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Tag: Abuja

  • Winning the World Cup

    From the picture painted on Wednesday at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, those who do not believe in the present Super Eagles would need to have a rethink.

    Not only is the team that is bound for the 2018 FIFA World Cup starting on June 14 in Russia expected to do well at the championship, the Eagles are also being tipped to return to Nigeria in July with the prized trophy.

    The occasion was the official presentation of the team to President Muhammadu Buhari by the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung.

    Some of the present team’s strengthen, which is expected to work for them in Russia, according to the handlers included their youthfulness, discipline, unity, and the clearance of all their welfare allowances.

    They are also scheduled to play some friendly matches that will prepare them better for the championship.

    Speaking on the team, the President of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick said “This Super Eagle’s you are seeing today is the most disciplined, the most united in the historiographic literature of the annals of football in the country.

    “And I am happy to tell you that according to FIFA statistics, this team is the youngest going to the World Cup, which means this team will serve you for long, this team will serve you in the next five years. We have a team that will prosecute this World Cup and a team that will go for the next World Cup in 2022 and we have a team that will also go for the World Cup in 2026, because you have created that environment for us to thrive.

    “I can assure that this team you are seeing today  will make Nigeria very proud. It is a team that is very disciple and discipline is the bedrock of any success.

    “We thank you for providing that fatherly love at all times and we know when we go to Russia, with your magic wand, by the special grace of God we will come back to this same chamber with the trophy.” he said

    Dalung said, “Once again Nigeria is drawn in difficult group along our perennial opponents Argentina, Croatia and Iceland.  It is difficult but by no means a mission impossible. The team and the technical crew are in high Spirit and are highly motivated to soar above their opponents at the World Cup.

    The captain of the team, Mikel Obi, also sure of victory said: “This is the first time we will be going to a tournament like this without any issues on money, bonuses or anything like that. I think everything is sorted now for us and all we have to do is to go out there as players and make this country proud.

    “And with your support as the father and leader of this country, we will go out there, give our best and come back with the trophy.” he assured

    This, to some Nigerians sounded like a wild goose chase considering the poor performance of their predecessors in the past editions of the FIFA World Cup at the senior level.

    The present team, according to some football loving Nigerians, also haven’t got the experience and exposure most of the World Cup finalists have to their advantage.

    As a starter, they noted that the team may find it very difficult to scale through the group stage as they are up against world football giants including Argentina, Croatia and Iceland.

    Sensing that it was not going to be an easy task to win the World Cup trophy in Russia, the Super Eagles Coach, Gernot Rohr, in his remarks at the short ceremony simply said “Your Excellency, to come out of this difficult group with Argentina, Croatia, Iceland is the first step but I think the players are able to do it.”

    Notwithstanding the hurdles the team would have to contend with in Russia, President Buhari gave the team his fatherly blessings.

    “This is our time; we look up to you to make us proud. All Nigerians join me in saying to you, best of luck,” he said.

    No doubt, many football loving Nigerians will continue to pray and hope that such luck will take the Super Eagles far in tournament.

     

    Osinbajo humour

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo last Tuesday night again showed that he was very well qualified to go into comedy.

    Those who attended the 2018 Democracy Day Dinner / Gala Night at the old Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja will not agree less that Osinbajo will rank high with the best comedians in the country or perform better than them if he ventures into comedy.

    When it was his turn to make remarks, Osinbajo made the gathering to laugh and laugh with jokes after jokes.

    He started by saying “I for one can say that five years ago if someone had told me that I would be Vice President at all, let alone celebrating three years in office, I would have doubted that they were thinking right, but here we are.

    “One of the reasons why I never thought I would be in politics is because I always thought I had enough baggage already.

    “I recall that when I was about to rent a place to live, the landlord said to me that there were two kinds of tenants he didn’t want. He did not want a lawyer and he didn’t want an Ijebu man.”

    The hall, which was filled to the brim, immediately erupted in laughter.

    After the laughter subsided, Osinbajo went on “And I qualified on both disqualifications. So, now you can imagine what it is like to add one more – a politician, to all of that.

    “In fact, I was greatly discouraged when a gentleman at an event like this, told a story about how an armed robber walked into a bank and there were three people standing there and he said to the first, pointing a gun at him saying, “Give me your money,” and the man said, “I am a doctor”, and he said “bring your money”. The robber pointed to the next man and said, “I am sure you are a teacher, bring your money.”

    “He went to the third person and said give me your money,” and the man replied, “I am a politician”, and he replied saying, “okay, give me my money”.

    The gathering again burst out laughing and clapping for the Vice President.

    Not done, he added “I think, with all these baggage, one must be careful about being a lawyer, a politician and then an Ijebu man.

    This again made the guests to almost laugh out their hearts from their chests.

     

    Shattered hope

    The expectations of some athletes were last Tuesday dashed at the 2018 Democracy Day Dinner/Gala Night held at the old Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja.

    The occasion was used to receive the Team Nigeria that participated at the XXI Commonwealth Games in Australia.

    While making his remarks at the occasion, the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung had disclosed that athletes and officials that excelled at the Games were rewarded with cash bonuses for winning medals.

    According to him, Gold, Silver and Bronze medalists were rewarded with $5000, $3000 and $2000 respectively.

    But from what played out at the end of the dinner, it was clear that the athletes were still expecting some cash reward from the Presidency.

    After Vice President Yemi Osinbajo made his remarks, he went ahead to cut the cake.

    Rather than make pronouncement for additional cash for the athletes after Osinbajo cut the cake, the Master of Ceremony (MC) immediately called for the rendition of the national anthem.

    Sensing that the event has come to an end without any cash splash on them, the athletes immediately started grumbling before they filed out of the hall to their waiting bus at the car park.

     

  • Buhari becomes Red Cross grand patron

    President Muhammadu Buhari was on Monday decorated at the Grand Patron of the National Red Cross Society at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The event, where he was decorated by the National President of the Society, Bolaji Anami, took place at the Council Chamber of the State House, Abuja.

    Buhari said “I appreciate this honour bestowed on me.”

    Read Also:Buhari, Obasanjo, Saraki, Dickson mourn ex-Appeal Court president

    The President specifically thanked the Society for its supports in the North East and the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps.

    He assured the Society that the Federal Government will look at its challenges.

     

    Details Later…

  • Flood kills two, sweeps cars away in Abuja

    Ambrose Umelelle 26 and Esther Aka 20, residents of Kokosu Community in Nasarawa State lost their lives in a flood incident that occurred in Karshi area of Abuja on Saturday night.

    The two persons were among the four whose vehicles were swept away by the flood.

    One of the passengers was however lucky as he was reported to have jumped out of the vehicle.

    The other passenger is still missing with the Search and Rescue team of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) searching for him.

    Briefing the FCT, Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, on the incident, the Acting Deputy Director, Forecasting, Response and Mitigation, Mrs. Florence Wenegieme indicated that upon receiving the information, the Agency immediately arrived the location of the incident and swung into action.

    Mrs. Wenegieme said the efforts yielded results when they recovered the bodies of the two dead early Sunday morning , as well as the Toyota Siena and Space-wagon in which they were traveling.

    “We have gone as far as three kilometres into the waterway without seeing the body, the search continues.”

    Mrs. Wenegieme also reported that the river bisecting the community and neighbouring Nasarawa State had risen above its banks on account of massive rains and consequent flood from the neighbouring hills overwhelming the box culverts and overflowing the roads.

    “Many of the road users had been forced to wait on the banks of the flood when the driver of the Siena wanted to try his luck,” she said.

    Following the sad development, the FCT Administration has called on the residents to be alert to possibilities of flood as the rainy season enters its peak in the coming months.

    It also reiterated its constant call on residents to avoid illegal developments as well as dumping of refuse on water rights-of-way.

    FCT minister made the appeal when he visited to commiserate with people of Karshi over the flood disaster that occurred in their community.

    According to a statement issued by the Special Assistant on Media to the FCT minister, Alhaji Abubarkar Sani, the minister also conveyed his condolences to the families of the two from neighbouring Kokosu Community of Nasarawa State who were confirmed dead in the flood.

    The Permanent Secretary, Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa, currently acting for the Minister, also used the occasion to ascertain the extent of damage caused by the flood.

    This, according to him, was with a view to stemming future occurrences of an incident, the scale and nature of which, according to residents, have never been witnessed in the area before.

    He said: “I have directed that our team of engineers should be dispatched to study the situation with a view to stemming future occurrence. From all indications this is a natural disaster. I am happy that our team is on ground for the search and rescue operations.”

    Also speaking to newsmen, the Chief of Karshi, Alh. Ismaila Mohammed dispelled insinuations that the incident was caused by a burst dam, saying: “the dam is still intact and still under construction. I thank the FCT Minister for his quick response in dispatching the FEMA team who have worked with local inhabitants since last night, to retrieve the bodies of the victims.”

    According to the Chief, “this kind of flood has never been witnessed in this community. Weather has been very erratic. We, in the community would embark on measures to ensure that the roads are safeguarded during heavy rains until a permanent solution is found.”

    It would be recalled that last year August, a man and two of his children, a boy and girl died when their Toyota Highlander Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) entered into a flood in Lokogoma area of the FCT.

  • Rivers, Abuja lead as NECO releases 2018 Cowbellpedia qualifying exam results

    THREE perfect scores from two schools highlighted the release of the results of the 2018 Cowbellpedia Secondary Schools Mathematics TV Quiz Show qualifying examination by the National Examinations Council (NECO).

    According to the results released, the students with 100 percent scores are in the junior category. They are Favour Okarike and Benny Sampson from Graceland International School, Port Harcourt, Rivers State; and Chiedozie Okezie Uzochukwu of Nigerian Tulip International College, Abuja.

    Candidates are expected to check their results on the Cowbellpedia portal at www.cowbellpedia.ng Promasidor Nigeria Limited has felicitated with Muslims in the country on the on-going Ramadan fast.

    It is obligatory for Muslims to fast during the holy month of Ramadan in the Islamic calendar (Hijrah), an act, that is the fourth pillar of Islam.

    Ramadan is not just merely meant to stay without food or drinks, it provides an opportunity to strive for inner purification and inculcate righteousness as well as discipline.

  • 2019 election: Group cautions APC on nPDP

    The Vanguards for the Protection of Democracy in Nigeria (VPDN) said the continued stay of the new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) in the All Progressives Congress (APC) portends danger to the party ahead of the 2019 general election.

    Mrs Sharon Cham, National Coordinator of the VPDN, gave the warning on Thursday in Abuja, when she led some of its members to protest the continued stay of the nPDP in the APC.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the nPDP, which fused into the APC in 2014, recently alleged that its members were being neglected, adding that they were going through harassment and intimidation.

    The group had also given the APC leadership and President Muhammadu Buhari a seven-day ultimatum to address issues affecting its members ahead of the 2019 general election.

    Read Also: nPDP did denies demanding for Saraki’s trial stoppage

    “We wish to remind the APC leadership that keeping these people in the party portends a lot of danger not only to the party, but to our hard earned nascent democracy.

    “Political parties and government are formed by different people with different ideas, but with the same vision and mission to move the country forward.

    “However, the way the members of the nPDP have been mounting unnecessary pressure on the government, causing disaffection in the party; shows that they are out to bring mischief and bad blood among teeming loyal party members,´´ Cham said.

    This, she said, could clearly be seen from the series of threats the group had been dishing out to the APC leadership and by extension President Muhammadu Buhari.

    She, therefore called on the APC leadership to sanction the group, adding that its alleged grievances could not be established or justified.

    She said this was especially so, because some members of the nPDP were holding strategic positions in the APC-led Federal Government, including that of the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives among others.

    According to Cham, the motive of the nPDP is not to find a lasting solution to the internal crisis of the APC, but to cause more problems in the party and the smooth running of government.

    ´´Please sanction and sack them now from the party, because the enemy within is always difficult to fight than the one outside; we say no to pardoning crimes committed,´´ she said.

    NAN

  • Codeine Addiction: Schools hold debate on ban

    Three secondary schools in Abuja on Thursday had a heated debate on the ban on codeine-based cough syrup as the solution to drug addiction in the country.

    The schools slogged it out in the 2018 Abuja Schools Debate Tournament organised by Chen Teen and Youth Development Initiative and the Ministry of Education.

    The topic was: “The Ban on Cough Syrup is the Solution to Codeine Addiction in Nigeria”.

    Miss Sinikiem Stephen, an SS3 student from Aduvie International School, speaking for the motion, said cough medicines taken in higher quantity affects the brain in ways similar to illegal drugs leading to addiction.

    She said that the ban would make the drug less accessible to the youth and also reduce drug induced juvenile offences.

    “No country would like its youth to be drug abusers. Drug addict is more likely to lead a criminal life as he will do anything to get money for the drugs.

    “The downsides to abusing cough and cold medicines are as dangerous as consuming hard drugs such as opium.

    “Having it readily available had made it possible for so many young people to become addicted to the drug, so it is for the best that codeine has been banned.

    “Stephen also advised the government to make it compulsory for patients to have a doctor’s report before buying some other cough syrup like Tramadol.’’

    She said that Tramadol was still available to everyone “and it is also as harmful as codeine’’.

    Read Also: Codeine ban: NDLEA arrests 17 suspects

    Also, Miss Precious Okonkwo, an SS 2 student from Divine Mercy Secondary School agreed with the motion that the government was right to ban the consumption of any cough syrup with codeine in the country.

    “Did you know that research has shown that over one billion bottles of cough syrup with codeine was consumed in Nigeria last year alone?

    “Codeine has a serious side effect as it causes liver damage and brain damage if consumed in high doses.

    “Also codeine abusers are most likely to behave irresponsibly causing mayhem in the society,” she said.

    Speaking against the motion, Mr Evwierhoma Efetobore, an SS 2 student from Redeemer Teap International School said that banning the use of codeine was not the way to go in curbing drug abuse in the country.

    “Codeine is the only effective cough and cold medicine for some people. There are people that don’t get relief from cough if there’s no codeine in the syrup.

    “It doesn’t make them addicts. Codeine was used as one of the ingredients for cough syrup because of its ability to ensure quick relief.

    “Therefore, banning its use will deprive such people who truly need it, ” he argued.

    “Across several Nigerian cities, many young adults are known to be addicted to several drugs, but in recent years, opium-based cough syrup like codeine and tramadol have taken the lead.

    The Federal Ministry of Health recently announced a ban on importation and production of codeine-based cough syrup.

    According to National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), about three million bottles of codeine are consumed everyday by young Nigerians across the country.

    The NDLEA report showed that about 40 per cent of Nigerian youth abuse one drug or the other.

    The target market in the illicit codeine trade typically consists of teenagers and young adults looking for a cheap high.

  • Minimum wage may not be ready by September, says Ngige

    The expectations of workers in the country getting a new national minimum wage by the end of September 2018 May not materialize after all as the government said on Tuesday that the September date was just a date to conclude negotiation on the issue of minimum wage.

    Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige told newsmen at his residence in Abuja that the committee on the new National Minimum wage is expecting to conclude its work by the end of September and present its report to the government for deliberation and approval before an executive bill is sent to the National Assembly on the issue.

    He said however that the issue of capacity to pay is also paramount in the deliberations on the minimum wage, pointing out that it was to get the input of all those concerned including state governments and the organised private sector that the committee embarked on zonal public hearing across the country.

    The Minister said further that in the course of the zonal public hearings, many state governments made different submissions ranging from N22,000 monthly to N58,000,adding that the governors were also of the believe that foe the new minimum wage to become effective, the current revenue allocation formula will have to be reviewed in favour of the states and local government.

    He said further that some other states are also of the view that the minimum wage should be maintained at the current N18,000 in view of the inability of some states to pay the current wages.

    Read Also: Ngige decries low productivity, competitiveness

    Senator Ngige said when the minimum wage committee concludes its report, it will be submitted to the National Council of State and the Federal Executive Council for approval before a bill is sent to the National Assembly to legalize the work of the committee.

    He said even though it was not an easy task, the committee was making progress in its assigned responsibility, pointing out that it was in other to carry everybody, including the states and private sector along that six governors were elected to be members of the committee as well as representatives of the organized private sector.

    On the threat non-teaching staff of universities to resume their suspended strike as a result of government failure to honour the terms of their agreement, the Minister said government was sourcing the N6 billion needed to pay them their earned allowances as contained in the agreement.

    He said his experience as Minister of Labour said him that majority of about 95 percent of agreement currently being paraded by trade unions in the country were signed before the Buhari government came into office in 2015,adding that most of such agreements had no timeline for implementation.

    He also said many of the agreement signed by the last government were not implementable because of the amount involved, adding that the principles of the International, Labour Organisation allowed employers to renegotiate agreements which they feel they cannot implement.

    He said further that what is important in all collective bargaining agreement is the ability to pay what is being demanded and what is agreed upon.

    He appealed to striking health workers to return to work while negotiations continue on their demands, pointing out that the delay in the implementation of their signed agreement was as a result of failure of the National Salaries, Wages and Income Commission to defend the two different figure presented to a government high powered committee.

    He said the committee has directed the commission and the Federal Ministry of Health to go back and recompile the figures for onward submission to the committee for deliberation.

  • 2019: Women seek Vice President’s seat

    Some Nigerian Women on Friday pushed for the seat of Vice President of Nigeria to be reserved for women in subsequent elections in the country.

    Women, under the platform of the Nigerian Female Parliamentarians made the demand when they paid a courtesy call on President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Speaking on behalf of the delegation, which comprises of elected lawmakers from the nation’s 36 states, Elizabeth Ativie said Nigerian Women are being marginalized by their male counterparts.

    She said the country only had one principal officer in each of the two chambers of the National Assembly since the return to democracy in 1999.

    She also said that as the President, anything he said at the gathering “will become policy and subsequently law”.

    Read Also:Former Vice President Atiku ‘s son remanded

    She said “Whenever the president is a man, the Vice President should be a woman”.

    Mrs. Ativie also said for every three senatorial seats in the states, one should be a woman.

    She said “Where there are nine House of Reps members, the men should take six and leave three for women”.

    Responding, President Buhari jokingly said “it is a pity that the Vice President is not here, but I am sure the Secretary to the Government of the Federation will brief him that his position is threatened “.

    He however appreciated the support given to him by women generally in the four times he ran for president.

    He recalled reports he received during elections in which women in labour queue to vote for him.

    He asked the delegation to take a message to their colleagues to extend the same support since he has declared to seek for second term.

    On their request, the president simply told the gathering that he is not “as powerful as you think”.

    He said such requests could only be made by a military head of state, but, he has today dropped the uniform for “agbada”.

     

     

  • NiMet predicts cloudy skies, heavy rains on Friday

    The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted cloudy weather conditions over the Central states of the country on Friday

    It also said there were high chances of thunderstorms over Abuja, Lafia, Kaduna, Jos, Bida and Makurdi in the morning hours.

    NiMet’s Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office in Abuja on Thursday also predicted day and night temperatures in the range of 25 to 37 and 16 to 22 degrees Celsius respectively.

    It added that thunderstorms were likely over Lokoja, Bauchi, Mambila plateau and Jos later in the day.

    The agency predicted that the southern states would experience cloudy skies over the inland cities with chances of thunderstorms and moderate rains over Awka, Enugu, Akure, Benin, Ado-Ekiti, Abeokuta and Osogbo.

    It further predicted prospective thunderstorms and moderate rains over the coastal cities in the morning.

    It said there were greater chances of heavy rains over the region later in the day with day and night temperatures in the range of 30 to 35 and 20 to 24 degrees Celsius respectively.

    According to NiMet, Northern states will experience cloudy conditions throughout the forecast period with thunderstorm activities over Sokoto, Gusau, Katsina, Kano and Yelwa in the morning hours.

    “Northern states will also have day and night temperatures in the ranges of 36 to 43 and 24 to 29 degrees Celsius respectively throughout the forecast period.

    “Cloudy conditions are expected over some selected cities with prospects of thunderstorm activities and moderate rains in the next 24 hours,” NiMet predicts.

    NAN

  • Economic saboteurs had no love for Nigeria – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said those who mismanaged Nigeria’s economy in the past, through fraudulent electricity projects and misuse of revenue earnings from oil, had no love for the country.

    The president stated this when he received members of the Buhari Support Organisations (BSO) led by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    President Buhari urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and ensure that only ‘‘people of conscience are in-charge of governance at all levels’’, as the nation prepared for general elections in 2019.

    He said: ‘‘I challenge anybody to check from Europe, America and Asia; between 1999 and 2014, Nigeria was producing 2.1 million barrels of crude oil per day at an average cost of 100 dollars per barrel and it went up to 143 dollars.

    ‘‘When we came it collapsed to between 37 and 38 dollars and later was oscillating between 40 and 50 dollars.

    ‘‘I went to the CBN Governor, with my cap in my hand, and asked if we had savings. He told me we had only debts, no savings. Some of the roads were not repaired since the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) days.

    ‘‘I don’t care the opinion you have about Abacha but I agreed to work with him and we constructed roads from Abuja to Port Harcourt, Benin to Onitsha and so on. We also touched education and health institutions.

    ‘‘One of the former Heads of State was bragging that he spent more than 15 billion dollars on power in Nigeria. Where is the power?’’ the President said.

    On the mismanagement of the economy by previous administrations, President Buhari noted that the perpetrators lacked imagination and plans for the development of the nation.

    ‘‘Sometimes, I wonder about those who can afford to send their children abroad for studies and yet continue to sabotage the economy, I wonder what kind of Nigeria they want their children to return to and work. There is a lot of lack of imagination.

    ‘‘If you are working for the country, then you shouldn’t be misappropriating and misapplying public funds the way people did,’’ he said.

    The President noted that under his watch, the 2016 and 2017 budgets recorded the highest appropriation and releases in capital projects, with over N2.8 trillion disbursements in two years.

    The President urged Nigerians to reject those bent on dividing the country along religious and ethnic lines, warning that “they do not mean well for the country.

    ‘‘I have said severally that we do not have any other country than Nigeria and we will remain here and salvage it together.

    ‘‘We have nothing to regret. Absolutely nothing. God has given Nigeria everything. We are rich in human and material resources. Let us keep on praying to God to put people of conscience in-charge at all levels.’’

    On the activities of the support group, President Buhari apologised for not rallying them before announcing his intention to seek re-election in 2019 during a meeting of the National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Congress on April 9, 2018.

    He thanked members of the group for their resolute support to him as a Presidential candidate in 2015 and all through his term in office, adding that their voluntary sacrifices were an indication of their trust and belief in the great future of the country.

    In his remarks, Ali said the group and majority of Nigerians are passionate about a second-term for President Buhari because of his integrity, honesty, love and patriotism.

    He noted that President Buhari had entrenched fiscal discipline and prudent management of resources, improved the nation’s security and delivered on his promise to revamp agriculture, as a major revenue earner for the country.