In what appears to be a quick shift of tactics, officials from the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) carried out a midnight clean-up operation, dismantling two main markets and three crucial roadside selling stations along the busy expressway’s arteries.
The crew, which was largely made up of Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) officers and security personnel connected to their Area 3 Enforcement department, cleared all wooden tables, benches, and other things previously used by sellers.
The exercise, which lasted from 11 p.m. Wednesday to 4.25 a.m. Thursday along the airport road, was led by Comrade Ikharo Attah, Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection, and Enforcement.
He said the operation was in line with a directive of the FCT Minister that the cleaning of the Airport Road is a continuous exercise, and as such they can’t stop at nothing, but to recover the gateway to the city.
Attah added that prior to their visit, the affected traders had removed their goods and taken them to somewhere else for safe-keeping, it was only the wooden benches, tables and umbrellas left behind that were cleared.
His words: “We commenced the operation from about 12 am till about 4:30 am, and we have been able to freely removed all the wooden benches, tables, umbrellas and everything there. We cleared them all, and because they are so massive, we can’t pack them, and we had to set all of them ablaze, as part our plan to clean up the Airport Road corridor.
“If we try to do this during the daytime, we observed that people would gather in their thousands watching; and passers-by will slow down and be watching us , but today we didn’t see such, because of the time when we stormed the place.
” I believe that we are getting the result, and so far we were able to remove two main markets and three strategic roadside selling points. It was so disturbing and painting our city in bad light, that’s why the FCT Minister gave us the mandate to check the menace, and we have been doing that.
“We had come here today, to demystify and actually sack most of the night markets and roadside trading. so long as we continue working I don’t think that they can come back, as on a daily basis, we have our pin-down there, and from time to time, a joint cleaning team will make sure that these activities will not continue.
“And going forward, even after the greening exercise, the Airport Road will be constantly be kept clean as it is the gateway to our city.”
Meanwhile, the Deputy Director of AEPB, Kaka Bello, noted that it’s just part of our routine exercise, as part of our effort at cleaning the Airport Road, and ensuring that all environmental nuisance are removed.
Kaka reiterated that some traders using makeshift structures and lot of shanties, which hitherto defaced the place were removed. “As you are aware, the Airport Road is the gateway into and out of nation’s capital city.”
The Federal Capital Territory Agricultural And Rural Development Secretariat (FCT-ARDS) have been trained about 600 youths on practical skills in Green-house farming technology on Wednesday in Abuja.
This is targeted at propelling them to gainfully venture into agriculture sector.
The Youths which were drawn from the FCT Agriculture based youth groups across the six Area Councils were comprehensively engaged in a two-day capacity building on Green-house management practices, organised by the Secretariat in Gwagwalada.
The ARDS Secretary, Mallam Abubakar Ibrahim while flagging off the training said the programme is in line with one of the policy thrust of the FCT Administration, predicated on unearthing the abundant potentials of the agriculture sector in Territory as well as to positively engage the teeming population of youth in productive ventures across the various agricultural value chains.
He said that ARDS veered into the Greenhouse crop production in 2020 as a pilot project mainly for demonstration purposes for FCT youth, which has now metamorphosed into a venture with huge commercial benefits.
His words, “This is part of Mr. President’s call for us the agencies and ministries to lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty. So we are introducing a new technology (Green House farming in the FCT, it is an all-year round programme to encourage our youth and women to venture into agriculture sector.
“Because, as we all know, everyday the population of Abuja is increasing as people from all walks of life come to look for jobs, and we don’t have the jobs. This is why we are introducing this new technology.
“At the end of the training, we are going to encourage them with some starter-packs that would help them to advance their skills and knowledge.
“Already, we have gotten approval from the Hon Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu to establish additional two new greenhouses in Bwari and Kwali Area Councils respectively; so, my hope is before I leave office, is to replicate this in the six Area Councils of the FCT”, he hinted.
Earlier, the Director, Agric Services at the ARDS, Mrs Ihekandu Francisca, explained that greenhouse technology is a new method of rapid multiplication of crop commodities , under controlled climate and environmental factors for increase in crop yield.
She said that the training will empower farmers, ensure self-sufficiency in sustainable agriculture, reduce youth restiveness, rural-urban youth drift, create jobs and alleviate poverty in the Territory.
In his goodwill message, the Station Head, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Kubwa, Professor Lateef Sanni, stated that, recently the organisation signed a Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) of partnership with the FCTA, said one of the first case study is the issue of the use of Greenhouse technology, which is the practical demonstration of green innovation. It is also a hand-aide tool for the youth, as it is more or less an urban farming system, with available market for the produce.
According to him, “On behalf of IITA, I want to compliment the initiative with a solar house technology for the processing and preservation of the post harvest, which we have done in other countries.
“I want to openly commend the FCT Minister of State and the amiable and productive Mandate Secretary for ARDS and the Directors for taken this initiative. And if we all work together, definitely, we are going to create more jobs for the youth and enhance our economic development as a nation”.
Karu Market traders and other stakeholders on Wednesday begged the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to suspend the planned shut down of the entire market for further clean up.
This is coming as the FCT Administration on Tuesday demolished shanties and illegal structures around the market.
The traders who had an interactive meeting with officials of the Committee, pleaded that their means of livelihoods were at stake, and may get worse, should the market be shut down.
One of the representatives of the Market developers, Chika Obiora while commending the demolition exercise which he said had restored sanity in the market, also pledged to work in synergy with other stakeholders to sustain the environmental sanitation and also end all activities that encourage traffic gridlock.
FCT Ministerial Committee on City Sanitation, hinted that the discovery made on growing illegalities within the market was alarming, and the need to temporarily shut down the entire market for a total clean up and restore the Masterplan.
The Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to FCT Minister, Comrade Ikharo Attah who led the squad, said the rate of illegalities perpetrated in the market, do not only constitute environmental and security threats, but not befitting for a model City like Abuja.
Attah , however, reiterated that FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello remains unhappy that traders in Karu Market had left spaces in the market to take over the roadside, making it difficult for a free flow of traffic.
He noted that if the illegalities were not abated, FCTA may not give further notice before shutting down the entire market.
Saying, both Kubwa and Dutse markets have been shut down in time past, due to overwhelming illegalities and activities that disturb other residents’ rights.
Similarly, the Deputy Director, Enforcement at Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) Kaka Bello, said returning to the market for further clean up, was inevitable as reports showed that some of the market managers were conspiring to perpetuate the illegalities.
He noted that traders with the support of some unscrupulous officials of the Abuja Municipal Area Council, were also converting approved land uses illegally to suit their selfish desires.
Earlier in his remarks, the Head of Department, Survey and Planning, Abuja Municipal Area Council, ( AMAC) Ngbede Micheal said the Council was in support of the ongoing sanitation in the Market.
He also noted that the Council would ensure that all violators of rules and extant orders in the market, were handled in accordance with the laws.
To rid the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of nefarious acts especially those impeding on traffic free flow, the FCT Administration has removed shanties and roadside shops in Karu Market and it’s environs.
The FCTA officials fully armed by security operatives, in a joint clean up exercise stormed the area with two bulldozers, and demolished makeshift structures built with woods and roofing sheets within and around the perimeter fencing of the market.
They also dismantle several umbrellas and attachments to the shops inside the market, and set ablaze rubbles from the demolished shanties.
Recall that the officials of FCT Administration had carried out markings of illegal structures around the market, located in Karu, a major satellite town sitting on major road corridors, connecting the city centre to Old Karu, Orozo and up to Karshi satellite towns of the Territory.
Newsfocusng observed that some affected traders had carried out partial dismantling and removal of their wares to avoid loss.
Explaining the rationale behind the exercise, the Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to FCT Minister, Comrade Ikharo Attah, who led the team, said the removal of shanties and roadside trading within and around the market, so as to free vehicular and human traffic in the area.
Attah, described the situation as very worrisome and disturbing, given the nightmarish experience motorists face daily, to pass through the Karu Market stretch of the Nyanya-Karu-Karshi road.
His words: “It is very turbulent as people took half of the dual carriage road, to sell fresh fish, vegetables and others. That’s what took us there, and we have done it absolutely very well.
“For about five years, this illegality started developing strongly , it has not tasted our machines, so today it tasted the wil of the FCT Minister to actually rid Abuja of illegality especially things that impede on traffic free flow that is why today we are happy that people are excited that the road is free now.”
Speaking on how to sustain the clean up, Attah said: ” We are hopeful that we keep coming and checking the situation here, trusting that the Area Council that owns the market, which has been very supportive of this clean up will actually do well in keeping it under control, and with the support of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) they will do all they can to ensure that traders go into the market and other designated areas like the informer section, and keep the place clean and away from the road.”
Also speaking, Nbede Micheal , the Divisional Head, Planning, Land and Survey in AMAC, noted that hitherto the removal exercise, the situation was bad, as shanties, lack of parking space and all manner of things are built in and around the market.
According to him, “One of the major issue here is trading activities, totally blocking the major express road on a daily basis. Thank God for the work done by the FCTA, as it is a work well done.
“But, we are going to put all measures in place to sustain the new outlook of the the market. We are going to station AMAC Marshalls to checkmate whosoever that is going to put anything on ground in the undesignated places within and around the market.
“Even though, we have a private developer, who is already handling the market, we will fence the whole market, so that we can together safeguard the market.”
As 2023 general election approaches, the women wing of the Nigeria Labor Congress has threatened to mobilize women across the country to vote against law makers at the National Assembly who voted against the gender bill. In a peaceful rally in Abuja, asmost of the women who expressed their displeasure over the recent rejection of the bill by the National Assembly, said they are strategizing and will hit back on the law makers who have displayed their height of irresponsibility. Speaking at the occasion, the Chair Person, NLC Women Political Commission, Comrade Salamatu Aliyu, who described their action as unfortunate, said the law makers have just proven that, they don’t value and have regards for the Nigerian women.
“It is unfortunate that the law makers decided recently that women women don’t matter, that they are not ready to work with women. Nigerian women are having constipation, you know when you eat the food and the food refuse to digest, you have constipation. Women in Nigeria today are having constipation from that decision of the law makers to throw away the baby and the bath water” She said.
” This one has shown us that our men who are representing us do not respect their mothers, do not see the values of their wives, their daughters, do not see the values of any woman in their families” she said.
“There is a difference between a Khaki and a leather. Because of the constipation they have caused us, we are going to draw a map for them. The Congress has a plan and our demands. He who fits into our demands is the person we are going to vote for.
“So, if you do not have a voter’s card, if there is any member of your family that doesn’t have a voter’s card, please make sure they get it because I believe each and every one of us here can cast ten votes in the family, a minimum of ten votes,” she said.
In her displeasure, the HOD, women and youth, NLC, Comrade Rita Guyit, said that the law makers have not only disappointed the Nigerian women, but the entire world, hence they lack women trust in leadership positions. She added that the rejection of the bill serves as energizer, as Nigerian women are coming out stronger.
“We are here to join women all over the world, we have contributed a lot in our society. We are raising our voices to the National Assembly that they have disappointed world, we cannot trust them, they are not reliable, they are not responsible people, because any responsible people will not throw away gender bills. We know what women stand for, without women, the world will not be a safe place for anybody.”.
She added, “Infact the rejection of the bill if for anything has energized us, so we are strategizing and that is why we are coming up, like they say tactics in the war, don’t disclose your all your strategies, but let’s speak loud and clear, that for those men that voted against the gender bills, we are voting against them wherever they are”.
The women further disclosed that, Nigeria Labor Congress and its leadership is in full support of the women, and would do everything to get back on the law makers who voted against the bill. The peaceful rally, was parts of the activities of the NLC women wing to mark the 2022 International Women Day Celebration.
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court Abuja has remanded the detained Commander of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Force Intelligence Bureau, Nigerian Police Force, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, in the custody of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
Justice Nwite directed that the Defendant should be kept in the NDLEA detention facility pending the hearing of their bail application on Monday, 14 March.
The remand order followed the arraignment of Kyari and 6 others over alleged cocaine deal.
Docked alongside Kyari are ACP SUNDAY J. UBUA, ASP BAWA JAMES, INSPR SIMON AGIRGBA, INSPR JOIIN NUHU CHIBUNNA, PATRICK UMEIBE EMEKA, and ALPHONSUS EZENWANNE. In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/57/2022, it was alleged by the FG that DCP Abba Kyari, ACP Sunday J. Ubua, ASP Bawa James, Inspector Simon Agirgba and Inspector John Nuhu, all male, on or about the 19th to 25th January 2022, at the office of Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Abuja conspired amongst themselves with ASP John Umoru (now at large) to deal in 17.55kilogrammes of cocaine and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 14(b) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act, CAP N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.
Upon arraignment, Kyari and the 3 other police officers charged with him pleaded not guilty to the charge, while Patrick Emeka, the 6th and Alphonsus Ezenwanne, 7th defendants, respectively, pleaded guilty.
The matter is before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court.
Candidates of any exam diet conducted by West African Examinations Council (WAEC) who may have lost their originals certificates now have reasons to jump for joy.
This is as the Head of National Office Nigeria WAEC, Mr. Patrick Areghan has hinted that the Council is about to launch a digital avenue of retrieving lost original certificates issued to its candidates.
Areghan broke this good news at a press conference heralding activities marking the Council’s 70th Annual Conference at its Yaba head office, Nigeria on Monday March 7, 2022.
According to him, the result retrieval would be made seamless for anyone that misplaced, have their certificates mutilated or had old result missing in any form.
He affirmed that the transformation of the examination body from analogue to digital platform has made its activities and result processing easier online.
Besides, he said WAEC had promoted regional integration beyond and above other institutions in the region of operations.
In order to reduce financial crimes perpetrated through the Point of Sales (POS) machines in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) POS Agents have begin the registration of its members with a charge on all operators to participate.
This comes as the operators under the aegis of Consolidated Point of Sales Agents expressed displeasure that criminal elements have infiltrated the agency banking system, giving its members who are genuinely engaged in decent means of livelihood a negative image.
The group’s Director of Operations , Alhaji Hassan Hakilu made this known at a press conference in Abuja noted that agency banking is a global innovation which has not only generated employment but brought banking services to the doorsteps of the people.
He frowned at the activities of people he described as unscrupulous elements masquerading as POS agents, ripping unsuspecting customers off their funds through dubious means.
According to him “This exercise will help us with a reliable data on those who are our members and those who are in the business for sinister motives.
“Thankfully, the leadership has held fruitful meetings with various stakeholders including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, FCT Police Command, Central Bank of Nigeria CBN and other relevant agencies of government.
“We will not spare operators identified to be indulging in sharp practices and fraudulent acts.
We will quickly do the needful by handing such individual over for investigation and possible prosecution by security agencies”
Meanwhile, the Vice President Operations, Mr. Ebere Nwokocha expressed concern that the new innovation which has further bridged the gap of unbanked members of the society is on the verge of gross abuse, reiterating the vigilance of the Consolidated Point of Sales Agents in Abuja to fish out corrupt practices in the system and ensure that adequate sanction is meted to erring members.
The Board of Trustees Chairman of the group, Barr. Basil Onyeachonam noted that POS business has become a safe haven for ‘yahoo boys’ to recruit young men and women to harvest banking data of unsuspecting customers for criminal intents.
He said that the agency banking has come to stay in Nigeria, Barr. Onyeachonam said there is need to build public confidence in the system, adding that proper documentation of operatives will expose bad eggs on the system.
The registration which commenced on March 1, 2022 is expected to end April 1, 2022 after which a penalty fee will be charged.
The Federal High Court Abuja presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo, on Monday restrained President Muhammad Buhari, Attorney General of the Federation and Senate President from tampering with the newly amended Electoral Act 2022.
Justice Ekwo granted the plea for an interim injunction and adjourned further hearing in the matter till March 21.
Other respondents are the Speaker, House of Representatives, Clerk of National Assembly, Senate Leader, House of Representatives Leader and Independent National Electoral Commission INEC.
Also joined as defendants in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/247/2022 are Deputy Senate President, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Deputy Senate Leader and Deputy House of Representatives Leader. Justice Ekwo made the order in a ruling on an ex-parte application moved by the Peoples Democratic Party.
Specifically, the court restrained all the defendants in the suit from removing section 84(12) of the Electoral Act or prevent it from being implemented for the purpose of the 2023 general elections.
The court agreed with James Onoja SAN, counsel to the PDP that the Electoral Act has become a valid law and cannot be tampered with without following due process of law. It was the court’s opinion that the proper place to challenge propriety or otherwise of any existing law is court of competent jurisdiction.
The PDP had dragged President Buhari to court to challenge a fresh move to tamper with the newly amended Electoral Act already signed into law, recently by the President.
By the suit, the PDP is praying the court for an order of interim injunction restraining Buhari and other defendants from refusing to implement the duly signed Electoral Act or in any manner witholding the Electoral Act from being put to use including the provisions of section 84(12) of the said Act pending the resolution of the suit.
The PDP also pleaded the court for an order stopping the National Assembly from giving effect to President Buhari’s request to remove section 84 (12) from the Electoral Act or take any step that will make the provision inoperative pending the resolution of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.
The PDP contends that President Buhari having assented to the Bill on February 25, 2022, cannot give any directive to the National Assembly to take immediate steps to remove section 84 (12) or any section of the Act on any ground whatsoever.
…As Sanwo-Olu Assures Of Support In Recovering NELMCO’s Abandoned Assets In S/West
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has pledged his support for the ongoing efforts by the House of Representatives to help recover multi-trillion naira abandoned Federal Government’s moveable and immovable properties in Nigeria, as well as foreign countries.
Sanwo-Olu gave the assurance while addressing the Chairman, Ad-hoc Committee on abandoned Federal Government properties across the country, Hon. Ademorin Kuye who led a delegation of members to seek the intervention of Government of Lagos State in the recovery of all Nigeria Electricity Liability Management Limited (NELMCO) properties in the South West geopolitical zone of the Federation.
Hon. Kuye explained that: “This Ad-hoc Committee is a function of several complaints laid before the House some few years ago, about Federal Government’s properties lying around all the States of the Federation; particularly those Federal Government’s properties that are being occupied now by hoodlums, some by unauthorised persons, some by retired civil servants who are now transferring the properties as if is their own inheritance even to their children.”
“Their children did not know that the properties do not belong to their fathers. So they think those properties are actually theirs. And we felt that these are properties that should be reclaimed and some that should be put up for sale, so that money can come in into government’s coffer, both at the state and at the federal levels.
“So that we can have a win-win situation, remove the security problem that these abandoned properties are constituting to State Governments, and at the same time bring revenue to the government; and make useful enterprise out of all of those properties. That is why the Ad-hoc Committee was formed,” he noted.
Kuye also informed the Governor that the Ad-hoc Committee had on Friday inspected some properties owed by the defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), saying: “You will recall that during the privatisation of NEPA the core asset of NEPA, offices, the machines and all of that were transferred to private owners. While an agency was formed by the Presidency to act as a vehicle for alienation of non-core assets those are the Estates, the residential premises and all of that.”
“We were at Ikeja GRA yesterday, Ikoyi, some at VI and there are other properties like that, that we have been looking at. For example, we were at Merage, we were at Lekki, we were at Ladoke Akintola, we were at Kingsway, and other places and there are still a whole lot of those non-core assets of NEPA.
“We equally have the list generated by the Presidential Implementation Committee on Alienation of most of these properties. Some of those properties, your excellency would recall during monetisation exercise that took place under President Obasanjo and since then most of those properties have been sold to Civil servants who have retired and all of that, why some of those which are left behind, we are still looking at as to how we are going to dispose of them,” Kuye told the Governor.
Addressing the delegation earlier, Governor Sanwo-Olu who pledged his administration’s support for the lawmakers on the national assignment noted that their expedition to the State was a step in the right direction given the central position Lagos occupies in the history of Nigeria.
“The question is why Lagos and why not Lagos? And I’m sure we are all students of history. Certainly you cannot forget the role Lagos has played in fusing and bringing together the country called Nigeria.
“From very historic time even before Jaja of Opobo was adopted it was an old colony of Lagos it was the oldest colony in all of this country. Lagos had existed before Nigeria came into existence, before the amalgamation, Lagos had been two centuries before then. And given that long history of Lagos, I’m sure the forefathers and the colonial masters find it appropriate to designate this place as the first federal state government and Lagos bore that burden for several years and we are indeed grateful to be part of the development of this country. And to look at the perspective where we are seated here, it’s a colonial story.
“We see as time to not necessarily right the wrong, but just putting things in proper context and proper perspective. We all know that the history of our democracy has been both military rule and civilian rule. And Lagos had had to carry the brunt for a significant amount of time before we birth Abuja. Given those stories into perspective, Lagos had become home to a lot of Federal Government’s assets as well as some liabilities at some point.
“So when you look at the assets also look at the liabilities, so we have to be able to kill both of them. We are aware of the great work you’re doing.
“Our submission, our request would be for the Committee to be very very discerning to be able to view Lagos with that compassion. So while that happen from our records, there are some assets that we know very clearly that it’s because of how governance has been in our country, there were no proper delineation between the state and federal government assets at some point.
“And in fact, a lot of the State’s assets I don’t want to use the word confiscated but were transferred to Federal not because people wanted to be mischievous but because it was very convenient at that time,” the Governor said.
He maintained that some Federal Government agencies in the 80s occupied some properties belonging to Lagos State, where they cohabit with Lagos State civil servants, “where A part will be Lagos State staff and B Part of it will be Federal Staff.”
“And you know too well that during the military administration, the military administrator will not allow his bosses to be looking for houses be it in whatever form, when he sits here as a Governor and he will not be able to take care of his own Constituents.”
He added that for the fact that the State had sat on the properties for about 40 years in law could amount to having ownership possession of the properties as recognized by law. But I will want the Committee to see how we can soften and see Lagos as the beaten child that should be taken care of.”
