06062019 - NSECURITY: Danjuma, Lekwot, others take Nigeria's case to UK

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 6, 2019—35
VISIT: From left, President, South African Academy of Engineering, Dr. Trueman Goba; Secretary/
Treasurer, Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences, CAETS, Dr. Ruth
David; President, Nigerian Academy of Engineering, Prof. Fola Lasisi, and immediate past President
of CAETS/ President, National Academy of Engineering, Uruguay, Acad Lucio Caceres, during the
visit of a delegation of CAETS to Nigerian Academy of Engineering to formalise the academy
membership with the World Academy umbrella body, in Lagos.
NFIU: Labour lauds FG, banks for
smooth take-off
By Victor Young
NIGERIA Union of
Local Government
Employees, NULGE, and
Senior Staff Association of
Statutory Corporations and
Government Owned
Companies, SSASCGOC,
yesterday, in Abuja, praised
the Federal Government
and financial institutions
over seamless take-off of
the Nigerian Financial
Intelligence Unit, NFIU, in
the country.
NULGE and
SSASCGOC commended
the government and banks
for adhering strictly to the
guidelines of the NFIU,
especially on joint statelocal
government account
and local government
funds.
Leaders of the two unions
expressed joy over the
smooth take-off despite the
stiff opposition from
governors.
National President of
NULGE, Ibrahim Khaleel,
said the NFIU initiative
would halt looting of council
funds and bring about
development to local
government areas that had
been lacking under the
previous system.
According to him, “the
Federal Government,
especially President
Muhammadu Buhari,
should be commended for
standing on the side of the
people, rule of laws and the
development of the country,
by insisting on NFIU
guidelines. Also, the
financial institutions must
be commended for strict
adherence to the rules,
while we praise the NFIU
for leading the way in
doing a very good job.
"Effective regulation of
arbitrary withdrawals of
local government funds by
state governments from the
joint local government/state
joint accounts by NFIU, as
we have seen with the
take-off now, would reduce
looting of council finances.”
Commending the new
guideline, NULGE
president described it as a
giant step towards granting
financial autonomy to local
governments.
He said: “To encourage
the Federal Government,
President Buhari, banks
and other financial
institutions and NFIU, the
union will train its members
across the length and
breadth of the country to
keep eagle eyes on the
operations of the funds
going to local government
councils henceforth."
Similarly, SSASCGOC
General Secretary, Ayo
Olorunfemi, applauded the
unit for taking the step, the
Federal Government and
President Buhari for the
initiative.
According to him,”the
state governors have over
the years frustrated
development at the
grassroots by refusing to
allow financial autonomy
for local government
councils."
He commended
President Buhari for
sanctioning the guidelines,
which had renewed the
faith of Nigerians and the
Labour movement in the
anti-corruption fight of the
present government.
World Environmental Day: Group
wants end to gas-flaring in Bayelsa
By Samuel
Oyadongha
Y ENAGOA—AN
environment advocacy
group, SING Foundation,
yesterday, staged a
procession in the streets of
Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, to
mark the World
Environment Day, WED,
calling on the Federal
Government to end gasflaring
in the state and
Niger Delta.
Accompanied by officials
of Environment Rights
Action/Friends of the Earth,
ERA/FoEN, the group
lamented that the
continued illegal acts of
gas-flaring in some Bayelsa
communities, including
Polako community in
Yenagoa Local Government
Area of the state, was a
clear case of genocide
against the people by the
oil multinationals.
Members of the group,
led by Tony Ile, supported
by Mohammed Hassan of
SING Foundation and
Morris Alagoa of ERA,
noted with concern that
despite a Federal High
Court judgment delivered
against one of the oil majors
in Benin City, Edo State in
1984, the issue of gasflaring
had continued to
devastate homes, farms
and indigenes of oil bearing
communities of the region.
Ile, in a speech read and
presented to Chairman of
Nigeria Union of
Journalists, NUJ, Mr
Samuel Numunengi, on
behalf of Executive Director
of SING, Idris Usman, said
the theme of this year’s
celebration “Beat Air
Pollution,” was to raise
serious awareness on the
menacing trend of gasflaring
and other oil
exploration activities in the
Niger Delta region.”
It is worrisome to note that
nearly 77million people
worldwide die prematurely
each year from air pollution.
“The SING foundation
will also be using the
opportunity of this year’s
event, to urge government,
oil companies,
manufacturing industries,
communities and
individuals to come
together to explore options
of renewable energy and
green technologies, in
order to improve air
qualities in cities and
communities across the
Niger Delta and the
country at large."
It’s time to stop capital
flight through TVET
—FG
By Chioma
Onuegbu
UYO —THE Federal
Government has said
it is time to stop the capital
flight resulting from
outsourcing of products and
jobs to other countries by
encouraging Technical
Education and Training,
TVET, concept throughout
the country.
Speaking at the 5th
edition of National
Students’ Vocational Skills
Competition in Uyo, Akwa
Ibom State, Permanent
Secretary, Federal Ministry
of Education, Mr. Sonny
Echono, said the Federal
Government was
encouraging initiatives to
shift attention towards skills
acquisition.
Echono said: “It is time
we start to produce much
of what we consume and
stop the capital flight
resulting from outsourcing
of products and jobs to
other countries. National
students’ vocational skills
competition is one of the
many ways to get us started
in repositioning our
economy for global
competition.
“Emphatically, TVET is
the most effective tool for the
society to develop its
members' potential to
respond to the present and
future challenges of the
society.
“The Federal
Government through
several of its initiatives,
among which is TVET, are
embracing education for
self-reliance, job and
wealth creation by shifting
attention towards skills
acquisition courses."
ERA to FG: Establish $100bn
remediation fund for N-Delta
By Davies
Iheamnachor
PORT HARCOURT—
Environmental Rights
Action/Friends of the Earth
Nigeria, ERA, has tasked
the Federal Government to
show seriousness in
protecting the nation’s
environment, regretting
that the Federal
Government does not have
a National Environmental
Action Plan.
ERA also urged the
Federal Government to
establish a remediation
fund of $100 billion for the
clean-up of the entire Niger
Delta to restore the
environment and sustain
rural livelihoods, adding
that air pollution is major
problem confronting Niger
Omorodion tasks Buhari, govs
on dividends of democracy
P RESIDENT
Muhammadu Buhari
and state governors have
been urged to give
Nigerians real dividends of
democracy as they enter the
next level of their
administrations.
According to the
Chairman of Hensmor
Group of Companies, Chief
Henry Omorodion, in a
statement: “It is no doubt
that Nigerians have been
patient and understanding
with the government during
the first tenure of the
administration. Having
been voted into power
again, Nigerians now
expect the present
administration to perform
positively and add value by
making meaningful impact
on the lives of the citizens
by availability of democracy
dividends and fulfillment of
the electoral promises to the
people.”
The oil magnate, who is
also the Odunanoba of
Benin Kingdom, while
Delta people.
Executive Director of
ERA, Dr. Godwin Ojo, who
spoke, yesterday, in Port
Harcourt, Rivers State,
during a World
Environmental Day media
briefing with theme Air
Pollution and Energy
Transition for Nigeria, Ojo
noted that the government
had not shown enough
commitment in handling
issues concerning
environments, stressing the
need to end gas flaring.
Ojo said: “We urge the
Federal Government to
demonstrate seriousness on
environmental protection
and establish a remediation
fund of $100b for the cleanup
of the entire Niger Delta
to restore the environment
and sustain rural
livelihoods."
2nd tenure: Don advises Buhari
to complete Ajaokuta steel
FORMER President,
Nigerian Metallurgical
Society, Prof. Benjamin
Adewuyi, has urged
President Muhammadu
Buhari to ensure the
completion of Ajaokuta Steel
Company during his second
tenure.
Adewuyi in an interview
in Abuja, said Buhari should
ensure that the long
moribund steel company
became operational in his
second tenure to boost the
economy.
He explained that the
project, when completed,
arms and ammunition, cars
among others that were
now being imported could
be manufactured in the
company.
He said: “Ajaokuta has the
capacity to produce cars,
arms for the military among
others and can also provide
massive employment for the
youths.
“We are only deceiving
ourselves that we are
manufacturing cars locally,
without Ajaokuta steel
functioning, we cannot
manufacture our own cars.
“We have many brilliant
youths among us that
cannot carry out any
innovation because we lack
the materials they require,
Mr President should revisit
Ajaokuta Steel Company
and kick start the project,”he
said.
He said Nigeria would
continue to suffer the
repercussion of the
negligence of Ajaokuta
steel, as the country
continue to depend on
imported steel made from
scrap metals.
congratulating Buhari on
his re-election and
inauguration urged him to
be focused in the discharge
of his duty as President of
Nigeria in view of the
yearnings and expectations
from his administration in
line with his campaign
promises.
Omorodion also
commended the service
chiefs who have continued
to maintain peace and
helped the president to keep
Nigeria as a united nation
despite continued threat of
disintegration. He urged
Nigerians to be patient to
avoid heating the polity as
well as fanning embers of
disunity.
He said the president, at
this time, "requires prayers
and every one’s support for
nation building," pleading
with "Nigerians to keep
faith with President Buhari’s
administration as the
President will soon put
smiles on every one’s face