The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian Newspapers

  • KAB Olowu gave his all to Nigeria, says Tinubu

    ALL Progressives Congress (APC) National Stalwart Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has described Alhaji Karim Ayinla Babalola ‘KAB’ Olowu who died on Wednesday in Lagos as a foremost athlete and Nigeria’s nationalist who gave his all to the country.

    He said the late Olowu represented Nigeria in many international sporting tournaments, winning important laurels including being a ”Nigerian sprinter and long jumper who was part of Nigeria’s first delegation to the 1950 British Empire Games in Auckland, New Zealand (now Commonwealth Games).”

    In a tribute yesterday to the late Oloriebi (patriarch) of the Tinubu family that he personally signed, Tinubu also said the late KAB Olowu’s life exemplified the goodness in the Tinubu family name.

    “Many of us in the family grew up under his watch and mentoring for which we remain eternally grateful. I particularly drank from his fountain of knowledge and wisdom,” Tinubu said.

    The emotional tribute titled ”Alhaji Karim Ayinla Babalola ‘KAB’ Olowu (OON) Foremost Athlete, Philanthropist and Nigeria’s Nationalist,” reads: “Alhaji Karim Ayinla Babalola (KAB) Olowu (OON) gave his all to Lagos, to Nigeria and to humanity. He was a foremost athlete who represented the country in many international sporting competitions and came back home with many important laurels. On Wednesday August 14 when he passed on to eternal glory, he was one of Africa’s oldest, if not the oldest Olympians.

    “Baba KAB was a philanthropist, committed nationalist and devout Muslim. He worshipped Allah with all his heart. From what he had, he pleasurably gave to mankind. He was the (Oloriebi) patriarch of the Tinubu family, taking over from his parents B.M.S. Olowu and R.A. Olowu (nee Tinubu). He was the first grandson of Madam Tinubu and Saka Tinubu. As the Oloriebe of the family, Alhaji KAB’s life exemplified the goodness in the Tinubu family name. He appreciably lived that name. Many of us in the family grew up under his watch and mentoring for which we remain eternally grateful. I particularly drank from his fountain of knowledge and wisdom.

    “KAB made immense contributions to Lagos. He served as the Chairman, Lagos State Sports Council. He was also the Chief Starter at the 1973 All-Africa Games held in Lagos, Nigeria. Papa served the country through athletics and in many other capacities. His sporting career began at St Paul’s Primary School, Breadfruit, Lagos where in 1936 he represented the school at the Empire Day Athletics in commemoration of the British Empire Day celebrated in Britain and her colonies before Nigeria’s independence in 1960. At CMS Grammar School in Lagos, he was the Sports Prefect during his time.

    Read Also: Tinubu greets Williams at 100

    “After his athletics career, he worked in the Nigerian Prisons Service. But he never left his love for sports. He was already working as a civil servant before he won a Federal Government scholarship to study Physical Education in Loughborough College Leicestershire, England in 1952 from where he graduated in 1955. To give back to society, he set up the sports complex at the Nigerian Prison in Kirikiri, Lagos where he worked for some years. He also set up the then Prisons Athletics club, which produced many athletes for Nigeria. He was for several years a prominent member of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).

    “He believed in Nigeria and was irrevocably committed to her greatness. Even in his old age, he spoke and dreamt of Nigeria’s enduring greatness. The many laurels he won for the country and the honours he brought to Nigeria from many international tournaments are apt testimony to this immutable commitment to Nigeria.

    “Papa’s laudable contributions in sports are worth recalling.  He was that Nigerian sprinter and long jumper who was part of Nigeria’s first delegation to the 1950 British Empire Games in Auckland, New Zealand (now Commonwealth Games). He was among the first group of Nigerians to participate in the Olympic Games and was particularly at the 1952 Summer Olympics Games. At the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games held in Canada, he won silver medals in long jump and the 4 x 110 yards relay, becoming the first Nigerian athlete to win two medals at the Commonwealth Games.

    “It was no surprise that as a result of these international sporting accomplishments, he became the first Nigerian to officiate at the 1966 Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica. He was Nigerian team manager to the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada. Later in 1992 at the Barcelona Olympics, he emerged the first Nigerian Olympic torch-bearer.

    “Baba KAB would be sorely missed by family, friends, associates and all those who encountered him. My prayer is that Almighty Allah accept his soul and grant him Aljanna Fridaus. May He also imbue all of us in the Tinubu and Olowu families and indeed all those he left behind the strength to continue in his absence.”

  • The Nation appoints Adesina as Editor

    THE Board of Directors of Vintage Press Limited has appointed Mr Adeniyi Adesina as Editor of The Nation .

    Adesina’s appointment was announced on Thursday by Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Mr. Victor Ifijeh.

    Adesina succeeds Mr Gbenga Omotoso, the pioneer editor of the newspaper, who is now a commissioner-designate in Lagos State. Omotoso has been screened by the Lagos State House of Assembly, following his nomination by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

    The Board of Directors, according to Ifijeh, praised Omotoso “for his outstanding performance, commitment to duties and his immense contributions to the phenomenal growth  of The Nation  in  its 13 years of existence.”

    The Nation hit the newsstands on July 31, 2006, with the credo: Truth in Defence of Freedom.

    Two years later, it began printing in three locations : Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt. This enabled it to get to  most towns and cities in the six geo-political zones serving timely and fresh news.

    The feat earned The Nation instant acceptance by readers and advertisers. It quickly climbed up the ladder to become the market leader and the widest circulating newspaper in Nigeria.

    Other appointments announced on Thursday are: Mr. Lawal Ogienagbon (Managing Editor)—Editorial Services, Dr Emmanuel Oladesu (Deputy Editor)—Daily, and Mr. Bunmi Ogunmodede (News Editor).

    Adesina joined The Nation as Deputy Editor (Saturday) in April 2010. He was reassigned as Deputy Editor (News) of The Nation in August 2010, the position he held until November, 2018.

    While on Leave of Absence, he served as Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Osun State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola between December 2018 and August 5, 2019.

    Read Also: The Nation marks 13th anniversary with praises, prayers

    In almost three decades of journalism practice, he worked with Prime People, National Concord, AM News, Punch and News Star newspapers among others, covering various beats.

    He worked on the three titles at Punch, serving as Assistant Editor, Saturday Punch in charge of Sports in 2001 and Assistant Editor in charge of News, between 2002 and 2004. He was Head of Foreign desk of The Punch from 2005 to 2006.

    Adesina was appointed Editor of News Star in 2007, the position he held until 2009.

    He attended the University of Lagos for his degrees, graduating in 1987 and bagging a Master’s in Mass Communication.

    Adesina has attended professional seminars and training programmes at home and in the United Kingdom and Denmark. He is married and blessed with children.

    Erstwhile Deputy Editor Ogienagbon started his career as a reporter with The Punch. He moved over to the Daily Times and rose to the position of Deputy Editor. He also served as Deputy Editor of National Interest.

    The managing editor joined The Nation at inception, becoming the News Editor. He was promoted Deputy Editor (Daily) in 2010.  Ogienagbon holds B.Sc. in Mass Communication

    Until this appointment, Oladesu was since 2015, the group political editor. He will still oversee the political desk.

    He started his career as a Reporter/Features Writer with TNT Newspapers in 1997 before moving to The Comet as Education Reporter (1999-2002), Political Correspondent (2002-2005), Political Correspondent, The Nation (2005-2007), Senior Writer (2007-2008), Deputy Political Editor (2008-2014), and Group Political Editor.

    Oladesu won the 2014 DAME Political Reporter of the Year and NMMA Political Reporter of the year in 2015.

    The deputy editor holds a PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of Lagos.

    Oladesu obtained two Master’s degrees in Personnel Psychology from the University of Ibadan (2000) and in Educational Psychology from the University of Lagos (2017).

    He was the best graduating student of the Guidance and Counselling Department and overall best in the Faculty of Education when he bagged his first degree at the Ondo State University, Ado-Ekiti (OSUA) in 1995.   In 2016, he became an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM), a professional body he joined in 2004.

    Ogunmodede began his journalism career in 1995 at the Independent Communications Network Limited (ICNL), publishers of The News, A.M./P.M. News and Tempo magazine after graduating from the University of Ibadan.

    He joined The Comet at inception in 1999 working on the City/Metro Desk. He covered the activities of the Lagos State Government, reporting from the Secretariat in Alausa for six years, before being promoted as deputy news editor. He was News Editor of Nigerian Compass between 2008 and 2011.  Ogunmodede got the public service experience when he served as Special Assistant (Media) to former Ekiti State Deputy Governor Prof. Modupe Adelabu from 2013 to 2014 while on Leave of Absence. Before this appointment, he was the acting news editor.

     

  • Lending: Banks race to beat CBN’s deadline

    BANKS are in a race to beat the September 30 deadline given by Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to implement the 60 per cent minimum Loan to Deposit Ratio (LDR) policy.

    They are scrambling for credible borrowers, The Nation learnt on Thursday.

    The apex bank had mandated banks to give out 60 per cent of their deposits as loans. The regulator said banks that did not comply with the directive would have their Cash Reserve Ratios (CRR) increased. Cash reserve ratio is the share of customers’ deposits kept with the CBN.

    To ensure compliance as the timeline nears, Tier-1 banks, lenders with assets greater than or equal to N1 trillion, are luring credible borrowers in Tier-2 banks with mouth-watering interest rates.

    The industry average lending rate is around 23 to 26 per cent per annum, but premium borrowers still get credit at 16 to 17 per cent per annum.

    Confirming the development during the presentation of banking sector report in Lagos, Senior Analyst, Banking & Insurance Department at Agusto & Co, Mrs. Ada Ufomadu, said Tier-1 banks are now going for big and credible borrowers in Tier-2 banks, offering them reduced lending rates for new loan plan.

    FirstBank, Access Bank, Zenith Bank, United Bank for Africa and GTBank fall within the Tier-1 bank category.

    According to Ufomadu, the focus of the LDR minimum is to promote consumer and mortgage credit to drive demand.

    Read Also: CBN issues banks new consumer protection rules

    She said: “Most Tier 2 banks comply with the new LDR minimum requirement, but not all Tier- 1 banks have complied with the CBN policy and short timeline for the policy implementation remains a challenge.”

    Mrs. Ufomadu said the industry LDR stood at 80.1 per cent in 2016; 75.1 per cent in 2017 and 66.4 per cent in 2018 and has continued to trend southwards as lenders cut their credit exposures, focusing on high-yielding government securities- Bonds and Treasury Bills.

    She said the industry’s total assets stood at N25.49 trillion in 2014; N25.7 trillion in 2015; N28.02 trillion in 20116; N30.82 trillion 2017 and N33.3 trillion 2018. These statistics, she added, should ordinarily provide good opportunity for banks to lend to to the real sector.

    Mrs. Ufomadu said the banks are at present, engaging in ‘cautious growth’ lending on government securities.

    According to her: “The top five banks have 57 per cent combined industry assets and 59 per cent loan book, adding that there is steady decline in industry assets.

    “Tier-1 banks lost N1.1 trillion to the implementation of the International Financial Reporting Standards 9 (IFRS 9) implementation, which helps lenders to be more stringent in classifying their loans.

    “In the last three to four years, banks have not been bullish in lending. Even the CBN regulation cannot change that reality. Banks are also rejecting expensive deposits and going for low interest deposits.”

    Speaking on the LDR policy, Head, Currencies Market at Ecobank Nigeria, Olakunle Ezun, said the policy would stimulate lending to Small and Medium Enterprises (SME), retail, mortgage and consumer lending.

    He explained that the mandate to banks is to maintain a minimum LDR of 60 per cent (compared to current industry average Loan to Deposit Ratio (LDR) of 58.5 per cent as at May 2019 and regulatory maximum of 80 per cent), subject to quarterly review.

    By this regulation, the CBN aims to improve market liquidity and, subsequently, encourage deposit money banks to increase lending to the productive sector of the economy. This comes with additional incentive of a weight of 150 per cent to the preferred sectors in the computation of LDR.

    ”The CBN’s recent move could be positive, as we expect improved lending to the productive sectors of the economy,” Ezun said.

     

  • Buhari to tribunal: Atiku’s petition most worthless

    PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has described the petition by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the last presidential election, Atikiu Abubabar, as the most worthless in election litigation history.

    The President urged the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) to dismiss the petition for lack of merit.

    But the PDP candidate insists that the President is unqualified to contest the election. He urged the tribunal to quash his victory.

    These are contained in the final written addresses submitted to the court, which they are expected to adopt on August 21 when the court will hear final submissions from parties to the petition by Atiku and the PDP, challenging the outcome of the last presidential election.

    Buhari and the APC argued that not only are the reliefs sought by the petitioners “ungrantable and meaningless”, they (Atiku and the PDP) failed woefully to prove the allegations as contained in their petition.

    Buhari and the APC, after analysing the evidence by witnesses called by the petitioners, argued that in their attempt to establish their allegations, they dumped documents on the court in the name of tendering documentary evidence.

    They said: “It is submitted with every force that in the annals of election petition proceedings in Nigeria, this particular petition has been the most starved in terms of evidence, whether oral or documentary.

    The petitioners also woefully failed to appreciate that this court does not wrought miracles, but decides cases according to law, and not based on sentiments.

    “Whereas, the petitioners are challenging results of election in all the states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and have pleaded in paragraph 107 of their petition that there were 119,973 polling units in the country, they called only five polling unit agents to give evidence, i.e PW5 of Mai Angwa Yclwa 008 Polling Unit of Jigawa State; PW6 of Farin Dutse 001 Polling Unit of Jigawa State; PW12 of Polling Unit 009 of Nasarawa “B” Ward of Niger State; PW46 of Unit 009, Karu Ward of Nasarawa State, and PW49 of Unit 1, Morowa of Nasarawa State.

    Read Also: Tribunal listens to audio tape of INEC staff confession

    “Apart from the fact that these witnesses made no impression on the petitioners’ case, a pertinent question arises, to wit, what happens to the remaining witnesses in respect of the outstanding 119, 968 polling units in the country?

    On this note again, respondent submits that the petitioners are not in the least bit, serious at ventilating any grievance against the presidential election of 23rd February, 2019 before this honourable court. From the presentation of the petition, through to the calling of witnesses, the petitioners would appear to be very unsure and unsteady as to what they want precisely.

    “This is not surprising as the entity of the petition is based on assumptions, speculations and conjectures. The petition itself is based on live conflicting and irreconcilable grounds, the last two of which glibly suggest that the 2nd respondent (Buhari) was not qualified to contest the election under reference.

    “As against the grounds, the evidence given, both oral and the dumped documentary, suggests something different; the five reliefs sought are not any shade better than the grounds, but they vividly bring to the fore the confusion enveloping the entire petition.

    “Reliefs (b) and (c) wishfully pray this honourable court to, not only to declare the 1st petitioner (Atiku) as the winner of the election, but also to issue him a certificate of return. Yet, throughout the gamut of the terse evidence presented, it has not been demonstrated by any strand of evidence at all, how the 1st petitioner secured the highest number of lawful votes cast at the election, to warrant a certificate of return being issued to him.

    “Reliefs (d) and (e) trivially pray the court to determine that the respondent, who was a military Head of State between 1983 and 1985; a former Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces; a former Military Governor of the old North-Eastern State; a former Federal Commissioner of Petroleum, a democratically elected President of Nigeria, between 2015 and 2019, etc., was not qualified to contest the said election. ‘I’here is an alternative relief, which is neither here nor there.

    “In purporting to present a case before this court, the petitioners called 62 witnesses, While the respondent called seven witnesses. The seven witnesses called by the respondent were called out of abundance of caution,  more particularly so, that at the close of the petitioners‘ case, the respondent has extracted every bit of evidence needed to not only deflate the entirety of the petitioners’ case, but also to establish the facts pleaded in his reply.

    “As for the much propagated non-qualification of the respondent, not a single one of the witnesses called by the petitioners gave any scintilla of evidence to support this presumptuous claim. Out of abundance of caution, the respondent called four witnesses in respect of his qualification? who not only gave evidence as to their class and course relationships with the respondent, but also tendered photographs. results, transcripts, among others.”

    “The 1st petitioner, who has made and continues to make a mountain out of the molehill of an otherwise irrelevant issue, has failed, refused and neglected to tender or produce any educational certificate of his. The Form CF001 which he claims in paragraphs 18 and 19 of his reply to the respondent’s reply has not been tendered before this honorable court. “

  • Cross River flood victims appeal to Fed Govt for help

    Victims of flooding in Cross River State have appealed to the Federal Government to come to their aid to ease the hardship they experience at the moment.

    The victims from various local government areas of the state, who spoke with reporters during an assessment tour carried out by the Acting Director-General of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Mr. Princewill Ayim, lamented that they have lost so much.

    A rice farmer in Ogoja Local Government Area, Mr. Jude Odey, said he lost all his property in early August due to downpour that caused the flooding.

    According to Odey, his rice farm of about two hectares was also swept away by the flood.

    “Following the downpour in August, I lost my house and my rice farmland. Sadly also, I and my family have been squatting in my grandfather’s house because no assistance has come my way,’’ he said.

    Read Also: JUST IN: INEC sacks Cross Rivers REC

    Mr. Benjamin Obi in Boki Local Government Area said the flood destroyed his cocoa farmland.

    He begged the Federal Government, through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to help him purchase new cocoa nursery for another planting season.

    In Abi, Obubra and Ikom local government areas, victims affected by the flood disaster also made similar appeals, urging that they also be assisted with relief materials to ameliorate their sufferings.

    Mr. Patrick Asikpo-Okon, a victim at Ibom Close in Calabar Municipality, where over 10 houses were destroyed, said he lost his credentials and other valuables to the flood.

    “The heavy rain of July wreaked havoc on the street. I lost my valuables because I was trying to rescue my little children from being swept away by the flood,” he said.

    Another victim, Mr Alfred Odey, resident at the Cross River University of Technology quarters in Calabar South, said the rain displaced his family, forcing them to relocate from the campus.

    The Acting Director-General Ayim, said flood has destroyed over 70 houses and rendered over 510 people homeless in 11 local government areas between May and now.

    Ayim, who said that no life was lost, called on NEMA to respond timely to alleviate the sufferings of the victims.

    “The Disaster Risk Management seasonal rainfall predictions done by Nigerian Meteorological Agency and the National Hydrological Services Agency on the annual flood outlook of 2019 predicts some states to be probable flood zones, of which Cross River is among.

    “Areas expected to have high rainfall will have effect on some zones such as Cross River and we are praying for prevention rather than response.

    “The state governor is doing a lot to respond to the plight of these victims across the state, but the load on us is much. We are appealing to the Federal Government to come to our aid,’’ he said.

  • Family of man ‘killed by soldier’ in Abia seeks justice

    On August 7th, economic and commercial activities in Aba, especially at Ogbor Hill and Aba-Ikot Ekpene Expressway were abruptly halted as youths from Amaise-Umuokereke Ngwa in Obingwa Local Government Area took to the streets to protest the killing of a member of the community, Chimaobi Nwaogu allegedly by a soldier; Lance Corporal Ajayi attached to the Ohanze Forward Operation Base.

    The sight of Nwaogu’s body wheeled on the street by the protesters accompanied by his mother and widow attracted sympathisers.

    It was learnt that the protesters, after destroying the military outpost at Ohanze where Corporal Ajayi is serving, also set ablaze a stationary patrol van belonging to the Mobile Police Unit 55. They equally made bonfires on the road to register their anger over the killing of their kinsman.

    The atmosphere at Ogbor Hill and its neighbourhood was charged. Road users especially people going and coming into Aba from Cameroon, Akwa Ibom and Cross River states were trapped on the road for several hours. Some of them ran away, abandoning their vehicles and wares on the road, though normalcy was later restored thanks to security operatives.

    Some of the residents who spoke to our reporter described the incident as horrific.

    A trader at the Ogbor Hill axis of the city said she was yet to get over the shock after she sighted the body of Nwaogu being wheeled by his kith and kin.

    Read Also: Abia State Gov declares curfew in Aba

    The 82 Division of the Nigerian Army in a statement by its spokesman, Colonel Aliyu denied that Ajayi was a soldier attached to the 14 Brigade Command. But youths from the area vowed that they were going to keep protesting on the streets until the army authority produced the fleeing killer who they said is serving at the Ohanze FOB.

    Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s visit to the bereaved family prevented the situation from getting worse. He revealed that the soldier who committed the crime was already in police custody.

    It was learnt that the offence of Nwaogu is that he refused to pay the usual N100 daily toll.

    Sources at the area told our reporter that they gathered that all efforts by the late Nwaogu to convince the killer soldier that he was not on duty on that fateful day fell on deaf ears.

    “The man (Nwaogu) we understand made several efforts to explain to the soldier at the Ohanze checkpoint that he was not on duty for that day fell on deaf ears. The money they pay is N100. When you pay N100, you will no longer pay for the day. So, but after waiting for a long time, Nwaogu rode off with his bike.

    “Felt insulted, the soldier went after him and shot him through the head in his father’s compound. My brother, you need to see what the soldiers are doing us on this road. It is better that you come there, place your invisible camera and leave. If you see what we pass through here, you will know that the soldiers are just taking us as nothing and that was why the guy had the audacity to chase after Chima and killed him in his father’s compound. I am sure that that soldier hasn’t been able to arrest a kidnapper or armed robber since he started staying on the checking point.

    “It is because they don’t respect us, that is why he came after him and killed him. Ask him, what offence Chima commit against him, there is none, but simply because he couldn’t give him N100.

    “We are eagerly waiting to see what the outcome of this will be. The governor has come and made promises, we are all watching. The late brother is from the same Agalaba that the governor comes from, so let us watch and see if the governor will abide by his words or not.”

    Apart from the state governor who visited the family, two lawmakers, Hon. Solomon Adaelu, and Enyinnaya Abaribe have also paid condolence visits to the bereaved family.

    They pledged to ensure that the family of the deceased gets justice over the killing of their son.

    Describing the incident as barbaric and painful, Hon. Okoro who represented Dr. Alex Otti, APGA 2019 governorship candidate, expressed displeasure with rate of extra-judicial killing by the security agents who are saddled with the responsibility of protecting lives and property in Abia State.

    He said, “It is unfortunate that those who are constitutionally armed with guns to protect us are turning around to kill innocent citizens. It is barbaric and painful given the manner this innocent young man was murdered by a trigger-happy soldier just because of N100”.

    “Our leader, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, is very sad over this incident and will support every step taken by this community to ensure that justice prevails. The party chieftain also enjoined the state government to rise to the occasion by ensuring that security agents in the state operate within the rules of engagement”.

    “The illegal extortion of motorists by the security agents must stop henceforth in Abia. The governor and government of Abia State must act to protect life and property. It is saddening to hear that the life of this young man who incidentally is from the governor’s local government was terminated under this sad circumstance. It is really painful.”

    During the visit, Hon. Adaelu in an emotionally laden voice decried the incessant killing of innocent Nigerians by our security operatives and described the young Chimaobi Nwogu as another victim of extortion, intimidation and continuous killing of Nigerian citizens by the Nigeria security agencies.

    Adaelu who recently sponsored a motion against police brutality on defenseless citizens while praying for the soul of the departed, consoled the family and condemned the extra judicial killing of the innocent Chimaobi by a soldier, he assured them that he will use his position to ensure that the slain Chimaobi gets justice.

    Our reporter who visited the area on Wednesday reports that calm has returned to the area, but reported that the people of Umuokereke and the entire Agalaba and Obingwa were still to get over the trauma of the incident.

    This is even as they demanded that justice should be served on the soldier for such a heartless act against a defenseless citizen.

    The community also wants the military to take responsibility for the welfare of the family of the bereaved.

    Nwaogu who was survived of his aged mother, wife and children, until the unfortunate incident, was a commercial motorcyclist in Obingwa council area of the state.

     

  • Ganduje plans basic education summit

    Kano State Governor Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje plans to organise a summit to encourage basic education.

    According to him, the idea is part of efforts to implement free and compulsory education from primary to post- primary levels.

    At a stakeholders’ meeting of heads of state agencies, under the Ministry of Education, and institutions of higher learning, on free and compulsory education, Ganduje noted that during the summit, experts in the education sector are expected to suggest modalities on how to effectively and efficiently attain optimal result while implementing the policy.

    “We all believe that education is one of the major routes to economic prosperity and a corridor to scientific and technological advancement. It is at the same time, as largely regarded and enunciated, a veritable tool to combat unemployment,” he said.

    “Part of our stakeholders for this noble policy are experts who specialise in basic education, some in science and technical education, some in assessment and quality control in education, some in examination management, and also some would come from Almajiri system of education,” he added.

    The five emirates in the state were represented at the meeting, underscoring Ganduje’s belief that the traditional institution also formed a part of critical stakeholders in the implementation stage of the policy.

    “Because we believe in the important role they play in the education of our wards and the advancement of the sector as a whole, we said they must be included,” he said.

    Read Also: Ganduje releases 200 prison inmates

    In his remarks, the Chairman of the Free and Compulsory Education Committee, Dr Kabiru Shehu, who is also the Head of Service, assured the governor of their strong commitment towards successful implementation of the policy.

    He said: “DFID and World Bank praise the initiative and have promised to partner with Kano State towards having smooth and successful policy. They all promise to do their best towards that. As they are convinced that Kano is very serious about it.

    “After the summit a policy would come up as a road map for free and compulsory education in the state. Parents who refuse to send their wards would be sanctioned.

    “We are very lucky that this administration is not only aiming at free and compulsory education at the primary school level, which has already been in place for long.

    “This time around His Excellency Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje includes post primary education, up to senior secondary school education. This is a new development.”

     

  • How Obla got into trouble with Presidency

    A Presidential has disclosed how the activities and conduct of the Chairman of the Special Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, got him into trouble with the Presidency.

    Obono-Obla’s had claimed on Monday that his panel’s officials were being arm-twisted by some powerful Nigerians, stressing that his panel would remain committed to the fight against corruption.

    A top government official disclosed to The Nation that Obono-Obla has been under critical review for sometimes in the Presidency noting that his outright dismissal and prosecution is imminent.

    The source, on a condition of anonymity, said that the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Justice Minister had earlier recommended to the Presidency, among others “that a thorough investigation be conducted into the allegations of forgery levelled against Obono-Obla,” while also proposing suspending him from office.”

    He said that the Presidency has also received more recently an indicting report on the Panel Chairman bordering on acts of forgery and misconduct.

    He said that the Office of the Attorney-General has accused Obono-Obla on various issues “ranging from abuse of office, intimidation and unauthorized malicious investigations, financial impropriety, administrative misconduct, and allegations of forgery/falsification of records.”

    According to the source, the matter of the mandate of the Panel became an issue of judicial interpretation at the Appeal Court in the case of TIJJANI MUSA TUMSAH V. FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, last year.

    He said: “In that case, the Appeal Court held that the Panel headed by Obla lacks prosecutorial powers and cannot seize properties belonging to anyone or obtain forfeiture orders against any public official.

    Read Also: Why I want to be tried separately, by Obla

    “The Court also held that the duty of the Panel upon conclusion of an investigation is to submit its report to the head of government and that the Panel, as against the conduct of the Chairman, cannot act outside its enabling Statute, the Recovery of Public Property Special Provisions Act of 1984.”

    When confronted with some of his alleged misconduct and other allegations, the said that Obono-Obla had pleaded profusely and was made to sign a written undertaking to mend his ways.

    But he said that the Presidency was shocked that no sooner he signed the undertaking, he abandoned it and continued singularly violating the law and regulations in place in the conduct of the work of the Panel.

    The source, added “Following a series of violations for which he was queried, Obla submitted a written undertaking to the effect that the panel under his leadership would only act on a written mandate received from the Presidency, and will seek authorization from the Presidency to undertake fresh mandates in accordance with extant laws of the Federation.”

    The main grouse against the Panel Chairman was that while the Panel was supposed to investigate only cases referred to it by the government, according to the law establishing the panel, the source said that the Chairman has single-handedly taking on cases outside of its mandate and in gross violation of Rule of Law, including violations of people’s fundamental human rights.

    The source said: “Inspite of the specificity of the mandate of the Panel, the FG has been inundated with complaints against Mr. Obla.

    “These include complaints of violation of the specific mandate of the Panel, human rights abuses and conduct unbecoming of an official of Government, which conduct and actions had a number of times subjected the Panel and the Government to ridicule.”

    The Presidential source noted that the matters however came to a head when the other four members of the 5-man Panel wrote a petition against Obla, asking for urgent action to curtail the “several identified unlawful conducts of the Chairman of the Panel.

    According to the Panel members, while two cases involving NEXIM Bank and CBN, Finance Ministry, Nigeran Ports Authority were referred to the Panel, the Chairman single-handedly took on over 50 cases outside the mandate of the panel.

    They also stated that “contrary to the fact that the Panel is an investigative panel by its enabling law, which lacks prosecutorial powers, Mr. Obla has unlawfully engaged lawyers to file charges against suspects without recourse to the Attorney-General’s office.”

    “The man has been busy extorting money running into millions from suspects and engaged in excessive behaviour towards individuals, government agencies, private companies and even foreign missions in Nigeria,” the source said.

    After an illegal secondment of over 100 policemen to himself the source said Chief Obla attempted to arrest the Executive Secretary of TETFUND “with a truck of mobile policemen which led to the petition written to the Attorney-General’s office over the incessant illegal harassment.”

    Among several petitions against Obla, which has caused considerable concern in government is the one by the Human Rights Writers Association bordering on allegations of forgery of WAEC result used for admission into the Law Faculty of the University of Jos.

    The Office of the Attorney-General, in its recommendation to the Presidency, also mentioned Obla’s “unauthorised investigations of several judges initiated by Mr. Obla through the issuance of notices to them to declare their assets, an obligation which these Honorable Jugdes had hitherto complied with through the authorized agency-the Code of Conduct Bureau.”

    It was also stated that Obla had used the Panel to arrogate the powers and functions of the EFCC and the ICPC.

    “In the circumstances, the Government is left with no choice than to review his appointment and possibly prosecute him for allegations of forgery and possibly also for criminal extortion,“ the source noted.

     

     

  • Nigeria to save $20b from food import ban

    THE implementation of the ‘no forex for food import’ directive could save $20 billion for the economy, a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) data has shown.

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday ordered the CBN to exclude importers of food items from accessing forex from official windows.

    According to a CBN source, Nigeria saved around $21 billion in 2018 following the restriction of forex on 41 items. “With the addition of cotton, textile and garments, poultry, palm oil and their derivatives and other food/agricultural items imported into the country, it is expected that Nigeria will save more forex from the directive.

    The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its report said “the value of total imports rose 3.39 per cent in the first quarter of 2019 compared to the fourth quarter of 2018, and by 25.84 per cent over the corresponding quarter of 2018. From this figure, Imported Agricultural products were 7.98 per cent higher in value than in the fourth quarter of 2018, and 28.1 per cent higher than in the first quarter of 2018.

    If these imports that consume forex is checked as directed by the President, an immediate benefit of the directive will be an accretion to the foreign reserve which now stands at over $44 billion. This increase in foreign reserve will help keep the Naira at an appreciable rate to the dollar and the CBN will be better equipped to defend the naira against forex volatilities.

    Read Also: I’ll fight insecurity to standstill, Buhari vows

    Another positive implication of  the directive is that there will be increased agricultural activities across all food segments to produce the basic needs and also all the value chains associated with every food item will be motivated to expand. In other words, jobs and processes that were exported will now be domiciled in Nigeria. A fall out is more jobs and more food for Nigerians.

    While it has been reported that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will implement the directive in phases in order to manage the impact on prices and inflation, this decision by apex bank will give respite to nursing mothers who rely heavily on imported milk to feed their babies and for Nigerian companies to develop more acceptable infant formula than what currently obtains.

    CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele, while delivering the keynote address at the 53rd Annual Bankers’ Dinner of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN) in Lagos last year, noted that there was 97.3 per cent cumulative reduction in monthly rice import bills, 99.6 per cent in fish, 81.3 per cent in milk, 63.7 per cent in sugar, and 60.5 per cent in wheat.

    Emefiele insisted that “If we continue to support the growth of smallholder farmers, as well as help to revive palm oil refineries, rice mills, cassava and tomato processing factories, you can only imagine the amount of wealth and jobs that will be created in the country.

    “These could include new set of smallholders farmers that will be engaged in productive activities; new logistics companies that will transport raw materials to factories, and finished goods to the market; new storage centres that will be built to store locally produced goods; additional growth for our banks and financial institutions as they will be able to provide financial services to support these new businesses; and finally, the millions of Nigerians that will be employed in factories to support processing of goods.

    Ex AGF hails Buhari

    Former   Attorney  General of the  Federation ( AGF) and Minister of Justice Chief Mike Aondoakaa commended Buhari for the ban on food importation into the country. Aondoakaa stated that the directive was coming at the right time when the country had achieved food security.

    He urged the people to eat made-in-Nigeria food so that farmers would have value for their products.

    The former AGF, who is a rice farmer with one of the biggest rice milling plant in Makurdi, stated that agriculture is a huge employer of Labour and the ban on food importation will increase participation in Agriculture and many will now see it as a Big business.

    He urged the youths who are looking for white-collar jobs to embrace farming now.

  • I’ll ensure quality, affordable education in Osun – Oyetola

    Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State on Thursday said his administration would continue to ensure that every child in the state had access to good, quality, qualitative and affordable education.

    Oyetola spoke while inaugurating Telemu Comprehensive Middle High School and Morinu Community Elementary School in Ola-Oluwa and Iwo Local Government Areas of the state respectively.

    The governor, who noted that children were the hope for a better future, said it was an offence for parents not to allow their children to go to school.

    He said his administration was leading other stakeholders to achieve its goal of using education as a tool for delivering prosperity and development to the people.

    Oyetola said his administration’s resolve to invest in the education sector was aimed at achieving the state’s objectives of delivering a better life for the people and driving development in the state.

    The governor appealed to parents to ensure that their children and wards were registered in schools and were well-behaved.

    He also said there must be a synergy between the government, parents and teachers for the state to achieve its desired goals of making education the bedrock of development.

    “Education is the plank upon which the success and future of our state rests, let us give it our optimum so that Osun can take its place in the comity of states and contribute its quota to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

    “The projects are an investment in the lives of our children who are our leaders of tomorrow.

    Read Also: Education is critical component of my agenda, says Oyetola

    “It is also a fulfilment of our agenda to provide quality, affordable and equitable education to our people’” Oyetola said.

    In his remarks, Dr Olowogboyega Oyebade, the Head of Service and Chairman, State Education Steering Committee, said the projects were indication that the current administration would not abandon the good works of the previous administration.

    Also Speaking,  the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba AbdulRasheed Akanbi and Olowu of Telemu, Oba Madojutola Ajiboye, expressed gratitude to the government for priorising education in the state.

    NAN