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
Nigeria’s currency scarcity remains a nightmare that won’t go away, with even Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote feeling the pain.
The West African country’s economy has been hammered by the global crash in oil prices — worth 70 per cent of its revenue and the bulk of its dollars — and ongoing rebel attacks on oil infrastructure in the southern swamplands.
But the response to the naira’s slump has made matters worse.
In February 2015, the central bank fixed the naira at 197-199 per dollar in an attempt to stop its rapid plunge.
To protect its foreign reserves, Nigeria banned the importation of many goods, ranging from toothpicks to rice.
Propping up the naira proved costly for the import-dependent country. Facing the imminent depletion of its foreign reserves and double-digit inflation, Nigeria was forced to abandon the peg in June this year.
Yet the country is still suffering the consequences of the peg as it wrestles to overcome an enduring currency scarcity.
A wave of multinational firms, including South African hotel and gaming group Sun International, have left Nigeria, citing forex concerns.
Recently Nigerian billionaire Dangote, a manufacturing tycoon with a range of companies spanning cement to flour, has reduced staff because of “operational costs”.
“This year has been a very challenging one for us as a business. The unavailability of foreign exchange, coupled with an unprecedented hike in the exchange rate has resulted in increased costs across the organisation,” Dangote warned in an October letter.
Once Africa’s poster child for booming growth, Nigeria announced in August it was in recession.
– Flexible rate? –
Business leaders say if Dangote is hurting, then there’s a serious problem.
“It’s unfortunate,” Muda Yusuf, head of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told AFP.
“Not many businesses have access to the official forex window to source for their requirements to bring in the needed raw materials for production,” Yusuf said.
Part of the problem is that it appears the naira is again being held at an artificially high rate, explained Yusuf, who says that the currency should be allowed to “fully liberalise.”
Officially Nigeria’s naira is 305 to the dollar, but today it is trading up to 460 on the black market, where most businesses get their cash to bring in raw materials and supplies.
“A flexible exchange rate regime will encourage inflows,” he said.
“If this is done, the supply side of forex will improve and there will be more dollars to go around.”
– Airlines pull out –
The painful impact of Nigeria’s forex crisis can be clearly seen among international airlines.
Last week, Persian Gulf airline Emirates and Kenya Airways said they would suspend flights to the Nigerian capital Abuja from October 30 to November 15.
However, both carriers added that they would continue to fly to Lagos, the country’s commercial hub.
The announcement comes after US carrier United and Spanish airline Iberia halted their Nigerian operations earlier in the year, citing limited inability to repatriate their profits because of unavailability of forex.
Other international operators complained that Nigeria owed them hundreds of millions of dollars from ticket sales as the government holds on to the dollars to boost its reserves.
– Devaluation? –
Analysts say it’s only a matter of time before the naira is devalued again.
“Although there remains heavy opposition to further devaluation within the Nigerian administration, we believe that macroeconomic realities will force some further downwards movement in the naira this year,” BMI Research said earlier in October.
With investors shying away, Nigeria is struggling to implement a record budget designed to stimulate growth.
Nigeria normally produces 2.2 million barrels per day (bpd), but output dropped to a low of 1.4 bpd this year as a result of rebels attacking pipelines, with no signs the militants are ready to lay down their arms.
Arsenal legend Thierry Henry said Wednesday there was no way he could see his former boss Arsene Wenger filling the vacant England manager’s position.
Wenger, who recently celebrated his 20th anniversary as manager of Arsenal, has been strongly linked with the job following the sacking of Sam Allardyce last month.
“You can never say never but I personally don’t see it happening,” Henry told reporters in India’s commercial capital Mumbai.
Allardyce was dismissed following the publication by the Daily Telegraph of controversial comments made to undercover reporters.
He was secretly filmed giving advice on how to circumnavigate transfer rules and mocking England predecessor Roy Hodgson.
Thierry Henry
Gareth Southgate is in temporary charge with England’s Football Association on the hunt for a full-time successor.
Wenger’s contract with the Gunners is due to expire at the end of this Premier League campaign and he’s known to have several keen admirers at the FA.
But Henry, who won two top-flight league titles with Arsenal under Wenger, believes his fellow Frenchman may be lukewarm about the idea of coaching the English national team.
“I think he answered himself recently when he said that the England manager should be English. That’s his own words,” said the former striker.
“I said recently that Arsene likes to be on the field on a daily basis and when you’re coach of a national team you don’t get to do that,” Henry added.
Wenger has been on the receiving end of severe criticism by some fans frustrated by Arsenal’s failure to win the Premier League since 2004.
But Henry, Arsenal’s all-time top goal scorer, warned supporters to enjoy the 67-year-old while he is still at the club.
“Be careful what you wish for because when he’s not going to be around people are going to realise what he was doing at the time,” said the World Cup winner, now an assistant coach with Belgium.
Arsenal sit joint top of the league on 20 points with Manchester City and Liverpool after nine games. Chelsea and Tottenham are just a point back.
“It looks like finally things are going the right way,” said Henry, on a promotional tour of India for sports brand Puma.
“It would be great if in his 20th season in charge he can win the title. But are they going to do it? The competition is massive,” he added.
Anka (Zamfara) – The Vice Chairman of Anka Local Government Area in Zamfara, Alhaji Yahuza Ibrahim, has allegedly been kidnapped.
The Chairman of the council, Alhaji Mustapha Muhammad, disclosed this to newsmen in Anka on Wednesday.
Muhammad, who was in tears, said he received the report of the incident from the victim's home village, Wiya, in the early hours of Wednesday.
He said eye witnesses from Ibrahim's village said gunmen drove into the settlement on Tuesday night and fired gunshots into the air before they took away the vice chairman.
He said shortly after he received the report, he got a phone call from a hidden number in which a male voice spoke to him in Hausa language and asked for a ransom of N5 million to facilitate the safe release of the victim.
"It was then that we realised that the kidnap was real and had been carried out by bandits who hide in the nearby bushes," the chairman said.
He said he had already reported the matter to the state government as well as all security agencies in the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, DSP Muhammad Shehu, however, said he could not confirm or deny the report because he was on his way back to the state from a trip.
Abuja – A cross section of parents in the FCT have applauded the proposed legislation to extend JAMB results' validity for a period of three years.
The parents said on Wednesday in Abuja that the amendment would not only ease the financial burden on parents but also enable universities to upgrade their standard.
According to them, the legislation, if passed, will benefit both parents and candidates.
One of the respondents, Dr Samson Olori, a Paediatric Surgeon, said the amendment would help to reduce the number of students that writing JAMB every session as well as the cost of conducting the examination.
He noted that such amendment would also enable some universities to upgrade their standard and create a better environment for effective learning.
" I do not think the Act will prevent students from writing JAMB examination, if the cut off mark of the previous result will not help them to secure admission into the desired courses.
"Such category of candidates are still at liberty to re-write JAMB examination.
"But those that had reasonable scores will not be subjected to another JAMB examination, because the result will enable them to sick for admission for the next three years.
"I also think that what the Senate is trying to do is to prevent multiple sitting for JAMB examination.
"But for those that will go into the highly competitive courses, but scored below the required cut off marks, they may want to write another JAMB examination.''
Nevertheless, Olori outlined the benefits of such amendment to include relieving the candidates the stress of sitting for JAMB examination over and over again.
He, however, suggested that the policy should be properly examined before arriving at a conclusion.
Mr Godwin Pius, an educator, who also expressed support for the proposed amendment, saying that it would bring relief to both parents, students as well as the government.
He said that the proposal if passed, would reduce the risk of loss of lives in the process of writing the examination.
"It will also reduce the anxiety, cost of paying for extra mural lesson every year and cost of the examination itself."
According to Mr Joseph Akah, a trader, suggested that the bill if passed, should make provision for candidates with previous JAMB results to be considered first for admission every academic session.
Akah also advised that candidates who applied for highly competitive courses to consider changing their courses if they scored low marks instead of writing another examination.
Mr Hodonu Daniel, the Facility Manager, First Storey Building in Nigeria, located in Badagry, Lagos State, says that 1,800 visitors have been there in the last nine months.
170 yrs old building
Daniel told newsmen on Wednesday in Lagos that visits to the structure, now 170 years, were made between January and September.
The foundation of the house was laid in 1842 and the house was completed in 1845.
"Our peak period is during the New Year, Easter, Sallah and Christmas holidays and on public holidays.
"We are used to recording about 180 visitors in a month but it varies. We have recorded 1,800 visitors in the last nine month,'' he said.
He said that some of the visitors that patronised the facility were local and foreign tourists, students, foreigners, adults and children.
"Students patronise the building more than others,'' he added.
Daniel said that this year's patronage was better than the previous years.
"The difference in the record of visitors that patronised the building this year compared to last year was not much,'' he said.
He urged the Lagos State Government to support the management in giving the building a facelift that is of international standard.
Women numbering over 100 on Wednesday stormed the Federal High Court in Lagos, chanting solidarity songs on the freezing order placed on the bank accounts of ex-First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on Sept. 22 ordered the freezing of some bank accounts belonging to Jonathan.
The Commission had said the action was due to the ongoing investigation into the alleged money laundering charge preferred against her.
Meanwhile, Jonathan in a fundamental rights suit instituted against the EFCC, is asking for a court order, directing the unfreezing of her accounts.
She is also claiming the sum of 200 million dollars against the commission as damages for allegedly infringing on her fundamental rights.
On Wednesday, women numbering over 100, who dressed in traditional attire with head gears, stormed the premises of the Federal High Court in Lagos to protest the freezing order.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the placard-carrying women, chanted songs in Ijaw and English Languages.
Some of the inscriptions read: "Ijaw people are in solidarity with Jonathan", "Unfreeze ex-President Jonathan's wife's account", "We urge EFCC to abide by the rule of law", "Women must be heard."
Immediately after the court rose, the women trooped in their numbers toward a vehicle belonging to the EFCC, chanting solidarity songs.
Meanwhile, Justice Babs Kuewumi has fixed Dec. 7 for the hearing of the suit.
The Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Isha'aq Oloyede, has said that the bill seeking to validate the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for three years will do more harm than good.
Oloyede said this when he received a delegation of the Senate Committee on Education in his office in Bwari, FCT, on Wednesday.
He said that he appreciates the good intentions behind the proposal but said the approach may not solve the problem it seeks to address.
"They (Senators) must have considered many things before arriving at the decision.
"My appeal to the House of Representatives and the President is that it will do more harm to students than good.
"When there is a problem, rather than study it and look for strategy to solve them, we will jump into conclusion which can be more dangerous than the original problem.
"When you look at the issue of three years' validity, somebody mentioned that is what is done in Britain and the United States of America. But there is a basic difference.
"If you go in that direction, there will be change of infrastructure.
"If they change the syllabus, our exam must change and that will not synchronize with the three-year policy," the registrar said.
However, the leader of the visiting delegation, Sen. Ajayi Boroffice (APC-Ondo), said the policy would benefit Nigerians if adopted eventually.
Boroffice representing Ondo North Senatorial District, said that the bill had passed the second reading and would soon undergo a public hearing.
According to him, the bill, when passed ,would also help to improve the educational standard in higher institutions in the country.
"Bills are passed in stages and one of the most important stages is the public hearing.
' When public hearing is held, JAMB, schools and the public will be invited to make inputs.
"Once that is done, we will collate it and send to Senate for third reading.
"We saw that JAMB result is only valid for one year and we believe it will be better for it to last for three years.
"It will reduce burden on parents, students and even on the institution that is conducting aptitude test; I think it is what is good for all of us.
"We do not make laws for an individual but for the country and in the interest of all of us, the bill must not necessarily be at the convenience of the organisation.
"Since we do not want to make laws that will impede the progress of any institution, we are bound to listen to what they are saying.''
He, however, commended the board on the remarkable progress made in the past and urged the management to continue to improve on their performance.
"The lives of millions of Nigerians depend on the board and I hope that the confidence that they repose in the organisation will be justified."
He said that the committee would pay regular visit to the JAMB office in a bid to ensure proper delivery of its oversight function in the organisation.
The Nigerian Federal Civil Service has listed over 90 Jobs including the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR as having vacancies for recruitment or employments.
To apply for a vacancy in any of the jobs, applicants must go through the Federal Civil Service Recruitment Portal.
Below is the breakdown of affected ministries that require applicants.
– Bureau of Public Procurement. – Federal Ministry of Education. – Federal Ministry of Labour & Productivity. – Federal Ministry of Finance – Ministry of Foreign Affairs. – Federal Ministry of Information and Culture. – Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing. – Federal Ministry of Science and Technology. – Federal Ministry of Transport. – Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation. – Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation. – Presidency
Completion/submission of application online is free and at no cost to applicants in line with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention.
The completion/submission will run for six (6) weeks from the date of this publication.
Updates: Notice – 22/09/2016: The below information applies to new registration only. If you receive a successfully registered message after you click "Register" you will be automatically logged in and can proceed to available jobs, select and apply. Make sure your Email and Phone are accurate, this only means the FCSC will use in updating you about the status of your application.
Notice 20/09/2016: We're now sending emails to all those who successfully completed the registration process. However, due to a significant backlog of emails, it may take up to 24 hours for you to receive your activation notice email.
Notice: 16/10/2016: All Registered Accounts have now been activated. If you registered and did not receive an activation email prior to yesterday, you can now use your email and password to log in and complete and application.
New Guidelines For those having problems filling up the forms, the following guidelines should be followed:
– This recruitment portal has been optimised and is responsive to Smartphones, Tablets, Laptops, PCs, etc. Therefore, you can complete your application using any of the above devices. – However, take notice that your ability to connect and navigate the portal depends largely on the type of browser and internet/data services you have on these devices, including internet speed at a Cyber Café. – If you seem to be having problems completing the form, you may need to switch to another device.
Suitably qualified candidates with character and integrity who are interested in making a career in the Federal Civil Service are invited to complete and submit the application on-line on FCSC Website – https://www.vacancy.fedcivilservice.gov.ng for any of the posts indicated in each of the MDAs.
One-time coach of the Flying Eagles, Tunde Disu, and an ex-international Bright Omakro, have commended the confirmation of Salisu Yusuf as Super Eagles Head Coach by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
Yusuf had after a meeting with the board of NFF on Tuesday, yelled out: "I have been offered a contract. So, I'm happy to continue with the job''.
According to Disu, Yusuf's appointment was a welcome development to Nigerian football, adding: "I think the country needs someone like him who has travelled far and wide in the country.
"He is of a dependable quality which I can vouch for. He worked under me as assistant when I was the coach of Lobi Stars of Markurdi but before then, he played under me from 1987 to 1989.
"He has proven to be a highly technical person whose job of handling the national team can be left to; more so, he understands the local league.
Salisu-Yusuf
"Yusuf has handled some of the local teams, Enyimba International of Aba inclusive,''
"Another thing about him is his gentleman's character, he is calm. I don't think he will give NFF any trouble, maybe the reason for them to have appointed him in the first instance.
"Yusuf has never hid his passion for the national team, it is a team he loves to be with and the players are also in his support.
"It is a good thing that NFF is encouraging the local coaches to handle the national teams because they know the players better, obviously because they have handled some of them before.''
"Yusuf has impeccable Curriculum Vitae well enough for the job of the Super Eagles,'' he said
Reacting, an ex-international player, Bright Omokaro, urged support from stakeholders to enable the coach achieve success in the task.
"Yusuf has a very good record as far as coaching is concerned and he has proven himself over time. The only thing that will make him succeed is massive support.
"His confirmation is commendable; he understands Nigeria's football and his experience will guide him as he tries to build a formidable team,'' the ex-international said.
Omokaro, popularly known as 10-10 and member of the 1994 AFCON winning squad told NAN that Yusuf's confirmation would encourage him to work harder for the Russia 2018 World Cup.
"With this development, he has to go all out to ensure that we qualify.
"Nigerians need him to win his next qualifying match against Algeria,'' the former defender said.
Nigeria will host Algeria in the first leg of its qualifying campaign scheduled to hold on Nov. 7.
The Kaduna State-born tactician, was a former midfielder for Ahmadu Bello University FC, and later became a coach.
He started his coaching career with Nassarawa United FC in 2002.
He, however, moved to Lobi Stars FC as an assistant coach and won the Challenge Cup (now Federation Cup) in 1999.
Yusuf was employed as assistant coach to Samson Siasia. He also assisted the late Stephen Keshi.
US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump maintains that his campaign is "very close or winning" with just two weeks to go until US elections.
"Honestly I think we're doing really well all over," Trump told Fox News on Tuesday even as most opinion polls show him trailing Democrat Hillary Clinton nationwide and in most key states ahead of November 8 elections.
The victor will be determined based on the winners in each state rather than the overall popular vote, and the candidates are focusing their attention in the remaining days on some dozen states that could go to either candidate.
Chief among those is Florida, which Trump admitted "I have to win," and where both Trump and Clinton were campaigning on Tuesday.
Opinion polls show Clinton with the lead in Florida, Nevada, Pennsylvania and North Carolina, while Trump has a narrow lead in Ohio.
The race is also narrowing in states that have traditionally been staunch Republican bastions, giving Clinton an opening in Arizona and even Texas, where Trump leads by 3 percentage points in the most recent poll but where Republicans traditionally have double-digit leads.
Donald Trump on Saturday laid out far-reaching plans for the start of his US presidency if he wins November elections.
The announcement came as an 11th woman came forward to accuse the Republican nominee of making unwanted sexual advances.
In a speech in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Trump vowed to withdraw from or renegotiate international trade deals, begin removing illegal immigrants and implement ethics reforms for government officials.
"We now find ourselves at that very special fork in the road," Trump said as he outlined the actions he would take in his first 100 days in the White House.
"Do we repeat the mistakes of the past or do we choose to believe that a great future still lies ahead for us and our great country?"
Trump vowed to scrap or "totally renegotiate" the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Mexico and Canada and drop the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) with 11 other Pacific nations.
He said he would label China as a currency manipulator and order officials to tackle trade abuses.
Under a Trump presidency, restrictions on the production of U.S. energy would be removed and U.S. payments to UN climate programmes would be cancelled.
The Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED) on Wednesday said it had no plan to increase the current tariff being paid by consumers.
Mr Sunday Oduntan, ANED Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, disclosed this in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
He said that the Distribution Companies (DISCOs) had not submitted any proposal to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) on tariff increase.
"It is not true that we want to increase the tariff by 200 per cent because we do not have any right to do so.
"When you talk about tariff review or increase, it is the responsibility of a regulator and that work belongs to NERC.
"We should understand how the system works because it is the work of the regulator to decide whether there should be tariff review and not DISCOs,'' said the ANED official.
He urged the National Assembly to reconsider the stoppage of the bond provided by government in order to address the liquidity challenge facing the power sector.
"We are not asking for subsidy but that government should step in and provide a bond,'' he said.
Oduntan said that the business of electricity distribution were presently not bankable because no bank would lend DISCOs money with the huge deficits in their books.
The Senate on Wednesday started comprehensive probe into the activities of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) with a view to blocking all revenue leakages and enhance generation.
The probe, launched by the Senate Committee on Customs and Excise, would look into ways to increase revenue generation capacity of the service.
The Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Hope Uzodimma, during an oversight visit to the NCS headquarters in Abuja, said that service should generate enough revenue to fund the nation's budget.
He expressed displeasure at a report by the Ministry of Finance, which indicated that the NCS had generated less than N400 billion so far in 2016.
Speaking at the end of the visit, Uzodinma said that his committee might re-enact the Act establishing the service for optimal performance.
"We are looking into the operations of Customs Service; looking at the areas of revenue generation and possible leakages with a view to finding solutions.
"We have done detailed work and we have established contacts with all commands under the service.
"All we are interested in is to evolve a robust framework that will help the NCS earn more revenue.
"In order to do that effectively, we are examining its current mode of operations with a view to refining how things are done.
"By the time we finished looking at the operations of some of the ports, we will come back and look at how best to amend the existing Act.
"We want to create a situation where the NCS will be able to fetch the country the kind of revenue we are looking for from non-oil sector,'' he said.
Speaking on the revelation that the service could not access some oil companies for payment of levies, Uzodinma said that was part of the impediments that require enabling laws.
"There are some limitations that have not made it possible for the Customs service to perform its mandate the way it should.
"Those are things that we will also look into so as to remove all obstacles to enable it function effectively,'' the committee chairman said.
While interacting with the Comptroller-General of the Service, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd.), Uzodinma requested that certain documents be submitted to enhance the committee's probe.
The committee gave the service till Friday, Oct. 28 to submit the documents and answer all the queries posed.
It sought to know how the seven per cent Negotiable Duty Credit was managed and how the service handled seized cargoes and overtime cargoes.
The NCS is expected to render details of how it handles seized cigarette and alcohol, record of auctioned overtime and seized cargoes.
The committee also demanded for record of all waivers granted in the last three years, value of the waivers, detailed record of sugar levy and other details of revenue accrual.
Uzodinma expressed displeasure at the inability of the service to collect duty from oil companies, promising that a legislation to review the law would be initiated.
In his remark, the Custom CG, Col. Hameed Ali assured that the NCS would give full cooperation to the committee.
He directed NCS officials to provide the committee with all the information and documents it required.
Oil fell for a third day on Wednesday, nearing $50 a barrel for the first time in three weeks, as investors grew increasingly doubtful that OPEC members will agree to cut output and as U.S. inventories staged a surprisingly large increase.
Iraq, the second-largest member of OPEC, does not want to join in with a proposed production cut that the group has said it will approve at a regular meeting in Vienna next month.
With Iran, Nigeria and Libya already expected to be excluded, along with potentially Venezuela and Indonesia, whose state oil producer said on Tuesday it was targeting a 42-percent increase in output next year, traders and investors are growing less confident in the chances for an effective deal.
"The market is definitely in need of some kind of soothing words once again, but it's a 'cry wolf' thing. The talking has to get louder and louder to attract any attention, because scepticism is on the rise and I think rightly so," Saxo Bank senior manager Ole Hansen said.
"No doubt, the difference now compared to earlier this year, back when the market was primarily reacting to verbal intervention, is now something has been promised and if that promise cannot be fulfilled or delivered, then we obviously have a problem," he said, adding that his near-term target for Brent was $49.40, followed by $48.40.
Brent crude futures were down 74 cents at $50.05 a barrel by 1120 GMT, having touched a session low of $50.02, the weakest level since Oct. 3.
U.S. crude futures also fell 74 cents on the day to $49.22 a barrel.
Iraq, the second-largest producer within the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, has argued it needs its oil revenues to fight Islamic State.
At the Algiers meeting, Iraq said OPEC had underestimated its output, which it pegged at 4.7 million bpd, compared with the group's assessment, based on secondary sources, of 4.2 million bpd.
"Just the fact that there can be such a huge disagreement over what Iraq is actually producing creates doubts in the market over how OPEC is going to handle a cap on production in terms of verifying that the members are actually adhering to the individual targets," SEB chief commodities analyst Bjarne Schieldrop said.
And unless top world producer Russia, which does not belong to OPEC, joins in, that leaves the onus of a potential cut with Arab producers in the Middle East such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
Adding to the pressure on the oil market was data late on Tuesday from the American Petroleum Institute that showed an unexpected rise in U.S. crude inventories.
Official data by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) is due later on Wednesday.
Bauchi lawmaker, Mrs Maryam Begel, said on Wednesday that investigations conducted revealed that the HIV virus is spreading faster in matrimonial homes in most Northern states of the country than outside the home.
Begel, representing Dass constituency in the Bauchi House of Assembly, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi that it appeared precautionary measures were taken by partners only when meeting outside matrimonial homes, than when at home.
"We did an investigation and discovered that HIV virus is spreading faster in matrimonial homes than outside.
"This is because most males take precautionary measures when they sleep with outsiders but hardly take such measures when they meet with their wives.
"This is especially the case in settings where polygamy is allowed and you find a husband infecting some or all of his wives with the deadly virus," she said.
Begel, who is also the chairperson, Committee on Women Affairs, Bauchi House of Assembly, described the development as worrisome.
Meanwhile, the lawmaker said she would work towards reviving the bill on "Compulsory HIV Test before Marriage", initiated by a former member of the 7th Bauchi House of Assembly, but was scuttled due to outside pressure.
Begel who once served as the 'Child Protection Officer' with an international non-governmental organization, 'Save The Children' (UK), said passing the Bill into law was long over-due to safeguard the health of people, especially women and children.
The Bill, sponsored in 2012 by Hon. Ilyasu Zwall, had sought to make the screening of HIV by partners, compulsory, before marriage.
It recommended that any person that contravened the provision of the law be liable, upon conviction, to a fine of N160, 000, or punishment for not less than five years, or both.
In case of corporate organisations, it recommended a fine of N500, 000 or the sealing of the hospital or diagnostic centre for a specified period, or both.
When the bill was referred to the then House Committee on Health, nothing was heard about it again.
The sponsor of the Bill, Hon. Zwall, then Chairman, House Committee on Security, had revealed that pressure from people scared of the law that would make it compulsory to go for the test before marriage, made the committee to frustrate the bill.
A 29-year-old man, Leonard James, who allegedly sent series of threat messages to his ex-girlfriend, was on Wednesday brought before a Yaba Chief Magistrates' Court in Lagos.
The accused,who resides at Ikeja area of Lagos, is standing trial on a two-count charge of threat to life and a breach of public peace.
The Prosecutor, Insp. Roman Unuigbe, told the court that the accused committed the offences on May 16 at about 6.00 p.m. at Nigeria AirForce Base, Ikeja.
He said after James and one Hassana Samson, his ex-girlfriend called it quits early 2016 over an undisclosed reasons, the accused had constantly sent deadly threat messages to her phone.
"The accused, who never hesitated to intimidate his ex-girlfriend whenever their parts crossed, conducted himself in a manner likely to cause a breach of public peace.''
The offences committed by James contravened Sections 56 (b) and 166 (d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
James, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr P.A. Ojo, granted the accused a N60, 000 bail with two sureties in like sum.
He said one of the sureties must be a blood relation of the accused and should be gainfully employed.
Ojo adjourned the case to Dec. 9 for substantive trial.
The Senate Committee on Power has expressed concern over the liquidity crunch in the power sector.
It has also expressed doubt over the financial and technical competence of the private investors in the sector.
The Chairman of the committee, Sen Enyinnaya Abaribe, expressed the concern in a statement by Dr Usman Arabi, the Head of Public Affairs Department, Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) on Wednesday.
The statement said that the committee members, who were on oversight visit to the commission, queried the reduction in cash collection, which they claimed was N15billion before privatisation, but had now reduced to about N5billion.
The statement said the committee members were unhappy at the inability of the Distribution Companies (DISCOs) to meter customers and their use of the estimated billing system.
It quoted Abaribe as saying: "Are you sure the privatisation of the power sector is producing the needed result with the under-performance by the new investors."
It said Abaribe assured NERC of the committee's readiness to empower the commission to enable it to perform its regulatory functions effectively.
The statement also quoted the acting Chairman of NERC, Dr Anthony Akah, as saying that the commission is doing all it could to ensure that the operators in the power sector value chain played by the rules.
It stated that the strict applications of rules and regulations will help remove obstacles militating against the optimal performance of licensed operators in the sector.
He said sanctions had been meted out to erring operators in nine different instances in the last four months.
He said the gesture is an indication of the change in regulatory tactics, even though some of the sanctions were being appealed.
"The operators are hiding behind judicial proceedings to prevent posting of letter of credit and possibility of escrowing their account," the statement quoted him as saying.
According to the statement, this is frustrating strict compliance with contractual obligations and causing liquidity problems in the sector.
It said Akah assured that some of the DISCOs that initiated the court proceedings were beginning to see the futility of their exercise and might soon withdraw the suits they instituted.
He said the commission, through its regulatory initiative facilitated the increased of 40 megawatts by Paras Energy.
The statement said he advised the lawmakers to prevail on their respective state governments to take interest in investing in the power sector.
The statement also quoted him as saying that what was being experienced in Nigeria was not different from developed countries experienced within five years of privatising their power sectors.
He said Nigerians should begin to treat electricity as a product with its own cost of production.
Fresh information emanating from the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) has shown a 113% improvement in the performance of students who wrote the May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in Osun state. The analysis of 10 years WASSCE results as seen in the table below, shows the increased dividends from the massive investments in education by the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.
Results seen in the analysis of Osun students who passed with 5+ credits including English and Mathematics, shows a poor record of 6.86% of the total number of candidates who sat for the exams in 2007, long before the advent of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in the state.
Most critics failed to analyse Osun's historical performance when comparing the performance of students across states in Nigeria.
The laid-back analysis of comparing state by state performance by many is faulty, in that, if a state presents only 10,000 candidates for the WASSCE, and 7,500 students are able to secure 5 credits including mathematics and English, then such state with a pass percentage of 75%, would be placed above a state who presents 100,000 candidates with a 50% pass percentage.
As much as this analysis could be theoretically correct, it fails to put into consideration, peculiarities of individual states.”
Consider the State of Osun for example, analysis of WASSCE result over a 10-year period shows considerable improvement in the performance of students, reaching a climax of 46.3% in 2016, despite taking 29th position in the entire country.”
“While this achievement may appear insignificant at face value, however, compared to the year 2007 when a woeful 6.86% pass performance was recorded, it attests to the considerable interventions the state government has made to tackle education head-on.”
He said that “Since the Ogbeni administration took over governance in November 2010, students' WAEC performance has gradually improved as seen in the infographics below.”
"Specifically, the 2016 WASSCE result (46.3%% pass rate) shows an improvement of 113.56% over a space of one year when compared with the 2015 result (21.68% pass rate). We can go on and on calculating how year in, year out, the Aregbesola administration has embarked on painstaking steps to not only address the relative decline and stagnation in students' educational performance but recorded considerable improvement accordingly."
"While skeptics and cynics sat back and dismissed the Ogbeni's administration as it committed considerable steps to arrest the over 30 year rot in education, they failed to realize that, the future of our youth is non-negotiable as such considerable positive change of this magnitude requires systematic effort, determinism and perseverance which is often a slow and gradual process."
"For those without a sense of history, need I recall that the Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola inherited a comatose education sector, where teachers lacked motivation, students were less interested in learning, and school buildings resembled chicken pens rather than institutions of learning."
However, a quick run across the state shows considerable improvement from the past administrations in an effort to avoid failing too many of our children by sending them out into what we hope to become a 21st century economy through the doors of 20th century schools.
New palatial learning buildings now dot the Osun landscape – One was recently commissioned by President Muhammudu Buhari on Thursday, 1 st of September, 2016. Osun teachers are well paid and equipped – 5,000 of them has been trained and retrained so far, and students more than ever before, are taking vast opportunities before them.
The Opon-Imo tablet still works wonders amongst students who possess them. Opon-Imo, an indigenous Technology Enhanced Learning Platform (TELP) with locally produced content is designed for the Nigerian secondary education system. It is preloaded with lesson notes on seventeen (17) subjects offered by students writing the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) and NECO SSCE.
Also preloaded inside the Opon-Imo tablet is over 40,000 past examination questions spanning a period of ten years, for (private) practice, 63 etextbooks covering 17 subjects' areas that students do register for in external examinations and 51 audio tutorials installed as study aid.
Opon-Imo is also preloaded with seven extra-curricular subjects such as Sexuality Education, Civic Education, Yoruba History, Ifa Traditional Religion, Computer Education and Entrepreneurship Education, and Twelve Thousand Yoruba Proverbs.
These and many more are the initiatives and measures the Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has set in place to concisely improve the state of education for the future of our kids and consequently nation. The basic premise is that the status quo of dilapidated structures, ill-equipped teachers, limited exposure of our kids to the very tools driving 21st century economies must be tackled comprehensively.
The future of our kids, development of our economy and building of a nation through education is a promise the Ogbeni administration seeks to guard jealously and deliver.
Osun may not be in the desired place amongst comity of states in WASSCE performance, but we are making considerable strides as we deliver our promise to the people, and Ogbeni's investment in education is paying off.
By Semiu Okanlawon Semiu Okanlawon is the Director of Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Office of the Governor, State of Osun.
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri ABUJA – Scores of Protesters on Wednesday, besieged the Three Arms Zone where the Supreme Court is situated, demanding that all judges facing corruption allegations must step down pending their trial.
The Protesters, under the aegis of Forum of Non-Governmental Organisations in Nigeria, FONGON, insisted that all the seven superior court judges that were arrested by the Department of State Service, DSS, between October 7 and 8, must vacate the Bench.
They said the ‘step down’ protest became necessary “since the conniving National Judicial Council, NJC, is not willing to suspend them”.
Meanwhile, heavily armed security operatives comprising of Soldiers, DSS and mobile police men, blocked the protesters from gaining entrance into the Supreme Court complex.
Immediately the crowd which brandished several placards and banners were sighted, security men who said they acted upon instruction “from above”, quickly closed the Supreme Court gate.
People going inside the court premises were thoroughly searched even as those without valid identification card were turned back.
Following the development, the apex court which originally fixed six cases for hearing, decided to conduct proceedings inside chamber.
Addressing journalists at the Aso Villa gate, leader of the group, Mr. Wole Badmus, said they would mobilise Nigerians to besiege courts presided by the accused judges, should they fail to step down.
“Even though the arrested judges/justices have not been declared guilty by any court of law, they have been tainted in the court of public opinion and their positions are no longer tenable until they have been able to clear themselves of all allegations against them”, Badmus added.
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