The Nation Newspaper

Tag: urges

  • Chairman urges Wikki FC supporters to be patient

    Chairman urges Wikki FC supporters to be patient

    Sule Chindo, Chairman, Wikki Tourists FC of Bauchi, has urged supporters of the club, to be patient with their players as they strive to adapt to the ongoing Nigeria National League (NNL) competition.

    Chindo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Bauchi that even though the 1-0 defeat of Jigawa Golden Stars might not have met their expectation, he was optimistic the home team would improve with time.

    He said the match played last Saturday, was its first outing in the season in any competition, noting that players could experience initial teething problems before making corrections in subsequent matches.

    “The players should be given some time to adapt to the competition through subsequent encounters. We have noticed our mistakes in this first match and will make amends”.

    He added that the outcome of the match showed that the club had started on a right footing, since it won the game.

    According to him, the victory is a plus to the Technical Adviser, Tunde Abdurahman, even though the match was disrupted by the home fans. He said the club was likely to be awarded three points and three goals by the NNL because of the pitch invasion by supporters of Jigawa Stars.

    Chindo said the pitch invasion resulted in physical assault on the referee and some of Wikki players, and that the rules prescribed a fine against the offending club.

    Chindo added that the NNL had already taken an action by fining Golden Stars N1 million, and ordering it to play three matches in an empty stadium.

    “We have already been invited by the NNL to go to Abuja on Thursday, where the Golden Stars would be given the chance to defend themselves,” he said.

  • Oyo NSCDC urges parents to be vigilant

    Oyo NSCDC urges parents to be vigilant

    The Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Oyo State, Shem Obafaiye, yesterday advised parents to be vigilant, so that their children would not fall prey to ritualists.

    Obafaiye was reacting to Saturday’s arrest of seven suspects in possession of a human head, a coffin, three cars, a calabash, 16 handsets, charms and other items.

    The suspects, comprising three middle-aged women and four men, were arrested at Iware, a sleeping community near Oyo. They are all indigenes of Oyo town.

    It was learnt that blood was dripping from the severed human head, the suspects insisted it was a fake head.

    Obafaiye said a coroner would determine if it was fake, adding that the suspects would be handed over to the State Security Service (SSS).

    One of the suspects, Hamidu Ogunnjimi, a herbalist, said: “I was in my office when I started hearing gunshots. What you are looking at is not a human head as they claimed. We used cassava flour to mould it. We put cow blood on it so that it would look like human blood. I am a fraudster and not a ritualist. I have been a herbalist for over years. I do not kill human beings.”

  • Onaiyekan urges leaders to use nation’s resources equitably

    The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, yesterday urged leaders in government and the private sector to use the nation’s resources equitably for the benefit of all.

    Cardinal Onaiyekan gave the advice in a sermon at the thanksgiving service to mark his 70th birthday at Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Pro Cathedral in Abuja.

    He said God endowed Nigeria with enormous resources that should be distributed equally among Nigerians, irrespective of their backgrounds.

    The cardinal said equity and justice were part of the solution to Nigeria’s problems of insecurity, corruption and moral decadence.

    “This is my message to those who control and manage our resources. They must be shared equally for peace and prosperity in our nation,’’ he said.

    Cardinal Onaiyekan also said Nigerians must brace itself to the challenge of nation building, noting that no contribution was too small or big to make Nigeria great.

    According to him, “building this nation is the responsibility of all, whether you are big or small, rich or poor, it is the little contribution of everyone that will make our country great.’’

    He pledged his commitment to the service of the church and to greatness of humanity in the years ahead.

    Cardinal Onaiyekan, who was full of gratitude to God and his colleagues in the service of the church, said continued selfless service would preoccupy his activities henceforth.

    “I look to the future ready for God’s will, to do my best and to cover lost grounds in the cause of my adventure as priest. I want to dedicate the rest of my life to doing only those things that will please God because every other thing is vanity, nothing else matters to me now but to please God’’, he said.

    In his message, Pope Francis extolled the qualities of the cardinal.

    He said Onaiyekan was a shining star and a worthy son of the church and Africa and should be supported in his apostolic ministry.

    In the message read by his representative in Nigeria, Archbishop Augustine Kasujja, the pope prayed God to grant the cardinal more years of fruitful work in the vineyard of the Lord.

    Clerics and other Catholic faithful in the Abuja archdiocese and in the cardinal’s home parish in Kogi State attended the service.

  • CAN chairman urges Christians on politics

    The Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Lagos State chapter, Monsignor Bernard Okodua, has urged Christians not to despise politics.

    The cleric, who spoke at the weekend, at The Apostolic Church, Lawna International Convention Ground, Olorunda, Ketu, Lagos, on the Inter Denominational Divine Service (IDDS), holding on February 8, said Christians must make a positive change by joining parties.

    He said they should not sit on the fence, adding that they should be active in politics.

    Rev. Okodua said IDDS has been held yearly since 1976, adding that this year’s theme is: ‘Remember Now Thy Creator” (Ecclesiastes 12:1).

    He said the theme is apt, as the nation is preparing for elections.

    “The scripture admonishes us to embrace the love of God by remembering that to Him we should ascribe majesty and power and not to man, who has no control over his life.

    “Hold on to God. When as a nation we hold on to God, Satan will never have power to snatch us from Him or expose us to the dangers of this world, We will always walk before God and remain blameless, as God instructed our forefather, Abraham,” the Lagos CAN chairman added.

    The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Lagos State Governor on Religion (Christian), Mrs. Funmilayo Akitoye-Braimoh, said Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN), would be the special guest of honour, adding that personalities like CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, are also expected.

  • Maku urges support from campaign against terrorists

    The Federal Government has urged Nigerians to pray for the security agents taking part in the military action against terrorists in parts of the country.

    The Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, spoke yesterday at a special thanksgiving service in honour of Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade, the Defence spokesman, in Abuja.

    The service was held at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Central Parish, Abuja.

    “We call on the relentless prayers and support of citizens for the security agents as they battle to end the menace of insurgency in parts of the country,’’ he said.

    Maku, who is also the supervising minister for Defence, said the task undertaken by security agents to protect human sanctity against insurgents required the cooperation of well-meaning citizens.

    “With the support from the Federal Government and the public, the fight against insurgency in parts of the Northeast, would be won and peace shall be restored in the affected areas,’’ Maku said.

    On the elevation of Olukolade to major-general, the minister said he has contributed to the advancement of the military.

  • PDP urges court to dismiss case by 79 lawmakers

    •Court fixes Jan 29 for hearing

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to decline jurisdiction over the suit filed by some members of the National Assembly, seeking to restrain it from declaring vacant the seats of some of the former members that defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The party’s prayer is contained in the preliminary objection it jointly filed with its former Chairman, Bamanga Tukur, against the suit instituted by 22 PDP Senators and 57 members of the House of Representatives, including those who have defected to APC.

    They claimed that the substance of the case “is an intra-party matter for which the fourth defendant (PDP) has various administrative and legal mechanisms which are yet to be exhausted by the plaintiffs.”

    The party and its ex-Chairman urged the court to dismiss the suit on the grounds that the plaintiffs “lacked that requisite legal standing to institute and sustain this suit,” that the suit amounts to an abuse of court process, that it was wrongly commenced and that there is no reasonable cause of action that lies against the defendants.

    Yesterday, Joe-Kyari Gadzama (SAN), who represented Tukur and PDP urged the court to grant his request to argue orally, the preliminary objection.

    Mahmoud Magaji (SAN), who led the plaintiffs’ legal team, urged the court to discountenance Gadzama’s submission.

    He said the second defendant (the Senate President) and third defendant (Speaker of House of Representatives) should take steps to regularise their processes before the court.

    Magaji insisted that the objection was not ripe for hearing and urged the court to reject Gadzama’s application.

    Justice Ahmed Mohammed held that the originating summons was not ripe for hearing. And as such, the preliminary objection would also not be heard yet.

    “Considering the circumstances of this matter, I am of the view that the originating summon is not ripe for hearing.

    “The preliminary objection draws strength from the originating summons, and since it is not ripe for hearing, the court will not be competent to hear the preliminary objection.

    “In this wise, the consideration of taking the preliminary objection and the originating summon together does not arise. Therefore the court is unable to accede to the application of the first and fourth defendants for court to hear their preliminary objection.”

    The judge noted that the Senate President and the Speaker of House of Representatives have not responded to the originating summons. He adjourned to January 29 for hearing.

     

  • 2015: Senator urges Etsako to wait for their turn

    Associates of the incumbent senator for Edo North, Deacon Domingo Obende, from Akoko Edo Local Government Area, yesterday warned those agitating for the seat from Etsako to wait for their turn.

    The senator’s friends said the agitators could not have the governor (Adams Oshiomhole) and the senator from the same area.

    A member of the House of Representatives, Abubakar Momoh, from Etsako Senatorial District, has declared interest and promises to unseat Obende.

    He is believed to be a threat to the senator since the Etsako boast numerical strength and political big wigs with influence, including the governor.

    A loyalist to the senator, Dayo Okomayin, said: “We are not spectators in the party. We are not here to clap our hands for the Etsako. The Etsako have had it twice and Owan once. Now that it is Akoko Edo’s turn, they think they can arm-twist us to it. They should wait for their turn.

    “There must be fair play in this game. There must be justice and equity in the distribution of elective offices. The sitting governor is from Etsako; the Majority Leader of the House of Assembly is also from Etsako; the Chief of Staff to the President is from Etsako; the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) state chairman is from Etsako; Oshiomhole’s major appointments and key positions were given to Etsako sons and daughters, including and not limited to the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and revenue board.

    “I understand that an Etsako man is also interested in the deputy governorship ticket after the expiration of the governor’s tenure. The question one would ask them is: how justifiable does it sound for an Etsako man to be the senator and also clinch the governorship running mate’s ticket just after two terms as governor?

    “You can see: across political divide, the Etsako are in charge. Our senator is yet to complete his tenure; an Etsako man is already gallivanting everywhere campaigning for a non-vacant seat and engaging in all subversive means to oust him.

    “I want to believe that if we must remain together as one senatorial district, this gang-up against the Akoko Edo man must stop and they should let the senator be returned.”

    Okomayin listed the senator’s achievements, including the sponsorship and co-sponsorship of at least 14 bills in the fourth Senate, creation and procurement of employment and various projects in the six local government areas under the senatorial district.

  • CNPP urges Jonathan to probe NNPC over ‘missing’ $10.8b

    CNPP urges Jonathan to probe NNPC over ‘missing’ $10.8b

    The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) yesterday decried the “unprofessional creative accounting method” of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on the $10.8 billion “missing” oil revenue fund.

    The umbrella body of the nation’s opposition urged President Goodluck Jonathan to set up an independent enquiry to investigate the “blatant scam in the NNPC creative accounting, for the $8.49 billion could have been used to build two mega refineries and stop fuel products importation”.

    A statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Osita Okechukwu, said: “We regret that each time the pervasive leakage of funds and monumental corruption in the corporation comes under public scrutiny, the NNPC recklessly adopts the unprofessional creative accounting method.

    “We recall how painfully and grudgingly Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, wrote our dear President and raised the issue of the missing $49.8 billion from crude oil sales from January 2012 to July 2013.

    “A fire-brigade reconciliation approach among the relevant agencies – the NNPC, the CBN, and Ministry of Finance – ensued after several days. The Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, concluded that ‘According to NNPC’s records, …$67.12 billion comprised the revenues which directly accrued to the NNPC (for the Federation Account) of $14 billion and additional revenues lifted by the NNPC on behalf of other parties.

    “…’$10.8 billion (N1.6 trillion) shortfall of domestic crude oil receipts due to Federation Account was not remitted’.

    “…The creative accounting went thus: $8.49 billion, unpaid fuel subsidy claims; $1.22 billion, pipeline management; $0.72 billion, crude oil losses and $.7 billion, cost of holding reserve stock.

    “We disagree with the so-called fuel subsidy payment of $8.49 billion by the NNPC…”

  • Expert urges support for pig farming

    The Federal Government has been urged to support pig production through use of modern technologies.

    The Publisher, Food Farm News, Mr Ayeni Oladehinde, said in a statement that because of the lack of innovative approaches to animal nutrition in the pig market, volumes have decreased in recent years.

    He said the nation’s pig industry has slaughtered fewer animals, due largely in part to higher, more unstable feed costs.

    The decrease, he maintainned, could be partially explained by unexpectedly large increases on soyabean and grain prices, while pork prices only enjoyed a slight boost during the same period.

    According to him, the government can boost productivity in the industry by increasing investment in finishing facilities – farms where young pigs are kept until they reach market weight.

    He called on the government to improve fortunes in the industry through the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) programme, adding that there is greater potential for wealth-creation and employment-generation, if Nigerians are made to explore the opportunities across the value chain.

    He said the nation needed to harness its potential, scrap old production systems that had an adverse impact on the environment and develop faster and more flexible processing of environmental and building applications.

    He called for investment to improve the social and economic well-being of approximately farmers across the country, adding that the level of pork production, could led to increase significantly as a result of the investment.

  • Drive insurance, NIA chief urges agents

    To deepen insurance penetration in the country, agents have been advised to drive retail business.

    The Director-General, Nigeria Insurers Association (NIA), Mr Sunday Thomas gave the advice during during a visit by the executives of the Association of Registered Insurance Agents (ARIAN) to him in Lagos.

    He said emphasis is more on corporate clients at the expense of individuals. He added that the success of micro-insurance lies with agencies hence the need for agents to gain capacity by developing themselves.

    He said: “The more individual lines we have, the better the insurance penetration in Nigeria. ARIAN is an important section of the insurance industry in Nigeria and agents registered under the association should restrict themselves to the individual lines.

    “Agency is a career structure where you don’t retire depending on how the agency is structured. That is why someone at 70 years old would have so much income coming in for him even when he is not stepping a foot out.

    “Corporate market is a broker’s market, which is already saturated. The agents are in place to drive the personal lines because statistics shows that there are over 12 million cars in Nigeria but only 1.5 million of these cars are insured. Agents are the ones to get the remaining over 10 million cars uninsured by meeting the individual owners.’’

    The NIA chief said there is no other body in the sector that has a large membership like ARIAN, noting that agents are the foot soldiers of the industry.

    He urged ARIAN to create an environment that encourages agency operation by building credibility while it develops a good distributing system.

    He warned that no agent should be allowed to operate without registration, noting that in the past, unregistered agents were sanctioned by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM).

    He encouraged the association to open offices at the local, state and regional levels to boost its membership and attract more money to execute its projects.

    He also said it should recruit agents retention which has been an age-long problem.