The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigerian Newspapers

  • Obiano reserves 60 per cent of CBN’s N4 bn grant for women

    Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State said on Friday that 60 per cent of the N3.5bn agriculture grant,  secured from the CBN would be given to women farmers and entrepreneurs in the state.

    Obiano made the disclosure at the opening of the 2019 Mothers’ Summit, held in Awka.

    The theme of the summit was: “Gender Balance and Social Values.”

    He said that women had capability to drive growth in the agricultural sector, which he said, was the pillar of his administration’s blueprint.

    “When we came to power in 2014, rice production in Anambra State was about 80 metric tonnes. We have taken it to 345.280 metric tonnes as at today.

    “Our projection is that it will hit 570, 665 metric tonnes when we hand over in 2021.

    “Similarly, cassava production stood at 275,832 metric tonnes in 2015, now it stands at 1, 881,589 metric tonnes.

    “Maize was at 5,300 metric tonnes but today it’s about 43, 521 metric tonnes.

    “Meanwhile, we have taken vegetable production from 432 metric tonnes in 2015, to 142, 500 metric tonnes as at today.

    “We have also taken yam production from 26, 000 metric tonnes to 43,350 metric tonnes.

    “As you can see our agro-revolution is on and we know that giving women more responsibility in this area, will drive the desired progress.

    “The CBN is giving us N3.5 billion that we are going to loan to farmers in the state, 60 per cent of the money will go to women.”

    The governor promised to give more women an opportunity to play critical roles in transforming the state.

    “Celebrating women means celebrating the rebirth of the society because they are the moral conscience of the society.

    “This is why I have about six women as commissioners and four women as special advisers in my cabinet,” Obiano stated.

    Also speaking, the governor’s wife, Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano, described women as nurturers, caregivers and nation builders.

    She urged women to embrace creative and innovative entrepreneurship skills to achieve sustainable development within the family and communities.

    She also pledged her commitment to empowering more indigent women, widows and vulnerable people in the state.

    In her lecture, Prof. Carol Arinze-Umobi, said that women as helpmates were uniquely created and endowed with skills to impact positively on the family, community and country.

    According to her, such skills can be extended to all facets of human endeavour, even in government if women are given the opportunity.

    Read Also: CBN partners churches, mosques on financial literacy

    “Gender balance reduces inequality and improves public confidence in government institutions.

    “Greater empowerment of women in leadership position would lead to positive developments in health, education and infrastructure, with potential long-term growth effects, “she said.

    In her address, Mrs Ndidi Mezue, Commissioner, Women and Children Affairs, said the summit was a forum to discuss issues of common concern to women in the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that awards were presented to some women who had recorded outstanding achievements in their careers.

    There was march past by women from different local government areas and distribution of empowerment materials, including grinding machines to people drawn from various communities across the state.

    NAN

  • Help recover our stolen funds, Magu begs UK

    For the second time in two weeks, the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, appealed to the British Government to help Nigeria retrieve its stolen money stashed in banks in the United Kingdom.

    He said it was worrisome the wealth of the country had for a very long time, remained trapped in foreign countries.

    He said the delay in repatriating stolen funds was hindering infrastructural development of Nigeria and creating paucity of funds to run the country.

    He said Nigeria would have been better if the stolen monies have been returned.

    Magu said: “Our worry is that our money has been held for a very long time in foreign countries and if our money is returned, there will be improved infrastructural development in many sectors of the economy.

    “If all the repatriated funds are pumped into the country, it will significantly enhance our abilities and capabilities.”

    He faulted the rate at which illicit funds are being moved away to Britain and other European countries.

    He said the EFCC has carried out a lot of activities in local and foreign airports in trying to stop and apprehend looters exiting or entering the country with illicit funds.

    Read Also: How corruption fuels insecurity, by Magu

    He disclosed that some unscrupulous elements were smuggling out raw gold, especially from Zamfara State to foreign countries.

    A statement by the Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Tony Orilade, quoted Magu as saying the smuggling was being used to launder money outside the shores of the country.

    He said the smugglers were denying the country of the precious natural endowment that would have been processed locally and value gained from it.

    He said Nigeria, especially the EFCC, has a good working relationship with the British Government, and has also received lots of support from the UK Government.

    The leader of the SOCJA delegation from the UK’s National Crime Agency, Paddy Kerr, disclosed that the visit to the EFCC followed the instruction from the British Government that each team under the Serious Organized Crime Joint Analysts, SOCJA, should go to every region in the world and try to get the picture of its peculiar organized crimes.

    Kerr said: “We need to understand from the EFCC’s perspective, what is driving crimes and corruption in Nigeria. What are the key things EFCC is doing that British can assist?”

    Aside Nigeria in West Africa, the assignment he said, will take the team to Ghana, Guinea and Senegal, in order to identify the threats and challenges, facing the countries of this region from organized crimes.

    Kerr added: “Our job is not to be the experts, but to try to understand what are the underlying causes and driving forces of serious organized crimes, so that we can have better programmes in the future and better direct our resources.”

    He disclosed that they were looking at areas of illicit financial flows, bribery, embezzlement and contract negotiation, adding that “we are looking at collaboration that will enhance EFCC’s abilities, intelligence gathering and sharing.”

    He called for synergy between the EFCC and SOCJA, noting that “criminals are constantly thinking of new ways to get away with their criminal activities.”

    Kerr said Nigerian government needed political will to win the fight against corruption.

    He praised President Muhammadu Buhari for the renewed momentum in Nigeria’s anti-corruption fight.

    Other members of the delegation are Jim Connelly Webster and Kathryn Lockett.

  • PDP calls on NASS to probe alleged secret burial of 1000 soldiers

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the National Assembly to open an inquest into the shocking report by the Wall Street Journal, asserting the secret burial of 1,000 Nigerian soldiers, allegedly killed in the anti-insurgency war in the Northeast.

    The party said that the  National Assembly should respond to the apprehensions of Nigerians by immediately setting up a special security committee to conduct a forensic investigation into the truth or otherwise of the report, with the tenor and mode as prescribed for security issues in the 1999 Constitution (as Amended.)

    In a statement on Friday by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said its demand was predicated on what it described as the brazen attempt by the Buhari presidency to politicize such huge security issue and making uncomplimentary allusions to the plight of the troops.

    The main opposition party described the various press statements issued by presidential spokespersons on the matter as unpatriotic and insensitive.

    The PDP further stated that it is unfortunate that at a time when patriotic Nigerians are distressed about the wellbeing of the gallant soldiers and seeking for solutions to the challenges they face in the front, the Buhari Presidency is rather issuing press statements.

    The party was particularly miffed by one of such statements released on Friday, August 2, 2019, wherein it leveraged on the plight of the soldiers to boast on how to retain President Buhari’s mandate.

    Read Also: PDP hails ruling on Oyo LG dissolution

    The statement said, “Instead of showing concern over the fate of our troops, taking concrete steps on the issue at stake and reassuring an anxious nation, the Buhari Presidency is rather seeking to draw political capital from our security challenges by flaunting a despicable self-confidence on the Presidential election petition pending in the Court of Appeal, and how, in its own words, “the judiciary would always come to conclusions”.

    “It is imperative to state that such comments send very wrong signal against our judiciary and we urge the judiciary arm to insulate herself from the nocturnal shenenanigans of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the cabal at the Presidency, which have gone into frenzy following the apparent collapse of their defence at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

    “While the Buhari Presidency, has with its latest stance on such grave security issue, further exhibited that it has come short of appropriate solutions to the security challenges facing our nation, the PDP states that waving off of such without the least effort to unravel the issues and reassure Nigerians, shows total failure of leadership”

    The PDP accused President Buhari of failing to demonstrate that he has the capacity and commitment to ensure the security of the nation.

    “Our party thus stands solidly behind the people’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in his patriotic concerns over the report. Only a leader, who lacks genuine concern for his people, will gloat over such a report, as being witnessed under the Buhari administration”, the statement added.

  • ‘Epileptic power supply will end in Aba’

    Former Minister of Power and Steel and Chairman of Geometric Power Limited (GP) Prof. Bartholomew Nnaji has promised that the perennial and inconsistent power supply in Aba would soon end.

    Nnaji spoke on Thursday in Aba after meeting with members of the Aba Chamber of Commerce, Mines and Agriculture (ACCIMA).

    Nnaji, whose firm pioneered the first Integrated Power Project (IPP) in Nigeria, said the company is ready to begin power generation and distribution in the commercial town by September as every bottleneck has been settled.

    The former Minister said rehabilitation of infrastructure will be the first step towards the take off of Aba electricity business.

    He said: “Geometric Power has been on the process of developing the first Integrated Power Project in this country, and it’s here in Aba. The intention is to deliver absolute reliable electricity to industries, commercial outfits, as well as the residential areas of Aba and environs.

    “The project spans around nine of the 17 councils in Abia State. In this project, we built 140 megawatts of power plant here and four additional sub-stations to the three already existing when we arrived here, making it seven sub-stations.

    “The issue of power distribution is that if a particular transformer is overloaded, you cannot get power because everything shuts down. The way to solve that problem is to have enough transformers at various places, at sub-stations, the big ones before you begin to have other smaller injections of transformers.

    “We already have our power lines which everyone has seen; we have our own gas pipeline straight from Shell which connected 27 kilometres from the power station to Shell; all these things have been built. The project stalled for seven years but we are ready now to start. That is why we came to talk to the business community that we are getting ready to start, and the relationship we need to have with the business enterprises is what we are here to discuss. It has been a very torturous journey, but finally we are here.”

    Read Also: I’ll end perennial power supply in Aba, says Barth Nnaji

    “It will be electricity for the nine councils of Isiala-Ngwa North, Isiala-Ngwa South, Osisioma, Ugwunagbo, Obingwa, Ukwa East, Ukwa West, Aba North and Aba South. We want it to be done as its being done now everywhere in the world with smart metres that will enable you know what you’re getting and at what cost; that’s how it’s going to be.

    “There’ll be massive installation of smart metres everywhere within our coverage. It will not be at the cost of the off taker. It’s who owns the metre that matters. So, normally it’s the company’s; except in the case of the industry, there’ll be an arrangement…”

     

  • Nigerian dies in Ethiopian prison

    A Nigerian inmate at the Kaliti Prisons in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, has died after suffering an undisclosed ailment. The deceased, identified as Odemu Efe, hailed from Warri, Delta State.

    The Nation gathered that Efe was among the about 150 inmates of Nigerian descent at the prison. It was also learnt that they are being detained on allegations of possession of hard drugs and money laundering.

    The Nation gathered that several inmates have fallen ill due to malnourishment as they are allegedly fed once a day with rice without sauce, all year round.

    The deceased, according to a source, died on July 13 because of poor medication after he took ill. The source added that efforts to draw the attention of Nigerian officials to his deteriorating condition failed.

    A concerned Nigerian, Miss Chika Nwachukwu, accused Nigerian officials of not showing concern about the welfare of the inmates, noting that there was lack of commitment on the part of the home government to facilitate their repatriation even when the Ethiopian authorities are willing to release the inmates.

    She said: “As we speak, some inmates are very sick and they are not getting good medication. Nobody knows whether they will survive since Odemu died in a similar condition.

    “The Federal Government should please activate the relevant ministries and agencies to bring succour to these citizens languishing in foreign land by bringing them back home. Most of them are ready to pay any cost incurred in the process, and also ready to face trial at home for the alleged offences for which they are being detained.”

    Miss Nwachukwu appealed to chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, to mobilise stakeholders in the region to free the inmates, claiming that over eighty percent of them are from the Southeast.

    According to the source, the governments of other African countries, including Kenya, Sudan, Eritrea, whose citizens were also trapped in the Kaliti prisons, activated their foreign missions in Ethiopia to set their nationals free.

     

  • Okowa warns against graft

    DELTA State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has warned public office holders against corruption in the discharge of their responsibilities. According to him, government functionaries should be mindful of any manifestation of graft, impropriety and corruption, as his administration strives for a stronger state.

    Okowa, who spoke at the inauguration of the Boards of Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency, and Warri, Uvwie and Environs Development Agency, on Thursday in Asaba, noted that political appointees were expected to be transparent in their activities.

    The Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency is chaired by Ighoyota Amori and Mrs. Joan Mrakpor as Director-General. The Warri, Uvwie and Environs Development Agency is chaired by Joseph Otumara and Comrade Ovuozorie Macaulay as Director-General.

    Read Also: Okowa assures on development of Asaba as capital

    Joseph Ojobu and James Obeuwou were sworn in as members of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).

    Okowa said: “Prudent fund management demands zero tolerance for any manifestation of graft, impropriety and corruption, and I urge you to strive to live above board and employ transparency in the conduct of all your duties as selflessness is key.

    “Our vision of a strong Delta is aimed at transforming the state into an inter-connected and united entity; that means we have to work hard to bring development to our people, not only to enhance their general welfare, but as a way of building sustainable peace. It is for these onerous tasks that this administration has articulated its focus for development. I, therefore, ask you to become conscious of your roles in the overall achievement of the laudable vision of this administration…”

     

  • Bayelsa launches new Yenagoa city project

    The Bayelsa State government will launch a new Yenagoa City project to control development at the capital city on August 7.

    The government also condemned the invasion of Azagbene community in Ekeremor Local Government Area by the Army following the murder of two soldiers in the area.

    Commissioner for Information and Orientation Daniel Iworiso-Markson on Thursday said the decisions were taken at the 109th State Executive Council meeting.

    According to him, the launch would attract people from all walks of life, and Certificates of Occupancy (CofO) will be issued to persons already allocated plots of land in the new city.

    Iworiso-Markson said the government was doing everything within its reach to enable Bayelsans and friends of the state, who acquired plots in the highbrow area, develop their landed property with ease.

    He said: “One of the things we must bring to the fore regarding the launch of the New Yenagoa City is the fact that there will be controlled development. As much as possible, the city, as being envisaged, will compare favourably with any of its kind anywhere in the world, given the amenities that have been provided there already.

    Read Also: We’ll conduct free, fair election in Bayelsa, says INEC

    “An 18-hole Golf course; rebranded Castle Hotel and a Polo Club which is at its final stage of completion are all there. C of Os will also be issued for most of the plots that day; there are over a thousand plots there. This is another way of generating revenue for our state, but more importantly, we have created a GRA that we all will be proud of.”

    The commissioner also condemned the murder of soldiers by criminals at Azagbene, and the consequent sacking of the community by the military in a reprisal. He, however, called on leaders and the media to partner the government in sensitising the youths on the need to shun criminal activities in the interest of peace and development.

    “We all have our roles to play as religious leaders, community leaders, political or opinion leaders, and even youth leaders, by talking to our people because it is our people, the innocent ones, who suffer whenever such senseless actions happen. The Odi incident is still very fresh in our memory,” he added.

    The governor’s Special Adviser on Security, Chief Boma Spero-Jack, condemned the murder, but said the military should have adopted a professional means of seeking justice rather than sacking the community.

    According to him, the government has dispatched a committee to carry out an on-the-spot assessment on the destruction in Azagbene to provide some relief to the people.

  • IG, Northwest governors urge bandits, ‘Yansakai group’ to surrender arms, ammunition

    Inspector-General Muhammad Adamu on Monday met with the Northwest governors as well as representatives of Taraba, Plateau and Niger states to brainstorm on ways to tackle security challenges facing the zone.

    Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari briefed who briefed reporters after the meeting, said the resolutions reached include placing a ban on the notorious “Yansakai group’’ for having no  legal backing and ordering that the police should arrest any of them who go about killing and molesting people.

    The governors also ordered bandits and Yansakai members to surrender all arms and ammunition in their possession to the authorities and release all persons under their captivities.

    He said: “The herdsmen and their families should be allowed to go to the markets, worshipping places as well as to go about their legitimate duties, provided they do not carry arms into public places.

    “The bottom-line is education. We have to place more emphasis on the provision of public education. No nation has eradicated poverty and provided the basic needs of life without education. Education is the key.

    Read Also: Police nab two women for alleged theft

    “You cannot even worship God without knowing Him and how can you know Him without education. We will also provide necessities that will make living and nomadic life more meaningful.”

    The governors also resolved to provide improved variety of pastures and better breeds of cattle to ensure the production of better quality milk and meat, being the major responsibility of government.

    Speaking earlier during an address at the council chambers of the Katsina State Government House, the IG said the meeting was to coordinate the activities of the police with a view to finding lasting solution to the security challenges facing the Northwest and the country.

    Katsina State is one of the states in the zones threatened by frequent banditry attacks, kidnapping and cattle rustling.

    The chief host, Katsina State Aminu Masari, hailed the IG’s initiative and reminded him that all the governors were fully aware of their responsibility in securing the lives and property of their people.

     

  • Lagos Assembly ad hoc committee drills eight commissioner-nominees

    The Lagos State House of Assembly ad-hoc on screening of commissioner and special adviser nominees on Thursday began its assignment, attending to eight nominees.

    The exercise, which continues Friday, according to the chairman of the committee, Hon. Rotimi Abiru, is expected to end on Saturday.

    The eight nominees screened are:  Mr. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, Princess Aderemi Adebowale, former Secretary to Lagos State Government Mr. Tunji Bello, Ms Adenike Ajayi-Bembe, Dr. Wale Ahmed, Prof. Akinola Abayomi and The Nation Editor Mr. Gbenga Omotoso.

    Apart from Ahmed, who is the state’s Secretary of All Progressives Congress (APC) and former member of the House of Assembly, who was asked to take a bow as a former lawmaker, the remaining nominees were subjected to questioning by the committee members.

    At the end of the exercise, Hon. Abiru said he was satisfied with the performance of the nominees, stressing thatthey are knowledgeable people.

    Abiru added that the committee would report back to the House for confirmation of the nominees or otherwise.

    Answering questions during the screening, Bello said the menace of refuse in the state was because the past administration abandoned a working refuse disposal system under the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and introduced a system that could not cope with the volume of refuse generated.

    He said LAWMA personnel had been trained, adding that they specialised in various areas of refuse management before they were taken out of the system. The situation, he said, created a vacuum that the operatives of the newly introduced model could not cope with.

    Read Also: Lagos Assembly constitute committee to screen commissioners

    Bello said the solution to the situation might already be on the was with the introduction of sorting of refuse at point of generation and separating same into refuse bags as been introduced by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

    The former SSG, who said he worked as the speechwriter of the late Chief MKO Abiola, is a journalist, lawyer and former commissioner for the environment.

    He advised that the state must intensify efforts on waste management and conversion.

    “There are a few areas you can set up dumpsite in Lagos State because the state is below the sea level. You cannot set up a dump site in Lagos Island, except in places like Agege, Abule-Egba and others.

    “On flooding in Lagos, we have nine main drainages in the state, and while six are developed, three are not developed and flooding is always when there are blockages in the flow of flood to the Lagoon through these drainages.

    “The Lagos Mainland drainage system is the oldest and it has about six divisions. The tertiary drainages and channels must link up with primary channels,” he said.

    This was corroborated by the chairman of the committee, who said everybody was concerned about the environment.

    Abiru advised Bello to impress it on the government that the state could not afford not to improve on the environment.

    Omotoso said the implementation of the Freedom of Information Law (FIO) was not working.

    He said when the media write to ask for information; there is always no response from the authorities concerned.

    “If you go to the Code of Conduct Bureau for assets declaration information of government officials, they will not give you. If you want to explore the option of going to court to press for access to the required information, that is a long process,” Omotoso said.

    On managing perception of Lagos State Government, Omotoso said it is the duty of everybody.

    He added that it can be done through training of information officers, mobilising the members of the public and dissemination of government’s actions and policies to all the nook and crannies of the state.

    Omotoso said, more importantly, everybody must put up a proper behaviour, especially people in positions of authority for others to emulate.

    He said though technology has a major role to play in dissemination of information on the government’s policies and activities to the people and enhancing the people’s perception of the government, the problem of lack of electricity, especially in the rural areas limits its capacity.

    “We can manage perception by constant engagement through technology and deploying same for the purpose, but the problem of power supply in the rural areas limits its capacity,” Omotoso said.

    He advocated marrying the traditional mode of information dissemination with a modern system for more effective result.

    Answering another question on coping with life outside his known comfort zone of managing a news medium, Omotoso said journalism, like politics, is all about service.

    “Politics is a call to service; it is an honour and it will be a seamless movement for me,” the editor said.

    He pointed out that many political giants, such as  Chief Segun Osoba and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, are former editors.

    Abiru hailed Omotoso, who was the eighth and the last person to be screened yesterday.

    He said: “It has been a long process, you have been here since about 10a.m. and this is almost 5.00p.m. I commend your patience. You are cool and calm despite the pressure,” Abiru said.

    Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, Assistant Legal Adviser of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who was the first nominee to be screened, promised to bring her experience as a lawyer of 30 years to bear, on her office, if she is given the opportunity.

    The politician, who said she has been speaking against domestic violence and child abuse through the social media, stated that she spoke against Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo of Commonwealth of Zion Assembly (COZA), when his alleged rape case against Busola Dakolo broke.

     

     

     

  • Bello is after my life, says Kogi’s deputy governor

    Kogi State Deputy Governor Elder Simon Achuba raised the alarm over threat to his life.

    In an interview with reporters on Thursday at his official residence in Lokoja, the embattled deputy governor cried out to the Presidency and security agencies that Governor Yahaya Bello has detailed gunmen to kill him.

    He alleged that gunmen, on the instruction of Bello, were out to kill him, adding that the plans were no secret.

    But, the governor denied the allegation.

    The deputy governor said the insecurity in the state is not about kidnapping and armed robbery, but about gunmen in government.

    He warned against the prevalence of intimidation and the atmosphere of fear that pervades, alleging that gunmen have been mobilised to attack him.

    Read Also: Forum backs Yahaya Bello for second term

    He called on President Muhammadu Buhari, the Inspector General of Police, and the Director State Security Service of planned attack on him, his aides, family members and workers.

    The deputy governor called on them to turn their focus on Kogi, saying that the rift between him and Bello, is about the issue of performance.

    He said the listing of payment of salaries as achievements means government is not working.

    Achuba added that payment of salaries is not an achievement but a duty of the government.

    He said that complain about the nonpayment of his salaries was earlier played up, pointing out that the non-release of impress to his office, which come with salaries of aides and workers attached to his office, was uncalled for.

    He, however, thanked the governor for the opportunity to serve.

    In a statement * yesterday by the Chief Press Secretary , Onogwu Mohammed , the government described the report as bogus and an exhibition of a blind rage by an angry suckling with a long-term pattern of abnormal behaviour characterised by exaggerated feelings of self-importance. ,

    “The Kogi State Government is appalled that a deputy governor, who should epitomise leadership and good example in all senses, could descend so low to employ smear campaign against the person of His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello and we state without equivocation that Mr. Achuba has no shred of evidence for his reckless surmising, which is nothing but a scripted venture in ruinous adventure.

    “We do not train assassins, (and) as such, the state government or her personnel cannot be involved in sending assassins to murder any human soul let alone a deputy governor of our dear state.”

    “Despite these unsubstantiated ramblings, however, we deemed it fit to clear the air by letting the general public know that the Kogi State Government would not be dragged into any form of political gerrymandering concocted for the furtherance of any person’s political interest or notoriety.”

    The state government challenged Achuba  to bring evidence of his claims or desist from making further spurious allegations.