Syria, Nuclear Arms & Refugees Top UN Assembly Agenda

Posted on September 19, 2016 by Staff Reporter

World leaders are arriving at the United Nations headquarters for an annual confab with hopes of addressing everything from superbugs to climate change and a global anti-poverty drive that is already faltering in its first year.

Presidents, diplomats and their delegations must also broach impromptu items, such as North Korea’s recent nuclear test. A US air raid that allegedly killed at least 62 Syrian government soldiers on Saturday threatens a fragile truce in that country and sparked fresh rows at the UN.

On top of that, the United States, Russia, China and other UN heavyweights must see beyond their differences and agree on who will run the world body once the incumbent, Ban Ki-moon, steps down at the end of the year.

On Monday, the UN will host a summit for refugees and migrants that may have already failed – countries refused to commit themselves to a UN target of resettling 10 percent of refugees each year.

The outcome is a “watered-down version of what we had hoped for”, Erol Kekic, from the refugee aid group Church World Service, told Al Jazeera, adding that denying hope to the world’s 21 million refugees was “irresponsible and frankly dangerous”.

A separate meeting on refugees, to be hosted by US President Barack Obama on Tuesday, will probably gain more traction, not least because any leader showing up must come bearing gifts. Guests will be giving cash, letting more refugees into their countries or helping them find jobs.

Obama’s presence raises a question all of its own. His internationalism has buoyed UN meetings over the past eight years, but he leaves office in January and US voters have yet to decide who will replace him.

Acting IG Of Police, Ibrahim Idris Outlines Agenda

Posted on June 22, 2016 by Staff Reporter

SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE NEW AG. INSPECTOR-GENERAL OF POLICE, IBRAHIM KPOTUN IDRIS, MNI, PSC, ON WEDNESDAY, 22ND OF JUNE, 2016 AT THE NIGERIA POLICE FORCE HEADQUARTERS, ABUJA.

It is with great pleasure and sense of responsibility I address you this morning as the new Ag. Inspector General of Police of our beloved great country. I want to thank Almighty Allah for this day and want to show my utmost thanks and appreciation to the President, Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the Chairman of the Nigeria Police Council, President Muhammad Buhari, GCON, for having the trust and confidence in me and for appointing me to this exalted position. I promise not to fail this nation in our quest to make the citizens of this Country safer and also to ensure that our nation remained united and peaceful. I want to use this opportunity to inform you of our policy direction in the management of our Police Force from this day.

The Nigeria Police Force will henceforth be guided by the international core values of policing with integrity, ensuring that the rule of law prevails in our actions and activities, and to strictly respect diversity, courage, compassion and professionalism. The Nigeria Police also would operate within the principles of Democratic Policing which is an institution that is responsive, respresentive and accountable to its citizens at all times.

The Nigeria Police Force will henceforth, have as its main focus, integrity and accountability as its cardinal operational principle in all its actions and will be decisive on any of its personnel that deviate from its core values.

In order to establish and maintain high standard of behaviour in our official conduct and to eliminate impunity and ensure transparency in the application of the above core values, we will ensure that the following activities will be carried out immediately by this administration:

Responsive Police Institution: – It will be against work ethics henceforth for any Police Commander at any Command level to treat complaints with levity, and complaint received from members of the public must be treated within shorted possible time to the satisfaction of the complainant. This is in line with one of the principles of democratic policing which states that a democratic police institution must be responsive to the yearnings of the community.

Transparency and Accountability in the Management of Police cooperative and Police insurance schemes:- The management of Police Cooperative and insurance schemes which are investments made by the members of the force will henceforth be made more transparent and accountable to the generality of the police personnel, especially the ranks and file who constitute the largest contributors. A lot can be achieved in our efforts to enhance the welfare of the police personnel through genuine utilization of these two investments. The accounts of these institutions bodies will be made more transparent and accountable to the entire members of the force, and contributors will have more say in the running of these accounts and on how their investments will be utilized on daily basis.

Strengthening of the Police X-Squads Units to fight corruption amongst civil servants:– In our effort to give a boost to the current administration’s war on corruption, the Police management will strengthen the police x-squad units in the Police Commands with the deployment of thoroughly vetted, selfless and patriotic officers to tackle corruption and abuse of office within the police organization and amongst the Federal, States and local government levels. The personnel deployed to this anti-corruption unit will be supported with incentives to make them more effective in the discharge of their duties.

Cheap and Affordable Housing for Ranks and File:- This administration will leave no stone unturned to look into the issue of provision of cheap and affordable accommodation for the police ranks and file to own individually. Availability of Police Uniforms and accoutrement:- Making uniforms and accoutrement available for members of Ranks and File will be a priority of this administration. Henceforth, appearance of every police officer will be taken seriously.

Payment of Salaries:- Prompt and timely payment of salaries of serving personnel will a cardinal objective to be vigorously pursued by this administration. I promise that we will ensure that the police are not at disadvantaged.

Credit: Vanguard

Discos Set Agenda For Fashola

Posted on November 16, 2015 by Staff Reporter

For the new Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, is to make any headway as he tackles the perennially weak public power supply in the country, then he must, among others, focus on privatising the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN), electricity distribution companies (Discos) have said.

The Discos say the weakness of the grid and the power tussle within TCN, especially the alleged meddling by the Ministry of Power officials, had further dimmed the hope of a vibrant transmission network for the country.

These were among the issues canvassed by the Director of Research and Advocacy for the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED), Sunday Olurotimi Oduntan, in an interview with The Guardian.
“The power sector expects Fashola to sort out the problem in TCN,” he said.

He also called attention to the need for the minister to lead the campaign for a cost reflective tariff and also for the Federal Government to allow the Discos access to funds from Sovereign Wealth Fund.

Credit: Guardian

No Peace Yet Until Dogara Cuts PDP Ties — APC Group

Posted on July 27, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Some members of the All Progressives Congress’ faction in the House of Representatives known as the Loyalists Group on Sunday denied that the leadership tussle in the legislature was over, contrary to Saturday’s public announcement by key figures of the group.

Rather, the lawmakers said there could only be “genuine agreement” on how to achieve peace in the House if the Speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, would sever his “unholy ties” with the Peoples Democratic Party members of the House.

This came amid mounting tension ahead of the rescheduled resumption of the House on Tuesday.

Dogara is also set to name the principal officers of the House tomorrow.

However, the loyalists insisted that discussions on peace must be with all the members of the group lead by a former Minority Leader of the House, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila.

The members, who addressed a news conference in Abuja, argued that an APC-dominated legislature with a leadership by the PDP was not their idea of the change the APC worked hard to attain at the 2015 general election.

The spokesman for the group, Mr. Nasir Zangon-Daura, gave this position at the news conference, where 21 out of the 174 members of the group showed up.

However, Zangon-Daura explained that he had the mandate of the absentee members to speak on their behalf.

He denied that any concessions or offers on how to resolve the crisis had been offered to the group, against a position taken by key members of the group in Abuja on Saturday.

Zangon-Daura said, “To have a genuine agreement that is not tainted by the PDP, the Dogara group will have to first of all cut off the umbilical cord between it and the PDP and secondly, engage in candid reconciliatory discussions with our group as a whole through our approved members under the leadership of Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.

“We are, however, aware of the Trojan offers of party principal officers’ positions being made to individuals in our group in their individual capacities in order to lure them from our group.

“We, hereby, restate for the avoidance of any doubt that this struggle is not about Femi Gbjabiamila, Yakubu Dogara, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, Mohammed Monguno or Pally Iriase.

“This is about being loyal and committed to the party’s manifesto, which among others, includes the fight against corruption by President Muhammadu Buhari.”

Zangon-Daura recalled that efforts to resolve the leadership tussle culminated in an intervention by the APC’s Governors’ Forum through the Governor of Sokoto State, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal.

He noted that, having met the loyalists group led by Gbajabiamila and the Consolidation Group of Dogara, the former expected the Tambuwal committee to convene a meeting of the two sides for further discussions.

Zangon-Daura added that while this second phase of meetings was being awaited, it came to them as a surprise that the Dogara group had appointed principal officers and was about to unveil them on Tuesday.

“This second meeting between Governor Aminu Tambuwal and our group has yet to take place,” he said.

On Saturday, Ado-Doguwa (Kano State); Iriase (Edo State); and Monguno (Borno State) seen as strong mobilisers of the loyalists group, had declared support for Dogara, a move that confirmed the crack in the group.

The lawmakers claimed that they had realised it was better to place the interest of the country ahead of all other considerations to accept the positions of the principal officers of the House as proposed by Dogara.

House Of Reps Unfolds Agenda

Posted on June 24, 2015 by Staff Reporter

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara on Tuesday said it would implement a legislative agenda aimed at improving the living conditions of Nigerians.

Dogara said this in his presentation of a draft of the legislative agenda of the 8th House of Representatives in Abuja. The speaker said the agenda outlined steps and prioritised legislative actions required to achieve set goals and objectives.

According to him, the legislative agenda takes lessons from the experiences of the 7th House of Representatives and seeks to consolidate the gains and achievements thereof. “The House recognizes that there remains widespread citizens’ distrust of public institutions and government generally.

“It is also recognized that there is a lot of public misconceptions and misperceptions about the functions and contributions of the legislature to Nigeria’s overall socioeconomic and political development.

“Yet, the legislature’s contributions to Nigeria’s democracy remain critical and important.

“The 8th House of Representatives will assert its role in providing leadership in the areas of accountable and transparent government, citizens engagement, as well as constituency representation,” he said.

Dogara added that the 8th House of Representatives would collaborate with the Senate and other arms of government to legislate for the common good of the Nigerian people. “Our legislative activities will cover critical spheres of life in Nigeria.

“The House will legislate to achieve reforms in economic development, tackle poverty and unemployment and confront the scourge of corruption and terrorism/security challenge.

“The House will also give priority to legislation to address environmental challenges such as desertification, erosion and pollution.

“The 8th House of Representatives will legislate to cut the cost of running government, reduce wastage and tackle revenue leakages,” Dogara said.

The speaker stressed that the House would play its part in rescuing the country from hunger, poverty, disease, social, economic, political and infrastructural challenges.

He said “the 8th House of Representatives, as peoples’ parliament, will be sensitive to public demands for transparency and accountability.

“Our legislative actions would therefore seek to build public confidence and trust and be responsive to citizens’ questions regarding the conduct of legislative business.

“The House will work for public good and serve as the institution that defends the rights of the people to an accountable and transparent government.”

Credit: NAN

Enugu Governor Elect Unveils His Four-Point Agenda

Posted on April 15, 2015 by Staff Reporter

The governor-elect of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, has unveiled a four-point agenda for his administration. In his acceptance speech in Enugu on Tuesday, Ugwuanyi listed the agenda to include employment generation, social services and good governance, rural development, security and social justice.

Ugwuanyi said that the four-point agenda would run concurrently with that of the present administration of Governor Sullivan Chime.

He said: “I renew the message of peace, hope and development of our dear state and the principles of seamless continuity and consolidation.

“I reaffirm my commitment to seeing through the legacy of the present four-point agenda and once again commit to all our campaign promises in the 17 local government areas of the state.

“From the 17 local government areas, the people spoke eloquently with their votes and entrusted on me the responsibility of rendering selfless service to our dear state.

“I am deeply humbled by that mandate reposed in me and I hereby accept it with all sense of humility and gratitude.”

The governor-elect commended the 22 political parties that endorsed him as governor and other stakeholders including former Senate President Ken Nnamani, former governors Jim Nwobodo, Okwesilieze Nwodo and Dr Chimaroke Nnamani.

Others were Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, Admiral Allison Madueke and Group Capt Anthony Oguguo.

He extended a hand of fellowship to fellow governorship to the other contestants and promised to work with them.

In his remarks, the state Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Ikeje Asogwa, also thanked the people of the state and party faithful for their unalloyed support. “As we move on politically, we want to move the state forward politically and economically. I want to promise that as much as possible, we will carry everyone along.

“I want to you to continue supporting the governor,” he said.