The Nation Newspaper

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Harmattan hampers voters turn out in Jigawa Local Govt election

The local government election in Jigawa State was conducted peacefully yesterday even though voter turnout was low.

The harmattan was blamed for the situation.

Polling unit accreditation and voting commenced on schedule in most polling units, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The exercise started 30 minutes behind schedule in polling units in Angwan Gabas, Walawa, Fada and Eid, in Kazaure town.

The situation was the same in Galama, Sarkin Bai, and Kofar Fada, in Gumel Local Government.

An election official at one of the units in Auyo attributed the development to the harmattan season, which he said kept people indoors during morning hours.

He also said that some of the voters could have gone to the farm and might be coming to vote later in the day.

In Kayawa Local Government, however, the exercise commenced on schedule with impressive turnout of voters.

Units visited in Kiyawa were Zanga, Zakire-Gaba, Sabongarin Kanti and Zakire Yamma, among others.

Security was tight and voting materials were available.

Business activities also continued uninterrupted as some people did not abide by the directive of the Police Command, restricting movement from 7a.m to 3p.m.

January 19, 2014
230 killed in Nasarawa road crashes in 12 months

No fewer than 230 lives were lost in road accidents in Nasarawa State between January 2013 and January 2014, according to the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC).

The Sector Commander of the FRSC in the state, Francis Udoma, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia that the deaths were recorded in 85 crashes in the state within the period.

Udoma described 74 of the accidents as serious and 11 minor and that in all the incidents, 2,461 injuries of various degrees were recorded.

He attributed the accidents to reckless driving and asked motorists to respect traffic rules and the rights of other road users.

“Driving is a noble profession and as such, people should go to the driving school and learn how to drive,” he advised.

Udoma urged the Nasarawa State Government to establish driving schools where government drivers and other individuals would be trained.

According to him, the measure will reduce the number of accidents on highways.

January 19, 2014
NRA boss wants improved remuneration for referees

The Nigeria Referees Association (NRA) on Monday appealed to the League Management Committee (LMC) to review the remuneration of referees to ensure fair officiating in the 2013/2014 Glo Premier League season.

The National President of the association, Ahmed Maude, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Maude said improved incentives would spur the referees to officiate matches without fear or favour, pointing out that officiating was part of the criteria required to certify the credibility of the league.

“We cannot over-emphasise the fact that match officials have a primary role in the development of the nation’s league.

“A good league is judged by the credibility of its officiating; the LMC, therefore, needs to improve on the remuneration of our officials and we are appealing to the committee to look into this before the league kicks off in February.

“Referees are an integral part of football, but are often overlooked. We are booed a lot by fans when their anticipations are not met.

“We are also unfairly accused and molested at some match venues,” he said.

“Our remuneration should, therefore, be enough to compensate for all the challenges that referees go through,’’ he added.

On their level of preparedness for the season, Maude told NAN that the referees were ready whenever the LMC and club managers fixed a date for the commencement of the season.

January 15, 2014
Gunmen shoot Jonathan’s photographer

Gunmen on Monday night shot a photojournalist working with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Callistus Ewelike, in Abuja.

He was attacked in front of his house in Nyanya, Abuja, between 10pm and 11pm by two men who were riding a motorbike.

Ewelike, who is attached to the State House, is acting as President Goodluck Jonathan’s official photographer.

He was attacked in front of his residence after covering an assignment attended by the President in Durumi and Shape communities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

As the victim was coming out of his vehicle, one of the assailants reportedly confronted him and shot him in the neck at close range.

The assailants reportedly sped off the scene when the gunshot attracted residents of the area.

No personal item was stolen from the victim. Ewelike was rushed by his neighbours to a nearby hospital.

He was later transferred to the National Hospital, Abuja where medical doctors are preparing him for surgery. He is said to be in a stable condition.

Abuja Police spokesman DSP Altine Daniel confirmed the incidence.

She said the Commissioner of Police Femi Ogunbayide had directed ‘’full scale investigation’’ into the shooting and gave a marching order for the manhunt and arrest of the assailants.

Some armed men a few months ago visited Ewelike’s residence and robbed him of his working tools, including camera, a laptop and some personal effects.

January 15, 2014
Fed Govt, electricity workers agree on severance payment deadline

The Federal Government and the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) have agreed that payment of severance benefits to former workers of PHCN would be completed by end of January 2014.

This is contained in a resolution reached at the end of a reconciliatory meeting between the two in response to 14 days ultimatum letter by the NUEE.

The resolution which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday was signed by Dr Clement Illoh, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity.

Others were Amb. Godknows Igali, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Power, (FMP), Mrs Omojola Martina, Represntative of Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), and Mr Mansur Musa, National President, NUEE.

Mr Olusegun Babatunde, General Secretary NUEE, Mr Bede Opara, President General, Senior Staff Association of Electricity and Allied Companies (SSAEAC) AND Mr Abiodun Ogunsegha, General Secretary, SSAEAC also signed.

They resolved that: “The allegation of non-payment of entitlements to staff covering July 2012 should be referred back to the implementation committee for conclusion within January 2014.

“The complaint of victimisation of labour leaders to be handled by the FMP and BPE in accordance with extant regulations within January 2014.

“ Workers who are being owed salary arrears and have not been severed will be paid by the Federal Government and should stay in position until they are paid.

“The FMP and BPE would fund a workshop to be organised by Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity in the first week of February 2014 for the new investors, unions and other stakeholders in the industry.’’

They also resolved that all admitted casuals would also be paid on or before the end of March 2014 while progressive payments would be tracked.

It directed that all pensions should be processed and payments effected accordingly.

“Furthermore, the 7.5 per cent employer pension contribution of July 2012 to Oct. 31, 2013 will be paid.

“Payment of deductions from Nov. 1, 2013 to date will be paid by the new operators into workers Retirement Savings Accounts (RSA).

“BPE and FMP are to fast track approval and payment of death benefits to beneficiaries within one month’’, it was further agreed.

On staff re-engagement letters said to be withheld by some new investors, it was agreed that the BPE should submit comprehensive list of the re-engaged staff for confirmation.

It also directed the implementation committee to set up verification subcommittee to establish payment of certain entitlements listed in agreement of Oct. 2013 and identify those stations that had paid or not.

The resolution stated that any reduction in the stoppage of salaries and wages of staff by the new investors was a violation of Section 21 of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act 2005.

It directed that such deductions should be reversed by defaulting operators where it occurred.

“BPE should submit the list of the 483 unclear Retirement Savings Account (RSA) Holders to the technical sub-committee for rectification.

January 15, 2014
Budgetary allocation to agriculture woeful, says Actionaid

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Actionaid Nigeria has called for more budgetary allocation to the agriculture sector, to ensure food security in the country.

Its Country Director, Dr Hussaini Abdu, spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja yesterday.

Abdu said in the last five years, only 3.5 per cent of the national budget had been allocated to agriculture annually.

He noted that the Federal Government had increased attention to agriculture in recent years with the introduction of policies to boost productivity but that budgetary allocation and spending on the sector had remained woeful.

“Nigeria’s budgetary allocation and actual spending on agriculture are woefully inadequate to reduce poverty, especially on the key services needed by smallholder farmers.

“Nigeria spends little on agriculture, a sector that is a major branch of the economy, which provides employment for 70 per cent of the population.”

According to him, the agriculture sector is the largest contributor to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), contributing about 40 per cent “yet it faces massive challenges”.

The NGO’s director stressed that the government was neglecting smallholder farmers, particularly women, who constitute the majority of that category of farmers in the country.

He blamed the widespread poverty in the country on the failure of successive governments to fund agriculture appropriately.

He faulted the government‘s recent drive towards private sector investment focusing on commercial agriculture, saying it was unrealistic and would further increase poverty.

According to him, smallholder farmers, who are not being encouraged in the process, produce 90 per cent of Nigeria’s food.

Abdu claimed that most poverty alleviation policies in the country lacked special provisions for women, especially those involved in agriculture.

He said only fractions of the agricultural research budgets were targeted at women.

“Although the government has a number of schemes that promote credit, none as far as we are aware, specifically target women farmers.’’

He advised that government should increase agricultural spending and reduce “leakages and corruption, and provide appropriate training as well as access to finance for smallholder women farmers”.

January 14, 2014
Critical sectors need more investment, says ex-CBN director

A financial analyst, Titus Okorounmu, has advised the Federal Government to invest the 27 per cent earmarked for capital expenditure in the 2014 federal budget on critical sectors.

Okorounmu, a former director at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), gave the suggestion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

NAN reports that of 27 per cent of the N4.6 trillion Federal Government budget for 2014 is earmarked for capital projects, while the recurrent expenditure is about 72 per cent.

According to him, the government should set aside N500 million for small and medium businesses as part of ongoing economic transformation programme.

“The small businesses should have access to this pool of funds to grow and develop the sector.

”It is a fact that the small businesses are the engine of growth and development in every economy,” he said.

Okorounmu said that the government could expand the economy by rehabilitating the refineries and increase their current capacities to meet domestic demand for petroleum products.

“The existing capacity can also be expanded and the excess of the products exported to some West African countries.

“Since refineries in the sub region are not commensurate with the population of the region, automatically the countries are large markets for our products,” he said.

Okorounmu also urged the government to introduce macroeconomic policies to support local manufacturers.

“Indigenous manufacturers should be given some import duty waivers in order to crash their cost of production.

“The waivers could come inform of machineries and equipment that support production,” he said.

January 14, 2014
Bureau prosecutes 371 offenders

The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) yesterday said it prosecuted 371 cases between 2011 and last year.

It said in a report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja,that 10 convictions were secured while 293 of the cases were struck out.

The report said 68 of the cases were still pending before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, while 278 petitions were received and considered.

CCB added that investigations into 67 of the petitions were concluded while 30 petitions are being investigated.

January 8, 2014
LASU strike: Union wants govt to release resolution

The Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU), Lagos State University, Ojo Chapter, wants the State Government to release the resolution of the meeting held between both parties in November 2013.

Mr Saheed Oseni, the chairman of the chapter, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Lagos that the union would not call off its ongoing strike until it received the resolution.

“Congress had concluded that the union must receive the resolution of the meeting it held with the representatives of the government before it suspends its strike. This is because we ought to have an official document to refer to in the future,’’ he said.

Oseni said the state government was taking too much time to release the resolution.

“The deliberation with the representatives of the state government was promising and hopeful but we do not know why it is taking so long to release the resolution“, he said.

The chairman warned the university’s management to refrain from lobbying some members of the union to resume work.

Mr Sola Fosudo, Acting Director, Centre for Information, Press and Public Relation Unit, told NAN that the management had done everything possible to resolve the issues with the union.

NAN reports that the university’s chapter of SSANU has been on strike since September 30, 2013.

January 8, 2014
UNICEF to collaborate with North to bring one million girls back to school

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Representative to Nigeria, Ms. Jean Gough, says the organisation will collaborate with State Governments in the North to bring one million girls back to school in seven years.

Jean spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Lagos.

She listed states that would benefit from the seven-year girl-child education initiative as Sokoto, Zamfara, Niger, Kastina and Bauchi.

“We have observed a widening gap between the education of boys in the South and girls in the North. Therefore, in 2014, we are to ensure that in the next seven years, one million girls in the northern part of Nigeria come back to school.

“We will be working through the various education systems of our partners to ensure that all girls in these states return to school,” she said.

Jean said the project was aimed at ensuring that boys and girls had equal access to education.

According to her, the organisation plans to create new offices in Borno, Kastina and Sokoto states to facilitate the execution of the programme.

January 7, 2014