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
Speaking on the issue of cultism among Nigerian students, President of National Association of Nigeria Students, NANS, Comrade Taiwo Bamigbade EGALITARIAN, listed the following reasons students join fraternities in school.
According to him, students join cult group for so many reasons which include but not limited to : Peer group influence, poor parental upbringing; course curriculum in school which makes students less busy in school; oppression from lecturers and poor security system in and outside the campuses and poor institution management.
Bamigbade added that cult and cult related activities are spreading like wild fire across Nigerian campuses and urgent steps need to be taken to stop this ugly trend.
His words, ” Curbing cultism on campuses requires a collective approach which ranges from parental efforts, higher institutions inputs and government. Parent should bring their children up in God-fearing ways. Also, management of institutions across Nigeria should enact strict punitive measures to discourage students from joining cult or other anti-social groups.
Suspected cultists
Mr Maxwell John from the Department of State Security Service, DSS Lagos Command spoke recently in Lagos at a Summit organised by the National Union of Lagos State Student NULASS tagged, ” Cultism and drug abuse among Nigerian Youth:A Threat to National Peace and National Security.”
The DDS representative defined cultism as any organisation that is kept away from the public whose activities can cause threat and dangers to the peace of the community.
According to Mr John, the following can be traits that a youth belongs to a fraternity. When a youth become a heavy driver and smoker, moves in groups, has no definite home address, lives in constant fear, uses charm, suspicious dress sense and most times a fighter.
For Chimobi, 300 level of Structural Engineering, University of Benin lamented that lack of principle and not peer pressure is the reason students join cult organisations in school.” For me lack of values and principles are the reasons majority of youths join fraternities. As you will know, before peer pressure there is principle, peer pressure may not influence one if we have the right people around us.”
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Friday in Abuja inaugurated an Air Force Girls Comprehensive School to improve girl child education in the country.
The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, inaugurated the school at the Air Force Base, Abuja.
The minister was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan.
He commended the Chief of Air Staff and other personnel of the Service for the "remarkable project".
The minister said the present administration had resolved to make education accessible for the good of the country.
Adamu noted that one of the major factors militating against girl child education in the country today was poverty as well as cultural and religious believes.
"These factors have clearly undermined the role of the girl child who naturally is meant to be a friend, a teacher, a confidant, a councilor, a mother and the hand that feeds.
"Available records from the NBS showed that the girl child education as compared to boys is ratio one to three in some states and two to four in others.
"This clearly shows the disadvantage position of the girl child in the area of education.
In his remarks, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sidique Abubakar, said it had become imperative to improve on the girl child education in the country.
He thanked Nigerian Air Force Officers Wives Association (NAFOWA) for their vision about the project.
"As chief of Administration, I was actively involved in the genesis of this project and NAF had to come in due to their inability to complete the project,'' he said.
He said provision of quality education to families and personnel of the Force had been an invaluable tool for the motivation of officers and men for higher performance, commitment to duty and effective service delivery.
"In building this school for girl child education, various thoughts came to my mind, first, there was the need to enhance the welfare of personnel which is a key driver of my vision.
"Our experience of fighting insurgents in the North-East indicates the exploitation of girl child education due to low literacy level.
"Against this background, we thought it wise to establish the school as our modest contribution to the president's efforts at enhancing the Girl Child Education In the country.
" With the opening of this school, it will shield them from societal vices because when you open the door of a school you open the door of liberty,''Abubakar said.
The Nigerian Air Force had already established an Air Force Comprehensive School in Jos, and has promised to establish the third one in its base in Bauchi State.
The former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ali Modu Sheriff has reiterated his commitment to the reconciliation process in the party, saying that the statement by the governor of Ekiti state, Ayo Fayose that the courts should be allowed to resolve the leadership crisis in the party “has no impact whatsoever” on the process.
Sheriff-Makarfi
Speaking yesterday while inaugurating a faction leadership of the party in Delta state, Sheriff said the problems in the party can only be resolved through dialogue as has been initiated between him and Senator Ahmed Makarfi.
It would be recalled that Senators Sheriff and Makarfi early this week resolved to work together to end the leadership crisis that had engulfed the party since May this year.
While the move has been hailed by many, the governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose pooh-poohed the initiative, saying “it will not work unless the matter is decided on by the Appeal Court.
"When cases are in court you allow the court to lay them to rest. The moment this thing doesn't favour one side, they will tell you 'we are still in court. But allow the court to take a stand and reconciliation would be made easy. I'm not against anybody reconciling with each other but when you see that meeting, ask the conveners if governors were briefed” he said.
But Senator Sheriff who was represented at the inauguration by his Deputy National Chairman, Dr Cairo Ojuogboh said not minding the outcome of the cases in court, there would still be need for reconciliation.
“We want to tell Nigerians that the two leaders,( Sheriff and Makarfi) are committed to reconciliation, and to encourage our teeming supporters that the statement made by Fayose has no bearing on the reconciliation. In spite of what the Appeal Court or Supreme Court decides, there would still be need for peace. It is either we do it before or after the court judgement.
“We want to appeal to Fayose to key into the peace process that the two leaders are championing,” he said.
By Bunmi Sofola How to spot early tell-tale signs of Dementia. The first symptoms of dementia could begin as many as 12 years before patients are diagnosed, research shows. Forgetting to turn off the lights, mislaying objects around the home or coming back from the shops without something you meant to buy could all be early warning signs. Researchers in America found that 80 per cent of patients who went on to develop the illness noticed their memory was slipping years earlier.
On average they first became aware of these slips nine years before being diagnosed, but in some cases it was 12 years. Although experts urge patients not to worry if they occasionally mislay the keys, they should speak to their doctor if they are often forgetful.
There is currently no cure, but researchers are increasingly hopeful of finding new treatments that can be given to patients very early on or before the disease takes hold. Scientists at the University of Kentucky studied 531 pensioners with an average of 73 who did not have dementia. They were all asked whether they had noticed their memory slipping, such as forgetting items on the shopping list, mislaying personal belongings or neglecting to turn off the lights.
Over the next ten to 12 years the patients were asked the same questions and they also underwent tests and scans to diagnose dementia. The study, published in the journal Neurology, found that one in six patients went on to develop dementia, of whom 80 per cent had noticed lapses in their memory several years earlier.
Dr. Tichard Kryscio, who led the research, said that what was notable about the study was the time it took for the transition from when people first realised they were having problems with their memory to when they were actually diagnosed with dementia. That suggests that there may be a significant window of opportunity for intervention before a diagnosable problem shows up. "Certainly, someone with memory issues should report it to their doctor so they can be followed.
Our study adds strong evidence to the idea that memory complaints are common among older adults and are sometimes indicators of future memory and thinking problems.
Doctors should not minimise these complaints and should take them seriously. However, memory complaints are not a cause for immediate alarm since impairment could be many years away. 'Unfortunately, however, we do not yet have preventive therapies for Alzheimer's disease or other illnesses that cause memory problems'. 'Many people will experience a decline in memory as they age, and this single study adds to evidence showing that some people who experience mild memory loss in older age go on to develop dementia.
Although we all forget things from time to time, memory loss in dementia is more severe than occasional bouts of forgetfulness.
Ijaw youths have slammed the Federal Government anti corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC over alleged deliberate witch-hunt against former President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Dame Patience.
The youths under the auspices of Ijaw ?Youth Council (IYC) worldwide said it was unfortunate that the EFCC failed to learn from the fallout of the way it handled the case of Tompolo.
President of the IYC, Engr. Udengs Eradiri said ?the commission’s ?indiscreet media trial of Tompolo led to the crisis in the Niger Delta that plunged the country into the current economic recession.
His words, “?I thought the EFCC by now would have begin to face squarely its jobs of fighting corruption instead of the media charade that is their usual modus operandi.
EFCC boss Magu and Patience Jonathan
“They have not learned from the Tompolo incident instead of focusing on facts and doing their job following due process they quickly went to the media and that incident has led this country to where we are today.”
He also described as "unacceptable and illegal" to place the former first family on media trial without following due process.
Dame Patience, he said like most former First Ladies made her money from gifts and gratifications adding that there was no law against such gestures.
"First Ladies in Nigeria do not do any work. A woman naturally attracts a lot of gifts from men let alone a First Lady who has the power to recommend you for something.
"They receive a lot of thank you and gratifications because most cases they recommend people who come back to thank them. Even when they do not recommend, people go and say good morning with a million dollar. It did not start with Patience Jonathan.
"We know how influential the former First Lady of this country and other First Ladies were. We know how powerful, rich and wealthy they are and the property they acquired as a result of gratification.
"If you say Patience should show how she made her money, you must start with all the First Ladies, otherwise, it is a witch-hunt. Patience Jonathan got her wealth from thank you and there is nowhere in the law that says we should not receive thank you.
"So, EFCC should stop this nonsense. If you have issues, go and follow the due process and don't begin to use the media to tarnish the image of the former first family,” he said.
The former first family, he said, deserved respect adding that the youths would not tolerate further attacks and insults on Jonathan's family.
He said despite the humiliation Jonathan suffered from the wife of late former President Musa Yar'Adua, he never harassed the late President's family when assumed the leadership of the country.
"Jonathan should be respected in Nigeria. You heard what happened during the time of late President Yar'Adua, Jonathan did not witch-hunt that family irrespective of the humiliation he suffered despite the position of the law.
"This is a witch-hunt and the EFCC must stop this attitude because very soon, people will begin to resist them. Nigerians will get to the point where they will no longer accept it.
"We support the fight against corruption. All of us know that corruption has eaten deep into our fabric, but this selective fight especially geared towards the region must not be allowed", Eradir said.
He lamented that despite the corruption traced to the former late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha and his family, the government still approved a university for his wife.
"It is in this country that they talked about Abacha's loot, yet a university had been approved for Abacha's wife. In this same country where they said Abacha was corrupt. So, why are you treating one former first family differently and then everybody wants to humiliate Jonathan's family in the best of their ability.
"The former First Lady, Patience, has no question to answer.. The EFCC is destroying Buhari's anti-graft policy because when your anti-graft is beginning to show it is one-sided, it will lose credibility," he said.
The IYC boss further asked the EFCC to go return about N23bn, $100million and other assets it seized from the former Governor of the state, late Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.
He wondered what the EFCC was still doing with the money when Bayelsa and other states were facing financial difficulties.
"Bayelsa State funds are in their hands, they have not returned it. Why are they keeping the funds? Are they meant to keep funds that they recovered. Why is the money not being paid into TSA if they believe they are proceeds of corruption.”
ABAKALIKI- The sit-at-home order given by the Indigenous People of Bifara (IPOB), Friday recorded total non-compliance as normal activities and vehicular movements was unhindered across the State.
Speaking to Vanguard from his base in Ebonyi local government area of the state, the state Coordinator of IPOB, Mr. Ugochukwu Nweke who was observing the sit-at-home order alongside other members of the group described the people of the state as myopic and coward in the Biafra struggle.
“Ebonyi People are myopic but we the Indigenous People of Biafra are resolute, we cannot succumb to all manner of threats, intimidations and harassments by security agents and the Nigeria government.
“We are unstoppable and we cannot mind Ebonyi people who are not concerned on Biafra course, they have never behaved like Igbos”, he said.
When Saturday Vanguard visited some major markets and motor parks, normal activities were ongoing. Public and Civil Servants were also seen on their duty posts when our Correspondent visited.
But there was serious presence of police in strategic locations including the popular Nkaliki where MASSOB office is located as Policemen took over the area.
However, at Water Works and Ogoja roads, there were reports of tear gas thrown by security agents to disperse some groups suspected to be members of IPOB and MASSOB in the State.
Alhaja Mariam Ayo, the Permanent Secretary in the Kwara Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, has urged school principals to be pragmatic in the discharge of their duties.
Ayo made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Ilorin on Friday.
According to her, the essence of being dedicated to their duties is to move the education sector of the state forward.
She said that principals were expected to show more commitment in order to revolutionise the education sector in the state.
"The head must lead by example if we want to take our education to the next level.
"The ministry is ready to support your actions and provide a workable environment for the principals, teachers and students in Kwara,'' she said.
Ayo also urged principals to ensure that discipline and quality education was restored back in schools.
"My office is open for everybody, so any complaint will be fairly entertained and treated with the deserved attention as communication is vital for development," she said.
After many years of childlessness, wife of Bayelsa State Governor, Rachel Dickson was delivered of a quadruplet - a bouncing baby boy and three baby girls.
Governor Dickson’s joy at the arrival of the new born babies knows no bound, says his Special Assistant on Research and Social Media.
A fraud case against Brazilian superstar Neymar and his father in relation to the player’s 2013 transfer to Barcelona was reopened on Friday following a successful appeal by Spanish prosecutors, a court filing showed.
In July a judge ruled that irregularities in the high-profile transfer were detected, but said it was an issue for a civil court, not a criminal court to settle.
However, prosecutors successfully argued the player and his father were aware of potentially fraudulent dealings between Barcelona and his former club Santos to the detriment of DIS, a Brazilian investment company who owned 40 percent of the player’s sporting rights at the time of the transfer.
Spain’s National Court “fully overturned” Judge Jose de la Mata’s decision two months ago, allowing the case to proceed.
Neymar
Neymar, 24, his father (also Neymar), Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu and his predecessor Sandro Rosell were all called to testify in the case in February.
Barcelona in June agreed to pay a 5.5-million-euro ($6.2 million) fine in a deal with prosecutors that sees the club avoid trial on tax-evasion charges over the transfer.
Last week La Liga announced it will investigate Barca over the deal.
Rosell resigned amidst the scandal over how much Neymar cost the club.
The Spanish champions originally published the fee in the transfer as 57.1 million euros, with 40 million euros of that given to the player’s family.
But Spanish authorities believe the true transfer figure was at least 83 million euros because of a series of extra agreements tied to the transfer between the two clubs.
Santos — the Brazilian club of a young Pele and where Neymar started his career — received just 17.1 million, 6.8 million euros of which went to DIS.
DIS has claimed it was cheated of its real share firstly because part of the transfer fee was concealed by Barcelona and Santos.
Moreover, DIS also believes a pre-contract agreement between Neymar and Barca impeded other clubs from making offers for the player, affecting the value of the transfer fee.
Neymar is far from the only Barca star to find himself in problems with the Spanish authorities.
Five-time World Player of the Year Lionel Messi and his father were given 21-month jail sentences in July for tax fraud relating to the player’s image rights.
Messi is appealing the verdict, but the prison sentences are likely to be suspended as is common in Spain for first offences for non-violent crimes carrying a sentence of less than two years.
“If there is one player used to dealing with different situations and one team used to dealing with different situations, it is Barcelona,” said Barca boss Luis Enrique on Friday.
“All the players and their coach are used to dealing with things that have nothing to do with football.”
Barca’s Argentine defender Javier Mascherano also agreed a one-year suspended sentence with authorities for tax fraud earlier this yea
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the programme of events for the commemoration of Nigeria's 56th independence anniversary.
Mr Bolaji Adebiyi, Director of Press in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) stated this in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
Adebiyi said in the statement that an interdenominational thanksgiving church service had been scheduled for Sept. 25 at the National Worship Centre, Abuja at 4p.m.
According to him, a public lecture and Jumma'at prayers are slated for Sept. 30 at 11a.m and 1 p.m. respectively at the National Mosque, Abuja.
He said the Church service, public lecture and Jumma'at prayers were open to members of public.
Adebiyi added that attendance to the Presidential Change of Guard scheduled for Oct. 1 at the Presidential Villa, Abuja at 3 p.m. would be strictly by invitation.
The Army on Thursday said it killed Fifteen insurgents and lost two soldiers in a fierce battle between its troops and Boko Haram terrorists in Abadam village, Borno.
In a statement issued by Col. Sani Usman, acting Director Army Public Relations in Abuja, the army, however said it lost two soldiers during the fight.
Usman said the terrorists launched attacked on troops of Operation Lafiya Dole and Multinational Task Force at about 6:30 a.m. on Thursday, which lasted for two hours.
He said while many of the insurgents escaped with gunshot wound, four soldiers also sustained injuries.
"The bodies of our late colleagues and the wounded have since been evacuated.
"The troops have continued mop up and clearance operations of the remnants of the terrorists.
"They have also intensified vigilance and high level of alertness," he said.
Usman said items recovered from the terrorists include a gun truck, one 60mm Mortar tube, seven 60mm mortar bomb, a General Purpose Machine (GPMG), three damaged AK 47 Rifle and four bandoliers of anti-aircraft rounds of ammunition.
The Chief Executive Officer of MTN, Mr Ferdi Moolman, announced on Friday that the telecommunications giant did not give bribe for the reduction of the N1.04 trillion fine slammed on the company for infraction.
Moolman said in a statement in Lagos that MTN's attention had been drawn to an online report, alleging that a top official in the Presidency took bribe from the company to get the Federal Government to reduce the fine.
"MTN Nigeria has no knowledge of this and the allegation is therefore denied.
"The MTN Nigeria fine was ultimately settled with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)," he added.
Media reports have alleged that a top presidency official had collected N500 million as bribe from MTN to help the company to mitigate the fine imposed on it by the Federal Government.
The NCC had last year reduced the fine to N330 billion.
MTN was allowed to pay the fine in a staggered payment plan that would last till May 31, 2019.
The fine was imposed in October 2015, over the inability of the operator to disconnect about 5.1 million subscribers it registered improperly on its network.
By the terms of the agreement, MTN is expected to pay N30 billion to the NCC, 30 days from the date the agreement was entered into on June 10, 2016.
MTN is also expected to pay N30 billion to NCC on March 31, 2017 and another N30 billion on March 31, 2018.
It is also to pay additional N55 billion on Dec. 31, 2018 and a balance of N55 billion is expected to be paid on March 31, 2019.
By Chimaobi Nwaiwu. The worldwide Sit-at- Home protest called by Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, against the continued detention of its leader and Director of Radio Biasfra Mr. Nnamdi Kanu was complied with totally by resident of Onitsh and Newi.
In Nnewi and Onitsha, all the markets and financial house were under lock and keys, while gates of schools, Federal, State Governments institutions and establishment were either closed totally or half open, but human trafficking was not noticed.
The ever busy Onitsha Owerri Road and Onitsha Enugu Express Ways were ghost of them as no vehicular movement was noticed from 10 am to about 1.30 pm, all the streets and roads within the Onitsha metropolis were also deserted, and some residents of the areas were seen in groups discussing in front of their yards.
The heavy traffic associated with the River Niger Bridge was not noticed, the bridge was totally deserted, as one could see objects from Onitsha end of the bridge to Asaba end, but there was presence of solders at both end of the bridge, to ensure security, although some movements of pedestrians in and out of Onitsha was noticed on the bridge at about10am when Vanguard visited the area.
Policemen were seen patrolling round the cities of Onitsha and Nnewi, but were not disturbing anybody, when Vanguard from Atani Road from Nnewi towards Atani and other Ogbaru Local Government communities, men of the Naval Out Post Onitsha were seen at their check point at Odoekpe, while almost all the industries on the Harbour Road Industrial Layout Atani Road Onitsh closed shops, and people were seen walking along the roads.Director of Radio Biafra and Leader, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu as he appeared before Justice Ahmed Mohammed Federal High Court, Abuja on Wednesday, 23/12/2015
Police men from Atani Police Division were seen mounting stop and search on vehicles at the entry and exit of Atani community, but were however, friendly in discharging their duties, as the time of filing this report no violent incident was recorded both in Onitsha and Nnewi, no member of the IPOB was also noticed on the streets and roads, no born fire was carried out by anybody, neither were there gun shot from any of the security agencies unlike before.
The indigenous people of Biafra IPOB worldwide and the Directorate of State DOS congratulated the people of Biafra worldwide, friends of Biafra, lovers of freedom all over the world for their supports towards the successful sit at home order and successful protest across the globe in solidarity for the release of our leader prophet Nnamdi Kanu and for restoration of Gods nation Biafra.
However IPOB in a statement signed by its Media and Publicity Secretary Mr Emma Powerful has congratulated their members, Biafrans and all the people who showed them solidarity by obeying the sit at home order.
According to IPOB statement, "protest took place in all the continents of the world, countries in Europe ,America, South America, Australia, some Asian and other African countries".
"The countries where IPOB members observed the protest witness the protests are USA, Brazil, Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, Japan, Israel, Germany, Finland, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Kuwait, Spain, Italy, UK, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Mexico, Malaysia, UAE, south Africa, Ghana, Senegal, Egypt, Gabon, Togo, Kenya, Australia, Sweden Denmark, and China, and other countries too numerous to mention.
"Here in Biafraland Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom. Cross Rivers, Imo, Delta and we thank the general public for observing the day with us, injustice can no more be encouraged, for showing us this kind of solidarity with the quest for the restoration of Biafra,. We are most grateful, this is an assurance that people are in agreement with our zero tolerance for intimidation and harassment".
Following calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to sale some national assets in order to revive Nigeria’s ailing economy, Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and former member of the Sen. Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee, Barr. Kabir Usman, Friday, warned against such moves to sell off the nation’s valuable national assets.
Buhari
Barr. Kabir however stressed the urgent need for President Buhari to quickly redirect and re-engineer his government by dissolving and re-constituting a new cabinet.
The call came in view of the severe implications of the current economic downturn on the purchasing power of Nigerians which according to Kabir is mainly due to the lackluster decision making process of the Muhammadu Buhari led administration alongside its numerous policy somersaults.
Usman in a statement warned the present administration to immediately halt the idea of disposing valuable national assets like the NNPC, NPA, NLNG and other prized institutions including petroleum refineries and depots, saying it will amount to ?tactically returning Nigeria to the era of colonial rule and glaring neocolonialism with far reaching national security implications.
According to the former caretaker committee member, the already approved sale of national assets is an admittance of failure on the part of the administration of Muhammadu Buhari and against the social contract the APC entered with Nigerians during its campaign ahead of the 2015 general elections which sold a along with their change mantra.
Usman said it is anti-people for government to dispose national assets.
He reminded canvassers of the idea of similar sales which happened through privatization along with tax concessions at ridiculous price tags that ended up with job loss implications which eventually widened the social and economic gaps between Nigerians.
The statement read: “We have forgotten so soon? the role of the Bureau for Public Enterprise (BPE), which supervised the sales of our national assets by re-cycling the well to do in society and empowering a selected few against ordinary citizens of Nigeria thereby promoting inequality.”
He frowned against the current constitution of the cabinet and a shadow economic team, which is short of expectations.
He urged President Buhari to dissolve the current cabinet and bring on board robust technocrats and renowned economic experts who will rejig the Nigerian economy.
Barr. Usman accused ministers and APC state governors of endorsing and ratifying the sales of national assets at a recent NEC meeting saying that no matter the definition of the term used, national assets remain Nigeria’s Commonwealth which belong to ordinary Nigerians.
He added: “How can an economic team be formed without inputs and representation of organized private sector? Most successful world economies are private sector driven ?in line with goals of government which aim to rejuvenate and stabilize the economy.”
The President, Shippers Association, Lagos State, Mr Jonathan Nicol, said the Federal Government had lost about N800 billion to the auto policy on imported vehicles.
Nicol disclosed this in an interview with newsmen on Friday in Lagos. The 70 per cent tariff and levy on imported vehicles which took effect in 2015, had reduced vehicle imports by more than 50 per cent.
He said that other ports outside Nigeria in Benin, Togo and Ghana now accepted the vehicles and developing their economies with proceeds from the imports.
According to him, with the auto policy, government will be creating more rooms for smuggling.
The shipper said that in other countries, shippers were revered as economic developers.
Nicol suggested that government should remove the lid on importation of essential domestic goods which local industries could not produce.
"The maritime sector should have acted as a cushion in alleviating the present economic recession and also supply the government enough revenue outside oil and gas.
`The recession we are going through is man-made and can be corrected.
"The ports access roads also need to be reconstructed as a priority.
"Government should reverse foreign exchange policy on trade. Imports and exports which constituted trade go together,'' he said.
Nicol, however, said that the major problem was that most maritime administrators with their personnel had little or no knowledge of maritime administration.
He said that this was why it had been difficult for some of the administrators to defend some government's maritime policies that were not working well.
By Stanley Nwanosike Enugu The Enugu State Government on Friday released six long buses to convey the supporters of Rangers Int'l FC of Enugu to Abeokuta to cheer the team on Sunday.
Rangers are billed to meet Ikorodu United FC of Lagos in the match-day 37 of the Nigerian Professional Football League (NPFL) in the Ogun capital on Sunday by 4 p.m.
Rangers' Media Director, Foster Chime, said in Enugu that the fans would add pep to the team now on the fringes of winning the league.
"The Enugu State Government has made available Luxurious buses to convey Rangers fans and supporters to Abeokuta on Saturday.
"They will support and cheer Rangers in the match-day 37 match on Sunday against Ikorodu United in Abeokuta,'' Chime said.
The media director also said the fans from other parts of the South East and South West would storm Abeokuta for the match.
He said that Rangers players and technical crew would travel to Abeokuta in a chartered flight courtesy of the state government. KSN/MNA/MVO
FG unveils “low-key” activities for 56 Independence Anniversary
By Omeiza Ajayi
ABUJA: The Federal government Friday in Abuja unveiled activities lined up for the nation’s 56 independence anniversary on October 1.
A statement issued by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal and signed by the Director of Press in his office, Bolaji Adebiyi said apart from prayers to be offered in mosques and churches, the climax of the event would be a change of guards by soldiers at the State House.
“His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the programme of events to commemorate Nigeria's 56th Independence Anniversary. The details of the programme which is indeed low-key are as follows:Inter-denominational Thanksgiving Church Service, Sunday, September 25, 2016 at 4.00 pm at the National Worship Centre, Abuja. Public Lecture and Jummaat Prayers,
Friday, September 30, 2016 at the National Mosque, Abuja”.
While the two events above are open to members of the public, the Presidential Change of Guard which is scheduled for Saturday, October 1, 2016 at 3.00 pm at the Forecourt of the Presidential Villa, State House, Abuja is “Strictly by Invitation”.
Sen. Ben Bruce (PDP Bayelsa East) on Thursday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to adjust his approach to the anti-corruption crusade, saying policy was scaring investors.
Bruce, who disclosed this while contributing to the Senate's debate on the economic recession in the country, said that Nigeria should not expect foreign investments as even local investors had stopped investing.
He said that people who had money to invest were no longer doing so because the anti-graft agencies were harassing any person with cash transactions running into millions.
"Buhari's approach to anti-corruption is wrong: let us forget the foreign investors, what about the local investors?
"If people are afraid, they will not invest; fear will not be a policy to grow the economy. "Money is a coward; it only goes to places where there is peace and tranquillity.
"I have a friend who paid legitimate N50 million into his account and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) came and picked him up. "We cannot be afraid to be Nigerians; we cannot be afraid to live in our country," he said.
Bruce recalled that former President Olusegun Obasanjo also fought corruption but that his anti-corruption fight was not one that put fear in the minds of real investors.
He said that he supported Buhari's anti-corruption fight but insisted that the approach should be changed to encourage investments. On the prices of food in the market, he said that poor Nigerians were feeling the brunt far more than the rich.
He said that the prices of bags of rice, beans and garri had risen by over 50 per cent while the retail prices of the same commodity rose by over 150 per cent. The lawmaker said that while the rich bought the commodities in bags, the poor, whose minimum wage had not changed, had to buy at 150 per cent increased rate.
He attributed the increase in retail prices of items to the cost of transportation, and called for a transport policy to check transportation costs.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Disability Matters, Dr Samuel Ankeli, has advised Nigerians to stop murmuring but should rather be optimistic, diligent and confident that Nigeria will rise again.
Ankeli, a blind man but not from birth, gave the advice in Abuja on Friday at an event in his honour by the Kpakpando Foundation, a non-governmental organisation.
"There is a great hope for Nigeria. The race of life is not for the swift or the strong but by God's mercy.
"I was once a sprinter and a black belter in judo but suddenly the curtains came down. I refused to be discouraged and now, I'm still being celebrated.
"Nigerians, let's celebrate our own. Life is not in the physical ability, it is in the mind. It's time to celebrate our strengths. Stop murmuring and complaining.
"If you've sold your birthright, collect it; whatever right you have, you have a right to be responsible. Be optimistic; be diligent in whatever you find at your hands to do.
"Your work will find you out. The time is now to put hands on deck to make the country great again, Nigeria will scale through.
"The blind and the deaf are already leading, everyone is important,'' he said.
On his appointment as an aide to the president, Ankeli described President Muhammadu Buhari as a champion, saying that others made mistakes but he corrected them.
Also speaking, Mr Osita Izunaso, the founder of the foundation and the National Organising Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, lauded Buhari for the appointment of Ankeli.
Izunaso encouraged the gathering and pledged that Ankeli would play a good role to ensure that the president assented to the disability bill, which had been passed by the National Assembly.
"We will not stop our advocacy to see that the bill is passed and when that is done, we can have a commission for people living with disabilities.
"Three of the eight paralympians are from Kpakpando Foundation. Our paralympians did not just win gold but broke existing world records.
"We like to refer to people with disabilities as special citizens because those that we think are able are not. If we say some of them should run from here to the gate they cannot.''
Izunaso said that the organisation was set up in 2006 to enhance the lives of people living with disabilities and had more than 2,000 members in all the local governments of the country.
In his remark, Mr Monday Imokafi, the President of the paralympians, lauded Buhari for "keeping to his promise to appoint a person living with disability to a position of authority''.
"We also urge him to sign the disability bill into law so that their dependants can enjoy the dividends of democracy,'' Imokafi said.
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