News

Ogun State Government Plans Truck Regulation To Enhance Road Safety

Published

2 weeks ago

May 4, 2024

Olaitan Rafiu

Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has said that a policy that would enforce road worthiness of trucks plying roads in the state would be put in place.

Addressing the minister of state for petroleum (Gas), Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo and his entourage, who paid him a courtesy call in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, after visiting the site of last Saturday’s explosion, Governor Abiodun said attention would also be paid to gas cylinders used by the trucks to ensure quality and standard.

The governor, in a statement by his chief press secretary, Lekan Adeniran, said the steps became necessary in view of the preponderance of gas utilization in the state.

He said: “I was very worried when the report of the incident reached me, and the reason for that is that Ogun State is the industrial capital of Nigeria with over 6,000 manufacturing industries and companies. We enjoy gas reticulation more than any other state in Nigeria.

“With the explosion, a lot of questions were asked as to what happened, how it happened, and the lessons learnt. We have received a preliminary report from the Ministry of Environment.

“We have taken some steps to forestall future occurrence. We have shut down the company involved to conduct a safety audit, and investigations are ongoing to determine the immediate cause of the incident and how to ensure that it does not repeat itself.

“We must ensure that truck heads that convey gas are road worthy. We are going to put in place a policy that enforces road worthiness of trucks and looks at issues around standards. These issues will govern quality and assure us of the quality of the gas cylinders.”

Abiodun said he was worried about how the public would perceive the incident, especially with the constitution of the Presidential Task Force on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to deepen the provision, utilization and off take of gas across the country.

He stressed the need for the Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) to be up and doing as the gas industry is fast evolving, noting that it was necessary to ensure adequate regulation of the industry.

While appreciating President Bola Tinubu for commiserating with the government and the people of the state on the incident, Governor Abiodun assured that his administration would collaborate with the federal government to find out the immediate cause and what needed to be done to guide against future occurrence and how to support those affected.

“I am glad that you have come and demonstrated that utmost responsiveness and concern which is heart warning and I am sure that your coming itself will assure the people of Ogun State that they are not alone in this incident and we, both the state and the federal government, are cooperating and collaborating to find solution to the incident,” the governor assured.

Earlier, Ekpo said he was in the state in his capacity as the minister in charge of gas on behalf of the president, to assess the extent of damage done by the explosion and report the same for proper and prompt response.

While sympathizing with the families of the victims and those who lost property and businesses, the minister said despite the incident, there was a need to continue with the CNG initiative to drive the economy as it is the cleanest source of energy.

Ekpo said he came with managers of the gas industry to find out what happened with a view to looking at how to address it to prevent future occurrence, even as he appreciated the governor for rising up to the occasion to assuage the sufferings of the people.

“Let me assure you that at the Ministry, we are taking gas infrastructure very seriously and by the time we complete the AKK, the conveyance of gas through the visual means will be reduced by taking the impact away from our roads,” the minister assured.

News

Shettima Inaugurates New Bauchi Government House

Published

20 hours ago

May 19, 2024

Olaitan Rafiu

Vice President Kashim Shettima yesterday inaugurated the newly constructed multi-billion Naira Bauchi State Government House.

the project which includes the construction of an international conference centre, office complexes, mosque, clinic, parameter fencing, fire station, and banquet halls among others, was awarded at the cost of about N6 billion.

The vice president said, “The commissioning of this edifice in Bauchi symbolises the commitment to enhancing administrative capacity and governance in the state as Nigeria shifts some responsibilities to state governments such as power generation, this project is seen as improving urban renewal and improving governance.

“Indeed, we need government infrastructure to complement the ongoing efforts in giving physical infrastructure.”

He said state governments are better placed to improve social, economic, political and cultural spheres of lives of the people because of their proximity to the local population.

The vice president noted that while the economic indices of most states are below global standards in the face of rising inflation which shoots up prices of food items, efforts must be made across the board to change the narrative to improve the condition of Nigerians.

Shettima commended Governor Bala Mohammed for executing the project which he said “will stand the test of time” for the people of Bauchi.

The vice president also lauded governors of the North East for their dedication and commitment to serving their people in the face of the challenges facing the country.

In his speech, the Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed said the need to reconstruct and remodel the dilapidated old Bauchi Government House structure became apparent to him immediately after assuming office in 2019 to create a conducive working environment.

News

UN Pledges Support For North West Development, Lauds Governors

Published

20 hours ago

May 19, 2024

Olaitan Rafiu

Kaduna State governor, Uba Sani, has disclosed that the United Nations (UN) has pledged its support for the development of the North West region of Nigeria.

The commitment was made during a meeting between the UN resident coordinator in Nigeria, Mohammed Fall, and the North West governors, which Governor Sani attended.

Governor Sani disclosed at the weekend that the meeting was convened to discuss security and developmental challenges in the North West with a view to fashioning and implementing collaborative projects and interventions in the zone.

The governor said the UN resident coordinator commended the North West governors for showing leadership and commitment to service in the interest of their people and congratulated them on their first year in office.

He acknowledged the efforts of the UN towards addressing humanitarian concerns in the states, highlighting their interventions in areas such as education, healthcare, agriculture and social development.

Governor Sani expressed the commitment of the governors to working with UN agencies to actualise various developmental initiatives.

News

3,141 Civil Servants Sit For Promotion Exam In Yobe

Published

21 hours ago

May 19, 2024

Olaitan Rafiu

No fewer than 3,141 Yobe State civil servants participated 2024 promotional examination which held in the state.

While addressing journalists shortly after inspecting one of the examination centres in Damaturu, the Head, Civil Service in the State, Alhaji Hamidu Alhaji

expressed satisfaction with the conducts of the 2024 civil service examination in the state.

At the Government Girls Secondary School Damaturu, a total of 1,808 civil servants sat for the examination, while 887 others wrote the examination at the College of Administration Management and Technology, Potiskum.

A total of 446 others also participated in the exercise at the Umar Sulaiman Collage of Education in Gashua.

The Head of Service told the state workers that Governor Mai Mala Buni has taken into consideration, the needs of the civil servants in terms of their welfare assuring that a lot of welfare packages are in the pipeline while a lots have been implemented.

He added that, “We are after a better quality system and this exams would groom our civil servants to be more productive, efficient, in addition to keeping our civil servants abreast with modern innovation in the state civil service.”