Day: May 19, 2023

A Civil Society Organisation (CSO) Nigerian Movement for Probity and Accountability, (NMP) has called on the incoming administration of Sen. Bola Tinubu to revisit sales of Federal Government properties in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) between 2005 and 2007.

The organisation made the call in a statement jointly signed by its National Coordinator, Mr Bako Isaac, National Secretary, Malam Garba Kaoje and Director of Publicity, Alhaji Salisu Abdulkadir in Abuja on Friday.

The statement alleged that government properties worth about N32 billion were sold under controversial circumstances within the three years in FCT.

It added that the current Kaduna State Governor Malam Nasir El-Rufai was one of the people dragged to court over the matter after leaving office as Minister of FCT.

“As a responsible Civil Society Group committed to monitoring activities across the country, we, the Nigerian Movement for Probity and Accountability, NMP rising from an emergency meeting on Thursday May 18.

“El-Rufai at the time understood succinctly that the Federal Executive Council under the former President Olusegun Obasanjo approved guidelines for the sale of Federal Government properties in the FCT which the transaction under the El-Rufai was questionable, with regards to remitting the sum of N32 billion into the coffers of the Federal Government at the time.

“At the time legal proceedings were initiated against El-Rufai by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission between 2018 and 2019, he had become the Executive governor of Kaduna State, hence, he enjoys immunity which the anti-graft agency could only investigate and not prosecute him.

“This was confirmed by Justice Binta Nyako vide the Federal High Court ruling on Nov. 20, 2019, where she held that, “no court would stop the EFCC from investigating anyone in line with its constitutional mandate.

“ No court, including this one, will allow itself to be used to shield anybody from being investigated by the 1st respondent.”

It went further that “the court ruling was at the backdrop of El-Rufai’s move to stop the EFCC from investigating and prosecuting him over the proceed of sales of the Federal Government Houses in the FCT when he held sway as a minister.

“The NMP recalled that, while the economic crimes investigation was progressing, the governor rushed to the court through the Suit: FHC/ABJ/CS/60/09 seeking the court’s determination whether, as the then FCT minister he had complied with the guidelines approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for the sale of Federal Government Houses between May 2005 and May 2007.

“He sought a declaration that the sum of N32 billion being proceed of sales of Federal Government Houses and 2005 between 2007 in FCT was remitted into the Federation Account,” it said.

The NMP Insisted that the matter should not be allowed to be swept under the carpet, particularly that the accused will hand over as governor of Kaduna State on May 29 and will not be covered by immunity anymore.

It added that El-Rufai should cooperate with the EFCC to prove his innocence as he would want the nation to believe.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Plan International, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) has called for a workable policy and enabling environment to bridge the technology and digital gaps among young girls in the country.

The Organisation’s Policy Research and Influencing Manager, Mr Tunde Aremu, said this in Abuja at the 2023 Girls in ICT Day organised by the group in collaboration with TechHer.

Aremu called on the Federal Government to create a safer and affordable spaces for young girls in the country for them to advance in the area of technology.

He said: “As part of efforts of motivating our girls to show active interest in technology, we must consciously invest in them and create policy on their safe spaces.

”Beyond investment, we must consciously step out and create safer spaces where these girls can have access to technology and make use of them.

”Government has to be deliberate in addressing the challenges, there is need for policies that will drive in closing the gaps.”

According to him, research has shown that in terms of access to digital facility between men and women, in terms of GSM technology and digital access, there is a wide margin.

Addressing the students through zoom, the Project Lead, Project Female Experts Source Guide Development, Adesola Ayo-Adereleu urged participants to take advantage of the positive opportunities in the digital space.

Ayo-Aderele advised the participants to avoid negative exposure that comes with technology, shore up their skills, and convert them to technological use,

She said that no one with knowledge of ICT and its certifications ever stayed jobless.

Sonia Dawarga, a trainer from TechHer, who put the participants through on how to navigate the technology, advised them to make god use of the opportunity to improve their lives.

The event featured students from public and private secondary schools in the FCT on ICT themed quiz competition, debate competition and mentorship/career conversations.

The participating schools are from Capville schools Kubwa, Light of day school Kubwa, Olamawu College Wuse 2, Government Girls Secondary school, Dutse and Maitama Model School.

Others are from Government Secondary School Wuse Zone 3, Government Secondary School Garki and Government Secondary School Jabi.

At the end of the ICT themed debates and quiz competitions, Capville schools came top with two students representing the school.

Light of Day Secondary School, Olamawu College, Government Girls Secondary School, Dutse and Government Secondary School, Garki recorded one student each.

The six top winners went home with different prizes, while other participants received consolation prizes.

The winners will also be part of a six-month mentorship programme on ICT by Plan International and TechHer.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Mr Olusegun Alao, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Coordinator in Delta, says the scheme remains the greatest platform for promoting national unity and integration.

Alao said this on Friday while declaring open a novelty match and a Skills Acquisition and Entreprenuership Department (SAED) exhibition in Asaba to celebrate golden jubilee of the NYSC.

According to Alao, the scheme has achieved milestones which show that it has achieved desired objectives.

“The scheme has made corps members to have sense of togetherness, oneness, friendship and brotherhood, irrespective of cultural and social backgrounds.

“We must commend the patriotic spirit of corps members who have displayed selfless services in their host communities through the provision of community development projects,” he said.

Alao said that introduction of SAED into the NYSC orientation course content had been beneficial.

“The programme has created lots of job opportunities for our youths who are now business owners in different locations and also employers of labour,” he said.

A beneficiary of SAED, Mr Kelechi Daniel, said that the programme had changed his life.

He said that it had broadened his knowledge and made him to be creative.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria