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  • Buhari pledges to restore dignity of retired public servants

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday inaugurated Micro Pension Plan with a pledge to restore the dignity of public servants, who worked tirelessly and sacrificed for the greatness of Nigeria.

    Speaking at the launch of Micro Pension Plan, organized by National Pension Commission at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, the president assured that the Federal Government would rev up the process of sanitizing the pensions system.

    According to him, retired public servants deserve better treatment and effective service that meets their needs to carry on after retirement, promising to remove the “rot within the pension system’’.

    “I want to assure all Nigerians that this Government remains committed to resolving all pending issues on pension payment in the federal public sector despite the lean resources of Government.

    “The dignity of retired public servants who sacrificed their lives for this country will be restored.

    “We will ensure all hard working Nigerians in the private sector, both formal and informal, can retire without fear.

    “We have already started on this journey. We must all come together to ensure these reforms are fully implemented and their positive impact is felt by the rightful beneficiaries,’’ he said.

    The President noted that the Federal Government will continue to support the National Pension Commission to ensure a successful roll-out of the Micro Pension Plan, which will capture citizens that were not fully captured in the formal corporate sector.

    He said trade associations, unions, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders in the informal sector should join hands with the government and pensions industry to enlighten their members and general public on the benefits of Micro Pension Plan.

    “Today, millions of traders, farmers and other entrepreneurs in various cottage industries are completely excluded from the different pension programs in existence.

    “The Micro Pension Plan is the natural next step. The program guarantees that when these hard working citizens retire, they can still live in dignity and comfort,’’ he said.

    President Buhari said the government had provided grants, concessionary loans and technical support through Small and Medium Enterprises clinics to farmers, traders and SMEs as part of efforts to diversify the economy and create a more inclusive and enabling environment for all Nigerians

    At the event, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, said the new scheme would provide more security for Nigerians in the informal sector, and expand the country’s pension coverage as well as boost the economy.

    “This scheme also benefits the government because it has the potential to generate a pool for investible long term funds that can drive economic development,’’ he said.

    In her remarks, the Acting Director General of National Pensions Commission, Hajiya Aisha Dahir–Umar, said the Contributory Pension Scheme had recorded huge success since it was launched in 2004, with the formation of long term domestic capital, represented by N8.7 trillion worth of pension assets as at Jan. 2019.

    “The Micro Pension Plan is remarkable because it unveils a unique financial product, which democratizes the saving culture in Nigeria in a systematic and efficient manner,’’ she added.

    Dahir–Umar said the plan was designed after wide consultations with stakeholders, noting that “the product is flexible with contribution amount and channel of remittance of contributions to respective pension accounts.’’

    She further explained that the new pension scheme would afford people in the informal sector an opportunity to contribute daily, weekly or monthly.

    She said: “A prospective Micro Pension contributor is required to open a Retirement Savings Account (RSA) by completing a physical or electronic registration form with a Pension Funds Administrator (PFA) of his/her choice.

    “The contributors may make contributions daily, weekly, monthly or as may be convenient to them. Every contribution shall be split into two, comprising 40% for contingent withdrawal and 60% .for retirement benefits.

    “The contributor may, based on his/her needs, periodically withdraw the total or part of the balance of the contingent portion of his/her RSA, including all accrued investment income thereto.

    “The contributor may also choose to convert the contingent portion of the contributions to the retirement benefits portion.’’

    According to her, a new department has been created specifically to monitor activities of the Micro Pension Plan, and to ensure compliance with the guidelines of the scheme and manage customer complains.

  • Why inconclusive elections are rampant, by INEC

    As it presented certificates of return to Kaduna state Governor Nasir El-Rufai and 34 elected house of assembly members in Kaduna on Thursday, The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained why inconclusive elections have become the order of the day in Nigeria.

    The election management body noted that though, inconclusive elections did not start with the present commission, it became rampant because elections have become highly competitive.

    National Commissioner supervising Plateau, Niger, Kaduna States and FCT, Professor Antonia Okoosi-Simbine stated while presenting certificate of return to the Governor and the lawmakers.

    According to Professor Okoosi-Simbine, “Our democracy is deepening incrementally having conducted the sixth successive election without an interregnum; there is improved integrity in the electoral system; the elections are becoming more and more competitive and the margin between winners and runners-up are decreasing to the extent that in many instances elections into the Executive and Legislatures are increasingly becoming inconclusive.

    “This explains why the phenomenon of inconclusive elections appears to have
    increased. To be sure, it existed prior to the existence of the present commission. We cannot expect less when a few big parties are contesting for power at every level.” He said.

    She also noted that the election was marred by violence through, “a new trend in which some parties and candidates engaged in violent behaviour, including manhandling election duty officials and intimidation of voters, collation and Returning Officers.

    “The Commission views this trend with grave concerns and will continue to work on greater voter enlightenment for mandate protection as well as with the security agencies to curtail this ugly trend.”

    She, however, advised politicians who felt aggrieved in the just concluded general elections to seek judicial remedy in law court.

    “The commission advises disgruntled persons and parties to feel free to seek judicial remedy where they believe they have genuine case(s) to pursue.

    “Indeed, seeking judicial remedy is not only a part and parcel of the electoral process in Nigeria, it is consistent with the culture of democracy as opposed to resorting to self-help.

    However, the INEC boss called on governor El-Rufai to ensure the people of the state enjoy dividends of democracy.

    “I encourage you to deliver more materials benefits to the diversity of people in Kaduna in order to meet their governance expectations”. She told El-Rufai.

    Shortly after receiving the certificate, El-rufai said in a remark that he would carry everybody along in governance irrespective of political differences.

    He assured of security of lives and property, just as he expressed gratitude to the people for re-electing him to serve them for the second term.

  • Adamawa Election: Security beefed up at polling units

    Security has been beefed up at polling units as people in Adamawa trickle out to vote in Thursday’s supplementary governorship election.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the election is going on in 44 units across 29 wards of 14 local government areas of the state.

    Vehicular movement has, however, not been restricted, but armed policemen were seen on roads leading to polling units conducting stop and search on motorists.

    Plain clothes security and unarmed policemen are seen around the polling units observing the exercise.

    Speaking on the security situation, the Adamawa Resident Electoral commissioner, Mr Kassim Gaidam, said that only those with Permanent Voter Cards in the affected units would be allowed access to the polling units.

    Gaidam added that only one agent from each of the political parties was allowed at polling units; but political parties’ monitoring teams would not allowed access to the election venue.

    According to him, the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Zone 3 and the Commissioner of Police in the state are leading other security agencies in monitoring the exercise.

    He said that the National Commissioner in charge of Adamawa, Taraba and Gombe states would be joined by some neigbouring states electoral commissioners to monitor the election.

  • ‘$12 billion wealth to be created in Nigeria through mechanized farming’

    A partner in the Nigeria -Brazil Bilateral Development Program, Cleber Guarany of Fundacao Getulio Vargas, has disclosed that the wealth to be created in Nigeria is estimated at $12billion in the first 10 years of mechanized farming in the country.

    He made a presentation at the Asiwaju Bola Tinubu 11th colloquium at the International Conference Center, Abuja, marking the former Lagos State Governor’s 67th birthday.

    Read Also: ‘Nigeria has 15 million drug addicts’

    He spoke on the Green Imperative with a focus on Next Level jobs in agriculture.

    Noting that 780 service centers will be created across Nigeria during the first phase, he said that $1.11 billion investments would be attracted to Nigeria from Brazil.

    While 100,000 technical will be formed, he said that 5 million people will be impacted in the country.

  • Police arrest kidnapping syndicate, recover AK 47 in Katsina

    The Katsina state Police command on Thursday announced the arrest of a notorious Cattle rustling and kidnapping Syndicate, recovering in the process an AK 47 riffle with breech no. 1977

    A press release which was signed by the Public relations Officer in the state, Superintendent Gambo Isa said the arrest was based on a tip-off

    He listed those arrested to include: Umar Usman alias “ORI”, aged 45, of Garin Dan –Gambo village, Rugu forest, Safana LGA, alleged to have been terrorizing Safana and Batsari LGAs of Katsina state.

    He said’’ In the course of investigation one AK 47 rifle with breech No. 1977 was recovered in his possession. Suspect is assisting the police with useful information that may lead to the arrest of other members of his syndicate’’.

    In a related development, the State Command has also announced the recovery of one Ak 47 rifle breech no.89-11825 with two rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, a fire woodcutter, from one Aliyu Sani, aged 25 of Sabon Layi village, Faskari, who was reported to have been attacked by armed bandits in the forest.

    The release further stated that the Police patrol team was immediately dispatched to the scene and engaged the hoodlums in a gun duel, with the team succeeding in dislodging them and recovering one AK.47 rifle with breech number 89-11825 and two rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition abandoned by the hoodlums.

    Also the Command arrested the duo of Sanusi Sani, aged 30 of Landan-Ketare village, Kankara LGA of Katsina state and one Bello Abdullahi, aged 30 of the same address, who while armed with dangerous weapons, blocked Tashar Kawu – Unguwar Zaki feeder road, Kankara and robbed one Abbas Halilu, aged 25 of Bada’u village, Kankara of his Techno Handset valued at ten thousand naira and another unregistered motorcycle Bajaj valued one hundred and eighty thousand naira (180,000:00K) after beating him to a state of coma.

    The release disclosed that In the course of investigation, the suspects confessed to have sold the motorcycle at the cost of one hundred thousand (N100,000:00K) in Kano state, and also confessed to other series of armed robbery incidents, terrorizing Kankara and its environs.

    The PPPRO assured that all the arrested suspects will be diligently prosecuted in a law court

  • Adamawa guber supplementary poll commences in 14 LGAs

    The Adamawa governorship supplementary election has successfully commenced in 14 Local Government Areas across the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent, who visited some polling units on Thursday in Yola, the state capital, reports that the exercise was moving smoothly.

    Speaking to NAN, Ms Furera Adamu, INEC Presiding Officer in charge of Mustafa Primary School polling units in Bako ward in Yola, said the election started at 8 a.m.

    Adamu said that so far, there was no problem of card readers’ malfunction, adding that electorate were turning out to cast their votes.

    “The election started at 8 a.m in my unit and so far, there is no any problem as our card readers are functioning effectively. “We have enough security operatives deployed,” Adamu said.

    At the Bako Primary School polling unit 007 in Yola South Local Government Area, the election started as scheduled.

    In Girei and Fufore Local Government Areas, the exercise was moving smoothly as electorates were casting their votes orderly and peacefully.

    Speaking with NAN, Mr Kasim Gaidam, Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state said the commission had well prepared for the election where about 358 staff engaged for the supplementary election.

    He said the election was been conducting in 14 local government areas in the 44 affected polling units and in 29 wards.

    Gaidam said areas where the elections were being conducted include: Yola South, Fufore, Ganye, Girei, Guyuk, Hong, Lamurde, Numan, Madagali, Michika, Mubi North, Shelleng, Song and Toungo Local Government Areas.

    NAN reports that there was presence of election supervisors, accredited political agents and other stakeholders

  • Sokoto APC alleges attack on supporters by PDP

    IRKED and threatened by the wanton and unprovoked attacks on its supporters across the state, the Sokoto state chapter of the All Progressives Congress has called on the security agencies to take necessary steps to instantly halt the heinous attacks and bring perpetrators to justice to serve as deterrent.

    ” Unless the security agencies do the needful, they will be putting public confidence in them to jeopardy”, it pointed out.

    In the same vein, the opposition APC in the state also said it had chosen to seek redress for the injustices meted the party in the rerun governorship polls through democratic and legal means.

    While it was watching and expecting that culprits and perpetrators of the attacks were unravelled and made to the full wrath of the law, the party said:” We are aware that security agencies have made some arrests in Tambuwal, Goronyo, Sokoto and other places.”

    In a release signed and issued to reporters in Sokoto Thursday by the state chairman of the party, Alhaji Sadiq Isa Achida, the party also stated that it was compelled to sound caution to the perpetrators and their sponsors that “enough is enough.”

    The party according to the release titled” Enough of the PDP Atrocities in Sokoto” said its desire for peace to reign in the state should not and must not be misconstrued as a sign of weakness.

    ” PDP thugs attacked and killed Sani Aliyu, an APC supporter in Giyawa village of Goronyo local government. Another APC supporter was also attacked in Sifawa, Bodinga local government, now lying unconscious in UDUTH as a result of the physical assault on him.

    ” Highly placed religious clerics were also attacked and their families maimed and injured. Our supporters have become easy targets in their homes, markets, mosques and business premises almost on a daily basis since the declaration of the rerun elections results by INEC.

    ” Our opponents of the PDP should note that they do not have monopoly of the ability to perpetrate violence”, Achida cautioned.

    However, the opposition party in the state which urged its supporters not to react in any way and should continue to be law-abiding citizens, added” we hope that our state will be saved from the danger that could befall our people should those responsible for maintaining peace in our state fail in their duty as we assure our supporters in the state that the party is working assiduously to defend our interest and we are confident of being victorious soon “, the release concluded.

  • Police arrest 22-yr-old man for beheading his brother in Jigawa over cattle

    The Police Command in Jigawa has arrested a 22-year-old man, Gambo Sa’idu of Badakoshi village in Gwaram Local Government Area, for allegedly beheading his brother during an argument over cattle.

    The command Public Relations Officer, SP Audu Jinjiri, who confirmed the incident to NAN in Dutse, said one Gambo killed his brother Haladu,40, using a cutlass.

    He explained that Gwaram Local Government police station received the report around 2. 45 p.m. on Wednesday in Badakoshi village in Gwaram Local Government Area of the state.

    Jinjiri said the police has visited the scene of the crime.

    “The suspect attacked the deceased in the bush while rearing cattle,” Jinjiri said.

    He explained that the deceased was confirmed dead by a medical doctor in Gwaram General Hospital.

    The spokesman added that preliminary investigation shown that the suspect allegedly killed his brother for possessing more cattle than him.

    “The suspect is also a drug abuser and is suspected to have committed the offence after taking some drug,” the spokesman said.

    He said that the case would be transferred to the State Criminal, Intelligence and Investigation Department in Dutse, for further investigation. 

  • We’ll investigate complaints against Taskforce – Police

    Lagos Police Commissioner Zubairu Muazu on Wednesday assured that allegations of corruption, extortion against policemen attached to the state’s Taskforce on Environmental Sanitation will be investigated.

    He stated this while responding to questions from reporters after his brief on recent arrests recorded.

    Acknowledging that he had also received such complaints about the agency, Muazu said he had invited the Taskforce Chairman Olayinka Egbeyemi, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) for a meeting.

    Noting that the Taskforce was a state government agency despite having police components in it, Muazu assured that a positive result will come out of the meeting.

    “I have recently received complaints about the operations of the Taskforce and I want to assure you that this afternoon, we are hosting the Commander of the Taskforce here. We are going to have a meeting with him.

    “Though there are police officers in the Taskforce, we should know that it is an outfit created by the state government and so, we must collaborate with the Commander in handling any issue about officers there. I assure you that something positive will come out from today’s meeting,” he said.

    On armed gangs terrorising Amukoko, the Commissioner said he received the report and immediately took charge of the situation by directing the Area Commander and Divisional Police Officer to move in their men there.

    “Our police officers moved in there and made sure peace was restored to the area. We have not gotten report from the DPO yet, I will let you know how many arrests were made as soon as we get it.

    “What the command is doing is not different from the general strategy we have taken against the operation of cultists in the whole state. We have identified areas in the state where these cult activities are prevalent and we have mounted an operation with Area Commanders and the DPOs to ensure that these activities are totally wiped off.”

    Confirming the dismissal of the drunk policeman who shot a school girl at Ikorodu, Muazu said he had been handed over to the legal team for prosecution.

    He said the command will not tolerate cases of professional misconduct of policemen, urging residents to come forward with information on any cop found drinking at beer parlours or any other unethical behaviour.

    “I want to call on you to assist us. Where you see this misbehaviour, please let us know, we are here for you and with your cooperation we can sanitise those around us. If you see any please let us know, we are always here to listen to you, and always ready to take those police officers through orderly room procedures and show them the way out of the police force.”

  • Auto crash kills 2, injures 3 in Kano

    Kano State Fire Service has confirmed that two people died while three others sustained injuries, when a vehicle and tricycle had a head-on collision at Hotoro, Kano.

    Alhaji Saidu Mohammed, spokesman for the fire service told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano that the accident occurred at about 01:40p.m on Wednesday at Hotoro, Maiduguri road in Taurani Local Government Area, Kano.

    “We received a distress call from one Malam Aliyu Isa at about 1:40p.m that there was an accident on Maiduguri Road.

    “On receiving the information, we quickly dispatched our personnel and vehicle to the scene of the incident at about 01:57p.m to rescue the victims,” Mohammed said.

    He said that the vehicles, Toyota Corolla, with registration number AGL 753 FE and a tricycle with registration number BGM 514 BM were involved in a head-on collision at the scene of the accident.

    Mohammed attributed the accident to speed limit violation, which resulted to loss of control by the drivers.

    He said the firemen took the victims to Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital, Kano, where the doctor on duty confirmed two dead.

    He said that the remaining three victims, who sustained varying degrees of injuries, were receiving treatment.

    The spokesman appealed to motorists to obey traffic regulations so as to stay alive and minimise accidents on the road.