Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has called on Nigerians to live in peace and harmony as a way of achieving meaningful progress. He made the call in a Christmas message signed by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Hakeem Bello and made available t...
Sen. Ita Enang (PDP-Akwa Ibom), Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, has called on the Federal Government to implement the Steve Oronsaye Committee report to reduce recurrent expenditure.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that President Goodluck Jonathan set up a committee headed by Oronsaye, former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, to restructure and rationalise Federal Government's agencies.
This was with a view to identifying overlap or duplication of functions and make appropriate recommendations to the government.
Enang told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday that if the report was implemented, the cost of governance would be drastically reduced and more funds would be available for capital expenditure.
He said: ``I am urging the President and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to take courage and implement the recommendations made by the Oronsaye Committee.
``Ministries and Departments with duplicating functions should be merged and officers transferred to the main service and dealt with according to civil service regulations.’’
Enang also noted the need to reduce the increasing funds budgeted for fuelling of generators in public offices by exploring the option of solar energy.
He added that the recurring demand for the purchase of computers by ministries and agencies should be discouraged so as to have more funds for visible projects.
"We need to reduce the demand for diesel and computers as this would reduce the cost of governance; there will be huge savings which will increase the capital budget and attract development.’’
The lawmaker advised the Ministry of Finance to always ensure early release of funds to enable Ministries, Departments and Agencies to fully implement the budget for the benefit of the people.
Nelson Mandela's grandson, Mandla Mandela, said his family was humbled by the overwhelming support and messages of goodwill globally received since Mandela was admitted into hospital.
He said on Monday that though Mandela could not be with his family during this Christmas ``the family home in Qunu will be warm as usual''.
“We have overwhelming support not only from the province, nationally, but also internationally.
``We hope that the prayers that we've been receiving will ensure that he recovers.
``The priority is to ensure his well-being, and he is returned home in good health,” he said.
The Mandela family gave 100 wheelchairs to the Empilweni Old Age Home in Mthatha, Eastern Cape.
The initiative was a partnership between the Mandela Family and the Provincial Department of Social Development.
``Madiba's legacy of giving to the needy put smiles on the faces of elderly people in Mthatha.
“We are following in the footsteps of my grandpa. He used to host a Christmas party for the elderly and children.
``We are doing this to show that we still care, and we want him to know that we are doing what he loves,” Mandla Mandela said.
However, this was the first time Mandela was not celebrating Christmas with his family since he was released from Robben Island Prison in 1992.
Mandela was admitted at a Pretoria hospital on Dec. 8,2012.
The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) says it recorded 94 deaths in 191 road accidents across the country in the last five days. A statement issued by Mr Jonas Agwu, the Public Education Officer of the Commission, quoted Mr Osita Chidoka, the Corps...
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, has urged Nigerians, especially Christians, to pray for the peaceful co-existence and unity in the nation.
Tambuwal made the appeal in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Imam Imam, on Monday in Abuja to commemorate this year's Christmas celebration.
He enjoined Nigerians to renew their faith in their country and work towards building a nation of their dreams.
Tambuwal said with renewed faith, commitment and hard work, the country would soon realise its full potentials.
``The Christmas period is a time for deep reflection on the teachings of Christianity and what Jesus Christ stood for,’’ he said.
The speaker urged leaders at all levels of governance to make the interest of the people their priority at all times.
``In spite of the challenges of development confronting the country, progress has been made in some critical sectors,’’ he said.
Tambuwal said the House of Representatives would continue to play its role in efforts to provide quality representation to the people.
He congratulated Christians who joined their colleagues the world over in celebrating this important occasion.
``May the blessings of the season shower on our homes and our nation," the speaker said.
Mr Ishmael Igbani, INEC Commissioner in-charge of Election Monitoring, has said that too many political parties are unwieldy for elections in a developing country like Nigeria.
Igbani, who said this in Abuja on Tuesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), noted that ''For election purposes Nigeria doesn’t need too many political parties.
''Even though having too many political parties is not a crime, all of them cannot be participating in one election.
''Looking at the ballot with over 65 candidates having their names on a ballot paper would be confusing to the electorate, and the worse scenario is when there is more than one election in a day, it becomes more confusing.''
The INEC commissioner advised politicians to come together and set criteria on how names would be placed on the ballot papers.
He said it was time for politicians to stop tying their existence to elections; rather they should focus more on issues that would engender socio-economic growth of the nation.
''The smaller parties instead of fighting for a place on the ballot papers can exploit various avenues with focus on different areas that include gender, environment, health, social issues and other areas of development.’’
On de-registration of some political parties by INEC, Igbani said the exercise was done in accordance with the law.
He explained that the Electoral Act 2010, as amended, declared that: ''Any political party which contests elections and does not win any electoral seat shall be deregistered.
''Our constitution allows for a multi-party system, but INEC has the power to de-register parties and it has started and it is a continuous process as the commission will continue to de-register parties that do not meet requirements.’’
The Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, has directed the cancellation of the on-going recruitment into the Nigeria Immigration Service. This is contained in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Minister on Media, Mr George Udoh, on Monday in A...
Hon. Ya’u Umar Gwajo-Gwajo is the Speaker, Katsina State Assembly. In this interview with MUAZU ELAZEH, he explains the secret behind the state Assembly’s leadership stability over the years. He also argues that granting full autonomy to lo...
The Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology has called on the Ministry of Environment, National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and Mobil Oil Company to immediately furnish it with an up-to-date information on two oil spill inciden...
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