22032021 - Govs, APC, PDP, othersrally against attack on Ortom

14 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MARCH 22, 2021
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TRAINING: From left—Consultant, Public Procurement, Ibrahim Abu; Deputy Chairman, House Committee on
Public Procurement, Hon. Uju Kingsley; Director General, Bureau of Public Procurement, Mamman Ahmadu
and Chairman, House Committee on Public Procurement, Hon. Nassir Ali Ahmed, during the training for members
of the committee in Abuja, weekend.
Hijab: End controversy now before it soars,
Catholic Bishop tells Kwara govt
•AS ECWA Church insists no Hijab in its schools
By Etop Ekanem &
Demola Akinyemi
ILORIN—THE Catholic
Archbishop of Lagos, Dr Alfred
Martins, has decried ongoing
Hijab controversy in
some Kwara State schools,
and advised the state government
to end the matter now
before it escalates.
This came as Evangelical
Church Winning All, ECWA,
dismissed insinuations that it
had agreed to the directive of
the state government to allow
the use of Hijab in its schools
especially ECWA Schools,
Oja-Iya, Ilorin.
The Archbishop, who spoke,
during the celebration of 30th
anniversary of St. Francis
Catholic Secondary School,
Idimi, Lagos, among others,
said: "If a school was started
by Christians or Muslims, it
should be able to retain it character
in all ramifications and
not to use some subterranean
measures to wipe away the
Christians or Muslim foundations.
"This is not acceptable and
it does give an indication of
religious intolerance or perhaps
efforts to dominate,
which is not appropriate in a
country that is secular by constitution,
and in the way of
operation. We hope the Kwara
State government will ensure
that it handles this matter so
that it does not become a bigger
issue than it is now."
According to him, if the
schools were returned to the
original Christian owners,
"the kind of values we used to
have that were so present in
the children in the past would
be restored. One can only
hope that the government of
Kwara State will recognise
the fact that it cannot do it
alone. It should be humble
enough to use the benefits of
hundreds of years of education
principles that the Christian
schools have had, which
have completely made a difference
in the value system in
the country."
On his part, Chairman,
ECWA District Church Councils
Rev Vincent Akintunde, in
statement, said, "We would
like to put the records straight
by asserting that ECWA is totally
<strong>against</strong> the use of Hijab
in our grant-aided mission
schools. We wish to inform the
general public that our initial
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concern was not the use of
Hijab. Our initial concern
bothers on the ownership of
the schools. Our contention is
<strong>against</strong> the Kwara State government
which allowed the
Muslim groups which subtly
introduced the issue of Hijab
to the case to distract us from
our primary concern even
Lagos bound Aero Contractors plane
from Kano, suffers bird strike
Security: Labour threatens AMP terminals over
engagement of S-African firm
By Victor Ahiuma-
Young
MARITIME WORKERS
Union of Nigeria,
MWUN, weekend accused
APM Terminals, Nigeria, of
secretly outsourcing its security
to a South African firm,
to the detriment of Nigerians,
demanding immediate reversal
to avoid industrial unrest.
Efforts to reach APM terminals
for comments were unsuccessful.
Several calls and
text message to its spokesperson
were not answered or responded
to at the time of this
report.
However, MWUN in a
statement by its President-
General, Prince Adewale
Adeyanju, insisted that the
engagement of the South African
firm was a breach of the
agreement reached between
the Union and AMP Terminal
management which stated
that "In the event of a further
need for outsourcing in
the operations, the MWUN
and management of APMT
while the matter is still pending
in the Supreme Court.
"Following this backdrop,
we consider the reopening of
the 10 grand-aided mission
schools and the permission to
use Hijab by the Kwara State
government while the case is
pending in the Supreme Court
premature, ill-motived and a
By Lawani Mikairu
KANO—AERO Contrac
tors airlines plane on a
scheduled flight from Mallam
Aminu Kano International
Airport, Kano, to Lagos
yesterday suffered bird strike.
According to an eyewitness
who said he was at the Kano
airport when the incident
happened, " the aircraft with
about 100 passengers on
board had been airborne for
about 15 minutes when the
pilot announced a problem in
one of its engines and contacted
the Kano Airport control
tower that he was returning
to Kano airport".
The eyewitness, who spoke
on condition of anonymity,
said the plane landed safely
with no casualty.
On landing, the engines
were checked by engineers
after the pilot reported that "a
bird had struck the engine'.
Confirming the bird's strike,
Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority,
NCAA,the General Manager,
Public Relations , NCAA,
Mr Sam Adurugboye, said
the authority had been duly
will discuss and reach an
agreement."
The statement which informed
that the South African
firm was engaged on Thursday
March 18th, 2021, "is a
threat to national security.
Security is also very paramount
in this trying period of
growing incidences of breaches
in security all over our nation.
So, any act capable of
further contributing to its
breakdown should be met
with serious attention. To forestall
a further breach of security
situation in our ports we
wish to bring to the attention
of the general public the dangerous
activities aimed undermining
the security of our
nation's maritime security in
particular and the national
security in general.
"We are more alarmed because
what this means is that
the security functions of APM
Terminals which is the biggest
receiver of containerized cargo
in our nation's seaport has
been outsourced to foreign nationals
without input from
gross violation of the rule of
law.
"We consider the action of
the state government on this
matter an injustice; and we
would use every legitimate
means to fight for our Godgiven
property and heritage
in the state. We want to use the
opportunity of this platform
to say to the state government
that ECWA will not accept the
use of Hijab in her schools
under any circumstances and
our schools should be given
back to us."
informed about the incident,
adding " Yes. We are aware.
Definitely, we are aware of the
incident".
At the time of this report, the
plane was still at the Kano
Airport for further examination
and necessary action.
Bird strikes are regular occurrence
in flight operations.
This is more prevalent in airports
where there are overgrown
bushes and grasses that
attract birds.
Airports with abattoirs near
their vicinity also experience
constant bird strikes.
local and internal security
systems. This may open up our
ports to all sorts of inflow of
dangerous cargo. We wish to
inform the general public that
APM Terminals is unilateral
and a clear violation of clause
3 of an existing Agreement
reached between the Union
and the management which
states that "In the event of a
further need for outsourcing
in the operations, the MWUN
and management of APMT
will discuss and reach an
agreement.
"Suffice it to say that APM
Terminals unilateral action
has caused restiveness
amongst the rank and file of
our members, as we have neither
discussed nor reached any
agreement on outsourcing of
security functions of any organization.
We view this as an
anti - labour practise and disrespect
for the Nigerian people
and needs.
‘‘Consequent upon the foregoing,
the Union has demanded
for an immediate reversal
of this unilateral action and
maintain the status quo to
avoid any crisis in your terminal."
Tiv group demands resignation
of Reps Deputy Speaker over
diaspora petition row
By Peter Duru
M AKURDI—THE
Mzough U Tiv, MUT,
worldwide, has called on the
Deputy Speaker of the House
of Representatives, Mr. Ahmed
Wase, to resign his position and
save the country further embarrassment
being generated
by the diaspora petition rejection
row.
The call followed the outrage
that greeted the Deputy
Speaker's rejection of the petition
by the Mutual Union of
Tiv in America, MUTA,
brought before the House last
week by the member representing
Gwer East/Gwer West Federal
Constituency of Benue
State, Mr. Mark Gbillah.
The President General of
MUT worldwide, Chief Iorbee
Ihagh who made the call Yesterday
in Makurdi said the
action of the Deputy Speaker
was tantamount to denying the
Tivs in diaspora their fundamental
rights to be heard as
Nigerians.
According to him, the MUT
"viewed this action or inaction
as a calculated attempt to
shield verifiable facts and fig-
Mamora commissions projects
at FMC
ASABA—MINISTER of
State, Health, Senator
Olorunnimbe Mamora, has
commissioned a Molecular
Biology Laboratory, a 15 -
room Intensive Care Unit, a
40 - room House Officers
Quarters and a Guest House
of 17 rooms, executed by the
authorities of the Federal
Medical Center, Asaba, Delta
State.
Senator Mamora who
weekend, commissioned the
projects, commended the
management of the hospital
for delivering such quality
landmark projects, which
would make healthcare services
easily accessible and affordable
to the people of Delta
and the neighbouriing
states.
Senator Mamora applauded
the Director General of the
Nigeria Center for Disease
Control, NCDC, Dr. Chikwe
Ihekweazu, for facilitating the
construction of the Molecular
Biology Laboratory, saying
it was part of measures to
Lokoja varsity goes tough on
cultism, exam malpractices
By Boluwaji
Obahopo
ures on the state of insecurity
and the accompanying vulnerable
and deplorable condition
of the displaced Tiv people
who have over several years
turned into refugees in their
fatherland due to the nefarious
activities of the marauding
Fulani herdsmen in Benue,
Taraba and Nassarawa states."
Chief Ihagh explained that
since MUT was registered
with the Corporate Affairs
Commission and with authority
to establish branches across
the country and in the diaspora
there was no acceptable reason
justifying the disruption of
the presentation of the petition.
"We insist that the petition is
re-presented and a public apology
tendered by Hon. Ahmed
Wase. We also warn <strong>against</strong>
any further frustration in the
process of re-presenting the
petition by any member of the
green chamber. We call on
members of the green chamber
to compel him to honorably
and voluntarily resign
from the position of the Deputy
Speaker with immediate effect
to save the House and Nigeria
as a democratic society
from a slumbering image."
improve response to the management
of the COVID - 19
pandemic.
The Minister acknowledged
the immense support
and assistance of Delta Governor,
Senator Ifeanyi
Okowa, to FMC Asaba, particularly
in containing the
spread of the COVID - 19 pandemic,
adding that it affirmed
the determination of the Governor
to improve the health
status of his people.
The Medical Director, Dr.
Victor Osiatuma, said FMC
Asaba was established in August
1998, and took off from
the premises of the old General
Hospital, Asaba, with old
buildings and equipment and
no take off grant.
Dr. Osiatuma said although
the beginning was rough, the
hospital was able to transform
massively and quickly to fulfill
the roles expected of it,
pointing out that the four capital
projects commissioned
were the results of the prudence
and resourcefulness of
the management of the hospital.
LOKOJA—The Federal
University Lokoja,FUJ, has
read the riot act to students of
the school, warning them to
stay away from examination
malpractices and cultism or
risk expulsion.
Vice Chancellor of the university,
Prof. Olayemi Akinwumi
spoke weekend during
the institution 2019/2020 matriculation
ceremony.
Akinwumin in his address
tittles, "Remember The Children
of Whom You Are" urged
the new students to developed
themselves both in character
and learning, saying "Whatever
will be the end result of your
academic career here in Federal
University Lokoja will be
dependent on how you determine
to study, "As you lay your
beds is exactly how you will
lie on them. My dear children,
I urged you all to look
back and always remember
the home you are coming
from and reflect on your activities
in these three or four
years that you will sojourn
here in search of Academic
laurels that will launch you
into the future. In doing this,
you must always remember
the children of who you are.
Akinwumi specifically listed
involvement in cult activities,
examination malpractice,
improper dressing as
those forces that attract expulsion
from the citadel,
"Obedience to all the provisions
in the students handbook
will save you from unnecessary
embarrassment."