News

TCN Disconnects Osogbo From National Grid Over Staff Assault

Published

10 months ago

August 1, 2023

Editor

Electricity workers in Osun state on Monday have disconnected Osogbo, the state capital from the national grid as Air force personnel brutalised staff of Transmission Company of Nigeria on official duty.

It was gathered that the TCN workers were on official duty at Oke-Baale area of the state capital on Monday to clear illegal structure under high tension lines when the military personnel, whose barrack was located in the area, descended on them.

According to eyewitnesses in the area, three of the TCN staffs were beaten by the Air force personnel while two interns attached to them escaped and reported the incident at their office along Ikirun road.

An eye witness, Olalekan Ismail said apart from the officials that were beaten, the Hilux vehicle that took the workers to the area for duty was also vandalized.

Consequently, the TCN office in Osogbo disconnected the town and its environs from the National grid pending an apology from the Air force.

A statement issued by the workers under the aegis of National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) signed by its Vice President (West), Comrade Sadiq Adewale, stated that the disconnection was ordered due to the brutality meted on its members by the Air force personnel.

He said Staff were brutalized simply because they were trying to ensure proper adherence to Right-of-Way and discourage building structures under transmission lines.

The National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) said it emphatically that the Air Force must reign-in the activities of its men in Osogbo and Osun State in general by guaranteeing the safety of Electricity workers, most especially, lines men who move around the towns and bushes to make sure electricity lines and towers are well secured.

“The action of the Nigerian Air force must be condemned by the government with the issuance of a public apology. Also, an undertaken to forestall future occurrence must be signed to that effect.

“The Air Force as an arm of military organization, who is supposed to maintain high standard level of safety towards securing government assets and infrastructure has turned out to be an agent, encouraging violation of TCN’s Right-of-Way and allowing unauthorized structures under transmission lines”, he said.

He added that the Air force must apologise and write an undertaken assuring of its staff safety during routine patrols.

“We damand that the Nigeria Air Force should write to apologize to the affected Staff and TCN. Sign an undertaken that TCN Staff can safely carry out their routine patrol without fear of molestation, assault or harassment while on official duty.

“The Nigeria Air Force should be responsible for the treatment of affected Staff and the Federal Government Hilux Vehicle that was damaged during this heinous activity be fixed by the Air force”, he added.

News

Bauchi Commissioner Gifts 3 Students Cash For Prompt Resumption, Ability To Read

Published

1 hour ago

May 17, 2024

Editor

The Bauchi state Commissioner for Education, Dr Jamila Dahiru, on Thursday, gave a cash gift of N5,000 each to three Senior Secondary II students of Government Science Secondary School, Misau for their determination to succeed in Education.

Two of the students, Adamu Adamu, Mustapha and Haruna impressed the commissioner for their presence in school in the first day of resumption while Abdullahi Musa marvelled her for his reading ability and comprehension.

According to the commissioner, the gesture was to appreciate their determination to learn as well and motivate other students to emulate them.

While paying a courtesy visit to the Emir of Misau, Alh. Ahmed Sulaiman, the commissioner disclosed that the Bauchi State government was working with stakeholders from the Misau Emirate to fine-tune modalities of temporarily accommodating the students of Federal Science Technical College, Misau at its Science Secondary School Misau.

She said the college made the request in a letter to the ministry stating that the facility given to them could no longer accommodate their students population, hence the resolve to convene the stakeholders meeting to fine-tune ways of sharing the facility for the betterment of the state.

She disclosed that government science secondary school Misau, one of the best in the state in terms of befitting facilities has the capacity to accommodate up to five thousand students, but currently houses about three hundred students.

She appreciated the Emir for his continued support to programmes and policies of the government with more emphasis on the education sector.

Speaking on behalf of the Emir and other stakeholders, a retired Director with the Ministry, Muhammad Musa, expressed gratitude to the Commissioner for the honour and promised to assemble critical stakeholders from the emirate so as to arrive at an acceptable decision for the benefit of all and sundry.

News

NDIC Obtains Order To Wind Down 96 Microfinance, Mortgage Banks

Published

2 hours ago

May 17, 2024

Editor

The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation has said that it has obtained Winding up Orders for 96 out of 183 microfinance and primary mortgage banks whose licenses were revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria in May 2023.

The Managing Director, NDIC, Bello Hassa, revealed this at a sensitisation seminar for Judges of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday organised by the NDIC, to enlighten the judiciary on the intricacies of the banking industry.

Hassan said, “As at date, the Corporation had obtained Winding up Orders for 96 out of 183 Micro Finance and Primary Mortgage Banks whose licenses were revoked by the CBN in May 2023, in less than one Year of revocation.”

He added that the NDIC was committed to fulfilling its mandate of protecting depositors through bank supervision, failure resolution and liquidation so as to boost confidence in the financial system.

Speaking on the role that the judiciary plays in the fulfillment of the mandate, Hassan said, “We recognise the judiciary as one of our critical stakeholders. With this, when cases are brought before them, they can receive accelerated hearing and proclamation of Justice.”

Citing some of the achievements from previous editions of the seminar, Hassan said that instances where liquidation-related litigations experienced delays were reduced.

News

JUST IN: 36 Speakers Back State Police

Published

3 hours ago

May 16, 2024

Editor

Speakers of the 36 Houses of Assembly in Nigeria on Thursday expressed support for the National Assembly’s ongoing efforts to alter the 1999 constitution to create state policing in the country.

The Speakers made their resolution known at the end of their meeting in Abuja.

The Senate and House of Representatives are currently working to amend various constitutional provisions, including those regarding state police, financial autonomy for local government, fiscal federalism, and mayoral status for the FCT.

Details shortly…