Standup9ja: Presidency orders opening of maritime varsity in Niger Delta

Standup9ja: Presidency orders opening of maritime varsity in Niger Delta

The Presidency has directed the Ministry of Education to resume activities towards opening the maritime university sited in the Niger Delta before the end of the year as demanded by stakeholders in the region.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, said in a statement on Friday.

According to the statement, this would be coordinated by a five-man inter-agency committee headed by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu.

Akande said the committee; comprising the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the National Universities Commission, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency and the Office of the Deputy Governor of Delta State; would collaborate with the principal officers and the governing council of the institution.

He added that there were plans by the Presidency to conclude the fact-finding tours to the Niger Delta with visits by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to Cross River and Ondo States.

Standup9ja: Reps: Bill Seeking N100,000 Fine On Anyone Who Abuses The National Flag Passes 2nd Reading

Standup9ja: Reps: Bill Seeking N100,000 Fine On Anyone Who Abuses The National Flag Passes 2nd Reading

The House of Representatives on Thursday approved the second reading of a bill seeking to impose N100,000 fine on anyone who abuses the country’s national flag.

During plenary, sponsor of the bill, Rep. Sam Onuigbo (Abia-PDP), in the debate, said the bill sought to amend Flag and Coat of Arms Act 2004 and would make further provisions to preserve the country’s national heritage.

Before making this known, he lamented the high rate of abuse which the national flag is being subjected to, and urged the House to do everything possible to preserve it.

He said there had been surreptitious effort to change the national flag as many public and private offices constructed the Coat-of Arms on it.

Onuigbo said that the offices even included official photographs of governors, ministers, and even national assembly members in the designs.

    His words: “It is important to declare that any addition, subtraction or super imposition outside the version designed by Pa Michael Akinkunmi in 1959 is not the Nigerian flag.”

    “Section 10 of the Principal Act is being amended by removing the fine of N100 and replacing same with N100,000,” he said, adding that ‘‘also any person who flies or exhibits the national flag which is deconstructed, thereby creating an impression of using the national flag, where actually the flag is deconstructed shall be guilty of an offence against the Act.

    ‘‘Similarly, any person who uses the national coat and inserts same into the national flag thereby creating an illegal form of our national flag shall be guilty of an offence against this act.’’