NEWS
Corruption Hindering Our Service Delivery- NSC Boss
Mr Emmanual Jime, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), says the council will deliver more quality services when corruption is tackled.Jime said this on Wednesday when the Head of the Technical Unit on Governance & Anti- Corruption Reforms (TUGAR), Joan Onwulere, led her team to visit him in Abuja.
According to him, corruption among other challenges is limiting the progress of Nigeria’s Maritime sector and this needs to be tackled.
While commending the TUGAR team for the good job there were doing, Jime pledged the continued support of the NSC to the team to measure sanity of the maritime industry. “Let us also be aware that there is still several ways to go, there is a lot of work left to be done. “What we do at the NSC, because of the important role we play of regulating the commercial sector of the maritime domain, there is no way we will deliver on quality services if those services are mitigated by the incidences of corruption.”We are together in this and it is a battle that I believe is winable, but we have to carry on with this work to its logical ends.”I want to thank you for coming and to assure you even more that whatever is needed as far as support from the shippers council is concerned.”By way of funding , by way of provision of equipment to the best of our ability that we have been able to do till now, we can only continue to do and do even more,” Jime said.According to the NSC boss, the work of TUGAR aligns with the desire of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, and the NSC and every well meaning Nigerian should support it. On implementation of Nigeria Port Process Manual (NPPM), the executive secretary said one of its challenges was that the NSC was the only agency bearing its burden. “I regret to say that the greatest challenge perhaps you may face going forward is that the shippers council appears to have been bearing the burden of the implementation of the port process manual single handedly. “This is supposed to be inter-agency platform, and so we can use this platform to appeal to all of the other agencies of government that are partners to what we do to also join shippers council in assisting. “So that we do not have the kind of challenge on funding that we are having in this present time. Earlier the head of the TUGAR team thanked the NSC for the level of support it had received in the past and appealed for more support going forward.According to Onwulere, the team had since inception and through the support of the council achieved a lot of milestones.
She listed some of the achievements to include training of corruption risk assessors, launch of the corruption risk assessment report, Port Service Support Portal (PSSP), the recently launched NPPM among others. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the TUGAR is comprised of the Ministries of Transport and Finance, NPA, NCS, NIS, NIMASA, NDLEA, CRFFN, ICPC and BPP.(NAN)
NEWS
Imo Governor Appoints 16 Special Advisers
From Marcel Duru & Charity Wins, Owerri
Imo State Governor, Sen Hope Uzodimma has approved the appointment of 12 Special Advisers (SAs) as efforts are in top gear to deepen the gains of the Shared Prosperity 3R Government of his second term.
The appointments, according to the governor in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser, Oguwike Nwachuku on Wednesday in Owerri, were with immediate effect.
The newly appointed SAs are: Barr. Leo Awazieama; Joseph Oputa; Mrs. Ijeoma Ikegwuruka; Comrade Austin Chilakpu; Dr. Patrick Uzoma; Dr. (Mrs) Obianuju Nwokejiobi; Chidi Onyewuchi; Andy Chikwe; AND Amarachi Anyaehie.
Others are: Tonia Chimenem Chinda; John Ikeaka; Mrs. Chinyere Emeziem; Mrs. Esther Ukachukwu; Ezechi Chukwueme; Humphrey Ikeaka and Barr. Mrs. Ngozi Pat Ekeji.
Governor Uzodimma congratulated the new appointees and urged them to brace up to contribute their quota in the overall interest of Imo State.
NEWS
CNPP Laments over Rising Food Inflation
From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, (CNPP) has lamented the rising state of food inflation in Kogi State.
The Kogi State Chairman of CNPP, Mohammed Kabir Abdullahi in a statement made available to Journalists, fumed that the prices of food stuff and other goods have continued to bite harder on the people of the State.
Abdullahi, who disclosed that Kogi is a Civil Servant state and does not deserve this continuous untold hardship noted that the present economy is toxic on the people.
He stressed that Kogi State having the highest food inflation in Nigeria according to the National Bureau of Statistics report is not only embarrassing but condemnable.
He emphasized that the people of the State are suffering adding that, the present administration should urgently put measures in place to ameliorate the sufferings of the masses.
” It is not good news as far as CNPP is concerned that Kogi recorded 48.46 per cent, which is the highest food inflation rate in Nigeria followed by Kwara 46.18 percent, while Akwa Ibom was pegged at 45.18 percent.
“Now in Kogi State, when you go to the market, what you will buy at a particular price in the morning will be different from what you will buy with the same goods in the afternoon or evening . The traders didn’t go to the market to buy new products but they will on their own increase the prices just to frustrate the people despite them earning peanuts as their wages. This is unfair and condemnable.
“We are appealing to the government of Kogi State to intervene in the rising state of food inflation. People are really suffering. Kogi State is a Civil servant state and does not deserve what they are getting now. Many traders in Kogi State are using the present economic hardship in the Country to exploit the people.
“This must stop before things get out of hand. The Government must ensure that those who are sabotaging its effort in controlling economic inflation are checked. We know that the present administration under Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo will do the needful for the people of Kogi State to smile again” he stated.
He, however, appealed to the people to remain calm, promising that CNPP will hold the government accountable for good governance in Kogi State.
NEWS
Benue killings: Benue reps frown on incessant attacks on communities, killings of his constituents
From Attah Ede, Makurdi
The member House of Representatives representing Gwer East/Gwer West Federal Constituency, Arc. Asema Achado, Wednesday, condemned the incessant attacks on Benue communities and killing of 28 persons by suspected Fulani herdsmen militia in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State.
Arc. Achado who described the action of the attackers as senseless, expressed deep condolences and solemn empathy to the grieving communities of Tse-Kperyisa, Tse-Adaa, and Tse-Shiver, where innocent farmers were slaughtered by herdsmen. Achado in a statement by his Personal Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mendah Manasseh, said he joined his voice with the Gwer West people in condemnation of the senseless and unlawful attacks..The statement said “the attacks have inflicted immeasurable pain and suffering upon the peace-loving people of Gwer West.”I implored the Benue State Government to urgently intervene by enforcing the Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law, by ensuring that the perpetrators of these barbaric acts face swift and decisive justice.“They should also collaborate with law enforcement agencies to apprehend those responsible for these heinous crimes against humanity,” he said.”I therefore call on the people of Gwer West to remain steadfast and united in their quest to bring an end to the spate of killings.Achado assures his constituents of his unwavering support and steadfast commitment to championing their cause and advocating for lasting peace and security in the constituency.