TheNewsGuru

Tag: State of Emergency

  • Sri Lanka declares state of emergency after Buddhist-Muslim clash

    Sri Lanka has declared a state of emergency for 10 days to rein in the spread of communal violence, a government spokesman said on Tuesday, a day after Buddhists and Muslims clashed in the Indian Ocean island’s central district of Kandy.

    Tension has been growing between the two communities in Sri Lanka over the past year, with some hardline Buddhist groups accusing Muslims of forcing people to convert to Islam and vandalising Buddhist archaeological sites.

    Some Buddhist nationalists have also protested against the presence in Sri Lanka of Muslim Rohingya asylum-seekers from mostly Buddhist Myanmar, where Buddhist nationalism has also been on the rise.

    “At a special cabinet meeting, it was decided to declare a state of emergency for 10 days to prevent the spread of communal riots to other parts of the country,” the spokesman, Dayasiri Jayasekara, told Reuters.

    “It was also decided to take stern action against people who are instigating violence through Facebook,” he added, referring to postings on social media.

    The government sent troops and elite police to Kandy after a mob set fire to a Muslim-owned shop, imposing a curfew there on Monday to prevent clashes between majority Sinhalese Buddhists and minority Muslims.

     

  • Dapchi girls’ abduction: Declare state of emergency in North East, Clark advises Buhari

    Dapchi girls’ abduction: Declare state of emergency in North East, Clark advises Buhari

    Prominent Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to declare full state of emergency in the North East.

    Clark said this would enable the security agencies to finish the fight against Boko Haram terrorists unhindered.

    Speaking on the recent adoption of over 100 students from Government Girls Science and Technical College, Dapchi, the former federal commissioner for information argued that anything short of full declaration of state of emergency in the North East would not yield the expected result.

    He declared that a state of emergency where a sole administrator is appointed for at least six months would do the work.

    He said a sole administrator, unlike a political leader, would take decisive action on the matter.

    Clark described the abduction as a national embarrassment because it affects all irrespective of party affiliation.

     

  • We’ll declare state of emergency in education sector in April – FG

    The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, on Monday, said the Federal Government would declare a state of emergency in the education sector in April.

    He made this disclosure when he received Gov. Abubakar Sani-Bello of Niger and some members of his cabinet at the Federal Ministry of Education Headquarters in Abuja.

    Adamu requested the support of all states governors to do the same in their respective states.

    “By the end of April, we are proposing there will be a declaration of a state of emergency in the education sector all over the country.

    “We request all the state governors to do same in their states and we hope that once this is done our educational sector will improve.

    “I will also meet with the governors to appeal to them to give special emphasis to address the problem of low standard of education especially at primary level,” he said.

    The minister said the ministry was planning to present a proposal to the National Council of State for graduates of education to henceforth be employed on Grade Level 10 of eight.

    He said the proposal would also include offering employment to students studying education in tertiary institutions.

    Earlier, Bello said that the state government was revamping the educational sector through the provision of good infrastructure in schools and training of teachers.

    He said that the state government planned to establish three teachers professional institute in the three zones, adding that one was already being established in Munya Local Government Area.

    The governor solicited the support of the minister on the development of the institutions.

  • ASUU crisis: Declare state of emergency in education sector, MURIC tells FG

    The Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, on Thursday, urged the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency in the education sector to save it from imminent collapse.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the call is sequel to the recent strike embarked upon by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, over the non-implementation of agreements signed with the union by the Federal Government as far back as 2009.

    This was revealed in a statement by the President of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

    Akintola said that about 80 per cent of Nigerian universities have suspended academic activities and that MURIC was disturbed by the “unhealthy development in the education sector”.

    “Strikes have negative impacts on students, their lecturers as well as the institutions.

    “Unscheduled breaks in academic programmes caused disruptions in academic calendars and these have devastating effects on so many other activities relating to the education of the youth.

    “Most importantly, constant strikes impact negatively on the quality of education thereby diminishing the value of degrees awarded by Nigerian universities,” he said.

    He explained that the strike will increase social vices among the idle youths and called on the Federal Government to implement agreements reached with ASUU by the previous administration.

    “Neither can Federal Government safe its face by passing the buck because government is a continuum.

    Akintola blamed political office holders for not paying enough attention to the nation’s public tertiary institution; rather, they preferred to send their children to private and foreign Universities.

    “The Federal Government has not been fair enough to ASUU if in 2017 we are still talking about FG/ASUU agreement of 2009.

    “It is also fully aware that the total debt arising from the 2013 agreement up till now is N850 billion.

    “Yet, the same government allocated a paltry sum of N369 billion to the Ministry of Education.

    “We appeal to the Federal Government to make the education sector its priority by declaring a state of emergency to save the sector from total collapse,” he said.

    He also appealed to ASUU to embrace dialogue towards the resolution of the lingering crises.

     

     

     

  • South Sudan President, Salva Kiir declares state of emergency in 4 states

    President Salva Kiir of South Sudan has declared a three-month state of emergency in four of the country’s states.

    According to an order read on the state-run radio station on Tuesday, the State of Emergency covers Gorial and parts of Wau, Tonj and Aweil East states.

    It remains unclear what prompted the declaration of the state of emergency, but it may be linked to the presence of opposition fighters in Wau and a recent hike in inter-communal violence in Gorial that has killed more 40 people since May.

    Under article 189 of the country’s transitional constitution, the president has powers to declare a state of emergency after consulting Parliament.

    This is the second time the South Sudanese leader is declaring a state of emergency since civil war erupted in late 2013.

    In January 2014, Kiir declared state of emergency in the former states of Jonglei and Unity.

    South Sudan has been embroiled in more than three years of conflict that has taken a devastating toll on the people of South Sudan.

    A peace pact signed in Addis Ababa in 2015 under intense international pressure was shattered again following renewed violence between rival government and opposition troops in the capital Juba on July 2016.

    The conflict has since spread to other regions which enjoyed relative peace, causing mass displacement of least 3.5 million people from their homes, ethnic polarisation and tribal violence that has killed tens of thousands of people.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that South Sudan descended into violence in December 2013 after political dispute between Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar led to fighting that pitied mostly Dinka ethnic soldiers loyal to Kiir against Machar’s Nuer ethnic group.

    The 2015 peace agreement to end the violence was again violated in July 2016 when the rival factions resumed fighting in the capital forcing Machar to flee into exile.

  • Malala advocates declaration of state of emergency in Nigeria’s education sector

    Nobel Peace Prize winner and Pakistani rights activist for girl-child education Malala Yousafzai on Monday during a state visit to Nigeria advocated for the declaration of state of emergency in the nation’s education sector.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the 20-year-old Malala, who was accompanied by her father Yousafzai and other members of the Malala Foundation, arrived at the presidential villa at about 5.30 p.m and was received by Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and other top government functionaries.

    The young female activist survived gunshots on her head by the Taliban for campaigning for girl-child education in Pakistan.

    She visited Nigeria in July, 2014, to campaign for the release of abducted Chibok schoolgirls, meeting with then President Goodluck Jonathan and parents of the more than 230 kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls.

    While briefing state correspondents about the details of her meeting with the Acting President, Malala said: “It was a very good meeting. We had a fruitful discussion with His Excellency, the Acting President.

    “I highlighted on the need to scale up education, that the government should declare a state of emergency in education because education of girls and boys in Nigeria is important.

    “The federal, state and local governments need to be united on this.” she added

     

     

  • Dogara raises alarm, says Nigeria now in state of emergency

    Dogara raises alarm, says Nigeria now in state of emergency

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, on Monday raised the alarm over the deployment of military personnel in over 28 states in the country.

    Dogara said the development was an indication that Nigeria was already in a state of emergency in peacetime.

    The Speaker expressed shock over the growing trend of soldiers taking over civil and security duties constitutionally reserved for the Nigeria Police.

    According to him, in peacetime, soldiers are merely to complement the police and other civil authorities.

    He expressed surprise that they were visible in almost all parts of the country doing the work of the police.

    Dogara spoke in Abuja at a “Capacity/Interactive Needs Assessment Workshop of Security Sector Related Committees in the House of Representatives.”

    It was organised in collaboration with Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre.

    Citing Section 217 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Dogara said the duties of the Armed Forces is contrary to what they are doing these days in many states of the federation.

    Dogara stated, “It is worrisome that Nigeria is effectively permanently in a state of emergency as the Armed Forces are deployed in more than 28 states of the federation in peacetime.

    “The Armed Forces have virtually taken over routine police work in Nigeria. They are no longer acting in aid of civil authorities but have become the civil authorities.

    “Section 217 of the constitution spells out the duties and responsibilities of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, which include defending Nigeria from external aggression; maintaining Nigeria’s territorial integrity; and securing our borders from violation from land, sea or air; suppressing insurrection and acting in aid of civil authorities to restore order when called upon to do so by the President.”

    He also spoke on the funds appropriated for security operations annually by the National Assembly, saying that the legislature must ensure the judicious application of the money.

    “Related to the constitutional powers of the National Assembly to appropriate funds and thereby allocate funds for security, is the power to ensure that such monies or funds appropriated are used in a transparent and accountable manner and for the purpose for which they have been given.

    “The National Assembly’s powers of legislative oversight cannot therefore be over-emphasised,” he told the session.

    On the rising security concerns in the country, Dogara pledged the readiness of the House to provide legislative support to the executive to confront the problem.

    The Speaker added, “This past experience which saw a powerful military exercise absolute control and authority over the machinery of government has translated to the current challenge of getting these institutions to subject themselves to legislative scrutiny.

    “The often seen consequence of this is inadequate and inefficient delivery of security to citizens, as well as lack of accountability and transparency as they relate to security expenditure.

    “The House has consequently, recently amended the Public Procurement Act to make the Armed Forces more accountable in procurement matters.”

  • Workers’ salary: Ortom declares ‘state of emergency’

    Workers’ salary: Ortom declares ‘state of emergency’

    Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State on Friday declared what he tagged as ‘state of emergency’ on salary payment.

    Governor Ortom made the announcement at a meeting with labour leaders at the New Banquet Hall of the Benue Peoples House in Makurdi.

    He also set up a committee to work out details of its implementation.

    The committee has the Deputy Governor, Engr. Benson Abounu as chairman and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mr Matthew Uyina, as Secretary.

    Other members are Commissioners of Finance, Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, their colleagues in the Ministries of Health and Information as well as Advisers on Labour, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Development Cooperation, Rural Development and Cooperatives.

    Labour leaders on the committee are Comrade Godwin Anya, State Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Terungwa Igbe, President, Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Comrade Philip Ter Nongu, State Chairman, Joint Councils one, two and three, and Comrade Ordue Tartenger, Trade Union Congress chairman.

    Governor Ortom stated that the implications of the declaration included prioritization of salary payment as well as the exploration of every means of obtaining funds to clear arrears including borrowing.

    He said the committee’s terms of reference would include pruning of the State wage bill, fishing out ghost workers and perpetrators of fraud with regard to the issue.