The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria newspaper

  • Osun tasks school N-Power volunteers to be dedicated to duty

    Osun tasks school N-Power volunteers to be dedicated to duty

    The Osun Commissioner for Education, Mr Kola Omotunde-Young, has advised  members of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) serving in public schools in the state to be dedicated to their duties.

    He also urged the Federal Government Youth Empowerment Programme ( N-Power ), service in such institutions to do same.

    The commissioner gave the advice during an inspection visit to the Africa Church Middle School in Osogbo on Tuesday.

    Omotunde-Young said by passionately dedicated to their duties, the corps members and the N-Power volunteers would be seen to be contributing their quota to the development of education in the state.

    He, however, warned that any act of indolence, from them,would not be accepted.

    The commissioner said that they were posted to schools to teach and assist government as part of the effort by government
    the move to create a decent future for the students.

    He reminded them of their role in the quest to creating and nurturing responsible leaders for the future, saying that they should be good examples to their students.

    Omotunde-Young also advised principals to lead by example in character worthy of emulation and to discourage indiscipline among the teachers.

    NAN

  • CAF Emergency Committee to meet in Lagos

    CAF Emergency Committee to meet in Lagos

    The Emergency Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) which is about the most powerful panel in African football, will hold a meeting in Lagos on Saturday, Oct. 14

    The Nigeria Football Federation’s ( NFF ) Director of Media, Ademola Olajire, said in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos that the meeting of the CAF Emergency Committee would be held in Ikoyi, Lagos.

    It said that the Confederation of African Football executive members would discuss its competitions and other important events ahead of the organisation, including the withdrawal of African Nations Championship given to Kenya.

    “CAF top guns confirmed to the NFF that the meeting, which will hold in Ikoyi, will deliberate on recent happenings in the game in Africa.

    “It will as well have discussion on competitions coming up next year, including the African Nations Championship, which hosting right has been withdrawn from Kenya.

    “The CAF Emergency Committee, which is chaired by CAF President, Ahmad, also has the three Vice-Presidents of CAF as Members, as well as NFF President, Amaju Pinnick.

    “Others include Liberia’s FA President, Hassan Musa Bility and CAF Referees Committee head, Souleiman Hassan Waberi. All are also members of the Confederation of African Football Executive Committee.

    “CAF’s three Vice-Presidents are Ghana’s Kwesi Nyantakyi (1st Vice-President), Democratic Republic of Congo’s Omari Constant Selemani (2nd Vice-President) and Morocco’s Fouzi Lekjaa (3rd Vice-President),’’ it said.

    It also said that “the meeting comes up on the eve of the grand finale of the AITEO Cup competition, taking place at the Agege Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 15, and to which all the members of the CAF Emergency Committee have been invited.

    “Sources have also confirmed that Egypt’s Hani Abo Rida, who is a member of the FIFA Council, will be part of CAF President Ahmad’s entourage to Lagos.

    “Pinnick will personally receive the CAF boss Ahmad at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on Oct. 13 – the same day other members of the Emergency Committee will arrive in Nigeria.

    “It was further gathered that there will be ‘An Evening with Ahmad,’ which is a dinner on Saturday night, it said adding that members of the diplomatic community and NFF’s sponsors and partners had been invited.

    NAN

  • No exclusive monopoly in power distribution – Fashola

    No exclusive monopoly in power distribution – Fashola

    Mr Babatunde Fashola, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, has allayed fears of Electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) over government’s investments in solar energy plants.

    Fasola allayed their fears at the 20th Monthly Power Sector Stakeholders’ Meeting hosted by Enugu Electricity Distribution Company ( EEDC ) in Owerri.

    The minister said that the Discos expressed their fears in a letter to his office about some government’s initiatives on power generation and distribution.

    Fashola said some government’s initiatives which included provision of meters to consumers by meter suppliers, provision of more power to consumers through licensing of eligible customers and promotion of more solar power through mini-grids had prompted the fears of the Discos.

    He said Discos had nothing to fear about solar, stressing that all government’s initiatives were targeted at improving services to the people.

    “It is my understanding that you fear that you will lose some income or some customers if government proceeds and on the question of meters, you seek to have technical compatibility with what the licencee will operate.

    “In respect of possible investment in distribution equipment, you seek that government should route the investment through the Discos.

    “While your concerns about business viability, financial stability and cost recovery are well understood and indeed supported by the Electric Power Sector Perform Act of 2005 ( EPSRA ) which government will respect, I must point out that government’s focus is also strong on the issue of service to the people.

    “As far as the promotion of solar and other sources of independent power are concerned, please note that not only are they supported by the ESPRA, they are consistent with our Paris Climate Change Agreement Obligations and with emerging global practice,” he said.

    The minister said that ESPRA did not contemplate a monopoly for any licensee unless it was expressly stated in the licence.

    Fashola said the monthly meeting was to review the progress made from the last monthly meeting held in Lagos in September and to collectively engage the challenges that lied ahead in the roadmap to incremental, stable and uninterrupted power supply.

    He said that in the last month, the sector recovered 100mw from the damaged Afam IV power plant which had been inoperative since January 2015.

    The minister said that TCN had energised the Jebba-Kainji 2nd 330KV line and the 2nd Ajaokuta-Abuja 330KV line both of which were inoperative since 2015.

    According to him, the Federal Executive Council on Oct. 4 approved the verified sum of N25.9 billion Federal Government MDA debts and its payment by setting it off against debts owed by the Discos to NBET.

    The minister as saying that the sector was also making progress in recovering debts due from international customers.

    He said the sector was equally working to expand the distribution network of the Discos so that they could take additional 2,000 mw of power now available for supply

    Fashola said that debts of ministries, departments and agencies would be paid through their debts to Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trading Company ( NBET ).

    He said that one of the challenges to overcome was how the Discos could quickly increase their capacity to take power and distribute to consumers.

    The minister commended the critical role of the judiciary and the law enforcement agents on the strict enforcement of arbitration clauses in the power sector.

    “We welcome this judicial support to stop corruption in the power sector, enforce the law and promote liquidity in the sector.

    “We also welcome the intervention in the Court of Appeal in the case involving the tariff review,” he said.

    Mr Paul Okeke, the Acting Managing Director of EEDC, commended the minister for his unrelenting efforts to improve the power sector.

    He said EEDC was also committed to the improvement of power supply in the country.

    Okeke also spoke on some progress made by the company, adding that there were ongoing schemes to improve service delivery in the sector.

    NAN

  • FG won’t relent in its yam export initiative – Ogbeh

    FG won’t relent in its yam export initiative – Ogbeh

    The Federal Government ( FG ) says it will not relent in its yam export policy which is aimed at attracting foreign exchange for the country.

    Chief Audu Ogbeh, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, said this during a sensitisation walk in commemoration of the World Food Day in Abuja on Tuesday.

    Ogbeh, who was reacting to reports that some yams recently exported to Britain were rejected, said that the policy had come to stay.

    The minister said that the set back would not deter the dealers of the produce from exporting it, pointing out that the current world market for yams was worth $12 billion.

    He said that the country could not afford to stay away from it because it was the highest producers of yams in the world.

    “I read some news report about some yams arriving in Britain and being rejected. They stayed so long en route and if they stay that long, they are bound to rot.

    “It happens to yams from Ghana as well. We will not stop the policy of the exportation of yam. I can assure you that.

    “It is a policy that will stay because we are the largest producers of yams in the world. We produce 67 per cent of the yams.

    “We will continue to help exporters; we will not as an institute export yams. We only support the private sector to do that and if there are problems we will solve them,’’ he said.

    The yam export initiative was flagged off on June 29 and the consignment exported to the US recently was rejected.

    Exporters of yam include Messrs Wan-Nyikwagh Farms Nig. Ltd, Gboko, Nigeria and Oklanbest Limited, Ibadan, Nigeria.

    Meanwhile, an exporter of the product, Mr Yandev Amaabai, has identified the challenges that government should addressed to ease the exportation yams.

    He said they included lack of refrigerated container and the long time the produce stay on the before its arrival to Europe of America.

    NAN

  • Serena targets Australian Open title defence

    Serena targets Australian Open title defence

    Former world number one and new mum Serena Williams is targeting a return to Melbourne Park next year to defend her Australian Open title, tournament director Craig Tiley said on Tuesday.

    Williams, who won her 23rd Grand Slam title when pregnant at the 2017 tournament in January, gave birth to daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. on Sept. 1.

    She has just three months to get fit if she is to defend her title.

    “Serena will be back,” Tiley told reporters in Melbourne.

    “She wants to come back in 2018 and defend her title and she’s in training now.

    “There are several months to go and obviously it will be up to her as to where she is with her fitness.”

    The 36-year-old would be competing for a tournament record A$4 million ($3.11 million) winner’s purse in 2018, with total prize money hiked 10 per cent to A$55 million.

    NAN

  • N1.162bn fraud: Ex Gov. Dariye closes case

    N1.162bn fraud: Ex Gov. Dariye closes case

    Former governor of Plateau, Joshua Dariye on Tuesday, in an FCT High Court sitting in Gudu, closed his defence in the alleged N1.162 billion fraud trial.

    Dariye is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ) in a 21-count charge of money laundering and diversion of ecological funds to the tune of N1.162 billion belonging to the state.

    Dariye closed his case after calling 16 defence witnesses.

    Dariye’s counsel, Mr Kanu Agabi ( SAN ), told the court that they have closed their case and applied for a written address.

    “My Lord, I am pleased to inform your Lordship we are closing the case for the defence and we will like to address you,’’ Agabi said.

    Mr O. Atolagbe, holding the brief of Mr Rotimi Jacobs ( SAN ), the EFCC prosecution, did not object to the application.

    Atolagbe said that the prosecution will also be grateful to address the court.

    Justice Adebukola Banjoko adjourned hearing until Dec. 7, for the written addresses.

    Dariye, on Sept. 18, employed Agabi, a former Attorney General of the Federation, as his new counsel after his lawyer, Mr Garba Pwul withdrew from the case.

    NAN

  • Niger to enact law regulating weight of trucks

    Niger to enact law regulating weight of trucks

    The Niger Government, has concluded plan to enact a law that would regulate the weight of trucks, plying the state roads, Gov. Abubakar Bello said on Tuesday in Minna.

    The disclosure was contained in a press statement signed by Idris Ndache, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor and made this available.

    Bello expressed displeasure on the damage being done to major roads in the state by heavy duty and articulated vehicles.

    Aside from the proposed legislation, the governor of Niger state, said government would reintroduce weighbridge in order to ensure that operators of the affected trucks comply with the carrying capacity of our roads.

    The governor particularly expressed dismay on the deplorable state of Minna/Suleja federal highway.

    He said that the frequency at which repaired roads were damaged was due to the activities of overloaded vehicles plying the roads.

    Bello noted that despite the economic downturn in the country, the state had committed huge resources in rehabilitating major roads in the state.

    He expressed dissatisfaction that all efforts had failed to deliver the desired result, as the roads were damaged by overloaded heavy duty trucks as soon as they were fixed.

    “We cannot continue to use public funds to repair roads while heavy duty trucks destroy our efforts.

    “We have tried our best to see to it that our roads are in good condition for the benefit of our people.

    “But the more we repair the roads, the more overloaded heavy duty and articulated vehicles damage the roads.

    “We are coming up with strong laws that will prohibit trucks carrying overloads on our highways”.

    Gov. Bello tasked the law enforcement agencies to enforce various highway codes and laws, by ensuring that overloaded vehicles are not permitted to ply the roads.

    NAN

  • Customs seizes 3, 278 bags of rice, 55 vehicles

    Customs seizes 3, 278 bags of rice, 55 vehicles

    The Niger Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service, says it generated N1.9 billion from January to September.

    The Area Controller, Mr Benjamin Binga, on Tuesday in Minna said that the command also seized 3, 278 bags of rice and 55 vehicles with Duty Paid Value of N52.6 million and 51.6 million respectively during the period.

    According to him, the command, made up of Niger, Kogi and Kwara states, will meet its 2017 revenue target of N2.8 billion by the end of the year.

    The controller stressed that customs personnel would continue to mount surveillance and adopt measures to make smuggling impossible in the area.

    “The command has deployed competent officers to manage all identified illegal routes used by smugglers to bring in unwholesome goods into the country,” Binga said.

    He solicited for the support of community leaders in the three states to assist customs field officers with vital information on the movement of smugglers.

    NAN

  • U.S lied about anti- ISIS campaign in Syria – Russia

    U.S lied about anti- ISIS campaign in Syria – Russia

    Russia accused the United States on Tuesday of pretending to fight Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.

    Russia also accused U.S. of deliberately reducing its air strikes in Iraq to allow the group’s militants to stream into Syria to slow the Russian-backed advance of the Syrian army.

    In the latest sign of rising tensions between Moscow and Washington, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that the U.S.-led coalition had sharply reduced its air strikes in Iraq in September when Syrian forces, backed by Russian air power, had started to retake Deir al-Zor Province.

    “Everyone sees that the U.S.-led coalition is pretending to fight Islamic State, above all in Iraq, but continuing to allegedly fight Islamic State in Syria actively for some reason,” said Major-General Igor Konashenkov, a spokesperson for Russia’s defense ministry said.

    The result, he said, had been that militants had moved in large numbers from Iraqi border areas to Deir al-Zor, where they were trying to dig in on the left bank of the River Euphrates.

    “The actions of the Pentagon and the coalition demand an explanation. Is their change of task a desire to complicate as much as they can the Syrian army’s operation, backed by the Russian air force, to take back Syrian territory to the east of the Euphrates?,’’ asked Konashenkov.

    “Or is it an artful move to drive Islamic State terrorists out of Iraq by forcing them into Syria and into the path of the Russian air force’s pinpoint bombing?’’

    He said Syrian troops were in the midst of trying to push Islamic State out of the city of al-Mayadin, southeast of Deir al-Zor, but that IS tried daily to reinforce its ranks there with “foreign mercenaries’’ pouring in from Iraq.

    NAN

  • NYSC corp members drown in Nasarawa

    NYSC corp members drown in Nasarawa

    The National Youth Service Corps ( NYSC ) in Nasarawa State, has said that two members of the service drowned in a river in Assakio community, Lafia Local Government Area of the state.

    Hajiya Zainab Isah, the NYSC Coordinator in the state made this disclosure to newsmen in Lafia on Tuesday.

    Isah said that Oguntola Babatunde and Danjuma Salihu went to the river in the evening of Oct. 8 to swim but drowned, following which an Assistant Commissioner of Police informed the service about the incident.

    “It is very sad but I know God will grant them eternal rest and grant all of us, including their families, the fortitude to bear the loss. I can only say that we are bereaved but God knows better,” she said.

    She called on other corps members to be very careful and always obey the rules of their host communities.

    “What I heard from a very reliable source was that some farmers had drowned in that river some years back.

    “So when corps members enter a community, they should ask questions and watch their steps,” she said.

    Isah added that the bodies of the deceased had since been deposited at the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital in Lafia.

    NAN