The Nation Newspaper

Category: News Update

  • British Airways, others are exploiting Nigerians – Mark

    British Airways, others are exploiting Nigerians – Mark

    Senate President, Senator David Mark, on Tuesday said the Senate will take measures to stop foreign airlines operating in the country, including British Airways (BA) and Virgin Atlantic, from continuing to exploit Nigerians.

    Mark stated this during the consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Aviation on alleged violation of Aviation Laws and practice by foreign airlines and lapses in the operations of regulatory agencies.

    The Senate President insisted that the Senate cannot fold its hand and allow foreign airlines to continue to exploit Nigerians.

    Though most Senators commended the report, some others opposed the recommendation which sought to grant Arik Air a national flag carrier status.

    Due to disagreement on some vital recommendations by the Senator Hope Uzodinma- led committee, the Senate aborted adoption or rejection of the recommendations.

    The committee had recommended that the Economic Regulatory Powers of Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) should be reviewed and strengthened and consequently, Senate should mandate its Committee on Aviation to start the process of amending the Civil Aviation Act of 2006.

    “That NCAA working with Federal Ministry of Justice and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), should compel BA and Virgin Atlantic Airline (VAA) to refund Nigerian passengers monies due to them as they did in the United Kingdom and United States of America and also, pay to the Federal Government of Nigeria, a fine of $35million and $100million respectively in line with the Civil Aviation Act 2006.

    “That the Senate should engage Aviation Ministry on its plan to float an indigenous National Carrier

    “That Arik Airline with over 26 new aircrafts in its fleet and any other local airline with similar capacity which must have operated in Nigeria for a minimum period of five years should be granted National Flag Carriers status.

    “That the process for a Bill on anti-competition, anti-thrust and Passenger Bill of rights should commence immediately in line with international best practices and standard.

    “That the Ministry of Aviation should take all necessary steps to ensure that necessary facilities and incentives are provided to position Nigeria to become the West African hub in the aviation industry.

    “That government officials travelling abroad should be mandated to use Nigerian flag carriers and the Federal Ministry of Aviation working with the National Orientation Agency should start a sensitization programme to enlighten the public on the imperative of flying our national flag carriers.

    “That the Senate should mandate the Ministry of Aviation and NCAA to ensure that Nigerian airlines are allowed to fly into Heathrow Airport from Abuja in order to reduce monopoly by foreign airlines and in line with already executive Bilateral Air Service Agreement (BASA).

     

  • JTF not responsible for Gen. Shuwa’s killing – COAS

    JTF not responsible for Gen. Shuwa’s killing – COAS

    …Army faults Amnesty International’s report

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, has denied reports linking the Joint Task Force with the shooting of Major-General Mohammadu Shuwa in his home on Friday.

    The denial is coming on the heels of the Boko Haram sect washing its hands off the killing.

    Official account of the shooting had linked the act to the sect.

    Unknown gunmen, widely suspected to be members of sect shot Shuwa in cold blood at his home in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, killing him and one of his guests.

    An account by JTF spokesman, Col. Musa Sagir, had it that the gunmen entered the late General’s home while he was hosting guests shortly before the Juma’t prayers and opened fire on him and a number of his guests.

    But Ihejirika on Tuesday debunked insinuations that members of the JTF must have done the killing, which has continued to generate controversy across the land.

    Speaking through the Army spokesman, Brigadier-General Bolaji Koleosho, Ihejirika dismissed the insinuations, wondering how the JTF whose primary responsibility was to restore peace in Maiduguri would turn round to kill the retired General.

    He stated: “All we are interested is in restoring peace to Maiduguri and this is what our officers laid down their lives to do. How would you accuse them of turning back to be killing the same people they are protecting.

    “It just does not add up. What reasons could the JTF have against Major General Shuwa? We debunk it and we condemn it. It is unfair on the military to be accusing us of killing our own General Shuwa.”

    Chief of Civil Military Relations, Major General Bitrus Kwaji, who also spoke at the briefing, faulted the report of the Amnesty International which indicted the JTF for violation of human rights in the handling of the Boko Haram insurgents.

    Kwaji regretted that the watchdog did not hear the military’s side before going public with its report.

     

  • Aliyu cautions FG on dialogue with Boko Haram

    Aliyu cautions FG on dialogue with Boko Haram

    Chairman of the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF), Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, on Tuesday advised the Federal government not to dialogue with faceless but recognised members of the Boko Harma sect in order to prevent fraudsters from hijacking the peace process.

    Aliyu also urged members of the group to come out of their hiding for genuine and meaningful dialogue that would finally restore peace back to the region and the country.

    Speaking in Minna the Niger State capital on Tuesday when he received ”The Road map for Peace Unity and Development of Northern Nigeria” prepared by the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) , Aliyu said, ”we should know who we are talking to, we should not allow 419 people to hijack the process.

    ”We should confirm who we are dealing with, we should talk to them but we should talk only to genuine people,” the Niger State governor advised.

    Expressing the forum endorsement of federal government acceptance of the olive branch extended by the sect, Aliyu maintained that the forum support any move that will bring lasting peace to the region, including dialogue with the leadership of Boko Haram.

    He also advocated the merger of ACF and the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) both socio -political organizations with membership drawn from the northern part of the country.

    He argued that the merger of the two bodies will give the northern region the opportunity to speak with one voice on all issues.

     

  • Oshiomhole to present 2013 budget Thursday

    Oshiomhole to present 2013 budget Thursday

    Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole will on Thursday present the 2013 budget proposal to the Edo State House of Assembly.

    This was contained in a letter dated October 6 and signed by Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Simon Imuekhemen.

    Oshiomhole in the letter, read during plenary session on Tuesday, sought the lawmakers’ permission to present the 2013 appropriation bill to the house for approval.

    The letter titled: “Request for urgent attention to present the 2013 budget estimate by the governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole,” reads “I have been directed by the governor of Edo State, comrade Adams Oshiomhole to request the honourbale house to grant him audience during the plenary session of the house on Thursday November 8, 2012 to present the 2013 budget estimate to the House of Assembly.”

    Oshiomhole in another letter dated November 1, 2012 requested for the amendment of law establishing the Agency for Information, Communication and Technology (ICT).

     

  • CPC urges Buhari to reject Boko Haram’s mediator role

    The Congress for Progressive Change has advised former head of state, Muhammadu Buhari, to reject his nomination by the Boko Haram sect as a mediator in negotiations with the Federal Government.

    The National Chairman of the party, Prince Tony Momoh, gave the advice on Tuesday in Abuja in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria.

    “There is no need for any other person to attend a meeting between the Federal Government and Boko Haram for whatever grievances they say they have.

    “We in the CPC do not see where Buhari comes in; we are concerned by the way the name of Gen. Buhari is being dragged into this affair.

    “Another thing is that nobody reached out to Gen. Buhari to say he has been nominated or is being nominated along with others, to mediate or be witnesses to discussion between Boko Haram and the Federal Government,” he said.

    Momoh said that Buhari had not told anybody or the party that he was interested in the nomination.

    The national chairman maintained that the CPC would not associate with issues that involved criminality.

    He said that it was important for the government to maintain “true democracy” by providing adequate security and welfare to the citizens.

    “We believe in one country which must remain together and move together in the direction of peace, justice and fair play,” Momoh said.

    According to him, the abuse of the democratic system is the result of some challenges confronting the country.

    “Any abuse of this democracy is unjust.

    “We have chosen a two-legged approach: democracy and social justice, and we want to achieve social justice by using a system of government called democracy, “he said.

    He told NAN that for the nation to witness true democracy, “all hands must be on deck” to tackle corruption in the country.

     

  • Voting underway in several U.S states

    Voting is underway in 36 states in the United States as Americans go to the polls to choose their next president.

    The race is keenly divided between Democratic candidate, President Barak Obama, and Republican challenger, Mitt Romney.

    As many as 30 million voters have already cast their ballots, with more than 30 states allowing either absentee voting or in-person early voting, BBC reports.

    On the stroke of midnight, the first votes were cast and quickly counted in the tiny village of Dixville Notch in New Hampshire.

    They resulted in a tie with five votes each for Obama and Romney.

    Polling stations will begin closing in eastern states at 19:00 EST (00:00 GMT).

    Polling stations have opened on the East Coast and in parts of the Midwest – a winner could be known by midnight.

    The voting ends a hard-fought race that began nearly two years ago and has cost more than $2bn (£1.3bn).

    Polls show the race is neck and neck, although the president holds a slender polling lead in crucial swing states.

    National polls by Washington Post/ABC News and the Pew Research Centre both give Obama a three-point edge over his rival.

    The election is decided by the Electoral College. Each state is given a number of electoral votes in rough proportion to its population.

    The candidate who wins 270 electoral votes – by prevailing in the mostly winner-take-all state contests – becomes president.

    Also on Tuesday’s ballot are a handful of state governors, one third of the seats in the 100-member US Senate and all 435 seats in the House of Representatives.

    Republicans are expected to keep control of the House, while Democrats were tipped to do the same in the Senate, BBC projects.

    In 34 states, plus the District of Columbia, early voting has been under way for several days, even weeks.

    Some 31 million ballots have already been cast – but none will be counted until today.

     

  • 25 ministries signed performance bond – Minister

    25 ministries signed performance bond – Minister

    The Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamsudeen Usman, said on Tuesday that only 25 ministries have so far signed the performance contract agreement initiated by President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Usman, who spoke in Abuja while witnessing the signing ceremony in the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs said lack of funds would not be accepted as an excuse for non performance.

    President Jonathan had on August 22 launched the initiative for the effective implementation of budgets through the introduction of performance-based contracts for ministers and other strategic government officials.

    The performance-based contracts, according to government officials, will serve as evaluation tool in the implementation of budgets in Nigerian ministries.

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  • Cholera, measles imminent in flood-ravaged areas – NEMA

    The National Emergency Management Agency has raised the alarm over a possible outbreak of epidemics in flood-ravaged states in the country.

    NEMA Coordinator, Abuja Operations Office, Ishaya Chonoko, listed the water borne diseases that could infect the people as cholera, Lassa fever, measles and other skin diseases.

    He spoke on Tuesday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, at a-two day sensitization and awareness raising programme on cerebro-spinal meningitis and other flood related diseases organized by NEMA for the people of the state.

    He said the agency’s fear was borne out of, “the fact that the flood waters had contaminated other natural sources of water in the various communities.”

    “The usage of this contaminated water by the people for drinking, bathing, washing due to shortage of potable water can lead to outbreaks,” he said.

     

  • Biafra war veterans want Gowon, others tried for genocide

    Biafra war veterans want Gowon, others tried for genocide

    Disabled Biafran war veterans on Tuesday in Owerri, the Imo State capital called for trial of former head of state, Gen. Yakubu Gowon and other then military leaders for genocide at the International Court of Justice.

    Speaking at the Veterans’ Village in Okwe, Onuimo Local Government Area, the war veterans who backed Prof. Chinua Achebe’s book “There was a Country” said that late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s advice to Gowon led to the death the defenseless Igbos.

    Lawrence Akpo, a Staff Sergeant in the war disclosed that it was late Awolowo’s strategy that blocked all entrance through which relief materials could get to the Biafra territories.

    “This resulted in starvation which killed thousands of Igbos who could not survive the famine.

    “There was kwashiokor that killed so many people than gun; I ate raw cassava with pepper for several weeks in the bush to survive, “he said.

    According to him, all this was because Chief Awolowo reneged on the agreement he had with the Biafra leader late Chief Odimegwu Ojukwu in Calabar where he was jailed.

    “If Awolowo had maintained his part of the agreement, the north would not have fought the war, but rather he supported Gowon against Biafra because he was promised ministerial appointment,” he said.

    He said the genocide committed in the war was far worse than what Charles Taylor did in Liberia and what Adolf Hitler committed against the six million Jews who were forced to go through the gas chambers.

    “We were defenseless and they capitalized on that to overrun us,” Akpo stated.

    Another veteran, Festus Mba, agreed that the war was aimed at eliminating the Igbos.

    He said no compensation would equal the massacre of the Igbos.

    His words, “We are not asking for reparation because no amount of money can compensate the genocide, what we are saying is for the actualization of sovereign state of Biafra.”

     

     

  • Romney to campaign on election day

    Romney to campaign on election day

    Mitt Romney will not spend the final hours of the presidential race in his hometown, as is traditional for a candidate, but instead will embark upon a last-minute push for votes in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

    The two Election Day campaign stops, which were added to the schedule Monday afternoon, cap a campaign season of upheaval, unconventional moves and late-in-the-game surges that make Tuesday’s outcome difficult to predict, the CNN reports.

    Romney wakes up at home in Belmont, Massachusetts, on Tuesday morning after a few hours of sleep. He and his wife, Ann, will vote at their local polling place before the campaign charter takes off for the heavily congested area of Middle America known as the Rust Belt.

    The Romney campaign said the GOP presidential nominee would make two quick, informal stops in Cleveland and Pittsburgh to thank volunteers and help with get-out-the-vote efforts.

    Romney has spent time in Ohio almost every day this week, and his campaign says a rising tide of momentum has put Pennsylvania in play for the White House hopeful.

    But top advisers, almost all of whom were traveling with the candidate as the race came to a close, were immediately confronted with questions about whether the decision to campaign on Election Day signaled an unease with the state of the race.

    Though polls in Ohio have tightened considerably over the last month, President Barack Obama has maintained a stubborn lead there.

    Romney officials pointed out that Obama’s leads are often within polls’ margins of error.

    A senior Romney adviser also told reporters that campaigning on Election Day was the new normal.

    Both Obama and Sen. John McCain made stops on voting day in 2008, as did George W. Bush and John Kerry in 2004.