As part of measures to ensure seamless vehicular traffic, the authority of the Nigerian federal capital territory, FCT, has commenced the intensive removal of illegal car marts along corridors of major roads in the nation’s capital city.

Officials drawn from the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS), Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), Development Control Department, Parks and Recreation department and Security Services Department accompanied by security operatives stormed and cleared illegal car marts in Gudu, Apo and Area 1-10 , all within Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).

Consequently, no fewer than ten cars and a truck were impounded from illegal car marts hotspots located off Oladipo Diya Road, Abdulsalam Abubakar Road in Gudu District, Apo NEPA junction, Area 1 to 10.

Speaking during the exercise, leader of the joint Taskforce, Wadata Aliyu Bodinga, said the removal exercise followed the expiration of a vacation directive to the illegal car marts dealers in the city.

Bodinga, who is also the Director of DRTS, said the Directorate is working with all the FCTA relevant departments and security agencies to rid the city of impediments to traffic in the territory.

He noted that there were substantial compliance especially in Gudu, where hitherto more than three hundred vehicles littered on the corridors of the highway, but not a single one was seen, as all of them have been removed by the owners on their own volition.

He, however appealed to others who the Taskforce is yet to visit their areas to equally remove them, warning that the refusal to comply with the FCTA order especially on the issue of illegal car marts will attract the wrath of the law enforcement officers.

“This exercise is a continuous one, as we are going to continue to monitor these areas, any vehicle that is impounded will go through the mobile court. We must make sure that this time around, people don’t get away with this kind of acts.

“So far I think we have impounded about ten or thereabout, and we are still counting as the assignment is still in progress. We’re taking the compounded cars to our facility in Wuye District, and we going to arraign them in mobile court.

“It’s no more business as usual because most of these carmarts had been removed in the past, but they just decided to come back. And this time around, we will be available to monitor them,” he stressed.

On whether there is a designated place for cart dealers in the city, Bodinga said: “At the moment they have Kubwa road, and we agreed that even though that one too is a temporary arrangement, the FCTA has given the concession that they can go there to do their business.”

Traffic congestion

On his part, Chairman, FCT traffic management Taskteam, Comrade Attah Ikharo, decried the situation where cars littered along the roads in the city centre paints Abuja in a very bad light.

According to him: “During the exercise, we saw vehicles parked on the pedestrian walkways in Area 10, and people who are supposed to use the facility will now be forced to walk on the main carriage way thereby impeding vehicular traffic. 

“The walkways have been turned into car parks, which is in contravention with planning principles. And when all these are cleared people can easily move very freely. Dakwa ought to be the permanent site, but there are some issues of contention” he said.

Emmanuel Ukoh

By Moses Nwite, Abakaliki

The Ebonyi State House of Assembly has passed maternal and prenatal surveillance scheme into law.

The Speaker of the house,  Mr Francis Nwifuru expressed happiness over the passage of the bill, stating that the law would allow for the proper prosecution of any maternal and prenatal  offenders.

The sponsor of the bill, Mr Oliver Osi thanked members of the house for accelerated passage of the bill into law.

Mr Osi said the law would now stop maternal and prenatal deaths rate in the State.

“We are going to ensure surveillance, more especially in the rural areas to reduce drastically the maternal and infant deaths in the State,” he stated.

Other bills passed into law
A law to establish Ebonyi State Judiciary fund management and other matters connected thereto was also passed.

A law to provide for the control, regulation, enforcement and Governance of Ebonyi State response to climate change and to introduce measures, reporting and verification of greenhouse gas emissions and other matters connected thereto was passed too.

Another law that was passed was a law to amend  Ebonyi State rural water supply and sanitation Agency.

A law to repeal and re-enact the establish land Instruments preparation in Ebonyi State.

Other laws passed were; a law to provide Ebonyi State market development board and for other matters connected thereto,  and a law to repeal and re-enact a law to establish land Instruments regulating filling of judgement affecting Lands in Ebonyi State and other matters connected thereto.

The house also screened and confirmed a nominated Member into Ebonyi State Revenue Appeal Board, Mr Joseph Nwonumara.

Confidence Okwuchi

By Modupe Aderogba

The National Centre for Women Development, NCWD, says 600 female artisans across the six geo-political zones would be trained on various skills to reduce poverty and improve women empowerment.

The Director General of the Centre, Mary Ekpere-Eta disclosed this on the sideline of the graduation ceremony of 200 female artisanship programme in Abuja.

According to her, the Centre had trained over 1,000 female under the centre’s artisanship skills development programme who are presently practicing their trade and performing well in the construction industry.

She said “It is our projection that in the course of active practice for a ten year period, a million female professionals employing at least 10 persons, will take out 10 million unemployed youths from the streets. “This will help to drive social transformation in order to achieve poverty reduction through inclusive growth and sustainable development’’

Industrial Attachment
She noted that having certified the high level of knowledge during the training, the graduands would undergo Industrial attachment programme at various construction companies in the country to get firsthand experience.

Also, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria,Mr Edward Kallon,  said women economic empowerment was very critical to achieving Sustainable Development Goals and ensuring gender equality in Nigeria.

He said training female artisans to work in the construction industry would change the narrative that certain jobs or skills were reserved only for the male gender.

“The 200 beneficiaries graduating today are a testament to the fact that women can do anything and there is no such thing as skills or work reserved for a certain gender,’’ he stated.

Kallon, also stressed the need for gender-responsive budgeting and robust gender sensitive policies that mandate women’s equal and fair participation in society.

Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr Ifeoma Anyanwutaku commended NCWD for implementing programmes targeted at women empowerment.

One of the graduates, Mrs Funmilayo Udoghon, who was trained in Plaster of Paris, said she would love to contribute her quota to orphanage homes.

“I’m actually thinking of going to an orphanage home, getting those people to come over  and by next week do something with this skill we have acquired” she added.

The female artisans were trained on plumbing, pipe fitting, plant, generator mechanics, tiling and masonry, air condition and refrigeration repairs, Plaster of Paris (POP), as well as electrical fittings and wiring.

Confidence Okwuchi

By Edwin Akwueh, Abuja

The Nigerian Senate has queried the Federal Ministry of Health over the alleged mismanagement of N559 million generated from sales of 681,487 units of international certificate of vaccination (Yellow cards) to the public by some of its officials.

Senate also frowned at the revelation that nine assorted vehicles belonging to the health ministry were taken away by some former officials when they retired from service.

These were contained in the 2015 Auditor General of the Federation Report which was submitted to the Senate Committee on Public Accounts chaired by Senator Mathew Urhoghide.

The report reads in part: “It was observed from the data gathered from the state centres of the Port Health Services Unit of the ministry that a total sum of =N=559million  was generated from the sales of 681,427 units of International Certificate of Vaccination (Yellow cards) to the public between August 2013 and March 2015.  However, the ministry failed to remit the statutory 25% of the amount totalling N139,768,750.00 to the Consolidated Revenue Account

 “A vehicle survey conducted by my officers revealed that nine assorted motor vehicles belonging to the Federal Ministry of Health were taken away by some former officials of the ministry when they left the service of the ministry.  

 “Two vehicles were taken away by two permanent secretaries who are now serving in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Ministry of Women Affairs, respectively. The other seven vehicles were taken away by some directors of the ministry who had since retired from service.”

Also in another query raised against the ministry, a Level 12 officer was paid N74 million against the laid down procedure in the civil service.

The query reads: “A whopping sum of =N=74.6million was paid to a Grade Level 12 officer in the ministry on 21st July, 2014, as personal advance for the public awareness campaign for international travellers on diseases of international public health importance.  

“It is worrisome that such a huge amount of public funds could be entrusted to a Grade Level 12 officer, whose entire terminal service benefits cannot even match the size of the liability.  

“An attempt by the officer to retire the advance in January 2015 was queried by the Internal Auditor for lacking sufficient details of the disbursement of the money. And up to the time of writing this report in September 2016, this huge advance had not been properly retired.”

Chairman of the committee said series of letter written to the ministry for their response to the allegations were ignored, warning that the Senate will have no option than to withhold the position of Auditor General of the Federation.

Confidence Okwuchi