The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Association hails council

    Association hails council

    Tai Solarin College of Education (TASCE), Omu-Ijebu, Ogun State Alumni Association, has hailed the governing council led by Prince Adeyemi Adefulu, for returning the college to the path of growth.

    The commendation was given at a meeting between Prince Adefulu, the Provost, Dr. Adeola Kiadese Lukmon and representatives of TASCE Alumni Association led by the National President, Mr. Julius Adeyemi.

    ernment to enable the institution pay part of the outstanding salaries of workers.

    In the communiqué, the meeting noted the establishment of business ventures at the college and admonished the governing council and the management to consider the establishment of other business ventures such as water producing factory, bakery, agro services ventures etc, which will boost its IGR.

    It noted that the diversification of sources of revenue in the current economy is a matter of necessity and should be prioritised.

  • Owoeye mourns Osun ex-Speaker’s wife

    Owoeye mourns Osun ex-Speaker’s wife

    By Toba Adedeji, Osogbo

    Osun State House of Assembly Speaker Timothy Owoeye has described the death of the wife of the ex-Speaker, Adebimpe Salaam, as shocking and a great loss to the state.

    The Speaker, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Kunle Alabi, to commiserate with former Speaker Najeem Salaam, the deceased’s husband, advised him to take heart.

    He said: “The death of Madam Adebimpe Aduke is a big loss to many, especially Ara, a community in Egbedoore Local Government, Asaremonika family in Ejigbo, Osun State in general and Nigeria. My heartfelt condolences at this point go to the children and close associates of the deceased.

     

  • Fire guts 14 rooms in Ilorin

    Fire guts 14 rooms in Ilorin

    By Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

    Fire yesterday morning gutted 14 rooms in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

    The rooms are parts of a 46-bedroom family house at 13, Onibata compound, Alore, Ilorin.

    The inferno, it was gathered, occurred around 2am and was said to have been caused by power surge.

    Fire Service spokesman Hassan Adekunle confirmed the incident.

    He said a distress call was received from a resident simply identified as Abdulganiyu.

    Adekunle said: “On getting to the scene, the fire was still raging and had destroyed some of the rooms in the building owing to the late call.”

     

  • ‘Kwara APC crisis not irreconcilable’

    ‘Kwara APC crisis not irreconcilable’

    By Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

    The lawmaker representing Kwara South, Senator Lola Ashiru, said yesterday that the crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state was not borne out of irreconcilable differences.

    He said it was as a result of the struggle for the control of the party between APC executives led by Mr. Bashir Bolarinwa and the state government.

    The architect-turned-politician spoke to reporters in Ilorin on the sidelines of a book launch.

    The book titled: ‘Twenty-or (21) political lies in Nigeria’, was written by an APC chieftain in the state, Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo.

    Ashiru said: “There is nothing irreconcilable in the differences. I have been in this game for years. We have had worst times than this. As far as I am concerned, this is the most temperate time for us.

    “The difference is that there is a struggle to control the party between the government and APC executives.

    “One way or the other, somebody must win. So this time the government won. We have been in this position many times in the past. I’m sure with the spirit of sportsmanship, the spirit of belief in the society, we will always win.”

    Oyedepo said the book is aimed at exposing some claims, whose time must expire in the country’s body politics.

    Said he: “I write to create consciousness of different views: economics, social and political. I write to create issues based on politics, instead of these lies served on the people to place politicians in power.

    “With sensitisation, mobilisation and organisation, the bubbles of lies will burst and servant-leaders will emerge to serve our people at all levels of the government in Nigeria.”

  • Ibadan school alumni donate N8m chairs, computers, others to alma mater

    Ibadan school alumni donate N8m chairs, computers, others to alma mater

    By Segun Showunmi, Ibadan

    Onireke High School (OHS), Ibadan, Alumni Association has donated chairs worth N8million, computers and others to the school to mark its 40th Founders Day Anniversary.

    The Alumni Association also renovated 16 blocks of classrooms, the fence and home economics laboratory.

    They built the canteen and donated calligraphic boards to classrooms.

    The President of OHS Alumni Association, Chief Sunday Ibiyinka, said the existence of unity and love among the alumni prompted them to give back to their alma mater.

    He said the association believes that government alone cannot take care of education, and called for support to develop education in the state.

    Oyo State Commissioner for Education Olasunkanmi Olaleye hailed the Alumni Association for its contributions, adding that this will address the needs of the students.

    He said Oyo State Government is ready to support Alumni and school governing boards to advance their interest in the provision of infrastructure in schools.

    He said: “This administration has solved the problem of inadequate teachers in schools through the recruitment of 5,000 teachers. “Governor Seyi Makinde has stopped N3,000 development fees for pupils across the state, bringing back over 43,000 out of school children, and provisions of compendium of past questions and free text books to public and private schools in the state, among others.”

  • England to ease lockdown Monday

    England to ease lockdown Monday

    Pubs and restaurants serving outside in England can reopen as planned next Monday, along with non-essential shops, gyms and hairdressers, as lockdown is further eased in the country.

    But, Boris Johnson, who stated this, urged caution, saying: “We can’t be complacent.”

    He told a Downing Street briefing that officials were examining the potential role of COVID-19 status certificates.

    Pilot events will take place from mid-April to trial the system, with later events checking vaccinations.

    Speaking alongside the government’s chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance and England’s chief medical officer, Prof. Chris Whitty, the prime minister also said the government was “hopeful” international travel could resume in the next stage of lockdown easing on May 17.

    He, however, cautioned against the effects of the surge of coronavirus in other parts of the world.

    He said the government would set out “well before May 17 what is reasonable” and aim to give the aviation industry “as much notice as possible”.

    It comes as the government published an update on a series of reviews into COVID-19 certificates, the safe return of mass events, international travel and social distancing rules.

    In the document, the government said it cannot yet confirm international travel can resume on May 17, “given the state of the pandemic abroad”, and advises people not to book summer holidays abroad “until the picture is clearer”.

    It also said further details on a risk-based “traffic light” system for foreign travel will be published in a report later this week.

    On COVID-19 status certification, the paper said such a scheme “is likely to become a feature of our lives until the threat from the pandemic recedes”.

    Johnson said the government needs to work out what its proposal might be on vaccine passports before bringing it to Parliament.

    He stressed the government was “some way off” finalising any plans on COVID-19 certification, and that it would not be required for when people “go to the shops or to the pub garden or to the hairdressers or whatever” from 12 April.

  • Katsina hits 79% vaccination, says PHCDA boss

    Katsina hits 79% vaccination, says PHCDA boss

    By Augustine Okezie, Katsina

    The Katsina State Government yesterday announced that it has attained 79% vaccination rate in the first phase of the implementation of the COVID-19 Vaccination campaign.

    Executive Secretary, Katsina State Primary healthcare Development Agency (PHCDA) Dr. Shammsudeen Yahaya told The Nation that the state has achieved its primary target of reaching the frontline health workers during phase 1 of the vaccination campaign.

    He said: “Katsina State has implemented the COVID 19 Vaccination campaign Phase 1 for 12 days and has reached 79% of the target population, which are frontline health workers, other frontline workers, including security personnel and strategic leaders. The campaign was largely successful.”

    “We have also vaccinated State Contingent to National Sport Festival in Edo State. We are also planning to vaccinate all intending pilgrims from the state.’’

    The National Primary Health Care Development Agency has also corroborated the claim by the state, saying the state is among the states with the highest number of vaccinated people against the COVID-19 virus.

    According to it, no fewer than 800,000 people have been vaccinated in Nigeria.  The NPHCDA stated this on its official Twitter handle, which was monitored by The Nation.

    Nigeria kicked off its vaccination campaign on March 5.

    According to NPHCDA official statistics, the state has so far vaccinated 38,476 people, making it the fourth-highest in vaccination ranking.

  • COVID-19: Wake-up call for cooperation among nations, says minister

    COVID-19: Wake-up call for cooperation among nations, says minister

    The coronavirus pandemic is a wake-up call for nations to collaborate effectively on science and technology for wealth creation, Minister of State for Science and Technology Mohammed Abdullahi has said.

    He spoke at a lecture he delivered to young entrepreneurs and company executives on Sunday in Lagos at the First Immaculate Heart Comprehensive High School.

    A statement issued in Abuja by Maryam Zakaria, Press Secretary to the Minister, stated that the lecture was entitled, “Technology, as a key driver to nation-building: Opportunities and collaborations”.

    The minister, in the lecture, said synergy among nations was necessary to forge public trust in the area of science and technology through knowledge-sharing.

    He urged developing countries to “prioritise Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in their scheme of things“.

    “Today, countries are classified as developed and developed based on economic index and the application of STI,’’ he said.

    Abdullahi said countries that have strong science and technology were the ones that developed faster.

    According to him, innovation had also become a key driver of economic, industrial development and technology advancement of any nation.

    “The success of any nation is achieved through the effectiveness of the National Innovation System (NIS),” he said.

    Nigeria, the minister said, has adopted the STI Roadmap 2017-2030 which embraces nanotechnology, space technology, engineering, chemical technology, biotechnology, leather technology, among others.

    He said the strides the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology had made as a result of the National Leather Products Policy were helping to boost the country’s economy.

  • Pension complaints and solutions

    Pension complaints and solutions

    TOR: My complaint is on the non-payment of outstanding pension and gratuity.
    I am retired from the Nigeria Immigration Services (NIS). I was in service when the National Pension Commission (PenCom) was introduced in 2004.
    In 2006, I registered with First Alliance Pension Limited in the first instance, which has metamorphosed into ARM Pension Managers with a PIN 100####.
    But certificate issuance was unusually delayed, yet no explanation was advanced.This unexplained delay created anxiety prompting me to register with another pension manager, Stanbic IBTC Pension with PIN PEN100####.
    I retired in May 2016. By December 29, 2016, I applied for the harmonisation of my pension managers to the PenCom into one pension manager to facilitate payment of my pension.
    PenCom replied me in a letter dated February 1, 2017, saying that PenCom recognised the first PIN with ARM as valid and that Stanbic IBTC PIN is considered invalid. That ARM Pension Managers PFA Limited would retain the first valid PIN on its data base while Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers would de-activate the second invalid PIN from its data base.
    PENCOM advised that I should maintain a Retirement Saving Account pin with ARM Pension for all pension transactions.
    PENCOM also promised to reconcile the contributions in the valid PIN to ensure that total contributions therein were brought up to date accordingly, while that in the valid PIN (if any) would be refunded to the Federal Government through its accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria. Kindly assist me solve this problem. Thanks.

    PENCOM: His retirement benefits were paid into the second PIN with Stanbic IBTC. He is advised to forward the complaint to the Commission for proper treatment.

    ANNONYMOUS: PTAD is owing me pension arrears of three months since 2015. I was verified over one year ago, yet no payment. Why is it hard for them to pay?

    PTAD: Pensioner should forward his verification slip and bank statements to complaits@ptad.gov.ng

    BOLAJI: I withdrew my service from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in 1996, after spending 12 years. I am of the old defined pension scheme. My monthly pension was paid up to last September, but that of October is yet to be paid. Kindly assist me.

    PTAD: The pensioner should send his verification request to complaints@ptad.gov.ng.

    ALABI: I have written several times and I will not stop writing until my prayers are answered. My name Alabi. I participated in the 2017 verification of PTAD in Lagos State. I wish to say that I have started receiving my monthly pension. I received from March 2018 till date.
    Also, in June 2018 I received N57,8736.39 as pension arrears. I wish to say my monthly pension should start from the month and the year that I retired in August 2004 as a permanent secretary. In this regard, payment of my monthly pension should start from August 2004. In like manner my pension arrears should commence from August 2004.
    Let me quickly add that I have not received my gratuity from the Federal Government.
    Kindly assist me to compute my gratuity and my pension arrears. I am over 70. Please help me so that my labour would not be in vain.

    PTAD: The pensioner should forward his bank statements from when he retired from the service to complaints@ptad.gov.ng

    TIJJANI: I retired from the National Inland Water Ways Authority (NIWA) in 2007 on Grade level 012. My colleague in Nasarawa State called me on phone that he had been paid arrears since last week. When I approached my bank at Wukari in Taraba State, my account was in the red. Please help find out what went wrong.

    PTAD: The pensioner should forward his verification slip to complaints@ptad.gov.ng

    JOSHUA: My name is Joshua. I retired as a Seargent on grade level 05 step 4. My date of first appointment January 20, 1986 and date of retirement is March 1, 1997. I have done verification in Abuja. Please I am koboless and pray you to tell pension boss that she should pay my pension. I am living a torture’s life.

    PTAD: The pensioner’s complaint has been reviewed by the Operations Department. He will be paid when funds are released by the Federal Government.

    STEVEN: I am a retired teacher from Ifako International School. I was receiving pension N24,684.76 but since 2003, nothing has been given to me.

    ANNONYMOUS. I will be happy if you can help and see that the money is paid. I also worked at Barachel Model College.

    PTAD: The pensioner was called several times without any response. He is advised to send his complaint, name and account details to complaints@ptad.gov.ng.

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  • FBNInsurance donates to Homes and Hospice

    FBNInsurance donates to Homes and Hospice

    By Omobola Tolu-Kusimo

    FBNInsurance Limited has donated cash and some items to Homes and Hospice.

    Officials of the firm made the donation during a visit to the Heritage Homes Orphanage, Lagos and Rhema Orphanage Home, Port Harcourt.

    The items include food, beverages, toiletries, and clothes.

    The company also donated to the Down Syndrome Foundation Nigeria, Lagos.

    Most of the items donated to the Homes and Hospice were raised through the company’s yearly Staff Gift Drive, an in-house initiative that encourages staff members to donate various items for a common cause.

    The FBNInsurance Staff Gift Drive, which incepted in 2015, is in its sixth year.

    Appreciating the goodwill of the insurer, the Assistant General Manager, Heritage Homes Orphanage, Mr. Reuben Amara, said the items would be chanelled towards the upkeep of the Home’s children.

    He said donation is well appreciated, especially because it came at this difficult time of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

    The National President, Down Syndrome Foundation Nigeria, Mrs. Rose Mordi, also praised the insurer’s gesture.