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  • FRSC warns motorists to desist from carrying children in front seats

    The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has warned motorists to desist from carrying children in front seats or on their laps while driving.

    The FRSC Sector Commander in Enugu State, Mr Ogbonaya Kalu, gave the advice during the National Road Safety Club Day held on Monday in Enugu.

    Kalu said that the Road Safety Club Day, which was themed; “Creating Awareness of Road Safety on Young Children’’, was meant to take the road safety ideals to the grassroots and catch-them-young.

    The commander urged drivers and cyclists to be careful near built up areas such as schools, churches, mosques, markets, snack shops, ice cream stalls, parks, or fruit tress because children were usually found in such places.

    He said that children less than 12 months must sit in child restraint backing the driver, adding that children from one to seven years should sit facing the front of the car in a child’s restraint, strapped properly to the back seat.

    According to him, parents and guardians should not allow children to play with the handle of the vehicle doors.

    Kalu however, advised them to use child lock where available.

    “Do not allow children stick any part of their body out of the vehicle or allow them to sit in the baggage area of hatch backs, station wagons or vans.

    Read Also: Children Nigeria’s most important treasure, says Saraki

    “While walking on the road, children should always face the traffic as well as use overhead or pedestrian bridges where they are provided to cross the road,’’ he said.

    Miss Nonye Ugwu, a pupil of Bright Star Schools, Enugu, said that the road safety club in her school had taught her to always tell her daddy and mummy to put on their seat belts.

    “I also advise my daddy not to take alcohol during the day or before driving since I want him to be alive,’’ Ugwu said.

    Master Chidiebere Agu, a student of College of Immaculate Conception (CIC), Enugu, said that road safety club had inculcated the habit of always walking along the road facing the traffic in him.

    “I have also learnt a lot about road signs and their uses as well as road safety codes,’’ Agu said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that over 17 schools within Enugu metropolis witnessed the celebration of the first National Road Safety Club Day in Enugu.

  • Breaking: Court sacks APC Rep-elect in Imo

    A Federal High Court sitting in Owerri has sacked the House of Representatives-elect for Nwangele/Njaba/Isu/Nkwerre Federal Constituency of Imo State, Ugonna Ozurigbo.

    Ozurigbo was the Deputy speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, before his resignation few weeks ago, won under the platform under All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Justice Tijanni Ringim, who delivered the judgement, said that APC did not conduct any primary election and as such did not have any candidate in the February 23 National Assembly election.

    Read Also: Niger: Court summons CP over failure to arrest ex gov. Aliyu

    The judge ordered the first runner up in the election, being the PDP candidate, Kingsley Echendu, be issued with the certificate of return.

    A member of APC, Harrison Nwadike, had dragged the party to court claiming that he is the rightful candidate of the party for the election. Joined in the suit were APC, Ozurigbo and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

    Ruling in the case no. FHC/OW/CS/25/2019 between Nwadike and two others, the trial judge ordered that the first defendant (APC) should pay N3 million to the plaintiff being the nomination fees N10 million to be paid to the plaintiff by APC and Ozurigbo while awarding 500, 000 cost against the electoral body.

  • Niger: Court summons CP over failure to arrest ex gov. Aliyu

    A Federal High Court in Minna on Monday ordered the Commissioner of Police in Niger to appear before it and offer explanation over his failure to execute the bench warrant issued for the arrest of former Gov. Babangida Aliyu and Umar Nasko.

    Justice Aminu Aliyu ordered the commissioner of police to appear with the two defendants in June 13, the next adjourned date unfailingly.

    Read Also: Closed Edo College of Education opens September

    NAN reports that Aliyu and Nasko were due to appear in court on May 23 for re-arraignment over alleged N1.9bn fraud but failed to show up, prompting Justice Aliyu to issue a bench warrant against them.

    When the matter came up today, Aliyu and Nasko were once again absent, with only counsel to the former gov. Olajide Ayodele (SAN) present in court.

    Ayodele, however, said he would undertake to ensure his client is informed of the next adjourned date.

    On his part, prosecution counsel, Olumuyiwa Akinboro (SAN), expressed surprise at the defendants’ absence without any cogent reason.

    The case was adjourned until June 13.

  • Breaking: Buhari for special interview with NTA Monday

    The Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) will on Monday, May 27, 2019 air a special interview with President Muhammadu Buhari on its network service at 10 pm.

    This was contained in a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina.

    “All television stations and other electronic media outlets are enjoined to hook up to this broadcast,” he stated

  • Closed Edo College of Education opens September

    The Edo State owned College of Education, Ekiadolor In Ovia North East local government area that was closed in 2015 would be reopened for academic activities this September.

    New students to be admitted would however not resume at the Ekiadolor campus but at Abudu, headquarters of Orhionmwon local government area.

    It was gathered that the beginning of academic activities at Abudu would enable the formal take-off of the Tayo Akpata University of Education.

    The Abudu campus is located at the defunct Provincial Teachers Training College that later transformed to the orientation camp for National Youth Service Corps scheme.

    A visit to the Abudu campus showed that work has reached an advanced stage in the different departments, hostels and staff quarters.

    An equipped computer lab powered with solar energy has been completed.

    Governor Godwin Obaseki had last year said the state would now have one College of Education and three schools instead of having three different colleges.

    Read Also: Why we offered $40,000 scholarship to UTME best, Ekene, by Ghanaian varsity

    According to him, “Each school is specializing on specific aspect of teacher education. The one in Abudu will have a digital training centre to train primary school teachers, the school in igueben will focus on Secondary school and science teachers while the one in Auchi will specialise in training teachers in Technical Education, Physical Education and Special Education.”

    Commissioner for Education, Emmanuel Agbale, said the restructuring of the College of Education was a gradual process and that plans were on to open the Abudu campus in September.

    He explained that the Tayo Akpata University of Education could not take off if the College of Education does not leave Ekiadolor campus.

  • 11 children die in road crashes in Ogun- FRSC

    Mr Clement Oladele, the Ogun Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), said on Monday that 11 children had so far died in different road crashes in the state in 2019.

    Oladele made the disclosure during the 2019 Children’s Day celebration and Road Safety Club session held at the FRSC headquarters in Abeokuta.

    The sector commander noted that six of the children, a boy and five girls, died in a road crash at Olorunsogo in Abeokuta on Jan. 25.

    He added that the FRSC had over the past 31 years of its existence placed special premium on the protection of children from traffic-related dangers.

    ‘‘We have devoted special attention to the propagation of Road Safety Clubs in Primary and Junior Secondary Schools where road safety ideals are being taught.

    ‘‘We have a total of 774 Road Safety Clubs in Primary and Secondary Schools across Ogun State.

    ‘‘We have also included child safety education in our public enlightenment programmes in churches, mosques and motor parks across Ogun State.

    ‘‘All of these efforts are to ensure that we make a difference in the everyday life of our children.

    ‘‘Ogun State has a peculiar traffic situation; we have a very high number of trucks plying highways in the state.

    ‘‘One of my saddest moments as Sector Commander was the day we lost one of our children in a road traffic crash.

    ‘‘She was an undergraduate of the Tai Solarin University of Education who had just concluded her internship with us here in FRSC.

    ‘‘The memory of the young lady still brings me pain,’’ he said.

    Read Also: Children’s day: 11 ways to prevent your child from sexual abuse

    He urged children not to use an ear piece when walking on the road or while on a bike and in a taxi.

    ‘‘You should always remind daddy and mummy of traffic rules and regulations and politely warn them against the various dangerous habits on the road,’’ he said.

    Ajayi Oluwapelumi, a student of Mercyland College, Abeokuta, commended the FRSC for organising the programme.

    She said the road safety club in schools had assisted the children to know more on how to conduct themselves on the roads.

    Also speaking, Sanyaolu Oluwanifemi from Alaba Lawson Royal College, Abeokuta, also thanked the FRSC for the programme and called on motorists to always obey traffic rules and regulations.

  • 10 tips for staying safe during a flood

    By Praise Olowe

    Recent cases of death caused by drowning have become very alarming as communities across several states in Nigeria are currently grappling with the devastating effects of flooding caused by heavy rains.

    The most important thing during and after a flood is your own safety.

    Here are ten tips for staying safe during a flood.

    • Do not walk through moving water. As little as 6 inches of moving water can make you fall.
    • Do not swim, or drive through flood waters. Turn Around, Don’t Drown!
    • Stay off bridges over fast-moving water. Fast-moving water can wash bridges away without warning.
    • Do not drive into flooded areas. If floodwaters rise around your car, abandon the car and move to higher ground if you can do so safely.

    Read Also: Missing Adewura Bello found dead in Lagos canal

    • Do not touch electrical equipment if you are wet or standing in water.
    • If your home is flooded, turn off your electricity when you return home
    • Stay away from downed power lines, and report them to the power company.
    • Return home only when authorities indicate it is safe.
    • Stay out of any building if it is surrounded by floodwaters.
    • Clean and disinfect everything that got wet. Mud left from floodwater can contain sewage and chemicals.

  • Why we reduced flight operations, by MaxAir

    The Management of Max Air Limited has explained that the recent reduction of its flight operations was due to mandatory maintenance checks.

    It also said it was due to its compliance with Civil Aviation Regulations (CARs) targeted at meeting passengers demand.

    In a chat with reporters, the Abuja Airport Station Manager, Mr. Kehinde Ogunyale revealed that the airline had in the last seven days operated with a single aircraft due to the checks.

    He also said that one of its aircraft was undergoing mandatory checks at Aero Hangar in Lagos and another on C-checks.

    Ogunyale said the checks made the airline to reduce its operations from seven to five destinations by excluding Port Harcourt and Sokoto routes as well as reduce frequencies to Lagos and Kano while combining operations to Yola and Maiduguri.

    He, however, noted that the aircraft on mandatory checks at Aero had been recertified by the regulatory authority adding that it resumed flight operations today (Monday).

    He said: “We were doing a one aircraft operations due to mandatory maintenance checks on our aircraft while another is on C-check.

    “During this period, we reduced our destinations from seven to five because we stopped flying to Sokoto and Port Harcourt and we were not selling tickets for those destinations.

    “We operated four sectors through a partner airline in order to reduce the pressure on that particular day.

    “Our passengers were briefed and we did some rescue operation with a partner airline. The aircraft has been recertified and released to service and we are back to full operations from Monday May 27.”

    On allegation that passengers were stranded for several hours, Ogunyale said that at no time were their passengers stranded on account of the airline.

    He said the challenges associated with delays were not caused by the reduction of the route but due to weather conditions and VIP movements.

    “There was a particular flight that passengers were sitting on the aircraft for close to two hours and I also remember three different times that we had to come back to base due to weather conditions.

    “One to kano, we couldn’t land because of weather and we had to come back here and wait for the weather to improve and while we were waiting for kano weather to improve, the weather caught up with us in Abuja and we had to wait for another one hour 30 minutes.

    “So there were things that we didn’t have control over like the weather issue and VIP movements.”

  • Breaking: Buhari meets South South Monarchs in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday met behind closed doors with the South South Monarchs Forum.

    The meeting started at 11.37am at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    It was still in progress at the time of filing this report.

    Details shortly…

  • AfCTA will go on without Nigeria, says Obasanjo

    A former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, said on Monday that the African Free Continental Trade Area (AfCTA) Agreement will not be hindered by Nigeria’s reluctance to sign up to the process.

    Obasanjo made the remark in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, during the opening session of the Stakeholders’ Dialogue on Continental Trade and Strengthening the Implementation of the AfCTA.

    The dialogue was organised by the African Union Commission (AUC) and the Coalition for Dialogue on Africa (CoDA).

    The former President was reacting to concerns raised by one of the discussants at the event, on the need for stakeholders to look into the implications of AfCTA without Nigeria, the continent’s biggest economy.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Nigeria, Benin and Eritrea are the only countries yet to sign the AfCTA agreement.

    NAN also reports that the Agreement has achieved the number of ratification, 22 countries, needed for its implementation.

    Obasanjo, who recalled that Nigeria took over the processes leading to the AfCTA agreement from Egypt, wondered why it suddenly halted signing and was not even participating at the session.

    He also recalled that Nigeria led the way, at ministerial level, with the government ready to be in Kigali, Rwanda, to sign up to the agreement, before the sudden turnabout.

    According to him, Nigeria should resolve its domestic intrigues and not bring such to the African Union table.

    “It is nobody’s fault if your country cannot resolve its domestic problem.

    “If you (Nigeria) is not signing the agreement, it is unfortunate. AfCTA will go on without Nigeria.

    “You will recall that this is the first time, since 1976, that Nigeria is not at the table of a major continental process.

    “Nigeria should settle its problem at home and not bring it to the AU,’’ Obasanjo said.

    The former President said Nigeria is known to always be on the driver’s seat of continental discussions and agreements, including the AU, ECOWAS and all their agencies.

    Obasanjo, who is the chair of the CoDA Board of Directors, said feelers from the AfCTA remain positive, while teething problems would be addressed in the course of time.

    He said the meetings would be extended to other stakeholders, including Africa’s Central Banks, Customs and security agencies.

    Obasanjo added that removal of trade barriers does not mean removal of other statutory agencies at various national border posts.

    He, however, commended the issuance of visas at the point of entry by some African countries, saying the gesture was a positive step in the right direction toward movement of people across the continent.

    The African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) is a trade agreement between 49 African Union member states, with the goal of creating a single market followed by free movement and a single-currency union.

    The AfCFTA was signed in Kigali, Rwanda on 21 March 2018. Ratification by 22 countries is required for the agreement to enter into force and the African Continental Free Trade Area to become effective. The agreement will function as an umbrella to which protocols and annexes will be added.

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    Negotiations continued in 2018 with Phase II, including Competition Policy, Investment and Intellectual Property Rights. A draft shall be submitted for the January 2020 AU Assembly.

    Kenya and Ghana were the first countries to deposit the ratification instruments on 10 May 2018 after ratification through their parliaments.

    With ratification by the Gambia on 2 April 2019, the threshold of 22 ratifying states for the free trade area to formally exist was reached, though as of 30 April 2019 all the ratifying states submitted their ratification documents to the African Union.

    Nigeria has yet to sign the agreement. At over 173 million people, Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country and dwarfs the second most-populous country, Ethiopia, with 100 million people. With a nominal GDP of $376 billion, or around 17% of Africa’s GDP, it is just ahead of South Africa, which makes up the next 16% of Africa’s economy.

    Because Nigeria is such a significant country in Africa in terms of its population and its economy, its absence since the initial signing of the agreement until now is particularly conspicuous.
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