The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria News

  • EU ambassador urges China to release Hong Kong bookseller

    EU ambassador urges China to release Hong Kong bookseller

    The European Union’s ambassador to China on Wednesday joined the Swedish Foreign Ministry in calling on Beijing to release a Hong Kong-based bookseller of Swedish citizenship who was arrested by Chinese authorities at the weekend.

    Amb. Hans-Dietmar Schweisgut has told the EU expects Chinese authorities to immediately release Gui Minhai from detention and to allow him to reunite with his family.

    “Gui should also consulate support and medical support in line with his rights, because he is a Swedish citizen and also a citizen of the EU,’’ Schweisgut noted.

    A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman replied that the ministry had no “new information” about the situation and that it is “unreasonable” for Sweden and the EU to call for Gui’s release.

    “Any foreign country should respect Chinese authorities’ handling of cases of foreign citizens in China according to the law,’’ spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.

    Read Also:EU to immunise children in Lagos

    Hua added that Beijing provides assistance to foreign embassy officials to perform their duties according to international law and that other countries should “educate” their citizens in advance to respect China’s domestic laws.

    Angela Gui said a naturalised Swedish citizen, was arrested on Saturday while en route to Beijing, where he had been due to undergo medical tests, his daughter.

    Gui was detained on a train by plain-clothes police in the presence of two Swedish diplomats.

    According to Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom, Sweden takes Gui’s detention very seriously and expects his immediate release.

    Gui is one of five previously detained Hong Kong publishers with links to a publishing house specialising in books banned in mainland China.

    NAN

  • Nigerian banks not structured to fund SMEs – Chamber

    Nigerian banks not structured to fund SMEs – Chamber

    Mr  Adetokunbo Kayode, President, Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), says the management of the funds for Small, Medium and Enterprises (SMEs) by banks in Nigeria is a weak link in the  financing of small businesses.

    He said this during his inauguration as the 10th President of the Chamber in Abuja on Tuesday.

    “We all appreciate government’s interest to support SMEs, especially on the issue of funding. But the management of the SME funds by the banks is a very huge issue, a weak link in the chain.

    “We all know our banks are not structured to fund SMEs. The organized private sector is therefore ready to help canvass and develop new concepts of alternate funding mechanism for SMEs. This will include finance leasing, peer certification for scrutiny of facility for SMEs,” he said.

    Kayode also called on the Federal Government to fully operate the National Economic Council and urged state governments to replicate same.

    According to him, that is the body that will help plan the economy, where critical policies are determined.

    He said this would bring the era of reactionary and ad hoc policies to an end.

    Read Also:‘We are growing SMEs  to drive Bayelsa’s economy’

    He advised that government at all levels should imbibe the ideal that governance was for the welfare of the people, and that to achieve that, there must be a national vision.

    He explained that vision 20:20:20 died the day it was launched because the government did not conceive, birth and own it.

    “A government must set up its own high ideals and with passion, chart a mission course to achieve that vision,” he said.

    The ACCI president called for an end to the emphasis by government agencies on revenue collection.

    “All these agencies have their core mandates; we want agencies in 2018 and beyond to concentrate on their core function which is to support enterprises to grow, rather than their unbridled demand for payment of revenues.

    “All these make doing business very harrowing and unprofitable. It is unacceptable for a people to pay for compliance with the law. Agencies ought to make it easier, cheaper, to obey the law, then make breaking the law very expensive,” he said.

    Kayode said the chamber would move from an amorphous organogram to a structured organisation. According to him, the chamber will set up a secretariat with four centres, including  business entrepreneurship, skills and technology centre and  the Abuja trade and convention centre.

    Mrs Iyalode Lawson, the National President, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), also called for support from members to achieve its planned goals for the benefits of the association.

    Lawson advised the president to carry out his vision through public policy advocacy tools and in-depth knowledge.

    “The association believes that with the inauguration of the president, the chamber will achieve more remarkable increase in prestige, membership and finances.

    “I look forward to the establishment of new ventures while existing ones continue to thrive,” she said.

    Lawson said NACCIMA would support Abuja Chamber to advocate for policies and programmes that could benefit the private sector and encourage the growth and development of enterprises in Nigeria.

    NAN

  • FG has employed father of quintuplets – Oyo-Ita

    FG has employed father of quintuplets – Oyo-Ita

    Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HOS), on Tuesday, said the Federal Government had employed Mr Imudia Uduehi, the father of the quintuplets born April, 2017 in Abuja.

    Oyo-Ita, who made this disclosure in Abuja on Tuesday while briefing newsmen, said that the appointment letter was given to him last week.

    “Imudia, whose wife delivered five baby girls, was given a three bedroom bungalow in one of the estates under the Federal Integrated Staff Housing (FISH) Scheme.

    “We also promised him a job and I am happy to tell you that Imudia got his appointment letter last week.

    “He is living in his house and he has got a job with one of the Federal Government agencies,’’ she said.

    Uduehi, in an interview confirmed the appointment, stating that he was given an appointment letter to work with the Nigeria Building and Road Research Institute ( NBRRI ), Abuja.

    He said that he was on his way to the organisation for his documentation as at the time of this interview.

    The father of the quintuplets, who is a Computer Science graduate from the University of Ilorin, said the job would allow him to play his fatherly role effectively.

    “I am glad that I have been finally given the job that the Head of Service promised me when she visited my children in the hospital.

    “This job will enable me play my role as a father to my children because it is not an easy task to train five children at once.

    “I sincerely appreciate the Head of Service for the favour she did to me and I pray God to bless her abundantly,’’ Uduehi said.

    It can be recalled that a set of quintuplets was born to the family of the couple in April, 2017 at the National Hospital, Abuja.

    Oyo-Ita promised to employ and provide accommodation for Mrs. Oluwakemi Uduehi, a civil servant and her husband Imudia Udehi, who were living in a one bedroom apartment without any job at the time of her visit.

  • ACF to OBJ: You can’t stop Buhari

    ACF to OBJ: You can’t stop Buhari

    Mouthpiece of Northern Nigeria, the Arewa Consultative Forum ( ACF ), has said that, former President Olusegun Obasanjo cannot stop President Muhammadu Buhari from running again in 2019.

    The Northern socio-cultural group said, though, the former President has right to express his opinion like any other Nigerian, the decision lies with Buhari and his party to either contest or not.

    ACF stated this in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim Biu, reacting to the former President Obasanjo’s call on President Muhammadu Buhari not to seek re-election in 2019.

    According to ACF, “The statement credited to former President Obasanjo that President Buhari should not re-run 2019 election, it is his democratic right to express his view like any other Nigerian on all issues including democracy.

    “However, it is President Buhari’s prerogative and that of his party to decide on whether to re-contest or not”, the statement read.

  • Herdsmen set 150 acres palm plantation ablaze in Ibadan

    Herdsmen set 150 acres palm plantation ablaze in Ibadan

    Two years after Fulani herdsmen invaded a multi-million Naira farmland in Lagun village destroying poultry valued at N100million, and maimed six attendants, the herdsmen again on Sunday invaded the palm trees farm of the settlement and set 150 acres ablaze in a night raid operation which left workers on the farm scampering for safety.

    In an emotion-laden voice, the farm owner who doubles as a former Secretary to Oyo State Government, Mr. Dele Adigun told journalists Tuesday evening after inspection of the gross damage inflicted on the farm that “farmers may be forced to begin to take laws into their hands if this stupidity and unguarded arson continue unabated”.

    He noted that about 1,500 palm trees were destroyed with value yet to be ascertained as at yesterday morning when he visited the place with a team of security agents.

    Said Adigun: “they set my farm ablaze and destroyed about 1,500 palm trees. You recall that six of my attendants were maimed and property destroyed two years ago, precisely March, 2016. We reported to the police and nothing has been done till date. In the 2016 attack, we lost about N100million. And we are yet to quantify this latest attack and that’s what we are contending with now. We have reported to the police and till now they are yet to make any arrest. I am disturbed; I am concerned because we are talking about diversification of economy but with these hoodlums now, there is a problem as many people would not like to go and farm again.

    “It is as if the law enforcement agencies are helpless to tackle this menace. What is DSS, police and other security agencies doing that they cannot make arrest? They go to farm at night and set it ablaze so that when it rains, their cattle can be fed with the new grass. How can you destroy someone’s property to feed your animals for your business to thrive? If care is not taken, farmers may be forced to take law into their hands. I hope we won’t get to such a situation. I am seriously disturbed,” a retired Permanent Secretary piqued.

    Meanwhile, Oyo state Police Command yesterday called for peaceful coexistence between the Fulani herdsmen and the farmers , stressing that there is no vacancy for bloodshed in the state.

    The Police Command who read riot act to all who are planning to cause disharmony in the state, appealed to such trouble maker to either leave the state or be prepared to face unpleasant consequences .

    Addressing a security interactive forum  organised by the state Police Command, the state Commissioner of police , Mr. Abiodun Odude said ” we have to organise this meeting so that we can address some issues that are affecting our farmers and the Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria and we have to take this proactive step in this state so that the existing peaceful atmosphere will not be hindered .”

    Odude said “Oyo state is a very peaceful state and we must make sure we do a lot of things in making sure we are having a peaceful society and that is the reason why we are here today.

    “We must make sure that we are doing  series of meetings with both the farmers and the Fulani herdsmen in the state so that we can address a lot of things that could have cause  serious crisis within them, once we are meeting with them some serious issues that can affect both parties will be discussed and settled amicably and in a peaceful manner without shedding blood.”

    In the same vein, the University of Ibadan Branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities ( ASUU ) has called on Nigerians to stand up for their rights and hold the present government accountable for promises not kept.

    He noted that ASUU, unlike Nigerian politician who will say one thing and do another, ASUU as union of intellectual would always fight for the right of the downtrodden.

    Omole noted that current administration seems to be taking Nigerians for a ride and prioritizing the lives of cows more than the enshrined right to live of Nigerians in the constitution saying that Nigerians must be ready to hold government accountable for their lapses.

  • Osun LG polls: Come out to vote en mass, APC to electorate

    Osun LG polls: Come out to vote en mass, APC to electorate

    The All Progressives Congress ( APC ) in Osun State of has charged the people of the state to come out en masse on Saturday to vote for its candidates in the local government election.

    The party advised the people, particularly the APC supporters to ensure those they prefer to elect to be in charge of their local governments have their votes because “it is a responsibility they should not take lightly.”

    According to the statement by its spokesperson, Kunle Oyatomi “Participation in local government election is as important as any other election in the country, and for locals, it should perhaps be more important for residents of the locality because it is their closest interaction with governance through which they can be heard.

    “Since it is official from the state electoral commission that the election is holding on Saturday, and since no other agency is authorised by law to do so, it is imperative that voters turn up for the election. 
    ‘Nobody should allow himself/herself  to be deceived that there will be no voting on that day. Anyone who says so will be attempting to fool you; so you have to come out and vote for your choice of candidate 

    “Any party that is not participating in the election may be doing so either out of ignorance or fear of possible disgraceful failure at the polls or both. However, the APC already has 280 of its candidates returned unopposed out of the 389 wards; but that’s not a reason to take victory for granted in the remaining 109 wards up for grabs. Go out on Saturday and register a decisive victory by voting for the APC from the rest of the contest.

    “The local government election will give a vivid indication of what the governorship contest of September will be. The APC expects no less than a resounding victory.
    ‘As you read this, ‘the party continued, the PDP, which is the most vitriolic opposition party we have in Osun, is so disorganised that its centre cannot hold.

    “Besides, all efforts to patch the factions together have repeatedly failed; which is an indication that the party is incapable of governing. They are falling apart even before the people of Osun show them the red card for the fourth time. The first time the PDP got the red card was in 2003, (but it took the court’s intervention in 2010 to stop PDP from stealing victory). 

    “The second time was just under a year that Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola came to power in 2011. That was when Sen. Iyiola Omisore and others were removed from the National Assembly. The third humiliation of Omisore and the PDP was in 2014 when in spite of the massive deployment of Federal might in the ex-Senator’s favour, he lost the governorship election woefully.

    “The fourth time will be a double on Saturday and in September 2018 that crushing defeats in both the council and governorship elections will nail the coffins of the PDP once and for all. That will be the crowning glory for a brilliant patriot of Osun origin who has so robustly fought a monstrosity called PDP from stopping progress in Osun. God bless Ogbeni.”

  • Kaduna generated N26.53bn IGR in 2017, targets N42bn in 2018

    Kaduna generated N26.53bn IGR in 2017, targets N42bn in 2018

    The Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service ( KDIRS ) said on Tuesday that it collected N26.53 billion as Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in 2017.

    KDIRS Executive Chairman, Mukhtar Ahmed who made announced this at a news conference in Kaduna, added that the state targeted N42 billion in 2018.

    Ahmed said that the N26.53 billion represented 52 per cent of the N50.2 billion targeted for the year and an increase of N3.5 billion from the N23 billion generated in 2016.

    He added that taxes constituted 51 per cent of the revenue followed by levies and fees.

    He explained that the state did not meet its revenue target because of certain government policies designed to reduce the burden of tax payers.

    He, however, said that measures were being put in place to ensure that this year’s target was met.

    He identified truancy, shortage of manpower and incomplete automation of tax payment in revenue generating agencies as major challenges of revenue collection in the state.

    According to him, the service will soon complete the recruitment of new staff,  mostly youths, to inject fresh blood into the system to improve revenue collection in 2018.

    “Once the recruitment is completed, we will deploy them to the field, to boost our revenue collection instead of using money agents who are sometimes dubious.

    “We will give our staff target, equip them with Point of Sales (PoS) and tricycle to penetrate local markets and directly collect revenue for the state.

    “Not only that, we will also ensure full automation of revenue collection in all the 68 revenue generating agencies in the state.”

    The chairman commended tax payers in the state for their support to the government to ensure that revenue was raised for development.

    He said that 95 per cent of challenges in revenue collection was with the tax collectors, adding that efforts were being made to address the anomaly.

    On his part, KDIRS Legal Adviser, Mr Francis Kozah, reminded tax payers of the existing tax law in the state, adding that the service would prosecute all defaulters in accordance with the law.

    Kozah said that the revenue agency recorded 25 criminal cases relating to tax payments in 2017.

    He also said that 50 cases of tax default were taken to court in 2017 out of which 35 were at various level of prosecution. (NAN

  • DPR issues 13 licenses for modular refineries

    DPR issues 13 licenses for modular refineries

    …NNPC seeks board approval for refineries’ financiers this month

    …eyes 90 per cent capacity utilization 

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation ( NNPC ) yesterday said that out of the  35 interests that were indicated in modular refineries, the Department of Petroleum Resources ( DPR ) had  issued licenses to 13.

    The Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru, who made this disclosure said that he had already been invited to the ground breaking ceremony of the first one in Bayelsa in February. 

    He said “So far, about 35 interests for modular refineries have been declared and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has issued licenses to about 13 and I have been invited to the ground breaking ceremony of the first one in Bayelsa next month.”

    Baru also said that NNPC was targeting to forward the agreements for the selection of financials for the Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited (PHRC), Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited (WRPC) and the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited to the corporation’s board during its meeting this month. 

    The corporation’s boss, according to the statement that the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu issued yesterday, said that Baru 

    disclosed this while briefing members of staff of the corporation on the fuel supply situation in the country during a town hall meeting in Abuja.

    He added that once NNPC secured the funding, it would commence the rehabilitation of the refineries.

    The target, said the statement, was to achieve 90 per cent capacity utilization before the end of next year.

    He said “We are pushing towards the final selection of our financiers and we expect that when that is done, we’ll get the agreements and present them to our board, meeting this month to secure their endorsement and once we have the funding, we would start the rehabilitation of the refineries towards a 90 per cent capacity utilization per stream day before the end of 2019.”

    NNPC said that the development was to uphold the promise to boosting petroleum products supply and distribution in the Country

    He described the procedure for electing the financiers as painstaking, noting, however, that it was necessary to enable a desired closure on the subject.

    Baru said the corporation was also encouraging new refining capacities to come on board, adding that there were two consortia that have indicated interest to co-locate refineries in Warri and Port Harcourt.

    He said NNPC would provide whatever utility services the companies might require, such as power, processed steam, water and land, stressing that the corporation has agreed in broad terms on areas of collaboration to fast track the development.

    “Am happy to inform you that progress has been made, up to the level of an acceptable detailed engineering design and we are in the process of mobilizing some of the refineries already identified for installation in Nigeria,” the GMD informed.

    He said the Kaduna State Government was also championing a proposal to co-locate another refinery close to the KRPC with the intent of sourcing Nigerien crude for its operations.

    Baru stated that other Greenfield refineries were to be brought on board soon in Kano and Kaduna, stressing while on board, they would source their crude from Niger Republic.

    He said the designs for the proposed refineries in Kano and Kaduna were ready, saying their construction would commence this year.

    The NNPC GMD revealed that the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the corporation were collaborating to encourage the establishment of modular refineries in the Niger Delta area to encourage job creation.

    He noted that the Federal Government and the NNPC would continue to encourage private sector initiatives that would bring in competition in the petroleum products supply and distribution network so as to guarantee energy sufficiency for the country.

    Dr. Baru hinted that the corporation was also exploring other sources of energy that could substitute Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petrol, in cars and motorcycles, saying the use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to power vehicles in Benin City is the right step in the right direction.

    He said over 3,000 vehicles were now CNG-powered in the ancient city, making them, he stated, more secured, more efficient, given that gas is a cleaner source of energy.

    Encouraging the development of infrastructure such as roads, railways and waterways are other means by which NNPC plans to lessen the pressure on PMS consumption, the GMD said.

    He applauded the Federal Government for approving the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano pipeline project, stating that the gesture would go a long way in supporting the NNPC’s transmutation into an integrated energy company.

    He said the project when completed would create the needed back bone for the Abuja’s 1,350 megawatts power plant, Kaduna’s 900 megawatts power plant and Kano’s 1,350 megawatts power plant.

    The NNPC GMD said the operations of the corporation were being challenged by incessant vandalism of crude and products pipelines and kidnapping of staff, adding that the corporation would continue to engage members of the host communities to emplace growth and development of the local communities.

  • Fashola opposes 1% allocation to FERMA for road rehabilitation

    Fashola opposes 1% allocation to FERMA for road rehabilitation

    Mr Babatunde Fashola, the Minister of Works, Power and Housing, yesterday expressed his disapproval over a bill seeking to allocate 1 per cent from the consolidated revenue fund to the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency ( FERMA ) for the rehabilitation of roads across the country.

    He made his opposition to the proposed law known during the public hearing on two bills meant to harmonise the FERMA Act with that of the Federal Highway Bill so that the minister of Works, Power and Housing may have some powers of granting roads concession.

    The Minister said the implication of the passage of the bills will be negative and will probably be at variance with the intention of the lawmakers.

    “Section 5 deals with the funding of the Agency and what it says is to provide a lump sum by percent page from the Consolidated Fund to the Agency,” 

    “I am not certain that it is the intention of the National Assembly to give 1 per cent of the consolidated revenue fund to one agency,” adding that rather, the agency should come up with a well laid out budget profile of its needs and debt profile  which will then be properly appropriated.

     He added that the main ministry with its many responsibilities did not have such funds at its disposal.

    Certain aspects of the proposed bill were in conflict with the constitution and were duplications of the National Roads fund bill and the Federal Road Authority bill.

    The creation of states’ road maintenance agencies in section 2 of the one of the bills, he said, already had Judicial interpretation which states that one arm of government cannot create responsibility for another arm of government. According to him, it was also inconsistent with the constitution.

    He also opposed the sections which seeks to empower FERMA erect toll gates and well as collect fees. ” It’s in conflict with the Federal Highways Act which gives he Minister the power to do such . It conflicts with the Act which was from the National Assembly,” he said.

    Mediayedu Stephen, who represented the Ministry of Finance, lauded the provisions in the proposed bill, saying the erection of toll gates as included in the amendment bill  was a good development.

    “This is mostly the avenue through which the private sector can recoup their investment in the advent of any road concession. However the administration of toll gate by the proposed state road agencies may impede concessioning by the Federal Government,” he said.

    Mr Emmanuel Akissa, Legal Adviser, who represented the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, supported the creation of toll gates.

    His words: “this bill is right in time and a step in the right direction as its passage would assist the government with the funds that will be generated at the several toll gate around the nation in the funding of projects along the Federal roads.”

    There should be provisions that clearly state the working relationship between the FERMA and the road agency established for the state, he said, adding that the administration and distribution of funds should not be tied to the existence of state road maintenance agency.

    He further stated that ” the power of FERMA to erect toll gate should be harmonised with the power of the minister to erect toll gate under the Federal Highway Act.”

     President, Nigerian Society of Engineers, Mr Adekunle Mokoulu, it was not necessary to have inserted state roads management agency in the bill as it was already a precondition stipulated in the National Roads fund (NRF) for states to access the fund.

    He said: “We think that the state assembly will not be directed from Abuja on which laws to pass. We believe that the provision in the NRF that, ‘Only state roads authorities can access the funds’ suffices and has already taken care of this insertion. Tolling is but one of the numerous proposed sources of funding the roads maintenance.’’

    Hon. Jerry Alagbaoso, Chairman of the Committee, said that it was discovered during the committee’s oversight function, that critical portions of roads especially Federal interlinking roads and inter changes vital to various part of the country were in bad conditions.

    “These roads that need to be taken care of as a matter of urgency and emergency were not captured in the past budgets,” he said.