of N1.5 billion. This is the amount in the proposed 2011 budget - which NEXT got exclusive access to - that is to be spent on building new legislative quarters for the leadership of the Assembly.

At least one lawmaker is unhappy with Mr. Jonathan's decision and says it is a sign of how desperate the President has become, ahead of elections. "You know, there are so many things that he (Mr. Jonathan) wants from them (National Assembly leadership) so they are taking advantage of situation, '' the lawmaker said.

Source:http://234next.com

FIFA bans Adamu

Amos Adamu

Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii have had their suspensions transmuted to bans and fines.

Claudio Sulser, the Head, Ethics Committee, in a press conference, stated that the two executive members were found guilty of contravening Articles 3 and 14 of FIFA's general rules.

Adamu and Temarii had been suspended on October 20, 2010 pending the end of these investigations. Adamu was banned from all football related activities for three years and fined 10,000 Swiss Francs, (N1.5million). Temarii was banned for a year and fined 5,000 Swiss Francs (N765, 000).

Other members of FIFA sanctioned by the committee include: Slim Aloulou from Tunisia, Amadu Diakite from Mali, Ahongalu Fusimalohi from Tonga and Ismael Bhamjee from Botswana, who was banned for four years.

Source: http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/Sport/Football/5643815-146/fifa_bans_adamu___.csp

Fayemi appoints Adeoye as SSA

KAYODE FAYEMI

Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has appointed a journalist, Mr. Adewale Adeoye, as his Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs, according to a statement from the Government House, Ado-Ekiti.

Adeoye was until his appointment the Deputy Editor (Sunday) of The Nation Newspapers. A 1988 Philosophy graduate of the University of Nigeria, Adeoye holds Masters in Industrial and Labour Relations, University of Lagos (2000). He is an alumnus of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research based in Switzerland.

In 2009, he won the Distinguished Service Merit Award organised by the African Youth Society, based in Republic of Guinea on Mass Communication, International Friendship and Global Journalism. He began his journalism career in The Guardian in 1989, worked in THE PUNCH Newspapers as Deputy News Editor/Head of Investigation.

Adeoye won the CNN African Journalist of the Year, 2000, Nigerian Media Merit Award, Travel and Tourism Reporter of the Year (NMMA, 1999), Political Reporter of the Year (NMMA, 1999), Features Writer of the Year (NMMA, 2000) and DAME Award for Journalist of the Year (2009).


 Source: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201011182484793

FG puts security on red alert •Jonathan’s effort to stop strike fails •Labour leaders meet today

AS the organised labour  begins a three-day nationwide strike today over agitations for a minimum wage, the Federal Government has put all security outfits on red alert.
This is just as labour leaders emerged from a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House on Tuesday night with a resolution to go back to consult with their internal organs before taking another position on the strike.
The labour leaders had been called for a meeting by the president as he attempted to avert the three-day warning strike.
No decision to immediately call off the strike was reached with the president which in essence means that the labour force would down tools as planned.
According to the acting President of the President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Peter Esele, who briefed State House correspondents alongside the acting  President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Promise Adewusi, after the  meeting which lasted for less than 30 minutes, having heard from President  Jonathan, they had resolved to go back to brief their various organs.
An informed security source revealed to the Nigerian Tribune on Tuesday night that the action became necessary to prevent the situation from being hijacked by criminal-minded persons or group(s) which might want to capitalise on the situation to foment trouble or unleash mayhem in the country.
The source also said that government took the action to provide adequate security for life and property in all the nooks and crannies of the country.
“Government is not leaving anything to chance, especially the current volatile political situation in the country and as well the fragile security situation which is giving government concern each day,” Nigerian Tribune source disclosed.
The source further revealed that adequate security personnel had been deployed in the nation’s land, seaports and airports while public places such as NITEL, PHCN, oil installations, Presidential Villa, National Assembly, Federal Secretariat, FRCN, NTA stations, among others, are also to be guarded to prevent hoodlums from wreaking possible havoc.
Nigerian Tribune further learnt that extra security had also been deployed in the Niger Delta to maintain law and order even as the MEND has threatened to attack several oil installations in the region during the period.
In fact, heads of various security outfits had held several consultations with the National Security Adviser (NSA), General Andrew Azazi, on the need for adequate security in the country during and after the warning strike.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Alhaji Hafiz Ringim, was reported to have put all state commands on red alert with the strict warning to commissioners of police to maintain absolute peace and order in their areas of operations.
No decision to immediately call off the strike was reached with the president which in essence means that the labour force would down tools as planned.
According to the acting President of the President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Peter Esele, who briefed State House correspondents alongside the acting  President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Promise Adewusi, after the  meeting which lasted for less than 30 minutes, having heard from President  Jonathan, they had resolved to go back to brief their various organs.
An informed security source revealed to the Nigerian Tribune on Tuesday night that the action became necessary to prevent the situation from being hijacked by criminal-minded persons or group(s) which might want to capitalise on the situation to foment trouble or unleash mayhem in the country.
The source also said that government took the action to provide adequate security for life and property in all the nooks and crannies of the country.
“Government is not leaving anything to chance, especially the current volatile political situation in the country and as well the fragile security situation which is giving government concern each day,” Nigerian Tribune source disclosed.
The source further revealed that adequate security personnel had been deployed in the nation’s land, seaports and airports while public places such as NITEL, PHCN, oil installations, Presidential Villa, National Assembly, Federal Secretariat, FRCN, NTA stations, among others, are also to be guarded to prevent hoodlums from wreaking possible havoc.
Nigerian Tribune further learnt that extra security had also been deployed in the Niger Delta to maintain law and order even as the MEND has threatened to attack several oil installations in the region during the period.
In fact, heads of various security outfits had held several consultations with the National Security Adviser (NSA), General Andrew Azazi, on the need for adequate security in the country during and after the warning strike.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Alhaji Hafiz Ringim, was reported to have put all state commands on red alert with the strict warning to commissioners of police to maintain absolute peace and order in their areas of operations.

Source:http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/front-page-news/13357-fg-puts-security-on-red-alert-jonathans-effort-to-stop-strike-fails-labour-leaders-meet-today

Court nullifies Uduaghan’s election

Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan

ASABA—DR. EMMANUELUduaghan’s tenure as Governor of Delta State was brought to an abrupt end, yesterday, after the five-man Court of Appeal panel presided over by Justice Monica Dongban-Mensah, in Benin annulled the process that brought him to power. The panel in a unanimous decision ruled that the election was marred with irregularities.
The court decision was upon the electoral petition filed by the gubernatorial candidate of the Democratic Peoples Party, DPP, Chief Great Ogboru that there was no election in the State. The court in its ruling ordered that a fresh election should be conducted within 90 days.
The Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Prince Sam Obi from Ika North East Constituency was ordered to be sworn in as Acting Governor in the interim. Obi was elected as Speaker only last July following the exit of the immediate past Speaker, Mr. Martins Okonta.
Yesterday’s action followed the persistent efforts of Mr. Ogboru to overturn the return of Dr. Uduaghan as the validly elected Governor of Delta State in the April 14, 2007 gubernatorial elections. To his chagrin, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declared Uduaghan as the winner, issued him certificate of return and he was subsequently sworn-in on may 29, 2007 thus setting the stage for the attendant series of legal combats.
Ogboru, like his Action Congress, AC counterpart, Mr. Peter Okocha approached the Election Tribunal sitting in Asaba, the Delta State Capital, to nullify Uduaghan’s election. While Ogboru anchored his petition on manipulation of the polls, Okocha hinged his on exclusion from the exercise. The tribunal led by Justice Lokulo dismissed his petition and Ogboru headed for the appeal court and got a judgment for the petition to be retried.

Read More:http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/11/court-nullifies-uduaghans-election/

2011: Battle for the soul of Borno hots up

GOING by history, Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff and his Deputy, Alhaji Adamu Shettima Yuguda Dibal (Sardaunan Biu), are the only politicians to break the jinx of second term in office. Both contested in 2003 and won on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP. They re-contested on the same platform in 2007  and won with an unprecedented victory.

Modu Sheriff, Abba Aji and Saidu Pindar 

The duo have recorded modest achievements in the  provision of democracy dividends via construction of roads, drainage, housing, hospitals, carrying out poverty alleviation and youth empowerment projects among others.
When the going was good, especially in 2003, Governor Sheriff said at a political gathering that based on the good relations and loyalty he enjoyed from Dibal, he had no option than to hand over to his deputy after he might have concluded his second tenure, specifically in 2011.
Sheriff was also quoted to have said that the issue of reserving the governorship slot for majority Kanuri would no longer be tolerated and promised that his administration would ensure power shifts to southern Borno, where Dibal hails from.
The declaration drew support for Sheriff, particularly those from southern Borno, which constitute about 47% of the state population with about nine local government areas of Biu, Gwoza, Askira_Uba, Hawul, Shani, Damboa, Kwaya_Kusar and Bayo.
Sheriff, deputy fall apart
That was the understanding until the  alleged plan by the governor to back another candidate, soured the relations between Sheri and his deputy. The governor was alleged to have sidelined Dibal in the running of the government.
 
Read More: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/11/2011-battle-for-the-soul-of-borno-hots-up/

Pandemonium as Abuja airport’s runway lights break down

Abuja airport

Runway lights at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Sunday, went off for over an hour thus creating pandemonium among air travellers at the airport.

The development, our correspondent gathered, led to disruption of flights across the country as airplanes could neither land nor take-off from the federal capital city airport while the darkness lasted.

Hundreds of passengers were temporarily stranded inside aircrafts on the tarmac and in the terminal building of the airport while engineers with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria battled to fix the problem.

While the darkness lasted between 7pm and 8pm, several airplanes from Lagos, Port Harcourt and other parts of the country were diverted to the Kano airport, according to airport sources.

Some passengers aboard a Lagos-bound Arik Air flight W3 061 said they spent over one hour on board the aircraft at the Abuja airport.

The Media Officer, Arik Air, Mr. Adebanji Ola, who confirmed the development, said passengers had boarded and the airplane was ready to take-off when the runway lights suddenly went off.

He also said that one of the airline’s planes coming from Port Harcourt to land at Abuja airport had to be diverted to Kano airport due to the problem.

“It is not only our airline. Other airlines were involved. No aircraft could land or take-off at Abuja airport while the problem persisted,” he said.

The General Manager, Public Affairs, FAAN, Mr. Akin Olukunle, who confirmed the development, attributed the problem to “electric fault.”


 Source: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201011092472184

Police seize ammunition from robbery gang in Oyo

seized ammunition

The Oyo State police command has busted two gangs of armed robbers, seizing a cache of arms and ammunition in the process.

The cache included several rounds of ammunition, 51 magazines, seven machine guns, charms, among other weapons.

Parading the suspects before journalists, Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, Mr. Adisa Bolanta, on Monday, said a member of one of the gangs, Chinedu Nwayanwu, was arrested with the arms and ammunition after the police halted the bus at a checkpoint in Awolowo area of Ibadan.

Only Nwayanwu was caught when the police halted the bus in which the suspects were driving and the occupants jumped down from the bus, taking to their heels.

When the police searched the vehicle, the arms, ammunition and charms were recovered.

The other gang, which comprised four suspects, Sikiru Jimoh (35), Tunde Ojo (50), Lateef Bello (27) and Kolade Ogunwonyi (38), confessed to robbing their victims in a bus they were using for transport.

Source:http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20101109325771

Minimum wage: FG, Labour meeting deadlocked •Strike to begin on schedule -NLC •Nigerians rush to banks for withdrawals

NLC President

A meeting of the Federal Government and the organised labour called in Abuja on Monday to resolve the disagreement on the implementation of the proposed minimum wage to Nigerian workers failed to achieve a middle ground as labour now looks set to press ahead with its planned three-day warning strike beginning from tomorrow (Wednesday).
Vice-President Namadi Sambo led the Federal Government negotiating team that also included Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, while the acting president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Promise Adewusi, and the President of Trade Union congress (TUC), Peter Esele, led the team from labour to the meeting which took place at the State House, Abuja.
Governor Oshiomhole, a former president of the NLC, who briefed State House correspondents after the meeting, pointed out that labour was forced into threatening a strike because of its perceived delay in forwarding the report on the minimum wage to the National Assembly for consideration and approval.
He said  Monday’s meeting was to convince labour that the Federal Government was not delaying action unnecessarily just to buy time.
According to him, “Labour gave an ultimatum to the Federal Government to take action on the minimum wage report. They believe and I believe rightly that they didn’t see any action being taken on the report which was submitted in July and that is a long time now.
“But at the meeting, effort had been made to make the point that yes, some time had been lost and government now realised that we have to act fast and the meeting of the National Council of State has been slated for November 25 and the Council of State will finalise the decision and the report will be forwarded to the National Assembly,” he said.
Governor Oshiomhole was confident that once the report went to the legislature, it would be speedily dealt with, especially with the presence of the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives in the Council of State as members.
His words: “The good thing is that, members of the National Assembly are very well represented in the Council of State. We have the Senate President as a member, we have the Speaker as a member and therefore, all of us offer to ensure that once the Council of State does what it has to do, then the National Assembly will be encouraged to fast track the process so that we can have the outcome legislated into law.

Read More: http://tribune.com.ng/index.php/front-page-news/13303-minimum-wage-fg-labour-meeting-deadlocked-strike-to-begin-on-schedule-nlc-nigerians-rush-to-banks-for-withdrawals

Jakande, Bakare for LTV anniversary lecture

Former Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande

Former Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande; the incumbent, Mr. Raji Fashola; and the Convener, Save Nigeria Group, Pastor Tunde Bakare, are billed to attend the 30th Anniversary Lecture of the Lagos Television slated for Wednesday.

A statement by the Corporate Affairs Manager, LTV, Mrs. Adeola Salako, in Lagos on Sunday, stated that Bakare would deliver a lecture on the Role of Media in Sustaining Democracy to mark the three decades of the establishment of the television station.

Salako added that the event, where past governors of Lagos, top media practitioners, captains of industries and other stakeholders in the broadcasting world would be in attendance, would equally feature an award ceremony.

The LTV was established in 1980 by the first civilian administration of Lagos State under Jakande.

Source: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20101108215270

2011: Registration exercise to hold in January —Jega

Prof. Attahiru Jega

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega has said the registration of voters for the 2011 election will hold in January.

Jega said this on the margins of the train the trainers’ workshop for INEC staff for the exercise which began in Abuja, on Monday.

He explained that the time extension the commission is to benefit from would afford it the needed time to acquire and fully deploy the data capturing machines needed for the exercise.

Jega said arrangements for the acquisition of the DDC machines had been concluded noting that sooner than later the machines would arrive.

According to him, “We do not want to pre-empt things, we’ve done our preparations and our planning.

“As soon as formalities are completed we will make an announcement on the new time table.

“We have finished everything about the procurement of the DDC machines.

“And I want to assure you that the machines will now be in our hands in good time before the commencement of the registration exercise.

“Despite the new time plan, the registration exercise will now be sometimes in January but when we announce the time table the details will be made available to the public.”

Source: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20101102284278

Ikorodu floodings: Group calls for alternative road

A flooded portion of Ikorodu Road, Lagos.

The Chairman, Ikorodu-Oga Development Association, Dr. Fatayi Olukoga, has urged the Federal Government to construct an alternative road to Ikorodu Road to reduce traffic congestion and attendant hazards road users experience on the current Ikorodu Road.

He also asked the government to urgently rehabilitate Ikorodu Road, especially the spots destroyed by the recent flooding in Lagos and Ogun states.

Olukoga made the statement on Monday, at the Ikorodu-Oga Day celebration. He said the association would use the opportunity of the celebration to revive the socio-cultural and educational activities in the area.

He also lauded the Lagos State Government for relocating some of the flood victims at Agbowa Resettlement Camp, Ikosi, Ejinrin Local Council Development Area.

Read More: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201011021262785

Jesse Jackson arrives Nigeria, challenges African leaders

Reverend Jesse Jackson

Former United States Special Envoy for Africa, Reverend Jesse Jackson, on Monday arrived the country through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

Jackson, a two-time US presidential candidate, told journalists he was in Nigeria to talk about urban development at the Kuramo Conference being organised by the Lagos State Government in partnership with the private sector.

He said there was hope for the Africa continent because of the sustained democratic rule in Nigeria.

He said, “One major future that Africa has in particular is that Nigeria had developed a stable democracy in this time that we are in.”

“I am here to be part of this conference (Kuramo) to talk about urban development, and what we need to rebuild and develop our city. Lagos is like a technological city in the world and the challenges are great here so this conference is meant to proffer steps in developing Africa.”

Jackson said that great nations were built by democracy, provision of drinkable water, universal health care and education.

The American envoy, however, lamented that Africa was yet to begin the process of building her citizens.

Source: http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art20101102452273

We have 48 pregnant women in camp – Commandant

Uchedu Victor
There are no fewer than 48 pregnant women at the Lagos State Resettlement Camp, Agbowa, Epe Local Government Area of the state, the Camp Commandant and a senior officer with the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Mr. Ganiyu Wewe, has said.

This is coming on the heels of a 19-year-old flood victim, Mrs. Uchedu Victor, who was delivered of a baby girl on Monday at the Agbowa General Hospital.

Wewe said of the 48 pregnant women in the camp, six might be delivered of babies any moment from now.

He said there was no cause for alarm as the government had made adequate arrangements to take care of the situation, noting that nurses and doctors had been asked to relocate to the mobile clinics near the camp to provide services and deal with emergencies.

When reminded that by the time the 48 expectant mothers gave birth, the camp would be overstretched, he spoke confidently, “There is no cause for alarm. We will cross the bridge when we get there.”

Meanwhile, the camp was thrown into jubilation on Monday when one of its campers, Victor, gave birth to a baby girl.

Source:http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201010272132975

Reps fracas: Court frees lawmaker

Hon. Chinyere Emmaunel Igwe

An Abuja Magistrates’ Court on Monday discharged and acquitted a member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Austin Nwachukwu, who was facing trial for allegedly spraying tear gas in the House and injuring a lawmaker, Chinyere Igwe during the fracas that rocked the House on June 22.

Delivering his ruling in a no-case submission by Nwachukwu’s lawyer, Mr. Chidi Aroh, the Chief Magistrate, Oyebisi Oyewumi discharged and acquitted Nwachukwu for want of evidence.

The court held that from the totality of evidence by only one witness from the the police, no prima facie case was established against the lawmaker saying that there was no reason to allow the charge to continue.

Magistrate Oyewumi held that the absence in court of the Clerk of the House, Alhaji M.A Sani Omori, who wrote the petition against Nwachukwu and the Deputy Speaker, Alhaji Bayero Nafada, showed that they were not interested in the case.

The court also held that the refusal of the victim of the alleged assault, Chinyere Igwe to make statement to the police and also appear to testify in the case was fatal to justice in the case.

 Source:http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201010265462268