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Aiyedatiwa Sworn – In New HOS, 6 Commissioners, 8 Special Advisers, Assign Portfolios
The Governor of Ondo State, Honourable Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has sworn-in new Head of Service, 6 Commissioners and 8 Special Advisers on Friday as new members of the State Executive Council at the International Culture and Events Centre popularly known as The Dome in Akure, the Ondo State Capital along with their different portfolios.
Addressing the new Head of Service, Mr Bayo Philip; the 6 Commissioners whose names are Mr Emmanuel Igbasan, in charge of the Ministry of Budget & Economic Planning; Engr Razaq Obe for the Ministry of Energy & Mineral Resources; Mrs. Omowumi Isaac for the Ministry of Finance; Mr. Olukayode Ajulo, SAN in charge of the Ministry of Justice & Attorney General’s office; Akogun Akinwumi Sowore as Commissioner to overseer the Ministry of Lands and Housing and Mr. Oyeniyi Oseni in charge of the Ministry of Environment in Ondo State, the Governor charged the new cabinet members to see their appointment as a call to service, to deliver good governance to the people of Ondo State.
The Governor also announced the portfolios for the Special Advisers as follows: Honourable Olugbenga Omole in charge of Information; Professor Simidele Odimayo for Health; Dr. Olawunmi Egbayelo-Ilawole for Education; Mrs. Olamide Falana for Gender; Abduganiyu Muhammed as the Special Duties and Strategy; Mr. Summy Smart Francis for Entrepreneurship; Innovation and Mr. Alabi Johnson for Energy and Pastor Babalola Joseph Ayoade to supervise Infrastructure, Lands and Housing.
Speaking further, Governor Aiyedatiwa commended the new Head of Service, Mr. Bayo Philip, urging him to provide exemplary leadership and prioritize the interests of civil servants in the state.
He urged all officials to draw upon their diverse experiences to contribute meaningfully to the administration’s goals of transparency and accountability.
The governor said; “You must be dedicated, up and doing and focused in the discharge of the duties and responsibilities expected of your office. It is equally important that you see yourselves as servant-leaders and not lords in your respective MDAs. Kindly cooperate with your Accounting Officers. You are expected to work in partnership with them and ensure you are guided by relevant rules and regulations in the performance of your duties and responsibilities.
“As Commissioners and Special Advisers, you are coming on board at a very critical time. It, therefore, behoves you to come up with creative ideas and policies geared towards alleviating the sufferings of our people. We cannot afford to fail in this regard.
“This time requires us as political leaders to lead by example and be prepared to make necessary sacrifices by shunning ostentatious lifestyle. Let me use this medium to plead with our people not to mount undue pressure on these new appointees. We should let them perform their duties without let or hindrance or distraction.”
The Governor, while acknowledging the economic strain caused by high food prices which has led to high cost of living, said measures are being taken which include releasing grains from reserves and inputs for farmers.
“As part of these measures, Mr. President has directed the immediate release of about 102,000 metric tonnes of various grain types from the Strategic Reserve and the Rice Millers Association of Nigeria. It is our expectation that the positive effects of this decision will be felt across the country within the shortest time possible.
“On our own part as State Government, we have put in place the construction of rural access roads to farms across the three senatorial district of the State. You will recall that we recently flagged off the construction of the Oda Cocoa Board – Langbodo Rural Road in Ondo Central Senatorial District. Several of such roads would be constructed across the State in due course,” he added.
The governor also announced his approval of N550million for the payment of the 2024 West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) registration fees for eligible public secondary school candidates in the state, emphasizing the administration’s commitment to education.
Governor Aiyedatiwa urged all political stakeholders to maintain peace and civility during the upcoming gubernatorial primaries and election in November. He emphasized the importance of avoiding violence, maintaining good conduct, and keeping supporters in check.
Earlier in his remarks, Head of Service, Mr. Bayo Philip, called on the state workers to rededicate their service to the civil service as his tenure will not tolerate lateness, laxity to work and would encourage promotion based on merit.
Speaking on behalf of other commissioners and Special Advisers, Mr Emmanuel Igbasan appreciated Governor Aiyedatiwa for the trust reposed in them, with a promise to make meaningful contributions to governance in the state.
Those in attendance included the Deputy Governor, Dr Olayide Adelami, the Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Tayo Oluwatuyi, Chief of Staff, Prince Segun Omojuwa, the Chief Judge of Ondo State, Justice Olusegun Odusola, APC chairman in Ondo State, Engr. Ade Adetimehin, Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon Abayomi Akinruntan, traditional rulers, religious leaders and party leaders.
The Police Service Commission has endorsed the appointment of six Deputy Inspectors General of Police and the promotion of the Commissioner of Police Enugu State Command, Uzuegbu Kanayo to the next rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police.
The new Deputy Inspectors General of Police are Sadiq Idiris Abubakar, Commandant Police Academy , Wudil, Kano. He was former Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory; CP Peace keeping Operations and Coordinator, Police Special Forces; Benjamin Nebolisa Okolo, former AIG, Zone 16, Yenagoa and presently AIG Department of Information Communication Technology, Force Headquarters Abuja and Williams Adebowale, Commandant, Police Staff College Jos.
Others are Bzigu Yakubu Kwazi Bali, AIG FCID, Annex Enugu; Idegwu Basil Ukuoma, AIG Zone 14, Katsina and Adebola Ayinde Hamzat, AIG Zone 16 Yenagoa and former Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command. He was also a former CP Border Patrol, Force Headquarters, CP Crime Prevention and Community safety; Deputy Force Secretary and currently AIG in charge of NPF Counter Terrorism Unit, CTU, Force Headquarters Abuja.
CP Kanayo Uzuegbu Commissioner of Police Enugu State Command promoted to the next rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police was a former Assistant Commissioner Operations Zone 9, Umuahia; Area Commander, Owerri; Area Commander Karu, Nasarawa state; Commander Switch Operation Switch, Portharcourt; Deputy Commissioner Finance and Admin Edo State Command, DCP, state CID, Osun State and Commissioner of Police Operations, Communication, Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The Commission also approved the appointment of Commissioners of Police for Oyo and Enugu State Commands. CP Ademola Johnson, Principal Staff Officer to the Inspector General of Police was appointed CP Oyo State. He was also a former Deputy Commissioner of Police Delta State Command. CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa was appointed CP, Enugu State to take over from newly promoted AIG Kanayo Uzuegbu. CP Giwa was former DCP Operations Kaduna and Imo State Commands; ACP Police Mobile Force, Force Headquarters Abuja; and CSP A, Commissioner of Police Mobile Force, Force Headquarters among other postings in the Police Mobile Force.
The Commission also approved the promotion of eight Chief Superintendents of Police to the next rank of Assistant Commissioners of Police. They are Abdullahi Kamba Usman; Sani Abdu; Ifeanyi Owo; Vincent Orole; Elisha Atikinkpan and Margaret Okonkwo. Others are Alhasan Aliyu Guga and Imo Owinizi Ezekiel.
The newly promoted senior Police Officers were subjected to Written examinations and interactive oral interview.
The Chairman of the Commission, DIG Hashimu Argungu rtd mni, presided over the sessions with Justice Paul Adamu Galumje, Justice of the Supreme Court rtd and Honourable Commissioner representing the Judiciary in the Commission; DIG Taiwo Lakanu rtd fdc, Honourable Commissioner representing the Police and Chief Onyemuchi Nnamani, Secretary to the Commission in attendance.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) will on May 28, arraign Mr Karl Toriola, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of MTN Nigeria Communications Plc.
Toriola, MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and others will be arraigned over alleged failure to produce documents and information required by the commission in compliance with a lawful summons contrary to the FCCPC Act.
The company and its CEO will be arraigned alongside Tobechukwu Okigbo, MTN’s Chief Corporate Services and Sustainability Officer and Ikenna Ikeme, General Manager, Regulatory Affairs of MTN, before Justice H.J. Yilwa of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that FCCPC had, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/354/2024, named MTN Nigeria Communications Plc, Toriola, Okigbo and Ikeme as 1st to 4th suspects respectively.
The suspects were preferred with two counts in the charge, dated July 19, 2024, and filed July 22, 2024 by a team of lawyers led by Akoji Achimugu.
When the matter was called, they were not in court.
Justice Yilwa asked the FCCP lawyer, Chizenum Nsitem, the whereabouts of the suspects.
Nsitem informed the court that though the matter was scheduled for the arraignment of the suspects, he was just briefed about the case and would need more time to study the case file.
The judge adjourned the matter until May 28 for arraignment.
NAN reports that the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) had earlier filed charge against MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd; its CEO, Toriola; MTN Senior Executive Officer, Nkeakam Abhulimen; Fun Mobile Ltd, a telecommunications service provider; and Yahaya Maibe, its CEO.
The NCC, in the three-count charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/111/2024 presently before Justice Inyang Ekwo of a sister court, filed it on March 20, 2024.
The prosecution alleged that the defendants, between 2010 and 2017, “offered for sale, sold and traded for business, infringed musical works of Maleke Moye, an artiste, without his consent and authorisation.”
The commission alleged that the defendants used Maleke’s musical works and sound recordings with subsisting copyright, known as “caller ring back tunes” without the authorisation of the artiste.
The musical works and sound recordings of the musician allegedly infringed upon include “911, Minimini-Wana Wana, Stop Racism, Ewole, 911 instrumental, Radio, Low Waist, and No Bother.”
They were also alleged to have illegally distributed the musical works to their subscribers, without authorisation, thereby infringing on the rights of the artiste.
In the third count, the suspects were alleged to have had in their possession, the musical works and sound recordings of the artiste, other than for their personal or domestic use.
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The copyright commission said the alleged offence is punishable under Section 20 (2) (a) (b) and (c) of the Copyright Act, Cap. C28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Justice Ekwo had, on Feb. 25, adjourned the matter until May 15 for report, following the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF)’s interest to take over the case.
…seek UK backing for constitutional reforms
By Gloria Ikibah
The Speaker House of Representatives, Rep. Tajudeen Abbas, has affirmed that the 10th Assembly will play a pivotal role in advancing gender inclusion and balance in Nigeria’s political and governance structures.
The Speaker who stated this on Monday in Abuja when he received a delegation of British parliamentarians eemphasised that the 10th House has prioritised gender parity and is actively working on constitutional amendments to entrench this goal.
Highlighting the House multiparty composition, he assured the visiting MPs that beyond political diversity, the 10th Assembly is strongly committed to promoting the rights and participation of women and youth in governance.
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