The Nation Newspaper

Tag: GOVT

  • Govt urged to engage hunters in insurgency war

    The Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) in Borno State has urged the Federal Government to engage hunters in the counter-insurgency campaign.

    CJTF’s legal adviser the Mr. Jubrin Gunda, who spoke during an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri, said practical measures were necessary to check the attacks and promote peace in the society.

    “Hunters and other vigilance groups should be co-opted in the anti-insurgency campaign. They should be allowed to work in their respective localities.

    “Re-introduction of military sector commands in Maiduguri and environs is imperative toward enhancing security, protection of life and property.

    “There is also a need for proper coordination and joint patrols by military, police and CJTF members to check the menace, even as it is desirable to provide the CJTF with modern weapons, ammunitions, training and motivational support to boost their morale,” he said.

  • ‘Compliance with ECS major requirement for govt contracts’

    Evidence of compliance with the Employees Compensation Scheme (ECS) will now form part of requirements for bidding for the Federal Government contracts, the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has said.

    Its Managing Director, Adebayo Somefun, who made this known during a visit to the Lagos regional office of the organisation, said efforts were being made to ensure that the compliance certificate from the fund became a major requirement in government offices a across the country.

    While decrying the non-chalant attitude of employers to comply with the provision of the law establishing the Employee Compensation Scheme, he said the “Management of NSITF is working on making the NSITF Compliance Certificate compulsory for all employers who were interested in bidding for government contracts.

    “The management is working with major stakeholders to ensure that NSITF Compliance Certificate becomes a major requirement at important government offices. This would go a long way in ensuring strict compliance and thereby lessen the burden on enforcement teams.”

    According to him, most employers were taking the implementation of ECS with latitude compared to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) due to lack of prosecution or closure of business premises.

    The NSITF does not have the power to seal up company premises, it had power to do other things that could enforce compliance and instructed the regional office to bring him up to speed the challenges inhibiting high compliance rate.

  • Lagos govt, scholars mourn Sheikh Zuglool

    Lagos govt, scholars mourn Sheikh Zuglool

    Lagos State government and some renowned Islamic scholars have paid glowing tributes to the founder and Mudir of Dharu-Dawa-Wal Irshad in Isolo, Lagos, Sheikh Mustapha Sanusi Zuglool.

    The eminent Islamic scholar died last Wednesday and was buried the following day, according to Islamic rites. He was 80.

    Commissioner for Home Affairs, Dr AbdulHakeem AbdulLateef, who represented the state government at the burial, described the deceased as scholars’ scholar.

    According to him, the mammoth crowd at the burial attested to Sheikh Zuglool’s good character.

    AbdulLateef said: “It is unfortunate we lost such a good person at a time the nation needs people of wisdom to guide the youths. He was a great scholar, who has also brought up many other scholars. He is also survived by good children.

    “Some pray to die in the Holy Land (saudi Arabia) so that many could gather for their Janazah, but Sheikh Zuglool’s burial also attracted thousands of people. Allah has really blessed him.”

    Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria (ADSN) Chief Missioner Sheikh AbdurRahman Ahmad said Sheikh Zuglool’s death came as a rude shock but death is inevitable.

    Sheikh Ahmad said: “His death is such a very great loss to the Ummah. By all standard, Sheikh Zuglool was an intellectual giant and when learned people like him dies, the light of the community starts to diminish, then darkness gradually takes over. This is because learned people are the light of the society, they illuminate, spiritually, physically and mentally. So, the death of leaned people like Zuglool is worrisome. It is a great loss to the society, it is not an ordinary death, it is the death of a leaned man; not even an ordinary learned man but a giant among the learned men.”

    Conference of Islamic Organisations (CIO) Mufti Sheikh Dhikrullahi Shafi’I described Sheikh Zuglool’s death as a colossal loss to the nation especially the Muslim ummah.

    “He was a great historian, whose knowledge of Middle East can’t be doubted. One can call him an encyclopaedia of Middle East knowledge. He was one of the few that were very versed on the issues in that region. He lived a fulfilled life and was exemplary in conduct. His lifestyle was moderate despite having wealthy people around him. We pray Allah grant him paradise,” he said.

    Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) Director Prof Ishaq Akintola said: “He was a great Islamic Scholar, an indefatigable preacher, a mentor primus inter pareil and a humanist par excellence. He stands on the same pedestal as the late Shaykh Adam Al-Ilori.”

    According to Sheikh Abdullah Akinbode, “Baba was a colossus of virtues, citadel of knowledge and epitome of morality.”

    NASFAT Acting Chief Missioner Sheikh Abdullazeez Onike said: “We have lost a scholar! Sheikh Zuglool was a scholar by all standards. His style of tafsir was unparalleled; you will think he was a professor of History. We in NASFAT will never forget him because he kicked-off our Ramadan Tafsir and since it has been wonderful. Indeed, we have lost a great scholar in Nigeria.”

    Secretary, Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria, (MMPN) Lagos Chapter, Haroon Balogun described late Zuglool as a respected scholar, a stockroom of knowledge, an erudite Historian who contributed tremendously to development of Islam particularly among the youths.

    “Like Sheikh Adam Al Ilori, he mentored a lot of younger Muslims leaving behind enduring legacies for the generation unborn. May Allah forgive him and admit his soul into Aljanah Firdaus.”

  • ‘Why govt established graduate internship programme’

    Lagos State government has said its Graduate Internship Programme provides an equal opportunity to all graduates, irrespective of their ethnic backgrounds.

    Speaking with Southwest Report at the side lines of the induction of the state‘s Graduate Internship Programme (GIS), the Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mr Babatunde  Durosimi-Etti said Governor Akinwunmi  Ambode established the programme in order to provide  a credible international programme for  Nigerians who want to start careers.

    The goal of the Internship Programme, he further explained, is to offer successful candidates an opportunity to improve their skills as well as experience working in a functional work environment.

    GIS, Durosimi-Etti, noted, provides the beneficiaries the needed skills to integrate into a more competitive job market.

    According to him, the Lagos State government is ready to implement a transparent programme and provide an example of best practices in inclusive employment development that can be replicated internationally and promoted to partners as an example of inclusive employment.

    Despite that the government is running its party agenda, the Commissioner reiterated that the governor is determined to ensure the process of selection of beneficiaries continues to be transparent, non-religious and non-ethnic.

    The policy stance, according to him, is recognition that if Lagos wants to expand its capacity further, it must leverage the attractiveness of its massive, national employment market. In order to achieve this strategic goal, he maintained that greater investments in the country’s precious human capital will be needed.

    Speaking later at the forum, the commissioner said unemployment is a general problem and there must be a partnership between governments and the private sector to address it.

    According to him, the selection criterion for the interns was rigorous; non-biased and one that ensured that the participants represented various backgrounds.

    He explained that they will undergo a three-month internship programme that will ensure that they are well acquainted with the working environment and become competitive in the job market.

    Durosinmi-Etti expects the programme to grow next year. The programme will also include a stipend for the participants.

  • Govt saves $50m yearly from domestication of training, says NCDMB

    Govt saves $50m yearly from domestication of training, says NCDMB

    Domestication of personnel training in the oil and gas industry saves the nation about $50 million yearly, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Simbi Wabote, has said. He made this known at  the graduation of trainees from Danvic Petroleum School in Lagos.

    Wabote, represented by the Board’s General Manager, Capacity Building Division, Ikponmwosa Oviasu, told The Nation on the sidelines at the event that before the signing of the Nigerian Content Act in 2010, the nation was losing $100million to foreign training in the industry.

    He said: “We are here to support the graduation of the first set of trainees from the Danvic Petroleum School after the completion of six months training programme. That is the first phase and the second phase, which is critical, is the attachment of the trainees to the industry for the on-the-job training for 12 months.

    “Danvic has made them acquire the prerequisite experience that will make them ready for the industry. I can assure you once they finish the one year attachment to oil firms, they will become really employable and will be ready to face all the challenges in the industry.

    “The Board values human capital seriously and we have done similar things in the past by assisting geoscientists and attaching them to major oil companies – Shell, Chevron and Mobil, and marginal fields operators, among others.We work with all stakeholders to ensure we attain common goals.

    “Therefore, the essence of this  training is to ensure that Nigerians participate in the industry by acquiring critical skills for work being done by expatriates. We will continue to support players, such as Danvic, to ensure that the trainees are made for employment in the industry.

    The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Danvic Petroleum International Nigeria, owners of the petroleum school, Dr. Mayowa Afe, told The Nation that institution was established to bridge the gap between the university and industry to enable the students of the institution acquire the knowledge that was not imparted to them in tertiary schools.

    He noted that the good thing about the institution was that upon graduation, the students would be helped  to get jobs within one year so that the company can use it to assess you for proper employment.

    “I’m glad to tell you that the graduates are starting work this week and the companies will be paying up to N250,000 per month as interns. Some people that graduated from universities in Nigeria stay up to five years in the labour market looking for jobs. They go for interviews and don’t get employed.

    “Therefore, this is a realisation of our long-term vision. Those that are unemployed, some of them have been outside the university for about five years and age is no longer on their side. They are not working and if they are called for interviews, they cannot pass. This is a school that is bridging the gap for them and we will establish the first oil and gas university in Nigeria. That is where we are going but we are starting with these steps to actualise it. If we are able to train our people and they become employable, it will certainly reduce the number of foreigners we bring into Nigeria to work. Our objective is to train Nigerians to become professionals that the oil and gas industry would be proud to employ,” he added.

  • Govt to publish names of tax defaulters next March

    A tax defaulters who fail to pay up by March 31st, next year will have their names published, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has said.

    He gave the warning during the launch of the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) at the old Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja.

    Disclosing that VAIDS will be operated from July 1st 2017 to 31st March 2018 to give opportunity to tax defaulters to regularise their tax affairs, Osinbajo also signed executive order to support the scheme.

    Those who have diverted Nigeria’s legitimate tax revenues abroad or concealed them at home, he said, should taste the full force of the law.

    Noting that many Nigerians are evading taxes, he said that only 214 Nigerians located in Lagos State are paying taxes of N20 million and above annually.

    He also said that about 914 Nigerians, all located in Lagos State except two in Ogun State, pay taxes of N10 million and above annually.

    Stressing that the government is committed to tax revenue accountability, he said that tax revenues will be a driver of real lasting progress in the country.

    He said “The issue of accountability for tax revenue is one that this government is fully ready and able to address. In our war on waste and inefficiency at all levels we have positioned ourselves to ensure that tax revenues will be a driver of real lasting progress.

    “Based on information on tax evasion that is now available, our personal preference is that those who have diverted Nigeria’s legitimate tax revenues abroad or concealed them at home, should taste the full force of the law, however the extent of noncompliance coupled with the urgent need to revive the economy has persuaded all of our policy makers that we adopt the pragmatic approach of declaring a time limited programme of the VAIDS.

    “VAIDS will be operated from July 1st 2017 to 31st March 2018. It will be supported by an executive order that I will sign into law today.

    VAIDS will offer a once in a lifetime opportunity to those in default toregularise their tax affairs.

    “This is an offer in the spirit of national reconciliation and rebuilding and must be taken as such. In addition because we understand that those some tax payers may have challenges raising tax, we have built in a system that will allow those owing to pay over a period of time subject to conditions.

    “Upon expiry of the scheme we will consider those who have failed to take advantage of this offer or who have declared falsely, to be be wilful tax defaulters and economic saboteurs.

    “We will then proceed with aggressive investigation with a view to criminal prosecution. We will also publish a tax defaulters list to name and shame those refusing to do the right thing.” he stated

    According to him, progress has been made in taxing those in paid employment.

    He said “Generally speaking those who earn salaries that are known in a formal setting pay taxes. Those are the people we know pay taxes but there are high net worth Nigerians, self employed persons professionals and companies that are able to evade full tax payments due to the historical inability of tax authorities to access their true income.

    “According to FIRS the total number of tax payers in Nigeria is just 14million and 96% of this number have their taxes deducted at source from their under the PAYE system while just 4% comply under direct assessment. So a vast majority of Nigerians do not pay taxes and this is at variance with our economy as we are estimating that almost 70million Nigerians are economically active.

     

  • Court acquits man, 52, of defrauding Ekiti govt of N72m

    A Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, yesterday discharged and acquitted a 52-year-old man, Tunde Adebayo, charged with defrauding the state government of N72 million.

    He was arraigned on a two-count charge of conspiracy and fraud.

    The prosecution said the accused obtained N72 million to supply laptops for 450 senior police officers serving in the state.

    Justice Donatus Okorowo held that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubts.

    He said: “The prosecution counsel failed to produce any record to support the allegations of conspiracy and fraud against the defendant.

    “He is hereby discharged and acquitted.”

    The prosecution counsel, Mr Femi Falade, told the court that the defendant committed the offences on March 18, 2009.

    He said the defendant conspired with others on the run and defrauded the state government of N72 million from the State Multi-purpose Credit Agency Office in Ado-Ekiti for buying laptops for 450 senior police officers.

    Adebayo was said to have supplied only 270 laptops out of the approved 450 and failed to supply the rest.

  • Oyo govt urges schools food vendors to resume work

    The Oyo State government has appealed to striking food vendors engaged for Federal Government’s primary school feeding programme in the state to resume work.

    It said government will clear all the outstanding arrears this week.

    There are about 1,000 food vendors across the state cooking for primary schools.

    They have withdrawn their services as the Federal Government failed to pay over three weeks’ arrears owed them.

    Commissioner for Education, Prof Joseph Adeniyi Olowofela, who spoke with The Nation yesterday on the development.

    The commissioner assured the food vendors of government’s commitment to the programme.

    He blamed the non-payment on logistics problem.

    Olowofela said: “I can assure you that their accounts will be credited before tomorrow. The state government, immediately the matter was brought to its notice, held a meeting with the food vendors after consulting Federal Government’s officials in charge of the programme and we have gotten the assurance that their accounts will be credited anytime from now.”

    The food vendors in the 33 local government areas have stopped giving meals to primary school pupils in the past four weeks.

    They said they have been using their personal funds to provide meals for the pupils.

    In a show of appreciation, scores of the food vendors yesterday converged on the governor’s office, Secretariat Complex, Ibadan, to thank the state governor Abiola Ajimobi for his quick intervention in the matter.

    One of the food vendors from Oyo town, who spoke in confidence, said: “We have been using our money to feed the children in the past four weeks without pay. Now that we don’t have any money to continue feeding the pupils, we have to stop cooking because there is no money to buy food items anymore.”

  • Atiku to govt: don’t ignore calls for restructuring

    Atiku to govt: don’t ignore calls for restructuring

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said that agitations for secession would not have arisen if the country had shown sincere readiness to address the underlying problems that feed the agitations by those he described as separatist forces.

    In a statement from his media office in Abuja, the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain said recent voices in support of restructuring the country and true federalism by leaders and stakeholders were clear indications that he was not a lone voice in the call to restructure the country.

    The former vice president has consistently spoken about the need to restructure the country and give true federalism a chance in the past two years. Other notable Nigerians have recently added their voice to the call as a result of recent events in the country.

    Hailing the APC Progressive Governors Forum for supporting the call for restructuring and true federalism, Atiku said the issue transcends religion and ethnicity.

    He described as patriotic the convergence of positions around restructuring by leaders and stakeholders from diverse regions of the country.

    “The agitations for secession would not have arisen, if the country had shown sincere readiness to address the underlying problems that feed the agitations by separatist forces.

    “The restructuring debate transcends the ambition of any single politician in Nigeria, and that any attempt to ignore the agitations could make a bad situation more complicated.”

    He explained that avoiding a problem won’t solve that problem, adding that with so much hate, distrust, suspicions and fears in the country, political leaders shouldn’t be afraid to confront the challenge.

    Atiku stressed that the present federal structure should be freely discussed by allowing the federating units voice their grievances with a view to finding workable solutions that protects the rights and interests of all.

    He maintained that the country could not afford to allow bottled up frustrations of the people to explode into violence, which threatens not only innocent lives, but also harms the country’s economic assets.

    Atiku, therefore, lauded the Progressive APC Governors, other leaders and groups for their courage to confront the country’s most urgent national challenge.

    He added that separatist agitations were dangerously threatening the country’s unity and indivisibility, saying no country could afford to take these threats lightly.

  • Sultan to govt: probe sources of herdsmen’s weapons

    Sultan to govt: probe sources of herdsmen’s weapons

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar, has advised the Federal Government to probe the sources of weapons used by herdsmen accused of attacking Nigerian communities.

    Sultan Abubakar’s advice is contained in his Eid-el Fitr message delivered yesterday in Sokoto.

    “Real herdsmen do not carry guns; they only move with their cows and sticks.

    “There could be bad eggs among the Fulani, but those carrying arms and perpetrating heinous killings are not herdsmen.

    “Those carrying arms are criminals and should be treated as such.

    “Government should probe the sources of these weapons and take appropriate action so as to minimise these attacks,” he said.

    The Sultan praised the government’s measures aimed at combating insurgency in the North-east, and cautioned against complacency as the problem was not over.

    He urged Nigerians to complement the efforts of the security agencies toward securing the country, pointing out that security is a collective responsibility.

    He praised efforts by the Federal and Sokoto State governments to restore the glory of the educational and agricultural sectors, and called on Nigerians to support such efforts.

    The Sultan urged Muslims to reflect on, and uphold the virtues of the Ramadan fast, including patience, perseverance and brotherliness

    Emir of Kano Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II called on Nigerians to live in peace with one another.

    Sanusi spoke after he led the Eid prayers at the Kofar Mata Central Eid Ground in Kano.

    He said that there was the need for Nigerians to ensure peaceful co-existence so as to ensure economic growth.

    According to him, no society or country can achieve any development or greatness in an atmosphere of chaos and mistrust.

    Sanusi called on ‘well-to-do’ Muslims to support the less-privileged to alleviate their suffering.

    “I want to use this occasion to call on wealthy individuals to continue to support the poor so as to alleviate their suffering in the society,’’ he said.

    The monarch also urged Muslims to have the fear of God in all their activities, adding that “we all have to give account of our deeds one day to our creator”.

    The prayer was attended by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje and Deputy Governor Hafiz Abubakar, among other dignitaries.