Metro
Ondo Crisis: We’ll Maintain Status quo- Factions
Opposing factions in the political crisis between Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo and his deputy Lucky Aiyedatiwa have agreed to embrace peace and maintain the status quo after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu on Friday.
A statement by Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity on Saturday in Abuja, stated that the President advised all parties in the political crisis to bury the hatchet and embrace peace.
Factions at the meeting include the deputy governor, representatives of Akeredolu, federal and state lawmakers of Ondo, officials of the state’s chapter of the All Progressives’ Congress, and other stakeholders in the state at the State House, Abuja.
Ngelale said the parties agreed that Gov. Akeredolu remains Chief Executive of the State, Aiyedatiwa remains Deputy Governor, members of the State Executive Council continue their respective duties, and the leadership of the State’s House of Assembly and the APC Chapter in Ondo State is preserved.
Aiyedatiwa, who declared his decision to maintain the status quo and unite all the factions, said: “I want to say that I pledge to all of you that I embrace every one of you.
“I put behind all that has happened before now.
“I’ve let go and also let God (to take charge), just as the President has advised us.
“And I want to say that with no offence, no guile in my mind whatsoever. All that has happened is politics. Impeachment is part of politics. If you survive it, it is also politics. It has come. I’ve survived it, and every other thing is in the past.
“It is one big family and our father has intervened to bring all the children together to remain under the same family.
“With the position that I occupy, I will carry every one of you along in every decision that needs to be taken, and in everything that we do, we will work together.
“The executive and the legislature will work together to ensure that governance is on the right track.”
He pleaded with all members of the State Executive Council to rally around the governor and himself to “bring the dividend of democracy” to the people of Ondo State.
“All the Executive Council members, I want to plead with all of you to cooperate with me, with the Governor, so that we can bring the dividend of democracy to our people.
“We should respect one another regarding the offices we occupy and our age differences. So, it’s going to be mutual respect.
“And I want to assure the party structure that we will work together because the party is supreme. We will always give you your due respect,” he said.
Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly Oladiji Olamide who read the details of the resolution, said, “Our resolution is that one, we shall embrace peace.
“Secondly, there would be no more dissolution of the cabinet, and the Deputy Governor would maintain the status quo as far as the House of Assembly leadership is concerned.
“We will maintain the status quo as far as the party leadership in the state is concerned and maintain the status quo as far as the leadership of the State House of Assembly is concerned. Thank you, Mr President.”
On her part, the Secretary to the State Government, Princess Oladunni Odu, stated, “Our Father, the President, has taken the trouble to settle our rancour in Ondo State.
“We owe you all the gratitude, Sir. We will not disappoint you. We have taken every word you said. And we are going home as one united family under the party, APC.”
In his remarks, the Ondo State APC Chairman, Ade Adetimehin, expressed delight at the outcome of the deliberations, saying that the party will remain a watchdog to ensure that the new commitments are adhered to.
“Today is my happiest moment. And I know sanity has come to Ondo State. So, on behalf of the teeming supporters of our party in the state, we appreciate our leader, Mr President,” Adetimehin said.
Metro
FG Reaffirms Commitment to Providing Enabling Environment for Migrants
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to providing enabling environments and adequate protection for migrants in the country.
Mr Tijjani Ahmed, the Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCRMI), said this at the International Migrants Day in Abuja on Wednesday.
Report says that the theme of the celebration was “Beyond Borders: Celebrating Migrants’ Legacy, Protecting their Rights.
”The Commission organised a walk in commemoration of the day to sensitise Nigerians of the danger of not following the right path when leaving the country.
Ahmed highlighted the invaluable contribution of migrants to Nigeria’s development, including remittances exceeding 23 billion dollars annually, and advancements in technology and agriculture.
He said that President Bola Tinubu’s administration was committed to creating a secure and supportive environment for migrants while enhancing migration governance.
“We are here today to celebrate the migrants for their technological transfer.
“We celebrate migrants because of their contributions towards the development of this country.
“We also celebrate them today in order to inform them that the Nigerian government and the people of Nigeria are there for them.
“We do not forget the contribution of our migrants in the diaspora towards the development of Nigeria,” he said.
Ahmed emphasised Nigeria’s readiness to lead migration governance globally through the “Rabat Process” in 2025, showcasing its dedication to migration management and human rights.
“Nigeria is preparing to take over the leadership of the rubber process by 2025.
“We are asking everyone within and outside this country to support Nigeria to succeed in the governance of migration internationally.
“We have at least 10,000 migrants in Nigeria and over 20,000 outside the country that are contributing towards the development of the country, ” he said. (NAN)
Metro
FCT Civil Service Commission Begins Regularisation of FCTA Staff Appointments
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)
Metro
Jos School Collapse: CWON Holds Trauma Healing Session for Parents, Survivors
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.