Politics

Mr Banji Sarumoh, the General Manager, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) Ilorin, said that Nigerian journalists had the worst conditions of service in the world. Sarumoh made the statement on Wednesday in Ilorin at a session taged ``NUJ Parliament'', organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Kwara chapter.

He observed that the media played pivotal role in the entrenchment of democracy in Nigeria. He blamed poor funding and proliferation of media houses for the impoverishment of journalists, urging the NUJ to clamp down on media houses that could not pay staff salaries.

“Nigerian journalists have the worst condition of service in the world and this is because of proliferation of media houses. “What journalists collect in Nigeria today is very ridiculous when compared to the job we do.

“The NUJ should guard against the proliferation; why must someone set up media outfit, when he knows he cannot pay salary?"   Sarumoh advised journalists to embark on developmental and investigative journalism and be conscientious while discharging their duties.

He said there was need for journalists to avoid unnecessary romance with politicians, to give the profession good image. “We have fallen short in areas of developmental and investigative journalism; what we do most is politicking and writing political stories.   “Embarking on developmental journalism will help the nation and the people as a whole,” the general manager said. (NAN)

The Special Task Force (STF) maintaining the peace in Plateau on Wednesday arrested nine persons for allegedly being in possession of sophisticated fire arms.

STF Media Officer, Capt. Slisu Mustapha, who paraded the suspects before newsmen in Jos, alleged that they were arrested around Du, Shenabe and Bisichi villages in Jos South Local Government Area of the state. Mustapha listed items recovered from them to include one AK-47 rifle, one FN rifle, one sub-machine gun, one locally made shot revolver and a locally made long revolver. Also recovered from the suspects were a bayonet, a knife and two rounds of 9mm ammunitions.

``We received a distress call through our recently launched emergency telephone lines around 10.20 p.m. on Tuesday about sporadic gunshots in the villages and responded to it immediately. ``When our men got to the scene, they combed the areas and accosted the nine suspects who tried to get away in four vehicles but luck ran out of them as they were arrested.

The media officer said the suspects claimed that they were invited by the villagers to secure them, following an alleged attack on them by some cow rustlers.

According to him, the suspects claimed that they actually exchanged fire with the rustlers in Du village. Mustapha said the suspects also claimed that it was in the process of trying to ambush the rustlers that they were arrested by the task force. He said preliminary investigation had revealed that the suspects acquired the weapons from various sources within Plateau.

``Even if there was an attack on the villages, they (suspects) have no right to be in possession of such sophisticated weapons which are not licensed.

``They have no right to take the law into their hands. They should have used the emergency lines to call our men for rescue,'' he said. Mustapha warned individuals or groups bent on fomenting trouble to shelve such idea as the STF was ready to arrest them.

``People who have made themselves enemies of peace should be prepared to face the full wrath of the law,'' he said. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other items recovered from the suspects included four vehicles, five telephones and some wraps of Indian hemp. (NAN)

Gov. Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna State on Wednesday appealed to opposition parties to cooperate and support his administration in developing the state. Yero made the appeal when members of the Coalition of Political Parties paid him a visit to commiserate with the government and people of the state over the demise of late Gov. Patrick Yakowa.

`` What I expect from the opposition parties is cooperation and support, and also to try to be fair in whatever they are doing to the ruling party. `` Because without having proper cooperation and understanding, we will find it very difficult to do what is right.’’

He reiterated the commitment of the administration to partner with other political parties in order to secure, unite and develop the state. Yero assured members of the opposition parties that the government would redeem its pledges to the people.

He said the government would welcome advises and constructive criticisms that would be beneficial to the state and enable it to perform better.

`` It is always good to criticize and make comments that are positive and will make the government to adjust and also do the right thing.'' Earlier, the Chairman of the coalition, Alhaji Inuwa Ahmed commiserated with the government and people of the state over the demise of the late governor.

Ahmed, said the death of Gov. Yakowa was ordained by God, and prayed for the repose of his soul. He congratulated Gov. Yero over his elevation, advising him to shun negative acts and concentrate on developing the state. The chairman advised the governor to redeem all the pledges made to the people by his predecessor. (NAN)

The Under-Secretary General and Executive Director of UN Women, Ms Michelle Bachelet, is visiting Nigeria on Thursday to seek ways of ending violence against women, an official said on Wednesday. The visit would also seek to promote women’s econo...

Chief Nyerere Anyim, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate for Abia South Senatorial Zone in the 2011 elections, says the party will emerge stronger than ever from its current crisis. Anyim told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Aba, A...

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dissociated itself from the ongoing Adamawa State congress.

 Chief Sam Sam Jaja, Deputy National Chairman of the party, said this at a news conference on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said the NWC at its emergency meeting also rescinded the dissolution of Adamawa State Executive of the party.

He said the NWC had earlier dissolved the Adamawa State Executive under article 29 (2b) on behalf of the party`s National Executive Committee (NEC) based on Article 31 (2c).

``it is instructive to know that the Ward and local government executive in the state were never dissolved.''

He said the NWC had at its 314th meeting on Aug. 29, 2012, upheld the March 2012 Ward and local government executive except for one local government, which was later ratified.

He said that it was surprising and embarrassing to read in the media of a purported ongoing ward, local government and state congress in the state.

``For the records, the NWC hereby disassociate the party leadership from the purported congresses, which were neither authorised nor monitored or supervised by the National Secretariat,’’ Jaja said.

 He further said that it was only the party`s National Secretariat that had the authority to conducts state congresses.

``Based on the above, the NWC hereby declare the purported congresses null, void and of know significance whatsoever.

``Consequently, we hereby declare that the only state executive committee constitutionally recognised by this party is the Kangama executive lawfully elected in March 2012 and endorsed by the national convention,’’ Jaja further said.

The News Agency of the Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the PDP NWC had in October 2012 dissolved the Adamawa State executive committee of the party.

A nine-member caretaker committee was sworn-in in its place.

 The committee was to run the affairs of the chapter for three months, pending further directives from the party`s national leadership.

According to the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Olisa Metuh, the dissolved exco had "flagrantly disregarded and shown serial disobedience to the decisions of the NWC".

 Metuh said the decision was in accordance with Article 31, section 2(e) and 29, 2(b) of the 2012 amended constitution of the PDP.

He further said that the action of the dissolved exco was contrary to the provisions of Section 50(1) of the party`s constitution.

Meanwhile, The emergency meeting was attended by 10 of the 12 NWC members.

Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, the party`s National Chairman and Dr Onwe Soloman, Deputy National Secretary of the party, were however, not at the meeting.

 Tukur was said to be at the Villa coordinating the Board of Trustee (BOT) election.

Telephone subscribers on Tuesday in Abuja called for stiffer penalties against GSM operators for providing poor quality of service in the country. The subscribers made their feelings known in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). A...

Former Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has said that the Igbo will provide qualitative leadership for Nigeria and Nigerians if given the opportunity to lead the country in 2015. Kalu, the Protem Coordinator of Njiko Igbo, said he had no doubt ...

The Nigerian Legion, a body of ex-servicemen in the country, has called on the governments at all level to make a separate budgetary provision for the Legion.

The Chairman of the body in Anambra, retired Major Gabriel Enyibuaku, made the call in Awka on Monday during the launch of the emblem appeal fund.

According to him, government must show more commitment to welfare of legion members.

He said that the body needed functional office as well as utility vehicle to help coordinate its activities in the state.

He, however, expressed gratitude to Gov. Peter Obi, for supporting the legion and urged other states and indeed, the Federal Government to emulate him.

 ``We are appealing for more assistance like the creation of a functional state office, a utility vehicle to enable us to reach our offices at the local government.

``we are also calling for employment for the children of our members both fallen and alive so as to take care of our members," he said.

In his response, Obi thanked the legion for their role in keeping the country together, adding that they put their lives on the line for the unity of the country.

 Obi said his administration would be more aggressive this time in addressing the plight of the Nigerian Legion in the state.

He announced a donation of N1 million to the legion and launched the emblem with N50,000, while the Deputy Governor, Mr Emeka Sibeudu, launched it with N30,000.

He encouraged them to keep faith with the country and continue to contribute their quota to nation building.

The Commissioner for Education in Cross River, Prof. Offiong Offiong, said that the State Government spent N1.2 billion on the provision of laboratory equipment in 60 Schools in 2012. Offiong told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar that the ex...

Alhaji Sambo Sulaiman, the Sarkin Tukur-Tukur in Zaria, Kaduna State, has died at the age of 82. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sulaiman died in his residence on Saturday night after a protracted illness. Alhaji Sabo Sulaiman, Manager, Q...

The Director-General, National Automotive Council of Nigeria, Mr Aminu Jalal, on Sunday in Lagos said the Federal Government needed to enhance the nation's automotive industry for sustainable economic growth. Jalal told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that this was necessary because the current state of the industry was discouraging. He said capacity utilisation in the industry had dwindled from 90 per cent in 1981 to 10 per cent currently.

``There were more than 50 auto component manufacturers in Nigeria before, some of which were original equipment manufacturers (OEM). ``But many of them have closed down due to lack of demand and infrastructure,’’ Jalal said. He said the installed capacity of the Nigerian automotive industry surpasses the annual vehicular demand as indicted by data from the Nigerian Automotive Manufacturers Association (NAMA).

``Annual installed capacity in the assembling/manufacturing is 150,000 units, valued at N550 billion, while 70,000 new and 200,000 used vehicles valued more than N400 billion were imported annually since 2008.

``The potential value added, if imports were locally assembled, will be N145 billion with additional value incidental, if local content programmes are vigorously pursued,’’ the director-general said. He said the automotive sector, at full capacity, could employ 70,000 skilled and semi-skilled workers and 200,000 in indirect employment.

``But unfortunately the total current operating capacity for the local assembly plants by value is just six billion Naira,’’ Jalal said. He urged the Federal Government to urgently address the issues of low demand, competition from China and India and lack of infrastructure so as to revive the sector.

``These are some of the challenges that affect the sector, and if they can be eliminated, the sector will benefit the economy through jobs, wealth-creation and technology-acquisition. ``The automotive local content generates many Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and high-paying jobs and that is why both developed and developing economies nurture and protect their automotive industries,’’ the director-general said.

Jalal said with an annual auto import bill of more than N400 billion, the automotive sector in Nigeria was well positioned to improve the nation’s economy.

``Large employment generation, effective utilisation of local raw material and resources, acquisition of technological know-how, foreign exchange savings and earnings are just some the gains if the sector operates at full capacity.

``The industry has the potentials to turn Nigeria into the auto manufacturing centre for the ECOWAS sub-region and beyond,’’ he said.(NAN)