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  • NHIS account ‘not compromised’

    The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has assured stakeholders that the scheme’s account remains secured, intact and beyond the possible reach of hackers and other nefarious entities.

    The scheme said it only operates the Federal Government’s Treasury Single Account (TSA).

    Its Head of Media and Public Relations, Ayo Osinlu, stated this yesterday in a statement.

    He said: “The discovery of fraud in the operations of one of the Health Maintenance Organisations (HMO), Clearline International Limited, leading to the arrest of two persons, one of whom is a staff of the HMO concerned, has come to the attention of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

    Read Also: Reps to review NHIS

    “The seriousness of this crime, the huge sum of money involved, and the reference to NHIS’ account being hacked in the process have compelled the scheme to make the following clarifications.

    “That NHIS has no account anywhere else outside the Federal Government’s Treasury Single Account (TSA) in the custody of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    “It is, therefore, not possible, or true, that the perpetrators of this heinous crime hacked into the account of NHIS in this act.

    “That in the spirit of the scheme’s ongoing rebranding reforms, of which transparency and accountability is a major factor, a Management Committee has been constituted the day after the ­­crime was reported, to ascertain the veracity of the allegations, the actual sum involved and the circumstances that facilitated the commission of the crime, among other terms of reference,” it added.

    The NHIS reassured its stakeholders and the general public that it will not tolerate any breach of trust or guidelines under its operations.

  • ‘Don’t turn disabled youths to beggars’

    Oyo State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Alhaja Faosat Sanni, has said parents who have children with certain disabilities should not turn them to an avenue for begging.

    She urged such parents to rather make use of government institutions where these special children would be made useful to themselves and society.

    Read Also: All I did as governor was in the interest of Oyo State – Ajimobi

    The State government recently declared that street begging and other form of abuse to the vulnerable such as rape of minors and human trafficking, would soon be history as perpetrators of such evil acts would be made to face the full wrath of the law.

    Saani made this declaration during a visit to the Nigeria Training Centre for the Blind, Ogbomoso, home for visually impaired at the weekend.

    The Commissioner, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Christiana Abioye, said disability should not be reasons for street begging, adding that rape cases of minors and human trafficking had been on the increase due to negligence by parents, guardians and caregivers.

  • Odu’a launches N4b luxury residential estate in Ibadan

    A new luxury residential estate valued at over N4billion has been launched in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital by Odu’a Investments Limited.

    The new estate, which consists of 104 mixed luxury residential buildings and 21 units of commercial outlets, is being delivered in partnership with an estate developing firm, Chapter 4 Nig. Ltd.

    The buildings will sit on 3.8 hectares of land bordering the sprawling production plant of the Nigerian Breweries PLC on the highbrow Ibadan-Ife Expressway.

    The land, according to the Chairman, Board of Directors of Odu’a, Mr. Olusola Akinwumi, was acquired from the Oyo State Government 40 years ago.

    Christened Westlink Iconic Villa, the estate will be delivered within 30 months.

    Read Also: How Ogun’ll remain top most investment destination, by Abiodun

    It offers eight five-bed fully detached duplexes, 10 five-bed semi-detached duplexes and six four-bed semi-detached duplexes. Others are 40 four-bed terraced duplexes, 60 three-bed apartments and 21 units of commercial outlets.

    There is also a multi-purpose community centre with indoor swimming pool, a gymnasium, a multi-purpose events hall, children playgrounds and sporting facilities, a creche and multi-faith prayer hall.

    It is provisioned with a utility centre that will offer centralised uninterrupted power and other utilities. The commercial centre will host a clinic, pharmacy, supermarket, bank, restaurant and beauty salon, among others.

    Welcoming guests and other stakeholders to the turning-of-sod ceremony at the weekend, Odu’a Group Managing Director, Mr. Adewale Raji, explained that the project was a continuation of the conglomerate’s re-entry into the real estate sub-sector of the economy with the goal of sustaining and expanding the heritage of Odu’a as bequeathed to the current generation.

    He said the company would continue to offer the brand that met customer demand of luxury residential buildings.

    “Today’s foundation-laying ceremony is a testimony to above vision, which has taken in a larger dimension to quicken the realisation of that noble objective of unlocking value from our inherited passive assets,” Raji said.

    The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chapter 4 Nigeria Ltd., Mr. Shams Ogunmuyiwa, commended the management of Odu’a for showing the will to execute the project.

    He promised the delivery of the project by March 2022 in line with top quality industry standard.

    Oyo State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde, commended the two partners for choosing to site the estate in the state.

    He emphasized that the state was open to business, stressing that the goal of his administration was to move it from poverty to prosperity.

    He was represented by the Commissioner for Public Works, Infrastructure and Urban Transport, Prof. Raphael Afonja.

  • How to recover N270b debt from DisCos, by TCN

    The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has written a letter to the Minister of Power, Sale Mamman, on how to compel the electricity distribution companies (DisCos) to pay the outstanding debt of N270 billion to the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) Plc.

    Speaking at TCN’s/donor/stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja yesterday, its Managing Director, Mr. Usman Gur Mohammed, noted that with the application of the market rule, the company had collected its 100 per cent revenue from the DisCos.

    But the managing director said the outstanding N270 billion debt was the revenue the DisCos failed to remit to the transmission company before he assumed office as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

    He said: “We have written to the Minister of Power. We also suggested to him that we can work with the NBET, if they will agree to work with us to force the DisCos to pay them their money. We are going to enforce it if they (ministers) agree. There is no reason we cannot enforce it.”

    With the enforcement of the market rule, the TCN chief said the company discovered among the DisCos, the weak, the strong, those that can survive and those that will collapse under real market conditions.

    He added that the enforcement had improved discipline and transparency in the electricity market.

    Mohammed hoped that enforcing the market rule would reduce Federal Government’s liabilities in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).

    Read Also: TCN moves to recover N270b debt from DisCos

    The TCN, according to him, is working with governors to secure the right of way for the expansion of network (25 metres on both sides for 330Kv line and 15 metres on both sides for 132Kv.

    On the essence of the meeting, he explained that the TCN had received loans and grants totalling $1.6 billion from donor agencies.

    The TCN chief said the meeting was meant to give the donors an updated breakdown of the projects for them to guide the company on whatever ways they feel.

    Mohammed explained that aside from the Abuja Wheeling Scheme Project, none of the other projects had received funds.

    The CEO said the projects were at their procurement stages in sustainable manner.

    He added that the TCN management reintroduced the Pupillage Training Programme of engineers to be under senior engineers for one year to enable the trainees start work on their own.

    Mohammed said pupillage programme existed in the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) where young engineers were trained for two years.

  • PDP youths hail party for rescheduling campaign kick off date

    The Peoples Democratic Party Youth Network has lauded the decision of the party’s leadership to shift its kick-off campaign earlier scheduled for Saturday to Monday to avoid clash with the opposition All Progressives Congress.

    The group, in a statement by its Secretary General James Oputin, said that the PDP leadership displayed a commendable level of maturity by averting the plan of the APC  to use a non existent clash of rallies  to unleash mayhem on the state.

    The group said the APC planned to cause civil disturbance with thugs  imported from neighbouring states to cause civil disturbance at the venue of the PDP rally.

    Read Also: Ijaw leaders to hold two million-man rally for Diri

    Oputin said that APC lacks capacity to win free, fair and credible election in Bayelsa State.

    He stressed that the party’s stock in trade was violence which played out during its  primary.

    He said controversial direct primary adopted by the party was marred by rigging and violence with the results for the election written at a hotel without voting.

    The group called on the members of PDP to remain calm and resolute, as the party has all it takes to win November 16 governorship election.

  • Ijaw leaders to hold two million-man rally for Diri

    Ijaw leaders at the weekend promised to mobilise two million people in Bayelsa State for a march to support the Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) for the November 16 election, Senator Douye Diri.

    The leaders under the auspices of the Ijaw Leaders Consultative Forum (ILCF) said they took a decision to support Diri to enable him consolidate on the achievements of Governor Seriake Dickson.

    ILCF, in a statement  by its Leader, Hendricks Opukeme, said the current challenges confronting the Ijaw nation could not be entrusted in the hands of a local community  contractor.

    Congratulating Diri for his emergence as the flag bearer, Opukeme said the candidate was versatile and prepared for governance in all ramifications.

    He said: “Most importantly the emergence of Douye Diri could not have come at a more appropriate time than now considering the fact that there was actually anxiety  and trepidation  from well- meaning Ijaw as to who succeeds Governor Dickson.

    Read Also: I won’t disappoint Bayelsa, says Lyon

    “We want a candidate that would not only consolidate on the achievements of the Restoration administration but understands the cause and salient issues confronting the Ijaw nation within the context of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “We, therefore,  commend Governor Dickson for the clarity of purpose,direction and commitment  which characterised the political process that culminated in the emergence Senator Douye Diri.

    “The Ijaw Leaders Consultative  Forum commend PDP for the conduct of credible and transparent primaries and we urge all shades of opinion who participated in the primaries to close rank and vote massively  for Senator Douye Diri.

    “As part of our collective support, endorsement and solidarity, the Ijaw Leaders Consultative Forum  is billed to stage a two million man open air rally in Yenagoa in the next couple of weeks.

    “The rally would draw participants from the youths, women,organised kabout, civil society, ethnic nationality platforms, faith based organisations,  community based groups,student union governments,market associations, academia and professional associations’’.

  • MTEF/FSP: Senate, House panel in marathon meeting to beat deadline

    Members of the Senate and House of Representatives joint Committee on Finance are locked in a marathon meeting.

    It is to meet the one-week deadline given to them to submit a report on the 2020 Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP) for consideration and passage by the National Assembly.

    Senate President Ahmad Lawan had, last week, given the Senate Committee on Finance chaired by Senator Solomon Adeola till Wednesday to submit its report.

    The House of Representatives Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila also referred the document to the James Faleke-led House Committee on Finance. He gave the panel a week to turn in its report for consideration and approval.

    The rush to get the MTEF/FSP report back to plenary and its possible passage is to pave the way for the presentation of the 2020 Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari in earnest.

    Read Also: Buhari decries continued loss of public funds through illicit financial flows

    Lawan had asked the Presidency to submit the 2020 Appropriation Bill by September ending, or the first week of October for its consideration and passage by the National Assembly before Christmas.

    The Nation learnt yesterday that following the directive from both chambers, the committees on Finance have resolved to hold joint sittings to consider the document to save time and meet the deadline.

    A source who spoke in confidence told our reporter that the committees have been meeting non-stop.

    The source said: “The Senate Committees on Finance and its House of Representatives counterpart have decided to hold joint sittings to consider the MTEF/FSP instead of the Senate committee doing its own and the House Committee doing its own.

    “They want to do a joint sitting so that they can meet that deadline of maybe Wednesday or Thursday.

    “You know, the deadline the Senate President gave was Wednesday but they are working to meet the deadline or if they miss it, it would just be by a day or so.

    “That is the much they can do because unfortunately or fortunately, Tuesday is a public holiday.

    “So, that was why they decided to work through Saturday, even today (Sunday) they are still meeting over the same matter.

    “It is like even today (Sunday), they are working on it. So, there is every possibility they will meet the deadline.

    “You know they gave them Wednesday, but I don’t think they took cognizance of Tuesday – a public holiday – and the weekend. But members of the joint committee have been working round the round the clock.”

  • I waited for 15 years after wedlock to give birth – Dickson’s wife

    Wife of the Bayelsa State Governor, Dr. Rachael Dickson, at the weekend said she waited for 15 years for a child after her wedlock with Dickson and God rewarded her patience with quadruplets.

    She described the moment she was delivered of her quadruplets in the United States of America three years ago as visitation by God.

    Rachael, who spoke during a thanksgiving service at the King of Glory Chapel, Government House, Yenagoa, said God showed up after 15 years of waiting for fruits of the womb.

    The thanksgiving service was part of activities marking the third year anniversary of the quadruplets.

    Read Also: PDP will win Bayelsa by landslide, Dickson boasts

    She described her children as bundles of joy and prayed God to bless, prosper and equally use them to bring him glory.

    She said: “First I want to thank this great God of heaven because today we are marking the third anniversary of this special gifts from God.

    “After fifteen years, he turned away our captivity. When men thought it was over, he, God, said it was not over”.

    “I stand before this great God to say there is no other God like him. Today I stand before him to say our joy is full. Today I stand to say this great God of heaven can never fail”.

    The governor’s wife also expressed appreciation to family members, friends, associates and the clergy for attending the service as well as for making the day memorable for the children.

    A reception for guest was also held at the Governor’s Lodge with over 200 children in attendance amidst fanfare.

    Some dignitaries in attendance include the PDP governorship candidate, Senator Douye Diri and his wife; his running mate Senator Lawrence Erhuwjakpo, top government functionaries and the clergy.

  • Kwara hospital records 35% patronage rise in three months

    Kwara State Government, in the last three months, has recorded 35 per cent rise in hospital patronage, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has said.

    He added that the feat was borne out of the government’s focus on basic health care and the recent equipping of the General Hospital, Ilorin.

    The governor spoke at the weekend at the closing ceremony of the free medical and surgical interventions, at the General Hospital, Ilorin.

    Represented by his deputy, Kayode Alabi, AbdulRazaq said: “We’ll make sure that our primary health centres are properly run and functioning very well. The government will also equip hospitals to meet people’s medical needs. What you have seen here is a direction of where we are going.”

    Read Also: ‘Kwara will pay attention to road’

    The surgical interventions, in which 500 persons benefitted, was sponsored by the government in partnership with the Kwara State Association of Nigeria, North America (KSANG) and Sakinah Medical Outreach.”

    AbdulRazaq said the government was determined to secure the services of qualified health personnel, to provide quality health care services.

    The Special Adviser on Health Matters to the Governor, Prof. Wale Sulaiman, said the just concluded surgical mission was a follow-up to the medical mission held across the three senatorial districts where about 2,500 patients were attended to by volunteer doctors from Sakinah Medical Outreach.

    “The combined medical and surgical mission is one of those key emergency strategies to bring immediate relief to people that have common ailments such as diabetes, hypertension, infectious and non-infectious diseases,” he said.

  • ‘Plateau no longer depends on external revenue’

    The Plateau State Internal Revenue Service has said the government no longer depends on Federal Government’s monthly subvention and periodic bailout facilities to run its administration and provide infrastructures.

    It said the state has expanded its internal revenue profile to a level that 80-90 per cent of the state’s annual budget is funded from internal revenue.

    Executive Chairman Mr. Arlat Dashe, who briefed reporters in his office in Jos on Sunday, said: “Of the 2019 budget estimate of N18billion, the revenue service was tasked by the governor to generate N12billion, and so far in the ninth month of the year, we have generated over N9billion.

    “We have put every machinery in place to meet the N12billion target before the end of the year with a potential to even exceed the target.

    Read Also: Tension in Plateau over council poll

    “With the number of reforms we recently introduced in the tax sector, Plateau State will as from next year, depend fully on its internal revenue sources rather than monthly subvention and bailout from the Federal Government.

    “Based on the recent economic recess witnessed in the country due to fall in oil revenue, state governments were advised to look inward for revenue source to fund their budget. We took the advice very seriously and came up with initiatives that give us positive leverage on our internal revenue sources.

    “Today, we can say the tax reforms we embarked on have paid off. The state is funded 80 per cent from internal sources, and very soon, it shall be 100 per cent internal revenue based. Anything that comes from external sources shall only be a plus.”

    He went on: “Some of the reforms we initiated were to create 12 revenue districts across the state and we deployed our men to take charge. We further engaged tax stakeholders to sensitise them on the need to pay tax. This has increased voluntary tax payment and remittances.

    “As tax payment improves gradually, we have physical infrastructural development projects to show the people how the tax is being utilised by the government. When people see some level of transparency in tax utilisation, they get more encouraged to keep paying.

    “There are other tax potentials we are yet to exploit fully, such as the ones from ministries, agencies and parastatals. By the time we fully develop that sector, we can increase the state’s budget to N50 billion and we will not have problem funding it internally.”