The Nation Newspaper

Tag: persons

  • Reps urge states to domesticate law against discrimination of ‘disabled persons’

    Reps urge states to domesticate law against discrimination of ‘disabled persons’

    The House of Representatives has asked all the states of the federation to consider domesticating the Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act.

    It said this would protection persons with disabilities across the federation without an exemption.

    In a resolution following a motion on notice by Bashiru Dawodu (APC, Lagos), the House also asked the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation as well as religious organisations to sensitise the public about the Act.

    Leading a debate on the motion, Dawodu said the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Bank report showed that Nigeria has an estimated 30 million persons with disabilities.

    The lawmaker said countries that promote economic, political, social, and cultural aspirations without discrimination have fully implemented disability rights.

    These, he said, include Nigeria, as contained in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability 2007, which Nigeria was a signatory to.

    Dawodu said the Act was signed into law to ensure full participation and inclusion of people living with disabilities in all sectors of the economy.

    Read Also: Partial compliance as Lagos workers join NLC strike

    The lawmaker said the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, which is saddled with promoting and educating the public about the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities, has been ineffective in sensitising Nigerians about the law.

    According to him, 23 states of the federation are yet to domesticate the law in their domains.

    Dawodu expressed worry that discrimination, stigmatisation, and non-inclusion continued in the private and public sectors against persons living with disablities.

    The lawmaker said about 15 per cent of the country’s estimated 250 million population has persons living with disabilities yet marginalised against in different ways.

    He said this contravenes Section 36 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). 

  • Presidential order : 50 high profile persons placed on watch-list

    Fifty high profile persons have been placed on watch-list and restricted from leaving the country pending the determination of any corruption related cases against them.

    The directive followed a directive by President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday who  ordered full implementation of executive order six.

    A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, said that the new directive followed the judicial affirmation of the constitutionality and legality of the Executive Order 6.

     

    The statement reads “Following the instant judicial affirmation of the constitutionality and legality of the Executive Order 6 (EO6), President Muhammadu Buhari has mandated the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Minister of Justice to implement the Order in full force.

    “To this end, a number of enforcement procedures are currently in place by which the Nigeria Immigration Service and other security agencies have placed no fewer than 50 high profile persons directly affected by EO6 on watch-list and restricted them from leaving the county pending the determination of their cases.

    “Also, the financial transactions of these persons of interest are being monitored by the relevant agencies to ensure that the assets are not dissipated and such persons do not interfere with, nor howsoever corrupt the investigation and litigation processes.

    “It is instructive to note that EO6 was specifically directed to relevant law enforcement agencies to ensure that all assets within a minimum value of N50 million or equivalent, subject to investigation or litigation are protected from dissipation by employing all available lawful means, pending the final determination of any corruption-related matter.” it added

    He said that the Buhari administration reassures all well-meaning and patriotic Nigerians of its commitment to the fight against corruption, in accordance with the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the general principles of the Rule of Law.

    “Accordingly, this administration will uphold the rule of law in all its actions and the right of citizens would be protected as guaranteed by the Constitution.” he said

    The presidency also enjoined all Nigerians to cooperate with the law enforcement authorities towards ensuring a successful implementation of the Executive Order 6 which is a paradigm-changing policy of the Federal Government in the fight against corruption.

     

  • Govt uncovers 130,000 high net worth persons, firms underpaying tax

    Govt uncovers 130,000 high net worth persons, firms underpaying tax

    The Federal Government’s data mining efforts have identified a new batch of over 130,000 high networth individuals and companies with potential tax underpayments.

    The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, broke the news yesterday while appearing on “Good Morning Nigeria”, a Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) programme.

    The minister said the data was being compiled by Project Lighthouse in preparation for the closure of the ongoing Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) on March 31.

    Project Lighthouse is a unique project of the Federal Ministry of Finance that combines data from federal and state agencies and overseas countries.

    According to Mrs. Adeosun, “data have been received from a number of sources, including land registries of the governments of Lagos, Kaduna, Kano and Ogun states as well as the Federal Capital Territory”.

    “In addition, Nigeria has been able to request data from a number of nations, including traditional tax havens. The data have been received from a number of foreign jurisdictions under the exchange of information protocols.

    “Under the exchange of information protocols, this information relates to bank records and financial filings for tax purposes and is obtained from tax havens who are signatories to the information sharing agreements such as British Virgin Islands and Mauritius.”

    The data received from overseas countries will be used for taxation purposes only in line with the protocols governing the exchange of information

    “The sole interest of the Federal and State Governments in the use of the data is in raising tax revenues. There is absolutely no hidden agenda on the use of the data,” she added.

    Adeosun was however happy at what she called “the unprecedented level of cooperation between the Federal and State Governments”, which she said was a marked change from the past when the various arms of Government did not align their efforts.

    She  identified the common violations by non-compliant tax payers to include under-declaration of and non-declaration of income earned including income from Government contracts and overseas trading;  collection of Value Added Tax (VAT) which is not duly  remitted to Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS); charging of non-allowable personal expenses to company accounts particularly with reference to overseas school fees; inconsistency between income declared for tax purposes and the value of assets owned.

    She advised non-compliant tax payers to seek professional advice and to also consult relevant literature available from the tax authorities on tax rules.

    She underscored the Federal Government’s commitment to raising tax revenues which are considered essential to grow the economy and create jobs for Nigerians.

    She cited the fact that just N1 million could feed over 14,200 primary school children under the Homegrown School Feeding programme as well as creating many jobs in the agricultural sector.

    Once again, the finance minister ruled out any possibility of extending the VAIDS programme arguing that sufficient grace period had been given to tax payers to voluntarily and truthfully declare their assets and income which had not been declared previously.

    On the economy, she assured that the country was on the path of growth, noting that Nigeria exited recession in the second quarter of 2017, recording a growth of 0.72 per cent, further consolidating its recovery in the third and fourth quarters of last year, with growths of 1.40 per cent and 1.92 per cent, respectively.

    She said: “The Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has laid the foundation for the repositioning of the economy by a series of reforms which are being sequenced to ensure maximum impact and benefits to Nigeria and the citizens.

    “These include huge investments in infrastructure and social welfare across the country, improved revenue mobilisation, rebuilding of foreign reserves and stabilisation of exchange rate.”

    She further noted that revenue mobilisation was potentially the master key to unlocking Nigeria’s huge growth potentials and funding the infrastructure programmes.

    In addition, the minister said the Federal Government would continue to create more fiscal space for reforms to enhance productivity and opportunity in the non-oil sector.

  • Another three persons die in Mushin crisis

    •Police: we lost a Sergeant

    A Junior Secondary School (JSS) two pupil, Samuel Okechukwu and two others identified as Ambali Adeyemi and Akeem Mumuni yesterday lost their lives in Idi-Oro and Akala areas of Mushin to the continued clash between policemen from the Area ‘D’ Command and hoodlums.

    This brings to eight number of lives lost to the fracas.

    The Nation learnt that Okechukwu died due to inhaling of tear gas shot by the police.

    Eyewitness on Alhaji Lasisi Street, Idi-Oro said the boy was returning from school when he got entangled in the crisis.

    “Okechukwu collapsed when he got choked by the tear gas. He was rushed home but could not be taken to the hospital due to the intensity of the fracas. His parents were helpless and painfully watched him died at home,” he said.

    Another eyewitness said Adeyemi and Mumuni were caught in the middle of the crisis.

    Residents alleged that the police destroyed and looted their property.

    According to them, some officers went away with generator, office machines, crates of beer and other valuables.

    A transporter accused the police of betraying the hoodlums who deal in hemp.

    The hemp’s dealer, he said, were angry because they do not expect the police to seize their goods after settling them.

    He said: “I learnt that the hemp’s dealer contributed over N1m for one of the police’ bosses and even repaint Alakara Police Station recently. If you collect things from them, how can you say you want to fight them?

    “Despite these, the police came to seize hemps worth millions of naira and arrested some of the dealers. How can they do that without the guys fighting back?”

    Meanwhile, Police yesterday confirmed that a sergeant, Abam Mohammed, died in the clash between hoodlums and police in Idi-oro, Mushin.

    In a statement, the command said Mohammed died at the Mainland General Hospital, Yaba,  where he was rushed to after he was hit by bullet during the clash.

    The statement reads: “At about 8am, the Area Commander of  Area ‘D’ Mushin, upon receiving information that a bullion van marked MUS 834 ER, loaded with arms and substance suspected to be Indian hemp, was being escorted by unknown armed men to 4 Umoru Street, Odi-Olowo, Mushin, where some hoodlums were hibernating, to deliver the items,  quickly led some policemen to the scene. On sighting the policemen, the hoodlums opened fire which was repelled by the officers. Two of the hoodlums were fatally wounded while Ayomide Oluwadayo, 40 and five other principal suspects were arrested.

    “However, a member of the police team, F/No. 431273 Sergeant Abam Mohammed hit by bullet during the encounter was rushed to the Mainland General Hospital  where he later died.

    “Two pump action guns with 50 unexpended cartridges, 35 bible size, 16 full and four half sacks of Indian hemp were recovered.  Corpses (sic) deposited at the hospital’s morgue for autopsy.”

    The command said efforts were being being made to arrest other fleeing hoodlums and impound the bullion van.

    It said security had been beefed-up in the area.

    Also yesterday, Commissioner of Police (CP) Imohimi Edgal  warned youths against confronting law enforcement officers with firearms.

    Edgal said if persuasion failed, the command would   arrest and prosecute law breakers no matter how highly placed.

    He spoke during a meeting with stakeholders, traditional rulers and opinion leaders in Surulere, Coker-Aguda and Itire-Ikate.

    In attendance were Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs Muslim  Folami, Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Yinka Akinriade, Itire-IKate LCDA Chairman Ahmed Apatira and his Coker-Aguda counterpart,  Mrs Omobolanle Akinyemi-Obe.

    The meeting followed  developments in Aguda, Itire and Akala where some youths  engaged in acts of brigandage, sale and use of illicit drugs, cultism and gang wars.

    Edgal sought public cooperation to eradicate cultism,  drug abuse and other forms of social vices prevalent among  youths in those areas.

    He urged parents and elders of Itire  to learn from their Ikorodu where over 860 youths renounced cultism and surrendered their firearms to the police.

  • Afe Babalola among Africa’s most influential persons, says Adams

    Afe Babalola among Africa’s most influential persons, says Adams

    • ABUAD founder backs OPC chief as Aare Ona Kakanfo-designate

    The Aare Ona Kakanfo-designate of the Yoruba, Gani Adams, has said the founder of Afe Babalola University in Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), is “one of the most influential people in Africa”.

    Adams, who toured ABUAD yesterday when he visited Babalola with his entourage, also described the eminent lawyer as “an illustrious son of the Yoruba nation”.

    The Aare Ona Kakanfo-designate described the ABUAD Teaching Hospital as a world-class health institution that can end medical tourism among Nigerians.

    He urged the hospital’s management to charge fees that poor Nigerians can afford.

    The Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) coordinator said he was at ABUAD to seek Babalola’s advice as he prepared for his installation as the Aare Ona Kakanfo of the Yoruba on January 15.

    Adams said: “I came to seek elderly wisdom from Chief Afe Babalola, who is considered to be one of the most influential people in Africa.

    “He’s not only as legal luminary but also as somebody who has done a lot to unify the Yoruba nation.

    “I am here for his advice. He has taught me a lot about the history of the Yoruba race. For you to be put in an influential position and you don’t know the history of the Yoruba, you will not be resourceful.

    “He has taught me, even post-installation agenda, because it is one thing to be installed as the Aare Ona Kakanfo and it is another thing to perform in that position.

    “I am here to see an illustrious son of the Yoruba nation. I begged Baba not to relent on his efforts regarding the unity of the race. The Yoruba nation is great with about 250 million people across the world:  those in Nigeria are just 60 million; those in the Caribbean countries are about 100 million. In Brazil, with over 200 million people, the Yoruba are about 18 per cent of that population.”

    On his impression of ABUADTH, Adams said: “Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital will become a medical tourist destination with the kind of equipment I saw here. I can compare it with the one I saw in Germany.

    “Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital will ease the problems of health challenges in the Southwest and other parts of Nigeria.

    “I have just appealed to the management that it should allow the fee to be moderate. With the kind of equipment I saw there, I can imagine what a patient will pay for a medical check-up. We don’t need to check out again for medical check-up with what is in the teaching hospital.”

    Babalola said: “Everybody knows he (Adams) has been nominated by the Alaafin as the next Aare Ona Kakanfo. He came personally to give me my invitation to attend his installation. I am 100 per cent in support of the appointment of Gani Adams by the Alaafin.

    “If you followed the history of this young man, he has been very dynamic, highly focused. I think this is part of the characteristics that made Alafin to appoint him.

    “My advice to him is that he is holding a very sensitive position in Yoruba land, the position held by great people who made Yoruba a nation. He will continue to do what others before him did: think of making the race greater and to defend its cause.”

  • Banks reject deposits from Politically Exposed Persons

    Banks reject deposits from Politically Exposed Persons

    Many commercial banks no longer accept deposits from Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs), it was leant yesterday.

    A PEP, who is entrusted with a prominent public function, generally presents a higher risk for potential involvement in bribery and corruption by virtue of his position and the influence that he may hold.

    Banks’ stoppage of taking hard-sought deposits from PEPs followed the rising regulatory surveillance and high risks involved with such transactions. Lenders had, in many cases, suffered huge monetary losses whenever illicit funds are traced to them.

    The Group Chief Conduct and Compliance Officer of Access Bank Plc and President, Compliance Institute of Nigeria (CIN), Pattison Boleigha, who confirmed the development during a meeting with reporters in Lagos, said banks, had adopted global best practices against money laundering and corruption.

    “We have placed ourselves on the pedestal of compliance. If you want to do business with international community today, you must ensure you are compliant in fighting corruption and money laundering. Each bank operates a defined structure. So, when these foreign investors come to Nigeria, they know the structure each bank has put in place,” he said.

    “We want to ensure that foreign investors realise that when they come to Nigeria, it is a very good ground for professionalism. When they do that, they have the assurance that when they do business in Nigeria, they are dealing with credible organisations.”

    Also speaking, a Bank Examiner with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Buhari Isa, said many banks mortgage compliance issues by setting unrealistic targets for their staff .

    He said there was need to look at why bank staff bring in bad deposits into lenders’ vaults. “For example, we are talking about integrity. If you see someone that does not have integrity, there is nothing you can do about it. But you can make sure there are controls that discourage such behaviours in an organisation. For example, you can conduct research on how some staff, connive with high net-worth individuals to bring in deposits without carrying out due diligence,” he said.

    Isa, who is also the  Vice President of CIN, said a bank staff will provide reasons why he is conniving with a PEP to bring in huge deposits. That, he said, may arise from the bank’s dysfunctional policy.

    “For example, you set unrealistic target for bank staff insisting that within the next one week such staff should bring N1 billion deposit. A PEP who collected bribe of N100 million comes to the bank staff, such target will make the staff to quickly take the money without doing proper Know Your Customer for the depositor,” he said.

    In Isa’s view, addressing the high deposit target set for bank staff will help boost compliance.

    Boleigha disagreed. The Access Bank Group Chief Compliance Officer spoke of the challenges faced by lenders. He said that banks do not commit crime but the people within the bank commit crime.

    “The targets were not set so that people will go and commit crimes. Unfortunately, whether you like it or not, financial institutions will receive good money, and they will also receive bad money. There is really nothing you can do about it because that’s where the money should pass through. In fact, if this bad money is not kept in the banks, it will be more difficult for government authorities to track  people that are committing these crimes,” he said.

    To Boleigha, it is good to have all Nigerian financial transactions pass through the financial system so as to have financial record of all bad monies. He said that although bank staff have targets, that should not stop them from complying with set rules. “So, if you know that you are bringing a customer that is high risk, of course you should know, the first thing to do is to conduct a risk assessment of the customer.

    There are some banks that even said they will not bank PEPs. So, if you decide you are going to bank PEPs, you must have risk management structure that will enable you manage those PEPs,” he said.

    “And those risk management structures are crafted from the rules and regulations of the CBN. There are CBN’s guidelines on how to manage PEPs. If you follow the rules, it means that when bad money comes, account officers of the banks should be able to know that it is bad money.

  • Council empowers 206 persons

    Chairman of Ikosi-Isheri Local Council Development Area, Aremo Abdul Adewale has presented certificates of empowerment to 206 beneficiaries of the council’s free skill acquisition programme.

    The gesture, he said, was in fulfilment of the campaign promises of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to Nigerians.

    Aremo Adewale said the empowerment could not have come up at any other time than during this period of economic challenges.

    The programme, he said, was to alleviate poverty.

    “With the successful completion of training by the beneficiaries in seven different vocations, they have transited from job seekers to job providers. The council has gone an extra mile to assist the beneficiaries to benefit financially from the training, by registering them on a business service provider website, where people from all parts of the world can contact them for their services,” he said.

    Aremo Adewale thanked the Necessary Measure Against Poverty (NEMAP) for their contribution to the success of the programme.

    The Nation learnt that NEMAP provided the instructors for the training.

    Permanent Secretary Ministry of Wealth Creation and Employment, who was represented by Mrs Iyabo Seriki-Bello, the director of Employment, in the ministry praised the council boss for the initiative.

    She assured that the State government would continue to work towards eradicating poverty among Lagosians.

  • International Day of Older Persons Walk holds today 

    The Compassionates for Senior Citizens, a Non Governmental Organisation (NGO)  will mark this year’s International Day of Older Persons today with a health walk from the Lagos Mainland Local Government Area,  Ondo Street, Apapa  Road, Ebute-Metta, Lagosto Yaba Local Council Development Area, Adekunle, Yaba, Lagos.

    Many senior citizens are expected to participate in the event tagged: “Walk to age gracefully”. Pupils from four schools – Methodist Girls’ High School, Sabo, Yaba, Lagos City College, Sabo, Yaba, Aje Comprehensive Girls’ School, Sabo, Yaba and Wesley Girls’ High School, Yaba are also expected to join the walk.

    The day will be rounded off with a lecture on the United Nations General Assembly’s Theme for the Year; Stepping into the Future: Tapping the Talents, Contributions and Participation of Older Persons in Society.  It will be deleivered by a senior lecturer in the Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Lagos, Dr. Omobolanle Ade-Ademilua.

  • 189 SIM cards retrieved from accused persons, prosecutor tells court

    A prosecutor, Mr. Moruf Animashaun, has told a Lagos court that 189 Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards were retrieved from accused persons charged with defrauding a woman of N3.3million through a phone call.

    Animashaun, from the office of the Inspector-General of Police, gave the information while objecting to a bail application of the accused persons at an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.

    In the suit, Samson Owah, 39; Job Akakasi, 26; Benjamin Oghereworo, 42 and Profit Ejimulode, 58, are standing trial on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, fraud and stealing.

    They pleaded not guilty and their counsel, Mr. Anayo Agbo, urged the court to grant them bail on liberal terms.

    “What matters in this case is for the accused to provide reliable sureties, who will ensure they appear in court whenever they are needed,” Agbo said.

    Objecting to the application, Animashaun told the court that the accused were tracked before they were arrested.

    “They do not have permanent abode, they move around the country and perpetrate criminal acts.

    “During investigation, 189 SIM cards were retrieved from them. I want the court to refuse them bail,” he said.

    The Magistrate, Mrs. Abimbola Komolafe, however, granted them bail at N500, 000 each, with two sureties each in like sum.

    She said the sureties must be gainfully employed and should show evidence of three years tax payment to the Lagos State government.

    Komolafe said the sureties must live within the court jurisdiction.

    Animashaun had told the court that the accused committed the offences on May 4, at Ecobank PLC, Ikorodu, Lagos.

    He said the accused called the complainant, Patience Denatie, posing as her brother, and told her to send money for a business they spoke about.

    “A total sum of N3.3 million was paid to the accused through a bank account they provided.

    “She (the complainant) had paid in the money before she realised that it was a scam. She reported the matter to the police, who investigated it and arrested the accused,” he said.

    Animashaun said the offences contravened sections 287 (5), 314 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015 (Revised).

    The case was adjourned till August 29 for mention.

  • Ize-Iyamu marks 55th birthday with disabled persons

    Ize-Iyamu marks 55th birthday with disabled persons

    Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2016 governorship election in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has celebrated his 55th birthday with persons living with physical challenges.

    Pastor Ize-Iyamu provided free medical screening for about 267 disabled persons.

    The event held at the premises of the Salvation Army Rehabilitation Centre for the physically challenged in Benin City. It  featured free medical checkup.