Today's Headlines: Ex-SSG faults ministers receiving pension as former Govs, Contractors to begin work on Abuja Airport Second Runway

GLatestAugust 27, 2023

3 minutes read

Ex-SSG faults ministers receiving pension as former govs.

According to Punch news, A former Secretary to the Niger State Government, Prof Yahaya Kuta, has said that former governors who receive life pensions, exotic cars and other benefits from their states while they serve as ministers bear a moral burden.

Kuta said the ministers should emulate the former Ogun State governor, Senator Gbenga Daniel, who said he wrote to the state government to suspend his pension since he became a senator.

The former SSG said this while speaking to our correspondent on Saturday. He spoke against the backdrop of calls by civil society organisations, especially the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, which urged President Bola Tinubu to order the former governors in his cabinet to stop collecting pensions.

Last Monday, Tinubu inaugurated a set of former governors as his cabinet members. They include Abubakar Badaru (Jigawa), Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Bello Matawalle (Zamfara), Adegboyega Oyetola (Osun), David Umahi (Ebonyi), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), and Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe).

After serving as the governor of Kwara State from 2003 to 2011, the former Senate President Dr Bukola Saraki, said he stopped receiving pensions from the state in August 2017. SERAP had applauded the move.

The former SSG noted, “They should take a cue from Senator Gbenga Daniel who wrote his state governor to henceforth stop his pension from the state.

Contractors to begin work on Abuja airport second runway.

According to Punch news, The Minister of Ation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has announced that the contractors for the construction of the second runway at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja are set to commence work soon.

This was as the minister met with the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on compensation and relocation of Abuja indigenes, who were affected by the planned construction of a second runway for NAIA.

The minister disclosed this information on his verified X page, previously known as Twitter on Saturday.

According to the minister, it was very necessary for the indigenes to be compensated and relocated before construction works began on the site.

Recall that in 2022, the Federal Government provided 12,000 hectares of land for the development of some ation projects.

The construction site for the Abuja airport’s second runway was further handed over to the contractor the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation Nigeria Limited.

Student’s death: NANS accuses FUTA of negligence.

According to Punch news, The National Association of Nigerian Students has accused the management of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, of negligence in the death of a 500-level student, Akeredolu Ayomide.

According to the apex student body, the late Ayomide slumped in his hostel and was rushed to the institution’s health centre, where he died due to lack of basic amenities.

NANS, in a statement by its Vice President, External Affairs, Afeez Akinteye, said, “We are perplexed and disturbed that an ugly scenario of this nature was not happening for the first time and the management of the institution alongside the health care unit is not seeing the need for an end to this disastrous passing on of our students.

“The reason the graveyard is the richest place on earth is because of the countless unfulfilled dreams buried in the ground. Sadly, we have lost a student with great potential to the cold hand of death out of the negligence and incompetence of some individuals.

“To our greatest dismay, having made a thorough and proper close examination, we have come to the realisation that FUTA health care centre, a supposed teaching hospital, is nothing to write home about with poor facilities that cannot save lives or meet immediate and emergencies.”

Anambra bizman abducted during feast, family decries suspect’s release.

According to Punch news, The family of a kidnapped Anambra businessman, Onyeka Nnakwue, has faulted the Anambra State Police Command for releasing a suspect in the case.

Onyeka was reportedly abducted by some yet-to-be-identified assailants on June 29, 2023, after he was invited to feast with a friend on Igbariam Road in the Awkuzu area of Anambra State.

The victim’s elder brother, Onyibor, who spoke to our correspondent on behalf of the family on Saturday, lamented that since that visit, Onyeka’s whereabouts had remained unknown.

According to him, the state Commissioner of Police, Aderemi Adeoye, assigned the matter to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Awkuzu, after a petition was lodged at the state police headquarters in Awka.

He said, “My brother, Onyeka Nnakwue, got a phone call from his friend, Ndubuisi Muorah, aka Future King, on June 29, 2023, inviting him to come over to his office and enjoy deliciously prepared noodles with him and while he was there, we got a report that some armed men invaded the place and kidnapped him.