News

Reps Committee Summon Permanent Secretary Ministry Of Agriculture And Rural Development

Published

7 months ago

May 19, 2024

Gloria Ikibah

….accuse accuse him of frustrating their efforts

By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives has threatened to invoke the provision of the 1999 Constitution as amended to compel the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Temitope Fashedemi to appear before it.

Chairman, House Committee on Rural Development, Rep. Marcus Onubun, gave the threat at the meeting between the committee and Ministry.

Onubun expressed displeasure that the Permanent Secretary has consistently ignored the invitation from the committee and has failed to appear before the committee to answer questions on the activities of the rural development section of the Ministry.

Members of the Committee also frowned at the attitude of the Permanent Secretary and the Ministry, accusing them of undermining the House and provisions of the Constitution which empower the House to oversight all agencies of government.

Onubun however, said the Committee has decided to give the Permanent Secretary another opportunity to appear before it as a mark of respect for the two ministers in the Ministry who are products of the National Assembly.

Naijablitznews.com reports that the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari from Borno state and Minister of State, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi from Niger state served in the 9th National Assembly.

He said: “This is about the fifth meeting we have had in this committee on Rural development and the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has refused to appear.

“I would like to correct one notion because the Director said he is not here to answer query. This Committee is constitutional bound to query every of your activities in terms of projects and policies of your ministry. If you don’t know, you must understand now that it is our responsibility.

“Members seating here represents over 200 million Nigerians. We put all our activities aside to have on the spot assessment of the ministry and we came to you because we wanted to work with you so that Nigerians will get the dividends of democracy through rural development. The Permanent Secretary was not at that meeting.

“But it appears that for some reasons best known to you, you have chosen to frustrate the efforts of this committee. We have the mandate of the House through the Speaker to carry out the exercise we are carrying out.

“I will yeild to the request of my colleagues that since we have two Ministers who are products of this National Assembly, we may not use the big stick at this point. We will course another invitation, attentioning the minister to release the Permanent Secretary to appear on our next scheduled date.

“If the Permanent Secretary likes, he should chose to ignore that invitation. Then we will know who is dancing behind who at the end of the day. The Permanent Secretary should appear before this committee on Tuesday, May 21.”

Earlier, a, member of the committee, Rep. Chinedu Ogah, recalled how members abandoned their work to visit the ministry.

He said: “On that day, the perm sec was not there. It was you and the Director of Finance. The Director of Finance was not part of it, but he saw a call of the National Assembly, he decided to be part of it (the meeting).

“You know we are elected by the people and we speak for the people. Within your conscience, is what your agency doing part of the law, or out of the law, when you know we are empowered by the Constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria to oversight this agency, or you are neglecting the House?”

Committee members became furious, when a Director in the Ministry, Engr, Frank Satumari Kudla, the representative of the Permanent Secretary claimed that he was not in attendance at the meeting to answer queries, but on the instruction of the Permanent Secretary, so that it does not appear seems like they were snubbing the committee.

Engr. Kudla told the committee that the Permanent Secretary was attending an official function at a place he did not disclose to the committee.

“I am telling you on my own honour, this is what happened. Actually, if the Perm Sec could have been here, he is in the best position to answer questions on behalf of the Ministry”, he said.

The Director said he was not in the best position to answer questions.

“Our coming is not to query the position. You are calling the Permanent Secretary because the last time I was here, we discussed this. The perm sec is not deliberately dodging to come to see you”.

News

Just in; Chief of Staff to Kwara Gov is dead

Published

1 minute ago

December 28, 2024

Naijablitznews

Prince AbdulKadir Mahe, the Chief of Staff to Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, is dead.

He passed away on Saturday morning, December 28, 2024.

He will be buried today at his home on Moro Street, Adewole Estate, Ilorin, after the Asr prayer.

The governor and others have sent their sympathies to his family and loved ones.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye confirmed the development also confirmed in a statement.

The statement said: “In total submission to the will of Allaah, we regret to announce the passing of the Chief of Staff to His Excellency, Prince AbdulKadir Mahe.

“He died this morning, December 28, 2024, as has been destined by Allaah.

“The late CoS will be buried today at his residence on Moro Street, Adewole Estate, Ilorin, after the Asr prayer.

His Excellency deeply mourns the death of Prince AbdulKadir Mahe, a perfect gentleman, community leader, urbane public servant, and a statesman.

“The governor commiserates with the Emir of Ilorin, Alh. Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, the immediate family of Prince AbdulKadir; government establishments; and cabinet members.

“We ask for the understanding of everyone at this mournful period as the government and family mourn the quintessential public servant.

“We pray that Allaah accept his return, ease his accounts, admit him to al-jannah Firdaus, and uphold his family upon goodness

News

BLACKOUT as TCN Announces Power Outage In Abuja

Published

3 hours ago

December 28, 2024

Naijablitznews

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has announced planned power outages in certain areas this weekend to allow for maintenance work on its transmission equipment.

According to a statement by the General Manager of Public Affairs, Mrs. Ndidi Mbah, the exercise is aimed at ensuring better service delivery.

On Saturday, December 28, 2024, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Gwagwalada and nearby communities will experience a temporary power outage. This is to allow engineers to perform maintenance on a 60MVA transformer and related switchgear at the Gwagwalada Transmission Substation.

Similarly, on Sunday, December 29, 2024, power will be interrupted in several areas, including Wuye, EFCC, Federal Medical Centre, Coca-Cola, Idu Railway Station, Citec, and Life Camp. The outage will occur from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. as engineers carry out work on another 60MVA transformer at the Kukwaba Transmission Substation.

In the statement, TCN apologized for the inconvenience caused by the outages and sought the understanding of affected customers. It emphasized the importance of the maintenance work to ensure the power equipment functions optimally. “TCN apologizes for the inconvenience this may cause, especially during the end-of-year season. However, it is important that maintenance is carried out as scheduled for optimal performance of power equipment,” the statement read.

News

BREAKING! Confusion trails free train ride, hundreds of passengers stranded(PHOTOS)

Published

3 hours ago

December 28, 2024

Naijablitznews

* As train is delayed, NRC officials demand tickets

By Emmanuel Agaji

The much publicised tree train ride for passengers travelling to different destinations along the Itakpe/ Warri route may be a hoax as officials of the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) at Itakpe, Kogi State, demand e-tickets and other evidence of payment for the trip.

Naojablitznews observed that upon arrival at the train station, travellers are accosted by the train operators to show their tickets to confirm their booking for the ride.

When a passenger shows his ticket, he is allowed to move into the Departure Lounge while those who had arrived on the assumption that the train ride was free are shoved aside , told to write down their names on a sheet of paper and stay under a canopy until those who paid for the trip have been allocated seats on the train.

The Federal Government had, a few days ago announced that Nigerians will enjoy free train rides during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

The government also announced that transportation by road would be subsidised up to fifty per cent. However, these promises appear to have been mere propaganda.

The situation has left many travellers confused and stranded especially as
the train which ought to take off from Itakpe at t 2 pm on Saturday has not shown up at the station as at 3.16 pm.

Hundreds of passengers are currently stranded and waiting under the scorching heat of the sun as officials continue their discriminatory admission of passengers into the Departure Lounge.

There are fears that the train may not hit the station until about 4 pm and many passengers may not have space on it because of the perceived underhand dealings by the train officials.

While the officials of the Itakpe Train Station continue to plead for understanding over the delay of the train, their emphasis has been on how to cater for those who booked online for the trip and very little or no emphasis is made to reassure those who came for the free ride announced by the Federal Government that they were at the right place.