10042018 - Why I'm seeking a 2nd term — BUHARI

12—Vanguard, TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 2018
:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058
Pastor's kidnapping: Obaseki
tasks Police on culprits’ arrest
EDO State governor,
Mr. Godwin
Obaseki, has charged the
Police in the state to bring
the kidnappers of the late
Pastor Pius Eromosele to
justice.
The governor, in a
statement, commiserated
with the Eromosele family
over the death of their
father, assuring that the
state will ensure that
justice is served and the
culprits brought to book.
He said, “It is with
heavy heart that we
received news of the
incident, which led to the
death of Pastor Eromosele.
The state government will
ensure that relevant
security agencies get to
the bottom of this incident
and arrest the culprits.”
On his part, Edo State
Commissioner of Police,
Mr. Johnson Kokumo,
said the incident that led
to Mr. Eromosele’s death,
was a clear case of
kidnapping.
Kokumo who disclosed
this in a chat with
journalists, said that the
state government was
working on the directives
of Governor Obaseki to
track and arrest the
suspects.
Edo water, sanitation project
on course —EU
By Simon
Ebegbulem
B ENIN—THE
European Union,
EU, yesterday, said that the
various water and
sanitation projects in Edo
State on which it is
collaborating with the state
government are on course,
contrary to an allegation by
the Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP.
The EU-Niger Delta
Support Programme
Consultant, Engr. Soji
Adeyemi, who disclosed
this in Benin City yesterday,
explained that the Edo
State Government had an
“Extensive water sector
policy developed by the
Godwin Obaseki-led
administration while a
water sector master plan is
being developed by the
government in partnership
with the EU.
“Two agencies of the state
government will eventually
take over the management
of water supply across the
state: Small Town, Rural
Water Supply and
Sanitation Agency, that will
provide water on a
sustainable basis to all
small towns and rural
communities; Edo Urban
Water Corporation, which
will deal with the supply of
water to urban areas and
the management of all
dams in the state.”
Delta South leaders laud lawmaker
over empowerment programmes
W
A
By Tare
Youdeowei
R R I —
ITSEKIRI, Ijaw
and Isoko Leaders’ Forum
of Delta South senatorial
district has lauded the
various empowerment
programmes of Mr
Michael Diden, saying
that he has been a key
factor in facilitating their
meetings with the state
governor, Dr. Ifeanyi
Okowa, at critical times
in the administration of the
affairs of the state.
The forum, otherwise
known as the 3ices and led
by Mr Edward Ekpoko,
commended Diden in
Warri when he paid a consultative
visit to present
himself and also inform the
leaders of his intention to
vie for the Delta South
senatorial seat on the
platform of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, in
2019.
Speaking on behalf of the
leadership of the Forum,
Chief Gabriel Etaluku said:
“We will do everything to
assist you and the others
who would come to us for
our blessings because all
the aspirants are our
children. We know you,
you do not talk much but
do much. You have served
us well at some critical
point in Asaba."
Frozen IRDC funds: I've uncovered plans
to attack me, cries Lori-Ogbebor
By Charles Kumolu
& Kelechukwu
Iruoma
RIGHTS
activist,
Chief Rita Lori-
Ogbebor, has raised the
alarm that some peersons
have concluded plans to
attack her over the freezing
of Itsekiri Regional
Development Council,
IRDC, accounts, saying
should anything happen to
her, those who want the
accounts unfrozen should
be held responsible.
She also called on Delta
State governor, Sen Ifeanyi
Okowa and the Inspector
General of Police, IGP,
Ibrahim Idris, to take note
of the development,
adding that she was being
targeted as a result of her
crusade for accountability
in the management of
community development
funds.
Briefing
newsmen
yesterday in Lagos, she
said: “There is a plan to
attack me because of my
stand on IRDC funds.
Those who have joined in
the fight against the
mismanagement of Itsekiri
funds are also being
targeted. I got privileged
information that people are
being mobilised for the
mission. I want the world
to know about this sinister
plan. I have been serving
Itsekiri for 30 years and I
have given all I have to the
Itsekiri nation. I have never
asked for anything from
Itsekiri people. I just want
the best for my people.
“Those embezzling our
funds want to carry on with
their terrible activities. I
have served my people
well. It is sad to see the
wealth of my people being
plundered by a few
individuals. It is sad that
the place I grew up is now
a forest because funds
meant for development are
being embezzled.
“I learned that a few
people have mobilised
youths to attack me because
of the court order on the
accounts being used to
siphon our money. There
are people, who believe that
Itsekiri development funds
belong to them and think
they can do anything to
ensure that they continue
to get free money.
“I want to use this
medium to inform the
governor of Delta State, Sen
Okowa that I have been
targeted for attack. I will
also write a petition to the
Inspector General of Police
to inform him about the plot
against me. Should
anything happen to me or
anyone associated with this
fight for accountability,
those people who want the
accounts unfrozen should
be held responsible.
“I am very passionate
about my Itsekiri nation and
can’t support anything that
will bring misery to our
people. My people are
treated as slaves and
refugees. Seeing people
suffer is something that
breaks my heart. ‘’
Lori-Ogbebor had
instituted a suit before a
Delta State High Court,
Warri, against some Itsekiri
leaders and Chevron over
alleged diversion of funds
donated by Chevron and
other donors for the
development of Itsekiri
communities.
Also, an Abuja High
Court directed the Nigeria
Police Force to freeze seven
accounts operated by IRDC
which contained N2.1
billion.
The accounts were frozen
after which a Delta State
High Court sitting in Warri
granted a similar order.
INVESTITURE: Obong Nsima Ekere, Managing Director, Niger Delta Development Commission,
NDDC, (middle), being robed during conferment of a honorary Doctor of Management Technology
degree on him by the Vice-Chancellor of Federal University of Technology, Owerri, FUTO, Prof.
Francis Eze. With them is FUTO's Registrar, Mr. John Nwabuihe.
Bayelsa govt to flush out ghost workers, under-aged staff
By Ebun Sessou
BAYELSA
State
Government has
reiterated its
determination to flush
out from the state's
bloated workforce, ghost
workers as well as
under-aged workers in
the state public service.
Secretary to the State
Government, Mr.
Kemela Okara, who
disclosed this to
newsmen in Lagos,
yesterday, reiterated that
the public service reform
initiative in the state was
meant to produce quality
service delivery and not
to witch hunt the people
of the state.
According to him, since
the reform started, the
state government has
been able to cut down
the bloated monthly
wage bill from N6.7
billion in 2012 to N2.9
billion, saving N3.6
billion in 2018.
According to him,
“When the governor took
office in 2012, one of the
things he promised was
to give Bayelsans the
state they deserve as
there was need to look
critically at the engine of
implementation of public
policy which is the
public sector, including
the civil service,
parastatals, government
owned enterprises,
tertiary institutions
among others. This is
one policy that the
governor has
consistently addressed
since 2012.
“Since 2012, we have
been looking at the
possibility of making the
public service more
efficient, how we can
better manage the civil
service as well as deal
with lots of issues which
we met, including a
bloated workforce, ghost
workers, sustainable
monthly wage bill and
ensure that people who
were employed into
various places met the
lay down criteria.
“After six years of
Governor Seriake
Dickson, nobody can
accuse him of being
ruthless and careless
with the needs of the
people. This
government has been
able to address issues
including road
infrastructure, quality
education and good
health care services
among other facilities.”