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
IN this era of recession, most government agencies, departments and ministries are experiencing hard times as they solely depend on federal or state allocations for their projects, salaries and other services to the citizens.
Surprisingly, the situation is different in Kwali Area Council of FCT where the proactive approach to governance and ingenuity of the Area Council Chairman, Mr. Joseph Shazin has enabled them to stay afloat, and meet basic obligations.
Having realised the difficulties associated with the current recession, mainly from the fact that federal government's allocation to the council have dwindled, Shazin along with his team adopted several strategies aimed at generating revenue internally. The major reason is to supplement the meagre resources they receive on a monthly basis from the federation account.
To achieve this feat, the Kwali Area Council adopted several strategies, and one of them is to identify internal revenue sources. In doing this, market fees, business premises fees, liquor fees, sand drainages fees, forestry fees, environment fees, development and land fees are being charged and utilised for developmental purposes. Other areas they have identified towards rejuvenating the council's economy include animal husbandry fees and health services fees.
Though they encountered initial challenges after the Honourable Chairman came with the innovative ideas, the decision of the area council to provide mobility for the revenue department towards enforcing the new policy has substantially improved compliance by residents of Kwali Area council as most remote areas are now accessible.
Similarly, in a bid to meet the target already set by the Honourable Chairman a deliberate effort was made to sensitise the residents on the need to support the internal revenue generation drive of the area council. Today, most of the residents have come to terms with the imperative of discharging their obligations to enable the area council reciprocate in the provision of basic amenities.
On assumption of power, Honourable Joseph Shazin demonstrated sufficient political will by reiterating the need for all the council personnel to redouble their efforts to raise the revenue profile of the area council. First, he ordered the renovation of the Kwali town hall and the resultant effect is increased patronage and revenue for the area council.
Apart from setting up a revenue generation committee, Honourable Shazin has ensured close and regular supervision of the revenue committee's activities and this has enabled the council chairman not only to meet his target for the council, but is now well-positioned to deliver on his campaign promises to the Kwali residents.
Another unique approach adopted by the council is the involvement of the council's senior personnel, including the elected councilors, in addition to the provision of adequate working tools for the implementation.
The willingness to utilise the internal revenue generating capacity of local governments has been a herculean task in the country, and with the single-minded effort of Honourable Shazin, Kwali Area council is now in the forefront of changing the dynamics.
In addition to his other initiatives, Honourable Shazin's administration has established a timber market, cattle market at Yangoji, a mechanic village, and the totality of these efforts have led to a one hundred percent increase of the area council's internally generated revenue between 2015 and 2016.
Therefore, it is remarkable, and indeed commendable that Kwali Area council under Honourable Shazin is a shining example for other local governments in Nigeria to emulate. By doing so, they will serve their various communities better.
It is important to state here that over the years, most local governments in Nigeria have become drain pipes that hardly fulfill their obligations to the citizens. Now with the leadership being provided by the Kwali council in showing the way, there is no further justification for other local government councils to fail in their responsibilities.
In a nutshell while the Kwali area council is feeling the impact of recession like other public institutions and Nigerians generally, the fact remains that the innovative policies of the Shazin administration has greatly helped to cushion the effects on the residents.
While the Kwali area council is feeling the impact of recession like other public institutions , the fact remains that the innovative policies of the Shazin administration has greatly helped to cushion the effects on the residents
*Mr. Chukwudi Enekwechi a public affairs analyst, wrote from Abuja.
By Ebun Sessou Six out of the eight lawmakers from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Lagos State House of Assembly are set to defect to the All Progressive Congress (APC).
Sources close to the lawmakers confirmed that the planned defection is still being kept as a secret, but we were told that the defection is a done deal, adding that it is a product of months of discussion between the leaders of the APC on one hand and all the eight PDP members in the assembly.
The members of the PDP in the assembly include the Minority Leader, Akeem Bello from Amuwo Odofin Constituency 2, the Minority Whip, Mosunmola Sangodara from Surulere Constituency 2, Dipo Olorunrinu from Amuwo Odofin Constituency 1 and Victor Akande from Ojo Constituency 1.
Others are Akeem Shokunle from Oshodi/Isolo Constituency 1, Jude Idimogu from Oshodi/Isolo Constituency 1, Dayo Famakinwa, Ajeromi Ifelodun 2 and Oluwa Fatai from Ajeromi/Ifelodun 1.
We were reliably informed that the lawmakers are considering defecting to take the path due to the crisis in the party at the state and federal levels.
“I can confirm to you that six of the PDP lawmakers in the Lagos State House of Assembly would soon defect to the APC, but status quo will remain as they would not want to stop holding their present positions in the house until further notice.
“What I know is that a lot of things are going on in the party and still would never remain the same. One would have expected them to declare openly either on the floor of the House or through a press conference, but they did not do any of these,” the source said.
Speaking in an interview, one of the members of PDP, Jude Idimogu denied the speculations, but added that it is not impossibility. “We have not defected yet. We are all still in the PDP to the best of my knowledge. I know there are crisis in the party, but we are yet to move. We are all still here. If we want to move, it would be done on the floor of the house or through a press conference,” he said.
It will be recalled that there was no PDP lawmaker in the 7th Assembly in the state as all the 40 members were from the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which metamorphosed to the APC. However, in the 6th Assembly, one of the three PDP members in the assembly then, Hodewu Suuru Avoseh, who had earlier been impeached as the Minority Leader of the House, defected to the ACN then.
Abuja – Gov. Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo on Tuesday in Abuja met with the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo and invited him to inaugurate some projects in Ondo state.
Answering questions from State House correspondents after the meeting, which was held behind closed doors, Mimiko disclosed that he briefed Osinbajo on what his administration was doing to exit.
Mimiko's second 4-year tenure as governor of Ondo will expire on Feb. 24.Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State briefing journalists after a closed- door meeting with Ag. President Yemi Osinbajo at the State House, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi Adeshida
The governor said that the ongoing crisis in the Ondo State House of Assembly was not part of the issues discussed during the meeting. The Ondo State House of Assembly had been engulfed in leadership crisis between factions leading to the sealing of the Assembly's complex by the Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris.
The crisis followed the suspension of the embattled Speaker of the State's House of Assembly, Jumoke Akindele, by a faction of lawmakers for alleged fraud. Akindele enjoys the support of 12 other lawmakers who are loyalists of Mimiko.
The crisis took a twist as some protesters attacked the convoy of Mimiko when he attempted to present 2017 budget proposal to the assembly. The hoodlums were reported to have smashed the side screens of two vehicles in the governor's convoy.
It took the timely intervention of the men of the police command to disperse the protesters, some of whom were also injured in the pandemonium that ensued. Following the protest, Mimiko reportedly shifted the budget presentation to another day.
The governor, however, told the State House correspondents that the crisis would soon be resolved following the intervention of stakeholders in the state. "The matter is being looked into. It's an internal matter within the house and I think some elders, statesmen and leaders in the state are looking at how they can help them to get over the crisis.
"I don't think it is directly related to budget presentation. There is nothing sacrosanct about the method of presenting budget if you know what I am talking about.
"I think it's just about changing leadership structure in the house and all of that. "The governor now is from the northern central district and the deputy governor is from the southern central district and then, the speaker is from the south.
"There are those who feel that she should step aside so that they can get someone from the central senatorial district. I think that has been sorted out,'' he added.
Mimiko expressed the readiness of the "sitting speaker'' of the assembly to step aside for peace to reign in the assembly. He said: "The sitting speaker now has made it abundantly clear that she is ready to step aside, she is ready to resign her position.
"But the group that purportedly impeached her, not even a simple majority can impeach the speaker, it has to be two thirds. "That is to tell you about the fact that 13 out of 26 members of the house don't have constitutional or legal empowerment to impeach the speaker.
"But as I speak with you now, she is ready to step aside any time once the house is properly constituted.''
THIS week, the prices of some food items increased and some reduced. 50kg of long grain rice increased from N16, 000 to N18, 000 while 50kg of short grains increased from N17, 500 to N19, 000. A crate of eggs has also increased from N1000 to N1,100. 12.5kg Cooking Gas is now N4, 500 from N4, 800. Kerosene has also reduced from N1, 600 to N1, 300. Palm oil has reduced from N24, 000 to N16, 000. Hope to see more of these reductions next week.
Lake rice
Basket of Tomatoes N5,500-N7, 000 A bag of Pepper N5, 000-N7, 000 A bag of Long pepper N3, 000 – N6000 A bag Onion (white) N18, 000 – N20, 000 A bag of Onion (Red) N17, 000- N18, 000 50kg of long grains Rice N18,000 A derica of long grains Rice N300 50kg of short grains Rice. N19,000 A derica of short grains Rice N320 A crate of egg (36 pieces) N1,100 A bag of Olotu beans N35,000 A bag of Oloyin beans N16,000 A bag of Yam Flour (Elubo) N40, 000-N70, 000 A bag of Gaari N11, 000 A paint bucket N550 20 Litres of Groundnut Oil N15, 500-N16000 10Litres N6, 500-N 7000 5Litres N3, 200 25 Litres of Palm Oil N16, 000 Noodles N1600- N1970 Semovita N2, 700- N2, 900 Pampers (cartons of 8) N3, 400 Seasonings N110 – N500 Tomato paste (big N1200-N1800 Tomato paste (Medium) N550-N700 Tomato paste(small) N150-N350 Tomato sachet (a roll) N250 –N300 Pack of toilet roll (48pieces) N1800-N2, 300 A Satchet of milk N30-N50 A Sachet of beverage N45-N50 Toothpaste N250-N270 5 Litres of Kerosine. N1,300 A drum of Kerosene N62,500 12.5kg. Cooking gas N4,500 Yam (1 tuber). N300- N700 Ugwu Leaf (a bundle) N3, 500–N4,000 A dozen of tied Ugwu Leaf N1, 800 Moin-Moin Leaf (a dozen) N800 Carton Titus ice Fish N19, 000 1 kg ofTitus ice Fish N1,000 1 Carton of Kote ice fish N16, 200 1 kg of Kote ice fish N 900 1 Carton of Sawa iced Fish N10, 000
By chris Ochayi ABUJA – The Save Nigeria Group, SNG, Tuesday, issued a 74 hours ultimatum within to the the presidency to furnish it with full information on the health situation of President Muhammadu Buhari, who is currently believe to be receiving medical attention in London.
The SNG, which made the request via a letter, entitled "Request for information on President Muhammadu Buhari's health status" and addressed to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, urged to be availed information urgently in order to reduce tension on state of Mr. President's health.
According to the letter containing the request which was acknowledged to have been received on February 7, 2017 by the office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice and made available to Vanguard in Abuja, the group warned that it will take all other necessary legitimate and legal steps should the authorities ignore the request. President Muhammadu Buhari
According to the letter signed by Barrister Benedict Ezeagu, the National Coordinator, SNG, "This ugly development, including denial, conditional admission and restriction of access to President Buhari and the true information on his health status is reminiscence of the late President Yar'Adua's incident which our revered organisation was at the forefront of its peaceful resolution and this is not good for Nigeria at this critical period of economic downturn , nationwide insecurity, and political strife.
"As you may know, the lack of clearness in handling the 'vacation' turned 'medical trip' of Mr. President has heightened the rumours and speculations about his health, the most frightening of which is that President Muhammadu Buhari had passed on or he has been in coma or on life-supporting machine, and thus increasing the political tension in the country.
"Since Mr. President is not a private citizen but a public servant whose health bills are currently being paid from the country's treasury, Nigerians deserves the right to know the true state of his health as obtainable in enlightened republics.
"In the light of the foregoing Sir, while we join other Nigerians to pray for Mr. President in line with the request of the Presidency, we herby demand for full information on the health status of President Muhammadu Buhari in exercise of the rights granted us by section 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, the freedom of information Act and Article 9 of African charter on Human and people's rights, as this will help dispel these rumours and speculations and reduce the current political tension in the country.
"Please sir, take notice that if we are not availed of the requested information within 74 hours of your receipt of this letter, we will have no alternative than to take all other necessary legitimate and legal steps, including approaching the National Assembly to activate relevant sections of the Constitution with regard to the health of a Nigerian president as well as institute court actions and organise peaceful protests among others, to ensure that we are availed of these rights guaranteed Nigerians by the laws.
Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea is one of a number of stand-out Premier League goalkeepers being targeted by Real Madrid, according to reports.
The Daily Telegraph say Madrid are in the market for a new keeper, with De Gea, Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois and Tottenham’s Hugo Lloris all being considered as replacements for Keylor Navas.
David DeGea
De Gea is currently on £200,000 a week at Old Trafford but sixth-placed United are again facing a battle to qualify for next season’s Champions League – a battle that, if they lose, will encourage Madrid to swoop for the Spain international.
United’s No 1 almost joined Madrid on deadline day in the summer of 2015 but a broken fax machine scuppered the move.
Madrid are currently serving a transfer ban but that will expire at the end of this season.
The White House has published a list of several dozen terror attacks that it contends were insufficiently covered by the media, including those in Paris, Nice and Orlando that made headlines around the world.
President Donald Trump on Monday accused the “very, very dishonest” media of not wanting to cover terrorist attacks, adding without elaboration, “They have their reasons.”
He leveled the charge during a visit to the headquarters of the US Central Command in Tampa, Florida, but provided no specifics.
The White House followed up late Monday with a list of 78 attacks carried out between September 2014 and December 2016.
“Since ISIS declared a caliphate, there has been a major attack targeting the West executed or inspired by the group more than once every two weeks,” the White House said.
“Most have not received the attention they deserve,” it added.
Some media outlets have countered by posting links to their extensive coverage of attacks cited by the White House.
The list gives the place and month in which an attack occurred, the number of dead or wounded, and the names of the attackers.
But it does not give attacker's nationalities except when he or she is a “US person,” and then the White House does not identify them by name even when their identities are well known.
Many of the attacks listed, particularly those with high casualties, were the subject of days-long coverage, and were so well known they are still short-handed by the cities where they occurred: Paris, Brussels, San Bernardino, Orlando.
The crash in the Sinai desert of an Airbus A321 carrying Russian tourists on October 31, 2015 made the list. Claimed by Islamic State, the crash caused by a bomb explosion after takeoff killed 224 people.
So did the November 13, 2015 attacks in Paris that left 129 dead, and the truck rampage in Nice July 14, 2016 that killed another 84.
But the list omits the attack on the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo in Paris on January 7, 2015, which claimed 12 lives. However, the lethal attacks the following day on a policeman and at a supermarket, in which four people were killed, are listed.
Among the US terror attacks, the White House lists the country’s deadliest since the September 11, 2001 — the bloody assault at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, June 12, 2001 that left 49 dead.
The perpetrator of the attack — Omar Mateen, an American of Afghan origin — is given only as “US person.”
Also on the list is the December 2015 shooting in San Bernardino, California by a husband and wife who killed 14 people in a massacre allegedly inspired by Islamic terror groups. They also are identified as “US persons.”
The list includes other attacks that received massive media coverage at the time: Istanbul (45 dead) in June 2016; Sousse, Tunisia (38 dead) in June 2015; Brussels (31 dead) March 2016; Dacca, Bangladesh (22 dead) in July, 2016; and Berlin (12 dead) in December.
The president’s latest salvo against the media comes amid a raging legal battle over his travel ban on refugees and nationals from seven predominantly Muslim countries.
The new administration says the executive order denying US entry to refugees, and nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries, is needed to protect the country against terror attacks.
Opponents of the action say the measure stigmatizes Muslims and fuels Islamic State’s anti-Western propaganda.
The leadership of the PDP will not be distracted from its commitment to reposition the party for better performance in the future, Sen. Ahmed Markarfi, Chairman, National Caretaker Committee, has promised.
Makarfi made the promise on Tuesday in Abuja when he received the forum of PDP state chairmen. He said that the leadership of the pary was committed to reunite the party and make it stronger, especially after the leadership challenge the party was going through.
"We know where we are heading and no matter the distraction, we will not agree to look different directions.
"When you are running and somebody is holding your gown, don't waste your time trying to rescue it; if you have scissors cut it.
"When you reach the destination you can have a complete new gown to wear.
Makarfi
"So, that is the way we are going. I still believe that at the end of the day PDP will be solid and the internal crisis will be solved,'' Makarfi said.
The caretaker chairman expressed confidence that the judiciary would do justice to the leadership crisis rocking the party.
While commending the chairmen for their contributions to the party, Makari urged them to make the PDP active in their states by holding regular meetings.
"You should mobilise support from stakeholders that are in your states.
"We are monitoring states that are doing that and we are encouraging them to continue to do so.
"Those who are not doing that should copy what is happening in states that are active. It is through that way we can move the party forward,'' he added.
In his remarks, Sen. Ben Obi, Secretary, National Caretaker Committee, thanked the PDP chairmen for their commitment and loyalty.
He promised that under Makarfi's leadership the caretaker committee would continue to have regular meetings with state chairmen.
Earlier, Mr Paul Ekpo, the new chairman, forum of PDP state chairmen, said they were at the party's temporary secretariat to introduce the new executive of the forum to the caretaker committee.
He solicited the support of the national leadership of the party for state executives, especially in those states that do not have PDP governors.
"We assure you that whenever the opportunity comes, we will select men that will participate effectively and give you desire results,'' Ekpo said.
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri ABUJA – Constitutional lawyer and human rights activist, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, has vowed to drag the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for alleging that N75million found in his frozen bank account was proceeds of crime.
In a statement on Tuesday, Ozekhome, explained that the money which was freezed on the order of Justice Abdulazeez Anka of the Federal High Court in Lagos, was part payment for professional services he rendered to Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State.
Mike Ozekhome (SAN)
He described insinuation by the anti-graft agency that the fund was proceed of money laundering, as “an invidious lie from the pit of hell”.
The statement read: “It is with rude shock and personal sense of consternation that my attention has just been drawn to online publications with numerous calls from Nigerians, that my account containing N75 million domiciled with GTBank has been temporarily frozen, allegedly based on an ex-parte order obtained by the EFCC from the Honourable Justice Abdulazeez Anka of the Federal High Court, Lagos.
“It is alleged that the said sum of N75 million is ''suspected'' to be the proceeds of crime or that it is from money laundering. This is an invidious lie from the pit of hell.
“For the records, the N75 million was paid into my account by my client, Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, as part payment of Professional Fees for the numerous cases my chambers is currently handling for him (in his personal capacity) and his aides across Nigeria. The money is neither ''suspected proceeds of crime'' nor of money laundering.
“On the 13th day of December, 2016, I defeated the EFCC in a judgment delivered by the Honourable Justice Taiwo O Taiwo, sitting at the Federal High Court, Ado Ekiti.
In his judgment dated 13th December, 2016, the court ordered the EFCC to immediately defreeze two accounts belonging to Governor Fayose and domiciled with Zenith Bank Plc, which accounts EFCC had, illegally , unconstitutionally, an in a most uncouth and cavalier manner frozen and blocked in Zenith Bank Plc. The court described the action of the EFCC as ''illegal, wrongful, unconstitutional and unlawful''.
“Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo, the same lawyer who was said to have obtained the ex-parte order blocking my account from Honourable Justice Abdulazeez Anka, is the very counsel for the EFCC in the case I won for Governor Fayose before the Federal High Court, Ado Ekiti.
“After the accounts were defrozen by the judgment of the court, I urged Governor Fayose to make part payment of N100 million for the numerous cases I am handling for him and his aides across Nigeria, but which he did not have funds to pay for.
“He then transferred, with the cooperation of Zenith Bank Plc, which was actually the 2nd Defendant in the suit, the sum of N75 million as part payment of my Professional Fees.
“I have since utilized the funds for the payment of salaries, school fees of my children schooling in Nigeria and abroad, with spirally inflation, and for my Mike Ozekhome Foundation (MOF) activities.
“On the 19th of January, 2017, Honourable Justice Taiwo O Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Ado Ekiti, took argument on a motion for injunction pending appeal restraining Governor Fayose from withdrawing the remaining balance in his said accounts. This same motion was argued by the same Rotimi Oyedepo.
“The court on the 31st of January, 2017, dismissed EFCC's motion. He has now appealed to the Court of Appeal, Ado Ekiti, with a similar motion.
“The present action of EFCC is clearly calculated to overreach Governor Fayose in the appeal and also to embarrass and intimidate me from defending Governor Fayose.
“This will never happen. I will continue to defend beleaguered and oppressed Nigerians from the antics and high handedness of publicly funded government institutions that breach their fundamental rights.
“It is sickening and inconceivable that money legitimately and legally paid by a client to his Solicitor from an unencumbered account wholly and totally defrozen and unblocked by the judgment of a competent court of law can be termed "suspected proceeds of crime or money laundering''.
“I am a practising lawyer, not a government employee, contractor or a business man. I have NEVER laundered and will NEVER launder any money in my life.
“It is so shameful and disgusting when we make ourselves a laughing stock before international circles through brazen unconstitutional acts by publicly funded government institutions, just to silent all critical voices of reason and plurality of ideas.
“I shall take immediate legal steps to defreeze the account, in the event that the EFCC does not immediately voluntarily vacate the said order”.
Tragedy was yesterday averted at Sekona, Osogbo Road when Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola reached out to the state’s revamped fire service to put out a fire that had engulfed the area.
Acting on his promise not to leave behind any unfinished project in the state, the Governor was on an evening tour of several projects under construction in the state when he stumbled on the wild fire that threatened a nearby community.
He swiftly put a call through to the fire service team who moved into action to put out the fire and restored calm to the community. Photos show the governor and his entourage putting out the fire and helping members of the community.
Governor Aregbesola at the fire scene
Recall that the Aregbesola-led administration has invested in rebuilding and equipping emergency response services in the state, including the fire service, ambulance unit and other related units.
The Fire scene
The governor who showed empathy with the people, promised his administration will continue to secure lives and properties across the state.
Enugu – President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, will be special guests at the 28th edition of Enugu International Trade Fair.
The President of Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA), Rev. Ugochukwu Chime, made this known in Enugu on Tuesday. Chime said that the fair would hold between March 31 and April 10. President Buhari He said that the 2017 fair, with the themed: "Promoting Nigeria's Industrial Sector and SMEs for Inclusive and Robust Economy'', would take place at the Permanent Trade Fair Complex, off the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway.
"It is incumbent, as expected, that the fair will be declared open by His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, President, Federal Republic of Nigeria,'' he said.
The ECCIMA boss noted that good number of bodies and business organisations as well as government agencies had indicated interest to participate in the fair.
"We wish to acknowledge that a good number of enquiries are being made concerning participation in the fair so far,'' he said. He said that the chamber had enhanced its online platform for registration, exhibition and marketing.
"As part of our efforts to boost the success of the fair, we shall as it is strategic, be commencing the systematic sensitization tours and consolidating our marketing with visits to key stakeholders both in public and private sectors in different parts of the country.
"We have equally put in place measures to ensure stable and quality supply of electricity and water during the fair. "Relatedly, we shall soon commence the overhaul and maintenance of the two stand-by generator sets in the fair complex, in event of public power failure,'' he said.
According to him, it is equally interesting to note that we have commissioned the reinforcement of the distribution network of electricity lines inside the fair complex including the changing of a good number of wooden electric poles to concrete poles.
"This has become necessary as the weak wooden electric poles used in the initial networking had to be replaced to enhance stable electricity supply. "We shall continue to gradually replace the wooden poles with concrete poles, particularly those that are weak.
"On security, we are pleased to note, that we have not had any security breach/problem since we started hosting our fairs in the trade fair complex within the Golf Estate area about six years ago,'' he said.
KANO-The emir of Kano, Malam Muhammadu Sanusi II has tasked northern Governors to convert Muslim worship centres to primary school.
Sanusi II who spoke during the graduation ceremony of 2500 Post Graduate Diploma and NCE teachers on day 3 of Kano Basic Education week stated that such step would save cost in this era of recession.
From left, Governor of Kano state, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje with Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, during the convocation ceremony of 2000 NCE Teachers Sponsored by Kano State Government in Kano, Tuesday.
If you look at our educational needs viz a viz the infrastructural deficit, it became imperative to convert existing mosque to primary school, and aside cost reduction on this era of recession, it would accelerates educational development in the region”
From left, Director General National Teachers Institute (NTI), Professor Garba Azare, Governor of Kano state, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, and Deputy Governor of Kano state, Professor Hafiz Abubakar , during the convocation ceremony of 2000 NCE Teachers Sponsored by Kano State Government in Kano, Tuesday.
The emir equally stated that ” it will be highly rewarding if we convert them to learning institutions as obtained in other clime”.
From left, Governor of Kano state, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje with Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, during the convocation ceremony of 2000 NCE Teachers Sponsored by Kano State Government in Kano, Tuesday.
Sanusi II who lamented disadvantage position of the north on western education, called for concerted effort to tackled the problem.
The former Central Bank Governor goes further to explain that, Morocco just like any other country in the Arab world made efficient utilization of Muslim worship centers to spread knowledge.
The First Class emir said “when you convert these mosques to institution of learning in your domain, you have simply bring education to the door steps of citizens.”
He noted that products of such institution would turn out to be “responsible citizens “, adding that it would also boost employment.
Rivers government on Tuesday denied that Gov. Nyesom Wike allegedly spent N111million to bribe Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) staff during the Dec. 10 re-run legislative election.
The panel constituted to investigate the electoral and other offences perpetrated during the re-run election alleged that it recovered N111 million from 23 INEC officials.
The Chairman of the panel, Mr Damian Okoro, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, made the allegation while presenting the team's report to the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, in Abuja on Tuesday.
He alleged that three senior electoral officers collected N20 million each out of the N360 million given to them by Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers, while the remaining officers received N15 million each.
Mr Simeon Nwakaudu, Special Assistant to the Rivers Governor on Electronic Media, said the allegation was false and politically motivated.
Nwakaudu said in a statement in Port Harcourt that the police allegation was aimed at diverting attention from the real issues about the election.
" The statement (by the police) is patently false, politically motivated and cooked by the police to justify the violence they visited in the people of Rivers state during the re-run" he said.
According to him, Gov.Wike did not spend N360 million to rig the re-run election.
" For the avoidance of doubt, the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike did not spend N360 million to rig the re-run legislative elections of December 10, 2016.
"The people of Rivers State overwhelmingly voted the PDP across the state because of the outstanding performance of Governor Wike since May 29, 2015, Nwakaudu said.
Is your Android device running slow? Jumia Travel shares 5 tips to help you speed it up.
PINPOINT THE PROBLEM
It could be an app, multiple apps, the storage or the system itself slowing down your device. Before you either fix your device yourself or give it to a technician to help you fix it, it is important you try to identify what the problem is or might be, and what the problem isn't. With this knowledge, the problem will be easier for you to solve on your own or, if you decide to give the phone to a technician instead, it will help you avoid being cheated.
A diagnostic app can help you pinpoint the problem causing your device to run slowly. Phone Doctor Plus and Z-device Test are good diagnostic apps to consider. You can find them on Google Play Store. Some Android devices come with diagnostic apps, like Samsung with the Samsung Smart Care app. In this case, you can take advantage of that rather than downloading another from the Google Play Store.
CLEAR YOUR CACHED DATA
This is more or less a temporary solution if your device's slowness is caused by the unnecessary or 'rarely used' apps you installed. Cache data eats up system resources (takes up storage space on your device) while slowing down your device. You should clear this data from time to time or install a cache clearing app, like Clean Master, from the Google Play Store. You have nothing to fear deleting this data, anything important will simply be re-cached the next time you open the app.
This is considered a temporary solution because you'll eventually have to delete some of these apps you are clearing the cached data of, to more permanently fix the problem of your device running slowly.
UNINSTALL AND DISABLE UNNECESSARY APPS
If after diagnosing the problem, you find that a certain app or the multiple apps you installed on your device is causing your device to run slowly, you should immediately uninstall it.
For apps that you cannot delete (those that come preloaded on your phone and are otherwise called 'bloatware'), you should disable as many as you are not using to keep them from running in the background, choking your device's storage and interfering with its speed and efficiency.
You can uninstall or disable apps through the app manager found in your device's settings, and keep these apps from becoming the 'resource hogs' that slow down your Android device.
NOTE – You should also learn to close all apps you are no longer using. Don't just open it and change to another app without closing the one you previously opened. This helps to free up your RAM and improve your device's performance.
FREE UP YOUR DEVICE STORAGE
Aside uninstalling unnecessary apps, especially if the problem is caused by insufficient storage, you should also delete some of the many files (music, videos, documents etc.) that are filling up your internal storage.
Make the sacrifice; delete those files you don't actually need but keep for sentimental reasons. If you want to avoid, losing certain files completely, you can transfer them to another device (another phone, a laptop, or a tablet) or a flash drive or hard drive.
NOTE – You can also consider disabling some of the widgets running on your device that you are not really using, alongside animations and live wallpapers you have running on your phone. Widgets, animations and live wallpapers may be fanciful, but they affect your device's performance and battery live.
PERFORM A FACTORY DATA RESET
Over time, a lot goes on in your device's software so it's always advisable to give your device a fresh start from time to time. Know that this should not be done often, only from time to time especially when all the other tips don't work as well as you want them to do.
A factory data reset will wipe your device clean and leave the software the way it was when you first turned on the device; so be sure to backup important files before you do this. Some Android devices come with a "Backup and Reset" option in the device's settings, so you can take advantage of that. Some other devices have a recovery menu for backing up important files. The steps are different for every device, so you can use Google to help you out with the steps for your device.
The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs on Tuesday completed screening of 23 non-career ambassadorial nominees out of 46. Those screened were Goni Modu Zanna Bura (Yobe), Yusuf Maitama Tuggar (Bauchi), Ahmed Ibeto (Niger), Kabiru Umar (Sokoto) and Baba Madugu (Bauchi).
Others were Baba Ahmad Jidda (Borno), Justice George Adesola Oguntade (Lagos), Garba Gajam (Zamfara), Bala Mohammed Mairiga (Zamfara), Christopher Okere (Anambra), Etuborn Asuquo (Cross River) and Nurudeen Mohammed (Kwara).
SENATE CHAMBER
Also screened were Amin Muhammad Dalhatu (Jigawa), Ahmed Nuhu Bamali (Kaduna), Prof. Dandatti Abdulkadir (Kano), Justice Isa Dodo (Katsina), Prof. Mohammed Yisa (Kwara), Mrs Modupe Irele (Lagos) and Suzanne Folarin (Ogun).
Gen. Ashimiyu Olaniyi (Oyo), Oriji Ngofa (Rivers), Jonah Odo (Ebonyi) and Eniola Ajayi (Ekiti) also made the list.
The Chairperson of the committee, Sen. Monsurat Sunmonu, commended members for a job well done.
She said though the screening started late, the committee was able to screen 23 as against 14 nominees it intended to.
The chairperson said "the committee would screen the remaining nominees on Wednesday."
President Muhammadu Buhari resubmitted a list of 46 non-career ambassadorial nominees to the senate on Jan. 12 for confirmation.
ABUJA– Outgoing governor of Ondo state, Olusegun Mimiko has faulted the impeachment of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mrs Jumoke Akindele, saying that it was illegal.
He said that it was unfortunate that the members carried out the act even when the Speaker had opted to leave the office to give currency to the emerging power sharing structure in the State.
Mimiko however stated that 13 out of the 26-member House lacked the constitutional power to impeach the Speaker as they did not constitute a two-third majority.
The governor spoke to State House correspondents after a private meeting with the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Tuesday.
He added that his mission to the Villa was not to discuss the crisis in the state assembly, revealing that elder statesmen in the state were already handling the matter.
Mimiko
Mimiko also stated that the crisis was not directly related to his attempt to present the state 2017 budget.
“The matter is being looked into. It’s an internal matter within the house and I think some elders statesmen and leaders in the state are looking at how they can help them to get over the crisis,” he said, adding: “I don’t think it’s directly related. There is nothing sacrosanct about the method of presenting budget if you know what am talking about.
“I think it’s just about changing leadership structure in the house and all of that.
“The governor now is from the northern central district and the deputy governor is from the southern central district and then, the speaker is from the south.
“There are those who feel that she should step aside so that they can get someone from the central senatorial district. I think that has been sorted out.
“I believe that the speaker should come from the central senatorial district but the issue is the method.
“The sitting speaker now has made it abundantly clear that she is ready to step aside, she is ready to resign her position.
“But the group that purportedly impeached her, not even a simple majority can impeach the speaker, it has to be two thirds. That is to tell you about the fact that 13 out of 26 members of the house don’t have constitutional or legal empowerment to impeach the speaker.
“But as I speak with you now, she is ready to step aside any time once the house is properly constituted.”
The governor also disclosed that he discussed with Osinbajo on the possibility of him coming to the state to commission some projects.
“My mission to the acting President is to brief him about what we are doing to exit. There are some projects that if he can spare the time, we would like him to come to the state to commission some of them,” he said.
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Tuesday received the Certificate of Admission of the State as one of the 100 Resilient Cities (100RC) in the world pioneered by the Rockefeller Foundation, saying that it was a starting point and a positive partnership that would help the State address the challenges of urban planning, transport gridlock, environment and modern infrastructure.
Governor Ambode, who spoke at the presentation of the certificate held at the Renaissance Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, said the development was not only historic in the annals of the State but a confirmation that the efforts to build a globally competitive State had received international recognition.
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode,
The Governor said it was gratifying to note that despite the challenges faced by the State in many areas including transportation, security, ocean surge, flooding, high unemployment rate, pressure on physical and social infrastructure, growth of slums and a huge housing deficit, Lagos remained resilient and ever progressive.
While alluding to the objective of his administration to make every community in Lagos economically liveable and stem rural-urban flight, the Governor said deliberate initiatives have been put in place to address the housing deficit, transport challenges and economic development, among others.
He said: "We acknowledge these challenges and needs; and now as a member of the 100 resilient Cities of the World, we have a platform to compare notes with cities who have similar experiences and create innovative and mitigating strategies.
"Lagos is currently home to about 23 million inhabitants with an estimated 86 people moving into Lagos every hour. This creates challenges of managing a daily increase in human and vehicular movement," he said.
The Governor, who said that resilience had always been part of the Lagos story, said despite the fact that the State remained the smallest state in Nigeria by geographical size, it is the largest by population and economic power.
He particularly recalled the manner with which Lagos contained the outbreak of the Ebola virus in 2015 and secured residents from a terrible epidemic.
While speaking on the plans for the State, Governor Ambode said his administration was currently in partnership with the Agence Francaise de Development (AFD) to upgrade 2 blighted settlements in Bariga and Amukoko.
"We have initiated many interventions all over the State to shorten road travel time and we are in talks with the Japanese International Corporation Agency (JICA) to introduce rail transportation in the Ikoyi-Lekki corridor. We have also engaged in massive road construction and opening-up of our rural communities, continuous clearance of drainages and the upgrade and construction of Primary Health Care Centers (PHCs). Our objective is to make every community in Lags economically liveable and stem rural-urban flight.
"In response to the high unemployment figures, we created the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund to provide cheap source of funding to our young entrepreneurs and SME's. The Fund started disbursement to beneficiaries in December 2016 and more funds will be made available to in the coming months to stimulate economic activity and get more of our young people employed.
"The ocean surge is a huge challenge and the Lagos State Government in partnership with notable investors have invested in the development of Eko Atlantic City to not only contain the ocean surge but to deliver a new city which will be a future financial, commercial and tourism centre," he said.
In his opening remarks, Lagos State Commissioner for Finance, Economic Planning and Budget, Mr Akinyemi Ashade said the selection of Lagos among the 100 Resilient Cities was sign post of a new dawn for the State in terms of ability to adapt to some of the risks and shocks it may be exposed to and how to effectively treat and overcome them.
He recalled how Governor Ambode issued a directive in August 2016 for commencement of process for Lagos to be selected, adding that the feat, apart from taking the delivery of electoral promises a notch higher in terms of concrete and measurable deliverables to the citizenry, would also compliment the vision of the present administration to make Lagos Africa’s model mega city of choice.
Earlier, President of 100 Resilient Cities, Mr Michael Berkowitz said out of the over 1,000 applications received and three rounds of selection process, Lagos was chosen for its innovative leadership, infrastructural strides and influential status not just in Africa but in the world.
He said the organization, by the initiative, was hoping to help cities change the way they think about their resilient opportunities and to see an integration between challenges.
“Sometimes cities think about transport, just about moving people; housing, just about housing people; economic development, just about creating jobs but cities get better when they think about those things in an inter-related way.
“We are trying to inspire a movement across the world to change the way cities approach their risks and opportunities and so Lagos is not just the most influential city in West Africa or the continent but around the world and that was very appealing to us,” Berkowitz said.
The Governor later signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Mayor of Paynesville, Liberia, Mrs Cyvette Gibson, which would facilitate information sharing around resilience in the two cities with the view to bring about economic development.
By Henry Umoru ABUJA – CHAIRMAN, Senate Committee on Police Affairs, Senator Abu Ibrahim, All Progressives Congress, APC, Katsina South said Tuesday that President Muhammadu Buhari was not sick, but only exhausted as a human being.
Senator Ibrahim who is one of the closest Senators to President Buhari said that those spreading the rumour that President Buhari is sick missed the point, just as he stressed that the weight of the country's mounting problems exhausted him.
He reeled out issues that might have taken a toll on the President which include destruction of oil pipe line that HAS reduced production to almost half, fall in oil price that has affected the economy and led to recession, and the falling exchange rate that has affected the purchasing power of most Nigerians, adding that some of those talking about the falling exchange rate fail to also talk about what led to weak Naira against the Dollar.
Senator Ibrahim who noted that he has been in constant touch with President Buhari, said that he was actually with him the day the president left the country.
Speaking to Journalists Tuesday when he was accosted at the National Assembly lobby, Senator Ibrahim said that every Nigerian is aware of the zeal and passion President Buhari came into office with, adding, “President Buhari will soon come back" noted that there was no need for Nigerians to be unduly apprehensive because Mr. President is not sick but exhausted by the weight of the problems the country is going through."
He however urged Nigerians to continue to pray for the President to come home and continue his work to put the country in a better footing, adding that Nigerians have the right to list what they wanted the President to do when he is back home.
Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has said that the Federal Government will ensure the total rehabilitation of the Abuja Airport runway for smooth operations and deliver it in just six weeks.
Amaechi who acknowledged the pains the closure of the Airport would cause the economy maintained that his Ministry will ensure the reopening after due rehabilitation is concluded in six weeks.
Amaechi gave the assurance when he appeared alongside his colleague Ministers at a town hall meeting organised by the Ministry of Information in Ilorin, Kwara State on Monday.
According to him, “We are saying that the Abuja Airport runway was built to last for twenty years but we have been using it for thirty four years. It has become extremely dangerous to continue using it, the way it is right now."
Amaechi
"We need to close it to rebuild it and reconstruct it. The foundation is almost gone and what we are asking for is patience."
"If we don’t close it, we will be exposing lives. One of the constitutional responsibilities of the President is to protect lives and property. So you can’t deny us that responsibility. We believe that if we close it by March, in six weeks time, we shall be able to reopen it."
"We know it is challenging for our economy. We think that we will keep to that six weeks,” he said.
While explaining issues concerning Maritime, particularly in the North Central, Amaechi noted that his ministry was determined to commission the Baro River Port by the first quarter of next year.
“We met abandoned Maritime. Our target this year is that by first quarter of next year, we shall be commissioning Baro River Port. We are in the process of awarding the contract for the last equipment that they will use at the River Port. NIWA is there working hard. I understand the sentiments of Baro."
"The only reason why we have not gotten the contractor at Lokoja part is that we don’t trust the contractor and I have directed NIWA to go and look for the process of terminating that contract and get a new contractor to complete the project and that mandate, we have from Mr. President”.
“The other mandate that will interest you is the Central Railway Line,the Itakpe/ Ajaokuta Railway Line. If you go back there now the contractors are back to site. We have sent them back to site. That is a 32 years project. Under this government, we have decided and agreed with the contractors that we will complete it first quarter of next year”.
“Even Baro will be completed first quarter of next year. The other thing that will interest you is the Narrow Gauge Railway Line that transverses your state (Kwara) to Minna. We are about to start negotiations with General Electric (GE). The Narrow Gauge will start if we successfully conclude our conversation. Before the end of this year, from Lagos to Ajaokuta to Ibadan to Ilorin to Minna and onward to Kano we will revive that railway line," Amaechi said.
The Transport Minister also said that, “We believe that between the first and second quarters, we would have completed the negotiations and you will see more activities on the train. Once we conclude it, it will create employment. The other one that will also interest you is the Standard Gauge which everybody is clamouring for."
"We have awarded the contract for the Lagos to Ibadan Standard Gauge Line.By the time they complete that, we will be awarding Ibadan to Ilorin and the prayer you should make is to ask the National Assembly to kindly approve for us the borrowing plan that was sent to them”.
“Out of that borrowing plan, 6.1billion dollars is meant for railway. For the Lagos to Ibadan, you have 1.5billion dollars. The loan has been approved by the China Exim Bank, the only thing holding us today is that the NASS is yet to approve the borrowing plan. As citizens from the North Central, please kindly appeal to the NASS to approve the borrowing plan”, he said.
‘When that is completed," Amaechi continued, "the next phase of the railway will be from Ibadan to Minna or Ilorin. Currently, we are also looking for loan to do Kano to Kaduna for that Standard Gauge Rail Line," he said.
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