Dr. Abdul Steps in as SDP National Chair ……as Prof. Adeniran Disengages

Dr. Abdul Ahmed has taken over as the National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, (SDP), follow Prof. Tunde Adeniran disengagement from office.This was contained in a statement signed National Press Secretary, of the Party Ambassador Rufis B. Aiyenigba.The statement stated that Prof. Adeniran who was a former Minister of Education and Nigerian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Germany, announced the decision to the party at the sitting of the National Working Committee (NWC) on 29th September, 2020 in Abuja.The former National Chairman who is 75 years old said the decision was largely influenced by his family members who have desired over time that he stepped out of partisan politics.”In line with the provisions of Article 13 of the constitution of the party, Dr. Olu Agunloye, the Deputy National Chairman (South) who is from his zone and in the position to step in going by the provisions of the constitution was said not to be amenable to assuming the position”As such, Dr. Abdul Ahmed Isiaq, the Deputy National Chairman (North) has stepped in as the new Acting National Chairman of the party, pending necessary ratification by the National Executive Committee (NEC) and the next National Convention of the party.”The decision of the the former National Chairman has been duly communicated to INEC.”The former Chairman promised to continue to cherish and promote the vision of the party for a greater and egalitarian Nigerian society and to always support and wish the party well and to continue in promoting the true interest of Nigeria in his new satus as an elder statesman.Members of the NWC of the party congratulated him on his birthday and appreciated him for his great service and remarkable contributions to the party during his time as National Chairman. They also wished him well in his future endeavours.

N2.67bn school feeding funds found in private accounts –ICPC

The Chairman , Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission , Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye, says the agency has discovered N 2. 67bn meant for the school feeding programme in private accounts .

The agency, he added , also found over N 2. 5bn diverted by a deceased worker with the ministry of agriculture, noting that 18 buildings , 12 business premises and 25 plots of land , were also recovered in the ministry .

Owasanoye disclosed this in Abuja on Monday at the second National Summit on Diminishing Corruption in the Public Sector, which was organised in collaboration with the Office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation .

The summit with the theme , ‘ Together against corruption’ , also included the launch of the National Ethics and Integrity Policy.

He said under the Open Treasury Portal review carried out between January and August 15, 2020, 72 out of 268 ministries , departments and agencies had cumulative infractions of N 90m .

According to him , while 33 MDAs explained that N 4. 1bn was transferred to sub-Treasury Single Account , N 4. 2bn paid to individuals had no satisfactory explanations .

He stated , “ We observed that transfers to sub-TSA were to prevent disbursement from being monitored. Nevertheless , we discovered payments to some federal colleges for school feeding in the sum of N 2. 67bn during lockdown when the children are not in school, and some of the money ended up in personal accounts . ”

The ICPC chairman also said under its 2020 constituency and executive projects tracking initiative, 722 projects with a threshold of N 100m ( 490 ZIP and 232 executive) were tracked across 16 states .

FG plans flood control project in Kaduna

The federal government has plans to establish flood control project in Kaduna to protect residents who battle with flood annually losing farmlands and properties whenever River Kaduna overflows it’s banks after heavy rainfalls.

This is just as Kaduna state government raised alarm over threats of pollution to River Kaduna as a result of human activities such as dumping of solid, faecal and industrial wastes, which have negative effects on purity of the river and marine lives that live in it. 

Kaduna state in recent years has suffered spates of floods leading to loss of lives, properties including houses, crops and even farmlands, but succour seems to be on the way following Federal Government’s plan to build flood walls around River Kaduna to protect the people and their properties, according to the Acting Director, National Water Resources Institute, Dr. Martin Edufie. 

Addressing the 2020 World Rivers Day on Monday in Kaduna with the theme: ‘Waterways in our Communities’, Edufie said the federal government’s plan was based on yearly study on flood in Kaduna state. 
“Very soon we are going to have a flood control project in Kaduna. We are going to have flood walls on both banks of River Kaduna to protect the people. 
“This is a result of our yearly study on flood in Kaduna state. Every year we study the flood in Kaduna and submit our report to our Minister. The Minister has taken steps to address the challenge. People are encroaching flood lane, we need to respect the waterways and ensure quality of water. Water serves several purposes. World River Day started in 2005, every fourth Sunday of September to highlight the importance of rivers,” he said.

Kaduna state Commissioner for Public Works and Infrastructure, Hajiya Balaraba Aliyu Inuwa, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Bashir Umar Lere, decried river pollution and climate change as challenges facing river development. “The other major challenge is climate change and its pursuant effects. Climate change is having a multitude of immediate and longterm impacts on water resources across the world.

“These include flooding, drought, sea level rise in estuaries, drying up of rivers, poor water quality in surface and groundwater system. Even here in Kaduna, we are experiencing excessive rainfall which leads to flooding and damage to life and property across the city. The solution pivots on taking urgent action to utilise science technology and innovation policies relevant to water audit and management.”  

The Managing Director, Kaduna State Water Corporation, Malam Sanusi Maikudi, in his remarks, said, “We should respect river because it is source of employment, food, economic and recreation. It is time to start dredging river to make them navigable and improve water transportation.”