News

Reps Intensify Efforts to get Fair Justice for Ekweremadus in UK

By Web News 419

The house of representatives has resolved to take measures to enable Ike Ekweremadu, former deputy senate president, and his wife, Beatrice, to get justice in the UK.

At Tuesday’s plenary session, Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house, said he will “try” to meet his UK counterpart to ensure the Ekweremadus are given fair treatment.

Gbajabiamila made the remarks following the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Abdullahi Abdulkadir, a legislator from Bauchi state.

The former deputy senate president and his wife were recently arrested for allegedly taking an individual to the UK for organ harvesting.

They were subsequently remanded in custody till July 7.

Gbajabiamila said the lower legislative chamber will use “diplomatic pressure” to ensure that “due process” is followed in the issue.

“I have spoken with the Nigerian high commissioner (to the UK, Sharafa Ishola) who has been extremely proactive in this matter and I expressed the need for him to continue to avail Senator Ekweremadu with all the necessary assistance that he will need to prove his case. I think this should be heightened as well to the UK parliament,” Gbajabiamila said.

I would try and get in touch with the speaker of the parliament (UK) whom I was opportune to meet with and had fruitful discussions with just a couple of months ago. I believe honourable Buba Yusuf (chairman of the house committee on foreign affairs) should also get in touch with his foreign affairs counterpart in the UK parliament.

“We are not talking about anything but for the parliament in the UK to make sure that Senator Ekweremadu gets the proper due process, that the rule of law is applied and that he is treated fairly on this matter. I believe the UK parliament or the congress of the United States, if their own was involved or if they have one of theirs, even a citizen, in this country that was going through the same travails, I believe that those parliaments would responsibly get involved as well. So, we must apply diplomatic pressure.”

The speaker said Nigeria and the UK have “strong diplomatic ties”, adding that “we have to wait to gather all the facts” on the matter.

While moving his motion, Abdulkadir said fresh information suggests a different narrative which might not be available to the UK police at the time of the arrest of Ekweremadu and his wife.

He said the UK should work with Nigeria to “conduct a holistic and thorough investigation to ascertain all the facts relating to the allegation in order to make a fair determination on the issues in the best interest of equity and justice for all concerned”.

Contribution to the motion, Toby Okechukwu, deputy minority leader, said the UK may have acted on inaccurate information.

The motion was unanimously adopted when it was put to a voice vote by Gbajabiamila.

The house subsequently mandated the ministry of foreign affairs and the high commission of Nigeria to the UK to wade into the matter.

The lower chamber asked the National Identity Management Commission, Nigerian Immigration Service, and banks to “swiftly respond to legitimate requests for information to facilitate the prompt resolution of the charges”.

The minister of foreign affairs, acting comptroller of the NIS, director-general and chief executive officer of NIMC were also invited to “brief the house of representatives through the relevant committees on all necessary actions taken regarding this matter”.


Cable/Taiwo Akinola

News

POP: Gov. Oyetola lauds Corps Members’ Efforts

By Web News 531

Members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, have been charged to live up to the dream of the founding fathers of the scheme by fostering unity, enhancing national integration and providing socio-economic development across the nation.

This charge was contained in the farewell address delivered by the governor of Osun state, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola at the passing out ceremony of the 2021 Batch A Stream II corps members deployed to Osun state at the NYSC permanent orientation camp, Ede.

The Governor who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Wole Oyebanji praised the NYSC members for their services to their host communities which he noted had again served as a testimonial to the worthy cause of the scheme.

In his words, “I have no doubt that the NYSC scheme has awakened us to the capabilities of our youths in the onerous task of nation-building. The various contributions of the corps members passing out today would remain monumental to the nation’s greatness.

While appreciating the passed out NYSC members of their immense contributions in the various communities, Oyetola revealed that there was no community in the state where their presence was not felt.

The Osun governor charged the outgone corps members to be employers of labour rather than job seekers.

The governor also urged them use the digital space to their advantage and that of humanity adding that they should be tech-savvy entrepreneurs who is committed to continuous development, learning effective communication and problem-solving.

Meanwhile, the Osun NYSC State Coordinator, Mrs Winifred Shokpeka disclosed that 1,051 males and 1,243 females, making a total of 2294 corps members who had served meritoriously in the state were passing out.

Mrs Shokpeka said 11 absconders and 16 corps members had their services extended for contravening the Bye-laws guiding the one-year mandatory service.

The Osun NYSC State Coordinator charged them to inculcate the tradition of discipline, hard work and self-reliance that they have learnt as there was no shortcut on the road to success.

Adenitan Akinola

Foreign

Ukraine Intensifies Rescue Efforts in Mariupol

By Web News 654

Fresh efforts are under way to evacuate civilians trapped by Russian forces in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol.

According to Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk, a convoy of 45 Ukrainian buses was on its way to the besieged southern city.

She said the International Committee of the Red Cross had confirmed that Russia had agreed to open a humanitarian corridor to Mariupol.

Tens of thousands of civilians remain there after weeks of bombardment.

Earlier, the Russian defence ministry said the United Nations refugee agency and the Red Cross would assist in the evacuation of civilians.

It said a ceasefire would allow people to travel westwards to Zaporizhzhia via the Russian-controlled port of Berdyansk

Although some residents have escaped, all previous attempts to establish a ceasefire in Mariupol have collapsed amid accusations of bad faith from both sides.

Russia has also been accused of forcibly relocating thousands of civilians to Russia or Russian-controlled areas.

Capturing the city would give Russia control of the Azov Sea coastline between Russia and Crimea.

The announcement of a truce follows a telephone call last Tuesday between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron.

During the conversation, Mr Putin said that shelling of Mariupol would not end until Ukrainian troops surrendered.
Taiwo Akinola/BBC

Health News

Federal Government Intensifies Efforts To Provide Affordable Health Care Services

By Web News 687

The Federal government has disbursed about Twenty eight point seven billion naira Basic Health Care Provision Fund to states and the Federal Capital Territory as part of efforts to enhance Nigerians access to affordable health care services.
Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, Professor Nasir Sambo made this known in Abeokuta at the launch of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund and commencement of the Informal Sector Health Insurance Scheme.
Professor Sambo who explained that the fund was released to states that had fulfilled the requirements for accessing the fund, said NIHS would continue to support the states to facilitate the attainment of the universal health coverage by the year 2030.
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While launching the Scheme, Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun said his administration had paid the sum of two hundred million Naira grant to the Basic Health Care Provision Fund.
The Governor explained that the determination to provide basic health care services without exposing vulnerable members of the society to financial hardships had necessitated the informal sector health insurance scheme.
He also noted that the launching of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund and the Informal Sector Health Insurance Scheme, would further deepen the positive impacts of the Federal Government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan on the state.


Bolanle Adesida