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Bayelsa withholds salaries of 4,204 workers

The Bayelsa Government on Wednesday said it withheld the October salaries of 4,204 workers with questionable records, as part of steps to reform the state civil service.

The Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (rtd), who announced this at a press conference in Yenagoa, said that those affected were from the eight local government areas in the state.

According to him, 1, 329 are local council workers, 2,184 in the primary school system and 707 on pension payroll.

Jonah listed those affected to include workers recruited without authorisation from relevant agencies, those with forged certificates, those receiving salaries from multiple agencies of government and some with questionable promotions.

Also, those involved in pension fraud, age falsification among others would not be left out, he added.

The deputy governor disclosed that the panel which investigated the payroll fraud, also uncovered 34 people with questionable promotions, adding that some workers on Grade Level 04 in 2011 were promoted to Grade Level 14 in 2012 with forged certificates.

He however said the state government had established a judicial commission of inquiry headed by retired Justice Doris Adokeme, to hear complaints from the affected workers on Nov. 13.

The deputy governor warned that the government would ensure strict implementation of the findings of the panel and would not be deterred by any kind of blackmail from any quarters.

He expressed regrets that it was only in Bayelsa that a person would work for a day and expects to be paid a month salary.

“We have been carrying out comprehensive reforms not only at the councils but also at the secondary schools, parastatals, pension payroll, civil service, grade levels verification and others.

“There is massive payroll fraud in the state and the situation is such that there are some earning double salaries.

“There are retired people in the payroll, those who promote themselves, and several retired personnel. In fact over 700 retired personnel are still in the payroll.

“With effect from today, salaries of such suspected persons are suspended.

“For those receiving salaries from multiple agencies, we will not pay you, but if you prove that you are a genuine worker your salary will be paid.” Jonah said.

NAN

November 8, 2017
Alleged N3.2b fraud: Kalu’s trial stalled again

The trial of a former Governor of Abia, Orji Uzor Kalu, charged with N3.2 billion fraud,on Wednesday suffered another setback at a Federal High Court, Lagos, as the judge was unavailable.

Kalu was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ) alongside his former Commissioner for Finance, Ude Udeogo, on 34 counts bordering on fraud.

Also charged is Kalu’s company, Slok Nigerai Ltd; the accused had pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Justice Mohammed Idris was absent at Wednesday’s scheduled proceedings as he was said to be attending a conference outside the state.

Consequently, the court fixed continuation of trial for Nov. 28, 29, 30 and Dec. 1.

On Oct. 3, the absence of Counsel to the EFCC, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) had stalled trial as he wrote to the court informing it of his absence and asked for a short adjournment which was scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 8.

The EFCC had on Oct. 31, 2016, slammed fraud charges on Kalu and Udeogo.

The accused had allegedly committed the offences between August 2001 and October 2005 by utilising his company to retain in the account of a First Inland Bank, (now FCMB), the sum of N200 million.

The prosecution said the money formed part of funds illegally derived from the coffers of the Abia State Government.

Slok Nigeria Ltd and Emeka Abone, still at large, were also alleged to have retained in the company’s account the sum of N200 million on behalf of the first accused.

The accused were also alleged to have retained about N2.5 billion in different accounts which funds were said to belong to the Abia Government.

Cumulatively, in all the counts, the accused were alleged to have diverted over N3.2 billion from the Abia Government’s treasury during Kalu’s tenure as governor.

The offences contravened Sections 15(6), 16, and 21 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, Laws of the Federation 2005 as well as the Money Laundering Act of 1995 (as amended by the amendment Act No. 9 of 2002 and Section 477 of the Criminal Code Act, Laws of the Federation, 1990.

NAN

November 8, 2017
Bauchi agency promotes 2,641 health workers

The Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency ( BSPHCDA ) says it promoted 2,641 personnel in the 20 local government areas of the state.

Mr Adamu Gamawa, Executive Chairman of BSPHCDA, said in a statement that 3,293 workers were recommended but only 2,641 were promoted.

He urged the newly promoted personnel to live up to their responsibilities and justify their new positions by remaining committed to delivering quality healthcare to people.

He said that the government would continue to recognise and reward officers who distinguished themselves in performing their duties.

According to him, the result of hard work is more work.

The executive chairman said that the agency would continue to provide working equipment, conducive environment and improved welfare packages for higher productivity and service delivery.

Read Also: Bauchi to disburse N46m to health facilities under NSHIP

November 8, 2017
NMC pencils 73 students for National Olympiads award

The National Mathematical Centre ( NMC ) has penciled 73 students who distinguished themselves in the 2017 National Mathematics and Sciences Olympiads Competitions for the year’s awards.

Prof. Stephen Onah, the NMCs Director and Chief Executive, made the disclosure in an interview on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said that over 23,000 students participated in the competition and 73 of them came out the best; 12 females and 61 males.

According to him, the award is aimed at acknowledging and encouraging young talents in mathematics and other science subjects towards their further development in the subjects.

Onah also said that the schools and teachers that trained these students would be given awards.

“The awards generally are more of incentives; an encouragement awards and support for excellent performance,’’ he said.

The director noted that in the area of talent-hunt at the secondary level, the centre had been sole organiser of international mathematics and sciences Olympiads on an annual basis.

Onah listed the Olympiads to include: international mathematics Olympiad, international physics Olympiad, international chemistry Olympiad, international biology Olympiad, international Olympiad informatics and Pan African mathematics Olympiad.

He said that there was equal participation of boys and girls in all the Olympiads.

Prof. Saporu Funmilayo, Coordinator, Statistics Programme of the centre, said that the competition was in three stages with the two stages done at state level and the final stage at the centre.

Funmilayo noted that it was after the final stage of the qualifying examination that the best of all the participants were selected for award.

He also said that the successful students would represent Nigeria at the 2018 International Mathematics and Sciences Olympiads Competition.

“The examination was carried out in the 36 states including the FCT and the best students in the five science subjects such as mathematics, biology, physics, chemistry and informatics were selected for awards.

“Also those students who represented the country last year will be given awards,’’ the director said.

According to him, the national Olympiad award ceremony would hold on Nov. 9 at the centre located in Sheda, Kwali Area Council of the FCT.

NAN

November 8, 2017
Police trail ‘one-chance’ tricycle, taxi cab operators in Enugu

The Police Command in Enugu State says it is trailing hoodlums masquerading themselves as commercial tricycles and taxi cabs operators to commit heinous crimes in the state.

The command’s Spokesman, SP Ebere Amaraizu, said this in a statement in Enugu on Wednesday.

According to Amaraizu, plain cloth detectives have been detailed to trail, arrest the tricycle and taxi cab operators, popularly called “one-chance” in the state.

Amaraizu said that some of the operators had resorted to using the antics of being tricycle and taxi passengers to dispossess people, especially women, of their valuables.

He advised members of the public to be wary of the antics of the hoodlums who also masqueraded as tricycle operators, otherwise known as Keke NAPEP.

“The command is also advising members of the public to be security conscious.

“Please, report promptly to the command through its distress call lines: 08032003702, 08075390883, 08086671202 and 08098880172.

“You can also get us on our social media platforms of @PoliceNG_Enugu, for twitter; Nigeriapoliceforceenugustatecommand for Facebook, about any threat to peace and security in your environment or any suspicious movement and happening around you,’’ he said.

NAN

November 8, 2017
Jigawa sports council holds competition for traditional games

The Jigawa Sports Council, says it is reviving traditional games to promote unity and spirit of sportsmanship among the teeming youths in the state.

Gambo Labbo, Director of the council, made this known on Wednesday in Dutse that the focus was on Langa, the one-legged race, Kokowa, local wrestling and Dambe, local boxing.

Labbo said an inter-local government competition in the three traditional games is currently going on in the state.

He regretted that emphasis had been placed on football above other sports in the country.

“We abandoned most of our traditional games which are being competed for nationally and internationally, so, we feel that the only way to revive these games is through organising competitions,’’ he said.

According to him, the competition being held in collaboration with Traditional Sports Association, has five participants from each of the 27 local government areas competing in wrestling and boxing, and eight each in Langa.

NAN

November 8, 2017
LAUTECH: ASUU urge the two owner-state to fulfill their pledge

The Academic Staff Union of Universities ( ASUU ) LAUTECH Chapter has called on the two owner-states of the institution to redeem their pledge which made the Union to suspend its strike last month.

The statement was made by the union Chairman, LAUTECH chapter, Dr. Biodun Olaniran while explaining the present situation of the union in the institution.

Read: APC hails Ajimobi, Aregbesola for reopening LAUTECH

He said, “lecturers are ready to work towards success of the on-going academic year of the institution, but it is very necessary for the owner-states to fulfill their promise, saying they are concerned with the future of the students of the institution”.

Speaking on the report of nationwide strike likely to be embarked upon by the ASUU, Dr. Olaniran stated that National Executive Council of ASUU is in the best position to comment on the proposed development.

Read Also: Varsities unions brace for battle

November 8, 2017
11 killed, 4 injured as gunmen open fire on villagers in Plateau

Eleven persons were killed and four others injured when gunmen opened fire on villagers returning from Rim-Dyem market in Riyom, Plateau State, Tuesday night.

“The attack took place around 7.30 p.m.; the villagers were returning home from a local market when gunmen waylaid them, killing 11 people instantly,” Mr Terna Tyopev, Plateau Police Command spokesman said.

He said that those injured had been taken to Christian Hospital, Vom.

“No arrest has been made, but we are already investigating the incident; we shall not rest until the attackers are fished out,” he said.

Tyopev appealed to the affected community to be calm and resist the temptation to take the law into their hands, adding that more security personnel had been deployed to secure the area.

The Tuesday attack is the latest in a series of violence visited on rural communities in Plateau, in the past few weeks.

Among communities that had come under heavy attacks are Wereh, Foron and Rim in Barkin Ladi Local Government, as well as Miango, Jebu, Taegbe and Ncha in Bassa Local Government.

The state, which suffered massive violence for more than a decade, enjoyed uninterrupted peace for two years before the gunmen returned in September.

NAN

November 8, 2017
Taking CALCULATED risks?
Thinking about the concept of taking risks just brings to memory a myriad of hilarious but pitiable classic cases of people who dream big, planned little and fell very flat on their face like humpty dumpty fell from the wall.

A typical case is the man who invested (or should I say wasted) the entire money meant for his wedding on the notorious MMM Ponzi scheme. After losing the entire money, he felt his world crashing, and decided to end it all by drinking the entire bottle of sniper insecticide.

This is just one out of the many cases of people taking “uncalculated” risks all in the name of fueling an ambition or fulfilling a goal.

So, how do we take calculated risks?

First, by definition, a calculated risk is a chance of exposure to loss or failure that is estimated after its advantages and disadvantages have been carefully weighed and considered.

There are quite a number of ways you can take calculated risk but let’s consider a few.
1. Don’t Always Be A YESMAN
What this mean is pretty simple, you should be prepared to turn down some really juicy opportunities. If you are a person who like to satisfy everybody, you will definitely find it terribly difficult to say NO.

It is better and profitable to be an expert in a few things or subject matters than to have a shallow knowledge in a lot of things. Focus and attention to details is key!
1. Always Trust Your Gut
A lot of people confuse their natural instinct (gut) with fear; they presume that their discomfort with a thing is a clear indication not to proceed.

Many people struggle in the place of taking risks, they assume if something feel scary or a little unsettled, it must be really risky. But this is not usually an accurate or objective way to measure risk.
1. Balance Your Line Of Business With Innovation
We live in an era of accelerated change. There is an urgent need for businesses to be creative and innovative. The moment you start to neglect new opportunities and avenues to innovate, your business risk becoming obsolete.
1. Evaluate Every Opportunity With A Critical Eye
Don’t rush into every opportunity that present itself, take a step back to examine the risk involved. Start by gathering valuable information about the opportunity. Then, you would be at liberty to consider and x-ray all your options.
1. Control Your Fear
Your level of fear usually has nothing to do with the actual level of risk you face. Take, for example, public speaking. It’s often cited as the No. 2 fear most people have.

But public speaking isn’t actually too much of a risk. Sure, there are some social risks involved–people may judge your speaking ability or find your message boring, or you might commit communication hara-kiri.

However, it is interesting to know and note that their judgment won’t kill you. And if it doesn’t kill you, it makes you better.
1. Balance Your Emotions With Logic
Emotionally primed and strong individuals are usually not candidates of fear, especially when it pertains to taking calculated risks. They are able to objectively analyse their outcomes – failure or success; even when they know that it could be the difference between living an ordinary life and an extraordinary one.

It is important to assess your actual level of risk by examining the facts before you. Start by creating a list of the pros and cons and the potential risks versus benefits.

Writing down the facts of the case and reading them over will greatly help you view the risk through the eye of logic. This is one way to balancing out your emotions.

Also, when you’re excited about an opportunity, you are likely to overlook the obvious and latent risks. Sometimes it is advisable that you ask an expert.

Furthermore, when you are too afraid to make a move, talk to someone with valuable experience concerning the matter. Gleaning invaluable advice from them may help you find the courage to take the leap.

Finally, let’s get a nugget or two from 26^th President of the United State of America – Theodore Roosevelt:

Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure… than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.
November 7, 2017
Death of 26 Nigerians in Mediterranean sea, tragic, avoidable – Abike Dabiri

Mrs Abike Dabiri – Erewa, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora on Tuesday described the death of 26 Nigerians in Mediterranean sea as “most unfortunate and tragic’’.

Dabiri-Erewa in a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, said: “promising young Nigerians embarking on such dangerous journeys, in search of greener pastures, end up faced rather with hopelessness, torture, despair and sometimes death, as in this case.

“The deaths of these young Nigerians, mostly women and girls were avoidable and preventable.”

“It is tragic and lamentable. It is just not worth it ultimately.

“There has to be sustained awareness campaigns on the dangers inherent in such journeys. Migration policies are getting tougher all over,’’ she said.

Dabiri-Erewa said that President Muhammadu Buhari has been working with the International Organisation of Migration, to bring back voluntary returnees pointing out that it was not usually greener out there, even if survived.

While appealing to the Italian authorities to ensure thorough investigations into the deaths, the presidential aide, advised Nigerians to desist from such journeys.

“Regrettably, such trips are usually paid for, sometimes as high as 4,500 dollars as inhumane traffickers profit from the illicit business, luring the victims who ignorantly fall for the apparently fake lure of a better life out there.

“The boats now being used are getting smaller and more dangerous, and those on the other side are not particularly willing to save them from drowning any more.

“No fewer than 26 Nigerians were reportedly got drowned in the Mediterranean Sea on Sunday,” she said.

She noted that the Italian prosecutors had begun an investigation into the deaths of the victims, mostly teenagers, though hundreds of other migrants survived.

NAN

November 7, 2017