A Nigerian newspaper and Online version of the Vanguard, a daily publication in Nigeria covering Niger delta, general national news, politics, business, energy, sports, entertainment, fashion,lifestyle human interest stories, etc
Two suspected armed bandits were on Wednesday arrested while one was killed during a gun duel with operatives of the Enugu State Police Command, police spokesperson, Mr Ebere Amaraizu, has said.
A statement from Amaraizu in Enugu said that the hoodlums had allegedly operated on Edinburgh Road, Ogui New Layout and Rangers Avenue, Independence Layout. He said that the two hoodlums were arrested during a manhunt mounted by the police, adding that several arms were recovered.
"The Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mr Emmanuel Ojukwu, has applauded his operatives on their effort leading to the arrest of two of the hoodlums and another dead making it three. "The hoodlums had operated around Edinburgh/Ogui New Layout axis which led to the death of one person.
"The operatives confronted them head-on, ensuring that the hoodlums did not have a free day. Man-hunt for other members of the gang is still on," Amaraizu said.
Meanwhile, sporadic gun shots were later heard around Independence Avenue close to the Government House. The area was cordoned off by the police as people ran away in different directions.
Gov. Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara on Wednesday vowed that all those implicated in the killing of eight persons in Talata Mafara, Zamfara, would be exposed and prosecuted. The governor made the vow on Wednesday in Abuja while fielding questions from State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said that though no arrest had been made, security officials had intensified investigation into the incident with a view to apprehending all those involved in the religious unrest. He said: “as at the time I left Zamfara, no arrest yet, immediately the incident happened, the school authority shut down the school.
“The police and the DSS are carrying out their investigations and soon there will be arrests. “The government will not take this lightly; people should not take laws into their hands. “If you say the punishment for who abuses the Prophet should be killed and you now killed innocent people.
“By the way, there is a government in place, there are laws and there are courts where Islamic laws are practised in Zamfara. “So, why should someone take laws into his hands? “So, definitely all the culprits will be brought to book.''
Yari, who condemned the religious unrest, dismissed social media reports that Christians were killed, saying that seven out of the eight persons that lost their lives during the incident were Muslims.
The Kano State House of Assembly on Wednesday ordered the immediate removal of all Kwankwasiyya inscriptions from public buildings in Kano metropolis and other local government areas of the state.
The directive followed a motion by Alhaji Baffa Babba-Dan-Agundi, member representing Kano Municipal Constituency and Chairman, House Committee on Education. The motion was unanimously adopted by all the 40 members of the State Assembly.
The House urged the 44 local government councils to comply with the order within one month. The House directed that the Kwankwasiyya inscriptions, linked to former Gov. Rabiu Kwakwanso, be replaced with the names of prominent citizens of the state.
Meanwhile, the development had heightened suspicion that the animosity between Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje and his predecessor had taken a new dimension.
The House had also on Wednesday screened a commissioner nominee, Hajiya Yardada Maikano-Bichi, whose name was submitted on Monday.
The wrangling within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi state assumed a worrisome dimension on Wednesday when two groups clashed at its National Secretariat, Abuja.
A group of members of the party from the state had arrived at the secretariat, protesting the handling of affairs by the governor, Mohammed Abubakar. Leader of the group, Galadima Abba, said to be youth leader in the state, said that the governor had failed in his duties.
Amid chantings against the governor, Abba said that the group was at the secretariat to draw attention of the party to its imminent collapse in the state due to poor handling of affairs by the governor. ”Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abubakar, has failed; he cannot pay salary of workers and is unable to pay pensioners.
”Most of his appointments are to PDP members while the APC appointees are been removed; we are calling on the national leadership to act fast by intervening in order to save Bauchi state from this debacle,?” he said. However, in a turn of events, some of the anti-governor protesters suddenly changed stance and started chanting slogans in his favour.
?Umar Saleh, a leader who emerged among the “changed'' protesters, said “the governor has done nothing wrong. Those that want to remove him have something to hide. ”He is doing well and we support him. Allegations that he is owing workers their salaries for months is untrue and complaints about unending verification is to totally rid the state of ghost workers,” he said.
At that point, the atmosphere became charged and the groups engaged themselves in altercations and fisticuffs, almost leading to a free-for-all. The situation was, however, checked by security men and party staff at the secretariat, and all the members went into a closed-door meeting for about four hours.
Briefing newsmen at the end of the meeting, Chairman of the party in the state, Mr Uba Nana, said ”APC is one and united in Bauchi state. ”We are working day-in, day-out to deliver our promises to the electorate. We are addressed as one united party so that anyone who voted for APC will have no cause to regret.”
Nana said that as a family, even when arguments arose, it should be settled amicably through dialogue. He argued that conflicts must arise in any normal setting, saying, ”whether it’s a civil or international war, nothing can be achieved on the battle field unless by dialogue.
”Many states cannot sustain themselves through internally generated revenue; Bauchi is one of those. We only depend on Federation Account. ”Salaries are still being paid in full in Bauchi; no salary cut like other states. The situation we found ourselves is the bunch of problems we inherited from the previous administration.
”Even if there is a problem, this is something we should sit down and address as one family. ”The governor should be commended not condemned; verification is necessary, only the real staff will be paid.” Nana also said that APC was not in a fight with anybody and had not disrespected the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, who is an indigene of the state and member of the party, in any way.
On whether the governor would stand another election, he said, ”what is before us is not the question of 2019. ”What is before us is how do to deliver successfully to the electorate. Go to Bauchi and see what is happening, only time will tell.” It would be recalled that Dogara recently led a delegation of top government functionaries and party members from the state, including the Minister of Education, Prof. Adamu Adamu, to the party national secretariat to report Gov. Abubakar?.
They accused the governor of mismanaging the bailout funds given to the state, alleging that he did not pay staff salaries.
KANO-THE Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi, Wednesday, urged the Federal Government to emulate Lagos State that had shown how the economy can develop without relying on a commodity to avoid the pitfalls of last administration.
Sanusi II
The Emir, who spoke during a lecture he delivered at the second day of the 15th Joint Planning Board, JPB, and National Council on Development Planning organised by the Ministry of Budget and National Planning in collaboration with Kano State government, said the All Progressives Congress, APC-led administration needs to free itself from voodoo economists at the corridor of power.
He noted that his relief lies on Lagos that had demonstrated a positive role in the way forward for others to emulate. He said: "As it stands today, Lagos' role on the economic future of Nigeria is critical than what people think of the Niger Delta region.
"We are spending 30 to 40 percent of every Naira we earn servicing debt. "The new borrowings were simply recycled into much higher recurrent expenditure. The GDP was growing largely due to consumers items."
He said Federal Govern-ment can learn from Lagos policies formulation that boost business and attract investors, adding that the Lagos example can bail the country out of its economic woes. He described as unwholesome a situation where somebody pull through a connection and rake in billions of naira without commiserate effort.
He said: "With my background in the banking sector, and now a royal father, I can sit in my garden and make billions through forex market without sweat. "This is how most of those you called billionaires made their money."
Niger state government has allocated about 30,000 hectares of land in Bobi community, Mariga Local Government Area as grazing reserve for herders.
Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger State
Governor Abubakar Bello disclosed this during a meeting with the national leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) in Minna.
Bello also promised to open up additional grazing reserves in designated locations across the state, in the ongoing effort to end farmers/herders clash in the state.
He said the Bobi grazing reserve is enough to accommodate half of the cattle in the state.
He said facilities such as veterinary clinic, water and adequate feeds will be provided at the Bobi grazing reserve.
Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the September 10, 2016 governorship election in Edo state, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has reached a pact to build roads and other amenities for communities of Iyekogba, Oredo local government area of Edo State, if he becomes governor.
Ize-Iyamu
The pact commits Pastor Ize-Iyemu to execute the projects in the document if voted governor.
The communities of about 53 villages had vowed only to support the governorship candidate who would be willing to enter into a formal agreement with them on the provision of amenities and other infrastructures.
At a meeting with traditional rulers and youth groups, the candidate was presented with a list of projects contained in a document he would be required to execute on assumption of office.
The list contained roads, schools and the appointment of indigenes into influential positions into his government.
The governorship candidate went ahead to sign the document, saying he had no problems doing.
Chairman of the traditional council of the area, Anthony Osayemwenre, said the communities had resolved that their support for any candidate would be dependent on his going into a signed agreement with them.
He lamented that in spite of their size and contributions to the determination of the electoral process, Iyekogba communities had always lacked government impact by way of provision of necessary infrastructure.
He said this time, their demands had been spelt out clearly and would become a reference point when the candidate was elected governor.
Ize-Iyamu said he was impressed by the initiative of the communities and he had no difficulty signing because all the requests were in consonance with his development drive and that of his party.
He used the occasion to introduce his written manifesto titled the Simple Agenda which articulates how he intends to achieve his development goals.
Ize-Iyamu, called the attention of the members of the communities to a page in the Agenda where he mentioned the construction of the roads in Iyekogba to link Ekewan Communities in Ovia North East Local Government Area.
He said beyond the facilities requested, he desired to bring industrialization to Iyekogba so as to enhance the economy of the place as well as create jobs for members of the communities.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday in Abuja said it has started planning for 2017 budget just as it has approved the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategic Paper (FSP) for 2017 to 2019.
The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Mr Udoma Udo-Udoma, made this known while briefing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting which was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He revealed that there was extensive consultation with stakeholders, including state governors and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) before the document was presented to FEC for the approval.
According to him, it is on the basis of the approved MTEF that the 2017, 2018 and 2019 budgets will be fashioned. Udo-Udoma said “today, the Federal Executive Council approved Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper for 2017 to 2019, that is, the MTEF and the FSP for the next three years.
“As you know, the Fiscal Responsibility Act requires the executive to prepare the MTEF and send it to the National Assembly for consideration. “And it is on the basis of the MTEF that the next budget will be fashioned.
“So, in short, we have started the process of preparing the 2017 budget. “Before the MTEF was presented to FEC for consideration, there was extensive consultation with the private sector, governors and NGOs.”
According to him, the government intends to intensify efforts in pursuing manpower0driven economy in the 2017-2019 MTEF. He maintained that with the MTEF, government intended to pursue gender sensitive, pro-poor and inclusive social intervention schemes similar to the 2016 social intervention programmes.
He said “we intend to intensify effort to diversify the economy, we intend to go on with the implementation of ongoing reforms in public finance, we intend to enhance the environment for ease of business so as to generate private sector and private investment.
“We also intend to continue to pursue gender sensitive, pro-poor and inclusive social intervention schemes similar to what we did in 2016, our social intervention programmes are going to be sustained.” He noted that the Federal Government had fixed 42.5 dollars per barrel and 2.2 million barrel per day production of crude oil as assumptions for the 2017 budget.
“Let me share with you some of the key parameters and assumptions which will be underpinning the 2017-2019 MTEF. “Oil price benchmark: We intend to use 42.50 dollars as reference price in 2017. We are projecting 45 dollars in 2018 and 50 dollars in 2019.
“So, we are keeping to the very conservative in terms of the reference price of crude oil, even though we are expecting it to go higher than this. But, we are keeping to an extremely conservative price scenario. “In terms of oil production, we are keeping to the same level of this year for 2017 and that is 2.2 million barrels per day.
“For 2018, 2.3 million barrels per day; and for 2019, 2.4 million barrels per day. “In terms of growth rate, we are targeting three per cent growth rate in 2017 and 4.26 per cent growth rate in 2018 and a 4.04 per cent growth rate in 2019.
The minister explained that the 2019 rate was slightly lower than 2018 because 2019 would be an election year. The Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Okechukwu Enelamah, also disclosed that FEC had ratified the World Trade Organisation's Trade Facilitation Agreement.
According to him, the agreement seeks to reduce the cost of doing business among members of the WTO He said “Council also approved the ratification of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Trade Facilitation agreement. “This is an agreement approved by all members of WTO in the ministerial conference that was held in 2013.
“What that agreement seeks to do is basically to lower the cost of trade generally for everybody. `There was clear understanding that everybody benefits from lowering the cost of doing trade, it is particularly beneficial to developing countries that want to be able to access the international market. “Nigeria was one of the countries that approved the agreement then, and we have been going through the process to ratify the agreement so that it would come into effect.
“The idea is that the agreement will come into effect when it is ratified by two thirds of all the countries that approved it originally; we think that will happen sometimes this year.''
Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers said his administration has ensured that the people of the state enjoyed good governance and development.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Special Assistant on Electronic Media to the governor, Simeon Nwakaudu, and made available to newsmen in Abuja.
Wike said this while addressing the Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC) 9 at the Institute of Security Service (ISS), Abuja, on Wednesday.
He also said that his administration had revived the state judiciary and made it more functional and independent.
The governor stated that the State House of Assembly also enjoyed independence, while the state civil service had been revived by his administration.
He called for reforms of relevant Federal and State institutions to ensure that they contributed to the development of the country.
By Emeka Anaeto, Economy Editor Stock market sentiment Wednesday came against all the banks indicted by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, over Treasury Single Account, TSA, infractions forcing a total loss of N8.1 billion on their investors, as the share prices shed weight.
The affected banks are United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA), First Bank of Nigeria, Diamond Bank Plc, Sterling Bank Plc, Skye Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc and First City Monument Bank (FCMB).
The other banks involved in the sanction, Heritage Bank and Keystone Bank, are not in the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
CBN had barred the affected banks from dealing in foreign exchange transactions until they regularize their positions with the apex bank in respect of TSA obligations on the account of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, forex receipts.
Consequently, investors reacted to this development by offloading the shares causing some degree of mark-down in the stock prices.
The loss momentum was led by stocks of Diamond Bank and UBA which lost about N2.5 billion each, but while Diamond's share value dropped by a huge 8.9 per cent that of UBA dropped by 1.5 per cent.
They were followed by FCMB which dropped by 5.0 per cent translating into a financial loss of N1.19 billion to the shareholders.
Shareholders lost N863 million, N350 million, N326 million and N289 million in Sterling Bank, Skye Bank, First Bank and Fidelity Bank respectively.
Stock market dealers believed the adverse sentiments were buoyed by perceived dependency of the banks on foreign exchange transactions for a huge portion of their earnings, and reasoned that the CBN action would translate into erosion of the banks' profits and returns to the investors in their stocks.
Meanwhile more of the affected banks have reacted to the alleged withholding of foreign exchange inflows from NNPC, for which they were sanctioned.
The Ebonyi Government has threatened to seal some banks operating in the state owing it debt amounting to N4 billion if they failed to pay back after seven days. The Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Sen. Emmanuel Onwe, who made the threat on Wednesday in Abakaliki, said that the managers of the affected banks were taking the government for granted.
He warned that the premises of the affected banks would be sealed in accordance with the revenue law of the state, adding that there would be no compromise. “The affected banks are still retaining excess charges, excess deductions, withholding taxes, excess interest charges, non-remittance of Pay As Your Earn (PAYE) taxes," he said.
Onwe announced that the state Executive Council had approved N100 million to pay the fees of Ebonyi state students studying abroad on scholarship. “The exco also approved N43 million for students studying marine engineering abroad; government will also pay the scholarship of its students studying within the country," he said.
The commissioner said that the executive reviewed the state of uncompleted contracts across the state and expressed frustration with the lackadaisical attitude of some contractors handling government projects. “The government has made several efforts to move the contractors to site, but most of them did not comply; government may have to review their contracts.
“The government views the contractor's attitude as hostile which we will not ignore; the contractors are given seven days to mobilise to their various sites. “Contractor who claim the government is owing them should come for negotiations,'' he said,
Onwe clarified that the determination of the government to deal with contractors who refused to mobilize to site does not in any way mean probe of the past administration in the state.
The Comptroller-General, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammad Babandede, said the dismissed 2,000 Immigration recruits must pass through screening before being reabsorbed into the Service. Babandede said this at a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja following the continued protest by the 2,000 dismissed illegal recruits.
The 2,000 Immigration recruits have been protesting the directive by the NIS that they must past through background checks/screening before employment. The Immigration boss said that the background checks? which include: security clearance, drug test, certificate verification and the ‘age on rank’ policy must be strictly adhered to.
Babandede? ?said the service would continue with the planned screening scheduled to hold from on Aug. 29 to Sept. 4 at the NIS headquarters. “Failure to submit oneself for screening would be regarded as withdrawal of interest in the recruitment exercise,” he said.
He said that there was no ulterior motive attached to the screening exercise and assured that those cleared would be reabsorbed. The comptroller-general, who maintained that the 2,000 recruits were not screened before they were recruited in 2015, noted that “we can’t give a riffle to a drug addict, he will kill people''.
He said those who were protesting against the screening exercise were those who “are drug addicts, brandishing fake certificates” and are “too old to be employed into the Service”. He assured that no one would be victimised, stressing that government had made financial provision to capture their salaries.
The 2,000 recruits were employed into the Service by a Presidential Committee in February 2015 after the ill-fated recruitment in March, 2014 where some applicants died and many others sustained injuries, but were dismissed later in the year.
Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue, has announced N5 million reward for anybody with useful information that would aid the security agencies arrest his former amnesty boss, Terwase Akwaza.
Mr Bem Meladu, the acting Secretary to the State Government (SSG), made the announcement on Wednesday in Makurdi while addressing newsmen at the end of the state security meeting.
He said that the reward was to facilitate the arrest of Akwaza, who is on the run from police arrest. Akwaza, a beneficiary of the state amnesty programme, had been declared wanted by the police for his alleged involvement in kidnapping, armed robbery and assassinations.
The Police in Benue said they wanted Akwaza, popularly called Gana, for his alleged involvement in the killing of Ortom’s security aide, Mr Denen Igbana and rustling of over 3,000 cattle in the state.
Meladu said that the Security Council had also directed the CP to re-open the case of the Catholic priest in the state who was kidnapped and assassinated. He said the order became imperative to unearth the mystery surrounding the assassination of the priest.
The Buhari-led Federal Government has approved the appointment of Dr Ezekiel Oseni as acting Managing Director of the National Economic Reconstruction Fund (NERFUND).
The information is contained in a letter signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mr Mahmoud Isa-Dutse, on Wednesday in Abuja.
Isa-Dutse stated that “Oseni's appointment which takes immediate effect is made under a management agreement between the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Industry (BoI).''
The permanent secretary noted that Oseni was until his appointment, a General Manager and Chief Risk Manager at the BoI.
Isa-Dutse said Oseni had the mandate among others to reposition the organisation and to ensure that all outstanding indebtedness were cleared.
The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi, on Wednesday attributed the current economic recession in the country to inability of the past administrations to diversify the economy.
He made the remark while delivering a lecture at the ongoing 15th meetings of the Joint Planning Board and National Council on Development Planning in Kano.
He said there was urgent need for the country to return to the drawing board and expand the economy through wise investment for the economic growth and development of the country.
"If we do not expand the economy through wise investment, we can end up in classical Malthusian situation.
"If this government continues to behave the way the past government behaved, we will end up where Jonathan ended."
He said in a situation where one sits down with a telephone call to make one billion Naira without investing a single Kobo, that system is wrong and unsustainable.
He lamented that in spite of the past experiences we had on our socio-economic challenges, the country was still making the same mistakes as we cannot process tomato paste. "In a situation where we cannot process tomato. Tomato paste is being imported from China. It is sad."he said. The title of the paper is: Nigeria In search of new growth model.
South Africa’s Finance Minister said Wednesday he would not appear before police as part of their probe into a spy unit formed while he was the country’s top tax man.
Pravin Gordhan who was commissioner of South African Revenue Service (SARS) from 1999 to 2009 has faced allegations that the “rogue spy unit” spied on politicians, including the current President Jacob Zuma.Pravin Gordhan
On Tuesday elite police investigators known as the Hawks summoned Gordhan and other former SARS officials to present themselves for questioning over the unit.
Gordhan said in a statement he had been advised that the was “under no obligation” to present himself to the police.
He acknowledged the existence of the unit, insisting that it was a legal body and its operations were in line with tax and customs rules.
“I therefore, do not intend to present myself for a warning statement for many considerations, both legal and given my other commitments,” he said in a statement.
“I have a job to do in a difficult economic environment and serve South Africa as best I can. Let me do my job.”
Investigators had earlier this year sent Gordhan a list of 27 questions to answer regarding the unit.
Gordhan said in a statement that if any of the members of the so called spy unit had engaged in “unlawful activities then they did do without my knowledge or consent.”
The news of the investigation into Gordhan has been widely criticised by opposition parties and economists, with some describing it as a political witch hunt.
The elite Hawks police unit has gained a reputation for being used to fight political battles. Gordhan is known for his tough talk against wasteful expenditure, something which has put him at odds with some top government officials.
A widely respected technocrat, Gordhan was finance minister from 2009 to 2014 before he was shifted to the cooperative governance portfolio.
In December 2015, he was recalled to the crucial finance ministry after the firing of the then minister Desmond van Rooyen.
News of the investigation has also hit the markets, with the rand falling 1.5 percent to 13.21 against the dollar.
A 26-year-old unemployed, Toheeb Adetunji, who allegedly stole a laptop valued at N120, 000, was on Wednesday docked in Lagos.
The accused, whose address is unknown, is facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and escape from lawful custody at an Ojo Magistrates' Court. The prosecutor, Insp. Uche Simon, told the court that the accused, with others still at large, committed the offences at 1: 00 p.m., on July 28, at Festac Town, Lagos.
Simon alleged that the accused stole the laptop from one Abiola Ogundokun.
“Adetunji stole the laptop from the complainant who was about entering a commercial bus “Ogundokun raised an alarm and the accused was caught by passers-by and handed over to the police while the others escaped,'' he said.
The prosecutor also alleged that the accused had on Aug. 1, at Amuwo Odofin Police Station, escaped from lawful custody. He said the offences contravened Sections 106, 285 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The accused could bag a three-year jail term if convicted. Adetunji, however, pleaded not guilty. The Magistrate, Mr Titus Abolarinwa, granted the accused N150, 000 bail with two sureties in like sum.
Abolarinwa said that one of the sureties must be a blood relation of the accused, and should be gainfully employed with evidence of three years tax payment in the state. The magistrate adjourned the case till Oct. 24 for further hearing.
A welding gas explosion in Damaturu on Wednesday killed one person and caused panic, making people to scamper for safety.
Lt. George Okupe, the Army spokesman in the state, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
“It was an accidental explosion from a welding tank when a welder was working on a pipe for a soldier.
“The welder died instantly while the soldier and one other civilian sustained injuries and are responding to treatment at the Specialists Hospital Damaturu,'' Okupe said.
The Army spokesman said the situation had been brought under control but that investigation was ongoing.
He urged the people not to panic but to go about their normal businesses.
Okupe solicited the support and cooperation of the people, saying “the fight against insurgency is still on and requires collective responsibility''.
NAN reports that normalcy has since returned to the town as people go about their normal activities.
CALEB AYANSINA ABUJA - CHRISTIAN Elders, under the auspices of the National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF), Wednesday, disagreed with the Sultan of Sokoto, Shah 'ad Abubakar, 111, that Nigeria is a multi-religious state that could not be islamised.
The Chairman of NCEF, Solomon Asemota, SAN, insisted that Nigeria is factually an Islamic state contrary to the position of the 1999 constitution section 10 that "the Government of the Federation or of a State shall not adopt any religion as State religion".
Asemota in a statement signed and made available to Vanguard in Abuja alleged that 'secret and civilised jihad' is being practised in the country by some Muslim leaders, who are in the position of authority.
Sultan was quoted in the report to have said that "It is not possible to Islamize Nigeria. If God had wanted, he would have created all Christians or all Muslims. We are not secular but a multi-religious state because the people are so religious. We must respect one another and understand the tenets of the two religions."
But NCEF said going by the statement, Nigeria had accepted Christianity and Islam as the State religions as against the spirit of the constitution.
Mr Sunday Alhassan, President, National Union of Postal and Telecommunication (NUPTE), on Wednesday said the proposed Communication Service Tax (CST) would amount to double taxation. Alhassan told newsmen in Lagos that the bill was anti-workers and if allowed to sail through, would lead to loss of jobs.
The Minister of Communication, Mr Adebayo Shittu, had proposed the imposition of Communication Service Tax (CST). The bill, if passed into law, means that nine per cent tax would be charged on all phone calls, SMS, MMS and data package.
Alhassan said that workers were against the passage of the bill because labour was not invited for the public hearing on it and did not make any contribution. “The proposed bill will lead to drop in calls which will affect the revenue of communication companies.
“If the tax on calls is increased, workers can lose their jobs due to drops in money generated by the companies,'' Alhassan said. He said that it would be unfair to allow the people to pay such tax when workers in a country were still earning N18,000 national minimum wage.
The unionist said that the bill was not realistic now because workers' take-home pay could no longer take them home.
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