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NYSC: 20 members get service extension

The National Youth Service Corps ( NYSC ), in Nasarawa State, says 20 corps members are to have an extension of service due to alleged misconduct during the service year.

The state Coordinator, 2017 Batch B Stream 11, Mrs Zainab Isah, disclosed this on Thursday at the passing out parade in Lafia Local Government Area.

She said the affected corps members committed various offences bordering on misconduct during the service year.

Isah said the punishment meted out was based on the gravity of their offences according to the by-law of the scheme.

“We have 20 corps members that have disciplinary cases.

“Some of them missed one allowance or the other because they were not around.

“Some traveled without permission or they traveled with permission but extended their stay without informing the officers,’’ she said.

Read also: NYSC promises justice in killing of member

She also explained that the allowances they missed would be given to them during their extension of service.

According to her, some got two weeks extension, some three weeks, while others got longer due to the gravity of their offences.

It depends on the misconduct and what the NYSC by-law stipulates as punishment,” she said.

Isah explained that the decision to extend the service year of erring corps members was the recommendation of the State NYSC Disciplinary Committee which will serve as a deterrent to others.

According to her, 1,957 corps members successfully completed their service year and have been issued certificates.

She commended the corps members for their patriotism and perseverance during the year.

She, however, advised them to be self-reliant and employers of labour rather than wait for white collar jobs.

“You should go ahead with what we taught you in camp, just continue with those training and I am sure those training will see you (through) in no distant time,” she said.

She thanked the state government for its support to the scheme and urged for its sustenance especially in the area of engagement of corps members with significant positive impact in the area of their primary assignments.

According to her, five corps members distinguished themselves based on the contributions they made in their places of assignments.

“They did exceptionally well but we are yet to submit the list to the state government because the NYSC governing board is yet to hold a meeting on it,”she said.

NAN

December 21, 2017
Harry and Meghan release engagement pictures

Britain’s Prince Harry and his American fiancée Meghan Markle have released a series of portraits by New York-based fashion photographer Alexi Lubomirski to mark their engagement.

Lubomirski, a former assistant to Mario Testino, famed for his photos of Harry’s mother Princess Diana, took the pictures this week at the royal retreat of Frogmore House, near Windsor Castle, west of London, where the couple are due to marry on May 19.

Read also: Harry and Meghan to wed May 19

“I cannot help but smile when I look at the photos that we took of them, such was their happiness together,” Lubomirski said.

Queen Elizabeth’s 33-year-old grandson, Harry, fifth-in-line to the throne, and Markle, 36, who stars in the U.S. TV legal drama “Suits”, announced their engagement last month.

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December 21, 2017
NSCDC deploys 2,000 personnel ahead of Christmas

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ) on Thursday deployed more than 2,000 personnel in Enugu State to ensure safety of lives and property of residents during the yuletide season.

The Corps Commandant in the state, Mr Steve Amoga, told newsmen in Enugu.

He said that the command had also deployed 10 vehicles for 24-hour operations by the officers and men in uniform and plain-cloth.

The NSCDC boss said that the command had deployed its rapid response squad in strategic locations in the state to protect sites with critical public infrastructure.

“They are also deployed to places where large number of people gather such as worship centres, markets and shopping malls in Enugu,’’ he said.

Read also: NSCDC trains 380 officers on criminal prosecution

According to Amoga, the massive deployment is to ensure that the residents of the state have a well-secured environment during and after the festive period.

“We are also ensuring that we take pro-active steps to have our plain-cloths and uniform officers and men to nip any act of criminality and terrorism in the bud,’’ he said.

He explained that every operative had been placed on red alert in order to ensure quick response to any incident in the state, saying that the special operation would last up to the third week of January, 2018.

The NSCDC boss, however, advised residents to be mindful of the activities of the security personnel and report any suspicious object, movement and persons.

“When you see any face or group of people that unknown to you lurking around your building and premises, please do report to the NSCDC so that our intelligence officers can come around.

“Also, if someone comes around you where it is clear that there is enough space for him to pass but he or she decided to squeeze his or her body on you.
“You must check properly your pockets and belongings to ensure that you have not been robbed.

“And once you notice any theft raise alarm and call the nearest NSCDC official around especially if you are in a market or shopping mall,’’ he added.

NAN

December 21, 2017
Bill to regulate bank charges passes second reading

A bill for an Act to amend the Banks and other Financial Institutions Act has passed second reading in the House of Representatives.

The amendment seeks to mandate banks and other financial institution in Nigeria to state in writing, all charges and fees accruing to any transactions in the banks.

The bill which was sponsored by Rep. Jones Onyereri ( Imo-PDP ) also seeks to increase penalties to deter corporate and individual misconduct.

Leading the debate, Onyereri said the bill seeks to amend the banking Act and to among other things, regulate banks and other financial institutions.

The legislator said in line with the current economic realities, there was a need to deter incessant contravention of banking laws.

He said that the bill, when amended will prohibit carrying on of such businesses in the country and streamline the operations of banks and financial institutions in Nigeria to conform with international best practices.

Rep. Daniel Reyenieju (Delta-PDP) said that there are many victims of arbitrary charges and that there was need for banks and financial institutions to be transparent.

Reyenieju acknowledged that the banks were out to make profits but stressed that the process most be open for the customer to know.

In his ruling, the Speaker Yakubu Dogara referred the bill to the House Committee on Banking and Currency for further legislative actions.

NAN

December 21, 2017
Borno free of cholera outbreak – Commissioner

The Borno Government on Thursday declared that the state is cholera free sequel to the successful control of an outbreak of the disease.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Haruna Mshelia, made this known at a news conference in Maiduguri.

He said the state government in collaboration with World Health Organisation ( WHO ) and development partners had effectively controlled the cholera outbreak which was first recorded on August 16.

“Today, we are more than two weeks without any case reported and this signifies that we have come to the end of this outbreak,’’ Mshelia, who was represented by Dr Muhammad Ghuluze, said.

“The preparedness of the health cluster to respond to cholera outbreak; effective partner coordination, and swift activation of the emergency operation centre, efficient case management and surveillance were the strong points that helped disrupt transmission and reduce mortality by about one per cent,” he said.

Read also: Cholera spreads through IDPs camps in Nigeria – UN

Mshelia disclosed further that over 5,000 cases of the disease were recorded with 61 deaths in the six affected local government areas of the state.

He listed the affected areas as Jere, Maiduguri, Dikwa, Monguno, Mafa and Guzamala.

The commissioner attributed the outbreak to the weakening health system due to Boko Haram insurgency and over population at Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs ) camps.

According to him, the state government has inoculated 950,000 persons against the disease as part of effort to prevent future outbreak.

Mshelia reiterated the state government commitments to enhance quality healthcare delivery in the state.
He commended WHO and other organisations for their contributions to the improvement of healthcare services in the state.

NAN

December 21, 2017
Another House of Rep member defects to APC

A member of the House of Representatives, Johnson Agbonayinma, on Thursday in Abuja announced his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Agbonayinma represents Egor/Ikpoba Okha Federal Constituency of Edo.

Agbonayinma’s defection came barely 24 hours after another member of PDP from the House, Nnanna Igbokwe, representing Ahiazu, Mbaise/Ezinihite Federal Constituency of Imo left the PDP for the ruling-APC.

In his defection letter read by Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Agbonayinma said that he was defecting because the PDP shot the door against him.

“What made me take this step is because the PDP is factionalised and has continued to promote impunity.

“You can recall that I did not participate in the party’s national convention of December 9 held at Eagle Square in Abuja because I belong to the Ali Modu Sheriff’s camp, which tried to put things right in the PDP.

Read also: PDP members defect to APC in Delta

“Sheriff tried to end the impunity that has characterised the PDP by ensuring the return of the party to the people.

“However, the party members refused to allow internal party democracy thrive.

“Today, the party is factionalised; while one faction is at the Wadata Plaza, another is in Asokoro.

“This is not the way to go; the concocted unity list by the governors during the convention further deepened the crisis in the party.

“The PDP has shut the door against me and I have no other alternative than to heed the call of the people who elected me to resign from the PDP and join the APC,’’ Agbonayinma said.

He claimed that he was being intimidated by his colleagues in PDP for opting not to join a walk out over Igbokwe’s defection.

Agbonayinma said that his colleagues vowed to frustrate his motion on Digital Switch Over for refusing to join the walk out.

“It is time to put partisan politics aside and promote national interest,’’ Agbonayinma said.

The House Majority Leader, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, said that “Agbonayinma took the right decision because his political philosophy is progressive’’.

However, the Deputy Minority Leader of the House, Rep. Chukwuka Onyema, on behalf of the PDP caucus in the house, bid Agbonayinma farewell.

Onyema said that Agbonayinma’s exit from the PDP leaves the party in a better shape.

Agbonayinma’s defection brings the number of lawmakers who decamped from the PDP to the APC to seven in the last 12 months.

NAN

December 21, 2017
UN is a house of lies – Israeli PM

Israel Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, described the United Nations as a “house of lies” ahead of a vote on Thursday on a draft resolution calling on the United States to withdraw its recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

“The State of Israel totally rejects this vote, even before (the resolution‘s) approval,” Netanyahu said in a speech at a hospital dedication in the port city of Ashdod.

The 193-member UN General Assembly will hold a rare emergency special session on Thursday at the request of Arab and Muslim countries to vote on the draft resolution, which the U.S. vetoed on Monday in the 15-member UN Security Council.

Generating outrage from Palestinians and the Arab and Muslim world, and concern among Washington’s Western allies, President Donald Trump abruptly reversed decades of U.S. policy on December 6 when he recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Palestinians have protested daily in the occupied West Bank and in the Gaza Strip since Trump’s announcement, throwing stones at security forces and burning tires.

Read also: Netanyahu to attend ECOWAS Summit in Liberia

Gaza militants have also launched sporadic rocket fire.

Eight Palestinians have been killed by Israeli gunfire during the demonstrations and dozens wounded, Palestinian health officials said.

Two militants were killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza after a rocket attack.

Trump threatened on Wednesday to cut off financial aid to countries that vote in favour of the UN draft resolution, and his ambassador to the world body, Nikki Haley said the U.S. “will be taking names”.

Netanyahu, in his speech, thanked Trump and Haley for “their brave and uncompromising stance”.

He repeated his prediction that other countries would eventually follow Washington’s lead in pledging to move their embassies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

“The attitude towards Israel of many countries, on all continents, outside the walls of the UN, is changing and will ultimately permeate into the UN-the house of lies,” he said.

Most countries regard the status of Jerusalem as a matter to be settled in an eventual Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement, although that process is now stalled.

Israel considers Jerusalem its eternal and indivisible capital and wants all embassies based there.

Palestinians want the capital of an independent Palestinian state to be in the city’s eastern sector, which Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East War and annexed in a move never recognised internationally.

Reuters/NAN

December 21, 2017
Senate postpones deliberation on FG’s plan to withdraw $1bn

The Senate on Thursday, postponed deliberation on the proposed withdrawal of one billion dollars from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) by the Federal Government, to fight insurgency and other security concerns across the country.

The action followed an observation by the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu on the floor of the senate on the matter.

Ekweremadu had observed that deliberation on the matter was slated for Thursday and expressed surprise that it was not listed on the Order Paper.

The senate thereafter moved the matter to the next legislative day, after its recess, following the absence of Sen. Sam Anyanwu who was meant to present the motion on the floor.

In his remarks, Senate President Bukola Saraki, assured the lawmakers that the matter would be treated as a matter of priority upon resumption, adding that it would be listed as first item for consideration.

Read also: Senate to Fed Govt: don’t sell National Theatre, TBS

He said, “The issue would have come up today but Sen. Sam Anyanwu could not present the motion today.

“He pleaded for more time and I agree that we move it to another legislative day, which is when we resume. It will be the first item on the Order Paper.

“It is an important motion that we cannot take if the person that moved it is not here. It cannot be delegated. I assure you that we will take it.

“Our party will not spend money that did not follow due process. I am assuring you that the money will not be spent until we come here and debate on it,’’ he said.

The National Economic Council( NEC ) had last week in its meeting chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, agreed to withdraw one billion dollars from the ECA to be used in tackling insecurity in the country.

NAN

December 21, 2017
IPMAN lauds NNPC for pumping petrol into Ejigbo Depot

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria ( IPMAN ), Ejigbo Depot, has lauded the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for pumping petrol into the depot.

Alhaji Ayo Alanamu, the Chairman of Ejigbo Depot, made the commendation in an interview in Lagos on Thursday.

Alanamu said that NNPC resumed pumping of petroleum products, especially petrol, to the depot on Wednesday to ease fuel scarcity in South-West.

According to him, loading of petrol by tankers started at the depot on Thursday.

“I strongly believe that before weekend, queues will vanish.

“Marketers within Lagos metropolis are being given priority attention while NNPC has increased loading capacity of trucks,’’ he said.

According to Alanamu, the aim of pumping petroleum products to the depot is to reduce the difficulty marketers go through while taking the products at the Apapa private depot.

“Now that pumping has resumed in Ejigbo Depot, the number of trucks waiting to take load in Apapa will reduce drastically; it will also reduce the chaotic traffic situation there,’’ he said.

According to a correspondent, who visited the depot, reports that tankers were taking petroleum products out of the depot.

However, petrol scarcity within the Lagos metropolis remains the same as many filling stations are without the product.

NAN

December 21, 2017
Port operators groan over Apapa gridlock

Shippers (importers and exporters) are groaning over delays in business transactions at the Lagos port due to the harrowing gridlock they are going through with a large volume of cargo trapped at the ports.

The gridlock has degenerated to increasing rate of cargo diversion to ports in neighbouring countries and the attendant huge revenue loss suffered by the Federal Government.

The shippers lamented the breakdown of infrastructure at the ports coupled with the gridlock caused by the bad state of access roads leading to the two major ports in Lagos.

Shedding more light on the problem, Mr Jonathan Nicol, President, Shippers’ Association Lagos State ( SALS ) said that the country lost an estimate of N1 trillion annually to ports in neighbouring countries due to bad access roads to Lagos ports and the gridlock

“There is massive diversion of Nigerian-bound cargo to neighbouring ports.

“There are also queues of vessels within the Lome waters awaiting call-up for berthing in Lagos ports.

“This will attract port congestion levy on Nigeria-bound cargo, which is no fault of the shippers.

“Demurrage on containers is increasing with no control from the respective maritime agencies. Importers and exporters are suffering,’’ Nicol explained.

Read also: Nine ships arrive Lagos ports with petroleum products

The shipper said that apart from the revenue loss, demurrage, terminal charges and storage fees incurred by shippers galloped into billions of naira daily.

Nicol suggested that the contractor handling the rehabilitation of the Apapa Port road should expedite action to alleviate the problems encountered by shippers and truck owners.

“Industrialists with their raw materials consignments are incurring huge expenses on haulage due to lack of access roads and they are counting more losses daily,’’ the shipper said.

“There must be a minimal haulage fees control and ceiling. The Nigerian Shippers’ Council should please help.

“No entry into the ports and no access out of the ports after loading, ‘’ Nicol said.

The shipper added that truck drivers remained on queues for several days.

Nicol said that the export initiative of the Federal Government was also under threat as export goods spent several days before getting to the ports.

A report recently released by a Maritime Consulting firm, Ships & Ports Ltd. revealed that more than half of the container trucks visiting Apapa, Lagos, daily had no immediate business to transact at the ports.

The report issued by Mr Bolaji Akinola, the Chief Executive Officer of Ships & Ports Ltd., emanated from an independent study conducted by the firm and a don of the Lagos Business School, Dr Frank Ojadi.

The report explained that truckers who genuinely had business to do in Apapa Port spent an average Turn Around Time of two days.

According to the report, a total of 5,515 trucks were surveyed at both observation points – the start of Creek Road at the tip of Liverpool Bridge and the start of Wharf Road near Area B Police Command- over a period of two weeks.

The report also found that there was no presence of a traffic management system to coordinate the affairs of the multiple government agencies responsible for traffic control in Apapa.

It also explained that various stakeholders interviewed in the course of the study believed that the solution to the Apapa gridlock would be to compel shipping lines to receive all empties at their empty depots.

“The collapse of the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, which is the major entry and exit point for trucks accessing the Tin Can Island Port, the Apapa Port and several tank farms in the area, has led to an increase in the number of trucks accessing these facilities through the narrow Apapa-Wharf road.

“This compounded the congestion on this stretch of road, ‘’ the report said.

NAN

December 21, 2017