Metro
FRSC Impounds 835 articulated Vehicles in Lagos
Lagos Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says it impounded 835 articulated vehicles in 2020 under its Operation Scorpion I, II and III. The state Sector Commander, Mr Olusegun Ogungbemide, gave the figure at a conference in Lagos on Friday.
The conference on: “Curbing Crashes Involving Articulated Vehicles, was jointly organised by FRSC, Lagos State Transport Management Authority (LASTMA) and Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS), Lagos State. “The FRSC, Lagos Sector Command, had in recent times adopted and engaged in some home-grown operational initiatives. “One of such was code-named Operation Scorpion I, II and III.” The operation, the first of which was held in 2016 and subsequently carried out in 2020, was introduced to wage a total war against haulage servicing vehicles that operate below required and globally acceptable safety standards. “The operation recorded 835 articulated vehicles booked for various offences ranging from failure to properly secure containerised goods with the aid of proper latching hooks, to operating with worn-out tyres and other observed mechanical deficiencies. “Traffic agencies urged stakeholders to collaborate with the government and stop loss of lives and property in the state,” he said.Ogungbemide said the need for cooperation of major fleet owners in this regard could not be overemphasised as truckers bore the largest brunts of any traffic mishaps in the country. He added that accidents involving articulated vehicles had huge negative impacts on the economy. “For instance in 2018, Nigeria lost over N39 billion to tanker and trailer-related road crashes. “According to available statistics, a total of 650 tankers and trailers were involved in crashes in 2018, with over 90 per cent of the affected vehicles having been used for haulage transportation for over 30 years. The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Olajide Oduyoye, appealed to motorists and others aiding gridlock in the state to change their attitudes and support the state government to achieve safety of lives and property. He said that gridlock affected all aspects of life. He appealed to traffic managers to prioritise safety of lives and property. “Enforcement need to take place to enable people do the right thing. “We need to step up our action; our people like begging when they violate traffic rules in order not to be sanctioned,” he said. Oduyoye advised transport operators to remove rickety articulated vehicles from the roads. He said that the state Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu was committed to tackling perennial gridlock on Apapa Road but needed cooperation of all. The Director of Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS), Lagos State, Mr Akin Fashola, said that VIS would continue to work with FRSC in improving road safety. Fashola said that VIS would also collaborate with stakeholders to stop rickety vehicles from plying Nigerian roads. (NAN).
The Federal Capital Territory Civil Service Commission has begun the regularisation of staff appointments in the FCT Administration and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).
The Head of the Civilo Service, Dr Udo Atang, said at the commencement of the exercise in Abuja on Wednesday, that the move was to ensure accurate data of all staff.
Atang described the regularisation as a “critical” exercise, which forms the bedrock of the new FCT Civil Service Commission (CSC).
He pointed out that all the staff were holding letters of appointments from various agencies, departments, area councils, and the defunct Ministry of FCT and FCDA among others.
The holders of these letters, he said, have been raising issues of discrimination based on letters of appointment.
According to him, the exercise and the gazette by the commission that will come thereafter, will give all staff a sense of identity.
“The essence of this regularisation is to ensure that staff are properly documented.
“You will now have letters that will now qualify you as a bonafide staff of the FCT Civil Service Commission.”
The head of service, who appealed for full cooperation of the workers, directed that a list of all staff on course, study leave, leave of absence and other related permissions be compiled and submitted.
He added that the list should be compiled with grade level, designation and record of service, including approvals.
Atang commended the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, for his doggedness and commitment in implementing the provisions of the FCT CSC Act, 2018.
Noting Wike’s support and love for the FCT workers, the head of service urged the workers to reciprocate the minister’s uncommon gesture, by being dedicated and committed to their respective duties.
Also speaking, the Chairman, FCT CSC, Mr Emeka Ezeh, stressed that part of the responsibilities of the commission was in the appointment, promotion and discipline of all FCTA and FCDA workers.
Ezeh also stressed the need for the workers to be more committed in the discharge of their responsibilities. (NAN)
From Jude Dangwam, Jos
The Catholic Women Organization of Nigeria (CWON) has organized a trauma healing session for survivors of the Jos Saint Academy School collapse alongside parents who lost their children in the unfortunate incident.The National President of the organization, Dame Mary Gonzum noted that the effort was part of their psychosocial support and counseling services for victims of the school building collapse as a follow-up to the assessment of the condition of the victims during their visit.
Gonzum speaking during a one day trauma session held at the Secretariat of the Justice Development and Peace/Caritas Commission (JDPC) of the Catholic Archdiocese located along Zaria Road in Jos the Plateau State capital said the trauma healing session was in continuation of their intervention to students who experienced the building collapsed.”Today, a trauma healing session was flagged off with a seminar on how to go about handling the trauma that victims of the Saint Academy School Busa Buji in Jos are passing through.”We will later select those that are so traumatic and need help to continue with the process of healing because it is not something that will end in a day or two but will need sometime.”The surviving students who experienced the building collapsed, parents of the students are all here because some parents are so traumatic, we have one other woman that lost two children”This trauma became necessary because when we went visiting in the hospitals, we observed that some of them are really traumatic. Like the other boy, his mother said up till today he kept telling his mother that he is seeing dead bodies, and anybody he sees he will say is his classmate.”Some of the affected parents while sharing their encounters after the incident said they hardly sleep in the day or night time. Some manage to sleep for two hours and they’re awake, and from the little lectures we received today it is clear that there is a problem,” She noted.The President calls on the government to ensure that those saddled with the responsibility of approving, inspecting and supervising structures are meant to do their job with all diligence to avert future happenings again.Some of the affected parents including; Hasana Suleman Sale who lost two of her children recalled with pains the unfortunate development that claimed the lives of her two children. She expressed gratitude for the trauma healing session which she said came as a means of consolation and strength for her to overcome the trauma she is passing through.
The Catholic Church in Nigeria has welcomed the newly-appointed Apostolic to Nigeria, Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty.
Crotty, an Irish, was appointed by the Vatican.
He will oversee the propagation of the gospel of Jesus Christ through the church in Nigeria.
The position, an ambassadorial status, advances cohesion in the body of Christ.
In his welcome message for Crotty on Tuesday, the President of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, said that the Church was glad to receive him.
The CBCN president, who is also the Archbishop of Owerri Catholic Archdiocese, said,” With joy and gratitude to God, I extend a hearty welcome to Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty on behalf of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, clergy, religious and lay faithful in Nigeria.
“We are thankful to His Holiness, Pope Francis, for appointing Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty as the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria to build on the good works of his predecessor, Archbishop Antonio Filipazzi.
“His appointment is a testament to the strong spiritual bond between our countries,” he said.
He said that although Crotty was the first Apostolic Nuncio from Ireland to serve in Nigeria, many Irish missionaries had played significant roles in spreading the gospel in Nigeria.
“We appreciate Archbishop Crotty’s acceptance of serving in Nigeria and assure him of our full support and cooperation.
“We pray for a fruitful mission and a blessed tenure for our excellency,” he added. (NAN)
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