12012020 - Northern youths disown critics of Amotekun S/W security outfit

PAGE 42—SUNDAY VANGUARD, JANUARY 12, 2020
230 FMBN pensioners
cry for justice
•Only NEC can approve payment – FMBN
By Jacob Ajom
TWO-HUNDRED AND
THIRTY surviving
pensioners of Federal
Mortgage Bank of Nigeria,
FMBN, and Federal Mortgage
Finance Limited,FMFB, have
cried out to President
Muhammadu Buhari to compel
their former employers to pay
their outstanding pensions.
They lamented that they are yet
to receive their entitlement since
their retirement in 2003.
The retirees, who were
numbering about 300 in 2003, are
now 230 following the demise of
70 people.
In an appeal to President Buhari,
the pensioners chronicled their
“travails and traumatic
experiences.
They urged him to prevail on
Federal Ministry of Works and
Housing, Federal Mortgage
Bank, Pension Transitional
Arrangement Directorate and
National Pension Commission to
comply with a court judgment(PC/
HC/CU/828/2007), which ordered
that they be paid.
Retired in 2003
Spokesman for the retirees, Abu
Usman, who was retired by the
Fedral Mortgage Finance said:
“We appeal to President Buhari to
prevail on the FMWH, FMBN,
PATD, PENCOM to do the needful
to save our souls as civil servants
who were forcefully and
Ezechi visits
Chorus Energy
gy,
charges firm to
employ more
Deltans
The Executive Assistant to
Delta State Governor on
Youth Development, Hon
Nnamdi Ezechi yesterday met with
the top management of Chorus
Energy and urged the firm to employ
more indigenes of their host
communities and Deltans at large.
Ezechi, who commended the
management of Chorus Energy for
all their services to the host
communities, urged them to do
more as they bring more
development to the host
communities, while charging the
company to reduce the rate of
unemployment in their operating
environment.
The governor’s aide used the
opportunity to applaud host
communities and Ndokwa youths
over their peaceful co-existence with
others and urged them that with that
peaceful; posture, more investment
opportunities will come to
Ndokwaland and many of youths
will be employed.
Ezechi urged Chorus Energy
management to respect labour laws
and complement the peaceful
enabling environment provided by
Governor Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa.
Hon Nnamdi Ezechi (right) and others
prematurely retired in 2003.”
The retirees’ case is a
complicated one. Following the
promulgation of Decree 82 of
1993, the Federal Mortgage Bank
was deconsolidated into two
enterprises with the establishment
of the Federal Mortgage Finance
Limited.
In 2003, the two companies
merged again. The new company
screened the former staff reemployed
some.
Those who were not so lucky
were promised transfer of service
to the Federal Civil Service.
Subsequently, they were issued
letters of redeployment to the
Federal Civil Service.
According to the retirees, just as
they were waiting for their posting
to various departments, another
memo superseding the
redeployment letter emerged.
Unsuccessful appeals
This time, it was termination
of appointments through a memo
dated 26th December 2003.
After several unsuccessful
appeals for payment of their
entitlements, the retirees took the
case to court.
From left: Mr. Majiyagbe Abayomi, Zonal Secretary, Teaching Service Commission, Ifo II, Ogun State; Mrs.
Fakunle Adenike, Principal, Community Comprehensive High School, Olambe, Ogun State; Mr. Lasilo Temitope,
Zonal Education Officer, Ifo Zone, Ogun State; Dr. Oladipupo Oyefuga, Head, Market Risk, Stanbic IBTC Bank
PLC and Mr. Taiwo Ala, Head, Internal Control, Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC at the Commissioning of the School
Building and Library Renovation for Community Comprehensive High School, Olambe, Ogun State.
Aniocha man flees over chieftaincy pressure
By Chris Ochayi
move to compel a young man
A to take up a traditional title
has taken a different dimension as
the heir apparent has disappeared.
The title, which is a family right in
a community in Aniocha South
Local Government Area of Delta
State, became vacant after the
demise of the young man’s father,
who held it for more than 21years.
Although the man was supposed
to have taken over the title after his
father’s death, he was deemed too
young to assume such responsibility
at the time.
And since the stool is hereditary
and could only be occupied by
someone from the linage, the
father’s brother was selected to
John Awoniyi
The case lasted for eight years
and on April 23, 2015, the
pensioners secured a judgment in
their favour from an Abuja High
Court, which ordered the Federal
Mortgage Bank to pay them their
pension arreas up-to-date and
subsequently their monthly
pension.
Before then, the National
Pension Commission had in a
response to the FMB “request for
guidance” on how to handle the
settlement of their disengaged
staff, advised the FMB to pay the
pensioners.
Part of the letter from the
assume the traditional headship
since the throne abhors a vacuum.
Trouble started for the young man
a few years ago when he also lost
his uncle, who had succeeded his late
father. Soon after, he came under
pressure from immediate family
members who insisted that the time
had come for him to take the
traditional title.
His opposition to the demand,
however, assumed a life threatening
dimension with even his wife and
kids not spared, forcing them to flee
to an unknown destination.
In fact, his female siblings felt
disappointed that having come of
age, to stand for the family, their
brother is still reluctant to take the
title; thus constituting an
embarrassment to the entire family.
He is the first male child in a
family of four children left behind
by their deceased father who held it
for a long period. Now the women
did not stop at only threatening the
life of their brother, they extended
the anger to his wife, who they
accused of not encouraging her
husband to take the traditional title.
In fact, they alleged that her
disapproval of the title mainly was
because she hails from another part
of the country, while accusing her of
trying to undermine their culture.
A reliable source close to the
family, who revealed that the issue
is giving the family members and
the community at large sleepless
nights, said the matter is far from
over as the heir to the title has so far
commission to the Federal
Ministry of Power, Works and
Housing, dated November 7,
2019, reads: “The affected
retirees are entitled to be paid
their retirement benefits
under the provisions of the
enabling laws. We are not
unaware of President
Buhari’s resolve to offset all
pension arrears. We have
also witnessed the
absolute compliance
with the rule of law by the
President. We, therefore,
seek your quick
intervention.”
Under section 46 of the
Pension Reform Act of 2004,
the commission will ensure
every necessary step is taken
to achieve compliance.
In the face of the uncertainty
surrounding compliance ,
the pensioners are
banking on the
President to wade
in
Ṁeanwhile, the
Group Corporate
Communications
Officer, Federal
Mortgage Bank of
Nigeria, Abbas
Aminu, said the pensioners’ case
had been treated by his
organisation and sent to the
Ministry of Works and Housing.
He added that the ministry has
taken the matter to the Federal
Executive Council for necessary
approval.
“On our part, we have done the
needful. We have done our job,
based on the agreement we
entered into with the pensioners.
The matter is no longer in our
hands but with the National
Executive Council,” Aminu
added.
avoided all entreaties to take the
responsibility.
The source told Sunday Vanguard
that the title is hereditary, saying the
man’s refusal to take it had been
interpreted by his siblings as a denial
of the family of the privileges that
come with the title.
He said, “We are made to
understand that the young man and
his family have left the country to
only God knows where when the
pressure took a new dimension and
became a threat to life.
“This started about three years
ago. The man did not take the entire
thing serious at the beginning but
when the issue assumed a new
height, he decided to leave.
“Information pieced together few
weeks back indicated that the man
and his family want to seek asylum
in a foreign country. But whether they
will be granted is what we don’t
know.
“The man rejected the pressure to
take up the traditional title of his
community because of his Christian
faith. I think at a time he opened up
to some people that, as a Christian,
he won’t go through all the
traditional shenanigans which the
traditional stool embodies.
“He was also said to be bitter that
his siblings are threatening his life
and that of his wife, whom they
accused of not doing enough to
persuade him to take the said title.
You know the siblings stand to
benefit so many things by having
their own blood as the title holder in
the community.”
ALLEGED
BURYING OF
PLACENTA ON
CHURCH ALTAR:
Pastor, varsity don
docked for perjury
By Dayo Johnson, Akure
ONDO State government
has dragged two former
members of a popular
church in Akure, Pastor John
Abiodun and Dr Lanre Olu-
Adeyemi, to court for alleged
conspiracy, publication of false
information, perjury, impersonation
and threatening violence among
others.
They are facing a seven-count
charge having alleged to be behind
the fake news on social media that
the founder of Promiseland
Prophetic Ministry, opposite
Shasha, Owo-Akure Expressway,
Akure, Pastor Gbenga Akinbiyi, and
other members of the church
burying the placenta of a baby on
the church’s altar.
The suspects also petitioned the
police but, after investigation and
digging of the church altar, nothing
fetish, according to sources, was
found.
State prosecutor, Bose Tunde-
Alarape, informed the court that it
had been difficult to serve one of the
defendants, Olu-Adeyemi, who is
also a Senior Lecturer at Adekunle
Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko),
a notice of motion on the matter.
The charge sheet read: “That John
Abiodun and Lanre Olu-Adeyemi,
on about 09:00 hours, at Akure in
the Akure Judicial Division,
conspired together to publish life
threatening and inciting stories
about one Ajidahun Emmanuel
Jeminiyi which is punishable under
Section 59 of the Criminal code, cap
37, vol. 1, Law of Ondo State 2006.
“That John Abiodun and Lanre
Olu-Adeyemi, on or about 13th
January 2019 at about 09:00hours,
in Akure, in Akure Judicial Division,
did publish, on different whatsapp
platforms, various falsehood
against Ajidahun Jeminiyi, perjury
punishable under Section 117 of the
Criminal Code, Cap 37, Col. 1, Law
of Ondo State 2006.
“That John Abiodun, on or about
24th June 2019, at about 13:00
hours, at High Court Registry,
Akure, deposed to an affidavit of oath
against one Pastor Gbenga Akinbiyi
and Promiseland Prophetic
Ministry, knowing that the
depositions were false. This is
punishable under Section 484 of the
Criminal Code, Cap 37, Vol. 1, Laws
of Ondo State.
Justice Olabode Adegbehingbe
enjoined the counsel to engage all
legal measures available at serving
motions on clients before it can be
concluded to be impossible.
The case was adjourned till
January 30 as well as Feb 3, 18, 24
and 26 for hearing
INTERNAL
SECURITY:
PCL tasks Interior
Ministr
try y on talent,
technology
By Dapo Akinrefon
firm, Philip Consulting, PCL, has
A tasked the Ministry of Interior
and its four para-military agencies
to focus on talents and technology
as a means of achieving internal
security in the country.
The firm said the step would
enhance security and deliver on the
promise made by President
Muhammadu Buhari in his June 12
speech to take 100 million
Nigerians out of poverty.
The Ministry of Interior engaged
Phillips Consulting to design and
facilitate a two-day strategy retreat
on the theme: Driving Performance
in Achieving the Presidential
Mandate on Nigeria’s Internal
Security.
It was designed to generate
innovative strategies, policies and
programmes for reforming
Nigeria’s internal security agencies.
In his speech entitled: “The Case for
Change and Impact on Human and
Capital Development,” Chairman
of Philip Consulting, Mr. Foluso
Phillips, highlighted factors which
would drive performance.