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Corruption biggest threat to security in Nigeria – Interior minister
The Minister of Interior, Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, says corruption and corrupt practices fuel insecurity in the country, calling for all hands to be on deck to fight the menace.
The minister said this, when he paid a courtesy visit to Dr Musa Aliyu, SAN, the Chairman of Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), on Tuesday in Abuja.
Tunji-Ojo said the purpose of his visit was to strike a synergy between his ministry and the ICPC.
He expressed the belief that collaborating with anti- corruption agencies could help to tighten the belt and block loopholes even within the administrative processes.
“We know the Ministry of Interior is responsible for the enhancement of internal security and, of course, corruption is one of the biggest threats to security in Nigeria.
“So, we don’t need to move too far before we get to the point of intersection, where our interests remain.
“We believe that in leveraging and collaborating with ICPC, we might just be saving our country from a lot of effort that is needed in righting the wrongs.
“We believe that all over the world the language is pro-activeness, the language is prevention, the language is no more detection or correction,” he said.
According to him, the world is moving and is moving so fast.
He noted that as product of the 20th and 21st century, there was the need to learn the language of the 22nd century.
“And, the language of the next generation, which we must learn as a country is to build strong institutions.
“One believes that the strategic relationship between these two agencies can of course block a lot of reports, can prevent and, of course, can deter even the imagination of ill doings.
“If we do not do that, we will continue to run after the criminals. And, once we are running after the criminals, it becomes a game of fun to the criminals,” he said.
He explained that all over the world the criminals would be running after the state to meet up with the state, not the state running after the criminal.
“It means we have to up our pace.
“And we believe that the management of ICPC is well poised towards ensuring that a new Nigeria, not just built on hope, but on renewed hope comes to life.
“I realise that a lot of errors that people or mistakes that people make in government are actually very avoidable. That’s the truth.
“And, I believe that the lack of knowledge transfer has created a lot of lacuna and has reduced the level of performance of government officials.
“So, we are looking at the area of capacity building, strongly collaborate with you in areas of capacity building.
“As the saying goes, you will always be a slave to what you don’t know. So, we need to collaborate, we need to build capacity or run capacity,” he said.
He stressed the need on collaboration with the agency to tighten the belt and block loopholes within the administrative processes.
“How do I mean by that? I’ll tell you, I sincerely believe that if we have a functional unit of ICPC officers saddled with certain responsibility of going through certain decisions before they are activated, we might save ourselves a lot of stress in detection.
“I sincerely believe, and I say this with all utter insincerity, that I think the Ministry of Interior will be where we can use to test this particular idea,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the minister was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary, Dr Aishetu Ndayako, and heads of paramilitary agencies in the ministry.
The ICPC chairman in his remarks said that the commission had been trying as much as possible to discharge its mandate within the confines of the law.
“This is to ensure that we have Nigeria, which is less corrupt and a country whereby people have confidence within and outside the country.
“This is because I keep on saying that we need investments.
“And two major key issues that you need to have on ground to have investment in the country, is one secure environment, which the Minister of Interior has responsibility in ensuring that Nigeria is secure.
“Also, there is less corruption because no investor will come to a country whereby you will feel insecure. And there is also challenge of bribery and corruption,” he said.
Musa said that he had always tried to see how ICPC could achieve its mandate of prevention, enforcement, education and enlightenment to combat the serious challenge facing the country.
“I have been in discussion with the minister; we have discussed a lot about how we can partner to ensure that ICPC, Ministry of Interior and its agencies work closely to ensure that we help this country in fighting this challenge of corruption.
“The only way we can do that is by coming together like the gathering we are having today and also to sit down and carefully look at how we can work closely,” he said.
News
Cement price hike causing building collapse – COREN
Cases of building collapse in the country have been attributed to the arbitrary increase in the price of cement by producers of the product.
The President of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, Sadiq Abubakar, stated this on Monday in his remarks at the investigative hearing organised by the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Solid Minerals, Industry, Commerce and Special Duties, to probe the price increase of cement in recent times.
This was as the Chairman of the Joint Committee and member representing Karu/Keffi/kokona Federal Constituency, Nasarawa State, Gaza Gbewfi, summoned the Chairman of the Cement Producers Association of Nigeria, David Iweta, for questioning over the development.
Iweta, who did to turn up for the investigative hearing on Monday, was summoned after previously turning down two invitations by the committee.
The committee also charged the association to desist from using frivolous court injunctions to interfere in its work as guaranteed by the provisions of the 1999 constitution (as amended)
“You will agree with me that an increase in the price of cement is one of the key culprits of building collapse. I am trying to connect the hike in the price of cement with the standardisation in our building and the direct connection of building collapse.
“There is a connection with that, and I think this something we must interrogate,” the COREN President said.
Gbewfi, while agreeing with Abubakar, also argued that the cost of cement has also brought about an increment in housing rents across the nation.
“Anything that has to do with livelihood should be treated as an emergency’” the committee chairman said.
At the investigative hearing, the joint committee also queried representatives of the Nigeria Building and Road Research Institute and the Federal Competition and Consumers Protection Council on the arbitrary price increase.
Gbewfi also chided the representative of the Chief Executive Officer of the FCCPC, Boladale Adeyinka for not doing enough to protect the consumers of cement in line with the Act establishing the agency, saying, “You are a mother that has forgotten your children.”
News
Osun State Assembly okays salary increase for political office holders
The Osun State House of Assembly is to send a bill to Governor Ademola Adeleke to increase the salary package of some political office holders.
This was made known by the Speaker of the Assembly, Adewale Egbedun, during plenary on Monday.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the salary increment bill titled, ‘Osun State Public/Political Office Holders Reviewed Remuneration Package (Amendment No. 2) Bill 2024,’ was presented to the Assembly on April 30, 2024.
The Majority Leader and the lawmaker representing Ede North State Constituency, Kofoworola Adewunmi, presented the bill to the House as a private member bill.
While reading the policy thrust of the bill, Adewunmi stated that the last time the salaries of public/political office holders in the state were reviewed upwards was in 2007.
He said the salaries stipulated for public office holders in the Osun State Public/Political Office Holders Remuneration Package Law 2007 was, however, no more in tandem with the current economic realities.
“You will agree with me that the current economic reality is not the same as what was obtainable 17 years ago when the law was passed.
“It has, therefore, become imperative to review upwards, the salaries of some public/political office holders to better their living standard which is in tandem with the five points agenda of Governor Ademola Adeleke.
“In addition, the State Assembly resolution taken on May 8, 2008 wherein there was an upward review of the remuneration package of some public/political office holders not covered by Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, as proposed by the state government, has been further reviewed and subsumed under this bill.” he stated
He equally clarified that the salary increment didn’t affect or cover the lawmakers’ salaries, explaining that state lawmakers’ salaries are statutorily reviewed by the National Assembly.
News
Minimum wage: Labour issues two-week ultimatum to defaulting states
The organised labour comprising of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress, on Monday, ordered state chapters to issue two weeks ultimatum to states that have failed to implement the old N30,000 minimum wage.
The NLC and TUC took this decision during a jointly held National Executive Council meeting which took place on Monday.
“NEC-in-session further directed all state councils whose state governments are yet to fully implement the N30,00 national minimum wage and its consequential adjustments to issue immediately a joint two-week ultimatum to the culpable state governments to avert industrial action,” NLC’s National President, Joe Ajaero; and TUC’s National President, Festus Osifo, said in a statement.
Speaking further, the unions also called for a one-day action in Anambra State following what was described as the failure of the state government to meet the demands of civil servants in the state.
“Consequently, the NEC-in-session accordingly reaffirms the NLC and TUC joint ultimatum earlier issued to the Anambra State Government by its Anambra State councils. It therefore directed all affiliates and workers in the state council to mobilise their members to ensure a successful action in the event the state government fails to meet the demands of workers by Thursday, the 23rd of May, 2024.
“In the event that the government fails to meet the demands outlined within the stipulated timeframe, the NEC authorises the leadership of the NLC and TUC to take appropriate actions, including but not limited to the mobilisation of workers for peaceful protests and industrial actions, to press home these demands for social justice and workers’ rights.
“NEC therefore calls on all affiliate unions, and workers including Civil Society Organisations across Nigeria to remain united and steadfast in solidarity during this critical period. Together, we shall prevail in our pursuit of a fair and just society that guarantees the dignity and well-being of all its citizens,” the statement added.
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