The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian news

Alleged fraud: Ex-governor Nyame justifies extra-budgetary expenditure

Former governor of Taraba State, Jolly Nyame said extra-budgetary expenditure is normal when executing government projects as there is always room for supplementary budget.

Nyame who testified in an FCT High Court, Gudu in a N1.64 billion fraud case filed against him, said he was prudent in spending state funds during his tenure.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ), slammed a 21-count charge on Nyame, bordering on misappropriation of Taraba funds to the tune of N1.64billion during his tenure as governor.

Nyame, who was cross examined by EFCC’s prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Jacobs ( SAN ), was responding to a question on whether he regarded spending state funds outside budgetary provision as prudent.

The prosecution served the former governor with exhibit 001, which was money budgeted for the Governor’s Office during his tenure in 2005.

The Governor’s Office made an excess expenditure of N982million.
In his response, Nyame said, “budgets are only estimates,’’ adding that he considered himself being prudent with state funds though he exceeded budgetary provisions “because I performed.’’

Jacobs also made available exhibit 002, being overhead cost for 2006 for the Governor’s Office.

The House of Assembly approved N40 million, while N713million was spent, with an excess expenditure of N673million.

When asked by Jacobs if he regarded that as being prudent too, Nyame replied, “My Lord, I was prudent and it could have been the House of Assembly that could have proved otherwise.’’

In 2007, N100million was budgeted for the Governor’s Office as overhead, while N2.1billion was spent, with N2billion as excess expenditure.

When asked by the prosecution if he knew that it was an offence to exceed the budget estimate, the former governor replied that he knew, but only if there was no supplementary budget.

Nyame said that exceeding budget estimates was normal when executing government projects and that “there is room for supplementary budget.’’

Justice Adebukola Banjoko adjourned the case until Oct. 12 for continuation of cross examination.

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October 12, 2017
NSCDC to sanitise strip clubs and hotels in Kwara

Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps ( NSCDC ) in Kwara has pledged to sanitise hotels and clubs engaged in strip dancing and other vices in the state.

The Commandant, Mr Adeyinka Ayinla, made the pledge on Thursday in Ilorin when he paid courtesy visit to the state’s Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Mahmud Ajeigbe.

The commandant said he was newly posted to the state and decided that it was important to partner with the Ministry of Information in promoting peace and stability.

He explained that the NSCDC would commence investigation into issues deliberated on during courtesy visits to stakeholders.

The issues, he added, included strip-dancing in hotels, cultism, kidnappings, ritual killings, oil diversion in Baruten Local Government and Nigerian refugees crisis in the Mediterranean.

Ayinla told the commissioner that they were saddled with responsibility of partnering with many security agencies to ensure peace and stability in the country.

Earlier, Ajeigbe had pledged the ministry’s readiness to partner with the corps.

He, however, said “everybody should be security conscious and the society needs to assist security operatives in the area of intelligence.”

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October 12, 2017
‘Turkish, U.S. Officials decide to meet to resolve dispute’

Turkish and U.S. Officials decided to meet to work on resolving a diplomatic crisis between the two NATO allies, Deputy Prime Minister, Bekir Bozdag, said on Thursday.

The dispute was triggered by the arrest of local U.S staff in Turkey, prompting the United States on Sunday to suspend non-immigrant visa services there.

Hours later, Ankara issued a similar suspension on visas for U.S. citizens.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson spoke with Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, on Wednesday and expressed his “profound concern’’ about the arrests, the U.S. State Department said in a statement.

“Talks between the foreign minister and (U.S. Secretary of State) Tillerson were very constructive.

Representatives from both sides decided to meet and work together,” Bozdag said in an interview with broadcaster Haberturk.

He also said a U.S. consulate employee arrested in Turkey had not demanded lawyer access and the U.S. mission could apply to send a lawyer to see him.

U.S.-Turkish relations were already strained over U.S. military support for Kurdish fighters in Syria and the United States’ unwillingness to extradite Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen.

Gulen is a former Erdogan ally whom Ankara views as the mastermind behind 2016’s failed military coup.

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October 12, 2017
Ogun boasts of 11,636 cooperative societies

About 11, 636 cooperative societies have so far registered in Ogun to promote commerce and investment, according to an official.

Mr Gbenga Adenmosun, the Commissioner for Community Development and Cooperatives, disclosed this during an oversight visit to his ministry by the State House of Assembly Committee on Community Development and Cooperatives in Abeokuta on Wednesday.

He said out of the figure, 221 of the cooperative societies were registered by the government between January and August this year.

The Ogun commissioner said additional 449 Community Development Associations ( CDAs ) and 19 Community Development Councils were also registered during the period to facilitate grassroots mobilisation and development.

As an impetus, he said grants-in-aid would soon be given to the CDAs across the state.

According to him, eight trade associations have been registered as part of efforts to boost trade.

The Chairman of the House Committee, Mr Jimi Otukoya, lauded the ministry for its efforts aimed at ensuring grassroots development.

Otukoya urged the ministry to ensure equitable distribution of grants among the CDAs in the state to encourage them to continue to complement the efforts of the state administration in grassroots development.

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October 12, 2017
Liverpool out to halt United’s charge in Anfield clash

Liverpool and Manchester United’s globe-trotting squads must shake off the effects of international duty for one of English football’s most eagerly-anticipated clashes on Saturday.

According to Sky Sports their players clocked up 139,000 miles taking part in World Cup qualifiers since the last Premier League action.

But all roads will lead to Anfield this weekend as the English top flight resumes after a two-week break with a potential cracker.

The stoppage was badly-timed for United who won their last three Premier League games with nine goals scored and none conceded, albeit against sides in the lower half of the table.

Jose Mourinho’s side, joint leaders on 19 points from seven games with Manchester City, will hope to continue that momentum in what will be their biggest test of the season to date.

Liverpool’s form has been less impressive and Juergen Klopp’s side, beset by defensive problems, are seven points off the searing pace being set by the two Manchester rivals.

They are also without a Premier League victory over bitter adversaries United in their last six meetings, but Mourinho says recent history will have no bearing on Saturday.

“These kind of matches, every single moment plays a part,” Mourinho told Sky Sports. “We are playing against a good team with very good players.

“Form doesn’t matter, the moment doesn’t matter. It’s a match of three points.”

United will be missing midfielder Marouane Fellaini, who hurt his knee playing for Belgium against Bosnia, while Paul Pogba is still absent with an injury.

Liverpool have a potentially more significant absentee, however, with forward Sadio Mane facing a six-week layoff after injuring his hamstring representing Senegal.

Meanwhile, City who have built up a goal difference of plus 20 during a stunning start to the campaign, will host Stoke City.

Prolific striker, Sergio Aguero may possibly be in contention for a squad place after recovering from injuring his ribs in a car accident last month.

Tottenham Hotspur, in third place, will attempt to lay their Wemble jinx in the league at the fourth time of asking as they host Bournemouth.

While fourth-placed champions Chelsea, beaten by City before the international break, visit Crystal Palace.

Toothless Palace are the first top-flight side to lose their opening seven games since Portsmouth in 2009, and the first in 129 years of the Football League to do so without scoring.

Fifth-placed Arsenal are at Watford, while Burnley, the surprise package so far in sixth, will fancy their chances when they tackle West Ham United at Turf Moor.

West Ham boss Slaven Bilic has leapfrogged Everton’s Ronald Koeman as favourite to be the next managerial casualty after his side’s woeful start.

Koeman’s side travel to Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday hoping to avoid only a second loss in 20 against newly-promoted teams in the Premier League.

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October 12, 2017
Dismiss reports on post-UTME cancellation – Adamu Adamu

The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, has urged higher institutions and the general public to disregard social media reports that he has cancelled Post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination ( Post-UTME ).

A statement by the Federal Ministry of Education on Wednesday in Abuja directed institutions to carry on with the conduct of the Post-UTME.

The statement was signed by Mrs Priscilla Ihuoma, Director, Press and Public Relations.

Ihuoma said that the minister also warned that institutions charging above the stipulated sum of N2000 for the exercise would be sanctioned.

“The attention of the Minister of Education has been drawn to a news report in the media claiming that the minister had issued a directive to universities to cancel the Post-UTME examinations already scheduled.

“The statement, according to the report, was issued by Mr. Ben Goong, Deputy Director of Press.

“The Ministry would like to assert emphatically that the report is completely false and without foundation; Minister therefore urges universities to go ahead with their Post-UTME arrangements as earlier planned.

“Mr. Goong, who purportedly issued the statement, ceased to be a staff of the Ministry since November, 2016.

“The attention of the minister has also been drawn to some of the institutions who are charging more than the stipulated N2, 000.’’

Ihuoma said that the minister viewed it as an act of insubordination and emphatically redirected that every institution that violated the directive would be made to face disciplinary action.

She said that the minister directed such institutions to refund to the students immediately as Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board ( JAMB ) had been directed to compile list of violators for appropriate sanctions.

“The ministry also urges the media to always endeavour to crosscheck facts with the relevant officials of the ministry before publication, particularly when such sensitive matters of national importance are involved.”

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October 12, 2017
Youth obesity increases 10-fold in four decades – UN

The number of obese children and adolescents aged five to 19 years worldwide has risen ten fold in the past four decades, a UN – backed study has revealed.

The World Health Organisation ( WHO ) said in the study that if current trends continued, there would be more obese children and adolescents than those moderately or severely underweight by 2022.

The study led by Imperial College London and WHO was published in The Lancet, to commemorate the World Obesity Day

Ms Fiona Bull, Programme Coordinator for Surveillance and Population-based Prevention of Noncommunicable Diseases at WHO, said obesity was a global health crisis.

Bull said: “These data highlight, remind and reinforce that overweight and obesity is a global health crisis today, and threatens to worsen in coming years unless we start taking drastic action.

“It looked at body mass index (BMI) from weight and height measurements of nearly 130 million people, including 31.5 million youth aged five to 19.

“Obesity rates in the world’s children and adolescents increased from less than one per cent – equivalent to five million girls and six million boys – in 1975 to nearly six per cent, or 50 million girls, and nearly eight per cent, or 74 million boys, in 2016.”

Combined, the number of obese five to 19 year olds rose more than tenfold globally, from 11 million in 1975 to 124 million in 2016 while an additional 213 million were overweight in 2016 but fell below the threshold for obesity.

“These worrying trends reflect the impact of food marketing and policies across the globe, with healthy nutritious foods too expensive for poor families and communities,” said lead author Majid Ezzati, a professor at Imperial’s School of Public Health.

Ezzati said that the trend predicts a generation of children and adolescents growing up obese and at greater risk of diseases, like diabetes.

He stressed the need to make healthy, nutritious food more available at home and school, especially in poor families and communities, as well as the need for regulations and taxes to protect children from unhealthy foods.

“If post-2000 trends continue, global levels of child and adolescent obesity will surpass those for moderately and severely underweight youth from the same age group by 2022.

“In 2016, the global number of moderately or severely underweight girls and boys was 75 million and 117 million respectively,” the study found.

In conjunction with the study, WHO is publishing a summary of the plan that gives countries clear guidance on effective actions to curb childhood and adolescent obesity.

WHO has also released guidelines calling on frontline healthcare workers to actively identify and manage children who are overweight or obese.

Bull said “countries should aim particularly to reduce consumption of cheap, ultra-processed, calorie dense, nutrient poor foods.

“They should also reduce the time children spend on screen-based and sedentary leisure activities by promoting greater participation in physical activity through active recreation and sports,” he said.

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October 12, 2017
PDP criticizes FG’s $5.5bn loan bid

The Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) has expressed concern over the plan by the Federal government to obtain 5.5 billion dollars foreign loan.

The party in a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja by National Publicity Secretary of its National Caretaker Committee, Mr Dayo Adeyeye, said the proposed borrowing was needless.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on Tuesday written to the National Assembly requesting the approval of the loan.

PDP said that the loan if approved by the National Assembly, would plunge Nigeria into further debt, and consciously mortgage the future of the unborn generations of the country.

It added that it was an attempt to push the nation into more debt that would affect the future negatively.

It noted that as a party that governed Nigeria “meritoriously for 16 years and handed over a buoyant economy to the APC in 2015’’, it was worried about the development.

“We are dismayed at the rate at which the APC government is plunging the nation into debt through local and foreign borrowing.

“The figure released recently by the Debt Management Office ( DMO ) stating that the nation under the administration of the APC government in the last two years has borrowed N7.51 trillion is mind-boggling.

“As major stakeholders in the Nigerian project, we are worried,” it said.

The party urged the National Assembly to stop “this latest demand for foreign loan”.

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October 12, 2017
Alarming rise in ‘bush defecation’ in Polytechnic Ibadan

It would not be out of place to say that the Polytechnic Ibadan is one of the oldest and foremost polytechnics (academically) in the country today. However, like a rose that have begun to lose its fragrance, the institution is gradually becoming a shadow of itself in so far as its environmental health is concerned.

As the saying goes – “you can never cheat nature”. It really does not matter whether you are the General Manager or the Gate Man, a teacher or a lawyer, a politician or the common man on the street; when the “E” (excretion) in the popular MR NIGER D comes knocking…YOU MUST OBEY!

God help you if there are no toilet facilities around you to facilitate your “business”, the bushes around the corners will definitely provide a way of escape for you.

Lately, there has been an alarming increase in the number of students taking to defecating in bushes due to the dearth in the number of healthy public toilet in the school premises. Are there toilets in the hostels? Yes, there are, but there no toilets in the academic premises that are accessible to the populace.

Students make use of the bushes around them to do their business; this poses a great threat to them and is detrimental to their health.

Some very cunny students have devised ways to avoid the “bush” method by pretending to be bank customers and eventually using the toilet facilities. However, the question now is – how long can this continue? For how long are we going to put the health of our students at risk? How long are we going to continue to endanger the lives of our students?

Students (especially girls) are very susceptible to venereal and skin infections due to unhealthy exposure during excretion in bushes and unkempt toilet facilities.

This is a clarion call to the management of the Polytechnic Ibadan to begin to place a premium on the health of its students. It is high time they started the process of initiating and creating proper sanitary facilities within the school premises.

If these acts of defecating in bushes are allowed to continue, it would definitely lead to an outbreak of diseases like cholera etc.

October 11, 2017
Ogun Bureau of lands generates 4bn in 7 months-D-G

The Director -General of Ogun Bureau of Lands, Mr Biyi Ismail, said on Wednesday that the bureau generated more than N4billion revenue between January and August.

Ismail made this known during an oversight visit to the Agency’s head office in Abeokuta by members of the state House of Assembly’s Committee on Lands and Housing.

He stated that the bureau generated N86million from survey/planning /building fees, N190 million from rent on government land while N116million came from ratification of Certificate of Occupancy.

“ We made N3.2 billion from plot allocation and layout fees during the period under review while we generated over N49million from Certificate of Occupancy, “he said.

The director-general said the state remained the best in the country in terms of issuance of Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) to land owners without undue delay.

He expressed optimism that by December, the Bureau would have cleared about 90 per cent of the 70,000 applicants for the C of O.

“We hope that by December, we would have cleared about 90 per cent of the over 70,000 applicants received for the Certificate of Occupancy.

“Some applicants built on acquisition land, some under high tension, that is why we have not given some of them who applied for the titled documents, “he said.

Ismail, also the Special Adviser to the Governor on Lands, however, said inadequate funding of the bureau’s projects, insufficient vehicles among others were major challenges confronting the bureau.

Responding, the Chairman of the committee, Mr Biyi Adeleye, said that the committee was not out to witch hunt the Bureau but performing its constitutional responsibilities.

He called on the bureau to put in place well coordinated and effective data management of land related documents in line with international best practices.

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October 11, 2017