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  • Army warns officer over meddlesomeness

    THE Nigerian Army yesterday warned its unit Commander in Kogi State to stay out of the conflict regarding the alleged plot to remove the Chief Judge, Justice Nasir Ajanah, from office.

    It demanded that soldiers should not be part of any plan to remove or eject the chief judge from his official residence.

    A statement from Army spokesman, Colonel Sagir Musa, distanced the Army from the problem regarding the judiciary.

    The statement reads: “The Nigerian Army has received a report of the purported or planned use of soldiers to remove and eject the Kogi State Chief Judge from his official residence.

    “The NA under the leadership of Lt-Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai will not contemplate interfering under any guise in the internal Executive – Judiciary conflict in Kogi State or any other state for that matter.

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    “The Army Headquarters has already directed and warned the Commander in the state to stay clear of this conflict (not to interfere under any guise).

    “As a professional and law-abiding organisation, the NA hereby strongly distances itself from Kogi State conflict between the State Executive and the Judiciary.”

     

  • 180 Nigerians deported from Libya

    NEMA has received a batch of 180 stranded Nigerians from Libya.

    The Returnees comprised of adults female 82, female children 2 and female Infants 11 while the adults male were 79 with 1 male child and 5 male infants maki g the total of 95 females and 85 males.

    The Returnees arrived Nigeria aboard Buraq Air with flight number UZ 189 – 190 and registration number 5A-DMG which departed MJI Airport Tripoli, Libya and landed MMIA Cargo Wing, Ikeja, Lagos.

    Welcoming the Returnees back to Nigeria, the Coordinator, NEMA’s Lagos Territorial Office, Alhaji Idris Muhammed, enjoined the Returnees to make better use of their bitter experiences in positive ways by turning a leaf and forge ahead of the dangers and risks that they have escaped in the course of their unfortunately sojourn.

    He enjoined all the segments of the society to see the menace of irregular migrations as emergency situation. He said that any situation where a live is under threat is considered to be emergency risk and all hands must be on deck to stem to stop and prevent the the threat.

    The Coordinator explained that in emergency situations, everyone has a role to play, the media, NGO, government agencies and especially parents must partner and cooperate to stem the menace of irregular with continuous enlightenment and awareness creation across the board.

     

     

  • COWLSO donates suites, neo-natal incubators to hospitals

    The Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO) yesterday donated 32 neo-natal incubators to 13 government hospitals.

    It also donated six birthing suites to Lagos Island Maternity, Amuwo Maternal and Child Centre and Epe General Hospital.

    COWLSO Chairman and wife of Lagos State governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, accompanied by wife of the Governor-elect, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu,  spoke of the group ’s vision for expectant mothers to have access to world-class delivery facilities in public hospitals.

    According to her, an ideal childbirth will ensure the best outcome for mother and baby, in a safe environment that guaranteed quick recovery from the process, and allowed early and optimum bonding of mother and child.

    “My vision and that of COWLSO, is that in Lagos State, any expectant woman, regardless of origin, economic status and location, will have access to quality and safe child delivery experience that is in line with international best practice, in any of our public hospitals, at a minimal cost.

    “Child birth has always been one of the life-changing experiences that women go through. Different women go into labour having different emotions and expectations about the process and outcome. There is hardly a woman who had been in labour that would not remember that experience, many years after,” Mrs Ambode said.

    Birthing suites are stand-alone delivery units, where all three stages of a woman’s labour and delivery take place. They have private conveniences for patients and are fitted with automated birthing beds, ultra-modern vital sign monitors for mother and baby; specialised machines for monitoring the heartbeat of mother and baby and post- delivery care.

    The incubators will regulate the body temperature of pre-term babies and avail them the right environment to be nurtured, till they are fit to go home.

    The Medical Director of Lagos Island Maternity Hospital, Dr. Ademuyiwa Eniayewun, said  the committee’s gesture would help reduce infant and child mortality.

     

  • Kogi judiciary protests alleged plot to sack Chief Judge

    THE Kogi State judiciary has accused Governor Yahaya Bello of plotting to remove the Chief Judge, Justice Nasir Ajanah, from office.

    A statement issued yesterday by Senior Information Officer, Kogi State Judiciary Saqeeb Saeed alleged that the governor planned to remove Ajanah by using the Speaker of the House of Assembly.

    But surprisingly later yesterday, the House of Assembly recommended the removal of Justice Ajanah for alleged gross misconduct.

    This followed the “adoption of the report and recommendations of the House Committee on Public Account”, which indicted the state High Court and Hajj Commission of financial breaches.

    The statement by Saeed reads: “Events in the last few days have made it necessary for the Kogi State Judiciary to issue this press statement. The Kogi State Judiciary is aware of clandestine moves by His Excellency, Governor Yahaya Bello, to use the Speaker of the House of Assembly to illegally remove the Chief Judge, Justice Nasiru Ajanah, from office over some trumped up allegations.

    “This dangerous and ill-advised move is coming from the executive in spite of the fact that the matter is now before the National Judicial Council (NJC), and there is a subsisting court order restraining the governor from doing so.

    “The governor is advised not to do anything that will plunge the state into an unnecessary constitutional crisis. Rather, he should obey the rule of law and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which he swore to uphold.

    “Meanwhile, workers of the judiciary should remain calm, as the rule of law shall prevail at the end.”

    The staff of the judiciary had on Monday marched through some major streets of the capital, Lokoja, protesting the alleged plan to sack Ajanah.

    The speaker, Prince Mathew Kolawole, however, denied knowledge of such plan.

    Kolawole, who was at the Government House on Monday, responded to reporters’ enquiry on the issue, saying he was unaware of the name(s) of such person(s) making the allegations.

    The Assembly, however, said the Chief Judge could step aside to defend himself over the indictment by the state’s auditor-general.

    The House also recommended punitive measures on those indicated, to “avoid a reoccurrence”.

    It directed the state government to urgently resume payment of salaries of judicial workers.

    The report of the Committee on Public Accounts on the state “Auditor General’s report on the 2016 Financial Statements (Budget Performance Analysis on Personnel Cost, Overheads, Capital Expenditure and Revenue Performance of Kogi State for the Year Ended December 31, 2016)”, was presented by its chairman, Ahmed Mohammed.

     

  • NNPC pushes for zero gas flare

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Group Managing Director (GMD), Dr. Maikanti Baru yesterday said the corporation would make sure that no new gas project would be approved without zero gas flare modalities.

    He stressed that for already existing gas flare projects, the NNPC was exploring various options to commercialise the gas flare with a view to eliminating it.

    He stated this while receiving in audience the national leadership of Host Communities of Nigeria (HOSTCOM) led by its National chairman, High Chief Benjamin Style Tamaranebi, at the NNPC Towers in Abuja.

     

    The NNPC chief expressed commitment to a zero gas flare regime for every new gas project, even as the corporation trained its sights on commercialising existing gas flare projects for the benefits of the host communities and Country at large.

    Baru assured HOSTCOM that NNPC would continue to partner the various host communities to enable them benefit maximally from exploitation of the nation’s hydrocarbon resources.

    The GMD commended HOSTCOM for restoring sanity to the Niger Delta region, saying the relative peace had given operators the leverage to concentrate on production for the benefit of the national economy.

    The statement quoted Baru as saying that: “I want to thank the Oba of Benin for midwifing HOSTCOM and the traditional rulers of Oil Mineral Producing Communities of Nigeria (TROMCON). For us as operators, we will continue to dialogue with the bodies so as to create enabling operating environment for the business and for the communities.”

    He urged HOSTCOM, as a pan cultural organisation, to partner with NNPC in stemming the incessant pipeline vandalism, illegal refineries and illegal crude oil bunkering in the Niger Delta, adding that the elimination of those vices would reduce to the barest level, incidences of environmental pollutions.

    The NNPC helmsman noted that the clean-up of Ogoniland had commenced in earnest with the release of the first tranche of the funding for the project since last year, adding that HOSTCOM should the environment, water and aquatic animals of the region are not impacted negatively by illegal bunkering and breaking of petroleum products pipelines.

    He pledged the commitment of Oil and Gas Operators to abide by Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMOUs) entered into with the communities and noted that GMOUs should not be seen as a replacement for government interventions in communities.

    The NNPC GMD noted that the Oil and Gas business was a global business hence HOSTCOM should provide hospital environment that would encourage investors to continue to prefer Nigeria to other investment destinations in Africa.

    Earlier, National Chairman of HOSTCOM, High Chief Tamaranebi, thanked President Muhammadu Buhari and Dr. Baru for always granting host communities a listening ear, assuring that HOSTCOM and TROMCON would continue to collaborate with the Federal Government for the common good of all.

    He commended the Federal government for the ongoing clean-up of Ogoniland, while urging that other communities with similar challenges should be cleaned up as well for the well-being of members of such communities.

  • Group holds prayer for Tinubu, Bello

    The Mainland Independent Group (MIG), a socio-political pressure group and philanthropic organisation in Lagos State, has congratulated National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for the party’s victory in the elections.

    The chairman, Kayode Aransiola, at a special thanksgiving prayer at the Fiwakesin Mosque on Olonode Street, Yaba, to mark Tinubu’s 67th birthday, lauded the group’s patron, Tunji Bello, for being the pillar of the APC in Mainland local government and for his role in putting the APC on landslide lead.

    Aransiola lauded Tinubu for his inspirational leadership which has contributed to deepening the democratic practice. He also praised Bello for his role in the economic empowerment of the people, and his mobilisational acumen which earned the APC a lead at the election.

    Group leader Ibrahim Alao Megida described Tinubu as an enigma who bestrides the political scene like a colossus.

    Chairman of Association of Lagos State indigenes, Lagos Mainland branch Ganiyu Salako said: “There is no doubt that in the political scene today, Asiwaju Tinubu is the most powerful and most influential politician we have presently in Nigeria. No one else compares with him. His type only comes once in a generation. I wish him long life and greater successes in all his exploits.

    “Asiwaju’s leading role is due to the will of God and his purity of heart; this is why Asiwaju will continue to thrive above his contenders; and this is also the reason why anyone trying to pull him down will labour in vain and does so at his own peril.”

    REad also: Tinubu, political asset for all seasons

    Women leader Folashade Morounkeji said: “We are grateful to Asiwaju for giving us a person like Tunji Bello, who through his exemplary philanthropy and empowerment of the poor, has warmed himself into the heart of the Mainlanders, irrespective of tribe, religion and sex.”

    Presiding clerics included Alfa Sheikh Salman Abdulateef, Alhaji Taiwo Sontana, Alhaji R. A Sule, who also paid glowing tribute to Tinubu and Bello. There were koranic recitations, and prayers at the event.

  • FIRS eyes N750b from millionaire tax defaulters

    The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) says it hopes to pull in about N750  billion from about 55,000 defaulting taxpayers.

    Its  Executive Chairman,  Mr. Tunde Fowler, in a statement, said from the Bank Accounts substitution exercise, “we used banking information to bring non-compliant taxpayers with N1 billion and above turnover to comply. It has so far resulted in the recovery of N23.35 billion. The exercise has been extended to cover those with turnover of N100 million and above.”

    Fowler spoke when he met with the House of Representatives joint committees on Finance, Appropriations, Aids, Loans and Debt Management, Legislative Budget and Research and National Planning and Economic Development on the 2019/2021 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP).

    He said: “To date, about 500 of them have come forward and they have paid and we have collected in the region of about N24 billion. We believe we should be able to go through the 55,000 before the middle of this year which will be, 30th June.

    “In terms of estimates, which we should be able to generate from this exercise alone, that will be about N750 billion.”

    The FIRS chief told the committee that  through enforcement activities in respect of defaulting taxpayers from various tax offices, tax audit and investigation assessments, FIRS has generated the sums of N28. 51 billion and 77. 83 million dollars has been recovered.

    “FIRS and the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) Joint Tax Force (JTF) was introduced in 2018 to enhance the fight against tax related economic fraud. As at December 2018, a total of N6. 94 billion and 278,430 dollars had been recovered by the JTF. This and other such initiatives are continuous and will be continuous going forward.’’

    He said FIRS also initiated income tax on property owners in Abuja and Lagos as part of efforts to deepen tax revenue collection and expand the nation’s tax net as well as increase the revenue base.

    “This project which initially targeted property owners in Abuja and Lagos has so far yielded N4.3 billion, and is being extended to other locations. In this regard, Oyo and Kaduna states have commenced.

    “It is important to note that this is not a property tax but rather the use of the provisions of the law to bring into the tax net companies that own properties but failed to file necessary tax returns and pay appropriate taxes due,’’ Fowler, explained.

    On tax audit, Fowler said: “This covers both the National Tax Audit (NTA) and the Pioneer Audit (PA). The NTA exercise contributed the sum of N212. 79 billion to tax collection in 2018. Following improvements to the audit process and resultant increased efficiency, the exercise is expected to produce increased audit yield in 2019.”

     

    Fowler  noted that FIRS recorded an increase in Value Added Tax (VAT) collection between 2015 and 2018 and the FIRS is broadening its VAT collection scope with the adoption of States Accountants Generals (SAG) collection platform, VAT Auto-Collect, integration of the GIFMIS platform with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and through e-Service payment options.

    He reiterated that VAT is not for the poor arguing that: “out of about N5.3 trillion, a large percentage is shared between states and local governments. In VAT, there has been a growth of over 44  per cent between 2015 and 2018. And that is at the current rate of five per cent.

    “Now when you look at Africa as a continent, Nigeria still has the lowest VAT rate. When we look at the items that are not VATable, basic food is not VATable, medicals, education. But if you decide and you have the ability to go to a restaurant to eat and drink the same thing you can buy in the open market, then you pay VAT.  So VAT basically is a consumption tax and those who choose not to go to the open market to buy their food and cook at home are subject to VAT. So VAT is not a hardship on the low income earners because normally they don’t even go to hotels when their wives can cook at home and they can have something very nice.

    “The same Nigerians who are complaining about an increase are the same ones who go to Ghana and go and pay triple the amount in VAT or go to London and pay higher amount. So we are just saying, like the minister said that we should get used to the idea. 85 per cent of VAT goes to the state governments who  are supposed to be closer to the people. So they can use that money as approved by their State Houses of Assembly. So they can use that money on education, infrastructure, etc.

    “Yes, we had an increase of about 32 percent from N4.02 trillion in 2017 to N5.3 trillion in 2018. At the Federal level, clearly we can see all the projects that are being completed, based on the available funds at the Federal level. I’m just saying that if we keep on the same way, the expectations cannot be different.

    “For those who have the ability and the desire to take the choice, of going to  areas where  they have to pay VAT, then they should be allowed to pay VAT.”

  • Anambra partners China to build cultural centre

    Governor Willie Obiano has tasked the  Chinese government to help facilitate the completion of some projects being handled by Chinese companies in the state, especially the international airport.

    He said due to the slow pace of work at the airport, the Anambra State government had undertaken the construction of one of the runways until the company is ready to commence work in full.

    The governor, who spoke while receiving the delegation of Chinese officials, led by China Ambassador to Nigeria Dr Zhou Pingjians, in Awka, stated that Anambra has many beautiful cultural sites, which his administration has painstakingly upgraded in the past one year in order to qualify either Owere Ezukala or Ogbunike Cave as UNESCO world heritage site.

    The visit was the fallout of the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, Indigenous Artwork, Culture and Tourism existing cultural exchange programmes with the Chinese in the past one year.

    “We have cultural artefacts which represent different periods in our development like the Igbo-Ukwu culture, all these are interesting things to be explored in Anambra,” he said.

    The governor reiterated Anambra State government’s readiness to partner the Chinese to build a cultural exchange centre as conceived by the ministry, and a consulate office in the state, as well as speedy completion of the  airport.

    Anambra State Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs, Indigenous Artwork, Culture and Tourism Mrs Sally Mbanefo thanked the Chinese ambassador for inviting Anambra Cultural Troupe as the only cultural troupe to perform in the Chinese New Year celebrations in Abuja last January.

    She disclosed that Anambra State and China have agreed to partner in building a cultural centre in Awka, noting that ‘our universities are already offering in Mandarin as a course.’

    According to Mbanefo, over 70 percent of the visa applications in Nigeria are from Anambra State, and so “we have agreed on the need to establish a consulate in Awka. We are also building an airport in Anambra State and we are collaborating with Chinese on this.”

    Read also: NEPAD trains 500 Anambra youths

    She assured the delegation that Anambra is the safest state in Nigeria while commending the Chinese government for offering to train Anambra State cultural troupe in calisthenics in China. She noted that the Chinese have earlier lavished Anambratroupe with gifts and have invited the troupe to Chinese New Year next year.

    China Ambassador to Nigeria Dr Zhou Pingjian said that the aim of the visit was to explore cooperation opportunities at sub-national level, noting that China-Nigeria relations has been cordial and very productive and as such should cut across board at all levels.

    He praised the vision of Anambra State government, stating that China is working in sync with the vision of Anambra State.

    “In China, the Congress has passed a law on foreign investment, which is in line with the vision of Anambra State. China is creating more enabling environment for foreign investors,” he said.

    He stressed that Nigeria and China have so much in common in terms of economic and population size that there is no limit to their cooperation.

    The Ambassador thanked Governor Obiano for sending the state cultural troupe to their New Year celebration while commending the troupe for the spectacular performance. He also assured the state of their readiness to help facilitate all projects being handled by the Chinese companies in the state.

  • Ndume steps up campaign for Senate President

    Senator Ali Ndume has stepped up his campaign for the position of Senate President in the Ninth Senate, despite the endorsement of Senator Ahmed Lawan by the leadership of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC)

    Ndume, who represents Borno South senatorial district, has rolled out a nine-point agenda in handbills he circulated in Abuja on Monday.

    One of the points in the agenda was a promise to improve upon the performance of the 8th Senate, stating that he will make the office of the Senate President less attractive by reducing unnecessary privileges attached to the office

    Also on his agenda is the independence of the legislature, operation of checks and balances and strict adherence to the principle of separation of powers.

    He added that he will prioritise and ensure the passage of the Constituency Development Bill, which will make constituency  projects more transparent, accountable, efficient and effective.

    Ndume also stated that if elected, he would mobilise other senators to agree on timeline for confirmation of nominees of Mr. President, passage of bills. The third-termer senator said with him in the saddle, the national budget would be passed within 90 days from the day of submission to the National Assembly.

    He pledged to make laws that will block leakages in the system; devise improved means of generating revenue, amendment and review of tax laws, and emphasis on reduction of reliance on local and foreign loans to finance budget.

    “To run the Ninth Senate transparency, through open accountability with full participation of all senators. For example, we will transfer the approving powers of the privileges of the senators like foreign travels, allowances to Senate Services Committee or a new committee to be known as Ways and Means  Committee”, the document added.

    Ndume concluded that the Senate under his leadership will uphold the governing party’s principles and policies, in addition to making laws and reviewing existing ones, to key into APC’s Next Level Agenda for the country.

     

    The senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Borno South senatorial district in the 2019 general elections, Kudla Satumari popularly called Haskey by his supporters has asked one of the candidates for the position of Senate President in the 9th Assembly, Senator Ali Ndume to forget his ambition.

    Satumari said Ndume was not the right candidate for such a high leadership position, describing him as a self centred person who has contributed nothing to the upliftment of the people he is representing in the Senate, while accusing him of being part of the problem that rocked the outgoing Senate when he worked against his party in favour of Senate President, Bukola Saraki and the PDP in 015

    Speaking in an interview in Abuja, Satumari also warned the All  Progressives Congress (APC) not to nominate Ali Ndume as senate president because he will reclaim his mandate at the Election Tribunal as the rightful elected senator for the senatorial district.

    He claimed that his victory at the polling units was upturned between the polling stations and collation centre where the results were rewritten in favour of Ndume, adding that no amount of pressure and persuasion can make him accept an out of court settlement, expressing confidence that the overwhelming evidences at his disposal are substantial enough to upturn the Ndume’s temporary victory at the Election Tribunal.

    “For the records, I contested Borno South senatorial district on the platform of the PDP. The immediate result of the election is not what is expected. I initially evaluated the outcome of the election to see what action to take, but I have overwhelming appeal from my people and even the contestants from other political parties that have supplied me with hard facts and evidences to prove substantial breach of electoral process.

    “The evidences have shown that I won the election but was upturned between the polling units and the collation centre. For us to deepen democracy and ensure that the process of election is abided by, I decided to take the case to the tribunal. It has been submitted and the papers served to all the respondents involved,” he said.

    According to him, if Ndume had won him fair and square; “I would have been among those campaigning for him to be the senate president because he is from my senatorial district and I believe that as senate president he could attract some interventions and developmental projects to our area.”

    “What people don’t know is that I have worked assiduously for him to become the senator in 2011. I was among those that worked hard to ensure that he won the election. I even named a primary school I built in area after him. The fight is not personal, but we should not reinforce failure”.

    On whether he will consider the option of an out of court settlement, he said: “Never. Out of court settlement is never an option. It is not about me but my people because the level of insecurity in my area has gotten to alarming stage. I doubt if we still have men to stand for the people.”

    Read also: PDP opponent to Ndume: you are not fit to be Senate President

    “Our problem is that nobody is bringing the issue to the centre stage. My over 80 year-old mother slept in the bush last week. It pains when the federal government claims Boko Haram has been degraded, yet the kind of insecurity we are experiencing on daily basis before, during and after the general elections has never been so under Goodluck Jonathan.

    “It was better under him because they can take control over a Local Government but the kind of hit and run we are having now and the seeming lack of concern or tangible effort made by the appropriate authority to curtail the attacks, make us to wonder if we are still part of this country.

    “That is why I will never accept any out of court settlement. Let the court decide and confirm his victory. I will appeal and if the Appeal Court still gives it to him, I will accept and leave for God. My life has been threatened and there has been nothing that has not been done.

    “There is nobody on this earth, including my mother, I cherish and respect so much that can prevail on me to step down for whatever consideration. I will never concede and even if lawyers refused to defend me, I will defend myself”.

     

  • ‘Pump action guns hidden among sanitary wares’

    The Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday heard that suspected importers of 1,570 pump action rifles hid them among sanitary wares.

    Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami (SAN) charged two businessmen, Ayogu James and Ifeuwa Moses, with importing the arms illegally.

    The fourth prosecution witness, Mohammed Usman Hassan, an Assistant Comptroller of Customs, said the suspects were arrested at the port.

    Led in evidence by Mr. Julius Ajakaiye, a Deputy Director in the Federal Ministry of Justice, the witness said on October 20, 2017, two containers were brought by men of the Customs at Tincan Port and handed over to him for safe keeping at the Customs Bonded Warehouse, Federal Operation, Ikeja.

    Hassan, who is in charge of the warehouse, said the container was examined and found to contain pump action rifles concealed among sanitary wares, such as washing hand basins.

    The witness said after 100 per cent examination of the containers and the counting of the guns, he signed a handover note, which was tendered and admitted as exhibit.

    Ajakaiye made an application to move the court to the locus inquo (scene of events) for the court to inspect the containers and the items physically.

    Justice Saliu Saidu granted the application and adjourned until May 5 for the visit.

    The defendants were accused of conspiring with Great James Oil and Gas Ltd and Emeka Umeh Festus aka Amankwa to import the rifles between November 6 and 20, 2017 using a 1-by-20ft container marked GESU 2555208.

    Moses and his suspected accomplices were accused of forging a bill of lading marked ISB0281398, issued on July 28, 2017 to read Guangdong-China, instead of Istanbul-Turkey, with intent that it would be acted upon as genuine by Customs officers.

    They were also alleged to have forged a bill of lading numbered ISB0281398, issued on July 28, 2017, to read: “Two hundred and thirty (230) packages of wash hand basin and W/C” as the container’s content.