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ABORTION-RIGHTS ACTIVISTS PROTEST NEW BAN AT SUPREME COURT

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ABORTION-RIGHTS ACTIVISTS PROTEST NEW BAN AT SUPREME COURT

U.S. abortion-rights campaigners, including several Democrats running for president in 2020, are set to rally in front of the Supreme Court on Tuesday to protest new restrictions on abortion passed by legislatures in eight states.

Many of the restrictions are intended to draw legal challenges, which religious conservatives hope will lead the nation’s top court to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that established a woman’s right to terminate her pregnancy.

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell and Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, are among the presidential candidates expected to speak at Tuesday’s rally, according to media accounts.

The rally is one of scores being organised by the American Civil Liberties Union, Planned Parenthood Action Fund and other civil rights group in what they are describing as a Stop Abortion Bans Day of Action.

Some of the new laws passed by Republican state legislatures amount to the tightest restrictions on abortion seen in the United States in decades. Alabama passed an outright ban last week, including for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest, unless the woman’s life is in danger.

Other states, including Ohio and Georgia, have banned abortions absent a medical emergency after six weeks of pregnancy or after the fetus’s heartbeat can be detected, which can occur before a woman even realizes she is pregnant.

Those laws are in defiance of the Roe v. Wade ruling, which affords a woman the right to an abortion up to the moment the fetus would be viable outside the womb, which is usually placed at about seven months, or 28 weeks, but may occur earlier.

The bans have been championed by conservatives, many of them Christian, who say foetuses should have rights comparable to those of infants and view abortion as tantamount to murder. The Supreme Court now has a 5-4 conservative majority following two judicial appointments by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Civil rights groups are suing to overturn the bans as eroding a woman’s right to bodily autonomy and say they endanger women who seek riskier illegal or homespun means to terminate a pregnancy.

MAY 29: POLICE UNCOVERS PLANS TO DISRUPT INAUGURATION

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MAY 29: POLICE UNCOVERS PLANS TO DISRUPT INAUGURATION

Ogun State Police Command has raised the alarm over the alleged plan by some unknown people to disrupt the May 29 handover ceremony in the state.

The Police urged the people of the state to put any form of rallies and procession against Chieftaincy and land matters on hold.

The Police said they were in possession of an intelligence report that showed that “some unscrupulous elements are scheming to foment trouble across the state with a view to disrupting the inauguration of the new administration scheduled for 29th May 2019.

The Police said this in a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, on Tuesday in Abeokuta, the state capital.

According to the PPRO, Rallies, processions, and assemblies in public places are being orchestrated by these enemies of peace supposedly to resolve chieftaincy and land-related matters rather than approaching the Court to seek justice.

He said, “All of these are aimed at heating up the State before the inauguration.

“In view of this, the command has put in place a robust security arrangement aimed at checkmating such trouble makers and other criminally-minded persons, including miscreants and disgruntled elements.

“The special units of the command namely SARS, PMF, STS, anti-kidnapping as well as DPOs and Area Commanders have been placed on red alert with specific instruction to closely monitor these misguided elements and respond swiftly to any distress calls and disturbance of public peace.”

Oyeyemi said further that the commissioner of Police, Bashir Makama, has ordered twenty-four-hour surveillance patrols across the length and breadth of the State.

REPS PASS BILL ENDING HND-B.SC DICHOTOMY

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REPS PASS BILL ENDING HND-B.SC DICHOTOMY

The House of Representatives has, on Tuesday, passed a bill which abolished the existing dichotomy between Polytechnic Higher National Diploma and the Bachelor of Science degree awarded by the Nigerian universities.

The legislation, which was sponsored by Ali Isa and Edward Pwajok from Gombe and Plateau States respectively, was passed for second reading since April 2017.

It seeks to end perceived discrimination against polytechnic graduates and remove the challenges being faced by HND holders, especially those in the public service.

While leading the debate for the bill to pass second reading, Pwajok said research he carried out on both certificates, showed that the discrimination had no moral justification.

He said that the unfortunate situation would make the international community to look down on the status of educational institutions in the country.

The lawmaker said that it was unfortunate that such discrimination existed in a critical sector required for national development, regretting that there was a lot of segregation at employment level.

According to him, those with first degree are placed on Grade Level 8, while those with HND are placed on Grade Level 6 or 7.

He said that in some organisations, degree holders were paid N100, 000 at entry level, while their counterparts with HND were paid N70, 000.

The lawmaker said in other countries, technical experts were paid higher than administrators, adding that “the reverse is the case in the country’’.

He said that if the private sector must develop, proper recognition must be given to polytechnics and similar institutions in the country.

OKOROCHA HAS NOT RELEASED MONEY FOR MY INAUGURATION – EMEKA IHEDIOHA

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OKOROCHA HAS NOT RELEASED MONEY FOR MY INAUGURATION – EMEKA IHEDIOHA

Governor-elect, Emeka Ihedioha, has said that the Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha has not released a dime for his swearing-in on May 29.

Ihedioha, who spoke in a statement issued by the secretary of his inauguration and handover committee, Ray Emeana, who doubles as the secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state, said that the governor had refused to finance the inauguration activities.

According to the governor-elect, there was no truth that Okorocha had released N150m to his inauguration and handover committee for the May 29 program.

The statement read partly “Governor Rochas Okorocha has not released any money to the Emeka Ihedioha Inauguration Planning And Handover Committee.

“For the avoidance of doubts, Governor Rochas Okorocha and his outgoing government have not released any money to the Inauguration Planning and Handover Committee. The committee has not requested for any money either. Rather, the joint committee made up of the 31–member Ihediohia team and the 21–member Rochas Okorocha team met and adopted common resolutions on how best to proceed with the inauguration activities. Rochas Okorocha has since abandoned the mutual resolutions and proceeded with his “Internet-based Commissioning of Internet Sited Projects.

“Conscious of the importance Imo people attach to the May 29, 2019 handover date, the Ihedioha/Irona inauguration committee has proceeded with arrangements to deliver a world-class inauguration to Imo people come May 29, 2019.

“Arrangements to ensure this delivery include such activities such as providing clean environments within and around event venues including the Dan Anyiam and Grass Hoppers Handball stadia.

“Indeed, Imo is already agog with excitement. Currently, Owerri is the destination of choice for prominent Nigerians at home and in the diaspora. The hotels are fully booked. Flights into Owerri are filled up. The venues for the various programmes are wearing new and fresh looks.

“We can understand the frustrations of Governor Okorocha and the remnants of his e-rats, having realized that their efforts to derail the swearing-in of His Excellency, Rt. Hon Emeka Ihedioha and Hon (Engr) Gerald Irona as Imo State Governor and Deputy Governor respectively have failed woefully.”

NATIONAL HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION IS BAD – MINISTER OF HEALTH

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NATIONAL HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION IS BAD – MINISTER OF HEALTH

The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, has attributed the deteriorating conditions of hospital facilities across the country to poor healthcare foundation.

The Senate had summoned Adewole to appear before it on Tuesday over what the Senate President Bukola Saraki called the poor state of infrastructure that has contributed to deaths of Nigerians in need of health care.

Speaking before the  Senate, Adewole said, “Over the last couple of years, we have had a challenge.

“We can describe the health care as a pyramid, with Primary Health Care at the base, Secondary at middle and Tertiary at the top.

“Only 10% of Nigerians who require care would need to go to tertiary institutions.

“For them to function effectively, they depend on functional primary and secondary health care centres. If these two levels of care are functional, about 90% of ailments will be taken care of.

“For us in Nigeria, they represent the topmost and by design are expected to manage complex and complicated cases.

“We have 22 teaching hospitals in the country and 17 specialist hospitals under the direct body of the Federal Government.

“The teaching hospitals constitute the apex of health care in any country.

“We can compare it to a building — primary health as the foundation, the secondary as the wall and the tertiary as the roof.

“The problem we have is that the foundation is bad and the wall is weak and we are only concerned about the roof.

“If we invest in the Primary Health Care, a lot of people would not have a cause to go to the Tertiary.

“Your Excellency, I must commend you for approving the Basic Health Care Provision Fund. It is a game changer.

“We spent two years developing, and over the last two weeks, we’ve started to roll out.

“Twenty-two of our states have registered for the Basic Health Care Provision Fund.

“Our aim is to structure it in a way that money would flow from the Central Bank to the agencies.

“As of today, 14 states are yet to show interest in basic health care provision.

“We have two signatories to the account — the head of the community where it is located and the head of the facilities.

“Our aim is to offer free antenatal, free deliveries, screening for tuberculosis.

“I commend the Senate for the approval of the 1% primary healthcare inclusive in the Budget.

“Teaching hospitals cannot survive alone and in isolation. The State needs to partner with us so that secondary hospitals would be working.

“We believe that the issue of power supply should be looked into.”

WIKE DETHRONES MONARCH OVER CULTISM

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WIKE DETHRONES MONARCH OVER CULTISM

Governor Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday, dethroned a traditional ruler alleged to be connected to abetting insecurity in the state.

Wike had vowed at a ‘special’ security meeting on May 6 held at the Government House in Port Harcourt, to go after monarchs found guilty of sponsoring crime in their communities.

In a statement on Tuesday signed by his aide on electronic media, Simeon Nwakaudu, the governor dethroned Chief Monday Noryaa, Gbenemene Baabe in Khana Local Government Area.

Wike ordered the withdrawal of the certificate of recognition given to the monarch with immediate effect.

“The withdrawal of Government Recognition from HRM Chief Monday Frank Noryaa followed his alleged indictment on cult-related activities within his kingdom.

“The Traditional Ruler was also indicted for harbouring cultists, leading to insecurity in the area,” the statement said.

DELE MOMODU BEGINS CAMPAIGN FOR TINUBU FOUR YEARS BEFORE ELECTION

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DELE MOMODU BEGINS CAMPAIGN FOR TINUBU FOUR YEARS BEFORE ELECTION

Publisher of Ovation Magazine, Dele Momodu, has backed national leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu to become Nigeria’s president in 2023.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term in office ends in four years.

With the politics surrounding his successor yet to unfold, media guru Momodu has thrown his weight behind Mr Tinubu.

He made this known in a Tweet on Monday evening.

Alongside a picture of Tinubu, he wrote “Nigeria’s next President in 2023? The race has started.

“Best wishes to one of the most influential politicians.”

GOV. ISHIAKU BANS POLYTHENE BAGS IN TARABA

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GOV. ISHIAKU BANS POLYTHENE BAGS IN TARABA

The governor also declared a ‘State of Emergency’ on the water, sanitation and hygiene sector, saying he would soon send an executive bill to the state House of Assembly to legalise the ban.

He lauded the development partners, USAID and Japan International Cooperation Agency, JAICA, for their intervention in boosting water supply in the state.

He charged the state water supply agency to ensure constant maintenance of water pipes for better service delivery.

“Because of the passion my administration had on water supply, we have embarked on a N7 billion Jalingo Primary Water project to complement the African Development Bank, AfDB, water project in Jalingo to cater for the growing population of the city.

” We are also making efforts to improve water supply across the state and our efforts are yielding results,” he said.

Earlier, Emmanuel Gowon, the Commissioner for Water Resources, commended the governor for the efforts in improving the water supply in the state.

Mr. Gowon expressed the readiness of the ministry in delivering on the mandate of water supply to the state.

May 29, June 12 public holidays FG clarifies

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May 29, June 12 public holidays FG clarifies

The Federal Government of Nigeria has said that both May 29 and June 12 would be observed as Public Holidays.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed made this at a world press conference in Abuja on Monday when asked by journalists if May 29 will still retain its status as Public Holiday.

The Minister also said that activities leading to the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari officially kicks off today, 20 May with the press conference.

 

CSOs claim politics of 2023 responsible for plot to oust Kawu Modibbo from NBC

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CSOs claim politics of 2023 responsible for plot to oust Kawu Modibbo from NBC

Coalition of Civil Society Organizations comprising of Competence Governance for Accountability and Civic Trust and Beyond Boundaries Legacies Leadership Initiative, have expressed worries that the politics of 2023 is linked to the plot to remove Modibbo Kawu, the Director General of National Broadcasting Commission (NBC). In a press statement released to the media, they accused what they referred as the “Self Acclaimed National Leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC), who claims to be the Jagaban of Nigerian politics” for being behind this plot because of his Presidential ambition in 2023.

“It might interest Nigerians to know that the current crisis rocking the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) over payment of 2.5 billion naira seed grant for Digital Switched Over (DSO) to Pinnacle Communication Ltd was not legal according to ICPC.

“We believe there’s more to all this, it is targeted to see the exit of Modibbo Kawu from NBC. The people responsible want to use their influence in the Presidency to nominate for a new DG that will be a loyalist to the core, someone who will do their bidding towards achieving a smooth media campaign/advert by 2022/2023. Since NBC is the supervising agency to all media house in Nigeria.

“They believe they can only achieve this through loyalists planted in ICPC. The first that took up the battle was the head of operation at ICPC, a certain Hakeem Lawal who is working on this project with Ade Ipaye, the Vice President’s Chief of Staff.
The new ICPC board is also headed by another Vice President’s loyalist and sidekick, Bolaji Owosonoye who is also linked to The Redeemed Church connection. They are all playing according to script giving to them by their master.

“The current leadership of ICPC has been hijacked and this is the major reason we are calling for total overhauling of the commission. The incompetence/error act of this current leadership of ICPC is geared towards 2023 ambition.

“ICPC is a commission that was established by the Federal Government to fight corruption. But today with this current leadership, reverse is the case simply because they are being used politically.

“ICPC really need to adopt code of conducts of high standard and ethics for their employees and have a solid compliance regime.

“The investigative unit of ICPC must operate lawfully and to follow due process as this is very critical to ensure their credibility and to build public trust.

“We are equally not unaware of the two committees that was set up by the Ministry of Justice to examine all the details of NBC, payment to Pinnacle Communication Ltd. The committee reached a verdict that there was no wrongdoing in the process and the payment and advised was issued to ICPC to step down the plan for indictment and carry out further investigation, including visits to the Pinnacle DSO project site, since no ICPC investigators have ever done so. Bolaji Owosonoye refused to acknowledge the letter.

“At this juncture, we the coalition of CSOs, are jointly issuing this press release signed by both the President of Competence Governance for Accountability and Civic Trust, Comrade Omoba Micheal and her Public Relation officer, Comrade Godwin Erheriene Oghenero, and the Executive Director of Beyond Boundaries Legacies Leadership Initiative, Comrade Omaga E. Daniel, to call the nation’s attention to the ICPC and how some of their people, planted by politicians, are being used for personal rather than national interest.”

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