South East
2011: Jonathan Charges Youths On Peace
As the forthcoming 2011 general elections in Nigeria draws nearer, the President , Dr. Goodluck Jonathan , has reminded the youth of this country as stakeholders in the contest of their responsibility to ensure that the will of the people prevail by ensuring the availability of a peaceful atmosphere for them to cast their votes without any form of hindrance.
The president who made this known Saturday in his address on the occasion of the 39th Convocation ceremony of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), also advised the youth not to allow themselves to be deceived and used by politicians to cause violence in the nation’s polity.
According to him, “On the part of this administration , no stone will be left unturned in the effort to ensure a free and fair election in 2011 and beyond. I call on the youth of this country, and especially today’s graduates, to be determined to lift this country to greater heights in order to justify the dream of the founding fathers of this great institution”.
Dr. Jonathan continued
“As for our young graduates, I charge you to go out there and join the great march to renew our country. We live in challenging times in which we strive to revamp our economy and create the environment conducive to the rapid development of our country.
“You would be required to make your own contributions . After all, in spite of the critique of our educational system, our nation has contributed in no small measure to your lofty attainments today”, he reasoned.
The president also stated that every nation is a product of what its people want it to be, adding that its greatness or otherwise would depend on the collective aspiration of its people.
“If the aspiration is that it becomes a great nation , every one would have to play their part. This entails making great sacrifices at all times”, he said.
President Jonathan,who was represented at the occasion by the Minister of Education, professor Ruqayyatu A, Rufai, further urged the youth as emerging leaders to be part of the building project, pointing out that all should rise to the occasion in the quest for Nigeria to attain its full potentials as a great nation.
Dr Jonathan noted that his administration understands the significant role of tertiary institutions in the achievement of the global agenda for all, noting that without quality tertiary education, the nation’s quest for qualitative human capital development, “which is essential for the achievement of the nation’s vision 20:20:20, would be a mirage.”
In spite of the high cost of tertiary education, his government, he assured, remains committed to the funding of that tier of the education sub-sector within the limit of competitive demands for the available funds allocated to the sector.
His administration, he went on, has demonstrated its commitment by injecting 150 million US Dollars and taking an International Development Association (IDA) Credit from the World Bank to carry out the Science and Technology Post-Basic (Step – B) Project.
In the same vein, the president stated that the Federal Government had reinvigorated the funding of tertiary education with the injection of N33 billion through the Education Trust Fund (ETF) Special Intervention Fund into 13 tertiary institutions, comprising six universities, three polytechnics, three colleges of education and the Nigerian Defence Academy in the last two years
“The training of academic staff at post –graduate levels which began in 2008, has continued. About 2,068 lecturers across the universities, polytechnics and colleges of education have benefited , with about 270 of them studying overseas.”
Degrees and various certificates were awarded to over 6,000 graduands on the occasion, while the governors of Gombe and Akwa Ibom states were also conferred with the degree of Doctor of Public Administration (DPA) and degree of Doctor of Law (LLB) Honoris Causa , respectively.
The police in Ebonyi State say they have discovered the body of a yet to be identified middle-aged woman in a hotel room in Abakaliki, the state capital. The spokesperson of the police in the state, Loveth Odah, stated this yesterday.
She said the body has deep cuts on the chest and neck and has been deposited in a mortuary. According to the spokesman, it was discovered at Crown Garden Hotel located along the ever-busy Afikpo road in the capital city.
Mrs Odah, who said that the victim was found in the pool of her own blood, said the suspect had been identified as one Uchenna Awoke.
She said the hotel manager, Emmanuel Eze, the supervisor, and other workers had been taken to the police station for questioning and accused the hotel management of negligence.
“The manager of the hotel, the supervisor and other staff of the hotel were taken to the station for questioning and I must confess to you that the whole thing is negligence on the part of the hotel management. How can a guest be murdered in a hotel room and days after, the management is not aware of the incident.”
“We will investigate the matter properly and I assure you, the perpetrator of the act must be arrested and prosecuted. All we are asking is for the members of the public to avail the police of useful information that will lead to the arrest of the suspect.”
The Senate yesterday passed the South East Development Commission (Establishment) Bill 2018.
The proposed commission aims at enhancing the infrastructural development of the South East zone, which is grappling with huge ecological challenges.
It also seeks to act as a catalyst for the development of the commercial potential of the zone.
The proposed legislation requires the concurrence of the House of Representatives to become a bill of the National Assembly, and the President’s assent to become a law.
Senators Stella Oduah (PDP-Anambra) and Samuel Anyanwu (PDP-Imo) jointly sponsored the bill read in the Senate on June 22, 2016.
Its passage in the Red Chamber followed the presentation of the report of the Committee on Establishment and Public Service by its former Chairman, Senator Emmanuel Paulker (PDP-Bayelsa), on the floor of the Senate.
The bill, after Paulker’s presentation, was considered clause by clause by the committee of the whole, and amendments made by the lawmakers were read for the third time and eventually passed.
In his remarks, presiding Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, commended his colleagues for a job well done.
In his words, “Every morning we pray that God should give us the grace to do only those things that will promote the peace and unity of this country.
“I believe that we have shown today that we are committed to the unity of this country, and it is this unity that will give us faith in this country.
“This faith will in turn help us to pursue peace and progress,” he said.
Briefing newsmen after plenary, members the South East caucus of the Senate, led by Sen. Enhinnaya Abaribe (PDP-Abia), thanked their colleagues and members of the committee for their efforts.
Abaribe, who spoke on behalf of the caucus, urged the President to sign the bill into law “as soon as we tidy it up and bring to him, in the interest of the unity and progress of Nigeria”.
“This will put to rest the long-drawn agitation in the South East, and the difficulties in the rehabilitation and reconciliation efforts that started at the end of the civil war.
“All things we see always will end up at the negotiating table, which is what we have done,” he said.
The lawmaker said he hoped the House of Representatives would give concurrence to the bill as it went in the Senate.
When established, the South East Development Commission would be the third zonal interventionist body in the country.
Bishop David Oyedepo, the Founder and Presideng Bishop, Living Faith Church Worldwide, on Saturday predicted that nothing would disturb the peace of Nigeria and its story would change for the better in the year 2019.
Oyedepo made the declaration at the just concluded annual prophetic gathering of the Winners’ family, christened the “Dominion”, in a satellite telecast of the church.
In the telecast monitored in Abuja, the cleric also declared that 2019 would be a year of “I have Dominion”.
“Nothing will tamper with the peace of Nigeria; the story will change for the better in the name of Jesus.
“Nigeria shall not see bloodshed, the Prince of Peace will continue to dominate in Nigeria, in Africa and Nigeria is declared blessed.
“Anywhere you step, accident is forbidden; death will not come near you and our nation.
“Anything that is of grace in my life, I freely release upon you today.
“God has opened the year 2019 to us, celebrate Him because its our year of “I have Dominion,” he said.
The Bishop added that the year 2019 would be a year of humbling testimonies for Nigeria and pace-setting testimonies.
He further declared that 2019 would be a colourful year for the nation.
According to the cleric, as long as Jesus has the final say on the issues of Nigeria, it will experience greatness.
Oyedepo said that there would be no more cause of alarm in any area of the nation and its citizens.
He advised Christians in Nigeria to delight themselves in the spirit of servant-hood, adding that the spirit of Christ is the spirit of servant-hood.
“The Spirit of Christ is the spirit of servant-hood. As you keep rising on the ladder of leadership, you must retain our spirit of servant-hood, constantly working to add value to others and be kingdom minded,” he said.
According to him, dedication is at the root of dominion, saying: “Sow yourself as a seed by being totally dedicated to God and His Kingdom’’.
He told his congregation that sacrificial giving guarantees the meeting of all their needs.
“When you engage in taking care of the well-being of others, God is also committed to your well-being,” he explained. The cleric admonished Christians would engage in meeting the needs of the needy, every barrier on their path of destiny would be crushed.
“Nobody tampers with your life, your career, your family and goes away with it because you are promoted to God’s kingdom.
“God will stand for your defence in the day of trouble. Every sacrificial giver has a defence around him in the day of trouble always have that in mind,” he said.
He reminded his congregation that the Church is not a building; the Church is a people and the Redeemed of the Lord.