Politics

Deputy PM will ‘unblock’ south east housing sites

Published

4 months ago

December 6, 2024

Ekwutos Blog

Deputy PM Angela Rayner says potential housing sites across the South East will be freed up © BBC

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The deputy prime minister has pledged to “unblock” sites not being developed for housing in the South East.

In an interview with BBC South East, Angela Rayner said there were lots of areas in Kent, Surrey and Sussex that needed to be “unlocked” for development, because developers are “frustrated that they are constantly in this process of being blocked”.

It comes after she approved a housing development previously refused by Conservative councillors in an area of outstanding natural beauty in Cranbrook, Kent.

In a major speech on Thursday Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer reiterated the government’s pledge to build 1.5m homes in England over the next Parliament, saying there would be “no solution to the housing crisis without approving controversial development”.

The Kent Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) described the 165-home development at Cranbrook as “a political signal that the countryside is fair game for developers”.

Ms Rayner, who is also the Secretary of State for Housing, would not talk about individual planning scenarios but said the government had pledged to “build on brownfield sites first”.

Councils in Sussex have said they have major concerns about reaching the government’s new housebuilding targets because they are restricted by the sea to the south, as well as the South Downs National Park and High Weald National Landscape.

Local authorities in Sussex have expressed doubts about hitting the government’s housing targets
© Getty Images

“I don’t believe for one minute across the whole of the South East – which I know very well – that there is only the rolling hills of Sussex,” Ms Rayner said.

“There is lots of brownfield, lots of areas that need to be unlocked for development.

“And developers who have got land there are frustrated that they are constantly in this process of being blocked so what we want to do is unlock those sites and get those houses built.”

Angela Rayner says the government’s priority is to build on brownfield sites first
© Getty Images

Under new proposed house-building targets, authorities in Kent, Sussex and Surrey will have to build an additional 7,116 homes a year on top of existing targets.

The Surrey CPRE says it will mean a “tsunami” of development on the county’s green belt.

Ms Raynor said the environment and nature would be taken into account.

She said: “National parks and heritage sites, they’re all excluded and within the National Planning Policy Framework it clearly sets out what our rules are and it also talks about brownfield first.

“With local plans and mandatory targets it means local areas will identify the areas of land that they believe is where the houses should go and the infrastructure and we will help deliver it.”

Politics

Kano deputy gov reports back after peace-building mission in Edo

Published

3 hours ago

April 11, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

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The Deputy Governor of Kano State, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, has reassured northerners living in Edo State about their safety, following the recent violence that led to the deaths of several Kano indigenes.

He made these remarks shortly after returning from a fact-finding and peace-building mission to Edo.

Ekwutosblog recalls that Gwarzo led a high-powered delegation to the South-South state. The delegation included the Emir of Rano, Ambassador Muhammad Isa Umar, four commissioners, the Chairman of Bunkure Local Government (the area most affected by the incident), and the representative of the Edo community in Kano.

Speaking to journalists in Kano, Gwarzo revealed that the visit followed an earlier condolence mission by Governor Monday Okpebholo to the Torankawa Community in Bunkure Local Government Area of Kano, where seven of the victims hailed from.

Gwarzo noted that the delegation visited the scene of the incident in Uromi, Edo State, where they were warmly received by both political and traditional leaders.

He described the reception as overwhelming, with a massive crowd, largely consisting of northerners, showing solidarity and appreciation.

“We met with the king of Uromi Kingdom and his senior chiefs. The Edo State governor personally accompanied us to the scene. It was a long journey nearly two hours from Benin but the turnout was incredible,” he said.

He commended the Edo State leadership for its proactive actions, including the disbandment of the vigilante group allegedly involved in the killings, the arrest of 14 suspects, and ongoing efforts by security agencies to apprehend those still at large.

“The Commissioner of Police in Edo State was transferred due to the incident, which shows the seriousness with which the state government is handling the situation,” the deputy governor stated.

He further disclosed that Kano had compiled a comprehensive report, documenting the victims and the extent of losses suffered, including properties destroyed.

He said the report has been formally submitted to Governor Okpebholo, who promised compensation for the victims and their families.

Gwarzo emphasized that justice remains the core demand from the Kano State Government and reiterated the constitutional right of every Nigerian to live and work peacefully in any part of the country.

“Nigeria belongs to all of us. The constitution guarantees every citizen the right to reside and earn a living anywhere in the country.”

“The governor of Edo has assured us that those responsible will be brought to book and that compensation will be provided. He made it clear that there is no animosity toward northerners in Edo. From what we witnessed, I can confidently say our people are very safe there,” he said.

He also confirmed that 26 individuals survived the attack, primarily from five local government areas in Kano.

Politics

Atiku, El-Rufai, Tambuwal visit Buhari in Kaduna

Published

4 hours ago

April 11, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

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Former Vice President and 2023 PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has visited former President Muhammadu Buhari at his residence in Kaduna.

The visit, which also included former governors Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto) and Nasir El-Rufa’i (Kaduna), was captured in a video sighted on the Facebook page of Atiku Abubakar.

Although the specific purpose of the visit was not disclosed, Atiku described it as a “post-Sallah visit.”

In the post, Atiku wrote, “As the Waziri Adamawa, I was obligated to be in Adamawa during the Sallah celebrations. I held forth for the Lamido Fombina (Adamawa) in some of the activities of the Sallah celebrations. Today, I had the opportunity to pay a post-Sallah visit to His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2015-2023. It was a wonderful time with him. As usual, he cracked me up (to the extent that my ribs were hurting) with his peculiar humour. -AA”

The visit comes after governors from the All Progressives Congress (APC) paid a similar visit to Buhari in Kaduna last week, amid growing speculation about political realignments and possible coalitions ahead of the 2027 elections.

Politics

Rivers govt debunks civil service recruitment announcement

Published

5 hours ago

April 11, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

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Rivers State Government has refuted a widely circulated social media announcement alleging that the state’s Sole Administrator, retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, approved the recruitment of 10,000 “graduates and non-graduates” into the Rivers State civil service.

On Thursday, social media platform “Facebook”, was flooded with the purported government notice, which falsely claimed that the recruitment exercise had been sanctioned.

The statement was reported to have been signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Ibibia Lucky Worika.

However, in a statement issued by Mrs. Inyingi S. I. Brown, Acting Head of the Rivers State Civil Service, the government described the information as entirely untrue and urged the public to disregard it.

The statement also clarified that any official communication on civil service recruitment would come from the Rivers State Civil Service Commission at the appropriate time.

The statement read, “The Office of the Administrator of Rivers State wishes to disclaim a purported Special Government Announcement spreading round on social media and other platforms stating that His Excellency, The Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral (Rtd) Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas CFR, has approved the recruitment of 10,000 qualified graduates and non graduates into the Rivers State civil service and that the recruitment portal shall be opened for application midnight of Sunday 13/04/2025.

“The statement is claimed to have been signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Professor Ibibia Lucky Worika.

“We wish to categorically inform the people of Rivers State and the general public that this is false and ask that this fake announcement be ignored.

“Appropriate information will be released by the Rivers State Civil Service Commission in due time.”