News
We’ve Earmarked N1bn Naira Monthly To Feed Edo People – Obaseki
Published
3 weeks agoon
By
EditorGovernor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, says his administration has earmarked nothing less than N1bn Naira monthly to feed vulnerable Christians in the state in the next three months.
This is as he said a similar programme has been mapped out for people in the Muslim faith in the state.
Obaseki disclosed this during the official flag-off of phase one of Edo State Food Support Programme also known as Christian Feeding Programme in Benin City.
The Governor, who said he was worried by the rising number of people who cannot afford a square meal in a day in the state, said he had to call Christian leaders in the state on how best to address the alarming situation.
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Obaseki said in order not to make it look political, he decided not to involve political office holders, but Christian leaders in reaching out to vulnerable Christians in the state.
The Governor who added that the state government already had data of the vulnerable in the state database, said the means of reaching out to them maximally was the issue, hence using churches to reach out to them.
He said: “I was worried by the rising number of people who cannot afford a square meal in a day. So, I thought to myself how do we solve this problem. This is not politics I told myself.
“I then called the chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and some of the blockheads to a meeting and explained to them what I intended to do. So, that’s how we put our heads together to come up with this programme.”
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Obaseki added: “I told them this is the amount of money I will be giving you every month. I’ll give you a billionaire monthly for three months first. At least, Let us try this for the first three months.”
The governor said the programme was not just to feed the vulnerable, but also together more data about people in the state on how the government can create employment for them and how the government can render help where necessary.
Earlier, in his remarks, Chairman of the Organising Committee who also doubles as the Chairman, CAN,
Apostle Irekpono Omoike, while thanking the governor for the initiative, said 10kg of 60,000 bags of rice have been purchased for onward distribution to the three senatorial districts in the state.
According to him, 27,000 bags of the 10kg would be distributed to the seven local government areas in Edo South, 15 bags to Edo Central and 18 bags to Edo North.
Further giving the breakdown, Omoike said 3, 000 bags would be distributed to each local government across the 18 local government areas, summing upto 54,000 bags, while the remaining 6,000 bags would be distributed to churches not captured under CAN.
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The House of Representatives on Thursday passed a bill seeking to return Nigeria back to reciting the old National Anthem “Nigeria, We Hail Thee’ and discard the present one, ‘Arise O’ Compatriots.
Sponsored by the House Leader, Hon. Julius Ihonvbere, the bill speedily passed through first, second reading, considered and approved at the Committee of the Whole and passed for third reading at plenary
The legislation is titled, “Bill For An Act to Provide for the National Anthem of Nigeria, and for Matters Related Thereto.”
According to the bill “on the date of commencement of the Bill, the national anthem of the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall be “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” which is prescribed in the Schedule to the proposed legislation.
It added that the national anthem of the Federal Republic of Nigeria shal be a national symbol and sign of authority, and all persons, individuals or corporate entities, shall respect the national anthem and preserve the dignity of the national anthem.
The proposed legislation provided that the national anthem shall be performed and sung on occasions such as: opening and closing ceremonies of Federal Executive Council, and State Executives Council meetings, opening and closing of sittings of Legislative Houses in Nigeria and Constitutional oath-swearing ceremonies.
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Others are: “Major celebrations, major award ceremonies, major commemorative ceremonies, national memorial ceremonies and the like, which are organised by MDAs, major diplomatic activities, major sporting events, other occasions as may from time to time, be determined by the minister responsible for education with the consent of the President.”
It stated that the performance and singing of the national anthem shall follow the lyrics prescribed by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The new law prescribed that when the national anthem is performed and sung “-(a) those present shall stand and deport respectfully, and
(b) at flag-raising ceremonies, those present shall face the flag, and uniformed military personnel, Police and other Security personnel are to give a hand salute, and other persons are to look on in respect.
“The Ministry responsible for information shall organize the review and approval of the standard for performance of the national anthem, and record the official recording of the national anthem to be played. The standard and official recorded versions of the national anthem shall be published on the Federal Government of Nigeria’s website.
“Primary and Secondary schools shall make the lyrics of the national anthem part of the civic education and organise pupils and students to learn the national anthem.The second stanza of the former national anthem shall be the national prayer,” the bill reads further.
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Presenting the Bill, the House Leader said that the old anthem gives a sense of commitment, sense of dedication and a desire to move Nigeria forward, hence the need for a change.
He said: “Mr Speaker a time comes in the life of every organisation or a nation when the people must sit down look at the past , the present, the future and have the courage, the sense of a nation to define , design the way forward. I believe that Nigeria is at that stage and momentum.
“Great men have changed history. Mr Speaker, this bill is straightforward. It is a bill that seeks to enjoin us to at our Anthem as a national symbol and sign if authority. One that will pull us together, will give us hope and courage, a sense of duty to the nation.
“That does not necessarily deny the reality and that is the maintain of contemporary societies. They deny reality, they pretend racism doesn’t exist, ethnicity doesn’t exist, poverty doesn’t exist. They rationalise this by looking at GMP, GDP and the reality stares people in the face and that is when you are faced with the realities then you can attack and deal with it frontally.
“So it seeks to say that as a people as Nigerians fronting a new renewed hope moving forward, tackling the rot decay, dislocation and distortion of the past. We should go back to our old national anthem which gives us that energy, that sense of commitment, sense of dedication and a desire to move Nigeria forward.
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“I have taken time to look at the old Anthem, the old and the new, and as a Nigerian who had been involved in the struggle to make Nigeria a better place either as a student to the student union movement including the “Ali must go” movement or as a University teacher having been Secretary, vice chairman and chairman of ASUU or as a pro democracy activity who spent twelve and a half years in self exile.
“I believe that the old anthem encompasses. I have taken time to look at the other anthems (the old and the new) we have been involved in the struggle to make Nigeria a better place.
“I believe that the old Anthem, encompasses, contains, exudes the kind of energy, resourcefulness and a sense of vision that I believe is good for Nigeria. Mr Speaker the old Anthem not only begins by telling us of the pride to serve our nation which is what is required right now when people are “Japa-ing” left, right and centre. But it goes on to assert the sovereignty of our motherland.
Speaking against the bill the Minority leader of the House Kingsley Chinda said the bill was not necessary at this difficult time.
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“Today we are taking ourselves back to the old National Anthem incidentally i will ask again is this bill important at the particular time in oir national lives, what value will it add to us as a nation.Tou see that these questions needs to be answered .
” Nigerians are looking up to us for more fundamental issues that will cause proper change .Prof took us to history days, what is the history we are about to make so i stand as a Nigerian to say no to this bill, I pray that we look a it critically and urge the sponsor the House leader to withdraw this bill.”
Also speaking against the Bill, Hon Ahmed Satomi called that the bill be stepped down as it adds no value or give solution to the current challenges been faced in the country.
“Nigerians are looking up to us regarding this bill because many of us in our early 40s don’t know this national anthem. I don’t know how this bill on the national anthem will affect the common man.
” Let’s be realistic how this will help the government to stop hunger, banditry, or improve security. Let’s do what is beneficial to the common man and this Honourable chamber is the only for now standing for the common man of Nigeria.
“So Nigerians are looking up to us, I concur with the Minority Leader. Let’s look at something that will bring a development in the eyes of the international communities to Nigeria.”
News
Viral Video: Lagos Police Identify Officer Strangling Uber Driver
Published
4 hours agoon
May 23, 2024By
EditorThe Lagos State Police Command has identified the policeman filmed in a viral video strangling an Uber driver who was in motion on a highway.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed this in a post on X.com on Thursday, stating that the officer serves in the Mosafejo Division of the command.
Hundeyin wrote, “The officer has been identified. He serves in the Mosafejo Division. We would appreciate the testimony of the driver to enable us to take further necessary actions.”
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He further condemned both the driver and the policeman for behaving in a “reckless manner,” as he faulted the driver for “abducting” the officer.
He added, “Both men obviously behaved in a reckless manner. But let us start from the beginning.
“Why choose to abduct a policeman despite his dangerous method of attempting to stop you? You remained hellbent on taking him away against his wish.”
Recall that the Nigeria Police Force’s Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, called for an investigation into the viral video which showed the police officer holding the driver’s neck while a lady in the car screamed for help.
News
Turkish Airlines To Airlift Passengers After Labour Dispute
Published
4 hours agoon
May 23, 2024By
EditorThe Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority has temporarily brokered peace between Turkish Airlines and the National Union of Air Transport Employees.
Aviation union with its mother union, Nigeria Labour Congress, on Tuesday shut the airlines over allegations that the airline management sacked seven and was still planning on sacking more for unionisation.
This imbroglio led to the strandedness of over 300 travellers at the international wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos, following the airline’s inability to airlift them to Istanbul.
On Thursday the regulatory body brokered peace between the duo allowing the European carrier to airlift its Nigeria passengers who have been stranded for more than 24 hours at the airport.
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Following the NCAA intervention, NUATE has temporarily agreed to shelve further interruption of Turkish Airlines operations in Lagos and Abuja to allow the airlift of stranded passengers both inbound and outbound the country, after which the picketing will continue.
The truce was reached after a meeting with the representative of the Acting Director General, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Michael Achimugu, who is also the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, NCAA and the management of the Turkish airline.
Speaking shortly after the peace meeting, NCAA’s spokesperson confirmed that the airline will now airlift the delayed travellers.
“Just as we can see here we have been able to resolve the matter at hand and the Turkish airlines will airlift the travellers after which further discussions can resume.”
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Also speaking, Vice Chairman, Lagos State Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Olabisi Idowu, noted that the union will only allow the airlines to airlift the stranded travellers while the picketing shall continue until the union’s demands are adhered to.
The organised labour had stated that it would not back down until their colleagues sacked by the European airlines over unionisation were reinstated back to the aviation company.
Idowu said, “At the intervention of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, as well as the Nigerian Police Force and Directorate of State Security, Airports Command, the Congress has decided to allow the passengers stranded at the Lagos and Istanbul airports who were booked on the flights for 21/05/2024 to be airlifted by Turkish Airlines. This decision is purely on humanitarian grounds.
“The picketing exercise other than as allowed above shall remain firmly in place until all the demands of NLC are fully met.”
The truce meeting had representatives of NUATE led by its General Secretary, Aba Ochema, the Regional Manager of NCAA, Mrs Bukola Teriba among others.
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