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Tag: Nigerian news

  • Sokoto Assembly suspends two members

    Sokoto Assembly suspends two members

    The Sokoto State House of Assembly on Tuesday suspended two of its members, Sani Yakubu (APC- Gudu) and Malami Galadanchi (APC- Sokoto North I).

    The two lawmakers were suspended for unethical conduct.

    The assembly had set up a special committee to investigate the conduct of the two members during the recent impeachment of the Deputy House Leader, Kabiru Ibrahim.

    The Committee, headed by Habibu Modachi (APC- Isa), in its report, said the two members had pleaded guilty to the charges against them.

    According to the report, the conduct of the members on Aug. 15 in the legislative chamber was “unethical” and contravened the house standing rules.

    Subsequently, the assembly accepted the report and suspended Yakubu for 40 legislative days while Galadanchi was suspended for 30 legislative days.

    The two were also told to submit separate letters of apology to the Assembly.

    The Speaker, Alhaji Salihu Maidaji, presided over the House sitting.

    NAN

  • Wearing of Hijab: The travails of the contemporary Muslim woman

    Wearing of Hijab: The travails of the contemporary Muslim woman

    For a lot of Muslim women, the wearing of Hijab is definitely a priority. In simple terms, it is a cloth worn by Muslim women to cover their heads and bodies.

    In spite of the many benefits of wearing Hijab, the Muslim woman sometimes feel out of place and outcast in the Nigeria society.

    For instance, there are some organisations where the wearing of Hijab is prohibited especially in some corporate organisations like banks and also in some schools. This prohibition placed on it by such organisations is mostly interpreted by the Muslim woman as an overt display of sentiment.

    Also, for those who bicker that the wearing of Hijab does not really portray who you are or your sense of decency, yes I agree, however, it is sometimes is a litmus that indicates how decent and religious you are.

    It helps the Muslim woman to identify herself especially with her religion and where she belongs to. Till date a lot of Muslim women still get insulted and discriminated against for no just cause for wearing their Hijab.

    No thanks to those who have in the past smeared and wrongly brandished the sacred culture of Hijab wearing on the canvass of debauchery, malpractices, indecency and other social vices.

    Also, the wearing of Hijab has received a corrosive publicity especially in the wake of Boko Haram insurgency. Quite a number of suicide bombers (females) have been reported to have worn it to conceal their nefarious intentions.

    Thus, all “Hijab wearers” are now being perceived of threats to our nation’s security owing to the above explanations. However, it should never be a basis for generalization.

    To set the records straight, it is pertinent that the writer explains the persona of the Hijab-wearing Muslim woman. She is:

    1. Honest
    2. Has integrity
    3. Loyal
    4. Decent
    5. Religious
    6. Congenial
    7. Peace loving
    8. Law abiding

    Please note that the above qualities are in no way exhaustive.

    Now, a piece of advice to our lawmakers: There should be a law in the constitution of our beloved county that protects the Muslim woman to freely express herself especially when it pertains the wearing of Hijab both in corporate, secular, government and non-governmental organisations.

    This will go a long way to creating and maintaining a peaceful and convivial environment for us all.

    God bless Nigeria!

  • I’m happy working with Super Eagles – Rohr

    I’m happy working with Super Eagles – Rohr

    A Franco-German tactician, Gernot Rohr, has expressed pleasure working with the Super Eagles, following the three-time African champions qualification for Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup on Saturday.

    Nigeria became the first African country to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia after defeating Chipolopolo of Zambia on Saturday in Uyo.

    The current Super Eagles re-enacted the feat of the Super Eagles’ class of 1997 that qualified for the France’98 World Cup with a match to spare.

    Rohr, in a statement by Ademola Olajire, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)’s spokesman on Tuesday, said that he was happy working with the team.

    Rohr said, “I am very excited to be working with this team, a blend of the experienced and the young and ambitious ones.

    “They are a delight to be with at all times, and I believe we are on to great things.

    “At the beginning of the qualifying series, many people said we were going to be chased out.

    “We sat down together and we promised ourselves that we would go all out and get the ticket.”

    The 64-year-old coach, who was employed 15 months ago, led the team to a 1- 0 defeat of Tanzania in Uyo in September 2016; 2-1 defeat of Zambia in Ndola in October, 2016.

    Also, at the start of the 2018 World Cup race, the coach led the team to a 3-1 defeat of Algeria in Uyo in November 2016; a 3-0 defeat of Togo in a friendly match in Paris in June 2017.

    His victories also include a 4-0 bashing of Cameroon in Uyo in September 2017 and a 1- 0 defeat of Zambia in Uyo in October 2017, which guaranteed the World Cup ticket.

    The only loss was against the South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in Uyo, at the start of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in June 2017.

    Rohr said, “The match was a big wake-up call for us. Now that we have the World Cup ticket, we will go all out for the AFCON ticket and get it.

    “When you have a team that has so much self-belief, a lot of things are possible.

    “Age is, but a number. I feel young and able and willing to go on working with this group.’’

    NAN

  • 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

  • NDE trains 150 unemployed youths in Nasarawa

    NDE trains 150 unemployed youths in Nasarawa

    The National Directorate of Employment ( NDE ) says it has commenced three months free intensive training of 150 unemployed youths on vocational skills in Nasarawa State.

    Alhaji Dauda Idris-Wase, the NDE Coordinator in the state made the disclosure at an orientation course organised for the beneficiaries on Tuesday in Lafia.

    He said that the training was to equip the youths with skills that would make them employers of labour and contribute to the overall development of the country.

    According to him, participants will undergo three months intensive training in computer appreciation, G.S.M. repairs, tie and dye, beads stringing and event management, among others.

    “The orientation course is being organized to sensitize the participants on what the training entails and what is expected of them during the training

    “The training will run concurrently in the NDE three skills acquisition training centres situated in Lafia, Keffi and Mama.

    “The Director-General of the NDE, Dr. Nasir Argungu is very keen in seeing unemployed youths become useful to the society through proper skills acquisition.

    “It is better for government to teach one how to catch a fish than to give one fish to eat.

    “We are calling on unemployed youths not to depend on white collar jobs but embrace Federal Government’s skills acquisition programmes in order to become self-reliant,” he said.

    Idris-Wase advised the beneficiaries to take the training seriously as a stepping stone to establishing their own businesses.

    Mallam Usman, who spoke on behalf of the participants, lauded the NDE for the gesture and promised that they would be of good conduct throughout the training.

    The participants were selected from the three senatorial districts of the state.

    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

  • Ministry to introduce tourism as a subject in senior sec. schools

    Ministry to introduce tourism as a subject in senior sec. schools

    Mrs Patricia Narai, Deputy Director, Domestic Tourism in the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture said plans have been concluded to introduce it as a subject at the senior secondary school level.

    Narai said this in an interview on Tuesday in Abuja.

    “The Nigerian Educational Development Council has proposed 34 trades and identified tourism as one of the trades to be thought at the entrepreneurship level.

    “So students from SS I to SS III will soon start studying tourism and at that level they can come out victorious and establish a tourism business of their own.

    “And they can also further their education on that line.

    “What is left now is the approval, and am sure that soon, the curriculum will be out and the students will start studying tourism,” Narai said.

    On its impact, the deputy director said the students would be empowered with skills and knowledge on the section.

    She maintained that after graduation from secondary school, such a person could become a tour guard, event manager, visa professional or get employment in the sector.

    “This is because he or she would have acquired the needed skills and knowledge to effectively carry out responsibilities that will encourage tourists and boost the positive image of the country.”

    On getting the propose tourism subject into Joint Admission and Matriculation Board Examination, she explained that it would be a gradual process.

    “We have done the curriculum, when it is approved, the teachers guide will follow to enable them know what they are going to teach and subsequently it will go into JAMB and NECO examinations.

    “The essence of this is to catch them young; by the time tourism is studied in all senior secondary schools across the country, it will go a long way to produce large workforce for the sector,” Narai said.

    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