Arafat: Saraki Urges Pilgrims to Pray For Nigeria, Buhari

Senate President, Bukola Saraki

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has charged the 91,000 Nigerian pilgrims currently performing this years hajj to use the occasion of significance of the Arafat Day tomorrow (Thursday) to pray for the quick recovery of the nation’s economy and good health for President Muhammdau Buhari.

Saraki further called on the pilgrims to pray for the security, peace, unity and development of the country as according to him, “a prayer for your country and her leaders is as important as asking Allah to grant you your personal wishes.”

Saraki, who is presently in Saudi Arabia for the hajj exercise, in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Yusuph Olaniyonu, advised Nigerian pilgrims that the gathering of worshippers from all over the world on the plains  of the holy Mount Arafat offers a rare opportunity for them to intensify prayers to Almighty Allah to resolve the economic and security challenges facing the country.

The 9th day of Dhul-Hijjah is the day pilgrims gather at the  plain of Mount Arafat, at the outskirt of Mecca, praying and supplicating to the Almighty Allah. Arafat Day was also the day Islam was perfected and approved for mankind by the Almighty Allah. The gathering is expected to consist nearly two million faithful from across the world.

Saraki said, “Today our country is passing through a difficult phase of nation building occasioned by economic recession, rising insecurity and threat to our corporate existence as a nation by actions of some citizens.

“The health of our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, is also of national concern to all, and every opportunity must be utilized to pray for his continuous recuperation for him to continue to restore the lost glory of Nigeria.

“It is therefore not only advisable but necessary for our pilgrims to seize this rare opportunity the Arafat Day offers to offer prayers for our nation to overcome these challenges and for all development plans and policies initiated by government to start yielding fruits but that we as citizens should rededicate ourselves to the service of our country”, he said while reminding the pilgrims that a prayer for one’s nation and her leaders is an indirect route for praying to God to meet their individual needs and aspirations.

“Our people back home should also join in the prayers on the Arafat Day as Muslims believe that wherever you are on this special day, if you supplicate to the Almighty, he will answer the prayers.

“Let Nigerian Muslims in Saudi and those at home devote this day for seeking Allah’s intervention to restore peace in the troubled parts  of the country, help our economy to recover, help the leaders to deliver on our promises and solidify the unity and stability of our country so that individual citizens can realize their genuine hopes and aspirations”, the President of the Senate stated.

Saraki, while commending the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for the effective handling of the hajj exercise, however, charged the agency to ensure maximum welfare and comfort for the pilgrims during the remaining period of their stay in the holy land and during their journey back home.

The Senate President advised the pilgrims to continue to conduct themselves in  good and orderly manner while also complying with all laws, regulations and directives by the Saudi authorities aimed at making the remaining period of the hajj exercise hitch-free.

He also commended the authorities of Saudi Arabia for their excellent treatment of Nigerian pilgrims. “I must commend the Saudi authorities  on their arrangements for the comfort and welfare of Nigerian pilgrims. This has shown that our relationship with Saudi Arabia is cordial and all efforts must be made by both pilgrims and officials to sustain the good relationship”, he stated.

Senate Vows To End LAUTECH Crisis

The senate has vowed to bring to an end the crisis bedeviling the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) that led to the closure of the institution for almost two years.

Speaking while receiving a delegation led by the president of LAUTECH Alumni Association, Professor Adewale Sunday, in Abuja, the President of the Senate, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, described the continuous closure of the school as “pathetic and unacceptable.”

Saraki, in a statement by his Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Mohammed Isa, reiterated the commitment of the Senate to the quick resolution of the crisis.

“The Senate is touched by the ongoing 2-year strike at LAUTECH. Now that we have taken up this issue, we are not going to stop until action is taken,” Saraki said. “In the past week, I have had the opportunity to speak to the Minister of Education on the issue, and he has reassured me that efforts are being made to bring representatives of both governments together to resolve the ownership affair between the two states.”

He added: “Additionally, we can argue from now until tomorrow about the ownership of the University, however, all parties concerned must know that the LAUTECH’s students and their parents are the ones that are affected by this; hence, swift action must be taken.

“Moving forward, we will continue to fight for the students of LAUTECH so that soon, the doors of that university will be reopened.”Saraki, who commended the students for their patience and peaceful conduct, also urged them to remain calm, as “there is light at the end of the tunnel. We are on your side.”

Earlier, the Chairman of the Alumni, Professor Sunday, urged the Federal Government, to as a short term solution provide intervention fund to the institution for immediate resumption of academic activities.

He further urged the Federal Government to initiate the process of resolving the ownership tussle of the LAUTECH as permanent solution to the crisis.Among the delegation were representatives of the institution’s Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Non-Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) and the Students Union Government (SUG).

BREAKING: CCT Trial: Saraki discharged and acquitted

The Code of Conduct Tribunal has dismissed the case of false asset declaration against Nigeria’s Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

Mr. Saraki made a no-case submission on May 4, after the prosecution closed its case.

In the ruling, the tribunal chairman, Danladi Umar, said the prosecution had failed to prove its allegations. Details later!

Senate Will Partner ILO To Combat Child Labour, Says Saraki

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has pledged the commitment of the 8th Senate  to work with the International Labour Organization (ILO) to eliminate all forms of Child Labour in the country.

Saraki, who spoke in Abuja, when the Country Director of the ILO, Dennis Zulu, visited him as part of activities to mark the World Day Against Child Labour, reassured the ILO Director that the “Senate assigns particular importance to the fight against child labor.”  

In a statement by his Special Assistant on Print Media, Chuks Okocha, the Senate President commended the United Nations (UN) for its fight against child labour and said “we all must do more to eliminate the use of children for forced labour.”

He noted that the overall lack of advocacy limited greater understanding about the issue.  For this reason, he said he hosted a Children’s Day roundtable discussion with States Assembly on the Child’s Rights Act of 2003 to “raise awareness about our obligation to defend the rights of children.”

“As you are aware, some States are yet to domesticate it, and we made some commitment to them. Hoping that the States that are left, will work hard to see that before the next Children’s Day, they will see that this Act is domesticated in their States.

“It is important to promote universal basic education, to support the National Child Labor Policy and the National Action Plan the ILO developed with the Federal Government,” he said.

He further reiterated the importance of working with the government to support these policies through legislation.

“I have a strong record in support of the Child’s Rights Act, the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP) and child labor rights,” said Saraki.  “The Senate intends to work closely with ILO as a partner to combat child labor.  By the next World Day Against Child Labour, we should see more progress in this area.”

Saraki added: “This 8th Senate is very committed to issues of Child’s Rights, violence against children and Child labour. I hope that we will be able to work closely together in these areas and I will like you to leave here with the assurances that we are  your partners.”

Earlier, the leader of the delegation who is also the Country Director of ILO in Nigeria,  Dennis Zulu, lamented that Nigeria “does not have recent statistics on the prevalence of child labor.”  The last survey from 2003 estimated that more than 15 million children are engaged in economic activities and about 6.1 million classified as child laborers.

 

He appealed to the Senate President to help in ensuring  the passage of  a harmonised legislation against child labour in Nigeria.  

The ILO Country Director lamented that there are inconsistencies between the minimum age requirement for children to work in Nigeria when compared with the National Agency for Prevention of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) Act from the Labour Act. 

He also complained about weak enforcement of legislation on child labour in the country and poor coordination among the different Ministries,  Departments and Agencies of Government dealing with the issues of children.

The ILO representative therefore appealed to the Senate President to help facilitate a programme to coordinate and ease child labour issues in Nigeria as it is done in other African countries. 

 

NASS Leadership Denies Rent Payment By FCDA

The leadership of the National Assembly yesterday dismissed as outright falsehood a claim in a report credited to a group known as Citizen Action to Take Back Nigeria (CATBAN) and published by an online medium, Sahara Reporters, in which it was alleged that the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Speaker, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, and their deputies, Senator Ike Ekweremadu and Rt. Hon. Lasun Yusuff collected money from the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) as rent for their accommodation.
In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Senate President on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, the leadership of the National Assembly stated that though the four presiding officers are legally entitled to official accommodation, they have been living in their personal residences and do not get paid by any Federal Government agency.

“There is no truth to the claim by this group. In fact, during the preparation of the budget, the Senate President and Speaker directed the FCDA to remove the 10 billion Naira voted for the construction of their official residence to save cost. The current leadership of the National Assembly will not be part of any illegal payment to anybody”, stated Olaniyonu.