₦airaland Forum

The Lagos State Government says it would begin enforcement of a section of the road traffic law which restricts commuter bus drivers from driving for more than eight hours at a stretch daily.

Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa disclosed this at the weekend at a news conference heralding the National Council on Transportation conference which kicked off today and would end on Friday at the Lagos City Hall, Lagos, southwest Nigeria.

According to Opeifa, section 44 of the Road Traffic Law bars commuter bus drivers from driving for eight hours at a stretch, saying that government would begin enforcement of the new law in January 2014.

He said many commuter bus drivers did not know that such a pprovision exists in the traffic law, saying that the next phase is to register all commuter bus drivers, conductors and owners of such vehicles so that through the registration, the drivers could be monitored effectively to ensure compliance with the 8 hours work rule and other aspects of the traffic law.
•A commuter bus, popularly known as Danfo, along Agidingbi road this morning

•A commuter bus, popularly known as Danfo, along Agidingbi road this morning

Opeifa warned that by January next year, government would not have mercy on any bus driver who failed to register, as his vehicle would be impounded for breaching the traffic law.

“With the development, no driver would be allowed to drive beyond 8 hours at a stretch, while owners of the commercial vehicles would be made to get insurance that will cover their passengers. Commercial drivers and their conductors would also begin to appear in registered uniform and badges for proper identification by the public.

“To be regulated also is the number of passengers who stand in the buses particularly, the Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, while no commercial vehicle would be allowed to ply routes not registered for by the government.

“Smoking and eating while driving within the state would attract N20, 000-N30,000 in accordance with the provision of the law for first and second offenders respectively,” Opeifa stated.

According to him, this development is to sustain security and safety already established in the state by the state traffic law, adding that accreditation of the owners of the commuter buses was to ensure that all operators were captured in government’s data base to curtail atrocities and crimes committed with the use of unregistered commercial vehicles.

“With these moves, we want to curtail kidnapping, robberies and other forms of crimes perpetrated by the continuous usage of unregistered vehicles for commercial purposes. We are out to tackle the issue of ‘one chance’ headlong.

“Also, the situation where the drivers and their conductors dress shabbily would be checked with the introduction uniform and badges for them. We are also re-introducing routine system for them. They will only ply only route boldly written on their buses,” he said.

On the 13th National Council on Transportation meeting being hosted by Lagos, Opeifa said the programme was organised to ensure adequate improvement in the transportation system, identify opportunities within the sector and promote various modes of transportation.

The commissioner disclosed that the theme of this year’s conference is: Transformation of Transport Infrastructure: Catalyst for Socio-Economic Growth.

The conference by the council, which comprises all commissioners of transportation in Nigeria, would be chaired by the Minister of Transport, while Governor Babatunde Fashola would be the chief host of the event.

He said the event would be in two sessions-the technical and the National Council meeting, saying that the technical session would be headed by the Federal Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation.

Opeifa said the state government had made adequate preparations to ensure that this year’s meeting was unique as many private organizations were partnering with the government in this regard.

http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2013/11/11/govt-restricts-danfo-drivers-to-8-hrs-of-work/

No fewer than 10,000 supporters of the All Peoples Congress (APC) in North-East Senatorial District of Benue State at the weekend decamped to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The defectors, who were led by the House of Representatives member for Kwande/Ushongo, Benjamin Aboho Federal Constituency, were received by the state Governor, Dr. Gabriel Suswam, and other top notchers of the PDP in the state.

Speaking during the ceremony, which held at the Adikpo Community College (ACC) playground in Adikpo, Kwande Local Government Area of the state, Governor Suswam urged other members of the party that had left for various reasons to return to the party.

The governor posited that the defectors had no option than to return to the party because PDP remains the only party in the state.

He stated that those who were returning to PDP had finally realized that they were strange bed fellows with members of the APC, just as he warned youths in the state to stop defacing posters or billboards belonging to contestants.

Describing such attitude as unhealthy for democracy, the governor who observed that posters do not win elections, stressed that elections were meant to be contested after which the most deserving wins the elections.

Earlier, the leader of the decampees, Col. Aboho, said he decided to return to the PDP because it had the key to the development of his people.

A friend( Buhari) of a thief( Tinubu,Akume,Udenwa and co ) is also a thief.

Those of you castigating Braimoh should tell us where the campaign funds for APC will come from.

Leadership newspaper is also guarantee to fail with half baked journalist recruited from semi-literate aboki doing the biding of their Masters who continue to dream power belong to the North.

Sharraapp.APC are bunch of serial looser.

We already know.they are Terrorist and blood thirsty Demons.

Sharap.Boko Haram

Good luck to Nigeria till 2019.

Punch Newspaper is a disgrace to Journalism.

A Senator with Diploma in Arabic study has nothing meaningful to contribute to the growth of this Nation.

Tinubu is a saint and has not institunalised corruption.Let it be know to Buhari that his romance with corrupt politicians has rubish the little intergrity tag on him.

APC is not an alternative.

Ok

Ameachi dey sharp guy.He is fooling those old fools.He will consult GEJ.

@ Cleverly and co,u are so obsessed with GEJ.I only hope u don't go berseck in 2015 when we elected GEJ again and your paymasters are relegated to futa Jalon.

Muslims and their Wahala.

GT is the best Bank in Nigeria

@ Berem,we are not deceived by your antecedents.We know where you stand.

Some leaders of the All Progressives Congress, including a former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu and a former military Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday in Abuja, made a surprise appearance at the public presentation of a book written in honour of the retired President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami.

The book titled, “Isa Ayo Salami: Through Life and Justice,” was written to mark Salami’s retirement from service.

The former PCA retired while still serving a suspension placed on him by the National Judicial Council following a disagreement he had with a former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu.

The APC delegation, which arrived shortly after the commencement of the event, also included the party’s National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, the governors of Osun, Ekiti and Zamfara states, Rauf Aregbesola, Kayode Fayemi, and Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari, respectively.

Others include the APC party’s spokesperson, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, a former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, as well as several national and state lawmakers in the party.

On behalf of ‘eleven progressive governors’ of the APC, Yari, the chief presenter, purchased 250 copies of the book in the sum of N55m.

According to him, the books are to be donated to Nigerian universities.

In an address at the event, Justice Salami, who retired after reaching 70 years on October 15, 2013, said he had no regrets for refusing to pervert the course of justice, as he was allegedly instructed by the former CJN, Justice Katsina-Alu, even though the development led to his suspension from office.

He said, “I realise the public interest that my feud with the NJC and former CJN Katsina-Alu generated. It is obvious that people want to know what the fuss was actually about, and briefly put, this is it.

“I was invited by the then CJN, Justice Katsina-Alu to his chambers on the 8th of February, 2010, using Justice Dahiru Musdapher’s phone, and when I got there, I met them together (Justice Musdapher was the next in line to him at the Supreme Court).

“He (Katsina-Alu) instructed me to direct the Justices of the Sokoto Appeal to dismiss the appeal of the Democratic Peoples Party governorship candidate and I responded that I could not do so.

“Contrary to the deposition of Justice Katsina-Alu that he called me into his Chambers in respect of leakage in the judgment of Sokoto matter which he gathered from petitions, there were no petitions against me or the Justices in the Sokoto Appeal Panel as at the 8th day of February, 2010, on Sokoto matter or any other matter.

“Ironically, the petitions in question only emerged on the 15th of February 2010, seven days after I had unequivocally informed the CJN that I would not direct a competent court on what its judgment should be.”

Justice Salami added that, after showing him the petitions on the 15th of February, Justice Katsina-Alu asked him to disband the Sokoto Appeal Panel in view of the petitions.

“I responded that I would not disband the panel as the petitions did not contain any allegation of impropriety against the members. In my response to the petitions, I made known what transpired at our meetings of 8th and 15th February, 2010.

“It was in his own submission to the NJC on my response that he now alleged that the reason for calling me was that the judgment in the Sokoto matter has leaked and that he gathered the allegation that the judgment had leaked from petitions written against me,” he said.

The former PCA maintained that the Investigating Panel set up by the NJC under Justice Umaru Abdullahi (former President Court of Appeal) rejected Justice Katsina-Alu’s claim that there was an allegation of leakage in the petitions.

“In spite of this they concluded that he (Justice Katsina-Alu) was acting in good faith. On this, I won’t say more.

“I thank the Almighty God that I refused to pervert the course of justice. Disbanding the panel or persuading them to dismiss the appeal was not the right thing to do.

“It would have offended the principle of the independence of judges which I so much respect and believe in.

“As a matter of fact, I will simply say that if I had done what the then head of the Nigerian judiciary had wanted me to do, I would not have this honour and if at all this book was published, it would be shameful and hypocritical of me to stand before you and talk about honour and integrity – two things which define a fine judicial officer alongside the grasp of the law,” he said.

The chairman of the event, and a former CJN, Justice Mohammed Uwais, stressed that the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria had no powers to suspend, or recall Justice Salami.

The NJC had after deciding to suspend Justice Salami, written President Goodluck Jonathan to approve the suspension.

Also, after deciding to recall him, the Council had written to the President to approve the decision. The President had declined, arguing that the matter was sub judice.

Justice Uwais said the NJC erred by referring the issue to the President.

He noted that the NJC was not fair to Justice Salami.

“It follows that Justice Isa Ayo Salami has been unfairly treated by the NJC. It is disturbing, to say the least, that the NJC, whose membership consists of eminent and experienced judges and lawyers, should act in the manner they treated Justice Salami,” he said.

In a short remark at the event, Tinubu extolled Justice Salami’s courage and perseverance.

“Thank you Justice Salami for teaching us courage, thank you for teaching us perseverance.

“In the ocean of corruption you have provided a craft.

“At this critical time in the history of our country we need more men like you who can stand and confront the abuse of power,” he told the retired PCA.

In a keynote address, titled “Justice is never siddon look,” Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, spoke against all forms of injustice in the country, particularly in the judiciar

Tinubu is corrupt politician is his God father.

Orji,please clamp down on any Boko haram including Berem.

Retired in disgrace.

Go get your pension from Tinubu.Wasted years in your profession.

Nigerians are difficult people.You Aboki cried and beg for those Airline to be approved in your states.Its now been granted and now this headline.You are all bunch of ingrates.

Punch ,now a gossip tabloid.What a shame.

Other tribes should adopt this formular until they are pushed back to their original habitat of Futa Jallon.

Kick that devil incarnate out.I will leave my base in SA to join that protest even if am an Idoma.I served @ Otukpo and knew how wicked that Man is.

No be only Tunde Mark,Na Tambuwal Mark.slowpoke.

Where is Eko-Ile,Seaneat,Agbamata and Tinubu e- worriors?Your allocations will be reduce due to drastic drop in Revenue.

Shehu Sani ,the Boko Haram Mouth Piece?

Hard hit.APC finance for 2015 election is in doubt.

Punch Newspaper so blind with hatred for this Administration.

Owerri – Thousands of women in Imo on Tuesday embarked on a peaceful demonstration, protesting alleged intimidation and harassment of state government officials by anti-corruption agencies.

The women, drawn from the 27 local government areas, marched through the major streets of the state capital as early as 7 a.m., causing a gridlock on the roads.

The women alleged that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) had been distracting the administration of Gov Rochas Okorocha.

The Coordinator of the women group, Mrs Tessy Ohanuba, said they came out to express their grievances over the alleged incessant harassment of the state government officials by the anti-graft agencies.

“They are sending EFCC and ICPC to come and harass the people working with the governor.

“We are happy with the way the governor is running the state. The women have never had it so good.

“Today, our children are beneficiaries of the free education programme of the state government.

“There is infrastructural development, good road network and good healthcare delivery system,” she said.

Ohanuba called on President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene in the matter to enable the governor to concentrate in providing democracy dividends to the people.

“We are calling on the gender-friendly president to listen to our call, see the tears of the women and call on those harassing the state governor and his team to order,” she said.

Another woman leader, Chief Mrs Adaku Agbugbaeruleke, condemned the alleged activities of the anti-corruption agencies.

“No one should stampede the governor anymore because of his choice of political party.

“He saw the need to move to the All Progressive Congress (APC) and we are solidly behind him,’’ she said.

Mrs Hope Anyanwu, an octogenarian, questioned the authority and sincerity of the anti-graft agencies.

“Okorocha is holding Imo resources in trust for us and we are not complaining about the way he is managing it neither have we petitioned to the EFCC, ICPC or any other agency.

“All we are saying is that enough is enough,’’ she said.

The women also visited the INEC office on the Port Harcourt-Owerri road to demand the conduct a re-run election for the Oguta state assembly constituency.

The Accountant-General of the state, Mr George Eche, and the Speaker of the state assembly, Mr Ben Uwajimuogu, were reported to have on different occasions been invited for questioning by the security agencies. (NAN
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/10/women-protest-efcc-icpc-activities-imo/#sthash.vq4h886u.dpuf