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Tag: Nigerian Newspaper

  • Herdsmen: Kebbi provide amenities at settlements

    Herdsmen: Kebbi provide amenities at settlements

    Gov Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi, has pledged to expand the scope of development at the designated settlements for herdsmen to forestall clashes between farmers and herdsmen.

    Bagudu, made the statement during a visit to Bele Sega Fango Fulani settlement in Teldu district of Argungu local government area.

    A statement by, Alhaji Abubakar Muazu, press secretary to the governor said that Bagudu promised to provide drinking water, schools, roads and health care facilities as well as other amenities.

    Read Also: Herdsmen, open minds and Osinbajo

    He said that the governor who inspected some rural access roads in the area also pledged to improve road construction that would showcase the social and economic activities in the area.

    He said the herdsmen that travel to distant locations searching for pasture would soon return stressing that with basic amenities, the tension and violent clashes would be eliminated and peace would prevail.

    Earlier, Alhaji Lawali Yakubu, Yeldu‘s traditional leader said that the population of herdsmen in the area was large stressing that provision of amenities would enhance settlement of the herdsmen.

    NAN

  • Ambode directs payment of taxes, levies through banks from March 1

    Ambode directs payment of taxes, levies through banks from March 1

    Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Monday directed that all taxes and levies due to the state government should now be paid through the banks and online banking platforms from March 1.

    Ambode gave the directive shortly after paying his personal Land Use Charge at the Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) in Opebi area of Ikeja.

    He said that this would reduce fraud and also encourage people to embrace the cashless policy.

    “In order to ensure that government improves on quality of service to the people, effective from March 1, no payment of taxes will be made by cash anymore across the state.

    “Tax payers should be able to pay every legitimate bill through all payment channels at their convenience.

    “The transaction process is going to be every day, anytime and no weekends and do not pay into wrong hands anymore,” Ambode said.

    He said that all the multi-layer platforms were to be deployed and used by all government ministeries, agencies, parastatals, associated companies and units henceforth.

    Read Also: Support Ambode’s Clean Lagos Initiative, Ajide urges Surulere people

    “All local governments must quickly adjust their collection machinery to eliminate all leakages,” he directed.

    The governor, who described the payment of taxes as an investment for the future, urged all residents to perform their civic responsibility, pledging that every kobo paid would be judiciously utilised.

    “I have just invested my quota by paying my land use charge and residents should join me by courageously making a decision for prosperity and pay all their due taxes.

    “Lagosians with your full support, there is evidence that every kobo paid in taxes has been productively utilised for infrastructural renewal and development of the state in last two and half years,” Ambode said.

    The News men reports that the governor was immediately presented a certificate of payment for the land use charge.

    NAN

     

  • Conte wants ‘perfect game’ from Chelsea against Barcelona

    Conte wants ‘perfect game’ from Chelsea against Barcelona

    Chelsea manager Antonio Conte said, the Premier League club must play the perfect game to beat a formidable Barcelona in Tuesday’s first leg of the Champions League last 16 ties.

    The Premier League champions have recovered from a poor run of form, winning consecutive matches over West Bromwich Albion in the league and Hull City in the FA Cup.

    However, Chelsea’s Italian coach is not getting carried away.

    “On one hand you know this team is one of the best in the world – maybe they are favourites to win this competition,” Conte told British media.

    “On the other hand we must be excited because we have a great opportunity to play a massive game against a really strong team and to show which our level is.

    “… We have to try to have the perfect game, the perfect game to try to make the best decisions. For this type of team.

    “They have fantastic characteristics with the ball. But they can have weaknesses without the ball and we have to try and exploit this.”

    Barcelona’s star forward Lionel Messi has never scored in eight matches against Chelsea and Conte is eager for his team to maintain that record.

    Read Also: How Antonio Conte Transformed Chelsea and Won the Title

    Chelsea last defeated the Spanish side in 2012 as the London outfit marched to their first Champions League title.

    Midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who moved to Stamford Bridge from Barcelona in 2014, is confident that Conte’s side can repeat the feat.

    “They try to put the first pressure very, very high – (they) always work towards the ball,” Fabregas said.

    “If we can (get) past this first phase of their pressure, then we have the content to do that, and not put ourselves under too much pressure, then I think we can hurt them because they will leave a lot of spaces at the back.

    “Hopefully we can give a good image of what we can do and do a good performance.”

    Chelsea next travel to second-placed Manchester United in the league on Sunday.

    NAN

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  • Not too young to run bill: Youth not fully ready for leadership -Yero

    Not too young to run bill: Youth not fully ready for leadership -Yero

    A Political Science lecturer with Kaduna State University (KASU),  Mallam Aliyu Yero, says Nigerian youths are not yet ready to take up the mantle of leadership of the country.

    Yero made the assertion in an interview with the News men on Monday in Kaduna while reacting to the Not too young to run Bill passed by the National Assembly.

    According to him, Nigerian youths lack the required skills to run a political office effectively due to their poor quality education.

    “There is no doubt that the future of Nigeria is in the hands of the youth, but young people of today are not like that of yesterday, the literacy rate is low compared to other developed nations.

    “In as much as there is a need for new ideas as the world is gradually turning to a global village, the youth must have qualitative education first before running for political office”.

    The lecturer added that young people aspiring to run for any political office must first seek guidance and mentorship from experienced hands vast in Nigerian history and politics for effective leadership.

    He called on government to restructure the education system for the youth to have access to qualitative education that would make them better citizens.

    “Education plays a vital role in the development of any nation; therefore, government should give priority to qualitative education that will be accessible and affordable.

    “It is the only tool that will reshape and reorient the youths towards developing their nation,’’ he said.

    The news men reports,  the Not too young to run bill passed by the National Assembly in July 2017, cut down the age requirement for president from 40 to 30 years; Governors from 35 to 30 and Senate from 35 to 30 years.

    It also reduced the age of those vying for a seat in the House of Representatives and State Assemblies from 30 to 25 years.

    The bill, however, require the backing of at least 24 Houses of Assembly for it to become law.

    NAN

     

     

  • Corruption: Buhari needs support not insults – Activist

    Corruption: Buhari needs support not insults – Activist

    An activist and public affairs commentator in Adamawa, Alhaji Suleiman Baba-Jada has urged Nigerians to render more support to the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari to tackle corruption and other challenges facing the nation.

    Baba-Jada told News men in an interview on Monday in Yola that what Buhari needed to address the various challenges was support from Nigerians not insults and unwarranted criticisms.

    “The president needs support instead of inciting criticisms mostly from those who are perceived as corrupt people with cases to answer in EFCC.

    “The whole thing looks more like corruption is fighting back, and that is the more reason why Nigerians must stand up and support the president.

    “The situation we have now with many people with corrupt cases occupying elected positions means that definitely the fight against corruption won’t be that easy for the president,” Baba-Jada said.

    According to him, the inciting criticisms are meant to distract the president.

    He warned that such people “risk the wrath of the silent majority that is yearning for an end to the menace of corruption and other acts of criminality in the country.”

    Baba-Jada backed the setting up of special courts to try corruption cases, saying it would eliminate the delay being experienced in dispensing of such cases, a situation which has been denting the image of the country.

    Read Also: Catholic bishops confront Buhari over performance

    “I also want to declare my support for Magu, the EFCC boss, who I believe has good intention and commitment to deliver in his job.”

    The septuagenarian, who spoke on hate speech, cautioned journalists against being used by unpatriotic politicians and ethnic champions to heat up the polity.

    “We are seeing how politicians who lost out in elections or were not given appointment are using the media to insult their perceived enemies in the name of freedom of expression.

    “The media need to be careful from being used to create problems by such politicians and ethnic champions.

    “We are seeing how such politicians who used to be close to Buhari are now attacking everything thing he does in an attempt to settle personal scores just, because they were not given appointments or carried along.

    “Some of them have access to the president but they rather chose to get to him using the media in a combative and derogatory language,” Baba-Jada said.

    He also urged Buhari to change his approach to issues “by being more firm and decisive to prove wrong the impression being given by his traducers that he is being controlled by a cabal.”

    NAN

     

  • Kano Pillars mourn late Udoji, say he was an asset

    Kano Pillars mourn late Udoji, say he was an asset

    Kano Pillars Football Club’s Technical Committee Chairman, on Monday in Kano described the late Chinedu Udoji as an asset and a dedicated player.
    Chinedu Udoji, a central defender, died in a ghastly motor accident Sunday night, some hours after playing in the club’s home 1-1 draw with visiting Enyimba International FC of Aba.
    “His death was shocking and a great loss to the football family,’’ Haladu said in a statement signed by the club’s Media Officer, Rilwanu Malikawa.
    Udoji lost his life along Independence road in the Bompai area of Kano.
    According to reports, he was heading to his Badawa quarters residence after he visited the hotel where members of Enyimba International FC had lodged for the Match Day 9 fixture.

    READ ALSO: Kano Pillars confirm Udoji’s death

    Udoji spent many years with Enyimba, where he won several honours with them before joining Kano Pillars two years ago.
    He was said to be riding alone in his car with registration number KSF 499 BF when the accident happened.
    The corpse of the late Udoji has been deposited at the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital in Kano and the incident reported to the Bompai Police Division.
    Haladu said the Kano Pillars’ management, technical crew, players, fans and the entire football family in Kano were in shock Monday morning following the player’s death.
    He said the club officials were processing all necessary documentation before taking Udoji’s corpse to his family for burial.
    “Our deepest condolences to his family, friends, fans, and football lovers all across the country,” Kano Pillars also said in a tweet about the incident.
    Born in 1989, the centre-back joined Kano Pillars ahead of the 2016/2017 season after spending seven years with Enyimba following his arrival from FC Abuja.
    He is survived by his wife and kids.

    NAN

  • Kalu urges Tinubu to accelerate reconciliation of aggrieved APC members

    Kalu urges Tinubu to accelerate reconciliation of aggrieved APC members

    Former Abia governor, Dr Orji Kalu has called on the National Leader of the All Progressive Congress ( APC ), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to accelerate efforts toward reconciling aggrieved members of the ruling party.

    Kalu made the call on Sunday night while speaking with newsmen at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos.

    He said the task given by President Muhammadu Buhari to Tinubu was very apt because there was an urgent need to reconcile feuding members of the party.

    According to him, the situation whereby a serving governor and a minister who belong to APC are engaged in bickering at a time concerted efforts are needed to return the party to victory in 2019 is not good.

    Kalu said: “I have reported this to the highest authority of the party that it is not proper for a governor and minister in Ibadan to go two parallel ways.

    “It is not to the benefit of the president and neither is it to the benefit of the party, it is not the benefit of Nigerians; the synergy needed to accelerate cohesion in the ruling party will not be there.

    “We need to thank Mr President in his wisdom in giving the mandate to the national leader of APC the opportunity to reconcile members of the party.

    “I am very excited that such a thing is happening. I am confident it will be a good beginning for my brother and friend, Tinubu to execute the reconciliation task very well.

    “I am confident Tinubu will be blunt to settle feuding members of the APC.”

    He noted that Buhari had the constitutional right to seek for re-election, adding that the only reason the president might not run in 2019 would be solely on health grounds.

    According to him, Buhari is an honest man and will let Nigerians know whether he will contest or not at the appropriate time.

    “Buhari is an honest man. If he is interested in running, he will tell Nigerians that he will run. We pray that his health gets better and that his doctors give him a clean bill of health.

    “You know Buhari is also a man of conscience; if he feels his health will not allow him to seek re-election he will not go ahead, but if he feels he is capable of running, he will seek re-election.

    “It is his decision, it his right, he is entitled to second term,” he said.

    The ex-governor, who commended the president for the ongoing construction of the Second Niger Bridge, stressed that he had done well in his first term and there was also room for improvement.

    Kalu also asserted that Buhari would win the 2019 election if he decides to run with or without the support of the Northern elite because he had a huge following by the masses.

    “If the elite refuse to support Buhari, the masses will support Buhari. The elite are few in number, the people that will support Buhari are the masses, who sincerely believe in Buhari.

    “They are people who not know any other thing other than Buhari. By my assumption, If President Buhari had 12.5 million supporters in the last general election; there is an additional 10 million supporters in the bank.

    “That is what we call reserve, it is still there,” he said.

    NAN

  • Flavour, Styl-Plus thrill Abuja crowd, Tekno falls flat

    Flavour, Styl-Plus thrill Abuja crowd, Tekno falls flat

    The Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton Abuja was host to a number of Nigerian musicians Saturday night. Popular highlife performer Flavour graced the stage alongside crowd favourite Tekno Miles and veterans of the music industry, Styl Plus.

    The concert organisers El-carnival and Play Network sold tickets at the rates of N1 million Naira for gold table, N2million for Platinum table and 7000 Naira for regular tickets.

    The News men reported that the organisers pulled out an estimated crowd of 1000 fans into the Congress hall for the event.

    Styl-Plus first graced the stage with performances that rolled back the years.

    The News men reports, the music group performed different hits including, “Olufunmi” and “Imagine that” from the Expressions album and “four years” from the Back and Better album much to the delight of the Abuja crowd.

    One of the members of the group popularly known as Shifi, revealed his excitement to The News men.

    He said “It is always great to perform in Abuja because this is home. This is where it all began”.

    Flavour N’abania took his chance to excite the crowd with his performance and did not disappoint. The “Ada Ada” crooner got many people up and dancing to his popular tunes.

    Read Also: Nigeria likely to ban flavoured cigarettes

    A fan who revealed her name as Isioma Okolo told The News Agency of Nigeria of her excitement at watching one of her favourite artists perform.

    She said “My favourite Nigerian musician has done it again, I have been to some of his shows before and he raises the bar every time”.

    Flavour seemed to raise the bar too high this time as he got off the stage to allow Tekno end the show.

    Tekno had the chance to impress the waiting and anticipating crowd. However,  he let his Abuja fans down with his uninspiring performance as he  murmured into the mic.

    The News men reported that the singer was heard murmuring into the mic and sarcastically saying the money he was paid had finished, much to the disappointment of some of his fans.

    Mr Emmanuel Kevin who had come from Keffi, Nasarawa State to attend the show expressed his disappointment at Tekno. He said “It was disappointing to see.  I could hear him every time he instructed his DJ to change a song half way through performing it. He seemed to be rushing somewhere”.

    Another fan who preferred to be called Freda also expressed her disappointment in Tekno. “It was as if he did not want to be in Abuja”, she said.

    Tekno has been criticised in the past for his bad attitude towards his fans. This latest event will likely increase those criticisms.

    NAN

  • Black Panther smashes box office records with $218m

    Black Panther smashes box office records with $218m

    Disney-Marvel’s “ Black Panther ” is heading for a super-heroic $218 million debut over the four-day President’s Day weekend at 4,020 North American locations, estimates showed Sunday.

    That number means that “Black Panther,” starring Chadwick Boseman and directed by Ryan Coogler, has doubled its original tracking in less than a month.

    The film, which carries an estimated $200 million production cost, had been tracking to bring in between an impressive $100 and $120 million when first estimates emerged on Jan. 25.

    Since then, “Black Panther” has become a must-see movie for many moviegoers, underlined when Thursday previews brought in $25.2 million, the largest Thursday night preview gross for a February opener and the second-largest preview gross for a Marvel film.

    The film’s estimated three-day gross of $192 million is the highest debut ever for a February film and the fifth highest of all time.

    Combined with an estimated international debut of $169 million from 69 percent of the international market, the estimated global debut stands at $361 million through Sunday.

    “Black Panther” has demolished the record for the largest Presidents Day weekend, blowing past “Deadpool‘s” 2016 mark of $152 million.

    Overall North American movie going for the four-day period should hit $300 million — far above the $278 million mark in 2016, according to comScore.

    “This is proof that the big screen experience may arguably be the most powerful platform of change in our society,“ said Paul Dergarabedian,”senior media analyst with comScore.

    “The emotional, communal, immersive and bigger than life theatrical experience has an impact that virtually no other medium can match.”
    Comscore’s PostTrak survey of the audience showed outstanding numbers with 77 percent rating “Black Panther” as “excellent” and another 18 percent as “very good.”

    Boseman portrays King T‘Challa, ruler of Wakanda, a technologically advanced society, who conflicts with Michael B. Jordan’s Eric Killmonger, who intends to take over the throne.

    Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong‘o, Angela Bassett, Danai Gurira, and Daniel Kaluuya also star. It’s received an A+ CinemaScore, the only Marvel film to have done so besides 2012’s “The Avengers.”

    NAN/Reuters

  • 1,306 Nigerians died in road accidents in Q4 – NBS

    1,306 Nigerians died in road accidents in Q4 – NBS

    The National Bureau of Statistics ( NBS ) says no fewer than 1,306 Nigerians died in road accidents in the fourth quarter of 2017.

    The NBS stated this in its “Road Transport Data for Fourth Quarter 2017” posted on its website.

    The NBS said that 1,200 of the 1,306 Nigerians who died, representing 92 per cent of the figure were adults, while the remaining 106, representing eight per cent, were children.

    According to the report, 1,019 male, representing 78 per cent died in the period under review, while 287 female, representing 22 per cent, died in road accidents in the period.

    The report said that 2,489 road crashes occurred in fourth quarter of 2017.

    It indicated that speed violation as the major cause of road crashes during the period and this accounted for 45.08 per cent of the total road crashes reported.

    It said that loss of control and dangerous driving by motorists represented 10.08 per cent of crashes recorded in the fourth quarter.

    According to the report, a total of 7,349 Nigerians got injured in the road accidents recorded in the period.

    It stated that 6,855 of the 7,349 Nigerians that got injured, representing 93 per cent of the figure, were adults, while the remaining 494 Nigerians, representing seven per cent of the figure were children.

    It also reported that 5,366 male, representing 73 per cent, got injured during the quarter, while 1,983 female, representing 27 per cent, were injured within the period.

    The report said that a total of 214,256 national drivers’ licenses were produced in the quarter.

    It stated that Lagos and FCT produced the highest number of drivers’ licenses, while Zamfara and Kebbi States produced the least numbers of national drivers’ licenses in the period.

    NAN