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Presenters Abuja Sam Deckon
Presenters Abuja Sam Deckon
| Acting President Explains His Decision on Federal Projects Assessments Committee |
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Acting President Goodluck Jonathan has explained his decision to set up Federal Projects Assessment Committee. The committee which will probe the status of all ongoing government projects, was informed by reports that most of the projects were abandoned, over-valued or non–performing. Dr Jonathan said following the reports, it became imperative that government must take inventory of all ongoing projects and their level of funding. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Meanwhile, the Acting President yesterday inaugurated Presidential Advisory Council. Dr Jonathan urged its members to suggest practical options that would enable government to improve the quality of life of Nigerians. He said its assignment transcended politics as it was purely a service to the entire nation. The acting president re-affirmed government’s commitment to leave a legacy of good governance within the limited timeframe. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Responding on behalf of other members, Council Chairman, Theophilus Danjuma, thanked the acting president for the opportunity given to them to serve. Retired Lt.-Gen. Danjuma assured the acting president that they would take their assignment seriously. He called on the acting president to swiftly move into action and take decisive steps to move the nation forward. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: However, Senate has expressed satisfaction with actions so far taken by the Acting President, describing the appointment of a Presidential Advisory Council as a step in the right direction. Briefing newsmen after the Senate plenary session yesterday, Chairman, Senate Committee on Information, Ayogu Eze, said Dr. Jonathan had started on a good footing. He said Senate is satisfied with the steps so far taken by the Acting President and the Upper House is equally satisfied that nobody is coming between him and his job. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Senator Eze also said Nigerians should show sympathy for ailing President Umaru Yar'Adua and desist from making derogatory remarks. On why the Senate refused to discuss President Yar'Adua's return, he said Senate did not believe that it should waste time discussing issues that would not help the situation at hand. He said computation was delaying the passage of this year's budget, adding that the executive had brought additional interventions in the power sector and police affairs. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: In a related development, Arewa Consultative Forum has cautioned against the use of sectional sentiments in addressing the health problem of President Yar’Adua. The group gave this advice in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Anthony Sani, at the end of a meeting of its special committee on national issues in Kaduna yesterday. It said ACF considered the unhealthy and avoidable politics of identity which has attended the return of President Yar’Adua from medical treatment of his ailment in Saudi Arabia. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Tempers rose yesterday at the House of Representatives as many lawmakers protested the decision of the House to intervene in the political crisis in Edo State. The rowdiness in the House worsened when the Speaker, Dimeji Bankole, threatened to order some members out of the chambers. Many lawmakers felt slighted by his comments, as they complained that he was attempting to run the House like a military ruler. Meanwhile, the House condemned the manner in which the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly was removed. The House passed the resolution following a motion by Friday Itulah which received unanimous support of the lawmakers when Speaker Dimeji Bankole put the matter to vote. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Police Affairs Minister, Ibrahim Lame has urged Nigeria Police to reciprocate government's gesture through greater commitment to duty and show of responsibility to national service. Dr Lame spoke in Abuja yesterday at an interactive meeting with Police Inspector-General, Ogbonna Onovo, and police chiefs from the Southeast zone. He noted that aside from the Reform Agenda of Nigeria Police, government in 2008 effected a substantial increase in the personal emoluments of police officers. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: The main opposition party in Togo has claimed widespread irregularities in the country's presidential election. President Faure Gnassingbe is running for a second term, and his main challenger is Jean Pierre Fabre of the Union of Forces for Change. All parties have been stressing the need for a peaceful poll. The UFC has pointed to several problems with the voting that it says could lead to fraud. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Chile's reconstruction will take "three to four years" as the country recovers from the earthquake that killed some 800 people. President Michelle Bache said there are rural areas where everything has tumbled to the ground and infrastructure has been destroyed. Three days of national mourning have been declared, to begin on Sunday. : : : BUSINESS : : : National Planning Minister, Shamsudeen Usman has dismissed suggestions that the Vision 20-20-20 project initiated by the Federal Government was slow in implementation. Dr Usman expressed the view in Lagos at the opening of a two-day forum for Southwest delegates on the ``First Implementation Plan of Nigeria’s Vision 20-20-20.’’ He said first implementation plan would cover 2010 and 2013 during which states within the six geo-political zones would present a common agenda to be integrated into the national scheme. ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: Minister of State for Commerce, Humphery Abah, says a framework to support agro-businesses should be developed to foster market access in Africa. The minister spoke in Abuja yesterday at a press briefing on the High-Level Conference on Agri-Business and Agro-Industries in Africa. Mr Abah said Africa should identify concrete steps to increase technical know-how to improve value-adding technologies and foster market access to other developed economies. : : : ENTERTAINMENT : : : Shakira has received a United Nations prize for her charity work. The pop star, who founded the Barefoot Foundation in her native country of Colombia, which aims to make education available to disadvantaged children, was presented with the Social Justice for Peace award at a small ceremony in Switzerland. Geneva's UN labour chief Juan Somavia described the 'She-Wolf' singer as a "true ambassador for children and young people, for quality education and social justice". : : : SPORTS : : : The new Astro turf laid at the former hockey pitch at the National Stadium, Lagos, will soon be used for competitive football matches. An official in the office of the stadium manager said the National Sports Commission would determine the rate the facility would be hired out for soccer activities. The source, however, said that the turf would be used strictly for football, adding that hockey for which the place was formerly known would be moved to another arena. The English Premier League has revealed that it will not pursue the idea of a play-off for fourth place and the final Champions League place. At the Premier League board meeting on yesterday, the clubs' chairmen decided against looking into the proposal any further at this stage. Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal were reportedly quick to voice their opposition. However, other clubs were keen on the idea in principle. |