Author: The Nation

President Muhammadu Buhari and South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, have agreed to meet in October to discuss issues relating to the wellbeing of their citizens and ways to further strengthen trade relations between the two largest African economies.

Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, confirmed this development in a statement in Abuja on Saturday.

”In a telephone conversation with the South African leader at his country home in Daura, Katsina State, President Buhari accepted an invitation to visit the (South Africa) country,” the presidential aide said.

According to him, the two leaders will consider recurrent issues concerning the wellbeing of the Nigerian community in South Africa and the need to promote trade and investment.

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Shehu also quoted an earlier letter of invitation by the South African President saying “Your visit will provide an excellent opportunity for our sister countries to further consolidate and advance our strategic partnership and cooperation on matters of peace, security and socio-economic development in our continent.

“We will discuss issues of mutual interest and concern in global governance.’’

Ramaphosa said the meeting would provide an opportunity to inaugurate a bi-national commission for both countries to “effect the strategic decisions taken in 2016 to elevate it to the level of Heads of State.’’

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that over 120 Nigerians had so far been reported killed and their businesses destroyed in xenophobic attacks across South Africa over the years.

To this end, various groups including the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) had been embarking on peaceful protests against against the frequent xenophobic attacks on Nigerians living in South Africa.

(NAN)

President Muhammadu Buhari has described Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly called Yayi, as “a politician with conviction,” as he rejoices with the lawmaker at 50.

The President saluted the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance on his landmark birthday.

According to a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Chief Femi Adesina, the President said he was one of the senators who had the courage of conviction and stood by his people and his political party, particularly in the last Senate, when perfidy ruled the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly.

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He wished Senator Adeola many more years of service to his constituency, state, and the country.

The President urged him to continue to stand on principle, and what would pedestal him a role model to teeming Nigerian youths.

President Muhammadu Buhari has said decades of under-investment in education and healthcare contributed to the current insecurity facing the nation.

The President spoke yesterday in Abuja, the nation’s capital, while receiving leaders of thought from Adamawa State, led by Governor Ahmadu Fintiri.

President Buhari said: “I am delighted to receive your delegation today. Adamawa is home away from home to me, as you are all aware. Therefore, this meeting is more or less a family gathering.

“I am pleased to hear your remarks, specifically focused on issues around education and health. These areas remain priorities for this government, especially as we strive to achieve social inclusion and collective prosperity for all Nigerians.

“Many of the issues confronting our nation today, especially in the areas of insecurity and corruption, are directly or indirectly linked to the decades of under-investment in education and healthcare.

“At the Federal level, we are doing our best to address these issues. But the Federal Government cannot do it alone. We need the state and local governments to do their part. This is not about politics; it is the reality.

“Today, majority of Nigerians are below 20 years. And it is projected that our population growth rate will remain amongst the fastest in the world. This means any plans we have today must take into account the needs of tomorrow.

Read Also: Insecurity: Soyinka calls for state of emergency in South West

“I have taken note of your requests and recommendations. We shall review and act accordingly. I would suggest, however, that you make a formal, written submission to my office in due course.”

The President expressed condolence to the governor and the people of Adamawa State over the death of his father, Alhaji Umaru Badami.

He prayed for the peaceful repose of his soul.

Addressing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Governor Fintiri, who is of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said the state needs the support of the Federal Government in agriculture, human development and roads.

The governor stressed that many Federal roads in the state had become dilapidated.

He said the focus of his administration was on security, education, infrastructure development, among others.

Fintiri said: “We have given a very serious attention to security, health, infrastructure and education, agriculture and human development.

“I want to see that our youths are completely emancipated, empowered so that we don’t have the youth restiveness, which culminated in the Boko Haram menace.

“When I assumed office in Adamawa, I met a serious challenge of youths in criminality, which was nick-named ‘ASILA’. Today, they are no more. So, these are serious areas of concern. I have given it a serious attention and it’s working well.

“Kidnapping has reduced drastically. You hardly hear people being kidnapped again in Adamawa. This is as a result of the collaboration we have with the security agencies and the support we have been giving them to ensure that they curb criminality and criminals in the state.”

On why he led a delegation of the people to see the President when his state was considered a stronghold of the opposition PDP, he said his concerns were about governance and the welfare of the people and not politics or elections.

Fintiri said: “Today, we are not talking about election; we are talking about governance. Really, we have come to see Mr President, and if you see from the cream of the personalities we came with, they cut across party lines and ethnic nationalities.

“We look at ourselves first as Adamawa and secondly, the problems that concern us, and we have come to where they would be solved. By God’s grace, we have made our cry loud and it would be solved by Mr. President.”

The Abia State government has dissociated itself from the illegal levy imposed on traders of Ekeoha Shopping Centre by the market leadership.

It was gathered that the market leadership had been collecting an unauthorised fee for “the construction of a Flower Pot Access Road and other Projects” from shop owners, which is causing ripples in the market.

A statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Onyebuchi Ememanka, said the government frowned at the action, and at no time did it approve any such levy nor held any meetings with the market association as regards the levy.

Ememanka described the action as the height of impunity and administrative rascality, and summoned the market leadership to a meeting at the Office of the Deputy Governor on August 14.

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He also directed the leadership to withdraw the demand notices it issued to the traders and refund any such levies already collected from any trader before the close of business yesterday.

The government also warned other market unions and their leadership to desist from collecting illegal levies from traders, warning that the government would bring its full weight against defaulters.

The statement reads: “The attention of the Abia State government has been drawn to the collection of money by the leadership of the Ekeoha Shopping Centre Traders Association, under the guise of building a FLOWER POT ACCESS ROAD AND OTHER PROJECTS in the market. Traders have been levied different sums of money, ranging between N100,000 and N250,000 per shop, depending on the shop’s location. The government is saddened at this brazen display of illegality and impunity by the leadership of the Ekeoha Shopping Centre Traders. At no time did the government approve any such levy, neither has it held any meetings with the market association on this subject matter.

“The public, and in particular traders at the Ekeoha Shopping Centre are, by this notice, informed that these levies are illegal and the notices issued by the association should be ignored.

“The government hereby directs the association to withdraw the demand notices issued to traders and refund money already collected from any trader. This refund must be completed before the close of business today (yesterday).”

Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has vowed that justice would be served in the murder of Chimaobi Nwaorgu, a commercial motorcyclist in Aba.

The late Chimaobi was allegedly killed by a soldier at Amaise, Umuokereke Ngwa in Obingwa council on Wednesday.

Ikpeazu spoke at Ezido Na Ife Village, Umuokereke Ngwa, when he visited the deceased’s family to condole with them.

The governor directed the Commissioner of Police, Ene Okon, to step up investigations ont he murder. He was accompanied by Okon, Aba Area Commander Okpara and other senior police officers. He described the Chimaobi’s murder as wicked, malicious, unprofessional and cowardly.

Read Also: Ikpeazu woos Abia in Diaspora

He said: “This is one murder too many. We will do everything possible under the law to get this murderous soldier and bring him to justice. Whatever it takes, we will do. We will go to Abuja or any other place to ensure that this soldier doesn’t go scot-free.

“The death of this young man is painful and cannot go in vain. This is my position and this is the position of the government and people of Abia State.”

The governor assured the family that he will personally ensure that the young family is not allowed to suffer. He hinted that the killer-soldier has been arrested and currently in detention, even as he thanked Okon for responding promptly.

The Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH) in Awka, Anambra State, has gotten a three million litre medical oxygen plant.

At the opening yesterday, Governor Willie Obiano said it is part of his administration’s effort to boost healthcare services.

He said: “Today we are opening a new chapter in our growing healthcare delivery. Health is wealth and without health nobody can do anything. Because of my belief in health care delivery, I prioritised it. Under my watch, the teaching hospital here met all that is required for the graduation of medical doctors.

“We are also working hard with our primary healthcare services, because it is a first point of call in health care. We have about 500 primary healthcare centres in the state and they all have well equipped ambulances.

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“We have done a lot to reach the hinterlands with over eight water ambulance and have upgraded some hospitals.”

Obiano said each primary health Centre would get two free cylinders.

“We will give two cylinders to every primary healthcare centre in the state. The first set is free but they will pay for subsequent ones,” he added.

Commissioner for Health Dr Vincent Okpala said the medical oxygen plant had the capacity to produce three million litres yearly and about 76,000 cylinders of 40 litres. He noted that without medical oxygen, mortality rate would be high as every clinician needed medical oxygen.