Ekiti seeks Partnership with LASEMA on Disaster Management.

Ekiti seeks Partnership with LASEMA on Disaster Management.

Ekiti State Government is set to collaborate with Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) to bolster security measures and fortify disaster management strategies. 

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji disclosed this during a working visit to LASEMA Headquarters in Ikeja, Lagos, at the weekend. 

The Governor restated the resolve of his administration to safeguard the lives and properties of its citizens while fostering a secure and conducive environment for their daily endeavors.

Accompanied by the State Commissioner of Finance, Mr. Akintunde Oyebode, Governor Oyebanji was received by the Director-General of LASEMA, Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, who took him on a tour of the agency’s facilities. 

Dr. Oke-Osanyintolu explained the pivotal roles played by various units within the Emergency Operation Center, stressing the significance of digitization in streamlining emergency information and coordination processes, often in collaboration with private entities.

“For the state Governor to be here to Partner with us at LASEMA speaks volume. This is the kind of commitment you expect from a good leader who is ready to secure lives and properties of his people. We are ready to address all the security challenges and emergency issues. We will partner with Ekiti fully, efficiently and effectively. We will share information and build capacity”, the LASEMA boss said.

Furthermore, Dr. Oke-Osanyintolu highlighted potential areas of improvement for Ekiti State in emergency and disaster management, including fire services, environmental stewardship, rapid response initiatives, and ambulance services. He emphasized the critical need for adequate funding and streamlined bureaucratic processes in optimizing emergency response mechanisms.

Expressing his satisfaction with the LASEMA team and their operational strategies, Governor Oyebanji expressed his readiness to adopt and adapt Lagos' digitization approach to address security and emergency challenges within Ekiti State. 

“I swore to defend ekiti people, they elected me to do certain things for them. Most states are grappling with security and emergency issues We have gotten to a point where we have to secure our territory because security is very key.

“As a state, we have a structure on ground but I have come to LASEMA here today to see for myself and seek collaboration with LASEMA who have walked the path and made their own mistakes but they are now doing well, for us, we don’t have the financial resources that Lagos has and we cannot afford to make too many faulty steps. 

“We have discussed and the collaboration will start immediately. I am assuring Ekiti people that they are in for the best. I am excited and I must thank Lagos state for giving our Son, Dr Oke-Osanyintolu this platform to serve.”, the Governor added.

Reps summon Binance boss over alleged terrorism financing, others.

Reps summon Binance boss over alleged terrorism financing, others.

The House of Representatives Committee on Financial Crimes has summoned the Chief Executive of Binance Holding Limited, Richard Teng, over alleged involvement in terrorism financing and money laundering.

The Chairman of the Committee, Ginger Onwusibe, on Friday at a panel, issued a seven-day ultimatum to the management of Binance Holdings Ltd to appear before the committee on or before March 4, 2024.

Binance, an online exchange where users deal in cryptocurrency, has been flagged by the Central Bank of Nigeria to have been involved in money laundering, amongst others.

Onwusibe, however, warned that the committee would be forced to invoke the constitutional powers vested in the committee to take appropriate measures if Binance Holdings fails to heed the summon.

Onwusibe, decried the refusal of the Chief Executive of Binance Holding Limited, Teng, to appear after a series of invitations to brief the committee relating to the total disregard for extant laws governing business and financial operations in the country.

The Committee had summoned the Managing Director of Binance, in a letter dated 12th December 2023 and signed by its chairman, Onwusibe requesting a hearing on the 18th of December, 2023.

“We also have to protect and defend the country’s finances, especially now that the country is nose-diving into recession. The allegations of terrorism financing, money laundering and tax evasion amongst others levelled against Binance are damning enough.

“At this material time, we need all the tax dollars and to block the leaks and channels to financing terror,” the lawmaker added.

$104b needed to meet net zero commitment by 2050 – DG.

$104b needed to meet net zero commitment by 2050 – DG.

The Federal Government has inaugurated a committee to actualise the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) in Northeast Nigeria.

The committee chaired by the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle, was constituted by the Minister, according to a statement from the minister’s office on Saturday, February 24.

Other members of the committee are representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, National Emergency Management Agency, Northeast Development Commission and National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

The UNMAS is a service located within the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations that specialises in coordinating and implementing activities to limit the threat posed by mines, explosive remnants of war and improvised explosive devices.

The Nation recalls that the UNMAS was initially deployed to Nigeria in 2018 to provide technical support in areas of coordination, planning and technical advice and support to the humanitarian communities and government, but left after years of inaction.

The inauguration of the committee is an indication that the present administration in synergy with the Borno State Government has given the issue of demining of Northeast, which was ravaged by the activities of Boko Haram/ ISWAP terrorists for more than a decade, adequate attention.

Speaking after inaugurating the committee, Matawalle said the inauguration of the committee was a “bold step” that the federal government was committed to providing support to hazardous areas affected by either war or activities of terrorism.

The Minister said some of the benefits of the UNMAS include assistance for the IDPs, risk education and advocacy, clearance of the identified hazardous areas and stockpile destruction.

Matawalle said the federal government would work with the UNMAS in working out a workable solution in reintegrating IDPs and farmers into society for better life.

He said: “There is the need to conduct Technical Surveys to identify hazardous areas that need to be safe before any other activities can take place.

“We need to redesign action plan for the IDP returnees and farmers to go back to their farms.

He said the federal government would also provide essential technical support for the establishment of a National Mine Action Centre in the Northeast and extend it to the Northeast where incidences of insurgency are still prevalent.

 “Such a centre will afford the IDPs the opportunity to return to their communities and have access to quality education,” he said.

The minister disclosed that the Borno State Government has provided official and residential buildings for the activities of UNMAS to commence in the North-East.

I will make impact as FCT Minister – Wike.

I will make impact as FCT Minister – Wike.

Federal Capital Territory Minister, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, has assured Abuja residents that he will make an impact as FCT Minister.

He said the decision of President Bola Tinubu to turn the nation’s capital, Abuja, into a huge construction site is to ensure that his Renewed Hope Agenda finds immediate expressions in the lives of residents even before his first anniversary in office.

Wike disclosed this on Saturday after he inspected several ongoing projects across Abuja.

The minister, who expressed delight at the pace of work in the various sites, said some of the projects are nearing completion.

Wike said: “I have to commend the various contractors. The first site we went to is one of those areas that by the grace of God, is 85 percent ready. One of those interchanges in Wuye. The contractors are keeping to date and their commitment to delivering by the end of May.

“We also went to the Kuje road. It will open up that area of the Council. Last time when I went to flag off one of the rural roads, I did say that the contractors were not serious, but going back there today, one is very impressed with the level and quality of work.

“I have always said that we are not going to allow any project to be abandoned. We have taken our priorities and most of these projects are also included in the statutory budget of 2024, which will soon be submitted to the National Assembly by Mr. President when he returns from Qatar. I am very happy with the quality and speed with which these companies are working.

“By May, Nigerians’ will see the changes as far as FCT is concerned. We are carrying out a lot of resurfacing of the roads in the city centre like Maitama, Asokoro, Wuse and the rest of them.

“On Abuja turning into a construction site, it is all about the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President. So many people had lost hope before and Mr. President said no need to lose hope, we are here to rekindle your hope, bring back the hope.

Earlier, Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr. Shehu Hadi Ahmad said the Administration is currently constructing 11 kilometres of the 76 kilometre Kuje-Gwargwada-Rubochi-Abaji-Nasarawa six-lane highway.

Oborevwori urges unity among Deltans.

Oborevwori urges unity among Deltans.

The Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, has called for unity with the expiration of the tenure of Local Government Council Chairmen on March 8, noting that elections into the Local Government Councils would be held soon.

Oborevwori stated this at the Peoples Democratic Party, stakeholders meeting held on Friday at the Government House Asaba.

He said, “The local government council chairmen will exit this coming week and l want to assure you that very soon, we will conduct election into local government councils. A date will be announced for the election; it will not be too long.

“I just want to put you on notice that the wards should continue to bubble, let our local governments continue to get stronger. PDP is a party that you cannot beat.

“We are still more united across the South-South; Delta State is firm, the party is strong. We are united and there is cooperation everywhere. Even at the national, we are doing our best.

“We know very soon that the congresses at the wards, at the Local Government Areas, at the state, and even including the zonal, all will be held this year. So, once we meet at the NEC meeting, decisions will be taken. So, nothing to worry about.”

In their separate remarks, former Governors of the State, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan and Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, urged leaders of the party to continue to work in one accord for the sustainable victory of the party in subsequent elections.

N’Assembly plans N28.77tn budget review over naira fall.

N’Assembly plans N28.77tn budget review over naira fall.

The National Assembly would need to revisit the N28.77tn 2024 budget, the Senate has said.

The Red Chamber explained that there was a need to revisit the budget following the incessant fall of the naira against the United States dollar.

The National Assembly has passed a harmonised 2024 budget Appropriation Bill totalling N28.77tn which was eventually passed on January 1, by President Bola Tinubu.

The National Assembly increased the bill by a total of N1.2tn, moving the budget from N27.5tn to N28.7tn.

The Senate also benchmarked the exchange rate at N800 per dollar, moving it from the initial N750 per dollar initially pegged by the Federal Government.

Proffering reasons for the increment, in December, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Solomon Adeola, explained, “The current price of the dollar at the black market is between N1200 and 1300, and in the Central Bank of Nigeria, it is between N950 and N1000 and we have a budget which was pegged at N750, if you look at the gap, you’d realise that has covered a lot of gaps already.

“Again, we did some external consultations, most especially in the area of oil benchmark and petroleum resources, if we had gone in that line, we’d have pegged it at N850/N900 to a dollar and we agree that we want to be conservative in our approach, so that nobody will think that we want to increase the budget for any ulterior motive, that was why we left it at N490bn out of which N44bn is for statutory transfer, so effectively, the increment is about N446bn that is going into the Federal Government pocket as consolidated revenue.”

In an exclusive interview with newsmen on Saturday, Senator Adeola said certain actions need to be taken concerning the 2024 budget as the variables upon which the budget was built could no longer stand.

He said, “Yes, it is true that the budget was passed at N800 to a dollar but as we speak, it’s no longer visible as the dollar currently stood at N1450 to a naira.

“And I can tell you that there is a need for us to revisit the budget as the variables upon which the budget is predicated are no longer there. So all we need to do is just take our time and do some internal workings within the landing cost of petroleum product per litre of fuel.

“After this, we can now collaborate with the current budget that we have so that we can give NNPC what the actual figure for this landing cost will be, and then any savings arising from that can be planned upon for a supplementary budget or reallocation of some project within the budget,” he added.

Fubara praises citizens’ support, preaches peace.

Fubara praises citizens’ support, preaches peace.

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has lauded the support and feeling of liberation from the citizens of the state, stating that they appreciate the tenable sacrifices and commitment of his administration.

The governor said this at the special event organised by the Okrika Council of Chiefs and the people of Okrika to honour the Amanyanabo of Okochiri Kingdom, King Ateke Tom, at the Okrika National School field on Saturday.

The amanyanabo (king) of Okochiri Kingdom, King Ateke Tom was bestowed with the honour of Be Se Poku by the apex body of traditional rulers and the people of Okrika.

Fubara stated, “If you love your state, you will not be any part of anything that will bring destruction to it. It doesn’t matter who the person is. That is what people should understand.

“And for those of us who chose peace, it is not because we are weak but because we know and value this state. Whatever achievement has been recorded by the previous administration, we must sustain it. And that is the reason why we toe the path of peace.

“Look at what is happening in the 23 local government areas in the State. I am not asking anybody to go around to do thanksgiving as some of you might be thinking. These are people who wake up in the morning and say, we have been liberated. We want to tell people that we exist.”