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
ABUJA – Ghana’s President-Elect, Nana Akufo-Addo has underscored the need for a deepened relationship between Nigerian and Ghana, saying it was important for the growth of Africa.
Akufo-Addo made the remarks after a private meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday.
He said that he was in Lagos for a function and decided to visit the President.
President Buhari with H.E. Nana Akufo-Addo and Mr Kenneth Ofori-Atta as he receives in audience President elect of the Republic of Ghana in State House on 20th Dec 2016
“I came on a private visit to Lagos on Sunday to participate in the Future of Africa Awards and I thought it is proper that I take that opportunity to come to Abuja to pay my respect to the President."
“I have been elected but I have not taken the oath of office. That will be taking place on January 7. But in the meantime, I have come to introduce myself to President Buhari so that we begin to know each other."
“The relationship between our two countries is so important for our countries, West Africa and Africa. I think those of us who are in positions of leadership need to know each other and have an understanding and address the main concerns of our populations."
“I had the opportunity to say a belated happy birthday to the President. His birthday is an important day in my life because that day is my late mother’s birthday."
“We had a very good exchange. We are determined to grow the relationship between our two countries.”
Like President Buhari who won election on his fourth attempt from the opposition and was sworn in on May 29, 2015, Akufo-Addo was declared winner of the Ghananian Presidential election that held on December 10, 2017 on his third attempt in the race.
He was also the leading opposition figure in the country.
Akufo-Addo will take his oath of office on January 1, 2017.
Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State on Tuesday began the distribution of about 5000 eye glasses to beneficiaries with different sight conditions.
Governor Ayodele Fayose distributing about 5000 eye glasses to beneficiaries with different sight conditions.
The free eye glasses distribution which was part of the government’s poverty alleviation programme kicked off at a Government House Arcade, Ado Ekiti with about 5000 already tested beneficiaries on seat.
Commissioner for Health, Dr. Simon Ojo who said the second batch of the free glass distribution will continue next year described the gesture as dividend of democracy and a display of the governor Fayose’s pragmatic approach at taking good governance to the populace even in the face of economic downturn as being witnessed across the country.
Governor Fayose in his interaction with the beneficiaries described the programme as one in a good direction. He added that it is a continuation from where he stopped in his first term.
His words, “we have done this before, these are things that can get to the common people, these are benefits that can get to the common man in the society, a lot of our people have become handicapped by bad sight over time and they couldn’t find solution.
“Taking this to them, going to them to do the test and today formally giving them the glasses is a breakthrough for most of them. You can’t imagine that people can wake up without a #100 in the morning not to say getting a reading glass for about #7000, that could be a major problem and we felt this project is one in a right direction”.
Governor Fayose while assuring Ekiti people about sustainability of the project explained that next phase of the project was captured in the 2017 budget adding that the project will be a continuous one throughout his stay in office.
Condemning open defecation and calling on the people of the state to inculcate hygienic habits by regularly washing their hands, Mr. Fayose called on Ekiti women to make themselves very visible in 2017 as his government has made necessary provision for the celebration of Ekiti women in 2017.
By Levinus Nwabughiogu ABUJA – Presidency Tuesday night disclosed that President Mohammadu Buhari has assented to 8 new Bills.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang made the disclosure while briefing State House Correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday.
The Bills which had metamorphosed into Laws were:
*National Judicial Institute Amendment Bill , 2016
*Small and Medium Scale Industries Development Agency Amendment Bill, 2016
*Treaty to Establish African Economic Community Relating to Pan African Parliament (Accession and Jurisdiction) Amendment Bill, 2016
*University of Abuja Amendment Bill, 2016
*Chartered Institute of Stock Brokers Amendment Bill, 2016 Enang commended the relationship that existed between the Executive and the Legislative Arms which he said culminated into a good number of Bills assented to by the president so far.
“These are bills transmitted to the President, having been assented to Mr. President have become Acts and Laws enforceable in Nigeria.
“I used this medium to commend the National Assembly for the industry and dexterity they have shown and the concentration on the core functions of the legislature because compared to times like this in previous parliaments, I think this is the highest number of bills passed by any single parliament within its one year and six months.
“I commend the leadership of the National Assembly because of the cooperation they have extended to the Executive and the Executive reciprocal cooperation has also enabled them and also provided a very conducive environment for them to function”, he said.
ABUJA- THE Federal Government yesterday, raised alarm over fake imported honey from China as most of them were produced with sugar syrup which poses danger to human health.
This was stated by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, while receiving delegation of Nigeria Apiculture Platform, NAP, who won the hosting right for the country of 2018 APIEXPO (Apiculture Expo) in Nigeria and assured payment for hosting right fee of $50, 000.
Ogbeh commended NAP for the resilience and doggedness to win the hosting rights and said it was the right time for such big expo to host the African stakeholders and investors from all over the world in 2018.
He said: "Thanks you also for responding to national call and for winning the hosting right.
"The payment of the hosting fee within 10 days is short but we have to host it. We will pay the $50, 000 but should extend the deadline for us because we have to get the money out by following due process and get it as quickly as possible within a month or two. We will support you and the industry as government.
"We abandoned agriculture in this country for a very long time and today things are very tough. We became importers and not producers, and so we import everything including honey.
"There is no harm in importing but if it consumes 80 per cent of what you earn. The import bill of honey from China is about $100 million a year. Some of that honey is not real honey. Many are made up of sugar syrup.
"It is time to take the business of agriculture seriously. Let us eat what we produce and what produce what we eat. I do not see why Tanzania, Botswana, Rwanda, Kenya and others in East Africa make so much money from honey exports, and we can't. I am happy that you are now taking up the challenge. You honey farmers are the heroes for keeping bees."
The benefits of the APIEXPO according to Dr. Dooshima Kwange of the ministry's Department of Veterinary and Pest Control Services, while making her presentation of the expo include transfer of new technologies, modernisation of the industry in Nigeria, exposure to global platforms, job creation, generation of foreign exchange, and tourism development.
Meanwhile, a stakeholder, Managing Director, BARG Natural Honey, Yakman Wuyep said that, "The honey market in Nigeria is very big and also to host APIEXPO 2018 is a huge opportunity to develop and expand the industry in Nigeria. The expo will bring more investors and people to see what we have here in Nigeria and basically improve the economy."
While expressing optimism over Nigeria hosting the 2018 edition of APIEXPO, Managing Director, JOFRAN Honey, said that, "The Expo will help people to learn how to do the honey business in the right way according to best global practices and women will also be empowered through this expo and there is so much money in honey production business."
President Buhari with H.E. Nana Akufo-Addo and Mr Kenneth Ofori-Atta as he receives in audience President elect of the Republic of Ghana in State House on 20th Dec 2016
By Dennis Agbo ENUGU- The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammad Sa’ad Abubakar III has stated that real herdsmen who own cows don’t kill but only criminals that parade as herdsmen.
The Sultan also disclosed that the Igbo were subject to attacks during crises periods because they are visible entrepreneurs located in all nooks and cranny.
He therefore challenged security agents to find out sources of sophisticated arms being brandied by criminals in the guise of herdsmen.
The Muslim leader spoke at a grand reception organized in his honour at Nsukka, Tuesday, where he was welcomed home 39 years after he leaving the university town as a young soldier.
Sultan said: “I want to say that nobody in the north aims to kill any Igbo because he is an Igboman. They are killed because they are the industrious ones found in everywhere and in every village but nobody plans or sends people to kill the Igbos.
By Daud Olatunji ABEOKUTA- A 33-year-old man, Segun Ogunlusi has explained why he stabbed his 60-year-old mother, Abimbola Ogunlusi to death, claiming his mother was pestering him to have sex with her.
Ogunlusi who was paraded at the Ogun State police command headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta, on Tuesday by the state police commissioner, Ahmed Iliyasu, alongside 23 other suspects who were held for alleged armed robbery, cultism, and kidnapping, confessed that he killed her because she was persistently asking him for sex.
The tragic incident occurred on Tuesday 13th December, 2016 at Number 16, Oketunde Street, Molatori, Ogijo, Sagamu Local Government Area of the state.
While fielding questions from newsmen during the parade,the suspect said she was provoked by her mother’s alleged incesssant demand for sex.
He said, “I killed my mother because she has been demanding sex persistently from me .She said if I had sex with her I would bé free. On a particular Tuesday morning, when two of us were at home, she was in the kitchen, I walked up to her and stabbed her in the stomach and she died. ..
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai has said that the Nigerian Army would be raising up cattle ranches in such a manner that in almost all the divisions, and all the brigades, cattle will be reared.
Buratai who was represented by the Chief of Army Logistics, Major General Patrick Akem, stated this on Tuesday at the Commissioning of Mogadishu Cantonment New Mammy Market (former Abacha Barracks), Abuja.
The Army Chief disclosed that in keeping up with modern cattle rearing tradition, he sent officers of the Army to Argentina to look at how cattle were reared.
“Argentina has a population of 41 million people, but it feeds about 400 million people around the world with its beef.
To take it to the next level, we want to adopt a system where the cattle are not just free ranging coming from Sokoto to Port Harcourt, thereby making their meat tough to eat, the products will soon be coming from our own farms and ranches,” Buratai said.
He noted that he has created the Barrack Investment Initiative as platform that affords Army family members the opportunity of raising up fishing ponds, vegetable gardens, fruits, livestock, chicken and their eggs.
According to him, the intention of the Nigerian Army was not just to secure the country, but to contribute in growing the economy of the nation.
He added: “We want to tell our wives that they can live beyond the salaries of their husbands, so we are trying to empower the women in the barracks to be able to form co-operatives, so as to access loans and to a large extent be able to fend for themselves and their families, even without the salaries of their husbands.
Meanwhile, the Commander Army Headquarters Garrison, Major General John Malu said that the formidable shopping edifice had over 2000 shops, 27 warehouses and a printing press owned by the Nigerian Navy.
He added that the services of a reputable private security firm was contracted to handle the security of the market.
…All Round Development Of Children, My Priority, Says Gov
Wife of the Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode on Tuesday urged children to develop good character and grow up as responsible citizens.
She spoke at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, at a Children’s Party organized by the State Government to mark the end of the year.
Mrs. Ambode, who listed the qualities of a good child to include humility, discipline, respect for elders and fear of God among others, told them that good character would recommend them for great opportunities in future.
She also charged them to take their education seriously, as hard work and academic excellence remained the most reliable stepping stone to success and would also book a comfortable place for them in the society.
She said, "You all are beautiful children of destiny, I wish every one of you merry Christmas and a happy New Year in advance. I want you all to grow up as good children. Always listen to your parents, be of good behaviour, respect the elders, do not join bad gangs and always pray to God to guide and direct you at all times."
Speaking further, she thanked parents for making the children very beautiful and prayed that their labour over them would not be in vain.
She charged the parents and privileged individuals to remember to extend a hand of love to the less privileged children not only at Christmas but always.
The Governor's wife appealed to mothers to teach good morals to their children from a tender age, quoting from Proverbs 22-6 which says, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it".
While urging them to enjoy the fun of the day, she charged the children to remain focused on climbing to greater heights in their academics and future endeavours.
In his remarks, State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode commended parents in Lagos for training their children in the right path, saying that his administration would continue to give the best to improve the all round development of children in the State.
'We are happy to see our children grow up, our intention is beyond giving them good education, but to also give them good recreation activities that would make them good successors and great leaders of the future.
The Governor also assured that the end of the year party which brings thousands of children together to have fun during the yuletide would not only be sustained but would be bigger and better in subsequent editions.
By Levinus Nwabughiogu ABUJA-President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met with the Senate President, Bukola Saraki at the presidential Villa, Abuja.
Saraki’s visit came a day after the Senate Leader, Ali Ndume also visited the president and thereafter recanted the senate’s rejection the nomination of Ibrahim Magu, the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC.
He told State House Correspondents after a private meeting with President Buhari that the Senate never at a time rejected the nomination of Magu.President Buhari,Ibrahim Magu and Bukola Saraki
Ndume also stated that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Lawal Babachir who the Senate had earlier recommended for sack due to his role in the management of welfare funds for the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs in the north east stood a chance of clearing his name.
Details of Saraki’s meeting were not made available as it held behind closed-doors.
But the air around the Villa was heavy with issues of Magu and SGF.
It lasted for about 45 minutes.
The Senate President later observed the 4p.m muslim prayer before leaving the Villa.
By Michael Eboh Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu, Tuesday, stated that the Federal Government will no longer invest in the repairs of the country's refineries, and would also not concession or privatize the refineries.
This was even as the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum (Upstream) Committee, Mr. Victor Nwokolo, called on the Federal Government to revoke oil blocks allocated oil and gas companies who fail to pay signature bonuses to the Federal Government and those who obtained their licenses through the back door.
In a statement by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Kachikwu stated that rather than concession or privatise the refineries, the government would encourage private sector investment and subsequent joint ownership and management of the facilities for greater efficiency. A picture taken on September 16, 2015 shows workers trying to tie a pipe of the first refinery in Nigeria, which was built in 1965 in oil rich Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The Port Harcourt refinery is Nigeria’s oldest, built in 1965, nine years after crude was first found under the marshy soil and creeks of the delta, where the Niger river meanders to the Gulf of Guinea. Refineries in nearby Warri and Kaduna in the north central region were built in the years that followed, while a new plant was added to the same site in Port Harcourt in 1989. In recent years, however, it became a byword for corruption, a murky, state-run body where billions of dollars in revenue apparently disappeared. AFP PHOTO
Kachikwu, who was addressing members of the House Committee who were on an oversight visit to the Ministry, explained that the Federal Government was working hard to bring in private investment capital to strengthen the refineries in order to boost the nation's local refining capacity.
He said, "For the purpose of efficient management of the refineries, government money will not be committed to the refineries any more. Prospective private investors will bring in their money, take part in managing the refineries and from there recoup their investment."
Reeling out some of the achievements of the Ministry, Kachikwu noted that since the deregulation of the downstream of the petroleum sector in June, the masterstroke has ensured the availability of petrol at filling stations across the country at affordable prices.
He added that the roadshows to China and India have secured for the nation Memoranda of Understandings (MOU) worth about $80 billion and that efforts are now on to give effect to the MOUs so that real money can enter into the domestic economy.
He said his next port of call in terms of a roadshow is the Gulf States from which Nigeria hopes to secure investment especially into the refinery sector.
He said he also has eyes on another commercial roadshow to the USA where he hopes to ensure that Nigeria gets back her crude oil market in that country.
Nwokolo stated that the lawmakers were in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to get first hand briefing on its activities, achievements, opportunities and challenges to enable the Committee know what support it can give for it to achieve greater results for the benefit of the national economy.
He further commended Kachikwu on the achievements so far recorded in the Ministry under his watch.
President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Amaju Pinnick and the 2nd Vice President/LMC Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko on Tuesday tackled several issues that have been raised persistently, and even most recently in Nigerian Football, insisting that negative statements and far –fetched allegations are never in the interest of the game.
While appearing on 'Focus Nigeria', a TV talk –show, the two NFF bigwigs tore apart talks of financial recklessness, division within the Board, late submission of memos on matches of the National Teams and the FIFA audit query.
Pinnick, who was second vice chairman, first vice chairman and chairman of the Delta State Football Association at different times, and excelled in getting the private sector to fund that State FA's activities without resorting to government, said various distractions and negative statements and write –ups about Nigerian Football are driving away investors.
"You wake up everyday and all you see are screaming, negative headlines that are daily punching holes in the fabric of the game. Investors aim to associate with what is positive and credible, but our sports have been savaged by negativity.
"There have been various interpretations to a simple FIFA audit query, which is confidential and a matter between the FIFA –appointed auditor and NFF, but it has been blown beyond proportion and people are even saying NFF embezzled money. It is ridiculous because all FIFA is asking for is clarification on why we have to lump their monies with other monies, and the issue of receipting of cash transactions." (The use of T-10 form).
Pinnick disclosed that the NFF actually informed the Minister of Youth and Sports, Barr. Solomon Dalung on request, about the audit matter, in the mode of always keeping him informed of all happenings in the NFF.
Mallam Shehu Dikko & Amaju Pinnick
"If the NFF had anything to hide with regards to the audit query, would the Federation have informed the Minister about it? The two issues FIFA raised were receipting of cash transactions and the matter of dedicated account, which we always had but which had to be merged with other accounts because of the TSA (Treasury Single Account) policy. However, the CBN has now been able to open a domiciliary account for us within our single account and we have forwarded this to FIFA. No one should make mountain out of a molehill."
Dikko, who is the Chairman of the Marketing, Sponsorship and Television Advisory Committee of the NFF, said aggressive and robust marketing embarked upon by the administration to augment what comes from Government has always been undermined by celebration of what is negative by other forces.
"We need to re-evaluate the funding for sports in this country. The NFF proposed a budget of nearly N7 billion to cater for all matches and tournaments of the National Teams this year, but got only N1.1 billion. Yet, one Super Eagles match cost around N200 million.
"For the Women's Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, the sum of N18 million was apportioned! On the part of the Federation, we embarked on aggressive marketing but negative hints and pronouncements about football have continued to discourage investors."
Dikko wondered where the money is in NFF that people always talk about corruption and persons stealing money. "Take Ibrahim Galadima, Sani Lulu Abdullahi, Aminu Maigari and those who served on their boards; which of them is a billionaire? If there is money in NFF and so much to steal, they would be billionaires.
"We are working on a new strategy to get funding for all the National Teams, like getting corporate bodies to take up each of the teams, but we need peace and tranquility to achieve this.
"The present NFF is committed to probity, transparency and accountability. The NFF Integrity Initiative adopted at the Annual General Assembly is meant to promote these."
Pinnick reiterated that the company that audits NFF accounts, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, is also the same company that audits FIFA's accounts. "We called them in at the inception of our administration because we want to do things differently. We want to be accountable and be seen to be transparent. They have advised on a couple of principles and we have taken those to heart."
The NFF President also vehemently denied allegations that he spoke harsh words to the Super Falcons when they arrived from Cameroon.
"I have a lot of respect for women. It was myself Dikko, the captain (Rita Chikwelu) and myself that spoke on a three-way call, and we never uttered any harsh words to them. Even if they did not win the competition, nobody would have spoken harsh words to them. Women are our mothers," Pinnick affirmed, while disclosing that the Federation sent the memo on the championship to the Ministry of Youth and Sports early enough.
He also reiterated that the immediate target of the present administration is to provide all the support for the Super Eagles to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals. "We do not just want the team to qualify, but to go to Russia and break new grounds, set new records, possibly win the World Cup," he said, while confirming that there is no division within the NFF Executive Committee.
By Peter Okutu ABAKALIKI-PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday ordered a tour of the 9 federal universities established by the past administration to probe the execution of projects by the Universities.
He said the move was to ensure transparency and accountability in the management of resources.
In his speech at the maiden convocation of federal university, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo, FUNAI, Ebonyi state, Buhari noted that his administration will not condone corruption in the federal universities.
Represented by the Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, NUC, Professor Rasheed Adamu Abaubakar, he remarked that universities must be example in good governance and financial management.
“No room for corruption in the academic sector. very soon, we will take tour of all projects executed by our new federal universities to ensure that funds allocated to them are judiciously utilized.
“Our Universities must be example in good governance and financial management. So, no room for corruption in the academic sector”.
In his address, the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba. Charged the graduand to be good ambassadors of the institution adding that with the level of trainings they had acquired from the institution, nothing can stop them from achieving their goals in life.
The Federal Government has put hold on sales of its 23 silos nationwide to address the challenge of food shortage.
The Minister of Agriculture, Mr Audu Ogbe disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja at a town hall meeting organised by the Ministry of Informational and Culture.
Ogbe said that the silos with the capacity of two million tons of grains would be used to store the commodities which are currently been exported to West African nations by farmers.
Responding to questions on looming food shortage due to alarming rate of exportation of grains by farmers to neighbouring countries, the minister said government cannot stop the trend.
He explained that as member of ECOWAS and signatory to the Commission's Free Trade Agreement, it will be illegal for the country to stop the exportation.
Audu Ogbeh
"Government cannot stop such exportation but rather would store grains in its silos,'' he said.
The minister further noted that stopping exportation of grains would amount to depriving farmers from having huge returns.
"You are telling the farmers to grow food over the years, they have done so and their returns have been very low but for the first time they are making money and they are happy.
"People come from Ghana to buy maize, they come from Mali to buy sorghum and millet and so on and we are monitoring but we cannot stop them
"This is the best incentive you can give somebody in any line of business that there is a market and there is profit,'' he said.
The minister said to ensure food security in the country and also have reserve for export, government will from January 2017 intensify irrigation farming for production of grains thrice in a year.
He added that about 10 irrigation lakes or dams would be built in every state to enable growing of food all year round.
He decried the situation where states like Oyo, Kano and Ogun were having 22, 23 and 12 dams respectively but none of them were being used for irrigation.
The minister attributed the challenge facing the country to the abandonment of agriculture for over 30 years.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Tuesday said that a total of 35,655 mobile number porting activities were recorded in the month of October.
This is contained in the "Incoming and Outgoing Porting Activities of Mobile Network Operators" report, obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
The report showed that there was a decrease of 715 in the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) activities in the month of October, as against the 36,370 recorded in September.
It said that of the 35,655 porting activities in October, 17,996 were incoming porting activities, while 17,659 were outgoing activities.
The report revealed that in the outgoing table, 6,409 subscribers moved from telecommunications giant, MTN Nigeria, to other networks through the MNP in October.
According to the report, 5,243 customers moved from Airtel Nigeria to other networks in the month under review.
The report said 4,638 subscribers moved from Globacom to others, while 1,369 customers of Etisalat Nigeria ported to other networks within the same period.
However, in the incoming table, the report said Etisalat enjoyed the exercise most as it led with an additional 14,027 customers on its network in October.
MTN Nigeria came second on the gainers' list, as it added 1,563 subscribers to its customer strength.
Also on the gainers' list, 1,475 subscribers moved to Airtel's network, while Globacom gained 931 customers as well in October 2016.
The exercise was flagged off on April 22, 2013 by the NCC, with the aim of deepening competition in the industry.
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in Kano State has threatened to embark on strike over alleged nonpayment of 18 months bridging claim to its members.
The IPMAN Chairman, Alhaji Bashir Dan-Malam, made the threat in an interview on Tuesday in Kano.
"If by the first week of January the Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF) fails to pay us our 18 months bridging claims, we will have no alternative than to withdraw our services," he said.
He said the nonpayment of the claims, which amounted to between N6 billion and N7 billion, had affected the businesses of their members who usually petroleum products from Lagos, Calabar, Warri and Port Harcourt.
"The nonpayment of the bridging claims and the high cost of diesel may force many of our members out of business," Dan-Malam said.
He said in spite of several promises made by the Fund in the past to pay the outstanding claims, it had not fulfilled the promise.
He, therefore, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene on the issue to prevent another fuel crisis in the state and the country at large.
"We are calling on President Buhari to prevail on Petroleum Equalisation Fund to pay our members because they have made promises but to no avail," he said.
Dan-Malam called on the Federal Government to direct the Kano NNPC Depot to supply diesel to its members to check the rising cost of the commodity.
"Whenever there is fuel scarcity, people always blame our members. This is the reason we decided to tell the government our grievances."
For the first time in five months, the Bayelsa State government yesterday declared N3.5bn as balance of funds available for spending at the end of November, 2016.
In October, like in the three previous months, the state recorded a deficit balance of N160.4 million, due to the shortfall in revenues from the federation account and the reduction in its production quota of crude oil.
The state Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (rtd), announced the figure during the transparency briefing for the months of October and November, 2016 in Yenagoa.
While presenting the income and expenditure profile for the month of November, the Deputy Governor said that the state received N11.6 billion as gross inflow from the federation account.
•Gov Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa
He noted that the amount comprises petroleum profit tax of N4.8 billion, derivation of N3.3 billion and exchange differential of N1.2 billion.
Other sources, he said, were statutory allocation from which it got N1.1 billion, budget support N1.1, refund from Rivers State N57.5 million and value added tax of N618 million.
On FAAC deductions totalling N2.3 billion, the Deputy Governor said bond deduction gulped N1.2 billion, restructured commercial bank loan N741 million, commercial agricultural credit schemes one and two N162.3 million and foreign loans N28.76 million.
According to him, the salary bailout to the state was N16.3 million while Excess Crude Account loan was N126. 67 million, bringing the net inflow to N9.3 billion.
Rear Admiral John Jonah revealed that the state got N608.9 million as internally generate revenue for the month of October, 2016 in addition to refunds from the bond loan of N4.75 billion following its restructuring.
He added that the state also received refunds from local governments totalling N97.67 million, which increased the amount available for spending to N14.7 billion.
On expenditure, Rear Admiral John Jonah announced a total outflow of N11.69 billion which included bank loan repayment of N2.8 billion, recurrent payments of N3.8 billion, capital expenditure amounting to N6.4 billion, Cot provision of N59 million and payment for IGR collection of N48.5 million.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Jonathan Obuebite noted that the transparency and accountability posture of the Seriake Dickson-led administration has remained a major policy thrust of the government since its inception in 2012.
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Tuesday, lambasted the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris for constituting a panel of investigation over the alleged threatening phone call by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.
The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, said: “It is sarcastic for the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to constitute a panel of investigation for the purported 'threatening phone call' by the Governor of Rivers State, H. E. Chief Nyesom Wike instead of seeking solution to all the video evidence of the killings and hijacking of electoral materials by the Police and other security agencies with some INEC officials during the Re-run Elections.
“For instance, in Gokana Local Government Area, men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) were seen in a video shooting sporadically to disperse voters and later made away with ballot boxes. The same incident occurred in almost all the Polling Units in Rivers South East Senatorial District where Senator Magnus Abe was magically declared winner. Given the state of war in this entire District between security agencies and Rivers people, we still want to know who voted to make up the Results declared for the APC.
“We wish to also remind Nigerians of the Video of two staffers of the INEC caught in the act at the home of an APC Chieftain in Opobo Town, Sam Sam Jaja. These men were taken to the House of Mr. Jaja by officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and were apprehended while thumb-printing and writing of results in favour of Jaja's Party, the APC. Equally, there is a popular video running in various television stations showing the Officer-in- charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Mr. Akin Fakorede in Rivers State who led his team to INEC Collation Center in Port Harcourt to hijack election materials.
“These and many more glaring evidences abound of the collaboration between security agencies, the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi and the INEC who were seen distorting and disrupting electoral processes in other to win at all cost but for the zeal and determination of the people of Rivers State who stood and defended their votes vehemently in most areas.
“We therefore urge the IGP to stop embarrassing Nigeria further and immediately bring to book all those seen in these videos committing electoral offenses. It’s suspicious and dangerous for the IGP to overlook these breaches of the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act by his men. Nigerians are waiting eagerly for the actions or inactions of the Police in this regard.
“However, Governor Wike has exonerated himself of the fabricated threatening phone call and the PDP also believes that the sudden appearance of the so-called video is only diversionary from the damning allegations of electoral malpractices by the Police, the Nigerian Army, the NSCDC and the INEC in the just concluded Rivers Re-run Elections.
“Assuming without conceding that the videoed phony phone call should be investigated, the negative actions of the IGP and his men have already created a heavy moral burden on them, and consequently, the Police is not in any position to set up a panel of inquiry against Governor Wike. We will resist any selective investigation by the Police or any other agency for that matter on the issue of Rivers Re-run Elections because such an attempt is aiming at covering the truth.
“In view of the above, the PDP is calling for a holistic investigation into the entire processes of the Re-run Elections before, during and after. The investigation should be conducted by a 'non-partisan, unbiased and independent presidential committee' in order to avoid turning the truth upside down and making villains out of the victims. Equally, the outcome will serve as a point of reference for our Country's future elections and the need to protect, nurture and deepen our democracy.
“We once again condole with the families of those that paid the ultimate sacrifices. Their deaths will not be in vain, and may their souls rest in perfect peace. Amen.”
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened a nationwide strike in May 1,2017 if the Federal Government does not begin implementation of the N56,000 new national minimum wage it proposed or even set up a committee to that effect.
This was made in a statement by Congress' President, Mr. Ayuba Wabba on during a meeting in Abuja.
minimum wage
"The issue of minimum wage remains sacrosanct because of the fact that by law and practice, the review is due and overdue. I have said clearly that we cannot guarantee any industrial peace any longer if necessary steps are not taken by government to try to resolve this issue before the next May Day."
" This is very clear because as we said, we have sent formal notice of demand as required by law to government to try to constitute the Committee."
"Essentially, the committee to dialogue and negotiate the minimum wage which is supposed to be tripartite has not been set up. If it is set up, all of you will be aware of the membership and also their terms of reference and the timeline given to them to actually dispose with this very vital issue."
"The issue is so sensitive because of the fact that a lot of our members have actually been subjected to a lot of difficulties because the purchasing power of ordinary Nigerian workers has been reduced to virtually nothing because of the inflation in the system, the free fall of the naira and to compound it with high cost of goods and services."
"More so, most workers now cannot meet up with their daily needs, they can't pay their rents, they can't send their children to school."
"It is even more compounded because cost of goods and services has gone up. So, side by side with the issue of fighting corruption is also for workers to be paid a decent wage that they can be able to have a meaningful living, so, this is the challenge."
"They must see reason to try to accommodate it because the fact is very obvious that it is legitimately due both in law and practice and therefore this is our approach."
"Therefore let us not mix two things, is there a resistant to say that there will be no review of minimum wage? I am not sure I have heard that because by our constant interaction, the government has through the Minister of Labour said they are also willing to review the minimum wage."
" As I said earlier, we have made a formal demand, written and therefore if there is the need to review the template, we will do that at the table but that will have to be jointly. What we have submitted is N56,000 and therefore that N56,000 is still valid."
Trending photos of an alleged thief being fed yogurt after serious beating from a mob for a yet very unclear theft has emerged.
Recall that the trend in Lagos for thieves caught by mob is usually lynching. However, this thief caught during the yuletide is however seen given a Christmas threet from the mob who had descended on him earlier.
According unconfirmed reports, the thief was being fed yogurt to have more strength for another round of beating from the police who were being awaited.
Suspected thief being fed yogurt by mob after serious beatingSuspected thief being fed yogurt by mob after serious beatingSuspected thief being fed yogurt by mob after serious beating
