NEWS
Diri Seeks Relocation of FG College from Alma Mater Site
From Tayese Mike, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has urged the Federal Government to build a permanent site for the Federal Government College, Odi in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of the state and relinquish the current complex to its former occupants, Government Secondary School.
Governor Diri made the request on Saturday at a reception held in honour by his former classmates of the 1981 Set at Government Secondary School, Odi.
The governor said he had nostalgic feelings returning to his alma mater and decried the absence of the artefacts that would have reminded them of their sojourn in the school due to the relocation to a new place.
Governor Diri cited the rejection of the renaming of the University of Lagos to Moshood Abiola University by its alumni, who he said took legal steps to stop the name change, urging his former classmates to consider similar measures.
“I join Barrister Preye Agedah to request that the Government Secondary School, Odi, that was ceded to the Federal Government College be returned. I call on the Federal Government to build a new school and return it to the Government Secondary School.
“I also call on all old GSS students to take steps for relocation of the school to its original premises. I am sure those mud houses under which we were taught are no longer there. Those are monuments. Unfortunately, we do not know how to preserve history that we would hand over to our children.”
The governor, who pledged continuous support to development of the school, urged the students to be dedicated to their studies in order to attain success like those that were moulded in the school.
Describing their former teachers as role models that instilled discipline and moulded them to become successful, he promised to support the surviving ones.
The governor also directed relevant commissioners and agencies to commence work on the school’s perimeter fencing, renovation of science laboratory and update of the library and other requests made by the alumni.
He also announced the institution of a foundation that would award scholarship to the best graduating student in the school.
In his welcome address, Solicitor- General and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Barrister Preye Agedah, said the event tagged “Grand Home coming and reception,” was to honour the governor and also thank God who has blessed members of the set.
Highlights of the occasion were the presentation of awards to deserving students and the unveiling of exercise books for students of the school.
President Bola Tinubu has returned to Abuja, the nation’s capital, after spending two weeks abroad.
The President arrived back at the Presidential Villa in the early hours of Wednesday.
The Nigerian leader had travelled to the Netherlands on April 23 for a summit on economic growth.
After the three-day event, he proceeded to Saudi Arabia, where he joined other leaders from around the globe for the World Economic Summit (WEF).
The Nigerian leader did not immediately return to Nigeria after the event, spending more days abroad.
No official reason was given for the extended stay that has aroused speculations from some Nigerians.
This newspaper earlier reported on Tuesday that President Tinubu was due in Nigeria this Wednesday, according to his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
From Ene Asuquo, Calabar
High Court sitting yesterday in Effraya, Etung local government area of Cross River state has granted motion exparte, disbanding the state Cocoa Allocation Surveillance team from operating at the government Cocoa estate.The court placed the injunction order restraining the team from harassing allottees of government cocoa farms in Etung local government of the state.
The order came five days after Otu’s administration issued a statement suspending activities of the surveillance team barring them from operating at government Cocoa estate in the state. The court presided over by Justice Amajama Eneji, yesterday after the proceedings, adjourned the matter for argument till May 23,2024 after a counter affidavit to the motion on notice and statement of defense was filed by counsel to Cross River State government Barr.Woda Ogar.In a brief interview with journalists at the court premises at Effraya, counsel to Cross River State government, Wada Ogar, said, “ I just came today to find out that there were 27 others recently filed.”The application ex parte was taken and has been variously adjourned to May 23rd for hearing of the motion on notice. But what I came here for was suit no. HA/16, 17 and 18, 2024 which have been served on me and I have filed my responses.”Well, it is the allegation of the claimants that some hooligans are taking over the plots over which we are in court, harassing the people and all that.”That is why in the first place, they brought an application ex parte to restrain those people and then they alleged that, surveillance committee set up by the government was being used to perpetrate illegalities, because of that, the court made another ex parte which had gone viral” Woda said.Meanwhile counsel for claimant, Mba Ukweni ( SAN),averred that he and his clients (claimants ) came to court to take a motion for interlocutory injunction to restrain government and its agents, her appointees from interfering with allottees of government cocoa farms.
From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State in his 100 days in office has been said to have made history with the payment of 100 percent monthly pension to Local Government Pensioners and 85 percent monthly salary to local government workers in the state.This positive development which started in the month of April, 2024, is coming after several years of percentage payment being experienced by local government pensioners and workers in the state.
It was a jubilation galore for the beneficiaries as they said that it will go a long way in cushioning the effect of the current economic hardship as well as giving them a sense of belonging with their counterparts in the Kogi State Civil Service. Governor Ododo also made his mark within the 100 days in office by entrenchment of good governance through the appointments of capable Commissioners and Special Advisers to kick start effective administration.In the education sector, Governor Ododo made his feat in the payment of external examination fees such as WAEC and JAMB, creation of online registration portal for the registration of indigenous students of Kogi in tertiary institutions across the country for payment of their bursary allowances, payment of outstanding fees to all Students’ Associations and Youth Organisations in the state.Ododo equally ensured the completion of internal roads at Confluence University of Science and Technology, Osara as well as inspection of legacy projects in the institution and Kogi State University, Kabba.Furthermore, the Governor embarked on training of teachers in the Kogi State Public Schools/ Deployment of a new set of teachers recruited by the Kogi government.Inorder to boost food security within the period under review, Governor Ododo’s administration, cleared over 8,000 hectares of farmland for this year’s farming season, conducted a census of genuine farmers in the state to determine farmers to benefit from government subsidies and interventions and refurbishment of over 200 Tractors which were distributed to farmers across the state to carry out their farming activities.On information dissemination, the Governor installed a Transmitter at Radio Kogi headquarters in Lokoja to ensure effective publicity of government policies and programmes, provision of operational vehicles to the Radio Station and Solar Power to ensure uninterrupted transmission.In an effort to avert possible flooding in the state during this year’s raining season, Governor Ododo within his 100 days in office, awarded contract of N29.9Billion Erosion Control Projects at Ankpa, Okene and Ijumu local government areas
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