National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net
South West
Friday, August 10, 2012
Oyo: No resolution yet on sacked workers - Committee KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN
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he ad-hoc committee set up by the Oyo State House of Assembly to review cases of the 3,000 workers recently sacked by the state government has not passed any resolution calling on the executive arm to reabsorb the former workers. The Chairman of the committee, Hon. Segun Ajanaku, who made the disclosure in a statement issued in Ibadan yesterday, said the committee had not even submitted its report to the Assembly on the affected workers.
He said: “The insinuation that Governor Abiola Ajimobi has refused to comply with a so-called House resolution calling for the reinstatement of the sacked workers is farther from the truth. It is a blatant lie because my committee has not even submitted its report to the House. So how can a resolution be passed on a report that is yet to be submitted?” While admitting that the committee was given two weeks within which to submit its report to the House, he said the report was ready for submission but that it could not be submitted because the House
was on recess. “I can tell you that my committee worked conscientiously to ensure that we beat the deadline. The report is indeed ready but we could not present it because the House is on recess,’’ Ajanaku said. He added that the report would be submitted when the House resumed. “Even if the House calls for an emergency plenary today, we are ready to submit our report. There is nothing disturbing us because we are through with the exercise,’’ he said. The lawmaker, who disclosed that over 2,000 of the affected workers appeared
Amosun will soon return to PDP – Odujinrin FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA
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he Ogun State Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Dipo Odujinrin, has expressed the optimism that Governor Ibikunle Amosun may soon return to the party because of the ongoing reconciliatory efforts in the party. Odujinrin, who gave the hint yesterday in Abeokuta, the state capital, while
Amosun
inaugurating the chairmen for the 20 local government executive committees of the party, also said that all aggrieved members who defected to other political parties would soon return to the party under his leadership. With specific reference to Amosun, the newly elected chairman said the new state executive committee under him had set up a five-man reconciliation committee to bring back those who might still be aggrieved in line with the policy of allinclusiveness and team work currently going on in the party. Odujinrin, who was reacting to a statement credited to the governor that he was in the wrong party during his period in PDP, said Amosun
couldn’t have regretted being a legislator in the party that gave him the opportunity in his first political aspiration to be a senator. He said: “We campaigned for him, it was during the period of Obasanjo/Atiku Presidential Campaign; we used the name of Obasanjo to sell him to go to Senate from Ogun State. He now said he regretted it, he did not regret it then. “I assure you very soon all aggrieved members will return to the party, including the governor. As responsible leaders, we have set up a five-man Reconciliation Committee to bring back all people who are aggrieved to the party. The governor is a member of the party and he is welcome to return to the party.”
cycle. The EKSUTH Chief Medical Director, CMD, Dr. Patrick Adegun, who refused to give the details of the stolen money yesterday, said the Management Board was handling the issue. Although he neither confirmed nor denied the suspension of the accountant, the CMD said the matter was being thoroughly investigated by the management, due to its high level of financial integrity. But the EKSUTH Board Chairman, Dr. Kayode Akinlade, told journalists on phone that the issue
was already being investigated by the police. It was gathered that that the accountant might have been suspended, pending the outcome of the Disciplinary Committee set up to investigate the matter. Sources said the hospital board would hold an emergency meeting today to discuss the missing fund and discuss the trial of those involved. However, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Victor Babayemi Olu, said the Command Headquarters had not been briefed on the matter.
Crisis rocks EKSUTH over stolen N2m
ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI
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kiti State University Teaching Hospital, EKSUTH, Ado Ekiti, may have suspended its accountant over alleged incompetence and dereliction of duty in circumstances surrounding the loss of N2m belonging to the institution. The clerk, who the accountant delegated to deposit the money with a bank in the state capital last week, had returned to EKSUTH to narrate how it was allegedly snatched from him by two robbers who operated on a motor-
before his committee, said many of them failed to prove their innocence as they were guilty of the offences which led to their sack. He said: “We discovered that it is true that some of them falsified their certificates, while several others went to acquire fake certificates for whatever reason(s), after being in service. Many others were also discovered to have over-stayed long in service and due for retirement but they falsified their ages so as to escape retirement. “For these categories of people, there appears to be nothing our committee can do. We are fully in support of the governor for taking the bold step to flush them out of the system. We cannot continue to condone corruption and allow the civil service to be grounded to a halt.’’ Ajanaku, however, pleaded with the government to reconsider the cases of those sacked on account of irregularities in the age written in their primary school testimonials and re-absorb them.
FG decides on Lagos - Ibadan Expressway soon –Department Onolememen out of which
ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA
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he Minister of Works, Mike Onolememen, said yesterday that the Federal Government would soon take a decision on the concessioned Lagos - Ibadan Expressway to ensure that work begins on the road because of its economic importance to the country. Speaking with State House Correspondents after briefing President Goodluck Jonathan on the performance of the ministry’s 2012 budget, Onolememen said that government had engaged the concessionaire in re-negotiation with a view to resolving the problems stalling the project. He said: “A meeting was held on it on Tuesday. We are engaging the concessionaire and very soon, something will be done on it.” The minister also disclosed that the ministry had so far received N44bn in the 2012 budget, out of which 93 per cent had been utilised. Onolememen added that about N38bn had been released in the Highways
Politics 2015: Strategising ahead of battle •PDP is the only party that is committed to the continued existence of Nigeria – Chief Olisa Metuh, PDP National Publicity Secretary •Merger of political parties is the only way we can rescue this country from the PDP – Alhaji Lai Mohammed, ACN National Publicity Secretary •We can’t afford to fail to unite all the progressive forces. – Osita Okechukwu, CNPP National Publicity Secretary
Crime Watch Kidnappers kill surgeon over unpaid ransom We actually rallied round and raised the N400,000 ransom. We gave it to one of his brothers. In one breath, he claimed that he had paid the kidnappers, and in another, he said the money was still with him and that he had not paid it before the deceased’s corpse was found. – Relation
Celebrity
‘I am happy to be Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria’ g Isabella
Ayuk Ay A y
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N37bn was spent on projects and programmes which represented about 96 per cent. According to him, 12 roads projects have been completed while 156 others are ongoing He said: “Some few projects were highlighted particularly in terms of budget 2012. We are also experiencing national emergencies on some of our arterial roads. For instance, like Port Harcourt - Enugu Expressway where we are making contingent plan for quick intervention so that we can make that road motorable.” The minister added that the ministry was involved in carrying out maintenance work on Enugu - Aba carriageway even though plans were on for its reconstruction. He also spoke on ongoing presidential initiative projects, including the extension of the Ontisha -Enugu Expressway, the Abuja - Abaji Expressway, Kaduna Expressway, Lokoja Expressway and Kaduna – Kano - Maiduguri Expressway.
Saturday Starter MOSOP and the drums of self determination We all know that the United Nations has given minority or ethnic groups the right to self autonomy.... However, we do not believe that this is the wish of all the Ogoni people at this time. -- Mr. Tony Uranta, Executive Secretary of National Summit Group I am of the view that such unilateral action is not called for. If anybody is interested in showing any grievance, they should wait till we meet at the National Conference. – Dr Fredrick Fasehun, Founder, Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) They are entitled to their opinion because under International law as spelt out by the United Nations, which Nigeria is a member, any region and tribe has the right to declare its political autonomy and it is left for the government to either accept or not. – Comrade Shetima Yerima, President Arewa Youth Consultative Forum I belong to that school of thought which says that people have right to self determination under International law. So, if the people of Ogoni have decided to go, they have right to that under International law. – Mr Bamidele Aturu, human rights and lawyer. The leadership of Pro National Conference Organisation, (PRONACO) backs the declaration of the Ogoni people for political autonomy and self determination of their people and territory within Nigeria. – Comrade Wale Okunniyi, Spokesman of Pro National Conference Organisation (PRONACO)
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