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Tag: Nigeria News

  • Four die in accident on Ogun road

    Four die in accident on Ogun road

    Four persons, including a cyclist, were killed on Ijebu – Igbo township road, Ogun State, in an accident when a Nissan Primera  car ran into a commercial motorcycle rider on Tuesday.
    The Primers car which was coming from Oruu town, it was learnt, was heading to Ijebu – Igbo but lost control of the wheel following a malfunctioned break and rammed into the cyclist carrying a passenger.
    The Public Relations Officer of the the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency ( TRACE ), Babatunde Akinbiyi, who confirmed the accident said  two persons died on the side of the cyclist while two others died  in the car.
    According to him while three if the victims died on the way while being taken to Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (Sagamu), one other died at State Hospital, Ijebu – Igbo.
    According to Babatunde, the dead comprised of two males and two females.
    “Two  occupants on  the okada died as well as two  in the  Nissan vehicle, out of the six  occupants in it when the accident happened. The Nissan is private but used for commercial purposes,” he said.
  • PDP: Obasanjo’s letter vindicates our position on Buhari, APC

    PDP: Obasanjo’s letter vindicates our position on Buhari, APC

    The Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) has said that the scathing open letter by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, detailing the poor performance of President Muhammadu Buhari has confirmed its poor rating of the President and the ruling All Progressives Congress ( APC ).

    Obasanjo had, in the letter, advised Buhari to perish the thought about seeking re-election in 2019 even as he described the administration as incompetent and nepotistic in its pattern of key federal appointments.

    A statement on Tuesday by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said Obasanjo’s intervention was courageous, timeous and patriotic, adding that such has vindicated its position on President Buhari and the APC.

    The opposition party however rejected the call by Chief Obasanjo for a third force, saying that such would amount to repeating the same blunder that brought in the “ideologically vacuous APC and the Buhari Presidency” which it said has wrecked havoc on the nation in its almost three years of governance.

    The PDP further sated that it’s obvious that President Buhari and the APC have irredeemably failed the nation, adding that Nigerians have already taken an irrevocable position against them ahead of the 2019 elections.

    According to the PDP, Chief Obasanjo’s counsel has rekindled the fate of the people in the democratic process, stressing however that the solution does not lie in creating another political quicksand in a third force but consolidating on a rescue mission with the repositioned PDP which it said Nigerians have already embraced.

    The party recalled that in the heat of the 2015 elections, many citizens who claimed to have become tired of the PDP and its government, opted for a coalition of strange bedfellows that had little or no experience in governance as a vehicle for electoral victory.

    “Expectedly, in their confusion, they have plunged us into this regrettable situation that has brought our nation to its knees”, the statement added.

    Continuing, the PDP said, “Repeating the old mistake of congregating political strangers cannot help our nation at this time, more so, when the few concerns raised by the former President about the PDP no longer obtain under the refocused and rebranded PDP.

    “The PDP is now standing on a truly democratic ground that perfectly represents and reflects the hopes and aspirations of all Nigerians irrespective of their class, creed or tribe.

    “That is why our great party has now, more than ever before, become a centre of the new patriotic and broad-based engagements by well-meaning Nigerians and coalitions across board, including past leaders, in rekindling our democratic process that places priority on returning power to the people.

    “The fact is that Nigerians overrated President Buhari in 2015, but they have now seen that he never possessed the capacity and the required aptitude to effectively govern our great nation and pilot a healthy economy.

    “This accounts for the reason former President Obasanjo, just like most Nigerians today, are concerned about the quality of presidential candidates to be presented by various parties for the 2019 election.

    “The fact is that while the APC is already caught up with President Buhari, the PDP is open for a new engagement that will throw up the President, which our nation truly deserves at this crucial moment”

    The party called on Nigerians, including leaders across board, to come together to rebuild the nation on PDP’s consolidated base rather than traversing on another learning curve”.

  • Oxfam urges FG to block leakages used by powerful individuals to evade tax

    Oxfam urges FG to block leakages used by powerful individuals to evade tax

    An international nongovernmental organization, Oxfam in Nigeria, has called on the Federal Government to work more to block all the leakages that powerful individuals explore to avoid tax and collect huge returns.

    Acting Country Director, Oxfam in Nigeria, Constant Tchona, made the call at a media roundtable in Abuja on Tuesday.

    According to him, if the leakages are blocked properly, it would add more revenue to government which could be used to provide infrastructure and other essential services to the poor.  

    He said the fortunes of the rich are often boosted by tax dodging and evasion, big returns to shareholders and executives.

    Tchona said: “While the rich individuals are avoiding taxes, the poor are burdened with multiple taxations which hinder their businesses to grow. Poorly paid work for the many is supporting extreme wealth for the few. Women are the worse hit, and almost all super-rich are men, that is how the richest 1% accumulated 82% of the wealth created last year.

    “We salute Nigeria Government’s efforts to alleviate poverty in programmes such as, the National Home-Grown School Feeding, N-Power for unemployed graduates, Conditional Cash Transfer, and the Government Empowerment and Enterprise Programme.

    “We also commend the government on the review of the National Tax Policy, which if properly implemented will solve the issues related to tax and revenue leakages. We request Government to do more to implement policy that will close the gap between the rich and the poor.

    “We ask government to work more to block all the leakages that the powerful individuals explore to avoid tax and collect huge returns. If done properly, this will give more revenues to government to provide infrastructure and other essential services to the poor.”

    Tchona said inequality remained a major concern for Oxfam as world leaders are meeting in Davos, Switzerland at the World Economic Forum to deliberate on global economic issues.

    He noted that Nigerians were worried by the widening inequality gap in the country.

    Tchona explained that only the federal government can create a more equal society by prioritizing ordinary workers and small-scale food producers instead of the rich and powerful.

    “It is hard to find a political or business leader these days who is not saying they are worried about inequality. Yet, actions not words, are what counts. Only Governments can create a more equal society by prioritizing ordinary workers and small-scale food producers instead of the rich and powerful.

    “We are therefore calling on the government to: to ensure that all workers whether salaried or not receive a living wage that would enable them to have a decent life; eliminate the gender pay gap and protect the rights of female workers; ensure that the wealthy pay their fair share of taxes through a progressive tax regime and government cracks down on tax avoidance to invest more essential services for the poor,” he added.

  • NNPC in fresh corruption scandal

    NNPC in fresh corruption scandal

    The Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, yesterday accused the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation ( NNPC ), of involvement in a fresh multi-million dollar corruption.

    Melaye at plenary yesterday, claimed that NNPC is involved a “monumental corruption” which the Senate should look into.

    He noted that the NNPC allegedly registered a company by the name Brass NLG.

    The firm, he said, is jointly owned by investors from Italy, Belgium, France, among others.

    Melaye said that contrary to statutory provisions that the account of the company be domiciled in the Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN ), NNPC and its partners, instead, opened an account with a commercial bank.

    He noted that the account has no Bank Verification Number (BVN).

    He claimed that monies running into millions of dollars have been withdrawn from the account so far.

    Melaye said: “While some individuals and government appointees would continue to steal, we have decided to continue to expose corruption in public life. This morning (yesterday), I draw the attention of the Nigerian Senate, a suspected colossal, monumental corruption in NNPC.

    “Mr. President, a company was registered with the name Brass NLG limited with the federal government having controlling shares and we have some Italians, Belgians, French people who are shareholders with the Federal Government in controlling shares of about 50 per cent.

    “It is known fact that once you have a joint venture, the account of such joint venture should be domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria. But in this case, that was not what happened. An account was opened with Keystone bank.

    “This account has no BVN and there have been periodic withdrawals. The last withdrawal from that account was to the tune of $4 million. As I speak to you, the balance of that account as at today is $137 million.”

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, sought the approval of the Senate to allow Melaye to bring a proper motion.

    When the motion was put to a voice vote, the senators voted in the affirmative.

  • Senate seeks forensic audit of $16.3b Egina oil project

    Senate seeks forensic audit of $16.3b Egina oil project

    The Senate yesterday mandated the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation ( NNPC ) to carry out immediate forensic audit for money of the controversial $16.3 billion Egina oil project.

    The upper chamber also asked the NNPC to furnish it with all the documents, including agreements entered into between it and the Total Upstream Nigeria Limited Egina Project.

    The Senate ad-hoc committee on Local Content gave the directive at the continuation of the investigative hearing of the $16.3 billion Egina oil project.

    The project being undertaken by Total Upstream Nigeria Limited, which started in 2013 and is almost 90% completed has not been audited in any form since the commencement of the project estimated to produce 200,000 barrels of oil per day

    Chairman of the committee, Senator Solomon Adeola in his opening remarks, said that the cost of the project was said to have been raised from $6 billion to $16.3 billion.

    Adeola noted that though nobody is on trial, the Senate wanted to ensure that the country was not short changed in the process of the project.

    The Lagos West lawmaker stated that there is need for a value for money audit both for technical and financial audit adding that the investigation will be greatly assisted by the values for money audit of the project as well as reveal adherence to local content law and other applicable laws in the industry.

    The panel chairman said that necessary information that would guide future transactions was also needed by the Senate.

    He insisted that NNPC should, without further delay, initiate value for money audit of the Egina oil projects which must be concluded in record time.

    He noted that until the value for money audit was conducted and successfully concluded, the Senate will not be in a position to support any such project.

    Adeola warned that the auditors must not be part of Total Upstream to ensure that the exercise was credible.

    NNPC Chief Operating Officer (Upstream) Bello Rabiu, in his testimony, told the committee that the contract sum for the Egina oil project remained $16.3 billion and not $6 billion.

    Out of the $16.3 billion, Rabiu said that they have already approved $10 billion for the project.

    On the source of the $16.3 billion, he said that the money belongs to Total Upstream Nigeria Limited.

    Rabiu said, “Total has the money and the technology and they are to produce oil as agreed.”

    The NNPC official noted that even if the money was borrowed, it is seen as Total money.

    According to him, from conception, the agreement was for Total to provide money and technology “how they provide the money is Total business and not the business of NNPC.”

    Rabiu added that any money spent on the project must be approved by the NNPC “and we have so far approved $10 billion for the project.”

    The committee was alarmed that the NNPC was in the dark about the interest rate attached to the money provided by Total.

    It was also worried that a whopping $3 billion was built into the contract sum as miscellaneous expenses.

    On the ownership of the Egina oil block, Rabiu said that it longs to the NNPC since it had never been allocated to anybody.

    Asked if the NNPC has conducted value for money audit since the project started in 2013, Rabiu said no such audit had been carried out.

    The committee wondered why no value for money audit had been carried out on a project of the magnitude of $16.3 billion.

     Nicolas Terraz, Managing Director of Total Upstream Nigeria Limited, (TUPNI) led the company’s delegation to honour your invitation to the investigative hearing on the motion of the Senate on Local Content Elements and Cost variations relating to the Egina oil field.

    Terraz said, “I consider it a topmost priority to appear in person along with the Deputy Managing Director and other related officials of Total Upstream Nigeria Limited, TUPNI, at today’s hearing, not only to demonstrate our respect for the distinguished Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria but also to provide some insights as a form of overview on the subject of the investigation. My team and I are grateful for this opportunity.

    “The Egina project, located on OML 130, is the largest oil and gas development currently on-going in Nigeria. The field is being developed by Total Upstream Nigeria Limited (TUPNI) in partnership with NNPC, CNOOC, SAPETRO and PETROBRAS. Operated by Total Upstream Nigeria Ltd, the project was launched in 2013 and is expected to start producing in the 4th quarter of 2018. It will add 200,000 barrels per day to Nigeria’s oil production, or approximately 10% of the country’s total oil production.

    “Being the first major deepwater development project launched after the enactment of the Nigeria Oil & Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act, the Egina project has the highest level of local content of any such project so far.

    “As operator of the Egina project, Total Upstream Nigeria Ltd fully identifies with the Government aspirations for Nigerian Content and has been working closely with the Nigerian Content Development Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) to maximize Nigerian Content on the project.

    “In response to the Committee letter of December 15, 2017, TUPNI has provided a detailed submission to the ad-hoc committee on January 8, 2018. To summarize our submission, below are a few local content highlights of the project, all of which were achieved in close collaboration with and under the supervision of the NCDMB.

    “Employment: the project represents a workload of 24 million man-hours worked in Nigeria, or 77% of total project workload, equivalent to a workforce of 3,000 persons on average during 5 years ;

    “ Fabrication : 60,000 tons of equipment is being fabricated in Nigeria for the project ;

    “Infrastructure: several large-scale industrial facilities were developed in Nigeria for the project, including Africa’s first FPSO integration quay, and several existing fabrication yards were upgraded for the project;

    “Capacity development: over 560,000 man-hours of human capacity development training is being performed across Egina contracts.

    “The detailed breakdown of employment, local fabrication and capacity development across the Egina packages is included in the submission made to the Committee on January 8.

    “The Egina project includes pioneering Nigerian Content achievements:

    “The Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading unit (FPSO) of Egina, a 330-meter long vessel designed to process oil and gas from the Egina field, will be berthed at the quayside in Nigeria for integration of locally fabricated modules – a first for Nigeria;

    “ Egina has the highest number of FPSO topside modules (six) to ever be fully fabricated and integrated in Nigeria;

    “The assembly of the Integrated Control and Safety System of the FPSO was fully performed in Nigeria;

    “ Egina includes the fabrication of the largest subsea equipment (manifolds, risers) ever completed in Nigeria.

    “Engineering

    “ Basic Engineering for the Egina Project was performed in Lagos by three Nigerian Companies – NETCO/BATELITWIN, CRESTECH and DOVER – representing 94% of the total man-hours spent.

    “Total’s Egina Project Management team (PMT) and all the main contractors’ PMT offices are based in Nigeria – a first for a Nigerian FPSO project. Locating these teams in Lagos to carry out project management, engineering and procurement activities has resulted in the generation of significant employment opportunities for Nigerians at various skill levels, ranging from top level engineers and managers to office administrative staff.

    “Detailed Engineering for the Egina FPSO Topsides was executed in Nigeria by Samsung with a consortium of Nigerian engineering companies (NETCO, DeltaAfrik and IESL), all based in Lagos, which at the peak employed about 250 Nigerian engineers.

    “To date, around 2.5 million engineering man-hours have been expended in Nigeria out of a total of 3.0 million man-hours (84%).

    “Fabrication

    “The unprecedented record level of Nigerian Content on all the packages of the Egina project has translated into increased work scopes for several fabrication yards at various locations in Nigeria, in some cases calling for significant facility development and capacity expansion investments by the project.

    “Specifically, the following yards were either built or upgraded to support fabrication and integration works of the various components of Egina project:

    “SHI-MCI Yard in Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics Base (LADOL), Lagos: a new fabrication and integration yard, including a new purpose-built 500-meter long integration quay, has been constructed under the FPSO package contract.

    “Aveon Yard, Port Harcourt:  Upgrade of the yard and construction of new facilities was completed for the Subsea Production Systems (SPS).

    “FMC Base, Onne: Upgrade of the facility under the SPS package contract.

    “Saipem Yard in Port Harcourt (SCNL): first Quad-Joint plant in Nigeria enabling to weld 4 pipe joints together in order to gain efficiency and productivity during the offshore installation phase.

    “ Gil Automation Facility, Lagos: Upgrade of facility for the Integrated Control & Safety Systems (ICSS) Panel assembly under the ICSS Package contract.

    “In addition, coating of the 75 kilometres of oil production, water injection and gas line pipes for the Egina project has been fully executed within Nigeria by Pipe Coaters Nigeria Limited (PCNL).

    “I am pleased to inform the ad-hoc committee that the Egina FPSO will be arriving in SHI-MCI yard in Lagos tomorrow, January 24. This is a key milestone for the projet, and will be the first time ever that an FPSO is berthed at quay side in Nigeria for the lifting and integration of locally fabricated modules. I would therefore like to invite this distinguished committee to view this exceptional facility and the magnitude of the works performed in Nigeria.

    “Regarding the project cost, there has been no upward review of the budgeted costs for the Egina Project since the Final Investment Decision was made in 2013, but rather concerted efforts to deliver the project within the budget and even below it.

    “Specifically, as we have earlier stated, the initial budget established in 2013 for the Egina Project was $16,354 million and after extensive cost optimization by TUPNI and the project partners, this figure was revised downwards to $15,751 million in May 2013 and the Final Investment Decision was made on the basis of this reduced budget figure.

    “In this respect, please be assured that it is the highest priority for TUPNI as Operator to control the cost of the project during the execution phase and to deliver the project within budget.

    “Distinguished Senators please permit me to conclude by highlighting the following:

    “With the arrival of the Egina FPSO within the week, the Egina project is very much on course. TUPNI and her partners are committed to the delivery of the project on schedule with first oil expected by December this year. In doing so, we will be adding 200,000 barrels of oil to Nigeria’s oil production.

    “Egina project has recorded many “firsts” in the area of Nigerian content development being the first project of its magnitude since the enactment of the NOGICD Act.

      “There has been no upward review of the budgeted costs of the Egina Project, but rather concerted efforts have been made to deliver the project within and even below the budget. 

    “We urge the distinguished senators to kindly take note that the Egina project was embarked upon at a time of immense uncertainties in the operating, fiscal and regulatory environment. Egina therefore is a symbol of confidence, commitment and faith in Nigeria by TUPNI and her partners.”

    The Total Upstream Nigeria Limited Egina Project with capacity for 200,000 barrels per day, located about 20km from Akpo field lies within the oil mining lease (OML) 130 and covers an area of around 500 square miles.

    Contract for the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of a Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO), unit is said to be strategic to the successful delivery of the entire Egina Project.

  • No room for herdsmen/farmers clash in Oyo, Police warn

    No room for herdsmen/farmers clash in Oyo, Police warn

    The 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 alot 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.”

    while speaking at the forum,  the special adviser to the state governor on security matters , who also represent governor Abiola Ajimobi at the event,  Mr. Segun Abolarinwa said “I commend the state police commissioner for organizing this kind of summit and it is because you are very proactive. The peace we are all enjoying in the state is a collective efforts of all the stakeholders in the state as led by the Oyo state police command.

    He further said “We don’t want what is happening in others states in the country to happen here and that is why this meeting is very crucial at this time. You can all see that we don’t have a problem with the NURTW and also the level of robbery and other crime have drastically reduced so, everybody are sleeping with their  eyes closed and we don’t want anybody to import what does not belong to us here and started creating problem for us, that is why I said this meeting is crucial and we must appreciate the organisers of the stake holders meeting.

    “I have the privilege to have lived within the Hausa/Fulani people in Ejigbo when I was so young then and people are living in peace together and it was the Gah fulani that we use to go and buy wara { Milk Cake}  and all sorts and we are all living together in peaceful environment,  so I don’t want anyone to bring or import any problem that is not ours here.

    “we just have to be living together in peace in  Nigeria because we are so many and we have to learn how to tolerate one another , for we have no where to run to,  God forbids if we have crisis. Our neighbours in right hand which is Benin Republic are just about four million ,  so, we with our population as many as we are,  where are we likely to run to if we have crisis within us? So we need to embrace peace within us and shun all forms of violence.

    “We must all allow peace to rein in Nigeria because if we all fail to make sure we have peaceful coexistence in our society our children will have us to blame for it and they will question us , so we must make sure we embrace peace in our society,  he said.

    In his contribution, chief Saliu Kadiri , Seriki Fulani of Ibarapa area of the state said ” its love that is lost in our society and that is what is resulting to all these killings we are witnessing in our society today and we must all start to embrace peace so that we can have a peaceful atmosphere. “

    Also, Elder Taiye Ayorinde,  the Baale of Ekotedo, Ibadan  said ” Nigerian security is not that strong enough and government must make sure we have a very strong and formidable security so that those people parading themselves as fulani herdsmen can be properly checked, we even heard that those fulanis invaders are not Nigerians and if that is true, what is the duty of our immigration officers and our Customs service too needs to brace up their tactics in curtailing those people.”

  • ‘It’s too early to dismiss Cleaner Lagos Initiative as failure’

    ‘It’s too early to dismiss Cleaner Lagos Initiative as failure’

    A civil society group, Greater Lagos Youths ( GLY ), on Tuesday faulted the call for the termination of a contract signed by the Lagos State Government with an environmental utility group, Visionscape Sanitation Solutions, saying it was too early in the day to dismiss the Cleaner Lagos Initiative ( CLI ) as a failure.

    GLY, which is an amalgamation of over 60 youths’ groups drawn from across the 57 Local Government and Local Council Development Areas of Lagos State, said the call was not only misguided but hasty and irresponsible.    

    A group, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), had asked the State Government to terminate the contract with Visionscape, alleging unsatisfactory handling of waste in the State.

    But GLY, in a statement by its National President, Kayode Gbadamosi, condemned the position of the group, stating that it was pretending to serve the interest of the larger society, while in reality it was doing the hatchet job for it’s paymasters to service interests which were at variance with the health and sanity of Lagos State.

    According to GLY, “Let it be placed on record that we are not fooled by the call from this group which is akin to the voice of Jacob but the hand of Esau because the breeze has blown and we have seen the rump of the fowl. Also, it is not unlikely that the resurgence of heaps of waste across the State is the handiwork of saboteurs who have now being complemented by the irrational call for its termination.

    “For our information and education, Visionscape Sanitation Solutions is a tested and trusted environmental concern which has proved its mettle in its area of competence in over 13 countries across the globe, so what is this group talking about?”, GLY queried.

    The group said the CLI was introduced to address the challenges in the environmental sector with the focus of aligning the State with top cities in the world having effective and efficient waste management system. 

    “It is a known fact that the former waste management system in Lagos was fraught with a lot of drawbacks that is not in sync with the status of the state as a mega city by the deployment of outdated and faulty compactors which were always breaking down; the short supply of personnel, etc. All these hindered efficient waste management system and constituted environmental hazards across the state.

    “However, with the coming on board of Visionscape Sanitation Solutions, we are beginning to witness a breath of fresh air in the waste management system through the transformation of waste transfer loading stations across the state, beginning with the Tapa Transfer Loading Station while the one in Oshodi is nearing completion. The Ogudu Waste Depot has been completed and the company is currently working on the Epe Landfill, which will be the first Engineered Sanitary Landfill in West Africa, among others,” the group said.

  • Ugwuanyi has wiped away our tears, says University VC

    Ugwuanyi has wiped away our tears, says University VC

    …as governor flags off 10km road construction

    The Vice Chancellor of Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu, Prof. Christian Anieke has described Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State as a Messiah sent by God to wipe away the tears of the University and the people of the host communities through the commencement of the construction of the 10-kilometer Ugwuomu-Nkwubor-Godfrey Okoye University road.

    Speaking during the flag-off ceremony of the road by Gov. Ugwuanyi, Prof. Anieke expressed gratitude to the governor for coming to the rescue of the university and the people of the area through the intervention on the deplorable road. Godfrey Okoye University is owned by the Catholic Diocese of Enugu.

    The Vice Chancellor regretted that all efforts by the university and the people of the communities to get previous governments to construct the road yielded no result “until the Messiah arrived”.

    “Among all the politicians in Enugu, only one person got the heart to do this road and you are the person, Your Excellency. I thank you. You have wiped away the tears of Godfrey Okoye University. You have wiped away the tears of the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Enugu.

    “You have wiped away the tears of Reverend Sisters and Fathers, Ugwuomu and Nkwubor communities; Caritas University, Emene community and all the surrounding communities.

    “This road will be the greatest blessing of your life. Anything you ask God, you will get it”, the Vice Chancellor, who is also a priest prayed.

    He also promised the governor that he will continue to offer prayers for his landslide victory in the forthcoming election.

    Flagging off the road, Gov. Ugwuanyi noted that the action of the government was in response to a formal request from the authorities of the university to assist them improve infrastructural development in the school and its environs.

    The governor added that it was also in keeping with the rural development policy of his administration, stating that the road, when completed, will help to open up the agrarian communities and stimulate rapid economic development of the area in particular and Enugu East local government area in general.

    Gov. Ugwuanyi reiterated his administration’s commitment to “the continuous improvement of the state’s education sector, particularly, through the provision of necessary infrastructure, equipment and logistical support to educational institutions at all levels”.

    He, therefore, pledged continued partnership and cooperation with the university and similar institutions in the state, to ensure the realization of the common visions and objectives in the education sector, “for the benefit of our children and the society at large”

    Earlier in their remarks, the Executive Chairman of Enugu East L.G.A, Hon. Alex Ugwu; the traditional ruler of the Mgbulu Anyuli kingdom, HRH Igwe Mike Ogbuchi; the University’s Board of Trustees’ Chairman, Prof Bartho Okolo and Chairman of Juhel Pharmaceutical Company, Ifeanyi Okoye, commended Gov. Ugwuanyi for his intervention on the road through partnership with the university authorities. 

  • We didn’t arrest, detain Ezekwesili, says Police

    We didn’t arrest, detain Ezekwesili, says Police

    The FCT Police Command has denied arresting and detaining the leader of the Bring Back Our Girls group, Prof. Oby Ezekwesili and some of its members.

    Ezekwesili had alleged on her Twitter handle that she was arrested by Personnel of the the Force at the Unity Fountain while she and other members of the group were planning to embark on a peaceful protest to the Villa.

    Reacting to the allegation on Tuesday, the  Command Spokesman, DSP Anjuguri Manzah explained that some members of the group were only taken to the Command to forestall breakdown of law and order.

    The statement reads : “The FCT Police Command wishes to clear the air and set the record straight that it did not arrest or detain Prof. Oby Ezekwesili and some members of the Bring Back Our Girls group as being speculated on some social media platforms.

    “It is pertinent to state that they were only brought to the Command to ensure there was no breakdown of law and order as some members of the group reacted violently and broke down security barriers set up by the police to restrict their protest to Unity Fountain.

    “The members of the group were addressed by the Commissioner of Police FCT, CP Sadiq  Bello who reiterated the commitment of the Command to protect lives and property and enjoined the Bring Back Our Girls members to go about their lawful businesses. After briefing by the Commissioner of Police, the members of the group left the Command.”

  • Drug abuse: FG sets up 16 member committee on codeine, others

    Drug abuse: FG sets up 16 member committee on codeine, others

    …to consider banning, supply chain of drugs among others

    Piqued with the increased cases of abuse of drugs among the populace, the Federal Government has set up a committee to review the continuous usage of codeine, Tramadol and other related substances in the county.  

    The 16 member Committee on the Codeine Control Working and other related Matter Group ( CCRWG ) which has Prof. Oluwatoyin Odeku as the Chairperson has four to six weeks to turn in its preliminary report. 

    Inaugurating the committee yesterday in Abuja, the Minister of Health Prof. Isaac Adewole said that it was very important to break the supply end of the drugs.

    The minister stressed that the government must prevent people from causing harm to themselves and to the society. 

    In the recent times, Adewole said the government had confisicated and destroy many of these products.

    He however said that the rate at which people have resorted to drugs, has necessitated the need to find out why they are using these drugs.

    “It is not enough to destroy the products or enforce regulations ,we need to find out why they are using these drugs,” he stressed.”

    The terms of reference which the minister said is limitless include:  To look into the distribution system of the drugs; how the drugs get into the market; how can we manage the system; are these drugs so essential that we cannot ban them; are there no alternatives. 

    Also speaking, the Registrar, Pharmasist Council of Nigeria ( PCN ), Elijah Mohammed said that the safety and concerns around the use and misuse of codeine containing preparations are assuming frieghtening dimensionin some part of the country.Mohammed noted that even as the nation strives to create a sanitized drug distribution system through the National Drug Distribution Guideline ( NDDG ), to arrest the issue, it must be aware that a large number of Nigerians are already addicted to some of these medicines adding that PCN is currently working with technical group of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria to address the challenge.

    He observed that with the inauguration of the working group,  the issuing of permit for manufacturing of codine would be  controlled in order to have less consumption

    In her remark, the Chairperson of the committee, Prof Oluwatoyin Odeku said the  misuse of drugs is widespread among youths in the country. 

    Odeku also stressed the need for orientation change among the people and the need for proper education on the effect of drug abuse. 

    She however promised that the committee will do all that is necessary to ensure that the problem is tackled.