Ondo State workers got a basketful of good news on Tuesday, June 16, 2020 as Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu Aketi, SAN, directed that 3,650 deserving workers should be promoted before the end of this year.
This contained in a press released and signed by the Press Secretary (print) to the Governor Akeredolu, Mr Falodi Fisayo.
“This is just as the governor allayed the workers’ palpable fears over the state government’s plan to sack or retrench some of them in spite of the fact that salary payment is taking a major toll on the state’s finances.
Representatives of labour unions in the state rose to applaud the Akeredolu-led government when the state Head of Service, Mr. Dare Aragbaye, told them at a well-attended press briefing at the Cocoa Conference Hall of the Governor’s Office in Akure that all the deserving 3,650 workers would get their financial benefits up to date.
Aragbaye said Governnor Akeredolu equally took the administration of pension and gratuity of retirees seriously.
He said: “In his avowed determination to translate his electoral promises to actions, this administration has released the total sum of N6.12 billion for part payment of the backlog of unpaid gratuity inherited in 2017.
“This feat was achieved through monthly release of N200 million to the fund for part payment of gratuity to pensioners. This is in addition to the payment of six months arrears of pension out of the seven months inherited from the immediate past administration in 2017.”
The Head of Service added that the current administration also implemented the 33 percent basic pension increase for pensioners in Ondo State Public Service up till October 2014 along with the N30,000 minimum wage.
With the implementation of the 33 percent basic pension increase, Ondo State took the lead among its colleagues in the South-West.
Due to his government’s love for the senior citizens, the governor has reduced the number of needed documents for processing pensions from 30 to 14 and eliminated the activities of exploitative syndicate and fraudsters hitherto associated with pension process.
Job applicants also got a piece of the good news on Tuesday. Governnor Akeredolu approved the recruitment of 1,000 teachers with B.ED & NCE qualifications. Two hundred vacancies are for candidates with B.ED, while 800 are for those with NCE holders.
The recruitment exercise will start within the next two weeks, as prospective candidates are urged to visit SUBEB portal for further information. Also, Akeredolu-led government gave approval for the recruitment of health workers to fill the existing vacancies.
In order to fill the personnel gaps identified in the critical areas of the Primary Heald Care sector in the 18 local government areas of the state, the governor approved the filling of 432 vacancies in its different cadres.
The recruitment exercise, which will be facility-based, would commence in no distant time, as prospective candidates are to visit ODSPHCDA portal in due course.
The eight witness in the on going trial between the state and the founder of Sotitobire Praising Chapel, Alfa Babatunde, over the missing 13-months old child, Kolawole Gold in November 10, 2019 gave evidence today before the Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure, with video clips played as an evidence.
As at the last sitting, the prosecutions led by Mrs Grace Olowoporoku, sought the court for permission to add more witnesses in the case which the court granted after series of arguments by the defence counsels.
However, the eight witness, Mr Akanbi Adekunle, a technician of the department of State Service, was today in the witness box before Justice Olusegun Odunsola, and testified on how he was directed to supervise during the taken of statement from 1st to 6th defendants.
How he was also directed to extract a video clip from a Hp laptop labeled karaole, recovered from one Niyi Egunjobi of the media department of Sotitobire Praising Chapel Oshinle, Akure during the cause of investigation in the case. He added that the video clip contained a press interview and a rally held by the first defendant, founder of Sotitobire,Alfa Babatunde.
According to him, he copied the video from the HP laptop belonging to Niyi Egunjobi, of media department Sotitobire, with the use of his official flash drive which he later transfered and burnt into eight CDs. He tendered the CDs to the court as exhibits.
Adekunle added that he was also directed by the management to supervise the recording of the statements for the 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 defendants. “These statements were recorded with my official Sony digital video camera recorder with serial number DCRSX33E , which came with a USB cable and a memory card and was sanctified.
Mr Olusola Oke, lawyer representing the 1st, 2nd and the 4th defendants, acknowledged the fact that 2 CDs were served on him and a certificate of identification, But rejected the video clips said were not relevant according to section 84 in the evidence act.
He prayed the court to reject both the certificate and purported video stating that it was predated.
After series of arguments, the court declined the counsel’s prayer and received the video clips as exhibits. The video clips were played in the courtroom for both parties to watch.
The video revealed where Alfa Babatunde had boasted that he had nothing to do with the case unless the parents of the child would come through the right channel, and beg before he could pray for the recovery of the missing child.
In this video , the operative of the department of State Service asked him what he meant by the word ” come through the right channel and beg”. He responded in the video that ” it is because the parents of missing child has told the Deji of Akure at his palace that he has not been praying concerning the missing child, and I expected them to come to me, so that we can pray together.”
According to the statement of Omodara Olayinka, the 2nd defendant in the case, worker at the Church children department , who had been worshipping in the church for three years, and incharge of the children attendance, confirmed that Kolawole Gold, was brought to the church on that day by two women.
In her statement through the video clips played in the courtroom, she said, the child was duly registered on that day and after some minutes, one of the women came to feed the child with rice served in a nylon. Thereafter, the second woman also came with juice but I cannot ascertain if the feeding child was the one that got missing. Also, I do not know the mother of the missing child until the missing alert.”
Adding that she, other ushers and the parent of the missing child sworn to an oath at Deji’s balance.
However the prosecutions which today led by the Ondo state Attorney General Mr Adekola Olawoye, sought the court for an adjournment.
Odunsola, adjourned the case till tomorrow June 16, 2020 for continuation of hearing.
The Iyalaje/ Iyaloja – General, Ondo State, Chief Mrs. Ruth Olowookere, also known as Madam Do-Good, had said out of the 18 Local Government Areas of Ondo State, she has 15 LGs under her control while Chief Mrs. Iwalola Adefemiwa has just 3 LGs.
She said this in a brief meeting held at Babafunke Ajasin auditorium, Akure, adding that she had proved to the masses her leadership skill as the Iyalojas / Iyalaje in the state.
“I have been in the association for the past twenty years, and I’ve been working for it; spending money to secure a brighter future for the association.”
She therefore, urged the government to give her duly recognition that she Is the authentic and legally recognised Iyaloja-General of Ondo state contrary to a claim by Mrs. Iwalola Adefemiwa who she claimed was parading herself as the head of market women in the state.
Speaking with the journalists, said she had sometimes dragged Mrs. Adefemiwa to the State High Court over the titles of Iyaloja-General of Ondo state and the National President of the National Traders And Market Leaders Council of Nigeria, also known as Association of Traders and Market Leaders of Nigeria.
She said “the court in February last year ruled in my favour as the legally installed Iyaloja-General of Ondo state and National President of the association.”
“According to the verdict delivered by Justice Olabode Adegbehingbe in February 19, 2019, Mrs. Adefemiwa and five other defendants were restrained by the court’s judgement , among others from causing trouble in the association or parading themselves as leaders of the traders market women.
“That the interference of the defendants in the activities of Ondo State chapter of the Association is not in conformity with the norms of the Association. The court therefore dismissed the counterclaim of the defendants.”
“I Chief (Mrs.) Ruth Olowookere , relying on the February 19, 2019 judgement which upheld me as the authentic National President and Iyaloja-General of Ondo State chapter of National Traders And Market Leaders Council of Nigeria, also known as Association of Traders and Market Leaders of Nigeria.” She revealed.
Also speaking , the Erelu Iyaloja of Akure kingdom, Chief Mrs Olufunmilayo Adekanye, reaffirmed her support for Mrs Olowookere, as the authentic and legally installed Iyaloja-General of the state and urged the state government to ensure that all entitlements apportioned for market leaders were henceforth given to the recognized Iyalojas in their various local government, and restrain the pseudo-leaders from wanting to be partaker of dividends meant for their sole beneficiary.
Also speaking, Iyaloja Idanre LG, Mrs. Adenike Aroloye Akingboye urged the government to do the needful and accord recognition to the authentic market leadership.
The State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, represented by his Special Assistant on Market Matters, Mr. Raji Sikiru, promised to communicate their grievances to the Governor.
He urged the women to reconstitute and organize themselves in a peaceful manner, while assuring them of government’s readiness to partner with them.
In exercise of the powers conferred on him by Paragraph (d) of sub-section (1) of Section 212 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as Amended, Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu,SAN, has granted amnesty to 28 inmates of the Federal Correctional Custodial Centres.
This gesture is in commemoration of this year’s Democracy Day on June 12, 2020.
In a letter addressed to the Controller of Nigerian Correctional Service, State Headquarters, Federal Secretariat Complex, Akure, Governor Akeredolu ordered that 13 of the inmates be discharged out of the facility accordingly and forthwith, while 10 on death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment and 5 on life imprisonment were commuted to various terms of imprisonment.
The 13 inmates serving various terms of imprisonment were pardoned having served substantial portions of their sentences.
In the same vein, the ten (10) condemned inmates had been duly convicted and sentenced to death by hanging, while five (5) were equally, duly convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Governor Akeredolu advises the pardoned inmates to make good use of the opportunity offered them by their release to turn a new leaf and never go back to life of crime.
Signed: Segun Ajiboye Chief Press Secretary to the Governor
The political family of the All Progressives Party in Edo State fell apart on Friday after the ruling APC disqualified the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki from contesting the governorship primaries under it.
Obaseki, whom this reporter was told had been hobnobbing with the opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party recently has formally decamped from the APC to PDP immediately after his disqualification.
He collected his membership card at Ward 4, Oredo Local Government.
It was gathered that the governor is moving into the PDP with all the 18 Local Government Chairmen in Edo State together with 12 lawmakers in the State Assembly.Also, Governors of the PDP are billed to visit him this weekend.
Drivers wave a 2,000 rupiah note (about 13 cents) out the window, and the self-appointed guard wades out into the busy road, arms outstretched. He uses the implicit threat of his own mortality to bring the flow of traffic to a stop and allows the munificent driver to pass.
NATIONAL BROADCAST BY PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI ON DEMOCRACY DAY, JUNE 12TH 2020.
Read the speech by the President below:
Fellow Nigerians, 1. The 2020 celebration of Democracy Day marks 21 years of uninterrupted civil administration in our dear country. This day provides us an opportunity to reflect on our journey as a nation, our achievements and struggles.
2. It is a day to honour our founding fathers who toiled to establish our republic and every Nigerian who has worked tirelessly to sustain it.
3. We are celebrating this year’s Democracy Day despite the COVID-19 pandemic which afflicts our nation and the whole world.
4. It is indeed a very difficult time for everyone especially those who have lost loved ones to the virus and those whose sources of livelihood have been severely constrained by the stringent measures we introduced at every level of government to contain the virus and save lives.
5. The dedication of our health and other essential services staff towards containing this virus is a testament of our courage and resilience as a people and as a great nation, and I use this opportunity to say thank you to all of you for your service to the nation.
6. Sustaining our democracy thus far has been a collective struggle, and I congratulate all Nigerians and particularly leaders of our democratic institutions on their resilience and determination to ensure that Nigeria remains a shining example of democracy.
7. In my 2019 Democracy Day address, I promised to frontally address the nation’s daunting challenges, especially insecurity, economy and corruption. I therefore find it necessary to give an account of my stewardship on this day.
8. We have recorded notable achievements in the course of implementing our nine priority objectives and are establishing a solid foundation for future success.
9. On the economic front, our objectives have remained to stabilize the macroeconomy, achieve agricultural and food security, ensure energy sufficiency in power and petroleum products, develop infrastructure, fight corruption and improve governance.
10. We have witnessed eleven quarters of consecutive GDP growth since exiting recession. The GDP grew from 1.91% in 2018 to 2.27% in 2019 but declined to 1.87% in the first quarter of 2020 as a result of the decline in global economic activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
11. Every single economy in the world has suffered a decline. Ours has been relatively moderate.
12. In order to stabilize the economy, the Monetary Authority took steps to build the external reserves which resulted in improved liquidity in the foreign exchange market. The external reserves grew from $33.42 billion on April 29th 2020 to about $36.00 billion in May, 2020 which is enough to finance seven months of import commitments.
13. Agriculture remains the key to our economic diversification strategy. The Presidential Fertilizer Initiative programme continues to deliver significant quantities of affordable and high-quality fertilizers to our farmers. This initiative has also revived 31 blending plants and created a significant number of direct and indirect jobs across the value chain.
14. Government is also revamping the cotton, textile and garment sector via a CBN Textile Revival Intervention Fund that would considerably reduce foreign exchange spent on cotton and other textile imports.
15. Through the food security initiative, we are promoting “Grow What We Eat” and “Eat What We Grow”. I am also delighted that more and more Nigerians are taking advantage of the opportunities in the agriculture and agri-business sector. I assure you that government will continue to support the Agriculture sector through the CBN Anchor Borrowers Programme and similar schemes.
16. To protect our farming investments, we have deployed 5,000 Agro-Rangers and employed 30,289 in our para-military agencies.
17. We are also integrating rural communities to the formal economy by extending access to credit and inputs to rural farmers and building feeder roads.
18. Our efforts on growing non-oil exports have started to yield some results. For instance, in the past year, our revenue from Cocoa and Sesame Seed increased by $79.4 million and $153 million.
19. Africa presents a huge opportunity for our export base diversification and we are developing our strategy to grow intra-Africa trade through the Africa Continental Free Trade Area Agreement.
20. Nigeria has risen by 25 places on the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business ranking from 146th to 131st and is now rated as one of the top ten reforming countries.
21. This development is due to the Visa on Arrival policy, consistent promotion of initiatives that expand facilities available to Micro Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, robust electronic registration and payment system, seamless processing of business registration and reduction of cost of registering business by 50%. We are confident that on-going efforts would result in further improvement of this rating.
22. We remain committed to expanding our mining sector. To this end, I have directed the resuscitation of the Ajaokuta Steel Plant based on Government-to-Government financing and a Public-Private Sector financing.
23. With foreign and domestic investments and the participation of Small Scale Miners, we are harnessing the supply value chain in gold production.
24. We would also be launching a fully digitized mineral rights management platform for quick processing of mineral rights application, digitization of records and plugging revenue leakages.
25. The Power Sector remains very critical to meeting our industrial development aspirations and we are tackling the challenges that still exist in the delivery of power through different strategies.
26. We are executing some critical projects through the Transmission Rehabilitation and Expansion Programme including the:
a. Alaoji to Onitsha, Delta Power Station to Benin and Kaduna to Kano;
b. 330kv DC 62km line between Birnin Kebbi and Kamba;
c. Lagos/Ogun Transmission Infrastructure Project;
d. Abuja Transmission Ring Scheme; and
e. Northern Corridor Transmission Project.
27. Our agreement with Siemens will transmit and distribute a total of 11,000 Megawatts by 2023, to serve our electricity needs.
28. On transportation, another critical sector to improving our economic competitiveness, we are growing the stock and quality of our road, rail, air and water transport infrastructure.
29. Through the SUKUK-Funded Road Projects, a total of 412km of the targeted 643km road projects have been completed, representing 64%.
30. The Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund projects are also progressing very well. On the 2nd Niger Bridge, piling work has been completed and the approach roads are being constructed. 48% of work on this bridge has been achieved. We have constructed 102km of the 376km Abuja – Kaduna – Kano Road, representing 38%, and the 42.9km Obajana – Kabba Road is 87.03% complete.
31. Furthermore, the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency has completed routine maintenance on over 4,000km of federal roads out of the 5,000km targeted.
32. We are extending and upgrading our railway network too. We are introducing more locomotives, coaches and wagons for the Abuja-Kaduna Rail Line. The Central Ajaokuta – Itakpe – Warri Line has been completed and is being extended from Itakpe to Abuja on one end and from Warri Town to Warri Port on the other.
33. The Lagos-Ibadan Rail Line is 90% completed and would be extended to the Lagos Port which would help address the long-standing grid-lock at the Apapa port.
34. The Kano – Maradi Single Track Standard Gauge Railway, Coastal Railway Project and Port Harcourt – Maiduguri Standard Gauge Railway, with its associated branch lines running through the South Eastern and Gombe States, industrial park and Bonny Deep Sea Port are all ready for concessioning.
35. Government continues to make investments in the Aviation sector to position it as a travel and trade hub in West Africa and the wider African continent.
36. Airport Terminals in Abuja, Lagos, Kano and Port Harcourt are being expanded, while the rehabilitation of the Enugu Airport is almost completed. All our airports are being raised to international standards with the provision of necessary equipment, especially navigational aids, to guarantee world class safety standards.
37. For the first time in over ten years, Nigeria is conducting bidding process for 57 Marginal Oil Fields to increase revenue and increase the participation of Nigerian companies in oil and exploration and production business.
38. We continue to grow local content in other areas of the oil and gas sector with the disbursement of funds from the $200 million Nigerian Content Intervention Fund to indigenous manufacturers and service providers.
39. With sustained engagement of youths, opinion leaders and other stakeholders, we have restored peace in the Niger Delta Region and maintained our oil production levels.
40. The Head office of the Niger Delta Development Commission will be commissioned shortly. The Funding of sections I–IV of the East-West Road shall be pursued with a view to completing the project by the end of 2021.
41. Furthermore, I am determined to ensure that development meant for the people of the Niger Delta get to them so I have authorised a Forensic Audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission.
42. Digital Economy continues to play an important role in our development agenda as we move into the age of Artificial Intelligence.
43. Since the creation of the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy, the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy has been launched. Steps have been taken to achieve a reduction of connectivity cluster gaps from 207 to 114 as well as increase the level of 4G coverage by 30%.
44. Nigeria remains committed to expanding access to quality education to enhance the productivity of its citizens and would continue to pursue the enforcement of free and compulsory basic education for the first 9 years of schooling.
45. In pursuit of this, we have launched the Better Education Service Delivery for All in 17 states, established additional 6 Federal Science and Technical Colleges and currently executing a pro-active Teacher Training Plan with all states of the Federation.
46. In our revision of the operations of specialized education funds and to implement reforms that would optimize their benefits to the sector, we have adopted a Public-Private Sector Partnership for provision of infrastructure and also collaborate with the private sector to create jobs.
47. Our pursuit of affordable housing for the low and middle-income earners has received a boost with the delivery of 1,200 housing units, provision of 520 service plots with infrastructure through a Public Private Sector partnership and the issuance of 868 mortgages totaling N7.7 Billion. Similarly, Home Renovation Loans totaling N16.2 Billion have been granted to 19,210 people.48. To enable sustainable access to safe and sufficient water to meet the social, cultural, environmental and economic development needs of all Nigerians, we continue to expand our water supply, irrigation and dam facilities.
49. The Completion of Amauzari, Amla Otukpo and other 42 Earth Dams with combined job creation of about 43,354 direct jobs and 71,172 indirect jobs, would provide more support for irrigation agriculture and water supply.
50. To further institutionalize our effort in this regard, I signed the Executive Order 009 on Ending Open Defecation in Nigeria.
51. In order to improve our forest cover and in fulfilment of my commitment at the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in 2019, we have commenced the planting of 25 million trees. This initiative will also contribute to our effort to mitigate the effect of climate change.
52. In the area of security, we remain unshaken in our resolve to protect our national infrastructure including on-shore and off-shore oil installations, secure our territorial waters and end piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
53. Ending insurgency, banditry and other forms of criminality across the nation is being accorded appropriate priorities and the men and women of the Armed Forces of Nigeria have considerably downgraded such threats across all geo-political zones.
54. All the Local Governments that were taken over by the Boko Haram insurgents in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa have long been recovered and are now occupied by indigenes of these areas who were hitherto forced to seek a living in areas far from their ancestral homes.
55. The total collapse of the economies of these areas, which constituted a threat to our food security, has also been reversed with the gradual recovery of farming and other economic activities.
56. I regret recent sporadic incidents with tragic loss of lives in Katsina and Borno States as a result of criminals taking advantage of COVID-19 restrictions. Security Agencies will pursue the perpetrators and bring them to swift justice.
57. I must implore state and local governments to revamp their intelligence assets so that the Security Agencies can nip in the bud any planned attacks in remote rural areas. I send my heartfelt condolences to all the relatives and communities affected.
58. As part of the strengthening of our internal security architecture, the Ministry of Police Affairs was created.
59. Amongst others, Government has expanded the National Command and Control Centre to nineteen states of the federation, resuscitated the National Public Security Communication System and commenced the implementation of the Community Policing Strategy.
60. Government has similarly established a Nigerian Police Trust Fund as a public-private sector vehicle for alternative sources of funding security activities.
61. To reduce security challenges through our external borders especially smuggling of oil products out of the country, inflow of small arms and drugs into the country and equally protect our local manufacturers, we introduced operation “Ex-Swift Response” closing our borders from August 20th 2019, and have considerably succeeded in meeting its objectives as well as improving our national revenue.
62. Our Government has continued to work to reduce social and economic inequality through targeted social investment programmes, education, technology and improved information.
63. Our Social Investment Programme has continued to be a model to other nations and has engaged 549,500 N-Power beneficiaries, 408,682 beneficiaries of the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme and 2,238,334 beneficiaries of the Growth Enhancement and Empowerment Programme. This is being done in collaboration with the States.
64. Similarly, “Marketmoni” and “Tradermoni” Programmes have provided affordable loans to small and micro scale enterprises to grow their businesses. Under the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, over 9,963,729 children are being fed to keep them in school and improve their nutritional status.
65. Fellow Nigerians, the year 2020 has been like none other. In January 2020, the COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. The number of global infections has risen from less than 8,000 shared between China and eighteen other countries to over 7million spread over 216 countries and on all continents.
66. Nigeria recorded its first case of COVID-19 on February 27th 2020 and within the first 100 days, I have had cause to address the nation on three occasions within one month, which underscores the gravity of this pandemic.
67. There is no doubt that this pandemic has affected the global economy and all known socio-economic systems. It has also brought grief and pain to families that have lost their loved ones. Like many Nigerians, I feel the grief and pain not only as your President but also as someone who has lost a close member of my staff and some relatives and friends.
68. In order to have a robust National response, I approved a Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to provide guidance and leadership in tackling the pandemic nationwide.
69. State Governments also constituted their own COVID-19 Task Forces. Complementing this was the establishment of a National Emergency Operations Centre responsible for providing technical and professional guidance in the National Response.
70. The overall objective of the PTF COVID-19 is to ensure that the pandemic does not overwhelm our health systems, while ensuring that we maintain an effective Case Management System to help in containing the spread of the virus.
71. The impact of the pandemic has disrupted our economic system and to ensure its functioning while still addressing the spread, the Federal Government put in place a number of various non-pharmaceutical measures to slow down the spread of the virus, in addition to a progressive re-opening of the economy.
72. As part of the strategy to create jobs in reducing the effect of COVID-19 on our youths, I directed the employment of 774, 000 Nigerians. These youths will be engaged in Special Public Works Programme aimed at cushioning the effects of economic downturn. Each of the 774 local government areas in the country will be allotted 1,000 slots. I am pleased to report that this programme has commenced.
73. I receive regular briefing from the PTF on COVID-19. I note that the National Response relies on Science, Data and Experience in taking decisions. This informed my approval for the ease of lock down phase to ensure a balance between lives and livelihoods.
74. I am confident that the steps being taken by the PTF would result in flattening the COVID-19 curve. I, therefore, implore all Nigerians to abide by the approved guidelines and protocols. There is hope for us all if we take individual and collective responsibility.
75. Government is determined to turn this COVID-19 challenge into a motivation to action by building a nation-wide public health care system that will help us overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and prepare for any future outbreak.
76. Already, we have begun to look inward and I charge our inventors, researchers and scientists to come up with solutions to cure COVID-19.
77. Government has continued to implement accountability and transparent policies through the Open Government Partnership and the transparency portal on financial transactions. Similarly, we have strengthened auditing and accountability mechanisms so as to ensure that rules and regulations are followed strictly.
78. Anti-Corruption Agencies have secured more than 1,400 convictions and also recovered funds in excess of N800 billion. These monies are being ploughed into development and infrastructure projects.
79. The Public Service of Nigeria remains the bedrock for the formulation and implementation of policies, programmes and projects in the country. This accounts for why it continues to evolve especially as new socio-economic challenges emerge for Government to address.
80. I will continue to give all the necessary support for the on-going reforms designed to return discipline, integrity and patriotism as the hallmark of the public service.
81. In the face of dwindling resources and rising cost of governance, I have authorized that the White Paper on the Rationalisation of Government Parastatals and Agencies be reviewed for implementation.
82. Our youth population remains a source of strength in achieving development objectives. In this regard, we would continue to concentrate in developing their skills, providing them with opportunities to express their entrepreneurial, research and industrial capacities as well as ample opportunity to take leadership positions in the service of the nation.
83. The commitment of this Administration to the well-being of people living with disabilities remains unwavering. Government recognises their contributions to development. I have directed that all relevant Government agencies pay special attention to the peculiarities of persons with disabilities in the formulation and implementation of their policies and programmes, and where suitable their employment.
84. Nigerian women remain a particular treasure to this nation and for this reason this Administration has continued to give them a place of pride in the affairs of our country.
85. I salute your courage, enterprise and resilience as well as your contributions to national development. I wish to assure all our women of this administration’s determination to fight Gender Based Violence through the instrumentality of the law and awareness creation. I am particularly upset at recent incidents of rape especially of very young girls. The Police are pursuing these cases with a view to bringing perpetrators of these heinous crimes to swift justice.
86. Government continues to recognize and harness the power of the media for positive development. The reforms of the broadcast and advertising industries including digital switch over and continuous engagement through town hall meetings remain central to accurate and credible information dissemination.
87. Our culture provides the basis for our existence as a people and a nation. In preserving iconic aspects of our national culture, this government has been pursuing the recovery of artefacts removed from Nigeria, promoting heritage sites and festivals and working towards designating some of our heritage sites as UNESCO World Heritage Centres.
88. This administration is focused on ensuring that Nigeria would always be governed by the Rule of Law and I would do my utmost to uphold the constitution and protect the lives and property of all Nigerians.
89. Government has initiated a number of policies and programmes designed to promote the legal rights of Nigerians, facilitate the institutionalization of a responsive legal system, provide support to all constituted bodies in implementing their mandates and improve our custodial system of justice.
90. The National Assembly has been an important partner in our quest to sustain our democracy and achieve our development objectives.
91. I therefore greatly thank the leadership and members of the Senate and the House of Representatives for their invaluable support at all times.
92. I will also like to convey our deep appreciation to members of the Press for your doggedness in the struggle for attainment of democracy since the beginning of our nationhood.
93. I must admit that the relationship between the media and successive governments has not always been perfect. But there is no denying the fact that you have been an effective watchdog for the society especially in holding public officers to account. It is sad that in the course of securing our democracy, some of your colleagues have had to pay a heavy price.
94. We will continue to guarantee freedom of the Press as we place high premium on responsible journalism that is devoid of hate speech, fake news and other unethical professional conduct.
95. Fellow Nigerians, as we celebrate this year’s Democracy Day, let us remember that, notwithstanding our aspirations, humanity and indeed democracy is under the threat of COVID-19. Nigeria has survived many crises before and came out stronger. I am confident that by God’s grace we shall overcome this one and emerge stronger and more purposeful.
96. Thank you for listening. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
A former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has said the party will suffer “dire consequences” in Edo State on account of the disqualification of Governor Godwin Obaseki by the APC screening panel.
Odigie-Oyegun described the outcome of the screening as a hatchet job aimed at installing a stooge that will allow some people unfettered access to the Edo Treasury.
This was contained in a statement signed by his Media Adviser, Chief Ray Morphy, in Abuja, on Friday.
The statement read in part, “While not a surprise, that disqualification is a clear indication that internal democracy has been murdered in APC, a party which we founded on the principles of fair play and good conscience!
“I daresay that APC will suffer dire consequences in Edo state if this disqualification is not speedily reversed.
“As a matter of fact, Oshiomhole is indeed the one who is guilty of anti-party (activities), not Obaseki. Oshiomhole is the one who is acting unconstitutionally not Obaseki. I hope that Oshiomhole will not go down in history as the undertaker of APC.”
