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  • Mass literacy: Commission targets 10m Nigerians

    Mass literacy: Commission targets 10m Nigerians

    The National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult Education and Non-Formal Education ( NMEC ), says it has developed an operational plan for a “National Mass Literacy Programme’’ aimed at reaching no fewer than 10 million Nigerians.

    Prof. Abba Haladu, NMEC Executive Secretary, said this on Tuesday on sidelines of the Ministerial Press Briefing in celebration of The International Literacy Day in collaboration with UNESCO in Abuja.

    He said the plan would speed up goverment efforts of addressing the issue of illiteracy in the country.

    “In the National Mass Literacy Programme that we have developed, it is actually envisioning that in the next three years over 10 million Nigerians will actually be targeted.

    “So we are actually soliciting the support of the federal government and of course we have to collaborate with the state government and local governments and other partners.

    “So we will continue to mobilise and we hope that the government will actually finance it and we hope the government will give the sector the attention it deserves.

    “We hope that the private sector will also give its helping hand and contribution so that through this every Nigerian we have the opportunity to acquire basic literacy skills.’’

    He stressed that the non-formal education sector should be given as much priority as the formal sector in order to achieve sustainable development in the country.

    Haladu said that there must be the political will by state and local governments to provide the necessary material support for the eradication of illiteracy in their respective areas of jurisdiction.

    “The non-formal education sector is very important just like the formal education sector and it needs to be accorded greater prominence in terms of political will and in terms of funding from all tiers or levels of government.

    “So once we have this realisation and the fact that all political office holders from top to bottom give the sector a priority, I assure you within a few years a lot of the challenges and problems we have in the sector will actually be addressed.

    “Nigerians are ready and we should mobilise them to ensure each and everyone gives his own contribution to educate our children, to educate our youths, to educate our adults for sustainable development.

    “No development can take place so far as a significant percentage of our population of our country remains illiterate.’’

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this year marks the 51st International Literacy Day since the day was proclaimed by UNESCO in 1966.

    The theme of this year’s celebration is “Literacy in a Digital World’’ and it highlights the challenges and opportunities in the promotion of literacy in the digital world.

  • Biafra: Ex-Senate President denies link to Blessing Anyim

    Biafra: Ex-Senate President denies link to Blessing Anyim

    Former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim has denied link with the United State-based Nigerian actress, Blessing Anyim, who spoke about the on-going Biafra agitations in Nigeria.

    Anyim in a statement in an online media platform said he never had any child by that name, and that all his children are based in Nigeria.

    According to him:

    My attention has been drawn to a publication credited to one “Blessing, Anyim Pius Anyim’s daughter” in Nairaland online platform.

    I want to use this opportunity to clarify the following:

    1. That none of my children lives or had ever lived outside Nigeria
    2. That I have no daughter that is an actress. My only daughter just finished her first degree examination in Nigeria last month and so is yet to undergo her National Youth Service talk less of engaging in any carrier.
    3. That as at today, I am the only politician in my house and so none of my children or even my wife has any political interest or any opinion on national issues.

    May I state that the statement though may not be hurtful but is not from anybody related to me in anyway and as a matter of fact nobody in my family knows the actress under reference.

    It is my wish that our mass communicators should always verify their facts.

    OUR ERROR: Contrary to our earlier report, it has been confirmed that Blessing Anyim is not the daughter of former Senate President, Anyim Pius Anyim. Error regretted.

  • NLC threatens to name, shame governors owing salaries

    NLC threatens to name, shame governors owing salaries

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to name and shame state governors, who refused to pay complete salaries to workers in the country, in spite of the bailout funds.

    Mr Ayuba Wabba, NLC President said this at the National Executive Council meeting of the Non Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) on Tuesday in Abuja.

    Wabba said that some state governors have refused to effectively utilise both the bailout funds and the Paris Club refund given to them by the Federal Government.

    According to him, 10 out of the 36 states are particularly guilty of the offence, while six of the ten states were in terrible situation. We have promised to name and shame them.

    “The congress has directed all states chapters whose members are owed more than three months’ salaries arrears to declare an industrial action and we have promised to name and shame them.

    “The states include Imo that has been paying workers’ salaries in percentage and has not declared utilization of the bailout fund and Paris club refund.

    “”They paid 40 per cent pension to their pensioners without their consent and provided a form for them to sign under duress. That is not allowed in law.

    “We have Bayelsa which has between five to 10 months’ arrears, Ondo is owing between four and six, Ekiti, (five to eight), Benue (five to eight) and Kogi which is the worst case scenario.

    “We have three category of workers in Kogi. We have 40 per cent that are being paid up to date, we have 25 per cent that had not been paid between eight and sixteen months.

    “We also have another 25 per cent that have not been paid between eight and twenty-one months.

    “In all the sectors, they have categorised the workers into three categories,” he said.

    The president also listed Osun, Ebonyi, Zamfara and Abia among others still owing salaries and non-implementation of the 2011 National Minimum Wage for workers.

    Wabba while speaking on the issue of increase tariff, warned the government against approving another increase in electricity tariff.

    He said that the congress would mobilise its affiliates, social partners and other Nigerians to resist any further increase.

    He noted that Nigerians were yet to get good services for the previous increment which has been declared illegal by the court.

    “The twin issue of fuel price increase and electricity tariff has made nonsense of the minimum wage. We have not been able to justify that 45 per cent increase.

    “But now, they are coming again with another increase. Let me say emphatically that NLC as an Organisation and all our affiliates will resist any attempt to increase the electricity tariff again,”he warned.

    Earlier, Mr Chris Ani, National President of NASU, said the current agitation for restructuring and fiscal federalism were attempts to divert attention from misgovernance and ineptitude the nation has been going through.

    Ani said that Nigerians should not be distracted by elements that have actively participated in the looting and mismanagement of our economy and can be found in the two major political parties.

    “What Nigeria workers need at this point in time is not whether more power should be given to states, but to know how they have managed the power at their disposal at the moment,”he said.

    He, however, urged the government to ensure improved welfare and benefits, jobs security, prompt payment of salaries, among others for workers in the country.

  • NSE market indicators dip further by 0.08%

    NSE market indicators dip further by 0.08%

    A total of 174.65 million shares valued at N2.83 billion were traded in 3,783 deals on the Nigerian Stock Exchange ( NSE ) on Tuesday.

    These were against the 162.74 million shares worth N1.54 billion traded in 3,225 deals on Monday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NSE market capitalisation depreciated further by N9 billion or 0.08 per cent to close at N12.012 trillion from N12.021 trillion recorded on Monday.

    The All-Share Index, which opened at 34,873.07, lost 26.25 basis points to close at 34,846.82.

    Seplat led the losers’ chart with a loss of N6.76 to close at N450 per share.

    7UP followed, depreciating by N4.48 to close at N85.82, while Nigerian Breweries dropped N2.01 to close at N167.99 per share.

    Total Oil dipped by N1.9 to close at N223.1, while PZ Cussons depreciated by N1 to close at N24 per share.

    Conversely, Nestle topped the gainers’ table with N23.9 to close at N12228.9 per share.

    It was trailed by GTBank which gained 54k to close at N38.54 per share.

    Stanbic IBTC gained 5k to close at N40, while Unilever appreciated by 2k to close at N42 per share.

    Also, Guinness up by 15k to close at N96.8 per share.

    GTBank was the toast of investors, trading 33.84 million shares worth N1.29 billion.

    FCMB came second, trading 12.58 million shares worth N12.88 million, while FBNH sold 12.53 million shares valued at N65.22 million.

    Mansard traded 11.62 million shares worth N23.12 million, while Zenith Bank sold 10.56 million valued at N232.62 million.

  • FAAN, NiMet get international certification – Minister

    FAAN, NiMet get international certification – Minister

    Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria ( FAAN ) has received international certification for Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, from Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority ( NCAA ).

    The Minister of State, Aviation, Hadi Sirika while receiving the certification of FAAN and Nigerian Meteorological Agency ( NiMet ) in
Abuja on Tuesday, said both certificates were huge achievements toward security and safety in the aviation sector.

    He said that Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, was the first international Airport in Nigeria to meet the requirement by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and NCAA regulations.

    “This is indeed a huge achievement as far as we are concerned, Mr President had told us to secure this country and manage it, therefore, inline with his vision we align in building institutions and getting them to work well.
    “Because once that is achieved it means that we are managing the country well, strong institutions will definitely begets strong nation.

    The country had tried time and again to certify our airports in the past.

    “It is a global requirements by International Civil Aviation Organisation ( ICAO ) convention and Aerodrome requires that airports must be standardised.
    “Under different ownership, under different cultures and climates, under different conditions all over the world and they must be standardise and they must reflect certain minimum standard of safety and security.

    “This made it very paramount to ensure that our airports are certified.

    “We promised the nation that we will get these airports certified, today by the grace of God we have achieved that milestone,” he said.

    According to him, they are beginning to certify the airports with the Murtala Muhammed International Airport been the first to be certified by NCAA through ICAO standards.

    He said this certification borders on safety which is a huge achievement in making sure that the nation institutions are strong, dynamic, focused and sensitive.

    Sirika, however, commended the Ministry of Transportation for making the certification achievable and possible, stating that they hope to get certification for Nnamdi Nzikiwe airport before the end of the year.

    He said they would ensure that both international and domestic airports get certified which would increase the value, the insurance would be low, charges and ticket would be lower as a result of the certification.

    The Minister of State noted that the world will be at peace to know that Nigeria aviation is secured with flight operation being safe and secured within and outside the country.

    He said that Mr President and the National Council had approved the concessioning of four major airports in the country which are Abuja, Lagos, Kano and Port Harcourt.

    Sirika further said that Nigeria will host the International Civil Aviation Organisation World Aviation Forum taking place on the Nov. 20 to Nov. 22 in Abuja, which is the first time the forum will be held outside Canada.

    Speaking earlier, Managing Director of FAAN, Saleh Dunoma said FAAN has successfully completed the Aerodrome certification process of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

    He said that the Aerodrome certification is an international requirement with the primary objective to ensure that all international Airports meets international safety standards.

    “Aerodrome certification means ensuring the standardisation and harmonisation of airport service, facilities and procedures, as well as ensuring uniformity in safety.”

    He said that the drive toward certification of Nigeria airports was yielding positive result as Nigeria was implementing one of the critical safety targets.

    He said that Nigeria started the process of certification 11 years ago but due to several reasons they were unable to certify the airports until now.

    According to him, with the certification of the Murtala Muhammad Airport, they will concentrate on the Nmandi Nzikiwe international Airport in Abuja, then to other airport.

    He said FAAN was committed in the drive to get the aerodrome certification for all the airports in Nigeria.

    Dunoma said that the certification would be renewed after three years, which will be year 2020.

    Director for Western and Central Africa, International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)

    Mr Sani Marshi, the Director-General of NiMet presented the International Standard Organisation (ISO) 2015 certification to the minister.

    He said that NiMet was the first in the continent to have been given the international certification in compliance with international best practices.

    He said that this is a huge achievement in the Nigerian aviation sector as Nigeria would become an example to other African countries.

    Mr Mam Sait Jallow, ICAO Regional Director for West and Central Africa, said that both certifications are two key standards related to safety as most of the aircraft accidents are due to issued related to runway safety and also weather conditions.

    “These are really key achievements which we wanted to witness and we won’t stop here because we are still in house and we have to climb on the roofs to publish what we have done.

    “Technically, we have just concluded phase four and as far as certification is concerned, we now need to publish aeronautical information to the world for them to know that the Murtala Mohammed Airport is now certified likewise NiMet,” Jallow said.

  • FG to supply quality seeds to farmers – Ogbeh

    FG to supply quality seeds to farmers – Ogbeh

    The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu. Ogbeh, says the ministry  is working with the Nigeria Security and Defense Corps ( NSCDC ) to ensure that quality seeds are supply to farmers by authorised seed dealers.

    Ogbeh made this known on Tuesday in Gwagwalada, FCT, at the Seed Fair and Farmers’ Field Day, organised by the National Agricultural Seed council ( NASC ).

    According to him, quality seed is paramount to enhancing agricultural productivity as it contributes more than 50 per cent of increased crop productivity in the country.

    He said seed was very important to the sub-sector, and that any group or individuals engaged in selling adulterated seeds to farmers must face the fuĺ wrath of the law.

    “I am a victim of fake seeds. I am a farmer you all know. I sent my manager to a shop to buy seeds. He got a very nice packaged envelops and when we opened them, they were broken seeds from the market.

    “Over 70 per cent of people who have no business with seeds jump into the business and selling junk to farmers without getting certified by the seed council.”

    “We are going to open extension offices in every local government to monitor the quality of seeds being supplied to farmers.

    “We will compel agro companies to sell their seeds to authorised dealers. Farmers will be told if you buy seed from anybody else aside the authorised dealers, don’t blame us if you buy fake seeds from them.

    “And if they buy from authorized dealers and it turns out to be fake, report them to us. We will get police to arrest them, ” he said.

    According to him, the Federal Government ( FG ) through NASC has over the year engaged in regulating the activities of seed producing entities.

    He added that this was aimed at ensuring that enough quantities of improved quality seeds are available for farmers use across the country in any given time.

    He expressed regret for still owing seed companies that participated ai the 2014/2015 Growth Enhancement Support, GES, assuring part payment of the debts owed soon.

    “We will try our best to pay seed companies we are owing. Without good seed, agriculture is impossible. So we want them to keep supplying that is why we will try and pay the debts.”

    Dr Olusegun Ojo, the Director General, NASC, said that council has carried out sensitisation and campaign to educate the public in order to rid the market of fake and adulterated seeds.

    He added that through the enforcement and surveillance activities, some fake and adulterated seeds were confiscated at various markets across the country.

    “We organised a stakeholders workshop to develop a roadmap for efficient coordination of importation and marketing of vegetable seeds in the country.

    “Let me reiterate to member of the public that seed business is highly regulated and there are procedures and guidelines for engaging in seed production and marketing.

    “All intending groups and organisations going into seed business are hereby reminded that they must be duly accredited and licensed by the council.

    “The council is prepared to clamp down on any unauthorised groups or individuals engaging in illegal seed business by selling fake seeds to innocent farmers,” he said.

    Mr Richard Olafare, the President, Seed Entrepreneur Association of Nigeria ( SEEDAN ) urged the Federal government ( FG ) to fasten in the payment for seeds supplied under the GES scheme.

    He explained that recent efforts by the association to initiate the settlement of the outstanding debts should be accelerated to conclusion in order to avert the damage cause to the seed sector.

    “Members of SEEDAN are worried about the delay in the payment for the seeds supplied under the GES, exposing several seed companies to threats And embarrassment from various banks.

    “Some banks went as far as publishing list of so called defaulters seed companies in national newspapers. Some of our members are death with high blood pressure,” he said.

  • Niger to spend N1.2bn in 20 days on school feeding

    Niger to spend N1.2bn in 20 days on school feeding

    The Niger government says it will spend N1.2 billion in every 20 days of the  primary school feeding programme expected to kick off Sept. 25.

    Mrs. Afiniki Dauda, Special Adviser to Gov. Abubakar Bello on Empowerment and Social Protection, disclosed this on Tuesday in Minna, during the training of 150 food vendors and desk officers on food safety and hygiene.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training, tagged: “train the trainees”, was organised for selected vendors across the 25 local government areas, to prepare them for the feeding programme.

    Dauda said that the Federal Government would spend N70 per day, for every child involved in the feeding programme.

    “We have submitted a list of well over 800,000 pupils from 3,000 schools for the programme; its principal aim is to
    raise nutritional value among pupils and increase school enrollment,” she said.

    She said that 70,170 vendors had been captured for the programme, adding that their data had been submitted to the National Identity Management office for verification.

    The official said that government had set up a special monitoring and evaluation team consisting of desk officers, counselors, parents and teachers association to ensure its success.

    Dauda warned vendors and other officials against diverting food items meant for the pupils, saying that anyone caught would be prosecuted.

  • Only court can stop my governorship ambition – Ifeanyi Ubah

    Only court can stop my governorship ambition – Ifeanyi Ubah

    A governorship aspirant on Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) platform in the forthcoming poll in Anambra, Mr Ifeanyi Ubah, said only the court could stop his ambition.

    He alleged that the party’s primary election conducted to pick its candidate for the poll, was fraught with irregularities and that the party leadership had refused to address his complaints on it.

    Ubah made this known at a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday, and said that he would continue with his aspiration until his complaints were addressed by the party.

    He said that he would approach the court to seek his right after exhausting all the internal mechanisms to address the issues as stipulated in PDP Constitution.

    He said that he had contacted party leaders, Board of Trustees members as well as appeared at the party’s primary election Appeal Panel, but that his concerns had not been addressed.

    “I will be going to court to seek redress; only the court will determine the party’s candidate or the party should come back to us and addresses the irregularities.

    “They know that the person they have chosen has no requisite to be the party’s candidate. It is their responsibility to right the wrong,’’ he said.

    Ubah, who is the Chairman of Capital Oil, said that he would pursue the legal angle on the matter for himself and other Nigerians that may also be treated in the same manner in future.

    “I am doing this not just because of me but because all the political parties will not act the same way PDP has done. If we continue to allow issues like this, people will continue to suffer over impunity.’’

    Ubah said that Mr Oseloka Obaze, who was declared winner of the primary election and upheld by the party’s Appeal Panel, did not emerge through a transparent, free and fair means, describing the primary as “a fraudulent exercise.”

    He said that he noticed some irregularities in the primary, including overnight change of delegates’ list, and alleged that the delegates used for the election were different from those on Certified True Copy list he obtained.

    He added that people that lodged the complaints at the primary election venue were chased away with tear gas.

    “They use that opportunity to smuggle in people. We have 326 wards in Anambra, and even if we had three delegates per wards, we will have 678 delegates, not 958.

    “Also in the party’s Constitution there is what we call statutory delegates who are over 400, they were all cut off.

    “What they did was that they gave black marks on the fingers of those they wanted in, and by the time they call you in and if you don’t have those marks they pushed you away.

    “All complaints on these issues were ignored.’’

    Ubah said that he remained the best candidate of PDP for the election in the state “because we are closer to the people, and have invested in the party and in the people’’.

    He accused former governor of the state, Mr Peter Obi and Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers of imposing an unpopular candidate on the delegates.

    “Sadly, an election which was supposed to provide a level-playing field for all seven aspirants cleared for the race turned to a dance of shame.

    “All these represent the greatest act of impunity bearing in mind the fact that the party had began to gain sympathy from Nigerians.’’

    On the allegation that he was hobnobbing with other political parties, Ubah said that as a business man, he was free to relate with any political party and the Federal Government.

  • NYSC mourns former DG

    NYSC mourns former DG

    The Director-General, National Youth Service Corps ( NYSC ), Brig.-Gen. Suleiman Kazaure, has condoled with the family of a former director-general of the scheme, Yusuf Bomoi, who died on Monday in Abuja.

    Kazaure ,who paid a condolence visit to the family in Abuja on Tuesday along with top management staff of the NYSC, said the death of the former DG was a ‘rude shock’ to the scheme.

    He said although, the death of the ex-NYSC DG was the will of God, the overflowing grief from the family, friends and colleagues was a clear testimony of the footprints he left in the scheme.

    The director general assured the family of the late Bomoi of the scheme’s total and unflinching support at its time of grief.

    Kazaure, who described Bomoi as a pragmatic and inclusive leader, said his sense of innovation and compassionate disposition endeared him to the hearts of all.

    The director general said the death of Bomoi had left a big vacuum that would be hard to fill, adding that the scheme was, however, consoled by his exemplary life of service to God and humanity.

    “It was during Bomoi’s time as the director general of the NYSC that the scheme was able to move its directorate headquarters to the permanent site in Maitama, Abuja.

    “Bomoi made a lot of landmark achievements when he served as the director general of the scheme from 2004 to 2009.
    “The scheme will support the family members in every way possible so that his demise  would not weigh heavily on them,” Kazaure said.

    The director general said the scheme would hold a management meeting soon to conclude on plans to immortalise the late former director general.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bomoi, who died in Abuja after a brief illness, has been buried according to Islamic rites.

    NAN also recalls that Bomoi was the second ex-corps member to head the NYSC scheme; he was appointed the 13th director general of the NYSC on Oct. 29, 2004.

    He served in various capacities in the Nigerian military.

  • Police foils kidnap of two girls in Kaduna

    Police foils kidnap of two girls in Kaduna

    The Kaduna State Police Command on Tuesday said it had foiled an attempt to kidnap two girls in a village near Shika in Zaria Local Government area.

    The Command Public Relation Officer, ASP Muktar Aliyu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna, that the kidnappers numbering about 30 invaded the community on Sept. 18, at about 1:30 a.m.

    He said: “When the police was informed we acted instantly and engaged them in gun battle and forced them to run into the bush without accomplishing their mission.

    “A policeman, however, sustained gunshot wound during the attack and is now receiving treatment at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Shika.

    “Also, the father of the girls, Malam Mustapha Gali, died on Tuesday morning from the injuries he sustained when the kidnappers invaded his house.

    “The two girls sustained no injury and are now with their mother.

    “No arrest has been made yet, but we are on the trail of the suspects, and wish to assure the general public that they will be arrested and prosecuted.”

    Aliyu restated the command’s commitment to rid the state of criminals and appealed for more useful information from residents.