NEWS
Osun Governor Inaugurates Committee to Resolve Land Disputes
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Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun has inaugurated a 100-member committee to investigate the long-standing land disputes between Ifon, Ilobu, and Erin-Osun towns in the state.
The committee’s establishment is a response to the bloody clashes that have resulted in loss of life and destruction of property in the affected communities.
Speaking during the inauguration on Monday, Adeleke, who was represented by his deputy, Mr Kola Adewusi, tasked the committee with finding a lasting solution to the crisis.
He emphasised that peace is essential for growth and development.
“It is, therefore, imperative to urgently nurture peace in the affected communities with a view to permanently exhuming the toxic seeds of animosity sown over the years.
“There is also the need to transform differences into dialogue, not enmity,” the governor stressed.
The committee comprises 25 representatives from each of the affected communities and 25 members from the state government.
The Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun, will serve as the chairman.
A retired judge and Chairman of the state Boundary Commission, Justice Moshood Adeigbe, will be the co-chairman.
Four other traditional rulers and government-appointed individuals will also be part of the committee.
The members have been given two weeks to conduct their findings and submit a report to the state government.
“No doubt, it is through reasoned discourse that the fabric of peace can be woven, which will, in turn, propel the prosperity of the state,” he said.
The governor also urged the committee members to deploy their wealth of experience to bear on the critical assignment.
He urged them to bear in mind that peace is essential in any society for social harmony, security, and economic stability.
The committee’s terms of reference include investigating the remote and immediate causes of the dispute.
The committee is also expected to determine and mark the exact boundaries among the three communities, and other related matters.(NAN)
NEWS
Woman Dies in Truck-motorcycle Collision on Badagry Expressway
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A 26-year-old woman has been confirmed dead in a collision between a truck and a commercial motorcycle on Badagry Expressway.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the incident on Monday in Lagos.
The accident occurred at 1:00 p.
m. on Monday at Ojo, located in the state’s Ojo area.“A fatal accident occurred at Ojo Barracks main gate along Badagry Expressway involving a truck and a motorcycle,” the PPRO said.
The motorcyclist was travelling from Mile 2 to Iyana-Iba with a passenger when he lost control.
The passenger fell under the moving truck and was crushed by its rear tyre, dying instantly.
The PPRO confirmed the body was removed from the scene.
He also stated that both the truck and motorcycle had been recovered for investigation.
The motorcycle rider, however, fled the scene, according to the police. (NAN)
NEWS
Equity Market Drops N231bn Amid Sell-offs
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The equity market began the week in the red on Monday, losing N231 billion due to profit-taking by investors.
Sell-offs in Tier-one banking stocks like Access Corporation, Zenith Bank, FBN Holdings, and Fidelity Bank, as well as Oando Plc and Berger Paints, caused the decline.
The Nigerian Exchange Ltd. (NGX) market capitalisation fell by N231 billion, or 0.
34 per cent, from N67. 614 trillion at the open to N67.383 trillion at the close.The All-Share Index dropped 0.34 per cent, or 370.43 points, ending at 108,126.97, down from 108,497.40 on Friday.
In spite of the decline, the Year-To-Date (YTD) return increased by 5.05 per cent.
Market breadth was negative, with 37 losers and 17 gainers.
Northern Nigeria Flour Mills (NNFM) led the losers, falling 9.99 per cent to close at N72.55 per share. Ikeja Hotel led gainers, rising 10 per cent to N12.10.
In spite of the downturn, trading activity remained strong, with a 10.16 per cent increase in value.
A total of 357.76 million shares worth N9.21 billion were traded across 15,914 transactions.
Jaiz Bank led in volume with 48.19 million shares, while Zenith Bank recorded the highest trade value, at N1.37 billion. (NAN)
NEWS
Abia Govt. Vows to Prosecute Peddlers of Falsehood
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The Abia Government has vowed to prosecute individuals or groups found guilty of violating the Cyber Security Act and Data Protection Act.
The Commissioner for Information, Mr Okey Kanu, made this known on Monday during a press briefing on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting at the Government House, Umuahia.
Kanu said that the government would not tolerate the spread of falsehood, under the guise of opposition, aimed at misleading the public.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transparency and encouraged citizens to verify information before dissemination.
Kanu said that deliberate acts of misinformation would be met with the full force of the law.
He said:”This is to inform those who peddle falsehood all in the name of opposition that time has come for them to desist from such unwholesome acts or be ready to face the full wrath of the law.
“Such people need to be reminded of the Cyber Laws in our legal system, Cyber Security Act, the Data Protection Acts all part of our legal system.
“While this government has nothing to hide, we believe that the purveyors of falsehood are infringing on the rights of others.
“The people that engage in acts of misinformation should understand that it has the capacity to cause mischief and chaos among the public.
“It is important for such people to note that this state government reserves the right to prosecute them if they run foul of the law.”
On Petroleum and Solid Mineral, Kanu said that the government had taken a significant step to enhance the state’s economic development, particularly in the oil and solid minerals sector.
He said that in line with the existing agreement between the government and the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN), a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) known as ABTAN Energy Limited had been initiated.
Kanu said that by incorporating the SPV, the government and PETAN have succeeded in creating a structured platform to maximise the state’s oil potential, especially with the state’s 100 capped oil wells.
He also, said that the government had commenced statewide field study on solid minerals to identify the commercial viability and quantity of solid minerals in the state.
Kanu said that this would drive targeted industrial development, attract investors, and create job opportunities.
On health, he said that under the government’s Project Ekwueme, aimed at rehabilitation of Primary Healthcare Centers (PHCs), about 55 per cent completion had been achieved.
Kanu said that the World Bank Impact PHC recognition initiative had commenced across 67 PHCs in the state.
He said that these facilities were separate from the Project Ekwueme, which aimed to establish 200 PHCs, ensuring that each of Abia’s 184 wards would have a PHC.
Kanu said that the government had approved the upgrade of Umunneato General Hospital to a specialist hospital.
He said that with this upgrade, the state would have a specialist hospital in each of its three senatorial districts.
“They are the Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH) in Abia South, Abia Specialist Hospital, Umuahia, with an annex at Amachara in Abia Central and Abia Specialist Hospital, Umunneato in Abia North.
“This underscores the high premium that this administration places on the health sector.
“The goal is to bring healthcare closer to the people and ensure that no one is left behind,” he said. (NAN)