Who approved Oduah’s N225m bulletproof car purchase?

Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah

The controversy surrounding the purchase of two armoured BMW 760 Li cars for N225m for the use of the Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, deepened on Sunday, with conflicting information on who gave approval for the transaction.

While some sources alleged that President Goodluck Jonathan might have approved the purchase of the vehicles for the minister by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, our correspondents could not get an independent confirmation from the Presidency as the officials chose to

It was gathered that neither the minister nor the NCAA could have singlehandedly approved the transaction without recourse to other approving authorities.

A highly placed source said the Ministerial Tenders’ Board might have given approval for the contract, instead of the Bureau of Public Procurement, which is responsible for scrutinising and verifying the cost of public procurement contracts.

Usually, the BPP monitors the prices of tendered items and keep a national database of standard prices.

However, a top official of BPP, who spoke to one of our correspondents on the condition of anonymity, said the purchase did not need to pass through the BPP process because the amount involved was not up to the N250m benchmark, except the Aviation ministry elected to subject it to the process.

The source said, “It is not all procurement that comes to the BPP. They don’t have to go through BPP at that level to purchase the vehicles except they so elected. That level of purchase can be handled by the Ministerial Tenders’ Board.

“What the BPP can do on procurements that do not pass through it is to audit them. However, I don’t think that this particular procurement needs to be subjected to an audit process.”

The Director-General, BPP, Mr. Emeka Eze, was, however, evasive when the issue was raised with him on Sunday, saying that he could not confirm whether the purchase of the vehicles was subjected to the agency’s due process.

“I am not in the office and I don’t have information on it with me. You know that we have over 500 agencies that we oversee. So, on a Sunday like this, I will not have all the information except I am in the office,” he said.

An online news agency, Eagelonline.com, quoted the Chief Executive Officer, Armouring LLC, Mr. Dave Simmons, as saying that the price of both cars, including the cost of purchase, armouring and delivery to Nigeria, could not have been more than N76m.

An online news medium, SaharaReporters, had last week reported that the minister forced one of the parastatals under her, the NCAA, to buy two bulletproof cars for her use.

It was reported that the armoured BMW cars, valued at about N127m each, were delivered to the minister in August.

Documents obtained by the medium showed that the transaction for the purchase of the vehicles started in June.

After initial denials, the Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of Aviation, Mr. Joe Obi, who confirmed the development exclusively to our correspondent on Wednesday, said the vehicles were purchased to protect the minister from some external threats.

He said, “Yes, it is true that some security vehicles were procured for the use of the office of the honourable minister in response to the clear and imminent threat to her personal security and life following the bold steps she took to reposition the sector.

“When she came on board as the minister, she inherited a lot of baggage in terms of the concession and lease agreements in the sector, which were clearly not in the interest of the government and people of Nigeria.

“And so, she took bold steps and some of these agreements were reviewed and some were terminated, and these moves disturbed some entrenched interests in the sector, and within this period, she began to receive some imminent threats to her life; therefore, the need for the vehicles.

“It should be noted that these vehicles are not personal vehicles and were not procured in the name of the honourable minister; they are utility vehicles and are for the office of the minister, and if she leaves the office, she will not be taking the vehicles along with her.”

However, on Friday, the Director-General, NCAA, Capt. Fola Akinkuotu, said the cars would be used to convey international dignitaries who came to the country on official visits.

He said aviation was a global industry and the NCAA, as the regulator of the industry in the country, very often played host to dignitaries from international civil aviation bodies.

He said it was customary to convey the minister and the visiting foreign dignitaries in security vehicles whenever they were in Nigeria.

 “It must be noted that during such visitations, the security of members of the delegation is the sole responsibility of the host country. The vehicles are, therefore, in the pool of the NCAA for these special assignments and are available at the NCAA office and can be shown to you,” Akinkuotu said.

He announced on Friday that the agency was searching for the person who allegedly leaked the information concerning the purchase of the vehicles to the media, because the Federal Government was concerned about how the information got to the public domain, noting that whoever leaked it had committed a criminal offence.

Policeman brutalises eight-year-old daughter over witchcraft

Goodness

A police sergeant from Ibiaku community, Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Ita Ayamba, has allegedly brutalised and abandoned his eight-year-old daughter, Goodness Ayamba over her refusal to confess to witchcraft.

Ita was said to have paraded the little girl along the village streets naked, declaring that Goodness was responsible for his retrogression in the Police Force.

A source and relative of Ita, told our correspondent in Eket on Saturday, on the condition of anonymity,

that the police sergeant tortured his daughter for several hours in an attempt to extract a confession of being a witch from her.

He said, “When he discovered that Goodness had passed out, Ita abandoned her, having hit her chest with the butt of his AK 47 Rifle.

“None of us could go close to Ita to rescue Goodness as he had threatened to shoot anyone that dared.

“I don’t see how a child of that age could become a clog in the wheel of her father’s progress in the Police Force. We need to tell each other the truth. Progress in one’s career depends on the efforts one has made academically.”

PUNCH Metro gathered that Ita had divorced Goodness’ mother some years back.  He was said to have remarried almost immediately, leaving three children including Goodness with their grandmother.

A resident of the area, Okon Ekong, said that on July 28, 2013 when the children were on holiday, Ita had requested  custody of them. He was said to be at his new station in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, at the time.

Ita’s former wife, Mrs. Anietie Ayamba, allegedly heeded his request and took the children to him. Ekong said that the children’s stepmother made life miserable for them.

He said, “It was during their stay in Port Hracourt, that their stepmother took the children to a Pentecostal church. Goodness was accused of witchcraft at the church. Her stepmother was told that Goodness was the person responsible for their father’s non-rising profile in the force.

“The father who was also in the church began to beat and kick Goodness in  a bid to extract a confession about her witchcraft.”

When PUNCH Metro visited Immanuel Hospital, Eket, Eket LGA, on Saturday, where Goodness was taken to for medical attention, it was gathered that she had been admitted at the intensive care unit of the children’s ward.

Nurses at the hospital said Goodness’ condition was stable but that her bones and chest cavity had been badly damaged.

A group of women lawyers under the aegis of Federation of International Women Lawyers have said that they would do everything within their power to ensure that Ita was brought to justice.

The state director of the organisation, Mrs. Mary Udonsek, stated that the women would not continue to sit back and allow men maltreat their children on the guise of labelling them witches.

Ita, said to be working at Trans Amadi Police Station, Port Harcourt, Rivers State had allegedly not been to Ibiaku, Mkpat Enin LGA since the incident.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Etim Dickson, said the Rivers State Police Command would be contacted about the matter.

He said, “Messages have been sent across to police area commands in Oron and Ikot Ekpene so that Ita will not have any place to hide once he is in the state.”

Amaechi, Oshiomhole, Okorocha shun govs meeting

Three Governors – Adams Oshiomhole of Edo, Rochas Okorocha of Imo and Rotimi Amechi of Rivers – did not attend the South-East/South-South governors meeting held on Sunday in Enugu.

The meeting was attended by eight of the 11 governors in the two geo-political zones.

Governors who attended the meeting include Theodore Orji of Abia; Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom; Liyel Imoke of Cross River; and Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta.

Governors Sullivan Chime of Enugu and Peter Obi of Anambra also attended the meeting.

Though, governors Martin Elechi of Ebonyi and Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa were physically absent, they were represented by their deputies: Dave Umahi and John Gboribiogha, respectively.

Imoke, who is the Chairman of the South-South Governors’ Forum, said the meeting focused on how to promote unity in the zones among other issues.

He said the governors were not against the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

He said, “Governors of the South-East and South- South met again today. We deliberated extensively on the same issues that we discussed previously in our last meeting.

“Those deliberations are that we will continue to ensure that we focus on economic cooperation and unity and of course, focusing on our collective interest.”

Oduah and the triumph of corruption

Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah

BEYOND the howls of outrage at the illegal purchase (with public funds) of bulletproof cars for Stella Oduah, the Minister of Aviation, Nigerians need to come to terms with the reality that the government has lost the war on corruption. The scandal partly explains why our airspace is dangerous; why billions of naira poured into the sector have not revived the industry and why officials charged with managing air transport are obsessed with their own comfort. Indeed, Oduahgate, if not properly handled, will have shattering implications for the Jonathan government.

While calls for the sacking of the manifestly incompetent minister have rightly gathered momentum, the Nigerian government must resolve to cleanse the aviation sector, initiate widespread reforms and flush out the obsequious and irredeemably corrupt bureaucrats that have held it hostage. Most importantly, we have to deal with the twin evils of pervasive corruption and the monumental waste represented by a bloated and over-pampered public service.

The task is daunting. President Goodluck Jonathan has, in three years in office, failed to demonstrate purposeful leadership and only pays lip service to fighting corruption and prudent financial management. It is dismaying enough that Oduah apparently sees nothing inappropriate in her actions and public anger over the $1.6 million (about N250 million) purchase, but it is even more troubling that the President has not deemed it fit to fire her. The National Assembly that should protect the public interest and exercise oversight on the executive is equally greedy and uncaring. A passive electorate and weak civil institutions have also fostered a culture of impunity and lack of accountability in those occupying public office.

The frightening case illustrates just how. According to news reports, the minister requested that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority purchase bulletproof cars for her. The officials obliged, spending $1.6 million of the agency’s funds to buy two BMW SUVs to massage Oduah’s vanity. Here is an organisation that complains of underfunding and lacks many of the essential up-to-date equipment that is standard everywhere else. This is shocking, but unsurprising. It is not yet known just how many similar expenses have been borne by other agencies being supervised by the Aviation Ministry. But it is known that the parastatals were asked, on “instructions from above,” to raise money for unexplained “activities” relating to the opening of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, in August, for which the cash-strapped Nigerian College of Aviation Technology alone raised N5.03 million.

In justifying the purchase, Oduah, through her aide, said she requested the cars due to “threats to her life.” That is troubling enough. This is certainly in line with her disdain for the public. Responding to criticism over the crash of an Associated Airlines plane that killed 14 persons recently, she had bizarrely attributed it to “an act of God,” and, to rub it in, added that plane crashes are “inevitable.” Even the most fair-minded person must be baffled and shocked by these actions and statements.

Since the minister and legislators are routinely maintained in circumstances described by a former Education Minister, Oby Ezekwesili, as “obscene luxury,” it is not surprising that bureaucrats not only routinely fail to discharge their duties, but also luxuriate at public expense. It has since emerged that the NCAA has purchased 34 new cars (13 Toyota Prado SUVs and 21 Corolla saloons) for its top managers despite a subsisting policy on monetisation of fringe benefits. The Director-General of the NCAA, Fola Akinkuotu, and the entire management and board should be immediately investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and prosecuted and sacked if they are found to have broken the law. We sorely need upright, courageous officials that can say, “No,” to the unlawful demands of politicians in temporary tenancy of public office.

The probe should extend to all agencies supervised by the ministry whose shortcomings are all too obvious to the public. The Dana Airline crash of last year that claimed 151 lives and this month’s crash exposed how corruption, incompetence and blatant compromising of regulations and standards have made air travel a risky venture in Nigeria. The industry needs a massive shake-up to enable it to recover, just as it has rebounded in most other parts of the world after the slump that followed the September 2001 terror attacks on the United States.

Mind-boggling cases like this are bound to catch the attention of those who have been dehumanised and debased by an insensitive government. At an exchange rate of N155 to $1, Oduah’s vanity would establish eight cottage clinics of N30 million each, or fund the sinking of 50 boreholes in a country where only 17 per cent of its 160 million people have access to pipe-borne water, according to a UNDP report. Most ministers also enjoy the extra-budgetary perks Oduah got. The steep damage of this era to public finance will not be wiped out so easily.

The Jonathan government’s chronic lack of transparency makes the odious cars purchase possible.  In a decent world, Oduah would not be defending the scurrilous affair but answering questions from anti-fraud agencies. The President should fire this minister immediately. Failing to do so suggests a lack of modicum of integrity in government. The President should search for an honest, passionate professional that understands aviation to succeed Oduah, the latest in a long line of ministers who lack knowledge of the industry.

Jonathan should take the war against corruption more seriously, while the National Assembly should adopt a more vigorous and effective stance on its oversight responsibility. Nigerians should not be complacent but continue to demand accountability from public officials.

TWO ESCAPE DEATH AS ANOTHER BUILDING COLLAPSES IN ABUJA

Two persons yesterday escaped death when the part of an uncompleted building in which they reside collapsed at Mafemi Crescent in Utako District, Abuja.

One of the occupants sustained minor injuries on his head and appeared dazed, while the other walked out of the place unhurt.
Our reporters learnt from sources that the structure belongs to a top Nigerian diplomat and was marked ‘danger’ as well as earmarked for demolition on July 25, 2012.
Commenting on the incident, Mr. Ishaya Isah Chonoko, coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) in Abuja, said no lives were lost. He said only one person sustained minor injuries and was being treated inside NEMA’s ambulance.
Chonoko was heard on phone telling his superior that some occupants of the collapsed building were parking out of the place and there was the need for the development control unit to demolish the place quickly so that they do not pack back to the place.
A family consisting of a man, baby, woman and two teenagers were seen packing out their belongings from a section of the building.
Our reporters learnt that majority of those that live in the place are roadside car washers and some lamented over the sufferings they face daily.
While responding to questions from rescue officials on why they live in such a place, one stated thus; “If we had better options we wouldn’t be in such a place. We have a government that is so insensitive to the plight of the ordinary man in the country and do not care to provide low income houses for people like us,” he added.
Another occupant said they have been living in the place for over four years, adding that most times, people chase them away but they return after a while.
Some women spoken to said they also go out to work but don’t make enough to look after their family. “Whatever we make at the end of the day cannot get us a decent house and provide all the necessities for our family. So we had no option than to live here in order to manage and pay a token amount to someone who acts as an agent here,” a lady said.
A woman with some under aged children appeared worried and wondered where next her family would move to.
Later in the day, the building was demolished and leveled to the ground. Previous occupants were seen scampering for parts of the building which they said meant more than their belongings buried in the rubble.
One of them said, “This is very good roofing sheet. If I sell it I can make enough money and extra to replace the few items I’ve lost here.”
As some fought over who first picked rods, some others tried looked for other materials they could cart away.
According to another former occupant of the building: “It was as if God didn’t want us to die because as early as 5am many of us had begun leaving the building. This is unlike the 7am at which we normally set out. I guess this is what saved us.”

Traditional healer, DELSU staff nabbed for holding ‘mad’ woman hostage

ASABA—A traditional healer based at Ogwashi-Uku in DeltaState has been arrested for allegedly holding a 17-year-old girl hostage, on account of alleged insanity.

Also arrested was a staff of DeltaStateUniversity, DELSU, Abraka, believed to be a relation of the ‘mad’ lady, who took her to the healing home.

Police spokesman, Mr. Lucky Uyabame, paraded the suspects at the state police headquarters in Asaba, weekend.

Also paraded were six suspected cultists, who were arrested in a bush within Umutu axis during an initiation ceremony.

The suspects, according to the police spokesman, “are predominantly students of Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro.”

Boko Haram insurgents kill 20, injure 10 in Borno

MAIDUGURI— No fewer than 20 persons were killed yesterday, while 10 others were injured when gunmen suspected to be members of the Boko Haram insurgency group launched an attack on Logomani village in Dikwa Local Government Area of Borno State.

Dikwa is about 65 kilometres away from Maiduguri, where series of terrorists’ attacks and killings had occurred in recent times. Soldiers were said to have later pursued the insurgents into the forest around Ngamboru Ngala.

Bukar Alhaji Gana, a native of Logomani, said that about a week before the attack, there was a rumour that some members of the sect were seen heading towards Marte area, where a terrorist camp was located before it was destroyed by the Joint Task Force, JTF.

He said: “We were told that some of the Boko Haram sect members came around and warned some people, but left almost immediately towards Marte, close to Lake Chad Basin.”

It was learnt that the attackers, dressed in military uniforms, also left with some of the women and also collected money from some of the truck drivers in the area.

A passenger who narrowly escaped death, told newsmen that the attackers shot three passengers and slaughtered 14 people before someone alerted them that soldiers were coming. They fled on their motorcycles into the bush.
At press time, there was no report from the military authorities on the issue as the acting spokesman of the 7 Division Nigerian Army, Captain Aliyu Danja, could not be reached for comments.

Bad roads: FG, contractors at war over debts sum

LAGOS —THE Federal Government and local contractors are currently at war over  debt owed by the government for the construction of major road projects across the country.

While the local contractors claim that they are being owed N500 billion, the Federal Government insisted that it owed the contractors only N30 billion.

It was gathered that the failure of the government to fulfil its financial obligations to the contractors has stalled the repair works on the major road projects awarded by the government such as Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

Findings by Vanguard revealed that the contractors who were awarded major highways and bridges contracts spread across the country were being owed as much as N30 billion arising from liabilities for the 2013 year, thereby exposing them to operational challenges.

Lagos – Ibadan Expressway

The firms were said to have been awarded the strategic road projects by the Federal Government in the hope that N141 billion approved for the Federal Ministry of Works would be released as and when due by the Finance Ministry.

However, findings revealed that of the budgeted N141 billion, only N63.76 billion has so far been released to the ministry for its road projects, leaving an outstanding balance of N76.24 billion.

Some of the local contractors lamented that their operations had been virtually grounded by non-payment for jobs already executed for the Federal Government. Others complained that heavy bank charges on loans extended to them had made it impossible for them to raise more money to continue with the jobs at hand.

“It is very difficult for us to continue to work without being paid by the government,” one of the construction firms’ official told one of our correspondents.

Although the Minister of Works, Arc. Mike Onolememen, could not be reached for a reaction to the development, a competent source close to the ministry confirmed the debt being owed the local contractors, saying that it was not deliberate.

The source admitted: “It is true we have liabilities amounting to N30 billion to our contractors but this is regrettable because we have not deliberately decided to owe them. The truth of the matter is that the money approved in this year’s budget for us has not been released in full to the Ministry by the relevant agency of government.

Finance ministry cashbacked N63bn out of N141bn

“There is no way we can pay contractors what has not been given to us. Of the N141 billion budgetted for us this year, the Ministry of Finance has only cash-backed N63.76 billion. It is not our desire to owe any contractors because we know that once they mobilise to site they come under pressure from the government, the community and the banks.”

Hopes of early payment to the contractors may not materialise because of claims by the Finance Ministry that there has been sustained dwindling revenue from oil arising from theft and pipeline vandalisation in the Niger Delta.

Angered by the slow pace of work arising from debts being owed the contractors, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Works, Mr. Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi, has asked the Finance Minister, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to immediately release the outstanding N81billion to the Works Ministry.

Ozomgbachi, who spoke to Vanguard on telephone, lamented that the huge amount being owed the contractor was disturbing and capable of frustrating the construction and rehabilitation of major roads in the country.

He said, “You will recall that before now, the roads were in a deplorable state and impacted negatively on the social and economic well being of the people. So, I will enjoin the Minister of Finance to release the approved funds to the Federal Ministry of Works to enable it sustain the momentum of work on roads in the overall interest of Nigerians.

The Appropriation Act is a subsisting law of the country and the Ministry of Finance is bound to comply with the provision of that law. There should be no selective implementation of any law, inclusive of the Appropriation Act.

“As we get close to the dry season, the release of 100 percent of the Ministry of Works’ allocation is very essential because the existence of good roads in the near absence of waterways and a rail system is central to the country and will have a multiplier effect on other sectors of our economy.”

Efforts to speak with the Finance Minister on the non-release of funds to the Works Ministry proved abortive as none of her officials was available to speak to our correspondents. But the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation said that declining oil revenues was responsible for the shortfall in revenue, insisting that the government has been recording declining oil revenues since January this year.

The office maintains that apart from the surplus the government recorded in the month of July, it has been witnessing a deficit for the rest of the months. The office stated, “The Federal Government had projected a monthly earning of N702.54bn in the 2013 budget, but it only surpassed that target once during the first seven months of this year, earning N651.26bn in January, N571.7bn in February and N595.71bn in March. In the months of April, May, June and July, the revenue earned by the country was N621.07bn, N590.77bn, N863.02bn and N497.98bn respectively.”

Governors have been at loggerheads with the Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, accusing her of not telling the truth about the economy, which they claim is dwindling.

At the height of their face-off, the state governors called on the Finance Minister to resign but the minister rebuffed them, saying: “I dey kampe.” The major road projects that have been badly affected by the non release of funds to the contractors include the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, Lagos-Benin Expressway and the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway. It was gathered that no activity is happening on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway because the contractor has not been adequately mobilised to undertake the repair work.

Julius Berger, other contractors not paid

Meanwhile, reacting to the alleged N500 billion being owed local contractors by the Federal Ministry of Works, Mr. Clement Iloba, Head of Corporate Affairs Unit of Julius Berger Nigeria Plc said “in road construction projects, clients are bound to owe contractors since payments for jobs are not made in advance before commencement of contracts. However, I am not in a position to know the exact amount Julius Berger Nigeria Plc is being owed, just as I cannot say if other contractors are being owed and how much they (contractors) are being owed”.

Immediate past president of the Federation of Construction Industry, FOCI, the umbrella organisation for 125 indigenous and indigenised contracting firms in Nigeria, Mr. Mobolaji Williams, an engineer, explained that about two years ago, when he was still the President of FOCI, the Federal Government was owing its members more than N100 billion for jobs already done. Although Mr. Williams who works for MOS Engineering Services Limited, could not give the actual amount being owed contractors, he noted that the figure must have risen by now.

Williams had alleged that between 2010 and 2011, more than 60,000 workers in FOCI member-companies were sent home due to closure of sites following government’s failure to meet its financial obligations to contractors. According to him, “while the contractors are being owed more than N100 billion for jobs already done, more debts are piling up as the contractors try to get the projects to a reasonable landmark before closing their sites to await payment.”

The former FOCI president directed Vanguard to speak with the current president of  the organisation, Mr. Solomon Ogunbusola, a builder and CEO of S & M Nigeria Limited, because he would be in a position to give the actual figure of  the amount owed contractors. Efforts to speak with him failed as he was not picking his calls.

But a dependable source at the Federal Ministry of Works, Abuja, would neither confirm nor deny the fact that local contractors were being owed to the tune of N500 billion. He however, agreed that the Ministry was having problems funding its ongoing road projects, adding that most contractors would not move to site until they are paid.

Contractors not mobilised financially to work on Lagos Ibadan expressway

Unconfirmed reports alleged that work on the reconstruction of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway which was awarded to Messrs Julius Berger Nigeria Plc following the termination of the concession agreement with Messrs Bi-Courtney Nigeria Limited, was yet to commence because the new contractors have not been mobilised financially, despite the flag-off by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Nigeria has a total  road network of 200,000 km owned by the federal, state and local governments. Only about 65,000 kilometres are paved mostly with bitumen. Out of this figure, the Federal Government owns about 35,000km, representing 54 per cent of the bituminous road network in Nigeria.

The balance is shared between the 36 states and the 774 Local Government Areas. Currently, most of the goods and passengers transportation in the country are done by road, which is about 80 per cent of the national vehicular traffic. 35,000 kilometres of federal roads were constructed as at1983. In 1983, only about 150,000 vehicles were plying Nigerian roads. In 2000, about 1.3million vehicles were moving on Nigerian roads. In 2012, the number of vehicles on Nigerian roads rose to nine million. Yet, the total kilometre of bituminous roads in the country did not witness any appreciable increase to meet the demand. This has led to increased pressure on our roads, coupled with the non availlability of rail transportation of  haulage in the 20 years.

Leveraging on the major structural/management changes of 2011, the FMW set out to achieve the following-the mandate of planning, design, construction, maintenance of federal roads network.

4 dead, 14 injured in Ondo road crash

AKURE— FOUR persons died in an auto crash that occurred at Igbara-Oke in Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo State, weekend.

Fourteen others sustained injuries, following a head-on collision of an 18-passenger Mazda bus, number plate Lagos KSF 706 XF, and a Honda Accord saloon, AA 239 GBH.

The officer in charge of Field Operation of the Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, in the state, Mr. Joseph Ojerinde, told Vanguard that the accident occurred at 6.30pm on Saturday.

Ojerinde attributed the crash to the reckless driving. He said the Honda car made a dangerous overtake and collided with the bus, which was coming from the opposite direction.

Ojerinde said: “Immediately we were informed about the accident, our men moved to the scene, we were told that the Honda Accord car, dangerously overtook a vehicle and had a head-on collision with the Mazda bus coming from the other side.”

He said 22 persons were in both cars: 14 males, four females and four under-aged children, adding that the dead were adult males.

Their corpses have been deposited at the mortuary of the StateSpecialistHospital, Akure, while those injured were taken to the General Hospitals in Igbara-Oke and Ilara-Mokin for treatment.

”Return to classrooms”, Jonathan appeals to ASUU

Ado-Ekiti – President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday in Ado-Ekiti appealed to members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to return to the classrooms in the interest of their students.

He made the appeal at the inauguration of the College of Engineering Complex at the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Ekiti State.

The three-storey college complex was also named after the President.

Jonathan urged ASUU members to heed his appeal saying that whatever their grievances might be, keeping students out of school for four months was unpatriotic.

“I once again appeal to the entire membership of ASUU to pause and ponder on the adverse effect of their action on the future of the vibrant youths of this great nation.

“The collective destiny of tens of thousands of tomorrow’s leaders should not be held hostage to vagaries of labour disputes.

“As long as we are humans, as long as we are a developing society, this labour dispute must come up.

“I always say that even in the developed societies we hear about labour dispute; and there is no society, even the most developed, that has provided the facilities for every worker

#Asuustrike: We Are Not Sure When It Will End – ASUU President, Fagge Says

My dear students, go and find better things to do with your time. Learning a hand work is not a bad idea. Its just for the time being...

The President of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr. Nasir Isa Fagge has said that although the Union has begun consultations among its members following discussions with Vice President, Namadi Sambo, it cannot confirm when it will call off the ongoing strike.
Fagge spoke with journalists in Makurdi shortly after the Union’s congress meeting at the Benue State University.

According to him, the body’s position would be made known to the public after consultations are concluded.
President Jonathan had two weeks ago delegated his Deputy, Sambo, to take over negotiation with ASUU after several efforts by Benue state Governor, Gabriel Suswam-led Needs Assessment Implementation Committee failed.

C-O-N-F-U-S-I-O-N!!! Obi Of Onitsha Angry With Ngige’s Rally In Onitsha After Warnings

**it was very disrespectful for a political party, in spite almost one year notice for the Ofala, to fix their rally the same day.
**anyone who disrespected the land would be hunted by it, and should not run away when the land begins to take revenge on him.
**a true Igbo son, Dr. Ngige would allow his party to fix rally on the same day the Obi of Onitsha was performing Ofala festival.


The Obi of Onitsha, Dr. Alfred Achebe, the Igwe of Onitsha has expressed unhappiness with Senator Chris Ngige, following the insistence of his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, to hold their flag- off campaign on Tuesday in Onitsha, despite the traditional Ofala festival being celebrated by the monarch.

The Ofala festival is a yearly celebration in Onitsha where the monarch of the town is celebrated, and Igwe Achebe was to round up the ceremony Tuesday but was surprised that Ngige took his campaign flag off to the town to disrupt the event.

While rounding up his Ofala festival Tuesday, the angry Obi said it was very disrespectful for a political party, in spite almost one year notice for the Ofala, to fix their rally the same day.

He reminded that anyone who disrespected the land would be hunted by it, and that such a person should not run away when the land begins to take revenge on him.

Commenting on the issue, Gov. Obi also condemned APC rally, expressing surprise that a true Igbo son, Dr. Chris Ngige would allow his party to fix rally at Onitsha the same day the Obi of Onitsha was performing Ofala festival.

I Am Not 36-Year-Old - Actress, Eniola Badmus Cries Out

 Hahaha...Is she scared of getting old?

She only said she is not 36 but she didn't mention her real age. She once tweeted that she was 26 meanwhile, several bios say 7th Sept. 1977, which is still 36...

Does she look older of younger than 36? Read her tweet below;

Ministry urges better treatment of aged people

MINISTER of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Zainab Maina, has called for better treatment of aged people in the country due to their frailty and contribution to the socio-economic development to the nation.

Maina, who noted that support and care of the aged in the rural-urban communities have declined, especially in the face of socio- economic climate, said breakdown of the extended family system, which used to be the bedrock of support for older persons and the rural-urban migration of the younger generations, have greatly and adversely affected the quality of care given to older generations.

Speaking yesterday in Abuja at a briefing to mark the International Day of Older Persons, with the theme “The Future We Want: What Older Persons Are Saying”, the minister said: “You will agree that one of the greatest concerns of older persons today is insecurity. This, together with health, is most frequently mentioned by older persons themselves. In some situations, they are abused and defiled by younger generations.

“The contribution of the elderly to national development cannot be over-emphasised. Their sacrifices, wisdom and experiences have remained and continued to be the pillar of support and stability in our nation. They should, therefore, enjoy a life of rest, comfort, security and active participation in the economic, cultural and political life of their communities. Let us rise to the challenge of integrating our older citizens into the development process of this country as we cannot afford to ignore their numerous potential.”

 Maina further urged non-governmental organisations to organise concrete programmes of intervention for the care of older persons through advocacies and undertakings that will provide income support and security.

She also assured that the government would support any public-private partnership initiative that is focused on promoting the wellbeing of older persons in the country.

“As a responsible member of the United Nations, Nigeria has not only consistently observed this day since its declaration, it has also put in place a number of programmes of intervention to actualise its commitment to the Madrid Plan Action on ageing 2002 and other declarations. We will not rest on our oars but will continue to facilitate and promote the Madrid International Plan of action on ageing, including designing guidelines for policy development and implementation,” she said.

WHY WE RESUMED STRIKE -ASUP

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) at the weekend said it resumed its suspended strike last Friday due to lack of commitment on the part of the Federal Government to growth of the technological sector.

The group vowed that it would not go back on the strike till all its demands are met.
The zonal coordinator (Zone C) Comrade Babatunde Dosumu who spoke on behalf of the South-west chapter of the group in Abeokuta, lamented that despite its ultimatum to government, nothing was done.
“Our efforts have been to call government’s attention and action on the need for constitution of Governing Councils of polytechnics, the migration of the lower cadres on the CONTISS 15 salary scale, the release of the White Paper on the visitations to federal polytechnics, the need for the commencement of Needs Assessment of polytechnics, among others,” he said.
The ASUP South-west coordinator lamented the continued appointment of unqualified persons as rectors and provosts of polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of technologies by some state governments, the imposition of professors from outside the polytechnic sector as rectors and the refusal of most state governments to implement the approved salary packages (CONPCASS).

END TO DOCTORS' STRIKE DIM

Hopes of a quick end to ongoing industrial action by resident doctors nationwide dimmed Monday after health minister Onyebuchi Chukwu lamented that the strike was “unacceptable.”

This came after the labour ministry, which convened a meeting last Friday to arbitrate between National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and the health ministry, had earlier expressed hopes that both sides had agreed to “consider” a suspension of the strike, already going to a week.

Fielding questions in Abuja at a retreat for tertiary health institutions, the minister said NARD’s industrial action was “uncalled for because the issues at stake are issues we are already handling after we met the Nigerian Medical Association.”

Among the issues NMA raised are disruption in pay for house officers on account of federal hospitals using a centralized Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS).

Concerns over IPPIS has since been tabled before a committee chaired by the Head of Service, at which both NARD and NMA are represented.

Despite ongoing talks, at least seven tertiary hospitals using IPPIS still owe their house officers and resident doctors since August, an impromptu question at the retreat revealed.

Chukwu ruled out political motivation as basis for the strike but said resident doctors could have exercised patience, since they took part in ongoing meetings.

“We understand some of the issues have not been resolved but I think we can do well to exercise some patience and not go on strike, because, when we go on strike, people do die,” he said.

WHY SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA REMAINS POOR DESPITE ECONOMIC GROWTH - WORLD BANK

The World Bank Group has attributed the high poverty rate in sub-Saharan Africa despite economic growth to high level inequality in both outcome and opportunities for citizens.

According to the Bank’s study of the continent’s economy tagged 'Africa’s Pulse' released Monday an estimated 413 million Sub-Saharan Africans live on less than $1.25 a day as at 2010 compared to 379 million in 1999 and the sub-region is likely to have most of the world’s poor by 2030.

“In addition, the conversion of Africa’s growth into poverty reduction has been hindered by higher initial inequality, the challenges of harnessing growth from minerals exploitation for benefit of the broader population and continuing under performance of its agricultural sector, even though the latter has been showing signs of improvement recently,” the study said in part.

The study said almost one of every two African live in extreme poverty.
“Africa grew faster in the last decade than most other regions, but the impact on poverty is much less than we would’ve liked. Africa’s growth has not been as powerful in reducing poverty as it could have been because of the high levels of inequality. Growth with equity is possible, but it requires a decline in inequality in both outcomes and opportunities,” says Francisco Ferreira, Deputy Regional Chief Economist, World Bank Africa Region.

The study noted that the exports from the sub-region has concentrated on oil and other minerals which the study says makes  countries in the region (including Nigeria) vulnerable to sharp movement in the prices of the commodities.

According to the study after the global financial crisis and recurring climatic volatility on the continent, a growing number of African countries are setting up social safety nets to protect the health and livelihoods of poor and vulnerable people during periods of adversity.

However, 'Africa’s Pulse' notes that safety nets can protect families from the worst effects of crises and also contribute to growth as well by allowing people to raise their incomes.

Man dies stealing fuel from tanker

Sokoto – The decomposed body of a 25-old-man, Zayyanu Abubakar, has been evacuated from inside a petrol tanker compartment where he suffocated and died since Friday, Oct. 4, while stealing petrol.

The deceased fell inside the tank of the vehicle with registration number, XA 640 TBW, parked along Sokoto western bye-pass, loaded with 33,000 litres of petrol.

The deceased was alleged to have earlier on the night of the fateful day, stolen 20 litres from the fuel compartment and had returned for more when he ended up inside.

It took the combined efforts of the officers of the state fire service, the police from Kwanni Division, Sokoto and some good Samaritans, four hours – 8 a.m to 12 noon – to remove the decomposed body from the tankers belly.

Yahaya Mohammed, a relative of the deceased  said at the scene of the incident that Abubakar was warned by his brothers against the act.

“He told his siblings about his earlier successful exploits and they warned him against going back into the vehicle.

“He had told them that he nearly suffocated in the first attempt, but unknown to them, he went back, got trapped and died,” Mohammed said.

A fire serviceman, Zayyanu Jelani said, “we were here since around 8.00a.m when we were alerted about the ugly development.

“This is the first time we are recording this type of unfortunate incident in Sokoto apart from fire incidents on fuel tankers.”

The spokesman of the state police command, DSP Al-Mustapha Sani confirmed the story and added that the police would thoroughly investigate the incident.

NAN reports that the remains of the deceased had been deposited at the morgue of Uthmanu Danfodio University Teaching Hospital, Sokoto.

Yobe teachers protest salary cut

Damaturu – The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in Yobe, on Monday rejected plans to deduct N13 million from salaries of its members to print Identity Cards.

Chairman of the union in the state, Malam Ibrahim Lawan, told newsmen in Damaturu that his members would embark on strike if the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) insisted on going ahead with the project.

“The decision to deduct the money from teachers’ salaries to finance the identity card project will cause industrial disharmony between teachers and the board.

“Teachers in the state have more pressing issues like promotions, implementation of last promotions and other welfare packages such as housing and accommodation.

“Our  members,  about 13,000, have expressed concern over the proposed deduction of N1,000 each from their salaries, and are willing to put down tools if the decision was not rescinded,” he warned.

Lawan, who is also the chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state, said teachers had the right to reject any illegal and forceful deduction from their salaries.

Some teachers, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on condition of anonymity, described the identity card project as unnecessary.

“Our current identity cards are still valid. We do not see any reason for the production of another at the expense of the teachers.  We don’t need any other card.” said one of them.

In his response, the Chairman of SUBEB in Yobe, Alhaji Gagarau Bizi, said the identity cards would only be produced with the consent of the union and the teachers.

“If they are not interested and they do not want it, then we close the chapter and consider the project dead,” he told newsmen .

FG sets up c’ttee to tackle collapse of federal roads

ENUGU—The Federal Government, weekend, inaugurated a committee charged with the responsibility of checking frequent collapse of federal roads and strengthen their lifespan.

The committee known as Federal Roads Committee on Surveillance and Action Against Road Abuse, is expected to identify locations grossly abused, carry out public enlightenment to bring a stop to such abuse.

Membership of the committee was drawn from the Nigeria Police, the Army, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Federal Road Safety Corps.

File: Benin-Ore road

Others are the Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers, Federal Road Maintenance Agency and the National Orientation Agency.

While inaugurating the committee for the South-East zone at the weekend, FERCSARA, National Chairman, Mr. Kelvin Onuoha, said offenders apprehended by the committee would be made to pay fines.

Such road abuse, he said, included excessive axle loading by commercial trucks and trailers, cutting of road or road shoulder for pipe or cable laying and burning of tyres on the road.

Onuoha also identified mechanics and vulcanizers using road media or road shoulder as workshop, villagers digging on bridge embankment for sharp sand, dumping of waste on drainage, refuse dump growing fat along highways as bad habits that accelerate road failure.

He said: “Defacing of road signs using campaign posters, erecting shops on top of drainage line, vandalizing bridge railings, street light poles, abandoning broken down vehicles on road shoulders are other alarming road abuse that make the federal highway very unsafe.”

According to him, preventable bad habits had become a major challenge on the roads in the zone.