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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R • NOVEMBER 27, 2016
SUNDAYNEWS
News Editor Abimbola Akosile E-mail: abimbola.akosile@thisdaylive.com, 08023117639 (sms only)
Ex-Minister Regains Freedom after Six Days in Captivit John Shiklam in Kaduna
COLLATERAL FORUM L-R: Head Research and Development, National Collateral Registry (NCR), Dr. Musa Olasupo; Executive Principal/Heads, Banks & Brokers, Financial Institutions, Standard Chartered Bank, Oloruntimilehin George; Registrar, NCR, Mainasara Muhammad, and Senior Financial Advisor, IFC/World Bank, Ubong Awah at a workshop on the Registry by Bankers Committee’s Sub Committee on Economic Development Sustainability & Gender held in Lagos...recently
Lagos Assembly Reintroduces Controversial Bill to Give Speaker, Deputy Life Pension Abimbola Akosile and Anayo Okolie
Lagos State House of Assembly has re-introduced a bill seeking an amendment to the state’s Pension Law that would give life pension to both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker. The latest attempt to give life pension to presiding officers of the Assembly is coming more than a year after a futile bid to amend the state’s Pension Law. The bid was dropped following public outcry. Opinion leaders and residents of the state had condemned the amendment, when it first came up shortly before the end of the Seventh Assembly in 2015. The bill titled: “A Bill for A Law to Amend the Payment of Pensions and Other Fringe Benefits to Public Office Holders in Lagos State and for Connected Purposes”, seeks to amend the state Public Office Holders’ Pension Law (2007) by accommodating the Assembly’s presiding officers. The existing law only provides pensions for former governors and the deputy governors. Unlike the first attempt which was widely criticised by Lagosians, the current bill which had passed first reading was not publicised. THISDAY gathered
that the plan was to ensure that it was passed without attracting public attention. A lawmaker who pleaded not to be named said the Assembly leadership and some lawmakers were working hard to ensure that the law was passed within the coming weeks. A copy of the bill obtained by THISDAY showed the various sections proposed for amendment and the replacement of the Schedule of the Principal law with a new Schedule. The bill which provides that the law will be cited as the Public Office Holder (Payment of Pension) (Amendment) Law 2016, proposed an amendment of Section 6 of the Principal Law which defines public office holder. The Principal law defined Public office holder as governor and deputy governor. The amendment bill states as follows: “Section 6 of the Principal Law is amended by deleting the meaning of Public office holder and replacing it with public office holder means the Governor, Deputy Governor, Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.” In part A of the new schedule proposed to replace the schedule in the principal bill, the governor and deputy governor will receive 50 per cent of their annual basic
salary but the allowances and fringe benefits in part B (i) cover the governor, deputy governor, speaker and deputy speaker. These include accommodation - a one residential house for the public office holder at any location of their choice in Lagos State; furniture - payable every five years en bloc; and transport – one car for the speaker and one pilot car, while the deputy speaker will be provided with one car to be provided by the state. According to the proposed amendment, the speaker and the deputy speaker will also get 10 per cent of their annual basic salary as car maintenance allowance, and another 10 per cent of their annual basic salary as entertainment allowance. All the public office holders are entitled to domestic staff, cook, steward and gardener, who shall be pensionable. On medical, the law provides that there shall be free medical treatment for them as well as members of their immediate families. In addition, for security, the bill provided that there shall be one policeman for the Speaker and one policeman for the Deputy Speaker. All these are coming against the background of the current economic recess in the country, and this is eliciting negative reactions from members of the public.
A source within the Assembly said the lawmakers were also weighing the option of including permanent secretaries that have served in the state in the new Pension Law so that they would not be seen as being selfish. Late last year, the issue also came up on the floor of the Assembly after a concerned citizen, Alhaji Kola Oseni, wrote to the House seeking that former governor of Lagos State, Lateef Jakande and two former deputy governors, Rafiu Bakare Jafojo and Sinatu Ojikutu should be accommodated in the law. Segun Olulade, the representative of Epe Constituency 2 in the House, had pleaded with the House to urgently consider the request, noting that during his tenure as Lagos State Governor, Jakande made some positive marks including making it possible for the House to have the first sitting. In his comments then, Lanre Ogunyemi, the representative of Ojo Constituency 2 at the House, had expressed surprise that Jakande was not part of the beneficiaries of the pension law in the state. He had urged the House to act very fast about it, especially considering Jakande’s immense contribution to the state.
Former minister of foreign affairs, Mr. Bagudu Hirse who was abducted by unknown gunmen last Sunday was released yesterday in Kaduna after six days in captivity. Confirming the release in a telephone chat, his daughter, Dr. Nanbam Bupwatda, who spoke with THISDAY, said her father was released by the kidnappers in the early hours of Saturday and expressed gratitude to God. She however declined to say whether a ransom was paid before his release, but a source close to the family said an undisclosed amount of money was paid to the kidnappers. Spokesman of the Kaduna state police command, Aliyu Usman, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), however said no ransom was paid. Ac-
cording to him, Hirse was released due to the pressure mounted by the police in the efforts to rescue him. “No ransom was paid; what is of interest to us is that the former minister has been released. He was released due to pressure mounted by the police and has been reunited with his family members. He did not sustain any physical injury”, Usman said in a telephone interview with THISDAY. Hirse was abducted last Sunday in Kaduna near the residence of Alhaji Mamman Daura. He, in company of a friend were heading to Daura’s residence shortly after paying condolence visit to the Kaduna family home of the late Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki, and were few metres away when unknown gunmen abducted him.
Military Task Force Rescues Six Abducted Persons in Bauchi
Seriki Adinoyi in Jos
The Military Task force keeping peace in Plateau state and part of Bauchi state have rescued six persons abducted on November 19 around Zango-Lere forests in Lere district of Tafawa Balewa local government area of Bauchi State. The families of the six persons rescued from captivity had earlier been asked to pay a ransom of N10 million according to the task force Commander, Major General Rogers Nicholas. He also said the kidnappers had opened fire on personnel when they attempted a rescue operation but later abandoned their victims due to the superior fire power they encountered from men of the task force. One of the parents of the victims, Mallam Saleh Isa said the kidnappers had stormed
Lere village at about 11pm on November 19 and abducted three male and three female residents. The victims, who appeared dazed, gave their names as Adama Yunusa, Hajara Abdulrahman, Yakubu Manga, Musa Adamu, Habiba Mamman and Saleh Gwani. They were handed over to their parents and their family members at the task force headquarters with the Commander of the military Operation Base at Tafawa Balewa, Colonel Adeola Kalejaiye, stressing that his men were committed to ensuring that cattle rustling and kidnapping in the area is brought under control. Another parent of a victim, Adamu Mamman lamented that criminals around Tafawa Balewa axis have now resorted to kidnapping as a way of enriching themselves.
Asiwaju for Igbara-Odo Ekiti
Nigeria Sitting on Unearthed Wealth, Says Fayemi
For more than five decades of meritorious service to his community and state, Elder statesman and current Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Elders Forum in Ekiti State, Chief George Olanrewaju Akosile, is to be conferred with the title of Asiwaju of Igbara-Odo Ekiti by the Arajaka of Igbara-Odo Ekiti, HRM Oba Edward Jaiyeola, on Saturday, December 10; after unanimous approval of his (Akosile) recommendation by the Committee of Igbara-Odo Day celebration, scheduled to hold on the same day. Akosile, former Chairman of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), who was also the Special Adviser on Chieftaincy Matters under the administration of Dr. Kayode Fayemi, was at different times Permanent Secretary in the Ministries of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Works, and Finance in old Ondo State before Ekiti State was created. The seasoned technocrat and octogenarian, who was born on November 17, 1934, was also former State Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Ondo and Ekiti States.
• As ministry partners Australia on mining
Wesley Church Harvest
Kasim Sumaina in Abuja
The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi has disclosed that Nigeria is sitting on unearthed wealth that should be tapped to contribute feasible solutions for the greater good of the nation and its citizenry. The Minister disclosed this recently while declaring open a two-day capacity building workshop organised by the Australian High Commission in collaboration with the ministry in Abuja, with the theme,
‘Policy and Capacity Building Workshop for a Successful and Sustainable Mining Sector.’ Speaking through the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mohammed Abbas, Fayemi noted that Nigeria and Australia have enjoyed a long history of commercial, cultural and diplomatic links built up over the years, adding that not very long ago, in 2012 to be precise, Australia and Nigeria signed an MoU covering political economic, commercial, technical and cultural cooperation. He noted that the workshop
was aimed at reforming and improving the ministry’s administrative and regulatory capacity to govern the sector for growth and increased revenue, economic opportunities and jobs for the teeming youth. According to Fayemi, “We recognise that the imperative of cooperation has never been more urgent as we pursue maximal growth for the sector. The economic fortunes and aspirations of sovereign countries in the world over are now so interconnected and inseparable.” He emphasised that, “In
Nigeria, we consider it imperative to go beyond our borders to engage ever more intensely with the matrix of knowledge, experience and global support. In an interconnected world, no nation can pursue its economic interests as an island. We must make the earth work for us in a sustainable manner.” He stressed that the workshop was an avenue for sharing experiences, ideas and knowledge in the industry between the two countries and a tangible and practical demonstration of what Nigeria and Australia can do together.
The Maiden Professional Harvest of Wesley Church, Araromi is coming up on Sunday November 27 at the Church Sanctuary, 38/ 40 Berkley Street, off King George V, via Race course, Lagos. According to the Chairman of the planning Committee, Sir Oluremi Omotoso, the programme is scheduled to start at 2:00 pm and the theme is ‘Harvest of Bountiful Fruitfulness’. The event will also have in attendance, the Archbishop of Lagos Diocese, Most Rev. Luke Odubanjo and other Ministers while the sermon is to be delivered by Mr. Tunde Lemo (former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank). Wesley Methodist Church Araromi is rapidly growing Church mainly populated by young people situatedintheLafiajiancestralareaoftheLagosIsland.Oneoftheaims of organising this year’s event is to encourage the youths in the church to meet and see successful professionals in the society and also aspire tobesuchinthenearestfuture.Theywouldlikeyoungpeopleintheirassemblytoemulateinvitedeminentpersonsandaspiretobesuccessful in their chosen careers, in a release issued by Bro Aramide Tola Noibi, FNIPR,MNUJ.