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  • FG to invest N180bn on Science, Technology

    FG to invest N180bn on Science, Technology

    Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of Science and Technology, has said that the Federal Government is committed to investing N180 billion to ensure successful implementation of the National Science, Technology and Innovation Roadmap ( NSTIR ) 2030.

    Onu said this at the ongoing 15th meeting of the National Council on Science and Technology in Benin.

    He said the amount, which would be over a period of three budget years, would be in the short term basis of the roadmap.

    Onu said the ministry was keen on implementing the roadmap, in collaboration with wide variety of stakeholders, including public and private research development centres.

    He expressed optimism that the implementation of the planned NSTIR 2030 programmes and increased investment in Science, Technology and Innovation ( STI ) would help actualise Nigeria’s dream to join the top 20 of technologically advanced countries in the world.

    Read also: Reforms, technology, attitudinal change key to curbing corruption – Obaseki

    Onu noted that though the country was yet to reach its full potentials in the deployment of STI deliverables into projects and programmes due to some identified challenges, it had been able to attain some mileage within the past few years.

    He also said that the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan ( ERGP ) 2017 to 2020 recently launched by the present administration, focused on macroeconomic policy improvement, economic diversification, competitiveness, improvement, social inclusion and job creation.

    The Minister said that the ERGP targeted that the Nigerian economy would recover strongly with a GDP growth of seven per cent, driven by non oil sector growth of 7.2 per cent by 2020.

    This, he said, would also help in the steady expansion of the agriculture, manufacturing and services sectors, adding that approximately 15 million net jobs would be created with poverty reduction from 61 per cent to 50-55 per cent by 2020.

    Onu said the ministry was committed to playing its required role in ensuring that the ERGP strategies were STI driven and successfully implemented.

    He said that the theme of the meeting “Nigerian Economy Driven by Science and Innovation”, was apt and captured the new direction the country had resolved to follow, in the quest to revive and strengthen the economy.

    Onu explained that it was aimed at “helping to strengthen and diversify the economy in a sustainable manner by encouraging the harnessing and application of STI apparatus in the Nation’s development process’’.

    NAN

  • Social benefit scheme: Enugu deploys 100 enumerators

    Social benefit scheme: Enugu deploys 100 enumerators

    Ahead of the execution of its social benefit scheme, the Enugu State Government on Friday deployed 100 enumerators  for the registration of  all adult residents and organisations in the state.

    The Chairman of  Enugu State Board of Internal Revenue, Mr Emeka Odo, said each resident would obtain the   Enugu State Social Benefit Number ( ESBN ).

    He said that the registration exercise  would be decentralised to enable residents and organisations collect their ESBN numbers without hindrance.

    Odo also  said that  registration centres would be opened in all tax collection centres at the headquarters, zones  and councils, in addition to  specially  designed centres.

    “The bedrock of any efficient and modern tax administration is enumeration.

    “Proper enumeration creates the database on which subsequent assessment, collection  and accounting is based,’’ he said.

    Read also: $42.5m loan boosts Enugu estate project

    According to him, the ESBN is unique to every individual and organisation and will be used to access and benefit from various programmes and policies of government.

    Odo, who said that the registration exercise would be done by the Enugu State Internal Revenue Service ( ESIRS ), would be free-of-charge.

    “The scheme’s exercise will run across the state to ensure that all adult residents and organisations in Enugu State are registered and given ESBN number,’’ he said.

    Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi was the first to  register  and was issued with the ESBN number.

    “The ESBN is a giant step toward  the full tax automation system of the state.

    “It is meant to usher in a full blown Integrated Tax Management System  where the process of revenue assessment, collection and accounting is automated,” he said.

    NAN

  • Buhari returns to Abuja

    Buhari returns to Abuja

    President Muhammadu Buhari has returned to Abuja after participating in the “One Planet” summit in Paris, France.

    The President’s aircraft landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, at 4:35 p.m. on Thursday.

    Buhari was received by senior government officials including his Chief of Staff, Alhaji Abba Kyari and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji Musa Bello.

    While in Paris, President Buhari had appealed to the international community to support Nigeria’s commitment to reduce the negative effects of climate change.

    Buhari told participants that Nigeria could not implement its Nationally Determined Contributions without adequate financial, technical and capacity building support from developed nations

    He said Nigeria had already ratified the Paris Agreement in May 2017 but its Nationally Determined Contributions to reduce emission by 20 per cent by 2020 and 40 per cent by 2030 could not be attained alone.

    Read also: Buhari seeks global support to tackle climate change effects

    According to him, the country is not under illusion of the challenges it is facing, having just come out of recession.

    The summit with the theme “Climate Change Financing,” was attended by over 60 heads of state and governments, as well as representatives of non-governmental and private organisations.

    NAN

  • Land borders, creeks unsafe for smugglers – Customs

    Land borders, creeks unsafe for smugglers – Customs

    The Nigeria Customs Service ( NCS ) on Thursday said that it was prepared to frustrate efforts of smugglers who would resort to using creeks because of heavy security on land borders.

    Mr Sarkin Kebbi, the Area Controller in charge of the Western Marine Command, Lagos, said that the NCS realised that desperate smugglers would divert to the creeks and would checkmate their activities .

    The controller gave the assurance in an interview in Lagos.

    He said that customs officers and men in the command had been mobilised to counter antics of smugglers on the waters.

    “We are aware of the season we are in now, and with the tight security on the land borders, it is expected that smugglers will want to make use of the creeks.

    “It will surprise them to know that the creeks are also covered with proactive officers and men who know the terrain more than them.

    “We are working with information gathering from the communities unlike before when officers worked without community inputs,’’ Kebbi said.

    Read also: Customs seizes 300 bags of foreign rice in Sokoto

    He said that the Beach Combing Unit of the command was on 24-hour surveillance of the creeks with a view to foiling operations of any syndicate.

    Kebbi said that the command would soon take delivery of two gun boats to facilitate operations

    NAN

  • Osun ‘s change of name illegal – Court

    Osun ‘s change of name illegal – Court

    An  Osun State High Court  sitting in Ilesa  has  declared  that the change of  name to  “State of  Osun” by Gov. Rauf Aregbesola  is illegal, null and void.

    Delivering  the judgment  on Thursday, Justice Yinka Afolabi  ruled that the law and its makers  were unknown to the 1999 Constitution.

    Delivering judgment which lasted more than one hour,  the judge chided Aregbesola for deliberately and singlehandedly renaming the state,  contrary to the known norms and the nation’s constitution.

    He also declared that the makers of the law, who are currently serving as members of the State House of Assembly, were not sworn in as members of the “State of Osun House of Assembly” but as members of Osun State House of Assembly going by the seventh schedule  of the constitution.

    The judge said that since the creation of the state in 1991, previous governments used the constitutionally  envisaged name of  Osun State.

    All the other 35 states of the federation, he added,  had  not deviated from the constitutional names given to them.

    “The executive governor of the state changed the name in 2011. The renaming of a state goes further and deeper for anyone to singlehandedly do.

    “To re-order the name of Osun State  as “State of Osun” is hereby declared  as illegal, null and void.

    “On the oath of allegiance, I want to state that the Seventh Schedule is part of the law.

    “It is not a mere draft or mere oath. It does not give room for any alteration. After deposing to an oath of office, you cannot turn around to do otherwise,’’ Afolabi stated.

    The judge threw out all  the arguments by the State Attorney-General, Dr Basiru Ajibola,  who stood in as counsel for the  governor and the state government.

    He, however, granted all the seven prayers of the plaintiff.

    The case was instituted by a human rights activist, Mr Kanmi Ajibola, who had challenged  the legality of the “State of Osun Land Use Charge Law.’’

    Ajibola had gone to court in 2016, asking for certain reliefs after being served a notice by a private company known as “Interspatial Limited.”

    The notice was christened “State of Osun Land Use Charge Annual Demand Notice”  and signed by one Mrs. A. Ogunlumade, Permanent Secretary in the  Ministry of Finance.

    According to him, the notice was addressed to him as the property owner of No. 42, Onigbogi Street off Ibala, Ilesa West,  and  served on August 15,  2016.

    Some of the reliefs he sought for included a declaration that the “State of Osun Land Use Charge Law 2016, ” having being enacted by a  legislative body that is not known to the constitution and  the state not known to the 1999 constitution,  be declared  illegal and unconstitutional.

    Ajibola also asked the court to set aside the “State of Osun Land Use Charge Law, 2016” having been  enacted by a  legislative body that is not known to the constitution and the state not known to the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

    The Attorney-General, however, said  the judgment would be appealed.

    NAN

  • Two arraigned over theft of church property

    Two arraigned over theft of church property

    Two men, who allegedly burgled a cleric’s residence and stole church property, on Thursday appeared before an Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court on a three-count charge.

    Aladejare Adekunle, 29, and Agbetiloye Olaoluwa, 24, whose addresses were unknown, were charged with conspiracy, burglary and stealing.

    According to the prosecutor, Insp. Johnson Okunade, the accused and others at large burgled the residence of Rev. Michael Olukayode on July 19 and December 1 and stole church property worth N221, 500.

    He said that the accused committed the offences at the Christ Shekinah Ministries premises, Igbaletoro, Oke-Ila in Ado-Ekiti.

    The prosecutor said stolen items had been recovered from the accused.

    According to him, the offences contravened Sections 411, 145 and 390 (9) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

    The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mr Adesoji Adegboye, granted them bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties each.

    Adegboye ordered that one of the sureties must be a senior civil servant.

    He adjourned the case until January 17, 2018, for substantive hearing.

    NAN

    Read Also: Court docks man for allegedly defiling teenager

  • Bauchi to distribute kits worth N1.5bn to women

    Bauchi to distribute kits worth N1.5bn to women

    The Bauchi State Commission for Youths and Women Rehabilitation ( BACYWARD ) says it will distribute empowerment kits worth N1.5 billion to women in Small and Medium Scale businesses across the state.

    The commission Chairman, Mr Ahmed Faruq, made this known on Thursday during the graduation ceremony of 800 women and youths in skill acquisition programme in Bauchi.

    The programme was organised by the Future Assured Initiative for Youths and Women.

    Future Assured is the humanitarian pet project of Mrs Aisha Buhari, wife of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The initiative has trained women and youths in various trades including Tie and Dye, Pastry making, Spaghetti and Couscous making among others for a duration of one week.

    Faruq said that the initiate was aimed at boosting the economic activities of women in such businesses.

    “The commission has received approval of the governor for partnership with Jaiz Bank under which more than N1.5 billion worth of empowerment kits will be distributed to women across 20 local government areas.

    “This is in realisation that 80 per cent of small businesses are carried out by women, and no economy will wax stronger without the active participation of small businesses,’’ he said.

    Faruq said that the commission has also registered 2,000 youths and women for the O/level examinations, while another 2,000 were sponsored into various diploma and computer programmes.

    In his remarks, Gov. Mohammed Abubakar of Bauchi, lauded the efforts of wife of the President on empowerment of women.

    Abubakar said that the state government has designed numerous programmes for women and youths to be self-reliance.

    NAN

  • Shopkeeper charged with theft of N350,000 footwear

    Shopkeeper charged with theft of N350,000 footwear

    A 26-year-old female shopkeeper, Rachael Omua, was on Thursday brought before a Tinubu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for stealing 19 pairs of footwear valued at N350,000.

    The accused, who resides at No. 6, Wilmer Crescent, Apapa, Lagos, is facing a two-count-charge of conspiracy and theft.

    Omua, however, denied the charge.

    The prosecutor, Insp. Philip Osijiale, told the court that accused committed the offences on Sept. 22 at Shop 22/24, Abibu Oki Str., Lagos Island.

    He alleged that the accused conspired with two others, and stole 19 pairs of shoes valued at N350,000 from her employer, Mr Kingsley Ezeala.

    Osijiale told the court that the theft was discovered when the complainant, was taking the shop’s end-of-year stock.

    He said that the accused admitted that she sold the 19 pairs of shoes to two other footwear sellers in the market.

    He said that the offences contravened Sections 287(7) and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    The Magistrate, Mr Omolaja Kazeem, granted the accused bail in the sum of
    N500, 000 with one surety in like sum.

    He said that the sureties must be gainfully employed and should be blood relations of the accused.

    Kazeem adjourned the case until December 20, for mention.

    NAN

  • Army to remain apolitical – Buratai

    Army to remain apolitical – Buratai

    The Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, on Thursday assured Nigerians that the army would remain responsive and apolitical in the discharge of its constitutional duty.

    Buratai gave the assurance in Ibadan at the closing ceremony of the 2017 Chief of Army Staff Annual Conference.

    He appealed for  the understanding of Nigerians as the army continues to  perform  its responsibilities as enshrined in the constitution.

    The army chief  also promised that the resolutions  reached at the end of the conference would be judiciously implemented.

    “As we enter 2018, the Nigerian Army identified the core values  of discipline, professionalism and responsiveness as the benchmark to reposition the service.

    “There is the need for maintenance culture and  continuous infrastructural development and welfare of personnel in the performance of their operation.

    “I promise to use all available resources that would encourage all officers and soldiers perform optimally in their various command,’’ Buratai said.

    Read also: Buratai: we’ve degraded Boko Haram

    He  said that the objective of the conference had  been achieved as the army performed creditably  well in 2017.

    Buratai  also said that the Official Secrets  Act of 1962 would be applied strictly in the conduct of future army operations.

    He  expressed gratitude to  President Muhammadu Buhari for  the successes recorded by the army.

    Declaring the conference closed, Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State commended  the participants, saying the forum  confirmed the patriotism and unity of the army.

    NAN

  • ISIS threatens U.S. over Jerusalem decision

    ISIS threatens U.S. over Jerusalem decision

    Islamic State of Iraq and Syria ( ISIS )has threatened attacks on U.S. soil in retaliation for the Trump administration’s decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

    One of the group’s social media accounts reported on Thursday without much details on one of its accounts on the Telegram instant messaging service titled: “Wait for us” and “ISIS in Manhattan”.

    The group said that it would carry out operations and showed images of New York’s Times Square and what appeared to be an explosive bomb belt and detonator.

    “We will do more ops in your land, until the final hour and we will burn you with the flames of war which you started in Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Syria and Afghan. Just you wait.

    “The recognition of your dog ‘Trump’ (sic) Jerusalem as the capital of Israel will make us recognise explosives as the capital of your country,” it said.

    Washington triggered widespread anger and protests across the Arab world with its decision on Jerusalem.

    The disputed city is revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims alike, and is home to Islam’s third holiest site.

    It has been at the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for decades.

    Read also: UAE urges Arabs, Muslims to unite over U.S decision on Jerusalem

    Islamic State was driven out of its Iraqi and Syrian capitals this year and squeezed into a shrinking pocket of desert straddling the border between the two countries.

    The forces fighting Islamic State in Iraq and Syria now expect a new phase of guerrilla warfare there.

    Militants including people claiming allegiance to Islamic State have carried out scores of deadly attacks in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the U.S. over the past two years.

    NAN