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
L-R: Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State; Niger State Governor, Abubakar Belo; Nassarawa State Deputy Governor, Silas Agara and Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State at the meeting.L-R: Governor Dave Umuahi of Ebonyi State; Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and Governor Samuel otom of Benue State discussing at the meeting.From left, the NSA, maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno; the Defence Minister, Alh. Dan Ali; the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Na’allah; Minister for Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Danbazzau; Minister for Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu; Speaker House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and the Ag. President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo as he arrivrd for the Consultative meeting with Governors.L-R Governor Ifeanyi uguanyi of Enugu State; Presidential Liaison to the National Assembly, Ita Enang; Deputy Senate Leader, Bala Na’allah and Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State during the meeting.From the left, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State; Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State; Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State; Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State; Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State and Governor rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State discussing during the meeting.From the left, Governor Ifeanyi Uguanyi of Enugu State; Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State; Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State; and Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State at the meeting.
By Johnbosco Agbakwuru ABUJA – ACTING President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo Wedneday, warned state governors against playing politics with national security
From the left, Governor Ifeanyi Uguanyi of Enugu State; Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State; Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State; and Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State at the meeting.
The Acting President also reiterated that the Constitution guaranteed all Nigerians to live in any parts of the country without molestation, just as he warned people talking carelessly in a way that would threaten the unity of the country.
Prof. Osinbajo who gave the warning when he met with the 36 governors at the Old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, further noted that the Constitution guarantees freedom of expressions but he said that it must be done in a decent way.
According to him, "There is a part of all of these agitations and statements that are made that is fair and may well be considered as freedom of expression. Clearly, we are all allowed to express our views and there is a part of this that is expected in any healthy and robust democracy, people arguing and disagreeing sometimes even silently.
"But borderline has to be drawn and that is when conversations or agitations degenerate into hateful rhetoric where the narratives degenerate to pejorative name-calling, expressions of outright prejudice and hatred.
"We must sometimes ensure that even in the use of words, we are careful essentially because the kinds of problems that we have seen, the kinds of conflagration that we have seen all over the world even in our own society…..the use of words. Some words can carry a lot of weights and so important that responsible use of words, the responsible expression of dissent is taken as priority.
Abuja – The Senate on Wednesday hinted that the National Assembly may request supplementary budget from the executive for funds needed for 2017-2018 campaign against measles.
Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa, Chairman, Senate Committee on Primary Healthcare and Communicable Diseases, gave the indication when he received a delegation of Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization (GAVI) in Abuja.
He said that the national assembly was aware that Nigeria was to provide a counterpart funding of about 11 million dollars (about N3 billion) for the measles campaign during the period.
"There is no appropriation for this campaign in 2017 budget, but I want to assure you that the national assembly is aware of the enormity of the situation,'' Ohuabunwa said.
He urged GAVI to pre-fund activities for the campaign pending when the operational funds from the organisation and the Federal Government would be released.
He said the gesture would not only keep the momentum on the measles campaign but maintain the pressure established on measles control over the years.
He pledged the commitment of the national assembly to re-positioning the health care system in Nigeria.
"The National Assembly has been very conscious of the need to re-engineer our health care sector and took the bold step of setting up the Committee for Primary Health Care and Communicable Diseases in the past two years.
"The goal of this committee is to drive on the required efficiency and accountability of our many partnerships such as with GAVI, which continue to have great impact on our primary health care delivery.
"These, I believe, should indeed rekindle GAVI's confidence in dealing with Nigeria, especially in up-scaling the partnership and the support in the country,'' the lawmaker said.
Earlier, GAVI's Chief Executive Officer, Dr Seth Berkley, who led the delegation, decried the ranking of Nigeria as highest among countries with un-immunised children in the world.
He called on the Nigerian Government to put measures in place to stem the tide, adding that there were huge challenges to the health sector "and having a strong system to respond is very important''.
"We are quite concerned about the immunization system in Nigeria. The estimate of coverage was very high but not compared to disease outbreak.
"Nigeria has the highest number of un-immunised children in the world, an unenviable position initially held by India,'' Berkley said.
He, however, commended the Federal Government for its commitment to eliminating polio, acknowledging that the work on polio had been strong.
He urged the government to do all within its power to ensure that polio was eradicated from the country.
While commending Nigeria for supporting the GAVI programme, he said that the country ranked among the lowest in the world in terms of funding the health sector.
According to Berkley, Nigeria is one of the lowest countries in the world with 0 to seven per cent of funding to the health sector but the world sector is 15 per cent.
Gov. Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger state has disowned supporters placing his posters across the state, urging him to re-contest the 2019 elections.
The Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Jonathan Vasta, said this in a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Minna.
"The governor and the entire government of Niger state are dissociating themselves from such outright contraventions that are not in the character of the administration in the state.
"The governor believes in the rule of law and will not support placing of posters in form of campaign when INEC, the body constitutionally empowered to give such go ahead, has not done so.''
Vatsa said that Bello would not encourage such distraction when he was occupied with delivering the dividends of democracy to the people as promised during his campaigns.
•Gov.Abubakar Sani Bello
"The government has well-articulated restoration agenda on education through the whole school approach; infrastructural development by providing good roads and healthcare delivery.
"Others include agricultural development, youth and women empowerment and many other sectors.
"The people can see the revolutions in these sectors and this is not the time for Mr. governor to be distracted by such politicking and we dissociate ourselves from it,'' he said.
Vatsa said that the policies and programmes of the government had always been conducted in consultation with the people as permitted in democracy.
The Commissioner alleged that such act might be the handiwork of mischief makers.
He advised the people to disregard such posters that had no bearing with the governor's effort to deliver on his mandate to them.
Lagos – An Agege Customary Court, Lagos, on Wednesday dissolved the 10-year-old marriage between Adebisi and her husband, Olatunji Abiodun, over constant battering by the husband and his audacity to give their daughter tribal marks. lTribal marks Adebisi had on March 31, 2016, approached the court seeking the dissolution of the marriage, also said the husband was unfaithful and irresponsible.
The President of the court, Mr Phillips Williams, who gave the verdict, said the marriage had broken down irretrievably.
"Once the two parties have consented to the dissolution of their marriage, then there is evidence that the relationship has broken down irretrievably.
"Therefore, the marriage between you is hereby dissolved and any party who may feel dissatisfied with this judgment can appeal within the next 30 days," he ruled.
Adebisi had earlier told the court that her husband for 10 years had been harassing him everywhere. "l seek dissolution of this marriage so that my husband can stop harassing me anywhere he sees me.
"I want him to be responsible for the children's upkeep and education." She described her husband as a drunkard and as a secret cult member.
"He lured my daughter to his village on the pretext of visiting his parents and gave her tribal marks on her face without my consent.
"I can no longer bear the pains of constant beating and the hardships the marriage is going through. " l am fed up with his unfaithful and adulterous ways," she said. Olatunji, a middle-aged man and a father of two, also consented to the dissolution of the marriage.
He alleged that the petitioner was not submissive and lacked manners, saying she does not dress like a married woman. "My wife likes wearing skimpy and indecent clothes which l do not like and have complained several times, but she refused to change."
The process for the recall of Sen. Dino Melaye is gathering momentum as his constituents, Kogi West Senatorial District, submitted a petition to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) demanding his removal from the Senate.
Melaye is a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), represents the district at the upper chamber of the National Assembly.
Leader of the constituents, Chief Cornelius Olowo, told newsmen at INEC headquarters on Wednesday, shortly after submitting the petition, that electorate in Melaye's constituency were resolved to recall him.
He said that the petition, which had signatures of more than 52 per cent of the electorates in the area, was submitted at the office of INEC Chairman.
Olowo said that the move to recall Malaye was based on his "abysmal performance'' since he was elected to represent the district in 2015.
Sen. Dino Melaye
He accused the senator of distancing himself from his constituents, saying that the lawmaker's performance was low.
"In the last two years, some senators have been meeting with their people quarterly. They update them on what has been happening and seek their contributions on issues and their aspirations to be presented at the senate.
"For the past two years, Sen. Malaye has not organised one town hall meeting anywhere in Kogi West to meet with the people to present his scorecard or stewardship.
"He has been completely disconnected from the people. Since he won his election and the legal battle at the court, he is no longer reachable.
"He has no constituency office in Kogi West as we speak, as a way to reach him on matter of interests from the people that elected him,'' Olowo said.
He said that the petition had signatures of registered voters in the senatorial district, who endorsed the recall.
"We have over 360,000 registered voters in Kogi West and after about one week of collection of signatures, we were able to gather over 188,500 signatures, endorsing the recall of the senator.
"We have submitted the petition at the office of INEC Chairman. It is now left for INEC to go and do confirmation of the signatures before going on the process needed for the recall,'' he said.
On the allegation that the state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, was sponsoring the recall and that people fought over the money disbursed for the exercise, Olowo said it was untrue.
He said that the genuineness of the demand would be confirmed when INEC would visit the area for confirmation of the signatories.
He expressed optimism that INEC would do what was required of it over the petition.
The Director, Voter Education and Publicity of INEC, Mr. Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, confirmed the receipt of the petition by the commission.
"Yes, such petition was submitted today (Wednesday),'' he told pressmen in a short message reply on telephone.
By Soni Daniel Abuja – No fewer than 100 delegates of the Presidential Amnesty Programme have been inducted as fellows of the International Institute of Tourism and Hospitality. Paul Boroh A statement by the Presidential Amnesty office in Abuja on Wednesday indicated that the newly inducted fellows are the first tranche of delegates to conclude a month-long training at the International Institute of Tourism and Hospitality in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
The training explored the diverse opportunities in Nigeria’s tourism sector, while highlighting the nation’s rich cultural heritage as a solid base for fashion and catering businesses.
Speaking at the induction ceremony, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig. Gen. Paul Boroh(Rtd) described the training as expansive enough to integrate key elements of Nigeria’s social environment as unique selling points for targeted Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in the hospitality industry.
Boroh said, ”I am optimistic that the delegates would make remarkable contributions to the growth of the nation’s tourism and hospitality industry. I therefore urge them to engage in activities that will help sharpen whatever skills they now possess and to put these skills to use in ways that will benefit them and society".
Gen. Boroh was also firm in support of young people who strive on their own to acquire skills in vocations that have bearing on subsistence. He advised the delegates to be worthy ambassadors of the Amnesty programme and their families stating that society expects much from them.
Vanguard learnt that while all 100 were duly inducted as fellows of the institute, a few others were recognised for outstanding performance with awards of excellence conferred on the deserving delegates.
Another batch of 100 delegates is expected to be deployed to the institute soon for training with a projected one thousand completing training in Tourism and Hospitality in the next ten months.
The event in Yenagoa attracted a large turnout of guests which included strong representations from the state government and the traditional rulers council represented by HRM King Alfred Diette-Spiff. Bayelsa state.
Governor Seriake Dickson was represented by the commissioner for tourism development, Mrs Ebiere Irene Musa, who encouraged the delegates to take advantage of the opportunity given them by the government to do great exploits in the hospitality and Tourism sector.
She said the delegates have been equipped with practical and theoretical aspects in the industry to compete with their counterparts globally.
The training of Amnesty delegates in Tourism and hospitality at the International Institute of Tourism and Hospitality is considered by the Amnesty Office as a home grown approach to tackling some development needs in the Niger Delta.
This first set of delegates trained at the institute were empowered with business start up packs to enable them begin their own enterprise.
A half man half dog was allegedly spotted in South Africa moving round Limpopo with his fellow dogs. The video which went viral on the internet “Facebook’ left people with many questions.
New York – Nigeria is projected to be the world's third most populous country by the year 2050, according to a report released by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.Statistics by experts show that by2040, Nigeria's population growth would have quadruplewithout commensurate amenities and employment to sustain it
The report, titled 'World Population Prospects: The 2017 Revision', said with such development, Nigeria would overtake the United States in terms of population just as world population would reach 9.8 billion people.
The report said "by 2050, the third most populous country will be Nigeria, which currently ranks seventh, and which is poised to replace the United States.
"Among the 10 largest countries of the world, one is in Africa (Nigeria).
"Amongst these, Nigeria's population, currently the seventh largest in the world, is growing the most rapidly.
"Consequently, the population of Nigeria is projected to surpass that of the United States shortly before 2050, at which point it would become the third largest country in the world.
"In 2050, the populations in six of the 10 largest countries are expected to exceed 300 million: China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and United States of America (in alphabetical order).
"Africa, which has the youngest age distribution of any region, is projected to experience a rapid ageing of its population, the report noted.
"Although the African population will remain relatively young for several more decades, the percentage of its population aged 60 or over is expected to rise from five per cent in 2017 to around nine per cent in 2050, and then to nearly 20 per cent by the end of the century."
In addition, the birth rates in African countries are likely to "at least double" by 2050, according to the report.
That trend came in spite of lower fertility rates in nearly all regions of the world, including in Africa, where rates fell from 5.1 births per woman up to 2005 to 4.7 births in the five years following.
In terms of other population trends depicted in the report, the population of India, which currently ranks as the second most populous country with 1.3 billion inhabitants, will surpass China's 1.4 billion citizens, by 2024.
The report noted that the world population, now at least 7.6 billion, was up from 7.4 billion in 2016, adding the concentration of global population growth is in the poorest countries.
The report said in spite of an overall drop in the number of children people have around the globe, the population was spurred by the relatively high levels of fertility in developing countries.
"With roughly 83 million people being added to the world's population every year, the upward trend in population size is expected to continue, even assuming that fertility levels will continue to decline.
"At this rate, the world population is expected to reach 8.6 billion in 2030, 9.8 billion in 2050 and surpass 11.2 billion in 2100," the report further revealed.
The growth is expected to come, in part, from the 47 least developed countries, where the fertility rate is around 4.3 births per woman, and whose population is expected to reach 1.9 billion people in 2050 from the current estimate of one billion.
In contrast, the birth rates in Europe are up to 1.6 births per woman, up from 1.4 births in 2000 to 2005.
"During 2010 to 2015, fertility was below the replacement level in 83 countries comprising 46 per cent of the world's population," according to the report.
The lower fertility rates are resulting in an ageing population, with the number of people aged 60 or over expected to more than double by 2050 and triple by 2100, from the current 962 million to 3.1 billion.
The UN Department said the population growth presented a challenge as the international community sought to implement the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda seeking to end poverty and preserve the planet.
The report also noted the impacts of migrants and refugees between countries, in particular noting the impact of the Syrian refugee crisis and the estimated outflow of 4.2 million people.
In terms of migration, "although international migration at or around current levels will be insufficient to compensate fully for the expected loss of population tied to low levels of fertility, especially in the European region, the movement of people between countries can help attenuate some of the adverse consequences of population ageing". (NAN)
Abuja – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has commended Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on steps he had taken to douse tension in the country occasioned by "hate speeches''Osinbajo
Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, Chairman, PDP National Caretaker Committee, said at a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja, that Osinbajo deserved to the commended.
Makarfi, however, called on government to build on the effort by making all sections to be viable and operate an inclusive government.
He advised the government to ensure that its programmes, policies and steps were tailored in a manner that no section of this country would have the impression that it didn't count. Makarfi also called on leaders and governments at all levels to handle emerging challenges confronting the nation in best way possible.
According to him, the emerging challenges include insecurity in the North-East, herdsmen/farmers' clashes, kidnappings as well as agitations and counter-agitations for secession.
He said that PDP believed that human and national development normally had challenges, but that "handling of such challenges determines the direction that the development takes''.
"As a country and a people, we have faced several developmental challenges; some have been resolved while many others are yearning for resolution.
"Even after such resolution as it's typical of the evolution of human societies, we should expect to be confronted by new and emerging challenges.
"It is thus the responsibility of each generation of our leaders to grapple with and handle such emerging challenges in the best way possible. It is always a work in progress,'' Markafi.
On herdsmen and farmers' clashes, he said that while both groups had constitutionally guaranteed rights to existence, government needed to come up with measures that would once-and-for-all address the issue.
"We must, however, be able to differentiate between the business of peaceful cattle rearing and criminal activities and take appropriate steps to protect lives and property.
"We must also secure our borders in order to prevent the influx of foreigners who may not respect the laws of our land.
"Of concern also is the issue of cattle rustling, which is also taking an altogether unprecedented dimension.
"This unlike the pastoralists/farmers problem, is clearly an issue of criminality, which governments and security agencies need to wake up to, to reassure victims that the state is there for them also.''
On kidnappings, Makarfi said it was worrisome that school students and teachers were had become targets of the criminal act.
He said that the development underscored the urgent need for security agencies to "up their ante'' in the fight against the scourge.
"Apart from additional funding, equipping and intelligence gathering, capacity of the security agencies must be improved as a matter of priority as this will enable the nipping of this criminal activity in the bud.
"We, however, wish to commend the security agencies for the bursting last week, of a criminal gang of kidnappers which had brought untold hardship and anguish to several Nigerian families.
"It is our hope that this feat is just the start of series of efforts to not only bring this criminal enterprise to an end, but also bring the perpetrators to justice. ''
Makarfi also urged the security agencies and the judiciary to ensure that criminals faced the full wrath of the law.
He said that PDP believed that in any democratic space, allowance must be made for people to express grievances and agitate for the redress of such.
He added that while PDP had no problem with agitations, those calling for succession should respect the rights legitimate rights and dignity of other citizens.
The chairman described recent altercation which degenerated into the issuance of ultimatum and counter-ultimatum for some Nigerians to leave certain parts of the country as an ill-wind that blew no good.
"Hate speeches either coming from the North, South, East or West must be avoided and be condemned by all of us.''
Makarfi, however, prayed for President Muhammadu Buhari and wished him quick recovery.
Graduates' representatives of Ijaw, Itsekiri and Ilaje ethnic Nationalities, host communities to Chevron Nigeria Limited have threatened mass action in the next 24 hours if their members in the VTP5/OTP2 Operator/Maintenance Trainees of Chevron are not confirmed as staff.
The position of the graduates under the auspices of Egbema-Gbaramatu Graduates' Employment Front, KOMBOT, National Association of Itsekiri Graduates, NAIG and National Association of Ilaje Graduates, NAIG, came on the heels of a strike action embarked upon Wednesday June 21 by the VTP5/OTP2 Operator/Maintenance Trainees over claim that they could no longer work in "hazardous conditions without being confirmed staff of Chevron".
The ethnic bodies in a joint statement signed by Collins Edema, Yabrade Moses and Ikuesan Ademola, President of National Association of Itsekiri Graduates, NAIG, KOMBOT and National Association of Ilaje Graduates, NAIG respectively, demanded for the sack of the Operations Manager of EGTL over alleged threats to their members.
They also called for the firing of the Human Resources Director "who masterminded the recruitment of our people into slavery".
The Lagos state Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode has signed into law, the state kidnapping prohibition bill, 2016 which prescribes Life Imprisonment or death penalty for the offence of Kidnapping and forceful extortion in Lagos State, meaning that the recently arrested kidnap kingpin, Chukwudubem Onwuamadike, a.k.a. Evans may get a life imprisonment or death penalty sentence.
The law provides for death penalty for kidnappers whose victims die in their custody, and life imprisonment for the act of kidnapping.
The Lagos State House of Assembly passed the bill on January 5.
The governor said that the law was enacted to address key issues bordering on security.
EVANS
He said that kidnapping had become a major threat to the safety of residents and, therefore, required decisive action by the government.
"This law imposes a penalty of life imprisonment for kidnapping for ransom.
"The law stipulates that, where a victim dies in the course of kidnapping, the suspect is liable on conviction to death.
"Security is of utmost importance to our administration, and we are confident that this law will serve as a deterrent to anybody who may desire to engage in this wicked act within the boundaries of Lagos State.
"Our justice system will be required to execute this law in absolute and make sure that any criminal caught faces the full wrath of the law," he said.
Recall that Evans himself had advised kidnappers or intending ones to desist from the act, saying it does not pay any longer.
He had said that if he can be caught, then nobody can escape the police being that the force has improved greatly in her anti-crime fight.
Evans, a billionaire kidnap kingpin had successfully coordinated and masterminded several high profile kidnappings and armed robberies within Lagos, Anambra and Enugu States.
According to him, "My advise to them is that as they are watching me standing here with policemen, they should stop everything about that, it doesn't pay."
He gave the advise to other kidnappers while leading police operatives to two houses in Ejigbo and Igando areas of Lagos state where he keeps his victims until huge ransoms are paid.
According to him, he keeps most of his victims in the two houses for months. He said he even pays up to seven hundred thousand Naira, (700,000) yearly for a three bedroom flat çells' where the victims are kept. Upon departure from Igando area Evans had opined, "The Nigeria Police is not what it is used to be. They are far more advanced than they were. If they could arrest me, there is no criminal they can't arrest."
The ranging storm generated by the quit notice issued by a coalition of Arewa Youth Organizations on their Igbo brothers and sisters living in the Northern part of the country is getting more interesting by the day especially when viewed against the background of a counter quit notice on the Northerners issued by another Youth Organization precisely the militants from the Southern part of the country.
The Arewa Youth Organizations made it clear that the Igbo have been blackmailing the whole country with secession tendencies and that they were fed up with such threats. And this contentious issue has been trending in the Mainstream and in the Social Media for the past two weeks now until a comic side was added to it when the Ohaneze-the Igbo Apex Social –Cultural group replied to the open letter that the Arewa group wrote to the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo.
In that letter, the Youths from the North who kindled the fire urged the Acting President to allow the Igbo have their own nation of Biafra which they had been clamouring for right from 1967 since they don't believe in the geographical entity called Nigeria.
The Arewa groups even went ahead to detail several 'sins' of the Biafran Agitators since the 1960s. And hence, they urged the Acting President to give his accent to the demands of the Agitators to leave the Union (Nigeria) peacefully instead of throwing the nation into another needless civil – war or unnecessary hostilities among ethnic groups within the nation.
But pronto, the Ohaneze quickly replied their Arewa detractors that nobody can force them out of Nigeria. And in the actual sense, nobody is forcing out any group out of Nigeria. The purported Quit Notice reportedly issued by the Arewa boys which they have refused to vacate is a response to the activities of the IPOB and its leaders which was made clear in the Kaduna Declaration.
Kanu Nnamid – the self – acclaimed Supreme Leader of the Biafra Agitators have refused to keep to the terms of his bail – conditions which he has been violating with impunity barely few weeks after his release from the Kuje prisons.
He has been granting interviews and he had even organized rallies within the South- Eastern Region. It was when the IPOB ventured to carry their activities outside the region that the other ethnic groups cautioned them to stay clear of other peoples' domains/territories. Kanu is noted for his hate speeches and has even reportedly lashed out at his Igbo Kinsmen who are worshiping in churches that have Yoruba as their Pastors. He called such Igbo worshipers imbeciles.
This is because in Kanu's assessments, such Yoruba Pastors are worse than Boko – haram. His aim might be to trigger another chain of reactions from the South –West and cause katakata in the whole country. In some peoples opinion, the IPOB leader should be re – arrested for violating the terms of his bail.
But leading him to the doors of Kuje prison again may make the man to be more popular and make an hero out of him, despite his unrelenting secession moves and campaigns. Honestly I do not know what the Yoruba Pastors got to do with this secessionist struggles if not that he- Kanu specializes in fanning the embers of disunity among the ethnic groups in the country with the sole aim of increasing the political tension and make the country ungovernable for those in authority at the Federal level.
The bone of contention has been the alleged marginalization of the Ibos? But are the Ibos really marginalized vis – a – vis other ethnic groups in Nigeria? The National President of Ohaneze answer to this particular question is noteworthy which he gave on the occasion of BIAFRA AT 50.
The President – General/the National President of the Igbo Apex Social –Cultural Organization noted inter –alia, that during the Administration of the former President Goodluck Jonathan, apart from the fact that the Secretary to the Federal Government (SFG) and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy (CME)/Finance Minister were Igbo, all the six Kitchen -cabinet members of the former President were all Igbo.
This was to the effect that ahead of each session of the Federal Executive Council meetings, it was what these kitchen cabinet members who decide that sees the light of the day at the Federal Executive Council meeting. The respected Elder statesman further noted that the only visible Minister from the Yoruba extraction in the President Jonathan Goodluck Administration was Dr. Akinwummi Adesina who held the ministerial portfolio of Agriculture and Rural Development. That was not all.
According to the President – General of Ohaneze, at a time when Dr. Adesina – the immediate past Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development was being allocated 2% of the Nation's budget, his counterpart in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity was given 10%. But alas, the Igbo did not make use of these opportunities to attract tangible infrastructural development to their area. Besides, the Secretary to the then Federal Government (SFG) – Senator Anyim Pius Anyim ensured that the Grade A – list of most Federal Agencies and Parastatals were headed by the Ibos from the core South – East or from Ibo speaking areas of the South – South geo – political zone.
But is this writer trying to justify the Kaduna Declaration made by the Arewa Youths Organizations? No and far from it.
Rather we want to proffer a lasting solution to the issue of bad – blood being generated among the contending groups. And the preferred option is for the nation to adopt the Practice of True Federalism. And the first step to achieve this objective is to subject the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference which reportedly gulped almost N29 billion to a Referendum.
Specifically, the nation's political system should be restructured in such a way that Federal Appointments will become less attractive to intending Treasury – looters since there won't be much loose money to loot.
Let each of the Federating States/Units making the Federal Republic be allowed to retain as much as 50% of the resources generated within their respective territories while they contribute only 50% or even less to the Federal Treasury for the purposes of running National Security in terms of maintaining Internal peace and the Defence of the country against any form of external aggression. We can continue to retain the same National Currency, Customs, Immigration, etc. But let each of the Federating Units have some measures of control over their resources and develop at their own respective paces.
If well – developed, there is no single Federating Unit in the country that is not well – endowed either with natural or human resources which can be exchanged with others for their mutual benefits.
In other words, when the Federating States within the Republic are encouraged to look inwards and tap their own resources for the common good of their own people, there will be healthy competition and only genuine leaders who are Nationalists will emerge to go to the Federal level and lead with a sense of direction driven by passion, vision, and integrity and not by greed and avarice as seen in some of our leaders who have smuggled themselves into corridors of power just to enrich their personal accounts at the expense of our National Treasury.
In this respect, we admonish the Arewa Youth leaders to vacate their Quit Notice on their Ibo kindred while the Ohaneze and the Elders from the South – East should talk to their boys to shelve their secessionist tendencies while we wait for the Federal Government to remove the 2014 National Conference Report from the upper shelve with a view to consider its recommendations.
The Biafran Agitators who are mostly in their 20s, 30s or 40s who did not witness the civil – war should listen to the voice of reason of Elder statesmen and Leaders of Thought like Chief Emmanuel Iwanyanmu and President – General of the Ohaneze and allow the sleeping dog of Biafra dream to continue to rest until the dogs sleep slips into eternal rest.
This is the ultimate goal of all Nigerians as soon as the nation is properly restructured into a True Federal Republic . We don't want the Biafran ghost that has been buried and forgotten since 1970 to be raised from the dead again by some misguided Youths from both sides (North and the South) who have not witnessed any civil war before. And we pray that such will not be the lot of this generation of youths in Jesus name.
If there is any war the Youths should encourage themselves irrespective of their different religious or ethnic backgrounds, it is the war against poverty and bad – leadership that may be denying them of their birth- rights as citizens of this country.! Shekenah!
Gbemiga Olakunle,JP General Secretary, National Prayer Movement
Thirty percent of investments planned by oil and gas majors over the next decade could be wasted if the world economy retools to cap global warming at two degrees Celsius, researchers warned Wednesday.
Oil rig worker
The 2C (3.6 degree Fahrenheit) target is the cornerstone of the 196-nation Paris Agreement, inked in 2015.
Projects worth $2.3 trillion (two trillion euros) could become unprofitable as energy shifts toward renewables and if fossil fuel prices stagnate, according to an analysis of investment budgets for 69 publically traded oil and gas companies.
Some players will be more exposed than others, said the report, “Two degrees of separation: Transition risk for upstream oil and gas in a low-carbon world.”
Up to 50 percent of ExxonMobil’s proposed capital expenditure to 2025, for example, is allocated to uneconomical projects likely to disappoint shareholders, the researchers concluded.
Shell, Chevron, Total and Eni were found to have put 30 to 40 percent of future spending at risk, about average for the companies examined.
At the other end of the scale, 14 companies — including state-owned giant Saudi Aramco — were seen as well-aligned with the 2C scenario.
“This report is a real game-changer for the future of corporate-investor engagement,” said Nathan Fabian, director of policy & research at PRI, a UN-backed network of investors who oversee $62 trillion (56 trillion euros) in assets.
“Investors in oil and gas companies have been in the dark about their exposure to climate risk — now they will be able to confront companies with precise information.”
PRI produced the report in collaboration with Carbon Tracker, a financial think tank that assesses the impact of climate change on capital markets and investment.
Major energy companies are already under growing pressure from investors to explain how global warming — and the shift to a low-carbon economy — will affect their bottom lines.
Last month, three-fifths of ExxonMobil shareholders defied the board and voted for the company to report annually on how new technology and 2C policies will affect business and investment plans.
– Off the table –
Weeks earlier, a majority of Occidental Petroleum shareholders called for similar measures.
“There are clear signs that oil demand could peak in the early 2020s, so companies need to start taking options that would come onstream then off the table,” said James Leaton, Carbon Tracker’s research director.
“Sticking with the growth-at-all-costs scenario just doesn’t add up for shareholder value when policy and technology are heading in the opposite direction.”
The move towards corporate transparency around climate issues extends beyond the fossil fuel industry.
On June 29, the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures — initiated at the COP21 Paris climate summit by former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg and Bank of England Governor Mark Carney — will issue final recommendations.
The task force has already called for the disclosure of climate-related impacts and risks, and strategies to confront them — backed by metrics and targets.
The Carbon Tracker report on investment risk in the fossil fuel industry looks at oil and gas production to 2035, and capital investment to 2025.
The proposed projects would generate 380 billion tonnes of CO2 — 60 percent from oil, 40 percent from gas — by 2035, exceeding the fossil fuel “carbon budget” consistent with a 2C cap on global warming.
Companies will need to knock off at least 60 billion tonnes of that total for the world to have a 50/50 shot at a 2C world.
In a joint statement, institutional investors backing the report — including Britain’s Legal & General Investment Management, Dutch pension fund PGGM, and the French fund FRR — cautioned against the risk of stranded assets.
“Some companies have to reconsider their business strategy,” they said.
ExxonMobil, Total, Eni and Shell are all involved in the single biggest uneconomic asset flagged by the report, the $33.5 billion (30 billion euro) Kashagan Phase 2 project in Kazakhstan. Analysts estimate it would require oil prices of at least $110 a barrel to break even.
London Brent crude closed at just over $45 (40 euros) a barrel on June 21.
By Michael Eboh The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Wednesday disclosed that an Indonesian firm, PT Intim Perkasa Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of PT Intim Perkasa, Indonesia, has indicated interest in building a 10,000-barrel per day modular refinery in Akwa Ibom State.
According to a statement by the NNPC, Mr. Adi Hartadi, Head of Investor Relations of PTPP (Persero) Tbk, partners to PT Intim Perkasa Nigeria Limited, disclosed this in Abuja during a business meeting with the Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mr. Maikanti Baru.
Hartadi stated that the company has more than 50 years of experience in construction and engineering and it was desirous of diversifying into downstream operations in Nigeria.
Commenting on the planned investment in the refinery, Maikanti Baru said the NNPC placed high premium on investment in the nation's refining sector, adding that the corporation would give necessary support to the Indonesian Company's interest in the downstream sector.
Baru, who was represented by Chief Operating Officer, Refineries and Petrochemicals of the NNPC, Mr. Anigbor Kragha, stated that the country's three refineries, with a combined capacity of 445,000 barrels per day, could not function optimally over the years due to lack of investment.
Baru explained that given Nigeria's expected population by 2025, more than 40 million litres of petrol would be required for local consumption, adding that the combined capacity of the nation's three refineries would only be able to satisfy just above 50 per cent of the projected local demand.
He expressed optimism that with this kind of investment coming steadily, Nigeria could serve as a regional hub of refined petroleum products for West Africa and beyond.
He called on the investors to be mindful of clean fuel policy across African countries and ensure that they produce fuels that meet specification with regards to sulphur content.
He said, "On our end, we have embarked on ambitious plan to fast-track programmes to restore our capacity utilization from 30 per cent to a minimum of 90 per cent in the next 24 months.
To do that, we are working on securing financing from third parties, not just funding, but also technical expertise to help us increase our performance to world class levels that they should be."
Baru further stated that in line with the Federal Government's policy on modular refineries the NNPC had set up a Greenfield Refinery Department that specialized in new refinery projects and also provide professional support to potential investors in modular refinery in the country.
Also speaking Third Secretary for Economic Affairs, Indonesian Embassy in Nigeria and the leader of the Indonesian delegation, Mr. Dwiyatna Widinugraha stated that the visit was a follow-up to the earlier visit by the Indonesian envoy to NNPC, the bilateral meeting between the Indonesian Trade Minister with his Nigerian counterpart as well as the visit of Indonesian Prime Minister to Nigeria.
The country's decision to build a refinery in Nigeria was coming few weeks after Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Harry Purwanto, had expressed the interest of the country in purchasing more crude oil from Nigeria.
Minna – Gov. Abubakar Bello of Niger, has disowned supporters placing his posters across the state, urging him to re-contest the 2019 elections.Abubakar Bello
The Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Jonathan Vasta, said this in a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Minna.
"The governor and the entire government of Niger state are dissociating themselves from such outright contraventions that are not in the character of the administration in the state.
"The governor believes in the rule of law and will not support placing of posters in form of campaign when INEC the body constitutionally empowered to give such go ahead has not done so.''
Vatsa said that Bello would not encourage such distraction when he was occupied with delivering the dividends of democracy to the people as promised during his campaigns.
"The government has well-articulated restoration agenda on education through the whole school approach; infrastructural development by providing good roads and healthcare delivery.
"Others include agricultural development, youth and women empowerment and many other sectors.
"The people can see the revolutions in these sectors and this is not the time for Mr governor to be distracted by such politicking and we dissociate ourselves from it,'' he said.
Vatsa said that the policies and programmes of the government had always been conducted in consultation with the people as permitted in democracy.
The Commissioner alleged that such act might be the handiwork of mischief makers.
He advised the people to disregard such posters that had no bearing with the governor's effort to deliver on his mandate to them.
In the first incident, at least three loggers were killed when their truck ran over a landmine outside Abbari village in the Konduga district of Borno state on Tuesday.
“The truck hit the landmine at about 4:30 pm (1530 GMT) and went up in flames, killed all three loggers on board,” said Ibrahim Liman, from the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF).
Babakura Kolo, Another member of the CJTF in Maiduguri, confirmed the incident, adding: “The mine was obviously placed by Boko Haram terrorists operating in the area.”
Abbari village was previously attacked in April, when scores of Boko Haram fighters on motorcycles rode into the farming community, killing seven men and stealing 360 cattle.
In the second incident on Tuesday, Boko Haram fighters killed two men, including a police officer, and injured six others in an ambush on a convoy near Dalwa West village.
Borno state police chief Damian Chukwu told reporters the jihadists opened “indiscriminate fire” on a convoy of vehicles heading from Maiduguri to the town of Damboa, some 90 kilometres (56 miles) southwest of the Borno state capital.
The dead officer was among a contingent of 58 police on its way to new postings in the southern Borno town of Askira Uba, as well as mourners carrying the body of a dead policeman for burial.
No other officer or mourner was hurt in the attack, said Chukwu.
Civilian vehicles are regularly escorted on the road because of sporadic Boko Haram attacks. The road is near the Sambisa Forest, where the militants had camps.
The Konduga district has been a hotbed of Boko Haram activity in recent months, despite government and military claims that the rebels are the verge of defeat.
On June 11, gunmen killed eight members of the CJTF in a dawn ambush as they waited to go on operations with the military.
In May, four other militia members out hunting in the bush near a camp for those displaced by the Islamist insurgency had their throats slit on the outskirts of Maiduguri.
Two of their colleagues were also killed when two female suicide bombers detonated their explosives in Konduga town, which is about 35 kilometres from Maiduguri by road.
By Davies Iheamnachor PORT HARCOURT – Unidentified arsonists believed to be cultists has set ablaze a family house at Okpako-Ejemah in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State killing, and report has it that all the occupant of the house, Alhaji Hamza Garuba, his wife and a step son died in the fire.
Mr. Muhammed Sani, younger brother to Garuba, narrated to Vanguard that the arsonists, five in number invaded his brother’s house at about 10.00p.m. on Sunday and attempted to rob the family.
Sani said the bandits had attempted to rape wife of Garuba, but that the deceased who was infuriated stabbed one of the bandits to death.
He said: "I believed the stabbing of that criminal may have infuriated other gang members who quickly ran out of the house, locked the entrance door and set the house ablaze. My brother, his wife and a step son were locked up inside the house while the house was on fire. Nobody was at hand to rescue them as all of them were burnt beyond recognition."
Muhammed stated that killing was not in connection of the clash between Hausa community and task force team in Onne, Eleme LGA, Monday, adding that Garuba was killed by criminals that invaded his house.
However, the Public Relations Officer of Rivers State Police Command, DSP Nnamdi Omoni, confirmed the incident and added that two persons have been arrested in relation to the matter.
Meantime, Arewa Consultative Forum, South-South, South-East branch, yesterday condemned the killing and worried that mischief makers want to cause disunity among Hausa community and the people of Eleme.
Speaking, the Coordinator of the body, Alhaji Musa Saidu, noted that Garuba was killed by bandits, saying: "The incident at Okpako-Ejemah was a clear case of robbery and arsonist attack. The Young man and his family were killed by arsonist who set their house ablaze. Hausa people have co-habited with their host community and they don't have any issue."
A Cristiano Ronaldo’s 8th minute header was the difference between Portugal and Russia as the Confederations Cup entered its second round of matches on Wednesday.
Portugal’s forward Cristiano Ronaldo (L) and Portugal’s defender Cedric celebrate after winning their 2017 Confederations Cup group A football match against Russia at the Spartak Stadium in Moscow on June 21, 2017. / AFP PHOTO
Raphael Guerreiro swung in a wonderful, deep cross from the left-hand side and Ronaldo left Russian goalie Igor Akinfeev helpless with a trademark header at the back post after peeling away from Fedor Kudryashov.
Both sides started the game slowly, giving the ball away cheaply on few occasions but it was Portugal that settled in quickest with the goal from Ronaldo acting as an evidence.
Another opportunity came for Fernando Santos’ men when they were awarded a free-kick 25 yards out to the right of the goal following a foul by Kudryashov, but Ronaldo shot straight at the keeper.
Russia got their share of the chances when former Chelsea man, Yuri Zhirkov drove down the left-hand touchline before playing a ball that was too heavy for Smolov who was being chased down by Bruno Alves.
Both teams failed to capitalise on the few other chances that came their way, with Russia now risking elimination in the event that they fail to beat Mexico in their final group game.
Portugal now with four points will be expected to grab all three available points and qualify for the Semi-final when they meet New Zealand on Saturday.
