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  • FG plans N1b support to fight HIV/AIDS through NHIS

    FG plans N1b support to fight HIV/AIDS through NHIS

    The Federal Government said on Monday that it would support the fight against HIV/AIDS programmes through the National Health Insurance Scheme ( NHIS ) in 2018.

    The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said this at the opening of a two-day Nigeria HIV/AIDS intervention symposium in Abuja.

    Adewole said that the support had become important because of the prevalence of the epidemic in the country and the world at large.

    He explained that in 2016, the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS ( UNAIDS ) report had revealed that 36.7 million people live with HIV and AIDS globally, out of which Nigeria contributed 10 percent of this burden.

    According to him, out of every 10 HIV positive persons in the world is a Nigerian.

    “President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is poised to reverse this ugly trend by making prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV infection one of the signatory projects in the health sector.

    “I am making this pledge that the Nigerian leadership is committed to supporting all interventions that will ensure sustainable reduction of new HIV and AIDS infections in Nigeria.

    “Nigerian’s HIV and AIDS response plan has equally benefitted from increased government funding.

    “Furthermore, an additional one billion naira has been approved by the National Assembly through National Health Insurance Scheme ( NHIS ), to support the HIV and AIDS programme in the country,” he said.

    The minister said that an estimated 3.2 million people live with HIV and AIDS in Nigeria, which ranked only behind South Africa.

    He said that although no fewer than one million Nigerians presently had means to anti-retroviral treatment, access to care by those in need remained a challenge.

    The health boss advised the participants to imbibe sustainable HIV and AIDS control programmes as well as increase health care service delivery services to achieve meaningful growth.

    He also called for proper data management on the number of persons with HIV to encourage strategic planning, realization of fights against the epidemic and also reduce gaps in the national health sector response.

    The event which attracted stakeholders across the country featured discussion on challenges and way forward for preventive strategies on HIV and AIDS.

    NAN

  • Oyo Police chief denies shooting female workers of IAR&T

    Oyo Police chief denies shooting female workers of IAR&T

    Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr Abiodun Odude, says his men were not responsible for shooting of two female members of staff of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training ( IAR&T ), Ibadan.

    Odude made the clarification in a telephone interview in Ibadan.

    The police chief spoke on the reports that policemen drafted to quell students’ protest at the Federal College of Agriculture ( FCA ), Apata, Ibadan, shot two workers of the institute.

    In his comments, Prof. James Adediran, the Executive Director of IAR&T, insisted that two members of staff of the institute were shot by the policemen drafted to quell the students protest at the college.

    “In the process of shooting, two personnel of IAR&T who have nothing to do neither with the students nor the college were shot with live bullets,’’ he said.

    Students of the College of Agriculture had on Monday morning staged a protest over the closure of their school.

    Protesting students blocked the gates to the IAR&T preventing vehicles and people from gaining access into the institute which shares the same premises with college.

    This, however, caused a gridlock on Ibadan-Abeokuta Road at Apata.

    “A woman was shot in the abdomen while a young lady, an intern with us, was shot in the thigh.

    “Two of them are lying critically ill at the Emergency Department of UCH, Ibadan,’’ Adediran said.

    Also, Odude said that the students blocked the Ibadan-Abeokuta Road during the protest, attacked vehicles and threw stones at the police.

    He said that four policemen were wounded as a result of the stones thrown at them by the students.

    “Police fired teargas to push the students to the extreme and were able to arrest some of the students that threw the stones.

    “There was no gun shot,’’ Odude insisted.

    NAN

  • Zuma again denounces ‘monopoly’ white economic power

    Zuma again denounces ‘monopoly’ white economic power

    President Jacob Zuma of South Africa reiterated his call for radical reforms to shift the balance of “monopoly” economic power away from whites who dominated under apartheid.

    He made the remarks, reiterating a staple criticism leveled by his ruling ANC about South Africa’s economy, against the backdrop of widespread allegations of corruption against Zuma and his friends, the Indian-born Gupta brothers

    Zuma said without such change blacks would stay poor for a long time.

    He was responding to a question about his role as an enemy of “white capital”, during an interview with the ANN7 news network, which was founded by the Guptas.

    Zuma and the Guptas have denied any wrongdoing.

    “I don’t know why there is a debate in fact. Because there is a monopoly capital and in South Africa it is white … because of our history, it does have a colour.

    “It is white,” Zuma, who steps down as head of the ANC in December but can remain head of state until elections due in 2019, said.

    “Companies that dominate in the mines, there are not many … You will find the same companies in charge.

    “That means they are monopolising the economy and they’re not black,” he said.

    The Chamber of Mines in the world’s top platinum producer says that in 2016, 39 per cent of the sector was owned by “historically disadvantaged South Africans”, meaning non-whites.

    Zuma said the policy of “radical economic transformation,” which has also seen moves to change the constitution to allow for the expropriation of land for redistribution to landless blacks, was needed to “correct the past.”

    “The ANC must follow this policy because if you don‘t, we are going to stay in poverty, in inequality, for a long time.”

    The frontrunners to replace Zuma at the helm of the ANC are Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, a trade unionist who amassed a fortune in the world of business, and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, former chair of the AU and Zuma’s ex-wife.

    Ramaphosa is viewed more favourably by foreign investors, who help cover the country’s deficits.

    Many of them are unsettled by Dlamini-Zuma’s calls to radically redistribute wealth and her perceived links to her former husband.

    In a separate interview on state broadcaster SABC, ANC Secretary Gen. Gwede Mantashe said “state capture is a reality,” referring to allegations that the Guptas and others have undue political influence with access to state resources and contracts under Zuma.

    Mantashe is regarded as an ally of Ramaphosa with ties that go back to the 1980s when they were involved in the founding of the National Union of Mineworkers.

    NAN

  • Nigeria receives $64.63m from sale of power to Benin, Niger Republics

    The Federal Government has generated $64.6 million revenue from sale of electricity to neighbouring Benin and Niger republics, Minister for Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has said.

    Fashola gave the figure in an address presented at the 21st meeting of the Power Sector Stakeholders Conference in Asaba.

    The minister said that the government had made efforts to recover the huge debt owed by its international customers to reduce liquidity challenges in the power sector.

    “Only recently, the federal government received the sum of $64.630.65 million from the republics of Benin and Niger for electricity power supplied to these two nations.

    “It is our belief that our effort at recovering some of these debts owed by our international customers will help towards the reducing liquidity challenges we face in the power sector,” Fashola said.

    Fashola said the monthly stakeholders’ conference was an avenue to assess and evaluate the progress of collective efforts at boosting power supply in the country.

    He listed some of the major challenges facing the sector to include estimated billing and inadequate prepaid meters for customers.

    The minister also used the occasion to inaugurate the New Asaba Injection Substation, a 215 MVA substation expected to boost power supply to parts of Delta.

    Fashola said: “With today’s commissioning of the New Asaba 215 MVA  interjection substation, there will now be more electricity for the people of Bonsac, Akwuebulu, Oduke and all other surrounding areas.”

    The stressed that the federal government was working assiduously towards connecting rural areas to the national grid and appealed to people in rural areas to be patient.

    “To those communities that electricity power has not reached across the country, I implore you to be patient, because we have certainly not forgotten you.

    “I want to assure you that one by one, we will get to you so that every community in Nigeria can enjoy electricity supply,” he said.

    Earlier in an address, Mrs. Funke Osibodu, the Managing Director, Benin Electricity Distribution Company ( BEDC ), lauded the initiators of the monthly stakeholders conference.

    She said that the meeting allowed stakeholders to critically analyse their challenges and efforts towards achieving a common goal for the development of the sector.

    “This forum affords all of us an avenue to interact, understand each other and evaluate our common efforts and challenges towards achieving the goal of equitable power distribution to our people.

    “Here at the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, we have started making progress in the area of load management and we have also improved our billing system,” Osibodu said.

    The BEDC boss stated that the company, with franchise area covering Edo, Delta and Ondo states, had energised several communities that have been without electricity for years.

    She listed Ibusa and Ogwashi-Uku communities in Delta as some of the communities that BEDC has successfully energised.

    In his address, Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, lauded BEDC for the inauguration and official switch-on of the New Asaba Interjection Substation, saying it would boost power supply in the area.

    Okowa, represented by the state Commissioner for Energy, Mr. Newworld Sufugha, expressed urged BEDC to focus on providing prepaid meters to its customers.

    NAN

  • Masari presents N211.4bn appropriation for Katsina in 2018

    Masari presents N211.4bn appropriation for Katsina in 2018

    Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State on Monday presented the 2018 appropriation bill of N211.4 billion at the State House of Assembly.

    Masari, who presented the estimates in Katsina, said the budget was tagged “Budget of Actualization’’.

    He said that the appropriation bill had a capital expenditure of N160 billion, representing 75.7 per cent of the total budget, while recurrent expenditure was put at N51.4 billion, representing 24.3 per cent.

    Masari said that the projected Internally Generated Revenue ( IGR ) to finance the budget was N10.2 billion as well as N26.2 billion from other internal sources, while N131 billion was expected from the Federation Account.

    He said that the 2018 recurrent revenue increased by 30 per cent, compared to the figure in 2017, just as the recurrent expenditure in 2018 increased by 17.4 per cent over that of 2017, which was 13 per cent.

    The governor said that the personnel cost in the 2018 budget was N24.6 billion, overhead cost N12 billion, while consolidated revenue and other charges were N14.6 billion.

    He said under capital expenditure, the economic sector received N42.8 billion; social sector, N47.1 billion; regional development, N52.1 billion, while administration received N6.8 billion.

    Masari said that judiciary was allocated N691.2 million; the legislature N302.7 million; while contingency  had N2.6 billion and N7.3 billion was for debt servicing.

    Education sector received the lion share of N42.4 billion, representing 20 per cent of the budget.

    Responding, the Speaker, Alhaji Abubakar Yahaya, promised to ensure speedy passage of the budget for people of the state to continue to enjoy the dividends of democracy.

    Yahaya said that the house would scrutinise the budget with the aim of making necessary amendments.

    NAN

  • Gombe citizens tackle Goje for embarrassing Buhari’s family

    Gombe citizens tackle Goje for embarrassing Buhari’s family

    The Concerned Citizen of Gombe have apologised to the wife of the President and her husband, President Muhammadu Buhari over the embarrassment she encountered during her condolence visit to Gombe state.

    The President’s wife, Aisha Buhari had on Wednesday visited Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje over the demise of his wife Yelwa who passed on in the United States on November 9, 2017.

    Senator Goje at the occasion claimed on the contrary that since he was sworn in as Governor in 2011, Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo has never visited him despite deaths and other calamities that had befallen his family, even though his late wife was instrumental to the governor’s candidature.

    The Concerned Citizens said it was not the first time Goje is embarrassing the president’s family, recalling that while a CPC Presidential candidate in 2006, Goje who was then governing Gombe state on PDP platform prevented Buhari from landing at Gombe Airport by blocking the runway of under the guise of maintenance work.

    “Secondly, he (Goje) ordered the complete sealing of Pantami Stadium and spread the vicinity with latrite to prevent vehicular movements around the stadium on the scheduled day of Buhari’s campaign team arrival.

    “Thirdly, on the day Buhari was to arrive Gombe for his campaign tour, some hired thugs were positioned directly opposite the PDP Presidential campaign office along Bauchi road to stone the office immediately Buhari’s convoy arrived to portray that the office was vandalised by Buhari supporters.

    “This made Buhari believe that the destruction of PDP campaign office was caused by his supporters and he tendered an apology,” the Concerned Citizens recalled through their spokesman, AIG Abdulmumini Abubakar (rtd).

    While speaking of how Goje ended up marrying the wife of his benefactor, late Ibrahim Hassan, the group also recalled how the Senator denied Abubakar Atku the use of Gombe airport during his 2007 presidential campaign tour, despite the former Vice President’s contribution to his becoming the governor of Gombe sate in 2003.

    The Group described the acclaimed late Yelwa Goje’s approval Dankwambo’s candidate during the preparations for 2011 election as distasteful, questioning how and positing that Gombe has some explaining to do.

    The AIG Abdulmumini (rtd) led group commended Governor Dankwambo’s handling of the matter and explained that they found it expedient to react in order not to allow silence give credence to the false claims.

  • Police to deploy additional 26,000 personnel for Anambra guber poll

    Police to deploy additional 26,000 personnel for Anambra guber poll

    The Nigeria Police Force said it would deploy additional 26, 000 personnel for the Anambra governorship election scheduled for Nov. 18.

    It can be recalled that the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Idris Ibrahim on Nov. 3 at the Also Villa, announced the deployment of 21,000 personnel for the election.

    A statement by the force spokesman, CSP Jimoh Moshood, said that the personnel would comprised police special forces, Police Mobile Force ( PMF), Counter Terrorism Unit ( CTU) and Special Protection Unit ( SPU).

    Others are: Anti Bomb Squad, Marine Police, Force Armament Unit, FCIID, Mounted Troops, Dogs Section, Police Gun Boats and the Armoured Personnel Carriers ( APC ).

    He said that 303 police patrol vehicles were among vehicles deployed for the operations to cover the entire state including the riverine areas.

    Moshood said that the Deputy Inspector-General of the force in charge of operations had also been deployed to the state and would be assisted an Assistant Inspector-General.

    He said that three commissioners of police would be in charge of each senatorial district, to coordinate the security operations and deployment of security personnel throughout the election.

    The spokesman said that personnel deployed for the election were under strict instruction to be polite and civil in discharging their duties,

    He said that there would be no vehicular movement in and out of the the state during the election from midnight on Nov. 17 till after the voting period on the day of the election.

    Moshood warned the outlawed IPOB and its members, to steer clear of the state as the force would not hesitate to use all legal means to checkmate them.

    He advised political parties, their leadership and traditional rulers to prevail on their supporters to be law abiding during and after the election.

    Moshood also warned public office holders, politicians and other VIPs that they would not be allowed to go to the polling unit with their security details among others.

    NAN

  • Senate to appeal high court judgment in favour of Sen. Ndume

    Senate to appeal high court judgment in favour of Sen. Ndume

    The Senate says it will file an appeal on Nov. 13 against judgment of the Federal High Court ordering it to pay all salaries and allowances of Sen. Ali Ndume, who has been on suspension.

    The senate made this known in a statement by its Counsel, Mr Mike Ozekhome, on Sunday.

    The Upper Chamber said  it disagreed with the said judgment.

    “For the records, the Senate had challenged the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to entertain the matter on several grounds, portions of which are outlined here under for the purpose of emphasis, as follows:

    “That the Plaintiff wrongly joined several causes of action in his Originating Summons.

    “That an action for the enforcement of fundamental rights to fair hearing can only be brought against a court or a tribunal, established by law as held by the Supreme Court in several current cases, and not against Committee of a legislative body.

    “That by the provisions of sections 3 and 30 of the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act, the trial court lacked requisite jurisdiction to hear the suit of the Plaintiff.

    “The Senate’s argument is supported by various and current decisions of the apex court, it noted.

    The Senate expressed optimism that the decision of the trial court on Ndume would be overturned by the Court of Appeal.

    It said it had instructed the law firm of Mike Ozekhome’s Chambers to file an appeal against the judgment.

    “The notice of appeal is ready and would be filed unfailingly by Monday morning.

    “An application for a stay of execution of the orders of the court will also be filed same time.”

    NAN

  • Presidency replies Lamido, uncovers plan to destroy national institutions

    Presidency replies Lamido, uncovers plan to destroy national institutions

    The Presidency says it has uncovered plan by politicians seeking the destruction of national institutions such as the courts, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ) and “everything good that the nation stands for”.

    Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, made this known in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday.

    The presidential aide cited the recent series of interviews by a former governor of Jigawa and presidential aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ), Alhaji Sule Lamido, attacking President Buhari’s efforts on ongoing war against corruption, as part of the grand plan.

    He, however, described the attacks by Lamido “as” a reflection of the intellectual and moral bankruptcy of the opposition in the country.

    “It is only in Nigeria that a leader will divert money belonging to the public into his children’s account then turns round to start pontificating on public morals, in the process subjecting the nation’s honest leadership to daily attacks based on falsehood.

    “It is even worse that such a person, facing criminal prosecution will start going round saying he wants to be president. Is this not one of the reasons why other countries are laughing at Nigeria?

    “This is hooliganism. It is not opposition politics,’’ Shehu noted.

    The presidential spokesman challenged Lamido to convince Nigerians that his trenchant attacks against the government and the judiciary were not a smokescreen to becloud the atmosphere of his criminal prosecution.

    “In his diatribe published in the Vanguard newspaper last week, it is clear that the former governor not only set out to mock the President but the judiciary and important national institutions.’’

    According to him, this is part of an orchestrated plot to divert public attention from his scam related cases.

    He added that, “If President Buhari’s war against corruption as he said, was a mockery what does one say of Lamido’s sworn efforts to sabotage the country’s efforts to rid itself of the cancer of corruption?

    “If accountability of public officials is the very essence of a mature democracy, it is indeed ironic that a politician, seeking the leadership of the country, making a mockery of institutions and leaders seeking to entrench that.

    “As a country, Nigeria settled for President Buhari not just as President but the watchman of people’s wealth.”

    Shehu observed that the citizens are happy with Buhari’s efforts in fighting corruption and the whole world was applauding him, while the African Union, the AU named him as the Champion of the war against corruption.

    He stated that opposition politicians like Lamido needed to come to terms with the fact that their act needed updating.

    Shehu further quoted Buhari Media Support Group (BMSG) that said, “the nation’s war against corruption spearheaded by EFCC was incidentally formulated by the a past PDP administration.

    “It is a tragic irony that the leaders of the same party are doing their utmost to weaken or destroy it. Watch it, is that why he is seeking to lead the country?

    “Time and again, President Buhari had lamented that strongmen had destroyed the country’s strong institutions and that it will take strong men to rebuild them.

    “He deserves the support of everyone to rebuild such institutions because they serve a common good.”

    The presidential aide, therefore, appealed to  opposition politicians to give President Buhari the support he needed to rebuild national institutions such as the EFCC.

    NAN

  • PDP chairman aspirants to sign peace accord – Dokpesi

    PDP chairman aspirants to sign peace accord – Dokpesi

    Chief Raymond Dokpesi, the one of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) National Chairmanship aspirants, has said that all the eight chairmanship aspirants would sign a peace accord as part of their commitment toward successful convention.

    Dokpesi, the founder of Daar Communications, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen after the PDP Governors Forum met with all aspirants in Enugu, which ended at early hour of Monday.

    Dokpesi disclosed that all the aspirants had agreed to sign the peace accord at the party’s national secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja, by 4 p.m.

    He described the move as part of efforts by the aspirants to ensure that the party comes out of the convention  stronger and united.

    “With that accord being signed we are going to look forward to a very peaceful and harmonious convention.”

    Asked if the issue of zoning came up at the meeting of the forum with the aspirants, Dokpesi said the party was explicit enough on the issue of zoning.

    He said that while the party’s presidential ticket was zoned to the North, the position of chairman’s was zone to the South, without specific reference to  states or geopolitical region.

    He said that the candidates had agreed to work together

    “After the zoning principle, all the aspirants have agreed to work together to come up with a common position. Anybody can contest.

    “If the party in its wisdom and the aspirants agreed within themselves and notify the party early enough that would be fine.”

    Also asked if the issue of a consensus  candidate was deliberated at the meeting Dokpesi said “no, but that did not mean there were no discussion among the aspirants.

    “Today on the way forward, a few of the aspirants met in the morning and in the afternoon and discussed which solution can be adopted.”

    Dokpesi added that following the meeting  he would go ahead with his campaign and consultation to fulfill his ambition.

    The Governor of Ekiti and Chairman of the Forum, Mr Ayodele Fayose, said that the party national convention, schedule for Dec. 9, would be a world class  that other political parties would emulate.

    Fayose said that the party had work hard and it has all it takes to win the Saturday Anambra Governorship election.

    “We are using this opportunity to demand that the election should be credible. It should not only be credible but seen to be credible.

    “We want to believe that Nigeria is of age to organise election that is acceptable at home and internationally, on Nov. 18 in Anambra,” Fayose added

    In attendance were the Chairman of the party’s National Caretaker Committee, Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, all the PDP governors, except Ebonyi represented by his deputy.

    Other aspirants at the meeting were Chief Bode George, Gbenga Daniel, Prince Uche Secondus, Prof. Tunde Adeniran, Jimi Agbaje, Taoheed Adedoja and Rashid Ladoja.

    Also in attendance were Ike Ekweremadu, the Deputy President of the Senate; Gabriel Susuwan, former Benue Governor, Adolphus Nwabara and Sule Lamido.

    NAN