Headline
My ministerial appointment is call to service — Oyetola
Mr Adegboyega Oyetola, the immediate past governor of Osun and the new Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, says his appointment is a call to service.
He spoke on Monday night in Abuja on the sidelines of the reception organised for him by the Osun chapter of the APC and other stakeholders.
The minister, who also said he was challenged to be appointed to head a new ministry, gave an assurance that he would excel in the presidential mandate given him.
Oyetola thanked President Bola Tinubu for considering him worthy of a ministerial appointment.
He also expressed gratitude to the organisers of the event, saying the level of solidarity displayed was encouraging and would propel him to do even more in the interest of Nigerians.
The minister added that he would need the cooperation and support of all stakeholders to succeed in the new ministry.
“I thank almighty God for this wonderful opportunity to serve and the people of Osun for coming all the way from the state to celebrate with me here.
“I am indeed happy seeing people from all walks of life, including traditional rulers, coming to celebrate with me.
“I feel challenged to be made a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria because it comes with a lot of responsibilities.
” I pray that the Almighty will see me through.
“Being a new ministry, I will have to start from the scratch, and I trust God Almighty to succeed and deliver on my new mandate,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, Sen. Iyiola Omisore, the immediate past National Secretary of the APC, described Oyetola’s appointment as ” a round peg in a round hole.”
He expressed optimism that Oyetola would deliver on his new mandate.
Chief Bisi Akande, former Interim National Chairman of APC, said Oyetola’s appointment was well deserved, adding that it was an honour for the people of Osun.
Akande, also a former governor of Osun, said the appointment had rekindled the hope of the people of the state in the Nigerian project and in the Tinubu-led administration.
The APC leader, who wished Oyetola a successful tenure in office, thanked the president for the appointment.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oyetola had earlier on assumption of duty outlined his vision for a thriving blue economy sector that prioritises sustainability, innovation and economic growth.
The minister, while speaking at his maiden news conference at the Ministry of Transportation on Monday, acknowledged the abundant marine resources existing in the country’s coastal region.
He stressed the need to fully harness the country’s marine resources.
The minister also said he would promote better inter-agency cooperation and coordination between the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Nigerian Ports Authority and Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority.
“As someone with a strong private sector background, we shall promote greater private sector inclusion while fostering greater efficiency through specialisation and the effective delineation of core duties between the units.
“We must seize this opportunity to create positive change, leaving a lasting legacy for generations to come,” the minister had said.
The reception was attended by Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Mr Buki Ponle, Managing Director of NAN, traditional rulers, members of the Osun House of Assembly and diplomats among others.
The Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN has warned against obstructing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from carrying out its lawful duty .
Fagbemi’s warning is contained in a statement in Abuja.
“This is a matter of very grave concern, it is now beyond doubt that the EFCC is given power by the law to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigations into any matter, regardless of status.
“Therefore, the least that we can all do when invited, is not to put any obstruction in the way of EFCC, but to honourably answer their invitation.
“A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is to say the least, insufferably disquieting’’.
He added that running away from the law will not resolve issues at stake but only exacerbate them.
“Nigeria has a vibrant judicial system that is capable of protecting everyone who follows the rule of law in seeking protection.
“I therefore encourage anyone who has been invited by the EFCC or any other agency to immediately toe the path of decency and civility by honouring such invitation instead of embarking on a temporising self-help and escapism.
“This can only put our country in bad light before the rest of the world’’.
He said institutions of state should be allowed to function effectively and efficiently.
“I stand for the rule of law and will promptly call EFCC, and indeed any other agency to order when there is an indication of any transgressions of the fundamental rights of any Nigerian by any of the agencies’’.
NAN reports that the EFCC had on Wednesday warned members of the public that it was a criminal offence to obstruct officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties.
Section 38(2)(a(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act makes it an offence to prevent officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties. Culprits risk a jail term of not less than five years.
The warning , the EFCC said, became necessary against the background of the increasing tendency by persons and groups under investigation by the Commission to take the laws into their hands by recruiting thugs to obstruct lawful operations of the EFCC.
On several occasions, the anti graft agency said, operatives of the Commission have had to exercise utmost restraint in the face of such provocation to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
Some unknown gunmen have kidnapped Joshua Rogers, the ChannelsTV reporter in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Politics Nigeria learnt that Rogers was picked up close to his residence at Rumuosi in Port Harcourt and to an unknown destination by the gunmen around 9pm on Thursday, April 11.
The reporter was driving his official ChannelsTV branded car when the hoodlums accosted, pointed a gun at him and took him away in the same vehicle.
Rogers was said to be returning from his official assignment in Government House after a trip to Andoni for a government event when the incident happened.
Already, the gunmen were said to have contacted his wife and demanded a N30million ransom for bis release.
His cameraman confirmed the incident and appealed to his abductors to set him free unconditionally.
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