The Nation News

Category: News

  • IPOB calls on IGP, military to dismantle all road blocks in Southeast 

    By Cyprian Ebele, Onitsha

    The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Friday called on the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, and the military to immediately dismantle all road blocks they mounted in the Southeast zone for smooth flow of vehicular movement.

    The group made this known in a statement signed and issued to newsmen by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful, on Friday.

    IPOB alleged that the incessant military intimidation, harassment, and perceived extortion at the military checkpoint  mounted at Ukwu Orji in Mbaitolu LGA along Owerri/Onitsha expressway among others have become unbearable.

    The statement reads in part: “Ndigbo passengers have been subjected to all manners of humiliation, torture, and forceful disappearances at the military and police checkpoints in the Eastern Region, particularly at the military checkpoint at Ukwu Orji along Owerri/Onitsha expressway.  

    “The militarization of the SouthEast Region is not only an intimidating and oppressive policy of the Federal Government of Nigeria and her Security Agencies, but it is also a plan to occupy Biafra territory. 

    “The security agencies of Nigeria also contravene UN human rights commission rules regularly in carrying out their plans in Igboland. The Nigerian  government’s economic strangulation policy against Ndigbo can be felt by all inhabitants of Igbo land” the group alleged. 

  • LG financial autonomy: Abide by supreme Court judgment- Kogi CNPP to Gov. Ododo

    By Odimayo Olatunde Fredrick, Kogi 

    The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP has urged Kogi State Governor Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo to abide by the verdict of the supreme Court judgement granting financial autonomy to 774 Local Government across the Federation.

    The Kogi State Chairman of CNPP Mohammed Kabir Abdullahi in a statement on Friday described the judgment of the supreme court  as a welcome development and long overdue.

    Abdullahi disclosed that the Local Government is an important tier of Government which needs rapid development, adding that over the years, they have been at the mercy of the Governor’s across the 36 State’s.

    He argued that  the verdict of the supreme court signifies victory for democracy, stressing that the judiciary has further proven that they are the last hope of the common Man on the street.

    The Kogi State CNPP Chairman described Governor Ododo as a democrat who believes in the rule of law, adding that he is optimistic that the Governor will not contravene the judgement.

    “The recent judgment of the Supreme Court granting financial autonomy to 774 Local Government in Nigeria is highly commendable. This is what I will call freedom at last. Over the years, the Local Government in Nigeria has been in shambles.

    ” There is a high level of poverty rate, decade infrastructures and under development across the board. This judgement will not only  free up funds for local government areas, it will  promote accountability and good governance. 

    “We need to promote transparency in the utilization of public resources at all levels, to be able to lift the burden of the common man. It is on this note, CNPP is appealing to the Kogi State Governor to respect the judgement of the supreme Court.

    ” He is a beneficiary of the judiciary recently when he won his case at the court of appeal who upheld his election as the duly elected Governor of Kogi State. While CNPP congratulates him for his appeal court victory, we are calling on him to do the needful for prosperity and the future of our dear State” he noted.

    He tasked the Governor to as a matter of urgency conduct Local Government elections to enable Kogites to decide who will lead them at the grassroots.

    “The Kogi State Government should come up with quick modalities to conduct Local Government elections. From the verdict of the Supreme Court, Caretaker Committee Chairmen is illegal and against the democratic setting of Nigeria. 

    “Am also using this medium to thank President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for supporting this course which Nigerians have been yearning for. With what is on ground, Nigerians should be expecting the best of governance at the grassroots”.

    In a landmark judgement on Thursday, the apex court ordered the Federal Government to immediately start the direct payment of local government funds to the latter’s exclusive accounts.

    In its lead judgement read by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the apex court scolded the decades-long refusal of the state government on financial autonomy for local governments.

    Justice Agim noted that the 774 local government councils in the country should manage their funds themselves. He said only democratically elected local government administrations are entitled to these funds and not caretaker committees.

  • SSDO decries alarming exploitative child domestic work in S/East region

     Chinelo Kodilichukwu Enugu

    The South Saharan Social Development Organization (SSDO) , a non-governmental organization, has decried the high level of exploitative Child Domestic Work (CDW) and other child unhealthy conditions in the South-East region.

     The Executive Director of SSDO, Stanley Ilechukwu, said this Thursday during a One-Day High Level Meeting on Exploitative Child Domestic Work (CDW) in South-East Nigeria held in Enugu.

    The meeting, which was organized by SSDO in collaboration with the Enugu State Ministry of Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, had high level participants drawn from the executives and legislative dignitaries from Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu States.

    Ilechukwu called for urgent attention meant to ensure proposed actionable solutions and provide a structural framework for inter-state collaboration on exploitative child domestic work in particular and child protection in general.

     He lamented that the South-East had the highest percentage of Child labour in the country with a 49.9 per cent rate.

     The SSDO boss called on stakeholders to work towards developing and promoting effective legislation and policies that target exploitative CDW while respecting the cultural practices integral to the communities.

     He noted that the mission of SSDO, “is to foster a world where every person has equal access to opportunities through education and good governance initiatives, with a particular focus on women, youth and children.”

    “Child domestic work has deep cultural roots in the South-East. Historically, CDW has been viewed as a means of providing indigent children with opportunities for formal or vocational education in exchange for their labor. 

     “However, the reality is often starkly different. Many of these children, predominantly young girls, suffer physical and sexual abuse, and their agreed upon educational opportunities are frequently denied.

     “These violations remain largely unreported due to power imbalances and fear of reprisal,” he said.

    Ilechukwu said that the meeting remained a crucial step in addressing this issue as well as discuss actionable solutions and develop a structured framework for interstate collaboration on exploitative child domestic work and broader child protection measures.

     Earlier, the Enugu State Commissioner for Child, Gender Affair and Social Development, Mrs Ngozi Enih, disclosed that combating exploitative CDW and ensuring comprehensive child protection required the concerted efforts of all states in South-East. 

     Enih said that the state government was committed to fostering a safe and nurturing environment for every child.

     She said that the state had made significant strides toward eliminating exploitative CDW through legislative reforms, public awareness campaigns and collaborative efforts with organizations like the SSDO.

     “By working together, sharing resources, and harmonizing our policies; we can create a safer and more supportive environment for all our children. Furthermore, the need for interstate collaboration cannot be overstated,” he said.

     Speaking, Mrs Ifeyinwa Obinabo, Commissioner of Women and Children Affair, Anambra, cautioned parents to stop giving out their children with mental or emotional imbalance notwithstanding the financial benefit to such act.

     Obinabo said that Dr Nonye Soludo, Wife of the Governor of Anambra State, had put child protection in the front burner in the state and stood out for any case of child injustice, dehumanization and sexual exploitation by anyone in the state.

    Corroborating, the Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, Ebonyi State, Mrs Felicia Nwankpuma, said that the state government had done a community-to-community sensitization against or preecautions to take before sending children to serve as child labour.

     Nwankpuma noted that with the wide sensitization, there is a current changing trend of parents giving out their children to serve as domestic help anywhere in the country.

    The participants included representatives of the ministry of justice and police within the three states, namely: Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu States.

  • Anambra : Reps member, Ogene  applauds Supreme court judgment, granting financial autonomy to LGAs 

    Anambra : Reps member, Ogene  applauds Supreme court judgment, granting financial autonomy to LGAs 

    By Cyprian Ebele, Onitsha 

    The Leader of the Labour Party, LP, Caucus in the House of Representatives, representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency, Anambra State, Afam Victor Ogene on Thursday lauded the Supreme Court judgment, granting financial autonomy to the 774 Local Governments in Nigeria, 

    Ogene, described the supreme court ruling as a significant milestone in the quest for true democracy and decentralization of power in the country.

    The lawmaker made this known in a statement signed and issued to newsmen tin Anamabra state: “This decision will empower grassroots development and bolster the integrity of local governance, marking a substantial step forward for Nigeria’s democratic journey.”

    Recall that the Supreme Court had on Thursday delivered the landmark judgment in which Justice Emmanuel Agim ruled that all funds due to the 774 local government areas (LGAs) in Nigeria must be paid directly into their accounts, rather than to those of the state governments. 

    The apex court further held that it is unconstitutional for state governments to retain and utilize allocations meant for the LGAs on their behalf, without transferring them to the LGAs, as stipulated in Section 162(3) of the Constitution.

    According to Ogene, “Today’s Supreme Court pronouncement will have a profound and far-reaching impact on our democracy, stabilizing and revitalizing it for the future. This landmark decision will redefine the essence and practice of democratic governance in our nation, bringing development and governance closer to the grassroots, the very foundation of our democracy.

     “It will also empower the third tier of government, as intended by the constitution, granting local government administrations greater autonomy and independence from the whims of state governors. No longer will local governments be subject to the puppeteering of self-appointed administrators, allowing the voices, development, and interests of the grassroots population to finally be heard and addressed,” he stated.

    Ogene, a member of the ongoing constitution review panel in Nigeria’s House of Representatives, further emphasized, “The next crucial step in this democratic journey is to empower the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to oversee the organization of local government elections, thereby strengthening the integrity of the process by enhancing the transparency of leadership selection mechanisms at the grassroots level. 

    “I am confident and optimistic that the current constitutional review will achieve this vital democratic reform for the betterment of our nation and its people. 

    “I urge governors of states without democratically elected LGA administrators to embrace this sustainable democratic development and take the necessary steps to organize free and fair local government elections, as mandated by the constitution and reinforced by the recent Supreme Court decision,” he pleaded.

  • Hardship: Bishop, Isong urges FG, Govs to prioritize welfare of Journalists In Nigeria

    From Ene Ene, Calabar 

    The patron of Nigeria Union of Journalists, South South zone, Bishop Emmah Isong has called on the federal government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and state governors to prioritize the welfare of journalists in the country because of the peculiar nature of their job. 

    Bishop Isong who is the General overseer of Christian Central Chapel International, Ikot Enebong, Calabar made this known when the Executive members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists Cross River State Council paid him a courtesy visit in his office.

    “We need to talk to Government at State and Federal level to prioritize the welfare of journalists in the country who put their lives at risk  in the discharge of their duties”

    He stressed that it is important for Government and media House owners to look into the welfare of journalists, maintaining that the risk in the journalism profession suggest the need for practitioners to be insured 

    The Bishop charged journalists in the country to always do away with sensationalism but balance their report, adding that fake News is the recipe of social tensions in the world and political problems 

    “Always balance your reports without sentiment, speak the truth to the powers without being sarcastic, and criticize constructively so that we can have a better society and good governance as the gate keepers”

    He stated that beyond the pulpit, a man of God can contribute to the societal development 

    The chairman of NUJ Cross River State Council, Archibong Bassey in her remarks thanked Bishop Isong for the roles he has played as the patron of the NUJ Zone ‘F’ stating that won’t be taken for granted 

    She noted that the state Council of the NUJ do appreciate all the support Bishop Isong has given to the Union especially in the area of members welfare which has been quite enormous, pledging that they would continue to be objective in their reportage.
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  • Bauchi Pension Board Records 4,950 Retirees, deaths In 5 Years

    By: Ajiya Ayuba, Bauchi

    The Bauchi State Government on Thursday said it has recorded a total of 4,950 Civil Servants who retired from work and 677 deaths in 5 years.

    Bala Adamu Kariya who is the chairman Bauchi State pension Board, made this known during a paper presentation at the state Secretariat, Bauchi state.

    He said that the board operates single accounts with United Bank of Africa (UBA) dedicated for the payment of gratuity and other charges.

    Kariya said that the board pays over 3,418,288,11.68 of gratuity and pension arrears in 5 years.

    He said that the board has been created in order to manage and control funds for the payment of Pension and Gratuity to persons entitled in the State Civil Service and to administer all pension laws.

    He further said that also to keep the monies of the fund in an exclusive Bank Account, Submit an annual Report and Annual financial statement to the state governor, senator Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir.

    According to the chairman, the board is also to ensure the efficient collection of all contributions to the fund, to also process all applications for the grant of any benefit payable out of the fund.

    “We are the custodian of processed files of all the State Civil Servants who retired from the service. The below table summarise the received and processed files of Retired/Deceased Civil Servants from the inception of the present administration to date”

    He said that the sum of three billion Four Hundred and Eighteen Million Two Hundred and Eighty Eight Thousand One Hundred and Eleven Naira Sixty Eight Kobo, received and paid for the period from May, 2019 to date as per table

    The Board Chairman, Senator Bala Adamu Kariya Commended governor Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir for his strategic vision for the adoption of the Contributory Pension Scheme in the State because of its efficiency, effectiveness and reliability.

  • Bauchi govt denies delay in payment of pension to retirees 

    By: Ajiya Ayuba, Bauchi

    The Bauchi State government led by governor Bala Muhammed has denied delay in the monthly payment of pension to retirees in the state.

    The Executive Chairman Local Government Pension Board, Alhaji Umar Barau Ningi made this known while briefing newsmen at the Abubakar Umar Secretariat, Bauchi.

    He insisted that the state government never failed in the monthly payment of pensions to retirees in all the twenty LGAs of the State.

    According to him: “Our pensioners are getting their pension in the first month of their retirement.

    Ningi further said that the board first undertook physical verification of all the pensioners, any pensioners whose documents were doubtful and those who refused to present themselves for the exercise were removed from the list of the local governments pensioners under the local government pension board.

    “The board could not remove them from the pension payroll because by then, it was the consultants who were paying Pensions and salaries. 

    He, however revealed that the governor, Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir instructed that the payment of local government pensioners should be return to the board.

    “This allowed the board to clean the payroll and remove all doubtful pensioners and those who present themselves during verification’ he stressed..

  • Hardship: Female Cleric, Akachukwu tasks FG, states to boost agriculture, end food scarcity in Nigeria 

    From Chinelo Kodilichukwu Enugu

     A female Cleric and Agriculturalist, Bishop Deborah Macfoy Akachukwu, has tasked government at all levels to as a matter of urgency design a robust and realistic strategic plan for the nation’s Agricultural sector.

    She said that no amount of food importation into the country would tackle hardship and other problems affecting the people in the country.

     Akachukwu,  who is the Spiritual leader of the famous Revival City International Retreat and Prayer Center Enugu, noted that the only way out of the mess is for policy makers in all tiers of governments, federal, state and Council areas, to stop paying lip service to the Agricultural sector.

    While proffering solutions to some of the problems, the Clergy woman stated that it’s no longer news that Nigerians are dying of hunger in their own father land richly endowed with abundant natural resources and fantastic vegetation owing to wrong policies by those in Authorities.

    The female Cleric made this known while speaking with newsmen in Enugu on the present economic hardship being faced by Nigerians, particularly as it concerns food scarcity and high cost of living in the country.

    The Agriculturist turned Cleric, noted that the most worrisome aspect of the ugly situation is that the nation’s political leaders are yet to come to terms with the ugly development.

    The Bishop regretted that the situation which has continued to linger unaddressed, has adversely affected other sectors of Nigeria’s economy, because the food chain problem, she noted, always touches every aspect of the economy, adding that no amount of importation can solve the problem.

    “So, what Nigeria as a nation needs now urgently to tackle this serious problem which cannot be solved just one day, is for the various political Chief Executives, the president, governors and local government Chairmen to rise up and start engaging experts in Agriculture to assist them come up with sincere practicable strategic plan.

    She urged all Nigerians to pick up their farm implements and return to the bush for land cultivation, she also called on governments to start looking inwards on how to revive some of the abandoned agricultural programmes that boosted food production in the past across the country such as establishment of farm settlements in all the 774 local governments areas of Nigeria.

  • ‘Climate Crisis Worsens due to Human Activities   -Ex-Sen. Abbo

    ‘Climate Crisis Worsens due to Human Activities   -Ex-Sen. Abbo

    By Yagana Ali, Yola.

    Former senator Ishiyaku Abbo, who represented Adamawa northern zone has attributed the recent climate crisis witnessed in the country to human activities.

    Senator Abbo made this known during a one-day seminar organized by the Iliya Yame Kwache Foundation for Justice, Peace, and Development. 

    The Nations News Nigeria reports that the seminar was held to address the escalating climate crisis and highlighted the urgent need for proactive measures.

    Senator Abbo emphasized that human activities have wounded our climate, which in turn is retaliating through heatwaves, floods, landslides, droughts, and desert encroachment.

    These conditions are exacerbating conflicts over resources, particularly between farmers and herders.

    Stakeholders at the seminar proposed several solutions to mitigate these challenges, including extensive tree planting, preserving forest resources, ending open grazing, and introducing climate studies in educational curriculums at all levels.

    Earlier in a remark, the chairman of the event,  Most Rev. Musa Panti Filibus underscored afforestation and reforestation as key strategies to reduce the ongoing conflicts between farmers and herders.

    Responding, the chairman of the foundation, Iliya Yame Kwache,, explained that the seminar aimed to educate the public on the benefits of tree planting and the importance of justice and peace-building in communities. Kwache highlighted that since its inception, the foundation has championed the planting and maintenance of thousands of trees to combat climate change and promised to continue these efforts.

    Vahyala Adamu Teri who is one of the speakers at the seminar has posited that the effect of climate change which the world is currently grappling with is worse than the effect of global terrorism calling on all stakeholders to come together to proffer solutions to the problem which constitute great threat to the society .

    The university don added that the climate crisis has also worsened poverty occasioned by loss of jobs, competition for scarce resources like water and land and has introduced new dynamics and variables into the raging farmers/herders conflict especially within the Sahel region.

    The seminar concluded with a collective call for immediate and sustained action to protect and restore the environment for our future generations.

  • Gov. Fintiri to empower 10,000 women, youths, Construct dual Carriageway In Yola

    By Yagana Ali, Yola.

    Adamawa State Governor, Ahamdu Umaru Fintiri, has vowed to empower 10,000 women and youth  with a cash grant of 10,000 each to support them in every three months in the state.

    Finttiri, however reiterated the preparedness of his administration to equally construct a 10 meter dual carriageway with underpass from Bekaji roundabout down to the airport.

    The Nations News Nigeria reports that construction of the said 10 meter dual carriageway with underpass from Bekaji roundabout down to the airport, will pave way for a modern day road infrastructure in Yola, Adamawa capital city.

    He disclosed this in a congratulatory message delivered during in a dinner organized in his honour, after receiving award for infrastructure development as presented to him by the Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Abuja.

    The Governor’s pronouncement has left tongues wagging in the Banquet Hall Government House Yola, venue of the event, a development that further justified his award recipient of the best governor in infrastructure development.

    According to the Governor, he has already directed the State Ministry of Works and Energy to ensure by the end of July it is brought before the state council for approval of the said project.

    “If we don’t expand on infrastructure, we are not going to attract investors, if they come to our city driving in pot falls and dustbin by the side of the road, who will bring in his money.

    “We have to make the town clean, we have to make the town safe and we have to develop the state with modern infrastructure”.

    Fintiri maintained that soonest the former Mubi roundabout flyover will be completed, assuring that AA Lawal junction will be completed in next 6 months.

    He added that the 21 Kilometers Super Highway with cloverleaf at the FGGC will also be completed next year. Saying that if completed, the project will serve as impetus for people who owned plots of land in the area to build houses and enjoy a good road network.

    Governor Umaru Fintiri affirmed that his administration has carried out credible reforms in the state and strengthened institutions which drew the attention of world rating agencies.

    He revealed that through such reforms, in the past twelve months, the efforts put forward by his administration in the health sector has drawn the attention of UNICEF who gave the state grant of 45 million US dollars.

    Adding that same with the education sector, through government investments in the sector, the state is expected to enjoy a project worth 80 million US dollars.

    He expressed his administration’s commitment to actualize the construction of over 2000 modern shops at the former Jimeta shopping complex, Yola market, and the 20 kilometers Federal Housing road network among others.

    Fintiri emphasized that of the 3 mega science and technical schools to be constructed in the three geopolitical zones, one of them will be dedicated specifically for females.

    He warned that the Fintiri Business Wallet is meant for the most vulnerable, calling on those saddled with the responsibility of selecting beneficiaries to do justice by ensuring only the right people are selected for the empowerment program.

    Governor Fintiri revealed that in the next two years government attention would be moving fully to the 21 LGAs and 226 words with massive intervention that will improve their lives.

    Fintiri acknowledged that all he was able to achieve for the state wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the people and urged the citizens to support him, live in peace and unity with one another for the development and progress of the state.

    Responding, the State Deputy Governor, Kaletapwa Farauta, acknowledged that the Infrastructure award was a morale booster for the Governor to achieve more for the state in the years ahead.

    She assured the readiness of women in the state through the support of all the 21 LGA women PDP Vice Chairmen to support the Governor to achieve his set goals and objectives for the state.

    in their separate reactions, the speaker, ADHA, Wesley Bathiya, the SSG Awfwal Tukur, PDP State Chairman, AT Shehu, State chairman Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Emmanuel Fashe and representative of the State Chief Judge, appreciated the transformative efforts of the Governor in the state

    They pledged their loyalty and support for the Governor to succeed in the remaining years ahead, as he continues with the transformative agenda he has for the state.