LG staff ordeal orchestrated by corrupt Local Council chairmen, Gov Sule alleges

Umar Egbunu Muhammed, Lafia

Nasarawa state governor, Abdullahi Sule, has said that the persistence hardship being faced by local government workers is being orchestrated by the corrupt attitude of local government chairmen at the grass roots.

The governor’s allegation was coming at the swearing-in of the Chief Judge of Nasarawa State Justice, Aisha Bashir, and the inauguration of the chairman of the Local Government Service Commission at the Government House, Lafia on Tuesday.

Sule explained that the significant role the third tier of government plays in providing socio-economic opportunities to the people at the grassroots has been abused, adding that the chairmen of various councils in the state have bastardized the local government administration and made it an avenue for siphoning meager resources available with nothing to show in the development of the rural communities.

The governor said, “The Local Government administration in the State has been reduced to an avenue for siphoning the people’s resources.”

“It is no longer secret that our local government councils have become a ground the opulent in the Local Government administration uses to dump their cronies under the guise of   recruitments, with so many workers in the vouchers without justification for the job placement,” he added.

“Most of the Local Government staff have become like pensioners who relocated to the cities and wait for the month to end to receive alerts.

“The system has been basterdised such that due process in the promotion and placement of staff has been shortchanged. This narrative must stop forthwith.

“The consequences of the  ugly situations is the resultant accumulation of arrears of pension and gratuities, as well as other challenges associated with the delay and non-payment of Local Government staff salaries and allowances,” he stated.

The governor immediately constituted an investigative Committee to appraise the system and advise Government on how to arrest the apparent decay and gradual descent to oblivion of the Local Government system. 

He however, expressed the optimism that the outcome of thes investigation will guide Government towards repositioning the Local Government system in the State to enable it play its role of developing the grassroots.

Stakeholders in Kogi Central commend Sen. Oseni for Quality Representation

By Janet Ovayoza Samuel

Some stakeholders and beneficiaries of Senator Oseni’s constituency projects in Kogi Central, have commended him, describing his contribution within the shortest period of representing them as second to none.

They said during his campaign to be elected as senator he had promised quality representation in at the upper legislative chamber adding that he has fulfilled his promises.
According to them, he delivered on his promises through provision of purposeful leadership, sponsorship of bills and motions that have directly impacted on the lives of his constituents

A stakeholder in Ogori-Magongo Local Government Area, Rukayat Ahmed said in the history of the Senatorial District, the Lawmaker has performed creditably well outperforming his predecessors, especially in the aspect of touching the lives of the people.

She listed some of the Senator’s projects to include empowerment of one thousand women of which she is beneficiary in the building of ICT hub in Comprehensive Secondary School, Ogori/Magongo.

Rukkayat described the senator as a man who is concerned about the welfare of his constituents, pointing out that he has provided quality representation at the national Assembly.

In Okehi Local Government Area, Alhaji Sanni Momojimoh-Babuwa maintained that the people of Eika have benefited from the Senator’s empowerment projects especially the skills acquisition center in the Area where people acquired skills for self sufficiency.

He commended the lawmaker for responding to the plight of the people as he urged him to establish a JAMB center in Ihima.

Yusuf Agali from Ajaokuta Local Government, commended the Senator fir the establishment of a health center, construction of blocks of classrooms in GSS Adogo, empowerment of women with cash gifts as start-up capital and the installation of motorized borehole in the Area.

He lauded the effort of the lawmaker in sponsoring a bill to establish Steel University in the Local Government which will translate to job opportunities for the youths, assuring that he will continue to enjoy the people’s support.

Alhaji Aminu Adawudi of Adavi Local Government who is also a beneficiary of the lawmaker’s initiatives noted that Senator Oseni was the first to establish constituency offices in all the Local Government Areas of the district.

He added that the Senator distributed over fifty laptops in the Area with e-learning centers in Community Secondary School Ogaminana, Adavi Eba and Kuroko as well as a skill acquisition center at the Local Government Secretariat.

Alhaji Abdullahi Abdulmalik of Okene Local Government said Senator Oseni has impacted positively on the lives of the people especially in the areas of education, human empowerment, economic development among others.

Alhaji Abdullahi also commended the Senator for initiating a scholarship scheme which many students have benefited from.

Lawan doles out N8m to victims of market fire disaster
 
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, on Friday brought succur to victims of the Yan harawa market fire disaste with a donation of N8m
 
Lawan made the donation when he paid a visit to the market in Gashua, Bade Local Government Area of Yobe State. 
 
During the visit, he appealed to the leaders of the Yan Harawa market association to ensure that all victims of the fire incident benefited equally from monetary donations irrespective of party affiliation.
 
He also assured that the Federal Government through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) would support victims of the fire incident. 
 
“I hereby donate the sum of N8 million naira. Please, it should be shared equally to all victims affected by the market fire disaster. 
 
“Whatever donations you receive, make sure it is shared to all those who are affected irrespective of whatever political party they belong to.
 
“I pray that we continue to experience peace in this zone, and also in Yobe State and Nigeria”, the Senate President said.