09102019 - 2020: Buhari presents N10.33trn job creation budget to NASS

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2019 — 13
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the SUV keys to Mercy Eke, winner of BBNaija Season 4, and Barrister Donatus Okeke, Managing
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Ilupeju, Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi
Jigawa dirtiest state in North-West
amongst states in the
—Minister country.”
By Aliyu
Dangida
D Minister UTSE—THE
of Water
Resources, Sulaiman
Adamu, has described
Jigawa State as the
dirtiest state in the
North-West region of the
country.
This came as Governor
Muhammad Badaru of
the state said the
executive would sent a
bill to the state assembly
to ban open defecation
across the state.
Adamu who spoke
yesterday during a
working visit to
Governor Muhammad
Badaru in Dutse, said in
spite of the state’s feat in
the provision of adequate
drinking water to the
populace, yet the state
was the least in hygiene
and sanitation
compliance.
The Minister told the
governor that, “even
though I come from
Jigawa, charity, they say
begins at home. So, we
have to tell ourselves the
truth that we have not
done well in terms of
sanitation and hygiene
which is why we are the
worst in the entire northwest
region and lowest
Mr. Adamu said
although Jigawa
recorded 86.6 percent in
provision of clean water
across the state, it
however needed to
buckle up against poor
attitude on hygiene
across the state.
He also stated that “it
is on record that the
state has made
remarkable step in
addressing the menace
of open defecation by
achieving 18.2% Open
Minister orders entrepreneurial
training for corps members
By Emmanuel
Elebeke
WORRIED—by the
recent spate of
rejection of Corps members
by agencies and parastatals
of government, the
Minister
of
Communications, Dr. Isa
Ibrahim Pantami, has
directed all parastatals and
agencies under his purview
to accept and train all Corps
members posted to them
on enterpreneurhip.
The minister said the
directive became necessary
in view of the negative and
resultant impact such
rejection would have on the
of the need to support
Governor Nasiru el-Rufa’i’
s effort at strengthening
the public service.
According to the
chairman, the action of the
local government’s
authority was also aimed at
enhancing the capacity of
the workers in the council
to render efficient and
quality service for the
overall development of the
state.
“I must confess that I was
encouraged and motivated
by the bold step taken by
el-Rufa’i to fulfil the promise
made to workers in the
state, which is for the benefit
and development of
Defecation Free (ODF) in
4 local government areas
out of the 27 LGAs
putting the state in
second best from Cross
Rivers State.”
Responding, governor
Badaru disputed the
statistics of the minister,
insisting that the state
had surpassed what the
minister had presented.
Governor Badaru,
however, assured that
action would be taken to
improve on hygiene and
sanitation, noting that he
would hold the
Corps members and
society.
He said the ministry is
worried at the development
and expect agencies under
his watch to comply with the
provisions of the law
regarding the NYSC
scheme.
According to him,
President Muhammadu
Buhari, is particularly
mindful of the fact that the
future of our great country
depends on the youths and
therefore, they must be
equipped for the critical role
that lies ahead.
To this end, he said the
Communications ministry
had initiated a policy to
Kaduna LG begins payment of N30,000
minimum wage
A Chairman BUJA—THE
of Ikara
Local Government Area of
Kaduna State, Mr Ibrahim
Sadiq, has said his council
has effectively begun the
payment of N30,000
minimum wage to its
workers from October 4.
Sadiq announced this in
a statement signed by his
Special Adviser on Media,
Mr Abdulmajid Hussain in
Abuja yesterday.
The statement quoted the
chairman as saying that the
local government’s
decision was as a result
common man in the state,“
Sadiq said.
The chairman assured the
people of the local
government that
principles of equity, justice
and transparency would be
the watch words of his
administration.
He also implored the
workers to reciprocate the
gesture by demonstrating
high level of commitment,
steadfastness, and
persistence in the discharge
of their duties.
Sadiq further promised to
improve the general
welfare of the entire
workers of the council.
commissioner and the
entire staff of the
ministry for water
resources accountable for
any further lapses.
According to him, he
would hold bi-weekly
meetings with officials of
the ministry as part of
efforts to reverse the
trend.
The governor declared
that the state will
forward a bill to the state
assembly to legislate on
the total ban on open
defecation across the
state.
ensure corps members
were equipped with
adequate entrepreneurial
skills at the end of their
service year to properly
empower and position
them as entrepreneurs
instead of job seekers.
He directed that with
immediate effect, all
Agencies and Parastatals
under the supervision of his
Ministry must: Provide
opportunities for an
appreciable number of
Youth Corps members within
their capacities in their regional
and Head offices annually,
with adequate arrangements for
their renumeration; Give special
Departments and Agencies under
his purview must comply with the
provisions of the law regarding the
NYSC scheme.
“The National Youth Service
Corps, NYSC, scheme was
established by the Federal
Government of Nigeria with the
objective of inculcating the spirit
of selfless service to the
community, encourage and
develop ties among youths and
to emphasise the spirit of oneness
and brotherhood in all Nigerians
irrespective of cultural or social
background.
“It is in pursuant of this
objective that the Federal
Government mandated all
Ministries, Departments and
Agencies, MDAs, to make
adequate provision for Youth
Corps Members to carry out their
m a n d a t o r y
national assignment."
Why CCB should charge Diri
for violation of Assets
Declaration Lawarraigned.
Y B ENAGOA—
A Y E L S A
Coalition for Good
Governance and
Accountability has tasked
the Code of Conduct
Bureau to quiz Senator
Douye Diri over his
failure to show evidence
of his declaration of
assets on his assumption
as chief of staff and
principal secretary to the
state governor in 2012.
The group, which filed
a petition to the bureau,
also accused the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP
governorship candidate
of evading the summons
from the bureau.
Affirming that its
decision was in line with
its responsibility of good
governance and
accountability, the group
in a statement, said it
was aghast at the
thought of someone who
could not action was
devoid of partisanship.
The group, which said
its action was inspired by
constitutional provisions,
said: “It has been
established and
available records show
that no declaration was
made by Senator Douye
Diri when he was
appointed as Chief of
Staff to the Executive
Governor, of Bayelsa
State between 2012 and
2013.
“During that period, he
failed, refused or/and
neglected to comply with
the law obliging him to
declare his assets to the
Code of Conduct Bureau
as a public officer.
“Now one of the
implications for noncompliance
with the
code, among others, is
disqualification from
holding of any public
office for a period not
exceeding ten years. And
this is what we are
asking the tribunal to do
when he is eventually
“Therefore, it is our
wish and urgently too,
that the Bureau, being
an anti-corruption
agency of the
government, it is
imperative to bring
reckless public officer to
justice. The Bureau
should without delay do
the needful by
arraigning the subject
before the Code of
Conduct Tribunal.
“This is not politics,
this is not partisanship,
this is about patriotism.
This is about Bayelsa
people and Nigeria. The
office of governor is a
high office and a serious
business for which any
discovered impropriety
should be fully
addressed.
“I and my people do not
want to benefit from a corrupt
system. I don’t want to look
the other way while such a
man who neglected a simple
task as chief of staff comes to
the high office of governor
and does worse as governor.
“l have the opportunity to
speak out, l will speak out and
lam speaking out. What we
expect from anyone who
intends to become governor
of Bayelsa State is to respect
transparency, probity and
accountability and must be
seen to be above board and
abide by the rule of law at all
times. Leadership must be
held accountable. No one is
above the law.
“Senator Douye Diri’s
conduct is a violation of the
law. Our goal is to pursue and
ensure that good governance
is entrenched in Bayelsa
State.
“We want the Code of
Conduct Bureau and
eventually the Code of
Conduct Tribunal to
interrogate the
appropriateness of Senator
Diri for the high office of
governor in the light of this
revelation.
“We urge the relevant
agencies of government, the
courts and the media not to
politicize this matter.”
BENUE GUBER: Jime rejects
tribunal judgement, heads for
Appeal Court
By Peter Duru
M AKURDI—THE
Benue State All
Progressives Congress,
APC, governorship
candidate in the last
general elections, Mr.
Emmanuel Jime, has
vowed to approach the
Court of Appeal to upturn
the judgment of the
Benue
State
Governorship Election
Petition Tribunal which
Monday affirmed the
victory of Governor
Samuel Ortom at the
poll.
The Justice Adebola
Olusiyi led tribunal had
Monday upheld the
election of Governor
Ortom and dismissed the
petition filed by the APC
candidate for lacking in
merit.
Reacting to the
judgment, Mr. Jime
through his runningmate
Mr. Sam Ode said
“we will test the validity
of the decision at the
appellate court. We
implore our supporters
to remain calm, steadfast
and resolute. Thank God
the Chairman of the
Tribunal said there are
other available layers for
us to explore.”
Meanwhile Governor
Samuel Ortom in his
reaction to the judgment
said it was victory for the
people of the state who
elected him for a second
term.
The Governor in a
statement by his Chief
Press Secretary, CPS,
Terver Akase said “the
verdict of the tribunal
has confirmed the
unanimous decision of
Benue voters and has
also proven that my reelection
was credible."