News
Use Villa clinic, Senator advises Buhari against medical trips
- PS says approved N1.3bn too meagre for the clinic
President Muhammadu Buhari will have to stop travelling abroad for medical treatment and use the State House Clinic within the Presidential Villa in Abuja to raise the standard of facility at the hospital, a Kaduna senator, Danjuma La’ah, has said.
He told State House officials in Abuja on Thursday to convince the President to stop his foreign trips for medical treatment, adding that this would make the State House Clinic to become more effective.
The senator gave the advice when the State House Permanent Secretary, Tijani Umar, appeared before the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs to defend the 2021 State House budget.
Umar had presented the 2021 budget estimate of N19.7bn, which has N1.3bn allocated to the State House Clinic.
La’ah said stopping the President and other presidential officials from travelling abroad for medical treatment would help ensure that the clinic become more functional.
He said the committee would approve the budget for the State House Clinic but insisted that Buhari and other officials should stop travelling abroad for medical treatment.
“Our president is not a man to be taken out anytime or anything that happens to him on sickness matter. He must attend our clinic here and we must make sure that we equip our hospital to the best of our ability so that any emergency will be first taken care of here before flying out if the need arises.
“It is already approved;, N1.3bn for State House Clinic. I want this thing done and I want the credit to go to the whole committee – leave a legacy for the State House that the clinic we requested was done within the shortest time.”
He said two years would be given to the State House for completion of the clinic, adding that oversight function would be done monthly.
Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary of the State House, Tijani Umar, has said the N1.3bn approved for the Villa clinic was too small.
He spoke in an interview with journalists after defending 2021 budget estimate before the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs State.
He said, “The N1.3bn is absolutely inadequate when you juxtapose the amount proposed, the labour, and the status of the principals that the project is going to serve. When compared with worldwide standards, you’ll see that it is not anything near what we need.
“It (the clinic), is considered a legacy project for us because we want to leave something down. We have realigned some many things and one of the fundamental challenges we have dealt with is the sustainable supply of drugs and consumables.”
News
Updated: NNPC blames fuel scarcity on panic buying, hoarding, marketers disagree
Updated: NNPC blames fuel scarcity on panic buying, hoarding, marketers disagree
The Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has attributed the ongoing fuel scarcity in the country to panic buying and sharp practices by some petroleum marketers. But the marketers have refuted the claim, asserting that inadequate supply is the primary cause of the persistent scarcity.
The NNPCL assured the public that the fuel queues across the country would disappear by next week.
It stressed that it had sufficient fuel reserves to resolve the scarcity issue. This statement came in response to concerns raised by the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and other stakeholders regarding the scarcity.
The NNPC spokesperson, Femi Soneye, had earlier indicated that the corporation had over 1.5 billion litres of petroleum products, enough to last for at least 30 days.
But some individuals were allegedly exploiting the situation for profit.
Petroleum marketers maintained they were not responsible for the fuel scarcity, as they are not importers of petrol. According to the National Vice President of IPMAN, Hammed Fashola, blaming marketers for hoarding petrol was unfounded as they could only divert the product if available.
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Furthermore, Chinedu Ukadike, the National Public Relations Officer of IPMAN, emphasized that independent marketers operate their businesses to maximize profit and return on investment. He highlighted the challenges faced by marketers in ensuring product availability and dismissed allegations of sharp practices.
Similarly, the Executive Secretary of the Major Energies Marketers Association of Nigeria, Clement Isong, acknowledged the existence of sharp practices within the oil sector but argued that it is too simplistic to attribute the fuel scarcity solely to such practices.
To address the fuel scarcity effectively, stakeholders emphasize the need for increased distribution of petroleum products by regulatory authorities. They also call for the involvement of security agencies to deter profiteering and ensure fair distribution to consumers across the country.
Updated: NNPC blames fuel scarcity on panic buying, hoarding, marketers disagree
News
Lagos issues 48hr quit notice to Ikoyi Towers’ illegal squatters
Lagos issues 48hr quit notice to Ikoyi Towers’ illegal squatters
Lagos State Government has issued a 48 hours ultimatum to illegal squatters at abandoned Ikoyi Towers, Lagos Island to evacuate.
The State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, gave the notice on Saturday, during an inspection of some identified sites, including the abandoned Federal Government property, Ikoyi Towers.
The Ikoyi Towers, located behind the abandoned Federal Secretariat, Ikoyi, comprise of three blocks of 12 floors, tagged: A, B and C.
Wahab said the quit notice has become necessary to protect lives which is the primary function of any responsible and responsive government.
According to him, “Apart from constituting an environmental nuisance, they are security risk to the state which can be used as hideouts for criminal elements to perpetrate their nefarious acts.
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“Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu is passionate about the well-being and safety of all citizens and would spare nothing to ensure these ate achieved.”
The occupants of the building, who are largely security personnel, appealed to the commissioner to give more time inorder to make proper arrangement for relocation as they have no place to go immediately.
One of the occupants, who simply identified himself as Mallam Abubakar, from Ilorin, Kwara State, said he is a Police Spy, and moved into the building in November 2023.
According to Abubakar,”The agent collected N200, 000, one off rent from each of the occupant, numbering hundreds of us.
“We have our families here. Our children are in schools. Where do we go from here? Government should have compassion on us this harsh economy.”
Lagos issues 48hr quit notice to Ikoyi Towers’ illegal squatters
News
Give Nigerians affordable, quality vehicles, Tinubu challenges auto manufacturers
Give Nigerians affordable, quality vehicles, Tinubu challenges auto manufacturers
President Bola Tinubu has urged the Nigerian Automotive Manufacturers Association to devise ways of producing vehicles that would be affordable for all categories of Nigerians.
He said this is necessary as the government rolls out consumer credit for millions of Nigerians to purchase vehicles and other important goods and services.
He also urged the delegation to ensure that locally manufactured vehicles are of the highest standard that would stand the test of time, and complement the government’s efforts in revitalising the automotive industry.
Tinubu said this when he received a delegation of the African Association of Automotive Manufacturers and the Nigerian Automotive Manufacturers Association in Aso Rock presidential villa on Friday, according to a statement by presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale.
The President, represented by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, met the members led by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Ms Doris Uzoka-Anite, on Friday in Abuja.
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The delegation had earlier notified the President of their efforts to start manufacturing vehicle and spare parts in Nigeria.
He said that a legislative bill to drive the automotive industry was being drafted and reviewed by the Federal Ministry of Justice.
They emphasised the need to develop the industry, which would create massive employment for youths and ease the burden on the much-needed foreign exchange.
The delegation consisted of the Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Mr Oluwemimo Osanipin.
Others are the representatives of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), as well as Executive Directors of Stallion Group, Toyota/CEAO and NISSAN.
Give Nigerians affordable, quality vehicles, Tinubu challenges auto manufacturers
(NAN)
Updated: NNPC blames fuel scarcity on panic buying, hoarding, marketers disagree
FG threatens to stop funding tertiary institutions with poor performance
Don’t impose assistants on Finidi — Udeze warns NFF
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