Monday 15 June 2015
Ambode Dissolves Parastatals, Sacks Fashola’s Sister, Others
Ms Fashola was the General Manager, Lagos State Residents Registration Agency, LASRRA. Also affected is the General Manager, Lagos State Waste Management Agency, LAWMA, whose head was Ola Oresanya; Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu; Executive Chairman, Lagos State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Bolajoko Fashola and the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency, LASTMA, headed by Babatunde Edu. 
There has been a massive shake-up in the Lagos State Government as Governor Akinwunmi Ambode dissolved all Boards of parastatals and agencies, sacking the sister of the former Governor of Lagos State, Ms Olayinka Fashola and 75 other heads of the parastatals and agencies.
Ms Fashola was the General Manager, Lagos State Residents Registration Agency, LASRRA. Also affected is the General Manager, Lagos State Waste Management Agency, LAWMA, whose head was Ola Oresanya; Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu; Executive Chairman, Lagos State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Bolajoko Fashola and the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency, LASTMA, headed by Babatunde Edu.
Also sacked are the General Managers of Lagos State Electricity Board, Ms Damilola Ogunbiyi; Urban Furniture and Regulatory Unit, UFRU, Joe Igbokwe; Lagos Water Cooperation, Shayo Holloway; Lagos Internal Revenue Service, Tunde Fowler; Lagos State Building Control Agency, LABCA; Managing Director, LAGBUS Assets Management, Babatunde Disu and the General Manager, Lagos State Lotteries Board, Lanre Gbajabiamila.
Other head of agencies affected are the Lagos State Waterways Authority, Lagos State Building Investment Company Limited, Lagos State Ferry Services, Lagos State Records and Archives Bureau, Lagos State Printing Cooperation, Lagos State Television, Lagos State Traffic Radio, Eko FM, Radio Lagos, among others.
In a statement issued by the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Tunji Bello, it said Ambode had approved the dissolution of all boards of parastatals and agencies of government with immediate effects.
According to the statement, the dissolution is with the exception of the Civil Service Commission, Judicial Service Commission and the State Independent Electoral Commission.
While expressing the appreciation of the Governor for the modest contribution of members of the dissolved Boards, Bello wished them well in their future endeavour.
The statement added that constitution of new Boards would be effected in due course.
There has been a massive shake-up in the Lagos State Government as Governor Akinwunmi Ambode dissolved all Boards of parastatals and agencies, sacking the sister of the former Governor of Lagos State, Ms Olayinka Fashola and 75 other heads of the parastatals and agencies.
Ms Fashola was the General Manager, Lagos State Residents Registration Agency, LASRRA. Also affected is the General Manager, Lagos State Waste Management Agency, LAWMA, whose head was Ola Oresanya; Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu; Executive Chairman, Lagos State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Bolajoko Fashola and the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency, LASTMA, headed by Babatunde Edu.
Also sacked are the General Managers of Lagos State Electricity Board, Ms Damilola Ogunbiyi; Urban Furniture and Regulatory Unit, UFRU, Joe Igbokwe; Lagos Water Cooperation, Shayo Holloway; Lagos Internal Revenue Service, Tunde Fowler; Lagos State Building Control Agency, LABCA; Managing Director, LAGBUS Assets Management, Babatunde Disu and the General Manager, Lagos State Lotteries Board, Lanre Gbajabiamila.
Other head of agencies affected are the Lagos State Waterways Authority, Lagos State Building Investment Company Limited, Lagos State Ferry Services, Lagos State Records and Archives Bureau, Lagos State Printing Cooperation, Lagos State Television, Lagos State Traffic Radio, Eko FM, Radio Lagos, among others.
In a statement issued by the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Tunji Bello, it said Ambode had approved the dissolution of all boards of parastatals and agencies of government with immediate effects.
According to the statement, the dissolution is with the exception of the Civil Service Commission, Judicial Service Commission and the State Independent Electoral Commission.
While expressing the appreciation of the Governor for the modest contribution of members of the dissolved Boards, Bello wished them well in their future endeavour.
The statement added that constitution of new Boards would be effected in due course.
I don’t have to appoint a minister today and sack him the next week – Buhari
“But the ministers knew that they were going but the technocrats, the permanent secretaries and directors and so on, they know they would remain," President Buhari said.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday attributed the delay in his appointment of ministers to the late submission of the transition committee’s report on the previous administration to him.
Mr. Buhari made this known while speaking to journalists at the Summit of the African Union in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The President said he was being careful in order not to make mistakes in appointing individuals especially to key positions such as in the finance and petroleum ministries.
“I don’t know why people are so anxious about ministers. But eventually we will have them.
“But the main reason is that I have an interim committee which I agreed with former President Jonathan that the ministers of the outgoing government should hand over their notes or their documents to this interim committee so that a position can be prepared for the new government to start from with clear records from ministers.
“But the ministers knew that they were going but the technocrats, the permanent secretaries and directors and so on, they know they would remain.
“If anything goes wrong they would be invited to explain, but unfortunately the outgoing government did not cooperate.
“So, what the committee did was to divide itself into about five sub-committees and get a resource person that was willing to come and bring the document, and so they prepared and I got the report I think three days ago.
“I was waiting for this report because I would like to know what position in the government especially in terms of finance and petroleum industry. So, I am not in a hurry to get ministers.
“I want to get ministers after at least I have seen the report because I don’t have to appoint a minister today and sack him the next week because this report would give me what actually happened in terms of security, economy of the country.
“And since I have to have ministers from politicians and technocrats, I wouldn’t (like to) make the mistake of getting somebody, who has been involved on account of accountability”.
Mr. Buhari added that he, Mr. Jonathan and former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, had agreed to letting the former ministers hand over their notes to the interim committee he had formed.
He said that the planned examination of the handover notes had to be suspended when the outgoing ruling party accused his then incoming administration of forming a parallel government.
Mr. Buhari said he actually wanted to get a platform from the former ministers on which to start from following the problem of accountability in the administration.
The President, who recalled that during his time as minister of petroleum during the Olusegun Obasanjo military regime, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation had only three accounts, said that during the immediate past administration, the NNPC and the ministry of finance did not know how many accounts they had.
He described the development as improper.
He also said that the emergence of Bukola Saraki as Senate President divided the All Progressives Congress in spite of the moves by the party to avert a crisis.
He said the onus was on the National Assembly to resolve the issue as it had its own criteria for choosing its officers, which was why he did not want to interfere in the exercise.
Mr. Buhari said the problem of Boko Haram had been internationalised and expressed his happiness with the support coming from Nigeria’s neighbours and the G7 in an effort to end insurgency.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday attributed the delay in his appointment of ministers to the late submission of the transition committee’s report on the previous administration to him.
Mr. Buhari made this known while speaking to journalists at the Summit of the African Union in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The President said he was being careful in order not to make mistakes in appointing individuals especially to key positions such as in the finance and petroleum ministries.
“I don’t know why people are so anxious about ministers. But eventually we will have them.
“But the main reason is that I have an interim committee which I agreed with former President Jonathan that the ministers of the outgoing government should hand over their notes or their documents to this interim committee so that a position can be prepared for the new government to start from with clear records from ministers.
“But the ministers knew that they were going but the technocrats, the permanent secretaries and directors and so on, they know they would remain.
“If anything goes wrong they would be invited to explain, but unfortunately the outgoing government did not cooperate.
“So, what the committee did was to divide itself into about five sub-committees and get a resource person that was willing to come and bring the document, and so they prepared and I got the report I think three days ago.
“I was waiting for this report because I would like to know what position in the government especially in terms of finance and petroleum industry. So, I am not in a hurry to get ministers.
“I want to get ministers after at least I have seen the report because I don’t have to appoint a minister today and sack him the next week because this report would give me what actually happened in terms of security, economy of the country.
“And since I have to have ministers from politicians and technocrats, I wouldn’t (like to) make the mistake of getting somebody, who has been involved on account of accountability”.
Mr. Buhari added that he, Mr. Jonathan and former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, had agreed to letting the former ministers hand over their notes to the interim committee he had formed.
He said that the planned examination of the handover notes had to be suspended when the outgoing ruling party accused his then incoming administration of forming a parallel government.
Mr. Buhari said he actually wanted to get a platform from the former ministers on which to start from following the problem of accountability in the administration.
The President, who recalled that during his time as minister of petroleum during the Olusegun Obasanjo military regime, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation had only three accounts, said that during the immediate past administration, the NNPC and the ministry of finance did not know how many accounts they had.
He described the development as improper.
He also said that the emergence of Bukola Saraki as Senate President divided the All Progressives Congress in spite of the moves by the party to avert a crisis.
He said the onus was on the National Assembly to resolve the issue as it had its own criteria for choosing its officers, which was why he did not want to interfere in the exercise.
Mr. Buhari said the problem of Boko Haram had been internationalised and expressed his happiness with the support coming from Nigeria’s neighbours and the G7 in an effort to end insurgency.
BUHARI MAY APPOINT NON APC MEMBERS AS MINISTERS-OYEGUN
APC Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun has said President Buhari may appoint some individuals who are NON APC members as Ministers into his government.
Oyegun said Buhari is keen on appointing technocrats who will work with his agenda of moving Nigeria forward. Oyegun said this while speaking with journalists after a meeting in Abuja today.
"There is absolutely no dispute between the party and the president. We agreed that we shall use all manner of people: politicians, technocrats, all manner of people even if not politicians, who can deliver and who subscribe passionately to the agenda of the president to move this country forward, irrespective of where the people come from; irrespective of whether the person is a card-carrying members of the party. What is important is the qualification of the person and the ability of the person to deliver on the ideas of Mr. President. What we are interested is in the ability of the people to bring up the ideas that will help Mr. President achieve the set objectives and the ability to deliver on what the President wants. Secondly, this is an executive function and the President has the right to consult as widely as possible. This means he might pick people within the party; people outside the party. It is a prerogative the President should exercise and we cannot question that. We are quite happy about the way he is proceeding" he said
Aunt Cuts 9yrs old Nephew With Blade For Eating At a Party,
Ronke Olayinka(pictured right)has been arrested for inflicting terrible injuries on her 9 year old nephew named Abdullahi Taoreed (left). According to New Telegraph, the woman inflicted blade cuts on the boy for eating at a party on June 7th. The boy's parents are dead.
On the day of the incident Abdullahi said he went to the house opposite theirs at Pipeline Street in Oke-Odo area of Lagos to serve food and also to eat since there was no food in their house.
This got his aunt, who he calls mummy, angry
"Yes, it was my mummy who inflicted blade cuts on my hands because I went to a party opposite our house to eat. There was no food at home. I was hungry, so I assisted the people holding the party to carry chairs. I knew that if I assisted them, they would give me food. They gave me food. My sister went to report to my mummy. We went for evening prayer. After the prayer, my mummy called me and started cutting my hands with a blade. She went out to buy the blade. The cut was deep. She poured pepper into the wounds. She then gave me a hot pot of beans to carry to the kitchen with the bloodied hands. One of our neighbors, a woman, saw me and took the pot from me. She went and told everyone in the compound. People saw my hands and started crying. It’s not every time my mummy gives me food. She uses a piece of wood to beat me, but uses canes on her kids.”he told New Telegraph
Neighbors who saw him with the injury alerted the police at the Oko-Oba police station who immediately arrested the aunt. When interrogated, she said Abdullahi was a stubborn child who never listens to her
“I’m a struggling widow. I have three kids. One is 15, the second is 12 and the third is 10. I’m a trader. I leave home in the morning and come back at night. Whenever I return, neighbours usually complain about Abdullahi; how he usually goes to different places to eat. Sometimes, he would go with his friends to a place called Agbele-Kale to swim. He’s just stubborn and doesn’t listen! He’s my brother’s son. I’ve been taking care of him since he was a baby. He behaves like someone without home training. He usually goes to parties to eat. He was behaving like someone who doesn’t have parents or like someone who has no home training. When I returned on Saturday, neighbours said I should warn him. On Sunday, he went out again. Food was ready, but he was nowhere to be seen. I was angry. I used the blade on his two hands. I never knew it would be that bad!”
Asked why she used a blade instead of a cane on the boy, Olayinka said:
"Anytime I want to beat him, he would run away, forcing me to chase him. But what happened that day was the work of the devil. Yes, I poured pepper on the wounds. I only wanted to make him to be a good boy.”
Abdullahi said it was not the first time his Aunt had physically assaulted him.
One soldier killed, many terrorists injured during attack in Yobe yesterday
One soldier was killed while scores of Boko Haram members were injured during an attack in Babangida, the Headquarters of Tarmuwa Local Government Headquarters in Yobe state yesterday June 14th.
Over 10 rifles and weapon, three hilux cars as well as hundreds of rounds of ammunition and some Hand Grenades were recovered from the terrorists. A vigilante member died while 5 were wounded during the attack.
US pledges $5bn to the Multinational Joint Task Force against Boko Haram
US government has pledged to release the sum of $5 billion towards the Joint Task Force, a military team drawn from Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger, with the sole responsibility of fighting Boko Haram insurgents in the Lake Chad region.
Making the pledge known at the AU Summit in South Africa today June 15th, the US Assistant Secretary of Bureau of African Affairs, Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the US govt is currently in talks with President Buhari on how best they can support the fight against insurgency in the region
“We are having discussions with President Buhari on how we might bolster our support. We have already been working with them and providing information. We are also providing some equipment and support and we have a number of meetings with the countries who are members of the Multinational Joint Task Force to look at other areas we might support. We are working closely with the Lake Chad Basin countries: Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon to address the issues of Boko Haram,” she said
Buruji Kashamu Withdraws Lawsuit Against Obasanjo
Ogun Senator elect who has been facing challenges with NDLEA men, Buruji Kashamu has withdrawn the N20.1 billion libel suit he instituted against former President Olusegun Obasanjo at an Abuja Federal court. The case was struck out following a notice of discontinuance of the suit filed by the plaintiff.
Kashamu is said to have withdrawn the suit due to an ongoing settlement talks between the two parties, but Chief Obasanjo’s lawyers have said they are not aware of any ongoing settlement.Buruji however withdrew the lawsuit.
Osun State Workers Set To Be Paid
There seems to be good news coming from Osun State over the seven months unpaid salaries of State workers. The Governor yesterday through its media aide, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon disclosed this in a press statement issued to media houses. The Governor also spoke about having the State workers and other indigenes at heart. Find it after the cut.
“The dream has not gone awry and it is a clear vision that Osun must be on its feet, self-reliant and be a reference point in Nigeria. The race to ensure development within the first term of Aregbesola was informed by the fear of what is happening now.
“Aregbesola wanted an Osun State that is self-reliant. That Osun State, almost two decades after its creation, could not boast of tax-paying companies speak volume about the magnitude of the works that awaited the Aregbesola administration.
“But he did not shy away from this task of industrialisation. Within his first term, his government had caused investors to bring up companies, such as the Omoluabi Garment Factory, Osogbo and Adulawo/RLG Technology Company in Ilesa.
“Just last month, a leading telephone line company, Airtel, came to establish partnership with the Adulawo/RLG Company. These are aside the various agro-allied companies which have benefited from the growth schemes of the Aregbesola administration throughout the state.
“The government has also commenced aggressive drive for the development of the solid mineral sector with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with an Australian mining firm, Andalusia Mining Industry.
“It was in the same vein that the idea of an airport for aircraft maintenance was conceived.
“Only a lazy administration would accept the tag of Osun State as a ‘civil servant’ state as excuse for not developing initiatives for industrialisation.
“To accept that our state must continue to survive on the meagre inflow through what goes to the civil servants alone is to accept that we would continue to depend on external forces for our survival.” He ended.
GEJ Is a Good Man But The People Around Him Are Not- AISHA BUHARI
Speaking at the 'Thank You' dinner she organized to appreciate APC women at the presidential villa on Saturday June 13th, wife of the President, Aisha Buhari warned Nigerians not to fall into the hands of fraudsters who go about asking for money from Nigerians to arrange a meeting between them and the President or his wife.
"I will like to inform you that in the past regime, whether it is true or false, only God knows, some people were going round and parading themselves as PAs. If you wanted to see the First Lady, you will pay $30,000, $50,000 and if you are seeing the President, you will pay all that you have gathered in your lifetime. This will not happen in our regime. Whoever asks you to give a single penny in the name of coming to see the President or his wife is not our staff. It is a lie, don’t be deceived" she said
Mrs Buhari said a lot of things were said against former president Goodluck Jonathan's administration but that it is not like the former president is a bad man, it was the people around him that gave him a bad representation.
"There was nothing that people did not say about the past administration. It is not Jonathan that is not good, but the people around him. So, the people that are going to be around General Buhari have to be very careful because this election ended peacefully. We are praying and hoping that people around him should know that it took him 12 years to get to that position and they must know that they are coming to serve the masses, not General Buhari in person. It is the people that are around him that will determine the political health of our state"she said
EFCC charges former Bayelsa Gov. Sylva with 50 money laundering charges
After the dismissal of the money laundering charges it charged against former Bayelsa governor, Timipre Sylva, by Justice A. R. Mohammed of the Abuja Federal High Court, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday, released 50 fresh charges against him.
The charges were increased from the initial 42 to 50 by the anti-graft agency and this has already been filed and will probably be assigned to a new judge. The charges, according to a document were prepared and filed in court by the Director of Legal of the EFCC, Mr. Chile Okoroma.
In the new charges, EFCC listed acts of looting allegedly carried out by Sylva when he was the governor of the state. He is also alleged to have connived with three companies to commit the offences charged against him between 2007 and 2011.
The filing of fresh charges against Sylva came barely a week after Justice A.R. Mohammed dismissed the 42-count charge against the former governor on account of abuse of court processes.
However, the commission immediately faulted the action of the judge for dismissing the case without it being heard.
It noted that the dismissal of the charge by Justice Mohammed following the application of the commission to consolidate the charges against the former governor and his accomplices, did not amount to a discharge or an acquittal, and it did not preclude the power of the agency to bring fresh charges against the defendants.
Vanguard
APC should stop being shameless - Ekiti Govt
Read the press statement below...
Special Assistant to the governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, who reacted to the APC's claim in a statement issued in Ado Ekiti on Sunday, said over 1,000 fake workers have already been discovered on the payroll that ought not to be receiving salary. He said; "over 250 workers that are already dead have been receiving salary through the e-payment system introduced and contracted to a Lagos based company by the immediate past APC government."
The governor's aide, who urged the APC to first remove the timber in its eyes before aspiring to remove the toothpicks in other people's eyes, said the party should prevail on its governors in neighbouring States to pay workers that are owed as much as right months salary. He said; "We commenced workers verification exercise last month and we have kept faith with our covenant with the workers by paying the April salary of those already cleared.
"As at today, we have discovered more than 1,000 people that were receiving salary fraudulently, out of which over 250 are dead. "The over 1,000 fake workers have now been deleted from the payroll and the exercise is still ongoing."
On the claim by the APC that the State government received N22 billion from the federal government as refund for construction of federal roads in the State, Olayinka said; "Only a demented mind would believe that a refund of N22 billion was made by the federal government on N11 billion road project. "For instance, Ado-Iworoko-Ifaki Road on which they claimed federal government refunded N22 billion was awarded by the Engr Segun Oni government for N7.4 billion.
In 2013, the APC government of Dr Kayode Fayemi increased it to N11 billion, claiming the increment was to ensure quick completion of the project.
"So, How could federal government have refunded N22 billion on a N11 billion road project?
"These people just love to tell lies, hoping that they can again lie their way into the hearts of Ekiti people, but the people already know them and their stock in trade."
Sunday 14 June 2015
Real Reasons Why PDP Voted For Saraki- BODE GEORGE
PDP chieftain, Bode George in an interview with a Punch correspondent has explained why PDP voted for Saraki to emerge the senate president and also explained the crisis rocking PDP Lagos saying Obanikoro is the one behind it.
Speaking on Saraki, the reporter asked; When the election for the Senate President took place, the PDP had about 49 senators in the chamber while the APC had about eight. Why didn’t the PDP gun for the position of Senate President?
It is not good to get too greedy. We respect democracy a lot in the PDP. We helped to ensure democracy for 16 years through zoning. The PDP would have lost out if we tried to gun for the senate presidency. Remember that APC still has the larger number of senators. Thus, we decided to give it to Saraki, who we trust because he is our former member. Also, what we did ensured balance such that Tinubu’s boys would never have the upper hand. What happened was good for our democracy.
On PDP’s crisis; There is crisis within Lagos PDP as the party now has two chairmen. Don’t you think the 14 people who won elections on the party’s platform could defect due to this crisis?
There is no division in the party. It is just some minions misbehaving. There are laws in the party. The state chairman is a member of the National Executive Committee of the party. I didn’t state it: It is part of the party’s constitution that no member of the NEC can be removed by any lower strata except by the NEC. Thus, I don’t know the constitution they used in removing the chairman. They are doing it for their selfish interest. Whatever Musiliu Obanikoro is doing in Lagos is just a nonsensical move. They should be dealt with by the disciplinary committee of the party and thrown out. I think the ultimate plan is to get some people to defect to the APC. Is Obanikoro a loyal member of the party? Party chairmen cannot be removed illegally. When we wanted our national chairman, Adamu Mu’azu, to go, we did not do it illegally. He resigned by himself.
Lions and other animals escape from Zoo in Georgia after serious flood
Wild animals including lions, tigers, bears, jaguars, wolves and other animals escaped from their zoo this morning after serious flood and are currently roaming the streets of Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia (a country at the intersection of Europe and Asia). According to officials in the city capital, the flooding has killed at least 8 people and several animals in the zoo died. The ones that didn't die in the flood, which happened after a river burst its banks in central Tbilisi after hours of torrential rain, are now roaming the streets. Dozens of families are now without shelter after their homes were flooded and cars swept away. Thousands of people are currently left without water and electricity.
Some of the animals that escaped from their enclosure have been captured by security forces while the more dangerous one have been shot dead.
Some of the animals that escaped from their enclosure have been captured by security forces while the more dangerous one have been shot dead.
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