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Tag: Nigerian news

  • NEMA lauds Okorocha’s urban renewal programme

    NEMA lauds Okorocha’s urban renewal programme

    The National Emergency Management Agency ( NEMA ) has applauded Gov. Rochas Okorocha’s urban renewal programme, saying it has made response to emergencies in Imo easier.

    Mr Evans Ugoh, Coordinator of NEMA Owerri operations office in charge of Imo and Abia states, disclosed this in an interview on friday.

    Ugoh further said that the urban renewal programme would reduce disasters such as flooding and fire outbreaks in the area as well as create more job opportunities for the youth.

    The coordinator, who was commenting on the state government’s urban renewal programmes and the associated benefits, noted that flooding was becoming a major issue in emergency management in the country.

    He said that the recent flooding in Owerri was a temporal situation and would be permanently taken care of when the various projects in the state were completed.

    He said that the programme had helped to decongest the capital city and had also attracted meaningful development in other parts of the state.

    The NEMA boss also noted that with the milestone so far achieved, the crime rate would drastically reduce.

    “Imo will soon become the safest state in the country because of how it is being reorganized and this will make our job very easy.

    “The governor has a lot of vision, but needed people to support him to achieve his vision,”

  • Gunmen kill traditional ruler in Plateau

    Gunmen kill traditional ruler in Plateau

    Unknown gunmen at midnight attacked Gyangyang village in Jhar Chiefdom of Kanam Local Government area of Plateau killing the acting village head, Alhaji Mohammed Suleiman.

    The gunmen invaded the house of the deceased at about 1:00 a.m on Friday and killed the traditional ruler.

    The source said that the gunmen who carried sophisticated weapons stationed some of their men outside the house to ensure that nobody interfered with their operation.

    “We heard when they shot him and when we made efforts to come out, the gunmen stationed outside started shooting sporadically,” the source said.

    The Chairman of Kanam Local Government area, Mr Hamidu Bale, confirmed the incident.

    “I have spoken with the Divisional Police Officer and other security agents and they have moved to the area.

    “They will tell us after their investigation exactly what happened,” he said.

    However, when contacted, ASP Terna Tyopev, the Plateau Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, said that he was yet to be briefed about the incident.

    “I will call the DPO in the area and I will get back to you.”

    NAN

  • Lamido canvasses free, credible convention for PDP

    Lamido canvasses free, credible convention for PDP

    A former governor of Jigawa, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has called the leadership of Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) to ensure that the party’s December national convention would be free and fair.

    Lamido made the call when he met with ex-PDP Speakers of States Houses of Assembly forum on Thursday in Abuja.

    He said that anybody that emerged as PDP chairman would enjoy the required support from all party’s members.

    Commenting on Gov. Ayo Fayose’s declaration for presidency in 2018, Lamido said that it was the constitutional right of the governor to contest like every other Nigerians.

    He said that Fayose had the right to contest even though, the party had zone the 2019 presidential ticket to the North.

    He also advised PDP members to be courageous in the face of what he described as “persecution”.

    “We need people to be courageous.”

    He reiterated his determination to remain in PDP, saying “no matter how hard I try, if I move to All Progressive Congress ( APC ), my soul will not follow me.”

    Lamido added that without the party members who joined the APC, the party would not have defeated the Peoples Democratic Party in the last general elections.

    The former Minister of Foreign Affairs said that 2019 would be a defining moment for Nigeria.

    The former Ogun State Governor, Mr Gbenga Daniel also met with the forum.

    NAN

  • Police boss promises adequate security in Niger

    Police boss promises adequate security in Niger

    The Police Command in Niger has said it is ready to provide adequate security before, during and after the 57th Independence celebrations of the country in the state.

    The Commissioner of Police for the command, Mr Austine Agbonlahor, gave the promise in an interview in Minna on Friday.

    Agbonlahor said that the command had mobilised all needed manpower and logistics that would enable it provide a secured environment for the peaceful conduct of all celebrations in the area.

    He said that operational order on how to provide conducive atmosphere across the state had been worked out for implementation by officers and men of the command.

    “We have deployed sufficient personnel to all public buildings and recreational centres for well coordinated, physical policing against any form of security threats,” he said.

    He advised residents to be security conscious always while attending public functions, assuring them that the command would intensify efforts in feasibility policing to safeguard life and property.

    “We need intelligence information about miscreants to enable us come out with plausible security measures to arrest and prosecute them.

    NAN

  • Oil workers injured as fire engulfs Consolidated Oil in Bayelsa

    Oil workers injured as fire engulfs Consolidated Oil in Bayelsa

    At least two oil workers were injured in an early morning fire outbreak at an oil rig operated by Consolidated Oil, an indegenous oil firm at Akassa, Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa.

    A sources at the oilfield, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the fire was caused by an electrical fault, which resulted in colossal damage.

    “The enormity of the fire hampered initial rescue efforts, and it is expected in an oil and gas environment, but the emergency response systems were activated in the facility and the fire was put out.

    “However, two workers were rescued and have been stabilised and receiving medical attention.

    “The facility has been shut down and the area is calm,” the source said.

    Another security source deployed to the area confirmed the fire incident and allayed fears that it was a militant attack.

    “The fire incident is an operational mishap and has nothing to do with militants. So it is within the operational levels of the company and officials  are currently assessing the damage done by the fire”.

    Mr Asinim Butswat, spokesman of the Bayelsa Police Command, on telephone that the Command was awaiting detailed information on the incident.

    He promised that the command will provide details of the incident as soon as it was available.

    NAN

  • Court jails student for wristwatch theft

    Court jails student for wristwatch theft

    A Grade 1 Area Court in Karu, Abuja, on Firday, sentenced a 23-year old student, Abdulrazak Yahaya, for stealing a Piaget wristwatch worth N100,000.

    The Presiding Judge, Mr Hassan Ishaq, found the convict, who hails from Maraba in Nasarawa state, guilty of the two-count charge of criminal breach of trust and theft, and sentenced him to seven months imprisonment.

    Ishaq however, gave the convict an option to pay N17, 000 as fine, as he pleaded guilty and begged for the court’s mercy.

    The magistrate ordered the recovered wristwatch be returned to the complainant.

    Earlier, the Prosecutor, Mr Mahmud Ismail’a, told the court that on Sept. 27, the complainant, one Alamin Garba of Karu, reported the case at Karu police station.

    He alleged that the complainant had accommodated the defendant in his apartment, having attended a birthday party and stayed out late in the night in Karu.

    Ismail’a told the court that as soon as the defendant left the complainant’s apartment in the morning, he discovered that his luxury Piaget wristwatch purchased for N100, 000, was missing.

    He said the complainant immediately reported the matter at the police station, whose operatives promptly arrested the defendant in his home and found in his possession, the stolen wristwatch.

    The prosecutor, who said the offences contravened Sections 312 and 287 of the Penal code, added that the recovered wristwatch was in police custody.

  • Osinbajo calls for commitment in private sector

    Osinbajo calls for commitment in private sector

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday called for the commitment of private sector in economic development as the country exited recession.

    Osinbajo made the call at the 2017 Nigerian Debt Capital Markets Conference and Awards organised by FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange in Lagos.

    NAN reports that Osinbajo was represented by Ms Patience Oniha, the Director-General of the Debt Management Office (DMO).

    He said that the Federal Government required the commitment of all in its diversification strategy to achieve the desired economic growth.

    According to the Vice President, with the growing population, the private sector participation is needed to complement the government’s efforts in area of infrastructure development.

    He said that the private sector participation was important because the sector was efficient in handling projects anywhere in the world.

    On the Nigerian Debt Capital Markets (DCM), he said the private sector needed the market to succeed in business.

    According to him, the country needs a world-class capital market, which is an important factor as regard bond issuance.

    He said that the ability of all sectors to access the debt capital market was necessary to bring the desired economic growth and diversification.

    Osinbajo added that the present determination of Federal Government on the ease of doing business was to enable more investments flow into the country.

    According to him, the ease of doing business makes it easier for business start ups to grow their businesses.

    On the impact of FMDQ to the nation’s Debt Capital Market (DCM), the Vice President said that the existence of the platform had promoted the domestic fixed income market.

    “FMDQ has a pivotal role to play in enabling the authorities meet the long-term projects required for the country,” he said.

    The Finance Minister, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, reiterated that the debt capital market was important in terms of providing funding in the development of infrastructure in the country.

    “DCM will help in deepening the nation’s finance market because we are going to see more direct portfolio investment into the country soon,” Adeosun said.

    She noted that government was restructuring the economy to give the nation’s development a leap.

    “My message to investors is to start taking positions now because Nigeria is growing aggressively economically.

    “We are working very hard to use capital market to address the infrastructural deficit in the country.

    “We have seen a lot of opportunities in the debt market to bridge the gap of funding infrastructure,” she said.

    Adeosun said that Nigeria had all the indices of development and the needed competitive advantage.

    NAN reports that the theme of the conference titled: “Positioning for growth” was part of the DCM’s aspiration to become a world-class market between 2020 and 2025.

    It is also to provide workable solutions that will stimulate growth and accelerate the development of the Nigerian DCM.

  • NSCDC moves to address personnel’s housing needs

    NSCDC moves to address personnel’s housing needs

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ) has moved to key into the Federal Government’s housing policy to address the accommodation needs of its personnel.

    Spokesman of the Corps, Mr Emmanuel Okeh, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Thursday.

    Okeh said the Commandant General (CG) of the Corps, Mr Abdullahi Gana, announced the move while addressing officers and men of the Corps at its headquarters in Abuja.

    According to him, Gana directed relevant officers in the agency to work out modalities in that regard.

    The officers include the Commandant in charge of housing, and the President of the NSCDC Staff Multi-purpose Cooperative Society.

    They were also directed to shop for developers that “are ready to build houses for the personnel at affordable costs in NSCDC Commands nationwide.

    “The CG re-assured the personnel that under his leadership they would get their entitlements without favouratism or lobbying, stressing that he belongs to everybody in the Corps.

    “Gana, therefore, charged the personnel to always channel their grievances through appropriate quarters and shun rumour mongering,” the spokesman said.

    The NSCDC boss had said that the recent “re-integration of next of kins of deceased personnel” into the Corps, was misunderstood by many as a recruitment/replacement exercise.

    He stated that fraudsters also capitalised on it to defraud desperate job seekers.

    “But we cannot be deterred because it is the only way of compensating the families of those we lost in the line of duty.

    “I am using this opportunity to reiterate my advice to job applicants to be careful so as not to fall victims of the antics of scammers.

    “As soon soon we get presidential approval to recruit, the Corps will place employment advertisement in national dailies and not online,” Okeh quoted him as saying.

  • Adamawa: Ex-PDP chairman, others in prison over IDPs food

    Adamawa: Ex-PDP chairman, others in prison over IDPs food

    A Federal High Court in Yola has ordered the remand of former Adamawa PDP Chairman, Alhaji Abdurrahman Bobboi, in prison for allegedly diverting food meant for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

    Also remanded were Mr Sanda Lamurde, a former Commissioner for Finance, and Feredan George, a former Chief Store Officer of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA ).

    Justice Bilkisu Aliyu gave the order on Wednesday, at the hearing of a case of alleged forgery and stealing brought against the trio by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC ).

    The accused are facing 16 charges bordering on forgery, theft and fraud.

    According to the EFCC Counsel, Mr Abubakar Aliyu, the suspects were arraigned following a petition received from members of Agricultural Transformation Agro-Allied Farmers Cooperative Union, Adamawa chapter.

    The union, in its petition to the EFCC, had alleged that the loan granted to Adamawa State farmers, from the Central Bank of Nigeria. were not disbursed to them.

    It claimed that the funds were diverted into the purchase of food for IDPs by the state government.

    Aliyu said that after investigation, the commission decided to arraign the suspects over the said transaction.

    He alleged that the accused persons took advantage of their membership of the State Committee on the Welfare of the IDPs, to perpetrate crime.

    According to him, Lamurde, who served under former governor Bala Ngillari, was the chairman of the committee while Abdurrahman Bobboi, a former Chief Protocol Officer to the governor, was a member.

    “The suspects conspired among themselves and diverted the funds amounting to N587 million released by the Adamawa State Government to buy food and  other basic needs of IDPs” he said.

    He said that the crime was committed between March and May, 2015.

    The judge, who adjourned the case to Nov. 10 for trial, ordered the accused persons to be remanded in prison custody pending the determination of their bail application.

  • FG, stakeholders begin review of agric sector performance

    FG, stakeholders begin review of agric sector performance

    The Federal Government ( FG ) has commenced the review of the performance and developments recorded in the agriculture sector between 2010 and 2016, in collaboration with some development partners.

    Chief Audu Ogbeh, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, disclosed this at the Nigeria’s Agricultural Joint Sector Review in Abuja on Thursday.

    The minister said the review was to assess the progress made in policies implementation in the sector in line with the Malabo declaration.

    Ogbeh, represented by Mr Auwal Mai-Dabino, the Director, Planning and Policy Coordination in the ministry, noted that the assessment was geared toward highlighting the successes and challenges faced in the sector over the years, with a view to tackling them to sustain the current growth rate in the sector.

    According to him, the review will help to reposition the sector for better performance.

    The minister said the Federal Government ( FG ) had articulated 10 key areas to double productivity and improve access to export markets in line with the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan ( ERGP ).

    He listed some of the priorities given to agricultural projects to include comprehensive livestock development, input transformation, produce and commodity storage systems, expansion support project and nutrition among others.

    “This review will assist the government in setting sector policy and priorities, programming, budget preparation and execution, monitoring and evaluation.

    “This will help in sectoral planning process to achieve national goals and targets, assess how well state and non-state actors have implemented pledges and commitments for overall development of the sector,’’ he said.

    Assessing the performance, Prof. Olomola Aderibigbe from the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER), emphasised the need to transform the agricultural marketing system.

    Aderibigbe, who said that poor market strategy was a major challenge in the agriculture sector, noted that agriculture experienced slow growth within the years under review.

    “As much as we put emphasis on boosting production and promoting export and investment in agriculture, we should not lose sight of the marketing aspect.

    “There is need for transformation in agricultural marketing, so that we can have better prosperity to share for the farmers.

    “Farmers find it difficult to sell their produce, to earn from their venture.

    “Nigeria has been lagging behind in the area of marketing and without market transformation, growth in the sector will not be sustained,’’ he said.

    Dr Kehinde Makinde, the Country Team Leader of the Alliance for Green a Green Revolution in Africa ( AGRA ), appealed to the government at all levels to create an enabling environment for businesses, especially industries to buy raw materials from farmers.

    Makinde commended the review process, adding that it would help the government make informed decisions that would promote the agriculture sector.

    AGRA, is one of the facilitators of the review and development partners of the programme.

    Chief Daniel Okafor, the Vice National Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria ( AFAN ), commended the Federal Government and other development partners for instituting the review.

    He said the review, which was the first of its kind, would help government fashion out ways of creating markets for farmers to sell their produce.

    “Nigeria’s population is growing and every stakeholder needs be involved to find ways of increasing food production.

    “Now that farmers are involved in the review, we will speak out on what we need to boost production,’’ he said.

    Mrs Nkiruka Nnaemego, the Founder of the Fresh and Young Brains Development Initiative, appealed to the Federal Government to support the youths in agriculture by providing agricultural land to young farmers.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Malabo declaration on agriculture was adopted at the 23rd Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, in June 2014 during which AU Heads of State and Government.

    It is geared toward accelerating agricultural growth and transformation for shared prosperity and improved livelihood.

    The 2014 declaration was a formal commitment by AU Heads of States and Governments to provide effective leadership to achieve some specific goals by the year 2025.