While the warring leaders have the best meal on their tables everyday, the families of their workers sleep with empty stomach, unable to pay rent and settle the children's school fees. Most of them may have to borrow money to get to work. All because of personal ego and a problem that would not have arisen if common sense had been allowed to prevail.
Rasheed Ojikutu,
Lagos
The murder of Ogbonnaya Uche
S IR: Please refer to your story "The Many Unresolved Murders" of June 29, 2004 as it concerns "Ogbonnaya Uche". The impression which the story created was that there are no person(s) standing trial in the Court for the murder of Ogbonnaya Uche. Most amazing is the interview granted by the Governor of Imo State which gave a veil of truth to the obvious falsehood.
The reality, however, is that two persons are standing trial in High Court 4, Owerri for murder. They were arraigned in a holden charge in Chief Magistrate Court on May 10, 2003 and remanded in Federal Prisons, Owerri on the same date before they were charged to the High Court on February 12, 2004. However, they only took plea on May 31, 2004.
We are the solicitors to the two accused persons and can inform you that the case is adjourned to October 25, 2004 for hearing. On the last hearing date July 5, 2004 no witness of the prosecution was in court and we applied for the striking out of the matter. We want to invite your reporter to cover the trail at the next sitting. If you cover the story it will help Nigerians to further realise the infamous level of the present-day Police. This is because those standing trial today were framed-up for political purposes. It is for this reason that we agree with Governor Udenwa that the police should prosecute the "Killers of Uche".
It might appear to the uninformed that our conclusion is hasty but one inevitable conclusion if you cover the case is that the prosecution of our clients is a charade.
Ukpai Ukairo,
For: Ukpai Ukairo & Associates,
Aba, Abia State
The menace of Area Boys" in Lagos
S IR: I wish to draw the attention of the Lagos State Governor, the Minister for Transport and all other well-meaning Nigerians especially Lagosians to the behaviour of Area Boys who consider to be a threat to the life of Lagosians.
In the recent past, area boys have dominated most of the bus stops in the State. Their main objective is to extort money from motorists and any attempt by any motorist to refuse to comply will lead to vandalisation of their vehicles - which I consider barbaric!
They don't only make life difficult for motorists but also commuters who bear the brunt at the end of the day by paying higher toll than necessary. If one is unfortunate to be passenger when these hoodlums invade a vehicle - it will take the special grace of God to alight safely without been hurt. Not to talk of getting buses from the bus stops which is gradually becoming impossible as the buses are trying to avoid touts that normally waylay them to collect money, therefore leaving the masses with the pain of spending endless time at bus stops despite the fact that we all know that time is money".
At times out of fear, these buses don't stop at certain bus stops, any passenger that is going to that bus stop would be forced to drop at the next bus stop and trek back to his/her destination - is this supposed to be one of the dividends of democracy
Unless something drastic is done about this situation especially now that the state is becoming more security-conscious, one may find it difficult to walk freely in the streets of Lagos without being harassed or molested by these hoodlums.
Eniola Ilesanmi,
Lagos
To Governor Ladoja
SIR: It would interest your Excellency to know that the administration of Governor Lam Adesina recruited some medical doctors in 33 local government areas of the state in 2000. While we are not against the recruitment exercise, what we are opposing is their appointment without due recognition of civil service regulations.
Could you believe that these medical doctors who were recruited on Grade Level 09 in 2000 are now on Grade Level 15 Apart from this, they were made Primary Health Coordinators (PHC) in their respective council areas without having qualifications in Primary Health Care. In fact, all these doctors are now undergoing training at the UCH to obtain a basic certificate in Primary Health Care Delivery which is not in agreement with laid down Local Government Service Regulations.
These doctors through the State Ministry of Health also gave frivolous allowances to themselves like Call Duty allowance which is not in operation in any of the 33 Local Governments of Oyo State. It is only a means through which these medical doctors and their collaborators at the state ministry of health are siphoning Local Government funds without the slightest reservation.
Most of these doctors were recruited fresh and they did not at all transfer their services. Indeed, most of them were working in private clinics before their employment and so they could not have transferred their services. This anomaly was to be corrected by the State Auditor's General Department which instituted a panel of enquiry into this and discovered the sharp irregularities. The Panel promptly called for the reversion of the doctors to their normal salary status.
However, to our chagrin, the outcome of the panel's report has not been effected by the State Commissioner for Health till now. This has been causing serious ill-feeling in the 33 Local Government areas of the State.
We want to request your administration to investigate this and correct the anomaly in the interest of peace, justice and fairplay in the Council areas.
Bola Olowojulo,
for: Concerned Local Government Professionals,
Oyo State
