News
Reps say poised to changing negative perception of government
The House of Representatives Committee on Media and Public Affairs says it is poised to changing the negative perception of government and its activities through positive and proactive engagements with members of the public.
Rep. Akintunde Rotimi , Chairman of the committee, spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the on-going retreat for members of the committee in Lagos
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN)reports that the three-day retreat ,which started on Friday, was organised by Yiaga Africa.
Rotimi said the negative perception of the National Assembly and the political elite by citizens was being addressed by the legislature.
“It’ is central to our legislative agenda in the 10th Assembly of the Federal House of Representatives to fix this negative perception that has been hanging around for too long.
“And like it has been rightly identified, one of the ways to address that is by proactive engagement with the public.
“We don’t wait until something happens before they hear us.
“We want to ensure that we are constantly and consistently engaging the people on what it is that we are doing in the Green Chamber,” he told NAN.
Rotimi further said the legislators had taken the lead in addressing certain behavioural issues in the country, including the ‘African Time’ syndrome, through their conduct .
He said their timeliness for meetings, diligence and optimisation of resources, was a testament to the behavioural change they wanted to communicate to Nigerians.
“Communicating that is also letting Nigerians know that this idea they have of some slothful person that is only there for his or her personal gains is changing,” he said.
Also, Rep.Fred Agbedi, member representing Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency, told NAN that members of the committee had gained a lot at the retreat.
He said with the recommendations received through the sessions, the legislature could achieve purpose for the 10th Assembly.
“Members of the committee will be better informed and enriched; we are going to leave here with some working tools that will further improve the performance of the committee in the 10th Assembly,” he said.
Agbedi said henceforth, there would be regular updates and presentations of the activities of House to Nigerians, through traditional and social media. (NAN) (w
The Association of Scavengers, Scrap Dealers, and Recyclers, Abuja, has publicly dissociated itself from a Federal High Court suit filed by unregistered scavengers and beggars against the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the association’s chairman, Mallam Muntari Mohammed, clarified that the group is a duly registered body, with members holding valid identity cards and engaging in legitimate waste management, scrap trading, and recycling businesses.
He stressed that the association has always complied with the FCT Administration’s rules and regulations, maintaining a clean record.
Muntari noted that the association had formally written to the Department of State Services (DSS) and other relevant agencies to affirm its commitment to safeguarding critical infrastructure and adhering to stipulated guidelines.
He distanced the group from unregistered scavengers, whom he accused of tarnishing the reputation of legitimate operators through theft and other illicit activities.
The chairman addressed the FCT Minister’s recent ban on scavenging, which stemmed from misunderstandings about the distinction between honest scavengers and rogue elements.
“We have never confronted the FCT authorities and will never do so,” Muntari said, emphatically dissociating the association from the court case against Wike.
The Vatican has confirmed that only one round of voting will take place this Wednesday afternoon as the conclave to elect the next pope officially gets underway.
Cardinals from around the world gathered earlier Wednesday in the Sistine Chapel, where they took a sacred oath of secrecy before the chapel doors were ceremonially closed with the Latin phrase “extra omnes,” meaning “everyone out.” The papal master of ceremonies then declared the start of the conclave, invoking a centuries-old tradition whose name comes from the Latin cum clave, meaning “locked with key.”
Wednesday’s solitary ballot marked the opening step in the process to choose the new leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics. Should the vote prove inconclusive requiring a two-thirds majority to elect a new pope, cardinals will resume the process on Thursday, casting up to four ballots daily until consensus is reached.
Each cardinal votes by writing “Eligo in Summum Pontificem” (“I elect as Supreme Pontiff”) on a paper ballot, followed by the name of their chosen candidate. In a quiet and orderly procession, they approach the silver and gilded urn in order of seniority to place their ballots.
As the final vote is cast, the tension rises in St. Peter’s Square, where the faithful and millions watching around the globe await the first sign of smoke from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney. Black smoke will indicate that no decision has been made; white smoke will proclaim that a new pope has been elected.
The last two conclaves, in 2005 and 2013, ended on the second day, with Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis elected after a series of swift ballots, respectively.
As the doors remain closed and Vatican cameras withdraw, the world waits in hushed anticipation for the next chapter in the history of the Catholic Church to be written.
Governor Hyacinth Alia will not honour the House of Representatives Committee invitation scheduled for Thursday, May 8.
The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Tersoo Kula, confirmed this to journalists on Wednesday in Makurdi.
The House had summoned the governors of Benue and Zamfara, alongside their Assembly leadership.
Kula stated that the invitation is unconstitutional and the governor will not comply with it.
He explained that Alia has filed a case at the Supreme Court challenging the lawmakers’ invitation.
“Yesterday, the Benue Assembly passed a resolution rejecting the Reps Committee invitation.
“They believe the invitation is based on ignorance and have decided not to attend. They will also challenge it in court,” he said.
Kula added that the governor, independently, has approached the Supreme Court to challenge the invitation’s legality.
He said: “Since the matter is in court, I will not speak further on it.”
Kula also claimed that the civil society group behind the petition is faceless and unregistered.
According to him, the address on the group’s letterhead is fake and lacks credibility.
He said there is a coordinated campaign of misinformation and sponsored protests aimed at destabilising Benue.
In recent weeks, he noted, there have been protests in Abuja allegedly representing Benue people’s concerns.
“These protests aim to provoke a state of emergency in Benue by portraying it in a negative light,” he said.
He claimed the organisers seek to undermine progress and return to a failed political order.
“Their ultimate goal is to create chaos for selfish political gain,” Kula added.
He accused the protest sponsors of trying to remove the governor through disruptive means.
“They will not succeed. Benue people stand firmly with their governor,” he said.
He assured the public that Benue remains peaceful and the government is functioning effectively.
“Governor Alia is committed to fulfilling his mandate and addressing the state’s challenges,” he said. (NAN)