NEWS
Reps Flay Mishandling of $120m Cargo Scanners
The House of Representatives has expressed anger over $120 million 22 cargo scanners purchased by the Federal Government but were mishandled after take over by the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS).The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, expressed the displeasure at a one-day public hearing by the House Committee on Customs and Excise on Monday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 22 scanners were said to have stopped functioning within a year they were handed over to Customs by the service providers. The public hearing was sequel to a resolution on the “need to investigate lack of transparency in the transfer of Technical know-how from Cotecna Destination Inspection Ltd and Global Scan Systems Ltd. Gbajabiamila said this led to the collapse of the multimillion dollars scanners at Nigeria’s Ports and Border stations. He recalled that “in 2006, Nigeria acquired cargo scanners worth more than US$120 million, and retained the service providers on Build, Own, Operate and Transfer (BOOT) terms”. He stated that the contract also provided that the service providers would provide training and technical support services to NCS on risk management, valuation and classification. According to him, by the end of 2013, the transition process from COTECNA, SGS Scanning Nigeria Ltd, and Global Scan Systems Nigeria Ltd, the former service providers, was completed and the scanners handed over to the NCS.He added that within a year of the handover, the scanners had stopped functioning and Nigerian ports and borders were again returned to the analogue process of physical examination. He said that the scanners, which were installed at various Customs operation locations at Tin-Can Island Port, Mappa; Port Harcourt Area One Command, Onne Port; and Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.Others affected were the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos; Seme and Idi-Iroko borders, Port Harcourt and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airports. Speaking, the Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Leke Abejide, said it was disturbing that the Federal Government was not keen about taking serious action on scanners across Nigerian ports, Airports and Land borders. He said that most arms and ammunitions came directly through the approved borders, Sea ports and Airports without detection by security operatives. He added that it was easy to go undetected because scanners that should detect the arms and ammunitions were nonfunctional and left to decay. Mr Manoj Jagtiani, the Chief Executive Officer, Merry Aviation Electronics, said that the company was involved in the management and supply of the scanners. He said that when the scanners were handed over to the NCS, it made every effort to reach out to Customs in a bid to proffer solution on how the scanners could be managed, but its efforts proved abortive. According to him, the machines are the most effective, reliable and efficient equipment required to tackle congestion at the ports and to make Customs job more efficient. He said that it was the biggest investment by the federal government to the tune of $120 million in 2006.Speaking, Acting Comptroller General of Customs, Mr Aliyu Saidu, said that the service providers demanded for money from NCS to implement the ICT modernisation project. He added that the NCS refused to pay the money which service were not provided, hence, the service providers backed off from providing the needed support to maintain the scanners. He said that though the equipment provided by the manufacturers worked perfectly but there were no diesel to run the generators, adding that this led to the decay. He said that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) promised to provide for scanners but customs approached the CBN to also help repair the 22 scanners before buying the additional four. Rep. Timehin Adelegbe (APC-Ondo) however noted that if 22 scanners could get damaged and were nor repaired, then the issue of saboteurs should not be ruled out.He said that it was worrisome that after 22 scanners were damaged the country still want to buy another four without consideration for the existing 22 scanners. (NAN)
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike has directed government hospitals to provide free treatment to the people that sustained injuries during a stampede at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Maitama, Abuja.Wike gave the directive in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Mr Lere Olayinka, in Abuja on Saturday.
No fewer than 10 people including children lost their lives while 10 others sustained injuries to the stampede, during the distribution of food items to less privileged and the elderly by the church. The sad incident occurred around 6:30 a.m on Saturday.Wike said that the FCT Administration would ensure that the injured received adequate medical attention.The minister, who commiserated with the victims, also directed that henceforth, police permission should be obtained by individuals or organizations planning public distribution of palliatives, either food items or cash.Describing the incident as “painful”, Wike prayed for the repose of the souls of the lives that were lost and fortitude for their families to bear the irreparable loss.He commended the Police and other security agencies for their prompt intervention, saying, “the promptness in which security agencies responded to the incident was commendable.”In a related development, the FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD), equally commiserated with the victims of the stampede.The acting Director General of the department, Mr Abdulrahman Mohammed, in a statement said that nine out of the 10 injured persons earlier taken to Maitama District Hospital, have been treated and discharged.Mohammed also appealed to organisations that intended to give out food items to the less privileged to involve security agencies or FEMD for adequate planning to ensure safety of beneficiaries.He also advised the use of coupons and segregation of the beneficiaries into groups to avoid crowd and rowdiness that could lead to stampedes.Similarly, the Police Command in the FCT has ordered organisations, religious bodies, groups, or individuals to notify the police when planning public events, charitable activities, or large gatherings in the territory.In a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer in the FCT, SP Josephine Adeh, said that the notification was to enable the police to deploy adequate security measures for public safety.According to her, failure to comply with the directive will result in the organisers being held liable for any incident or loss of life resulting from negligenceMeanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force has issued a warning against the unorganised distribution of palliatives and funfairs, which have led to stampedes and fatalities among vulnerable citizens.The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, gave the warning during a media briefing on Saturday in Abuja.Adejobi explained that the warning came in response to the increasing number of stampedes resulting in injuries and deaths, particularly during palliative distributions. (NAN)
The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), says it has recorded a lot of successes in military training and academic activities in 2024.
The Commandant of NDA, Maj.-Gen. John Ochai, said this at the Nigerian Defence Academy Social Activities (NDASA), held at the headquarters of the academy Afaka on Friday in Kaduna.
Ochai said the essence of NDASA was to end training activities of the year.
He said the 2024 NDASA was unique because the academy marked 60 years of existence from 1964-2024.
Also of significance, Ochai said, NDA had passed out the largest number of officers commissioned into the Armed Forces of Nigeria in 2024.
Equally, he said, in the same year (2024), the academy had the largest number of officers trained outside the country.
He emphasised that the NDA does not only train leaders for the Nigerian Armed Forces, but those for the Nigerian nation and humanity at large.
“After five years of training, we imbibe in officers leadership qualities that are everlasting.
”The traditions, ethos, characters that we instill in our cadets follow them forever and become very useful in all spheres of human endeavors,” Ochai said.
Mr Martins Amaram, Country Security Manager, Nigeria Breweries, PLC , who was the Special Guest of Honour, said the event fostered unity, cultural awareness and comradeship among the cadets and the larger community.
Amaram said, “The academy has always been a beacon of excellence in producing military leaders for integrity, resilience and capacity to face in a dynamic and complex world .
“Beyond academics and military training the academy still values cultural respect and social engagement, recognising the diversity of our great country. Nigeria.”
He commended NDA for creating the platform where cadets can appreciate the rich cultures and build bonds that transit borders.
Amaram added, “The Armed Forces of Nigeria are playing a critical role in ensuring the stability and progress of our nation. “
He urged the academy to continue to record more successes in its mission of excellence and service to the nation.
Report says that awards were given to deserving soldiers who distinguished themselves in 2024.
report says that 22 soldiers were decorated from Warrant Officer(WO) to Master Warrant Officers(MWO). (NAN)
A Corps member serving in Katsina State, Blessing Ene-Ameh, has distributed free delivery kits to 50 pregnant women in Mani town, Mani Local Government Area of the state
The corps member distributed the delivery kits to the expectant mothers in Mani on Friday as part of her personal Community Development Service (CDS)project.
Eneh-Ameh said that she visited a hospital in the area during one of her group CDS programmes and observed that the hygiene of women in the antenatal and children’s wards was not too good.
The corps member also stated that she had noticed that the turn up of pregnant women for antenatal care was very low.
She said, ”This attracted my attention to the need to educate pregnant women on its importance.
“There is also the need for them to keep themselves and their surroundings very neat to avoid infections for themselves and their babies.
“The aim was also to educate them on the importance of planning for the future of the baby.
”They also need to be staying clean to reduce the risk of contracting infections and other diseases by both the mothers and children, as well as the community in general.
“The training will empower the women to be able to handle and bring up children for the family,” Eneh-Ameh explained.
The NYSC Coordinator in the state, Alhaji Sa’idu Ibrahim, commended the corps member for her ingenuity and magnanimity to carry out the project.
Represented by the Local Government Inspector, Alhaji Abdulrazak Ismail-Tsiga, the coordinator urged the corps members serving in the state and other parts of the country to emulate her. (NAN)
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