By Femi Ogunshola

Dr Kayode Ajulo, Executive Director, Egalitarian Mission for Africa (EMA), has urged the Federal Government to mandate public institutions to provide appropriate training for officials on public right to access information.

Ajulo, who made the call at the annual general meeting of EMA on Tuesday in Abuja, said that such training should be in line with the Freedom of information (FOI) Act.

He said that the association had declared 2021 as the year to ensure that transparency, accountability and probity are entrenched in government.

He said that Ministries Department and Agencies (MDAs) of government should be mandated to provide appropriate training for their officials on public right to access information.

He said that officials should be compelled to provide records held by public institutions, adding that they should also be trained to submit to the Attorney-General of the Federation report containing necessary information.

Ajulo said that in spite of salient and unambiguous provisions of the FOI Act, most public institutions in Nigeria do not often comply with the Act.

The lawyer expressed worry over the failure of some public institutions to make information available to the public even when the Act specifically provided that an application fee may be charged.

According to him, there is a general public interest in promoting transparency, accountability, public understanding and involvement in the democratic process.

“Democracy cannot flourish if governments operate in secrecy,” he said.

He said that the nature and quality of public participation in government would be significantly impoverished without the nourishment of information from public authorities.

“To guarantee freedom of expression without including freedom of information would be a formal exercise, denying both effective expression in practice and a key goal which free expression seeks to serve.

“It is on the backdrop of this that EMA in collaboration with other partners, civil societies organisations, journalists, researchers, academicians and well spirited lawyers declared 2021 as the year of war,” he stated

He added that the battle was against lack of transparency, accountability and probity in the public institutions “and to this cause we are committed.’’

He said that any public institution and public officer who failed to comply with the provisions of the FOI Act should be made to face the wrath of the law.

“We take the liberty to also call on the office of AGF to take the bull by the horn by ensuring that all public institutions adhered strictly to the provisions of FOI Act.’’

He said that Nigerians were entitled to know how their common wealth were being utilised, managed and administered in a democratic setting.

He added that such would positively influence the feeling of belonging in the society adding that EMA would pursue it to its logical conclusion.

By Ikenna Uwadileke

Chief Whip of the Senate, Sen. Orji Kalu has described  Senate President Ahmed Lawan as a patriotic statesman, passionate about the welfare of Nigerians and growth of the nation.

Kalu, in a goodwill message on Tuesday to commemorate the 62nd birthday anniversary of the president of the senate, acknowledged Lawan’s invaluable contributions to nation building.

He commended Lawan for his exemplary leadership qualities anchored on fairness and equity.

Extolling the virtues of the senate president, the former governor of Abia stressed that the 9th Senate under the watch of Lawan had sustained giant feats in its duties and responsibilities.

Kalu urged politicians to emulate the outstanding leadership qualities of Lawan, adding that the president of the senate had over the years sustained his goodwill among his colleagues, followers and contemporaries.

“On behalf of the good people of Abia North Senatorial District, I extend my warm greetings to the President of the Senate, Sen. Ahmad Lawan as he clocks 62.

“Mr President of the Senate, your good works in public service over the years, has earned you robust goodwill among Nigerians.

“The contributions of the National Assembly to nation building couldn’t have been possible without your inclusive and participatory leadership approach.

“As you continue to complement the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari in advancing the cause of Nigerians, I am confident that the country will attain greater heights.

“On this occasion of your birthday anniversary, it is my prayer that God will grant you longer life and wisdom as you serve the nation.”

Kalu wished Lawan joyous and memorable celebration.(NAN)

By Joy Odigie

Austin Atakpu, the Managing Director, TCS Paymeters Ltd., manufacturers of prepaid meters, says metering of houses in the country is a gradual process and not automatic.

Atakpu disclosed this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin on Tuesday.

He was responding to a question on the unavailability of prepaid meters for some energy consumers in the country.

He said that the Federal Government was concerned about the manufacturing of meters and it was doing everything possible to ensure that every house was metered.

He, however, noted that prepaid metering was an expanding business, as the demand for meters was huge for Electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) to meet at a go.

“We manufacture prepaid meters in the country for DisCos.

“But the DisCos are still updating their systems.

“As they update their systems, they bring in new prepaid meters to the public, it is a growing thing.

“It is not a demand that can be met overnight, because new houses are being built on a daily basis and they require meters,’’ Atakpu said.

For instance, he said, one could not say, as of today, that the meter requirement for this state is five because by the time you wake up tomorrow there will be about 10 or 15 new houses that will require meters.

“There are also a number of existing houses that do not have meters, so satisfying all of these will be gradual and achieved in no distant time.’’

NAN reports that President Muhammadu Buhari promised that every house in the country will be metered before the end of his administration to end the problem of estimated billing.

In fulfilment of this promise, the Federal Government began the distribution of six million free prepaid meters to Nigerians in October 2020 through the National Mass Metering Programme.

The programme was launched in Eko, Kano, Kaduna and Ikeja Distribution Companies (DisCos) franchise areas. (NAN)

By Aminu Garko

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed that 13 persons died, while 14 others sustained various degrees of injury in an accident on Bida/Mokwa road in Niger, on Tuesday.

Mr Joel Dagwa, FRSC Sector Commander in the state, confirmed the figures to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna.

Dagwa said that the accident, which occurred at about 6.3a.m. at Panti village, involved a heavy duty vehicle with registration number ZUR690XA and a bus with registration number TN421XA.

“Twenty seven people were involved in the accident 13 died, while 14 others sustained injuries had been taken to Federal Medical Centre, Bida and General hospital, Kutigi, for treatment,’’ he said.

The sector commander blamed the accident on fatigue, leading to loss of control. (NAN)

By Ibironke Ariyo

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), has denied reports that its Chairman, retired Col. Muhammad Abdallah, has been sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr Jonah Achema, spokesperson for NDLEA, said this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Tuesday, in Abuja.

Achema, a Deputy Commander of Narcotics (DCN), said however, that the tenure of Abdallah who was appointed on Jan. 12, 2016 expired on Jan.11.

“The chairman was not sacked as reported by some media organisations. However, his five-year tenure elapsed on Jan. 11,” he said. (NAN)

Indonesia has deployed a remotely operated underwater vehicle to help divers search for the remains of victims from a Sriwijaya Air jet that crashed into the sea on Saturday.

The Boeing 737-500 plane with 62 people on board plunged into the Java Sea Saturday afternoon, four minutes after taking off from Jakarta’s main airport.

“Today we are focusing on finding the victims,” Yusuf Latif, a spokesman for search and rescue agency Basarnas, said on Tuesday.

A remotely operated underwater vehicle has been deployed to help scour the seabed, while navy vessels with sonar search from the surface.

Divers have narrowed down an area where they believe the flight recorders, known as black boxes, are believed to be but search efforts have been hindered by debris, officials said.

Once the flight data and cockpit voice recorders are found, Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) expects to be able to read the information in three days.

Indonesian police made the first identification of a victim from the crash on Monday. Flight attendant Okky Bisma was identified by his fingerprints, said a police official.

“My super kind husband… Heaven is your place… Until we meet again darling,” Okky’s wife, who is also a flight attendant, wrote on her Instagram account.

The Boeing 737-500 jet was headed on a domestic flight to Pontianak on Borneo island, about 740 km (460 miles) from Jakarta, before it disappeared from radar screens.

It was the second major air crash in Indonesia since 189 passengers and crew were killed in 2018 when a Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX also plunged into the Java Sea soon after taking off.

The jet that crashed on Saturday is a largely different design.

With few immediate clues on what caused a catastrophic loss of control after take-off, investigators will rely heavily on the flight recorders to determine what went wrong.

The Sriwijaya Air plane was nearly 27 years old, much older than Boeing’s problem-plagued 737 MAX model.

Older 737 models are widely flown and do not have the stall-prevention system implicated in the MAX safety crisis. (Reuters/NAN)

By Grace Alegba

The Yoruba Youth Assembly (YYA), an umbrella body of Yoruba youth groups globally, has appealed to Nigerian youths to lead campaigns for protection and preservation of indigenous languages, cultural heritage and identities.

Mr. Olarinde Thomas, president of the group, which has 38 affiliates in Nigeria and the Diaspora, made the call in a statement on Monday in Lagos.

Thomas said that YYA made the appeal during its conferment of award on Mr Taiwo Alli, an industrialist, nationalist and culture ambassador in Lagos.

The YYA president stressed the need for Nigerian youths to re-awaken the African consciousness of the next generation through protection and preservation of the nation’s values, culture and languages.

“As we develop within our democratic dispensation in Nigeria, it is important that the youth be fully involved in the task of societal development and consolidation of the achievements being recorded in our urban sector.

“As youths who are the most active and vital force in the society; we are the most eager to learn and the least conservative in their thinking.

“It is, therefore, of the utmost urgency that a framework be put in place to harness and bring into full play the energy of our youths in the task of transforming our tribe and nation into a truly developing one,” he said.

He commended Alli for being a uniting force understanding the core values and aspirations of the youth and their “quest for unity, peace, prosperity, mutual respect and peaceful co-existence.”

He commended Alli for being a culture ambassador, doing his best to promote the Yoruba values and heritage, describing him as a great nationalist.

Thomas also thanked the recipient of the award for providing leadership in education; IT and property sector and being a role model for youths aspiring for greatness.

The YYA President lamented that the colonial rule introduced western ideologies into governance to whittle down the powers and relevance of the traditional rulers and also made them subservient to the educated elite.

He called for protection of the nation’s rich cultural heritage and, values which were daily being eroded, urging youths to lead the campaign to change the narrative.

On his part, Alli, Chairman/CEO, Clifton Homes, who is also the Managing Director, Twin Tech Services Ltd., thanked the leadership of YYA for counting him worthy to receive the award.

He pledged his continued support for YYA as well as youth empowerment and training in the South West.