Politics
Hard Times’ll Be Over Soon, Remi Tinubu Assures Nigerians
Nigeria’s First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, has assured Nigerians that the hard times being faced in the country will soon be over.
She gave the assurance during a meeting with wives of governors at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, on Monday.
She said 2024 is loaded with peace, progress, prosperity and greater achievements to the advantage of all Nigerians.
“Times like this calls for sober reflection, hence, all hands must be on deck. Moreover, the hardship situation is temporary, it will soon fade away.
“The mission of the RHI is driven by my office to complement the Renewed Hope Agenda of the administration of President Tinubu,’’ she said.
She said Women Agricultural Support Programme (WASP), under her Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) will empower 20 farmers each, from five states in the South East Zone.
“These farmers will get N500,000 each and a total draft of N10m will be given to five RHI states’ coordinators as the case may be.
“The National Agricultural Land Development Authority in partnership with the RHI will support an additional 80 female farmers from each state with the provision of training and capacity building and agricultural inputs.
“We will buy-off all produce from the farms after harvest,’’ she said.
The First Lady said she would soon launch “Young Farmers Club’’ in public schools across the nation to encourage farming among young population.
She said schools with the best farms would be identified, and prizes would be given to them, ranging from school renovations, equipping of school science laboratories, provision of ICT equipment and upgrading of school libraries.
The House of Representatives Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility (SCR) has resolved to sanction MTN, Airtel, and other companies for failing to perform their Corporate Social Responsibilities.
The committee said that it would enact laws to sanction any offenders in that regard.
Rep. Oby Orogbu, the Chairman of the Committee on Corporate Social Responsibility, said this during a public hearing in Abuja, yesterday, on “a Bill to regulate corporate social responsibility in Nigeria.
She, however, gave MTN and Airtel the last warning to honour the committee’s invitation or face the arrest warrant.
According to Orogbu, some companies operating in the country have overtime violated the law, hence the need for punishment to be imposed on them.
She also frowned at the conduct of the National Communications Commission, MTN and Airtel, adding that they had several times ignored the invitation of the Committee.
She said that the committee had no choice but to invoke its powers by issuing a warrant of arrest.
“Section 89, 8 of the Constitution mandates individual companies as invited to make themselves available to parliament, but they break the law.
“I want to tell MTN and Airtel that they take so much from our nation and they feel too big to appear before the parliament; we will not tolerate that.
“We gave them the powers to operate in Nigeria, so to refuse to honor the invitation of the parliament is a no-no; we take exception to it.
“I have taken all friendly measures to make them understand the need to appear before the parliament, but they have refused.”
“If you feel you are responsible, then you should appear before the parliament. We want you to be responsible and accountable,” she said.
She said that in spite of operating from across the country, they had disrespected the same nation by not honoring the House invitation.
Mr. Wondi Ndanusa, who spoke on behalf of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, said that the CBN is in support of the bill.
He expressed concern about the proposed penalty of imprisonment for defaulting companies, stating that the penalty should rather be persuasive.
He also said that many companies were faced with a lot of financial burdens and responsibilities, adding that the proposed SCR should be domiciled with the Corporate Affairs Commission.
Mr Bala Wuoir, the representative of the Oil Producers Trade Section, expressed concern that the PIA already mandates oil companies operating in Nigeria to make a financial contribution of three per cent of their profits to NDDC.
He said that mandating them do so again would be burdensome, adding that oil companies should be exempted from the bill.
The emergence of Governors Abiodun and Soludo, was part of the decision reached at the end of the meeting of the Southern Governors Forum, held at the Presidential Lodge, GRA Ibara, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwoolu, announced the emergence of Abiodun and Soludo.
Sixteen out of the 17 governors that constituted the Southern Governors Forum attended the meeting with only Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, absent at the meeting.
While some governors, were physically present at the meeting, some were represented by their deputies.
The governors that attended the meeting include Babajide Sanwoolu (Lagos), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Alex Otti (Abia), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Bassey Otu (Cross River).
Other governors in attendance, were Charles Soludo (Anambra), Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi),
Peter Mbah (Enugu), Douye Diri (Bayelsa) and Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom).
Also on ground to represent their governors were Deputy Governors Chinyere Ekomaru (Imo), Monday Onyeme (Delta) and Olayide Adelami (Ondo).
Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue says his administration inherited more than N359 billion in salary arrears over several years from his predecessor.
Mr Alia alleged that previous administrations in the state lied to the people that the federal government denied them funds to pay salaries.
The governor promised that his administration would continue prioritising the payment of workers’ salaries.
“Henceforth, civil servants in the state will be paid from 22nd of every month,“ he said.
He thanked the people for their confidence in him to lead the state and promised to revive the Igumale Cement Factory and construct access roads in the area.
“Okpoga is in darkness; I will light it up with 5,000 kw of electricity. I have come to reduce your pain and suffering,“ he said.
He urged them to continue to support his administration and be patient with President Bola Tinubu, as he has good policies for Nigerians.
Earlier, Daniel Onjeh, a former senatorial candidate under the All Progressives Congress ( APC), urged the governor to match words with action by fulfilling his campaign promises.
Mr Onjeh said the opposition parties were mocking the people that the governor had abandoned them in terms of infrastructure and appointments.
‘The opposition is asking what you have done for Benue South. We want to see things manifest. Do not be distracted by the blackmail of the opposition,” he said.
Benjamin Omakolon, the acting chairman of the APC, while receiving 500 persons who defected from the opposition parties to the APC at the event, promised them equal treatment.
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