A three-storey building has reportedly collapsed in Kakawa street, Lagos Island on Monday.
According to a resident of the street, no one was trapped because the building was marked for demolition and occupants had vacated.
The collapsed structure, however, affected a bungalow with three occupants.
Details shortly….
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday received advisory report on how to fund the newly increased workers’ minimum wage.
The bill to increase the minimum wage to N30, 000 is still before the National Assembly.
Buhari received the report from the Technical Committee on the Implementation of the new minimum wage at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Buhari thanked the committee for submitting the report before the bill was passed into law.
He assured that the government will expeditiously study the report towards its implementation.
The Jime – Ode campaign Organisation has vowed to challenge the declaration of Governor Samuel Ortom as re-elected by Independent National Election Commission (INEC).
Its Secretary Professor Eugene Aliegba, in a statement, alleged the supplementary election was fraught with irregularities such as votes buying, massive thump printing and intimidation of voters.
He said: ”Moments ago, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), upon completion of the collation of results in the Benue supplementary elections, made a pronouncement on the outcome of the 2019 governorship election, declaring Mr Samuel Ortom of the PDP winner of the governorship contest in Benue State.
“We note that the announcement by INEC marks the end of another phase in this year’s electoral cycle.
“When we embarked on this journey many months ago, it was to translate to reality the dreams of a better future to our long suffering people.
“Our message resonated with the electorate because they could tell our project was about service, not hinged on an intent to occupy office for the sake of it.
“And even as the results as declared don’t appear to reflect the will of most of these same people, we call on our supporters to remain extremely calm and law abiding as they’ve been throughout the campaigns and electioneering period.”
He added: “Going into this contest, we were well aware of the fact that only one of two outcomes were possible; either we won fairly in line with the massive support we earned from the people; or another winner emerged through a credible and transparent process.
‘’We did not anticipate a third option that confers advantage to those who played dubiously outside the laid down rules of the game.
“And because the results announced in favour of Governor Ortom and the PDP is a direct product of brutal violence, vote buying, ballot-stuffing, results-falsification, non use of the card reader and a range of other irregularities that have no place in our electoral laws, we are making it unequivocally clear that the Benue APC will explore all constitutional and legal options available to ensure the votes of the people count.
“In simple terms, we will make a case before the Election Petitions Tribunal to subject the Benue governorship elections result to an integrity test.”
Activist Lawyer, Femi Falana(SAN) has asked the federal government to stop allocating oil blocks to individuals and corporate bodies.
He gave the advice in a letter dated March 20 and addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said he would not hesitate to file a suit against government should it fail to heed its request.
”If the federal government refuses to accede to our request we shall be compelled to challenge the constitutional validity of allocating the oil blocks and other natural resources collectively owned by the Nigerian people but vested in the Federal Government to a few private individuals and corporate bodies,” he warned.
Falana urged government to restrict the allocation of oil blocks, including marginal fields to the federal government and the governments of the 36 states of the Federation.
“This request is in line with Section 16 (1) (b) of the Constitution which has mandated the Nigerian State to “control the national economy in such manner as to secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every citizen on the basis of social justice and equality of status and opportunity,” he argued.
He further argued the allocation of oil blocks to a few individuals and corporate bodies by the federal government constitutes a gross violation of the fundamental rights of the Nigerian people to freedom from discrimination, equal right of access to public property and in the equal enjoyment of the common heritage of mankind as well as the right to social, economic and cultural development guaranteed by articles 2, 13, 22 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act.
“Therefore, pursuant to article 22 thereof which has imposed a duty on the Federal Government to freely dispose of the wealth and national resources of the nation in the exclusive interests of the Nigerian people we urge Your Excellency to desist from allocating oil and blocks to a select group of Nigerians and foreigners,” he stated.
Falana pointed out he made the request because majority of the owners of the oil blocks usually sub-lease them to offshore companies as they lack the fund and the technical expertise to develop the oil and gas industry.
“By merely collecting huge rents, the oil block owners become stupendously rich while the federal, state and local governments depend on loans and bailout to pay salaries and carry out basic infrastructural development of the country.
“Thus, by allocating oil blocks to a few individuals and corporate bodies the federal government has violated Section 16(2)(c) of the Constitution which provides that “the economic system is not operated in such a manner as to permit the concentration of wealth or the means of production and exchange in the hands of few individuals or of a group,” he stated.
While commending government for the courageous decision it took to revoke a number of oil blocks and marginal fields hitherto allocated to a few individuals and corporate bodies, he urged the government to desist from renewing the remaining licences of other oil block owners in the country.
Chairman of Senate Committee on Labour and Productivity, Senator Abu Ibrahim, has thrown light on why the Senate passed N30,000 national minimum wage instead of adopting N27,000 proposed by the Federal Government.
Senator Ibrahim, who was a member of the Senate ad-hoc committee assigned to work on the minimum wage bill, said the upper chamber concurred with the House of Representatives on the bill to avoid unnecessary delay and bickering in passing the bill.
The House of Representatives passed N30, 000 new national minimum wage bill higher than the N27, 000 minimum wage bill President Muhammadu Buhari submitted to the National Assembly for consideration and passage.
Ibrahim said that the passage of N30, 000 minimum wage was informed by the need to avoid the commotion likely to result from harmonization of the differences by the two chambers.
The Katsina South senator noted if there was disagreement between the two chambers, it may lead to the National Assembly not passing the new national minimum wage for workers.
He said when members of the Senate committee, during its deliberation on the bill, considered the difference between what the House of Representatives passed and what was submitted by the executive, a difference of N3000, the committee felt that it could be addressed after the passage of the Bill.
Ibrahim noted that it was in view of this the committee recommended that after the passage of the new wage bill, the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission, could review the federal allocation formula to give more fund to the States and Local governments.
The review of the allocation formula, Ibrahim said, would enable the States and Local Governments to pay the new national minimum wage rather than waiting for the federal government to come to their rescue through granting them interventions funds.
Ibrahim said, “We looked at it (bill), the difference of what the executive asked for is N3, 000 and the commotion that it will create if we disagree with the House of Representatives, we may not pass it, because we may have to go back and start again and go into harmonization
“We are closing for budget defence. So we may end up leaving the National Assembly without finishing the minimum wage.
“So we felt at the committee that it does not worth it, the problem that it will create for saving N3, 000.
“Then, we brought another solution that the federal government revenue allocation should be looked into to make it possible for the states to be able to pay.
“So, rather than the federal government giving them interventions, we can change the revenue allocation formula to give them more money, both local and state governments.”
He went on: “We came up with additional suggestion after the N30, 000 minimum wage, we suggested that the revenue allocation should be looked into to make the states and local governments more viable.”
The lawmaker promised to contribute his quota as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Labour to ensure that there is stability between the government and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
He also stressed the need to develop a system of industrial harmony between NLC and the Federal Government.
To test the physical fitness of its personnel, the Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC) at the weekend embarked on a compulsory 10km route march across the 11 units and schools under it.
In Lagos, the march saw the assembly of over a thousand officers and ratings marching from the command’s headquarters in Apapa to the National Stadium and back.
All dressed in their camouflage and boots, the personnel who were not bearing arms, however, had armed squadrons marching confront and behind them in case of any eventuality.
Speaking to reporters after the route march, Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) NAVTRAC Rear Admiral Stanfford Enoch said it was the command’s first quarter route march for 2019, adding that it is aimed at ensuring that personnel were physically and mentally ready at all times to discharge their duties.
Enoch who was represented by the command’s ashore officer Commodore Adesola Adesope said from observation during the exercise, the personnel were ready for any emergency, adding that they were fit to discharge their duties creditably.
He said NAVTRAC was aware of security challenges facing the country and would ensure training is tailored to address these problems in line with the directives of the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC ) has declared a former Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Amb. Ayodele Oke and his wife, Folasade, wanted in connection with alleged N13billion fraud.
The cash had to do with $43,449,947, £27,800 and N23,218,000 recovered by the EFCC from an apartment at Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, in April 2017.
But a family source said Oke, who has been away abroad got medical treatment, had not been served the charges against him.
He said Oke is not on the run but attending to his fragile health.
A statement by the Acting Head of Media and Publicity of the commission, Mr. Tony Orilade said the couple were declared wanted after they failed to answer fraud charges filed against them.
The statement said: “Justice Chukwujeku Aneke of a Federal High Court Lagos, had on February 7, 2019 issued an arrest warrant on them, consequent upon an oral application by counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo.
“Oke and his wife are wanted in connection with the $43,449,947, £27,800 and N23,218,000 cash recovered by the EFCC from an apartment at Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, in April 2017.
“They are facing a four-count charge bordering on money laundering offence to the tune of N13 billion.
“One of the counts reads: “That you, Amb. Ayodele Oke and Mrs. Folasade Ayodele Oke between 25th day of August 2015 and 2nd day of September 2015 in Lagos, with in the jurisdiction of this court directly converted $160,777,136.85 property of the Federal Government of Nigeria to your own use which sum you reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: criminal breach of trust and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act”.
A top source, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent, said: “Twice, we have been to court but he refused to appear to answer the charges against him. We trailed him to NIA quarters but we avoided barging into the premises.
“But later the trail signal disappeared which indicated that he had gone underground.
“We explained our dilemma to the court and it gave us the go-ahead to look for him.”
Responding to a question, the source added: “What we have done now is to watch-list him. Wherever he is, whoever sees him airport, seaport and land borders should report to any security agency.
” At this stage, what we need to do is to serve him charges.”
A family source however said: “As at today, Oke and his wife have not been served any charges. They only arraigned him after he has gone abroad for treatment. Before he left the country, there was no communication from the anti-graft agency.
“How can the EFCC declare the ex-NIA boss wanted after he had appeared before them for questioning? Once he is through with his medical care, Oke and his wife will report to the EFCC accordingly.”
The People’s Democratic Party ( PDP ) has hailed the verdict of the Osun State Governorship election tribunal, which upheld the victory of its candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, describing the judgement as a victory for democracy and triumph of the will of the people.
The main opposition party said the judgment was a clear indicator that those who set out to destroy the nation’s democracy can never triumph and that no matter how evil and injustice appear to thrive; the truth must always prevail at the end of the day.
In a statement Friday by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan said Nigerians have accepted democracy as a way of life and a form of government that suits the multi-plurality of the nation.
The statement said, “The spontaneous jubilation that greeted this judgment is therefore a direct indication that it is in consonant with the wishes and aspiration of Nigerians across the board.
“For those who have been desperate to destroy our democracy, this judgment has proven to them that their shenanigans will always come to no avail.
“The PDP commends the judiciary for standing upright in the defence of democracy and for ensuring that those involved in the rapacious desecration of our democratic norms will never succeed.
“This verdict, which reverberates across our nation, points to the fact that the truth will always prevail and that our party, the PDP, will recover all our stolen mandates in the 2019 general elections, particularly, the Presidential mandate, which Nigerians freely gave to our candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
“Furthermore, all our candidates who have already won their elections, but whose victories are being manipulated by anti-democratic forces, must take solace in the words of the Osun election petition panel, that once valid votes have been declared and a winner emerges by majority of votes, a rerun is illegal
“The PDP congratulates Senator Adeleke, the good people of Osun state as well as all lovers of democracy across our country for the triumph of justice over impunity, abuse of electoral processes and unfettered political rascality”.
President Muhammadu Buhari has assented to the Engineers (Registration etc) Amendment Act, 2019.
The principal Act establishes the Council for Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria – COREN’ with power vested.
According to the Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly matters (Senate), Ita Enang, the new amendment has broadened the powers of COREN with far-reaching powers of prosecution of infractions, regulating industrial training of Engineers, capacity building of local content in Nigeria engineering industry.
Specifically, he said, the new law grants COREN powers of: “prosecuting any person or firm that contravenes the provisions of this Act in a court of competent jurisdiction; .regulating industrial training schemes in engineering practitioners and students;
(I)..ensuring capacity building and monitoring local content development in the Nigerian engineering industry through – mandatory attachment of Nigerians to expatriate engineers on major projects to understudy them from inception
“(ii) ensuring that all foreign engineering firms establish their design offices in Nigeria. (iii) granting of compulsory attestation to all expatriate quota for engineering practitioners, including turnkey project, that there are no qualified and competent Nigerians for the job in question at the time of application and that granting of the expatriate quota shall be contingent on training of such number of persons as may be required for the execution of the job, and;
“(iv) ensuring that, before being allowed to practice in Nigeria, such foreign engineering practitioners granted work permit, register with the council and obtain such licenses as may be required from time to time; (h) investigating engineering failures.’’
He said that the new Act further admits into the Council (COREN) the following: “Nigerian Association of Technologists in Engineering
Nigerian Society of Engineering Technicians, and
Nigerian Association of Engineering Craftsmen, and
One person each appointed to represent the –
Association for Consulting Engineering in Nigeria,
Federation of Construction Industry in Nigeria
Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, and
Armed Forces in rotation.’’
The Council, he said, is now entitled to maintain a fund into which shall be paid money appropriated by the National Assembly, subventions, fees, charges for services rendered or publications made, donations, engineering development levy, among others.
“On NYSC, the Amendment states:
(14) (i)‘’The Directorate of the National Youth Service Corps shall ensure posting of graduate engineers and technologists to places of relevant professional engineering experience.
(ii) Pursuant to the provision of subsection (i), the Directorate of National Youth Service Corps shall communicate the location of graduate engineers and engineering technologists to the Council.’’
The Act broaden engineering ‘’practitioners to include a registered Engineer, Engineering technologist, Engineering technician and Engineering craftsman. It emphasis more on engineering practitioners as against ‘engineer.’
“The Act has been remitted in accordance with standard legal procedures.” Enang stated
The Delta State House of Assembly has passed the State Freedom of Information Bill.
The Bill is for a law to make public records and information freely available, provide for public access to public records and information.
It is also meant to protect public records and information to the extent that is consistent with public interest and the protection of personal privacy; protect serving public officers from adverse consequences of disclosing certain kinds of official information without authorisation and establish procedures for achievement of these purposes and related matters.
The Bill’s passage followed the consideration of the report of the Joint House Committee of the whole on the bill titled Delta State Freedom of Information Bill following a motion moved by majority leader Tim Owhefere and seconded by Rueben Izeze.
Delta Speaker, Sheriff Oborevwori, said that members resolved at the committee of the whole the house should suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Majority Leader Tim Owhefere thereafter moved separate motions for the house to suspend orders 77, 78 and 79 and take the third reading to enable the house pass the bill.
The motions were seconded by Samuel Marierie and Kennedy Daubry and adopted through voice vote.