The Nation Newspaper

Category: News Update

  • EU extends Greece budget deadline

    EU extends Greece budget deadline

    Eurozone ministers have agreed to give Greece two more years, until 2016, to meet its deficit-reduction targets, BBC reports.

    However, the finance ministers delayed a decision on releasing the latest 31.5bn euro (£25.2bn; $40bn) tranche of bailout funds.

    Differences also emerged among Greece’s lenders on how to make its debt sustainable into the next decade.

    Greek Prime Minister, Antonis Samaras, has warned that without the new funds Greece will run out of money within days.

    The ministers meeting in Brussels endorsed a proposal to extend from 2014 to 2016 a deadline for Greece to reduce its budget deficit, as demanded by international lenders.

    The proposal was contained in a report for the ministers which also said the extension would add 32.6bn euros to the cost of the bailout.

    The ministers will meet again on November 20 to discuss releasing the latest instalment of bailout funds.

    The 31.5bn-euro tranche will first have to be approved by some national parliaments, including Germany’s.

    Greece had been pushing for the funds after passing a tough budget for 2013, including further cuts to pensions and wages, in a vote on Sunday night.

    More than 10,000 people joined demonstrations outside Greece’s parliament on Sunday to protest against the cuts.

     

  • Obasanjo, Mark, Ekweremadu harp on party discipline

    Obasanjo, Mark, Ekweremadu harp on party discipline

    Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Senate President, David Mark, and Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, on Monday underscored the need for discipline in political parties.

    Obasanjo, Mark and Ekweremadu spoke at a two-day workshop organised by the National Institute for Legislative Studies with the theme: “Party politics in Nigeria and lobbying, the lobbyist and the legislature.”

    The former President noted that without discipline, no political party can endure.

    Describing discipline as an important aspect of the military, he warned that no human institution can fulfill its obligations without discipline.

    Obasanjo also stressed the need for the electorate to hold political office holders accountable to their party manifestoes.

    He regretted that political parties in the country have reduced party manifestoes to “mere instruments for political campaign.”

    He added that most political parties in the country throw away their party manifestoes shortly after being voted into office.

    Obasanjo, who said that some political parties operate without manifestoes, wondered how political parties or elected officers would be held accountable to their promises by the electorate without manifestoes.

    He said, “I want to say that there are some areas, where political parties need improvement. One of them is the issue of manifestoes. What I have come to see and understand in Nigeria is that manifestoes are prepared for campaigns and afterwards, they are thrown away.

    “How then can we hold parties and their elected leaders to their promises and manifestoes? Or if they have no manifestoes, what do we hold them to.”

    He noted that since political parties are the only vehicle through which individuals can participate in election, politicians should acquire basic ingredients of party politics in order to make election fair, free and transparent.

    Mark on his part urged the panelists to direct their ingenuity on how to solve the problem of indiscipline, lack of cohesion, ideology drought and absence of internal democracy and transparency in political parties.

    He added that deep reflection should as well be given to the malady of intra and inter-party squabbles.

    For Ekweremadu  internal party democracy is a prerequisite for democratic governance and national development.

    Ekweremadu, who is also Chairman of the Governing Council of the National Institute for Legislative Studies said political parties are critical institutions of democracy, since “their philosophies and manifestoes are the fulcrums around which politicking and governance should ordinarily revolve.”

     

  • We will revolutionalise Nigeria’s housing sector – Jonathan

    We will revolutionalise Nigeria’s housing sector – Jonathan

    President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday said the present administration would revolutionalise the country’s housing sector to make houses accessible to Nigerians irrespective of their socio-economic status.

    Jonathan stated this at a one-day Presidential Stakeholders’ Retreat at the Presidential Banquet hall, Abuja.

    He said already, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had approved National Housing Policy and National Urban Development Policy in June to facilitate speedy transformation of the housing sector.

    “These policies are to be translated into action through a roadmap for the housing and urban development sector.

    “The roadmap will address the challenges of achieving a housing revolution in our nation within the shortest possible time. It will also provide the path way for transforming our cities into livable and functional human settlements.

    “This retreat will provide us with such opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to the revitalisation of the housing and urban development sector.

    “We believe that through the pooling of resources and talents, we can meaningfully address the impediments to the growth of the sector,” the News Agency of Nigeria quoted the president as saying at the retreat.

    He noted that inequitable access to land for housing development, inadequacy of housing in view of the national housing deficit estimated at about 16 to 17 million units had remained a critical challenge to all stakeholders in the sector.

    “If the deficit is to be bridged, we must continue to seek ways to provide affordable housing, especially to non-income, low income, lower middle income and the informal sector worker.

    “A variety of housing delivery scheme, including social housing, rental schemes, regeneration and housing corporations must be evaluated,” he added.

    Jonathan, therefore, challenged the participants to devise means of meeting the global benchmarks in housing, building standard, proper land use, and space standard as well as the institutionalization of a vibrant mortgage system, based on long-term repayment terms.

     

  • Lagos to construct shoreline protection at Kuramo beach

    Lagos to construct shoreline protection at Kuramo beach

    The Lagos State Government on Monday said it would construct shoreline protection at Kuramo Beach, Victoria Island, Lagos, to forestall further ocean surge.

    The Public Relations Officer, Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Mrs. Eloho Aggreh, stated this in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.

    NAN recalls that no fewer than 16 persons were reported missing at the beach on August 18 as the ocean over-flowed its bank and washed away businesses and settlements.

    Aggreh explained that the construction of the shoreline was part of the government efforts in preventing a reoccurrence of the ocean surge in the area.

    “This became necessary to avoid deaths recorded during the recent ocean surge that happened at the beach,” she said.

    She said the government would arrest and prosecute anybody found engaging in illegal dredging at the waterfront.

    “Illegal dredging has been banned by the government to prevent ocean surge in such areas.

    “Any individual or group caught engaging in illegal dredging at the ocean will face the law and would be punished,” she stated.

    Aggreh said that government had also put in place some preventive measures to forestall reoccurrence of ocean surge.

    “Government had employed many beach guards, securities and installed caution signs at the beach,” she said.

    She said that government would provide infrastructure and services at waterfronts in the state to protect the environment and attract tourists.

     

  • Ask state governors how they spent VAT – FIRS boss

    Ask state governors how they spent VAT – FIRS boss

    The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) said it does not know what state and local governments do with their share of the monthly Value Added Tax (VAT) allocation that it remits to the Federation Account.

    Speaking at the opening ceremony of the nationwide VAT enlightenment campaign in Abuja on Monday, the Acting Executive Chairman of the FIRS, Alhaji Kabir Mashi, implored Nigerians to ask state and local governments what they do with the monthly VAT allocations they receive.

    Mashi stated that 85 per cent of the VAT that FIRS collects is transferred to states and local governments’ accounts while the balance of 15 per cent is remitted to the federal government.

    The FIRS boss admitted that ordinarily VAT remittances are to be spent on the provision of social infrastructure, he however asked Nigerians to demand from their state governors what they do with the states’ share of VAT.

    Mashi noted that during military rule in the early 1990s the state military administrators were directed to indicate which roads or social projects were financed with VAT proceeds, but he lamented that the practice had since ceased.

    He said, “We at the FIRS cannot explain what states and local governments do with VAT money. You should ask the state governors what the VAT they received is used for. FIRS only collects VAT and after deducting its collection charges remits the balance to the Federation Account where the money is shared among the three tiers of government every month.”

    The FIRS boss then disclosed that Nigeria is the only country where all the money collected from taxes are diluted into one purse and spent according to the whims of those in power.

    Mashi explained that VAT proceeds were to be spent on the provision of social amenities.

     

  • Constitution review: State creation dominates public session

    The demand for creation of more states to achieve parity among the six geopolitical zones topped the issues that were voted for at the public session for the review of the 1999 Constitution held in all the eight federal constituencies in Abia State at the weekend.

    Other issues that enjoyed support of the people include right of indigene ship for settlers, abrogation of both local government joint account and state electoral bodies as well as removal of immunity to cover only civil proceedings.

    At the Isiala Ngwa North/South federal constituency members of the public came out in their numbers at the council headquarters of Isiala Ngwa North at Okpuala Ngwa and actively voted on all the 43 issues listed by the House of Representatives for possible amendment.

    They specifically recommended for the creation of 14 additional states, including Aba State, to bring the total number of states in Nigeria to 50 as was proposed in the botched state creation exercise in 1983.

    The situation was like a national election day as the roads were virtually empty as people turned out in their numbers to actually contribute for the first time in making a truly people’s constitution as being envisaged by the National Assembly.

    The member representing Isiala Ngwa North/South federal constituency, Hon Chinenye, Ike told his constituents that it was necessary for them to cease this rare opportunity of participating in effecting the necessary amendments in the constitution.

    Ike assured the people that he would take back to the National Assembly the inputs from his constituents, adding that the imperfections in the present constitution were because it did not emanate from the people but from military rulers.

     

  • Buildings’ demolition: Falana sue FCT Minister Mohammed

    Buildings’ demolition: Falana sue FCT Minister Mohammed

    Lagos lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana(SAN) has instituted a N5billion suit against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Sen. Bala Mohammed before an Abuja High Court over the alleged demolition of 372 completed houses belonging to a developer, Minannuel Investment Limited.

    In suit, the plaintiff asked the court for a sum of N5billion as “special and general “damages for the illegal demolition of its housing estate.

    The plaintiff, Minnanuel Investment Limited had instituted the suit against the minister and the FCT for the alleged demolition of properties located along the Airport Road, Abuja.

    The demolition was allegedly carried out between September 29 and October 1, this year.

    In the writ of summons filed on behalf of the Company by Falana, the plaintiff is asking the court to grant a declaration that the demolition of the estate comprising of 372 housing units between September 29 and October 1, 2012 by the defendants is illegal, null and void and that it violates the provisions of Sections 47, 50, 51,53,60,83 & 84 of the Nigerian Urban and Regional Planning Act (N138) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

    The plaintiff also prayed the court to declare that the demolition of the estate by the defendants is illegal, null and void as it violates the Plaintiff’s right to fair hearing, right to property and right to housing guaranteed by sections 33, 43 and 44 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria and Articles 7 and 14 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act (CAP A9) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

     

  • Court to re-arraign Ahmadu Ali’s son, three others November 26

    Court to re-arraign Ahmadu Ali’s son, three others November 26

    A Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, on Monday picked November 26 for the re-arraignment of Mamman, son of former Peoples Democratic Party national chairman, Ahmadu Ali and three others.

    The quartet are standing trial for their alleged involvement inN4.4 billion fuel subsidy fraud.

    The defendants were expected to be re-arraigned before Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo on Monday but the court failed to sit.

    No reason was given for the failure of the court to sit.

    Ali junior was initially arraigned on July 26 alongside Christian Taylor and Nasaman Oil Services, for an alleged N2.2 billion fuel subsidy fraud.

    At the last sitting of the court on October 30, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission informed the court of the prosecution’s intention to re-arraign the defendants on an amended charge.

    EFCC counsel, Mr. Francis Usani had said the amended charge would enable them to join another oil marketer, Oluwaseun Ogunbambo, as a co-defendant in the matter.

    In the amended charge now before the court, the defendants would be facing a 13 count charge of fuel subsidy fraud.

    The EFCC, in the new charge, alleged that the defendants were involved in subsidy fraud amounting to about N4.4 billion.

    The commission alleged that the defendants had conspired to obtain the money from the Federal Government for the purported importation of 30.5million litres of Premium Motor Spirits (PMS).

    The EFCC said the alleged offences contravened Sections 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act of 2006.

     

  • Oshiomhole sworn in

    Oshiomhole sworn in

    …Promises to conduct council election

    Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole and his Deputy, Dr. Pius Odubu was on Monday inaugurated for a second term in office

    Speaking at the inauguration inside the main bowl of Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Oshiomhole said it is time for people of Edo State to rise beyond primordial sentiments and political divisions to join hands to move the state to next level.

    “We collectively rejected domination, bad governance, bad leadership, and undemocratic conduct in the management of our commonwealth.

    “Collectively, we set an example and political milestone for Nigeria and Africa as we showed that it was possible to defeat negative political forces, run elections without violence and campaign on performance and the support of all strata of society, “ Oshiomhole told the gathering.

    The governor also announced the conduct of local government election early next year.

    “We are aware that in some local governments, the impact of governance, policies and leadership at the local level has not been visible or felt by the people.

    “Our focus would be to ensure that qualified, committed, exposed, capable and innovative candidates that will make the required difference in the lives of the people participate. We need men and women that will reinvigorate the communities, deploy resources carefully and strategically, complete on-going projects, stimulate production, and initiate new realistic projects.

    “This would stem migration to the rural areas and encourage productivity at the local levels. Sectors such as health, youth and women empowerment, education, agriculture, rural industries, housing and security must take priority.”

    Those present at the inauguration include, former head of state, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, Aliko Dangote, Governors of Rivers, Imo, Lagos, Osun, Ekiti, Ogun, Anambra, and Delta States.

    Also in attendance were the ACN chieftains – Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief Bisi Akande, Chief Olusegun Osoba, Lai Mohammed, Chief Niyi Adebayo, Chief Tom Ikimi, Gen. Godwin Abbe, Daisy Danjuma, Senator, Ehigie Uzamere, Senator Domigo Obende and Speaker Uyi Igbe, among others.

     

  • ‘JTF winning war against oil theft, illegal bunkering’

    The Joint Task Force operating in the Niger Delta said it is recording successes in the war against crude oil theft and illegal bunkering in the region.

    The Commander of the 2 Brigade and Sector 2 of the JTF, Brig.-Gen. Tukur Buratai said this in Port Harcourt on Monday at the inauguration of six-block of component commanders’ residential quarters for senior officers of the task force.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the quarters were allocated to officers of the task force from the Navy, State Security Service, Police and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.

    Buratai said the JTF, through its aggressive intelligence and commitment, had uncovered, arrested and prosecuted many illegal oil bunkering suspects and thieves in the Niger Delta.

    “Since our assumption of responsibility of the (JTF) Pulo Shield, we have made tremendous progress in the anti-bunkering, illegal bunkering, anti-piracy operations and sundry crimes, especially pipeline vandalism and oil theft.

    “The Brigade (Sector 2) has also moved into other directions in support of the civil police in anti-kidnappings, anti-armed robbery operations and we have made tremendous successes.

    “We want to assure the good people of Rivers and Bayelsa that we are up to the task and facing such challenges squarely,” he said.

    Buratai said the newly-built accommodations would improve the functionality of the component commanders as well as reduce hotel bills and security challenge faced by the officers.