5 serving corps members die in FCT

 

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Alhaji Muhammad Musa Bello, has disclosed that five of the 4,538 corps members for the 2017 Batch A Stream 1 National Youths Service Corps (NYSC), who served in the FCT, lost their lives during the service year.

Also, four out of the members were awarded the meritorious awards for their outstanding performances during the service years.

The awardees were: Akande Delayo Mercy, Ikpesu Ejiro Lucy, Omajala Theophilus and Ekeh Chimezie Obiora.

Speaking at the passing out ceremony held at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Kubwa, Abuja, the minister sympathised with the families and relatives of the dead corps members.

Represented by the Secretary for Education, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Senator Isa Maina, Bello described their death as a great loss to the country, and noted that the awardees had served the country exceptionally well, just as he advised other corps members to inculcate what they learnt during the service year for the development of the country.

He hoped that the projects initiated by the outgoing corps members, would contribute to the development of the FCT and admonished them to be employers of labour and not job-seekers.

On his part, the FCT Coordinator of NYSC, Mr. Bello Ballama, said that the corps members were exposed to a number of experiences in their respective places of primary assignments, which he said had toughened their will and had made them ready for future challenges.

“Today, one can conveniently confirm that our corps members, through their initiatives, perseverance, dedication and tenacity of purpose, have made positive impact in the areas of education, health, agriculture and community development: thereby leaving indelible marks within the communities they served,” he said.

55% of vehicles in Abuja not road worthy – Official

Head of the Transportation Secretariat, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Kayode Opeifa, has said that 55 per cent of vehicles on FCT roads were not road worthy.

He made this known when he released motor vehicles and driver licences statistics for the FCT for the first quarter of 2018 in Abuja on Friday.

Opeifa said of the vehicles inspected at the Abuja Computerised Vehicles Centres, between January and April 6, only 45 per cent passed the test.

“In order to ensure that vehicles plying the FCT roads are road worthy, the secretariat has, therefore, directed the commencement of ‘Operation Crocodile’ to rid Abuja streets of unworthy vehicles.”

He urged motorists who have not made their vehicles available for inspection to do so.

“Also, within the period under review, 3,085 vehicles, 260 motorcycles, 406 tricycles, 281 unpainted taxis, were impounded for various traffic offences.

“This is against 2,885 vehicles, 183 motorcycles, 350 tricycles and 271 unpainted taxis for the same period in 2017,’’ he added.

He said 13,757 new vehicles were registered while 48,083 vehicle licences were renewed.

He said that 355 abandoned, accident, and burnt vehicles were evacuated during rescue operations.

Opeifa said that 18,067 drivers’ licences were processed between January and March, 2018 as against 16,668 processed in the same period in 2017. (NAN)

3 children found dead in stationary vehicle

Imo state Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, has ordered a thorough investigation into the death of three brothers aged five, three and two who died in Okwelle Onuimo local government area on Friday.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Andrew Enwerem, confirmed the incident.

Enwerem said the three brothers, Saviour, Salvation and Precious Nweke, who had earlier been declared missing, were found dead in a vehicle in the village.

“We received a report of three siblings who had gone missing; unfortunately the boys were found dead in a stationary vehicle in the village by a search party,” he said.

The police spokesman said that it was likely that the children unwittingly locked themselves in the vehicle and died of suffocation when they couldn’t unlock the car.

However, he said, an investigation into matter had been ordered by the commissioner of police.

He added that the corpses of the children had been deposited at a mortuary in the area by the police.

A resident of the community, Onyekachi Chikwem, told the News Agency of Nigerian (NAN) that the children who had been playing when their parents went out were nowhere to be found when the parents returned.

Chikwem said an alarm was raised when the children could not be found and the police were alerted. (NAN)

PSC workers demonstrate over appointment

The federal government’s decision to appoint retired officers as heads of the police service commission has been condemned by workers of the force.

The protesting workers, who besieged the National Assembly premises in Abuja, demanded that the FG put an end to the practice, referring to it as illegal.

On the platform of the Nigeria Civil Service Union, PSC chapter, the worker said that going by the Act establishing the commission, a civilian should be appointed as the commission’s chairman, and not a retired police officer who may have bias for the police.

The protesters carried placards with different inscriptions, such as “Police Service Commission is not a retirement resort for ex-police bosses”, “Mr President, please give us a civilian chairman” and “FG, respect the constitution and appoint a civilian chairman for PSC.”

Chairman of the union, Umar Sharubutu, said it had been tough working with the former police officers heading the commission because of their background.

“Why we are here today is to address an issue which has been bothering us for the past 10 years. It is wrong constitutionally to have an ex-police boss heading the commission. This is because the commission, by the Act enabling the commission, is defined as a civilian oversight body on the police.

“To represent the interests of the police, you have a Commissioner of Police 2 appointed on the board to serve as an adviser on technical issues relating to the police. So, the appointment of a former police boss as a chairman of the board is a duplication of interest.

“We have tried to work with these former police bosses but it is simply difficult to work with them because of their background. We will resist, in the most lawful manner, the appointment of another former police boss to head our commission.”

In his address to the protesters, the Permanent Secretary of the PSC, Musa Istifanus, urged them to return to work as their complaints had been taken note of.

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