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
The free fall of equities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Wednesday continued for the third consecutive day due to investors' anticipated second quarters' earnings reports.
The market capitalisation dropped further by N36 billion or 0.33 per cent to close at N11.133 trillion compared with N11.169 trillion achieved on Tuesday.
Also, the All-Share Index dipped 107.88 points or 0.33 per cent to close at 32, 302.32 against 32,410.20 posted on Tuesday.
Mr. Ambrose Omordion, the Chief Operating Officer, InvestData Ltd., attributed the mixed performance to the second quarters' earnings expected to be released in the market.
Stock
He said that investors should not panic on the pullbacks being experienced in the market, especially if they had taken position based on strong numbers in stocks with future prospects.
Omordion said investors should invest wisely with technical tools to know the support and resistant level when to reposition or exit any position.
Flour Mills topped the losers' chart for the day, dropping by N2.49 to close at N23.14 per share.
Unilever trailed with a loss of N1.84 to close at N35.03 and Julius Berger lost N1.69 to close at N32.14 per share.
Guinness declined by N1.54 to close at N63 and PZ Industries depreciated by N1.21 to close at N23.14 per share.
On the other hand, Nestle recorded the gain for the day leading the gainer's pack by 50k to close at N901.50 per share.
Berger Paint followed with a gain of 31k to close at N7.17 and Nigerian Breweries gained 30k to close at N158.35 per share.
United Bank for Africa added 18k to close at N8.38, while FBN Holdings appreciated by 14k to close at N6.05 per share.
Niger Insurance was the active stock in volume terms, trading 62.90 million shares worth N31.45 million.
FBN Holdings followed with an exchange of 30.46 million shares valued at N183.72 million and Transcorp sold 30.24 million shares worth N38.75 million.
Zenith International Bank exchanged 28.50 million shares valued at N576.03 million, while UBA traded 23.98 million shares worth N197.74 million.
In all, a total of 311.38 million shares valued at N2.97 were exchanged by investors in 4,312 deals, indicating an increase of 51.02 per cent.
This was against a turnover of 206.18 million shares worth N1.70 billion transacted in 4,294 deals on Tuesday.
By Omeiza Ajayi ABUJA – The federal government has said Nigeria would be out of recession before the end of December this year.
Minister of Budget and National Planning, Sen. Udo Udoma disclosed this on Wednesday evening when he made a presentation to the APC National Working Committee (NWC) at the Party’s National Secretariat on the federal government’s 2017-2020 ERGP.Recession
Though the meeting was held behind closed doors, spokesman of the party, Bolaji Abdullahi in a statement said based on the ongoing implementation of the 2017-2020 Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, “the country's economy will come out of recession in 2017”.
Sen. Udoma said the 2017-2020 ERGP and the 2017 National Budget is based on the manifesto of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and campaign promises made by President Muhammadu Buhari during the 2015 elections.
Citing high insecurity, massive corruption, unemployment, poor infrastructure, import dependent economy and other structural weaknesses, the Minister stated that the President Buhari-led administration inherited an economy that was in a very bad shape.
“APC promised to bring Change to Nigerians. During the campaign, President Muhammadu Buhari promised to tackle the security challenges, fight corruption and fix the broken economy. Mr. President has remained irrevocably committed to delivering on these three promises”, the Minister said during the presentation.
He disclosed that the medium-term plan for 2017-2020 was developed through an extensive consultative process. It builds on previous plans, including sectoral plans and captures the key promises of the APC, the minister said.
“It (ERGP) contains bold actions required to tackle the current challenges and build a more resident economy. It is designed to get the economy out of recession unto a path of diversified, sustainable and inclusive growth.
In terms ERGP implementation, the minister said much of the capital provision in the 2017 Budget is directed at projects that are aligned with the core execution priorities of the ERGP. He called on the Party’s hierarchy support to ensure delivery of the Plan’s objectives starting with the 2017 Budget.
“Implementation of the 2017 Budget will be targeted at at achieving the objectives of the ERGP and delivering on the promises of the APC and of Mr. President.
Earlier, the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun in his remarks before the meeting dissolved into a closed-door session noted that the 2017-2020 Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) was fundamental in rebuilding and strengthening of the foundation of country, particularly the economy.
"The Plan is fundamental because it is the basis for which the rebuilding and strengthening of the foundation of this nation is going to be based… As a Party, when we speak on the state of the economy, it must be based on knowledge and fact. With this presentation, we will be able to say three year from now everything being equal, this is where we are likely to be”, he said.
Abuja – Prof. Abdulhameed Ujo of the Department of Political Science and International Relations, University of Abuja, has warned some groups and individuals involved in agitations to dismember the country to weigh their actions. Nnamdi Kanu
Ujo sounded the note of warning in Abuja on Wednesday.
He called on the agitators to have in mind that no sitting government would support the dismemberment of the country under its watch.
The university lecturer said the call for disintegration was an indirect call for another civil war, adding that no country in world had succeeded two civil wars.
According to him, there are various peaceful approaches to getting what you want but not to mobilise and instigate the people to violence.
''I have a feeling that the idea of disintegration does not even arise, If they are thinking of disintegration, they should take some factors into considerations.
''If we are to go into disintegration, we are going to have another civil war and there is no country that has ever survived second civil war," he said.
Ujo said the agitation by Mr Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, was not in the interest of the South-East people and Nigerians.
According to him, the South East people are highly integrated in the country; Igbos are very industrious in business and are all over the country.
''They have business structure all over Nigeria and somebody wanted to cause problem without considerations to the value of their investments outside the region.
''Does he want all of them to go back to the South-East? The region has no enough land mass to accommodate them and their businesses.
''The differences we have are likely because the country is not well integrated and I have always said that there is a need to reinvent the process of reintegration in Nigeria.
''We can unite as a country and become a very powerful nation in the global system," he said.
The don said some agitators' grievances were correct but must be handled through constitutional means without causing violence or over heating the polity.
Committed to giving back to its customers, Tecno Mobile at the weekend rewarded seven of its lucky customers with an all-expense paid trip to Tarkwa Bay at an event tagged #TECNOFansThatBond activity.
The activity was put to together by Tecno Mobile as a result of the support and loyalty enjoyed over the years from its customers.
Customers who participated were asked to speak on how passionate and loyal they are with the Tecno brand and send their entries as comments under the pinned competition post on the company's Social media pages with the hashtag #TECNOFansThatBond.
At the end of the competition, entries were chosen after which winners were rewarded with an all-expense paid trip to the prestigious Tarkwa Bay resort.
One of the two super fans recognized as Tecno’s most loyal fans, Onoja, could not hide her excitement: "I am very glad to have been selected to enjoy such an amazing experience. This is very thoughtful of TECNO and this trip has only made me a more committed and loyal fan of TECNO".
Reiterating the brand's assurance to its loyal customers, an Executive of TECNO Mobile, Israel Ogunseye said "TECNO appreciates its customers and fans and is committed to enriching their lives through experiences such as this, and also rewarding them regularly in numerous ways. The brand will continually adhere to its brand promise of experience more while making life easy for consumers through its sophisticated products".
For a brand that has thrived on the support and loyalty it has enjoyed over the years from its customers globally, this was a worthwhile experience for the Tecno loyalists and another way to nurture the brand-customer bond.
VICE -Chancellor of Caleb University, Imota, Lagos, Professor Ayandiji Daniel Aina, has said that the university's experience over the last few years strongly indicated the great potentials in the school in instituting a learning context that is rich in educational opportunities, research and scholarship.
Prof. Aina, Caleb University VC
Aina made this remark during a three-day ISTEAMS conference held at the school premises with the theme, Scalable Innovative Multidisciplinary Research for Advancement and Economic Transformation, where 92 academic research papers were delivered by scholars from within and outside Nigeria.
The vice-chancellor noted that the university was proud that the integration of the fundamental requirements stipulated by academic and professional quality assurance bodies, a global outlook and impact-driven learning emphasis, has provided a powerful synergy for employment in enabling the inculcation of intellectual and creative abilities via the platform of a solid commitment to self-discovery.
Some of the Nigerian and international scholars from the six continents at the conference included Professor Cosmas Nwokeafor, Dean of Graduate School, Bowie State University, USA and Professor Williams of the College of Business, Xavier University, Ohio, USA, Professor Robert Dibie, a professor of public policy, Indiana University, USA and His Royal Majesty, Oba (Prof) Adekunle Okunoye, Eburu of Ibaland, Osun State.
Papers delivered were on 'Analysis of Proactive Sustainability Initiatives in Local Governments in Nigeria and South Africa', Harnessing Technology as way to Supporting Knowledge Construction in the Education Industry: A Review of Students' Learning Outcomes', among others.
In his keynote address, Professor Nwokeafor of Bowie State University, USA described the venue of the 3-day conference, Caleb University, as a very quiet and conducive environment for learning, stressing that he was so impressed by the students' good behavior and respectful mannerism.
The Bowie State University don appreciated the university leadership for the quality of the institution's curriculum development and impressive infrastructures, noting that the university was undoubtedly becoming the foremost private university in Nigeria.
KANO – Former president Olusegun Obasanjo Wednesday in Kano dismissed agitation by some separatist group advocating for the division of Nigeria to tread the part of caution. Olusegun Obasanjo Chief Obasanjo said “Nigeria is a land of prosperity, a land where Nigerians must continue to learn from each other, live in peace and be their brothers keeper.”
The former president, who was in Kano to condoled with the state government and the people of Kano over the death of late Diplomat, Danmasanin Kano, Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule.
Obasanjo stated that “Nigeria is a country where everyone is a stakeholder, and I want to advised that the thought of a divisible Nigeria should disappear from the conscience such agitators”.
Obasanjo said “Nigerians need to learn from the maturity exhibited by Yusuf Maitama Sule, during his life time.”
He said he is bothered that the likes of Maitama Sule are rare saying, those existing among people of his mind set are few.
According to him, “an enumeration of existing true and exceptional and respected statesmen in the class of Maitama Sule are the likes Shehu Shagari, Sule Gaya and Richard Akinjide who are still alive”.
He said the death of Danmasanin is a loss to Nigerians, adding that ” we should condole one another over the loss.”
Chief Obasanjo further stated that the shoes left behind by the late Maitama is difficult to fill, urging Nigerians to emulate the deceased by rendering the type of services Nigeria benefited from him.
Obasanjo said “Danmasani left a shoe big enough to be filled, and I don’t know if there is anyone to filled that shoe for now”.
Chief Obasanjo said the voice of wisdom of late Danmasani who sees Nigeria from the perspectives of a united front should be the guiding principle for our youth”
The two term former President revealed that “when General Murtala Muhammad wanted somebody with a nationalist voice and acceptance to head the of the Public Complaints Commission he came to mind and late Maitama Sule was unanimously accepted and he did a wonderful job there.”
The Osun state chapter of Hope Democratic Party (HDP) has termed the comparison made by some people between the two senatorial candidates of the APC and PDP, Senator Mudashir Hussein and Mr. Ademola Adeleke as "Suicidal".
Hope Democratic Party made this known through a press statement signed and issued to newsmen in Osogbo on Saturday by the state chairman of the party, Mr. Wole Adedoyin.
Adedoyin said they know Hussein very well, adding that, "it would be recalled that this same Mudashir Oyetunde Hussain represented the Alliance for Democracy (AD) for two terms (1999-2007) in the House of Representatives as a representative of Oshodi-isolo in Lagos state and was re-elected in 2003. He was elected Senator for Osun West in the April 2011 national elections running on the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) platform.
"Also in the April 2011 senatorial elections for Osun West, Hussein received 121,971 votes with the Late Senator Isiaka Adeleke of the PDP coming second with 77,090 votes."
But in the case of Mr. Ademola Adeleke, Adedoyin said all they know about him is that he is a Lagos Socialite and a businessman.
According to him, "Mr. Ademola Adeleke believed his late brother's (late Senator Isiaka Adeleke) profile would work for him. But he shouldn't also forget that the combat is between himself and Senator Mudashir Hussein and not his later brother, Senator Isiaka Adeleke of blessed memory."
On why HDP did not field a candidate for the forthcoming Osun West senatorial by-election, Adedoyin said, being a close relative of the former Senator, his party's candidate withdrew his senatorial ambition after he heard that Senator Mudashir Hussein of APC had been given the party's ticket.
HDP therefore implored the good citizens of Osun West senatorial district to vote for the best and experienced candidate.
Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue said on Wednesday that 1,878 lives were lost to the lingering clashes between farmers and herdsmen in the state, between 2013 and 2016.
Ortom, while receiving Mr Edward Kallon, UN Resident Coordinator, who led a UN delegation on a courtesy visit to his office, said that the killings cut across 12 local governments.
Quoting a report from a research conducted by the State Emergency Management Agency and Benue Planning Commission, in collaboration with NGOs, he said that 750 persons were seriously wounded while 200 others were still missing.
He said that 99,427 households were affected, while property worth billions of naira were destroyed.
"A 2014 survey, conducted by the Benue Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, found out that the destruction by herdsmen exceeded N95 billion in 10 local governments in that year alone," he said.
The governor urged the UN to support the state's efforts to tackle the challenge "in view of its destructive effects".
Earlier, Kallon had assured the governor that the UN would provide assistance to the state to enable it tackle its security challenges.
The UN official promised to provide institutional architecture targeted at preventing conflict in Benue, and sympathised with Ortom and the Benue people over the perennial crises.
MEMBERS of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, have re-elected Francis Olabode Johnson, as their President, during the association’s fifth Triennial Delegates Conference, TDC, in Abuja.
Mr. Johnson defeated two other contestants; Mohammed Saleh and Emmanuel Eze, to be re-elected.
He was first elected in June 2014 for three year tenure, and has now been re-elected for a second term of three years that will terminate in 2020.
Others elected are Deputy President, Frank Esanubi, National Industrial Relations Officer, Ndukaku Ohaeri (re-elected), Eleas Eduga, re-elected as National Financial Secretary, Victor Ononokpono the Treasurer, Fortune Obi, elected National PRO, and Evelyn Amaka Ijeoma, re-elected as National Women in PENGASSAN, WIP, Chairperson.
Also elected are Yon Paul Naron, re-elected National Auditor-1 and Timothy Jaiyeoba, elected National Auditor-2. They will be joined by six other officers who had earlier been elected at the various zonal elections that took place on May 25, 2017 in Abeokuta, Ogun State; Yola Adamawa State and Asaba, Delta State.
In his acceptance speech, Johnson said, “Under no guise will we allow our members to lose their jobs. We will fight any form of un-procedural redundancies or restructuring that affects our members. We are ready to collaborate with the government and other agents towards the development and growth of our industry.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said on Wednesday that it had approved eight additional Continuous Voter's Registration (CVR) centres in Niger.
Mr Isah Bagudu, INEC Administrative Secretary in Niger, who announced this in a statement in Minna, said that the measure would ease the problems of congestion and distance from the one centre currently allocated to each of the 25 Local Governments.
The statement solicited the support of the media and other stakeholders toward a hitch-free exercise, but did not give a breakdown of how the new centres would be shared.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the CVR, which began on April 27, is to capture citizens that had just turned 18 years and thus qualified to vote.
It is also expected to capture those that had not been able to register over time
Governor Rauf Aregbesola of the State of Osun has dared some politicians in the state and at the national level whom he said are plotting his downfall, to be careful, maintaining that nobody can stop him and his party from winning the state's By-election.
He explained that although the politicians may be influential or hold stronger positions of authority, none of them can smear his influence in Osun politics.
Aregbesola who stated this during one of the mega rallies to garner support for the APC candidate, Senator Mudashiru Husain in Saturday's By-Election in Osun West Senatorial District, said the forces are not capable of uprooting or demeaning his political sagacity and capability.
Rauf Aregbesola
The governor who said he was aware of alignment of some forces within the Osun APC with the PDP and other political office holders at the national level to degrade his political strength added that "they will be shocked with the result of By-Election."
He said, "Let me say unequivocally, I am hearing they want to use force. I stand: No force, I repeat, no force from Osogbo, Ilobu, Abeokuta, Ilorin, Akure or Abuja can stop me or us as a party in Osun."
"They have connived with the so-called powers at the federal level to smear me. If they try it, they will have themselves to blame because nobody can stop me."
"I am shielded by women, I have a female sister, I have a female sibling, I have a female as wife and I have a daughter. So you see, I am surrounded by women. Nobody can use force to stop us, we will win on Saturday."
Governor Aregbesola who said the PDP has no political leeway to be victorious at the polls affirmed that the end of the party had come when former president, Olusegun Obasanjo tore his card and denounced his membership of the party.
"Since the day Obasanjo tore his membership card of the PDP, their end had come. The only thing that the PDP can use to regain its full political strength is when that card can reform as a single document," Ogbeni Aregbesola stressed.
The Federal Government, Wednesday, agreed it would publish the names of treasury looters as ordered by the Federal High court in Lagos today so Nigerians can see.
Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami, disclosed this to State House correspondents on Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council meeting.
According Malami, the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government totally agrees with the ruling of the court and hence, will carry out the order as long as it does not amount to violation of the rules of the court.
Recall that the Hon Justice Hadiza Rabiu Shagari-led Lagos Federal High Court had, in a ruling, ordered the Federal Government to "immediately release to Nigerians information about the names of high ranking public officials from whom public funds were recovered and the circumstances under which funds were recovered, as well as the exact amount of funds recovered from each public official."
Abubakar Malami (SAN) . Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan
The judgement followed a Freedom of Information suit number: FHC/CS/964/2016 brought by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) against the Federal Government.
In her judgment Justice Shagari had agreed with SERAP that "the Federal Government has a legally binding obligations to tell Nigerians the names of all suspected looters of the public treasury past and present."
Joined as Defendants in the suit are the Minister of Information Alhaji Lai Muhammed and the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture. Justice Shagari also granted the following reliefs:
A DECLARATION that by virtue of the provisions of Section 4 (a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2011, the Defendants are under a binding legal obligation to provide the Plaintiff with up to date information relating to the following:
To widely disseminate including on a dedicated website information about the names of high ranking public officials from whom public funds were recovered since May 2015 The circumstances under which stolen public funds were returned.
SERAP is now processing a certified true copy of the judgment.
Timothy Adewale, SERAP deputy director who argued the case on behalf of SERAP and was in court this morning when the judgment was delivered said "This is a victory for justice, rule of law, transparency and accountability in this country. The judgment shows the way forward in the fight against corruption and impunity of perpetrators. We will do everything within the law to ensure full compliance by President Mohammadu Buhari and Acting President Osinbajo with this landmark judgment.
It would be recalled that the Ministry of Information last year published details of the recoveries, which showed that the Nigerian government successfully retrieved total cash amount N78,325,354,631.82, $185,119,584.61, £3,508,355.46 and €11, 250 between May 29, 2015 and May 25, 2016. Also released were recoveries under interim forfeiture, which were a combination of cash and assets, during the same period: N126,563,481,095.43, $9,090,243,920.15, £2,484,447.55 and €303,399.17.
Anticipated repatriation from foreign countries totalled: $321,316,726.1, £6,900,000 and €11,826.11. The ministry also announced that 239 non-cash recoveries were made during the one-year period. The non-cash recoveries are – farmlands, plots of land, uncompleted buildings, completed buildings, vehicles and maritime vessels.
Subsequently, SERAP issued an FOI request and gave the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Muhammed 14 days to disclose the names of all suspected looters. The request reads in part: "While we believe that suspects generally are entitled to be presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction, SERAP opposes blanket non-disclosure of names of high-ranking public officials from whom some of the funds were recovered."
"SERAP insists that the public interest to know is greater than any other legitimate interest that the government might wish to protect. The Nigerian government has an obligation to balance whether the risk of harm to the legitimate aim (that is secrecy of ongoing corruption investigation and presumption of innocence) from disclosure of the names of public officials is greater than the public interest in accessing the information." "According to public interest test, even if the government demonstrates that the publication of the names of public officials would substantially harm a legitimate interest, it is nevertheless obliged to disclose the requested information if, as it is the case here, the public interest in disclosure is sufficient enough to overweigh the harm."
"SERAP believes that the recoveries, specifically from high-ranking public officials (and not private individuals), are matters of public interest. Publishing the names of those public officials will provide insights relevant to the public debate on the ongoing efforts to prevent and combat a culture of grand corruption and the longstanding impunity of perpetrators in the country."
"The gravity of the crime of grand corruption, the devastating effects on the socially and economically vulnerable sectors of the population, and the fact that recovery of huge funds from high-ranking public officials entrusted with the public treasury raise a prima-facie case and therefore amount to exceptional circumstances that justify naming those high-ranking officials in the public interest."
"SERAP also argues that Nigerians are entitled to the right to truth derived from the obligations of the government to carry out an investigation of violations of human rights and crime of corruption committed within its jurisdiction; to identify, prosecute and punish those responsible; and to ensure that victims have the simple and prompt recourse for protection against violation of fundamental rights, as well as to ensure transparency in public administration."
"SERAP believes that the right to truth allows Nigerians to gain access to information essential to the fight against corruption and in turn development of democratic institutions as well as provides a form of reparation to victims of grand corruption in the country."
"Publishing the names of public officials involved could go a long way in preventing senior public officials from turning the public treasury into a private cashbox. SERAP argues that the public interest in publishing the names of the high-ranking government officials from whom funds were received outweighs any considerations to withhold the information, as there would be no prejudice against those whose names are published as long as the information is appropriately framed and truthful."
"There is a general public interest in promoting transparency, accountability, public understanding and involvement in the democratic process. While the government in some limited cases can legitimately place restrictions on the public's right to access certain information, attempts of the Nigerian authorities to justify the total closure of information related to the names of public officials from whom funds were recovered on the basis of "ongoing criminal investigation" and "presumption of innocence goes far beyond the limitations allowed under international law, and would promote secret recoveries."
"The information being requested is not related to detailed investigatory activities of anticorruption agencies regarding the recoveries so far made. Similarly, the mere fact that the information being requested is related to ongoing investigation does not necessarily mean that the information could not be disclosed. In addition, governmental agency has the obligation to prove that the disclosure of the names of public officials would disrupt, impede, or otherwise harm the ongoing or pending investigations or presumption of innocence."
A Bill for an Act to amend the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Establishment Act has scaled through second reading in the House of Representatives.
The bill, which seeks to include representatives of local government areas in State Emergency Management Committees, was sponsored by Rep. Joseph Edionwele (Edo-PDP).
Leading debate on the bill at plenary on Wednesday, Edionwele explained that the composition of state emergency management committee currently, excluded local government representatives.
He said that such situation had made it impossible for the body to efficiently and effectively discharge the functions prescribed for it under the law.
According to him, it is common knowledge that most disaster occurrences like erosion, flooding, fire outbreak, locust invasion, among others, do take place from time to time in rural areas.
The lawmaker also said that majority of population live in rural areas, which made the local governments closer to them than the state government.
He added that in terms of timely response to disaster and emergency in rural areas, the local government was in a better position to respond than either state or federal government.
"Inclusion of local governments in State Emergency Management Committee will also enhance grassroots participation in disaster management and curtailment operations,'' he said.
In his contribution, Rep. Jagaba Adams said that he supported the bill because he believed local governments were vital.
"The only thing that should be removed is the word `chairmen'.
"It should be simply put as representative of local government and not necessarily chairmen, because some of the chairmen can be very busy.
"These representatives should be people that will have time to do the work well,'' he said.
Also contributing, Rep. Rotimi Agunsoye (Lagos-APC) suggested that NEMA should play a supervisory role to the local and state governments.
"This is because whatever happens affects the people, so the local and state governments should meet with NEMA.
"The NEMA establishment Act states that members of the State Committee shall be persons of proven integrity.''
The Bill was consequently referred to the Committee on Disaster Management and Preparedness for further legislative actions.
Plateau State is one of the few states in Nigeria that attracted a lot of industries few years ago. This is mostly because of the abundant natural resources that were and are still available in commercial quantity in the state.
The presence of these resources which serve as raw materials for a number of manufactured goods attracted a lot of firms including foreign ones to Plateau State as the state got opened to investors and businessmen in diverse industries.
At a time, the employment rate of the state was so high that it positively impacted its economy to the extent that the state became centre of attraction to many who thronged to it to invest there.
This is also helped by the fact that, just like its slogan, "Home of Peace & Tourism", Plateau was among the most peaceful states in Nigeria until things started taking a turn for the worse especially from the turn of the new millennium when several ethno-religious crises, and recently, herdsmen and farmers clashes, have disrupted the peace of the state thereby leading to the disruption of industrial harmony the state used to enjoy.
These and other such factors like poor management, political interference, vested interests etc had led to the closure of a majority of the state owned firms in Plateau State for as long as 25 years or even more.
Simon Lalong
For example, the Plateau Highland Bottling Company went moribund in 1992, just 12 years after it was incorporated thereby leading to loss of jobs and its attendant effects on the workers and their dependants including those who are indirectly engaged by such firms.
The same can be said of the Bokkos Fertiliser Blending Plant, JIB, Panyam Fish Farm among several others.
However, knowing the importance of industrialization to a State like Plateau, its internally generated revenue and its positive impact on the people, Simon Bako Lalong, the executive governor of the state, embarked on a well-thought out plan to tackle the issues militating against the survival and growth of companies in the state.
Also knowing full well that no investor would want to invest in an atmosphere of rancour, political interference and uncertainty, Lalong tackled headlong those factors that brewed ethno-religious crisis and farmers/herders clashes in the state.
He even went ahead to establish the Plateau Peace Building Agency, first of its kind in the country, to ensure the building and sustenance of peace in the state. It is therefore not a thing of surprise that Plateau under the administration of Simon Lalong has enjoyed enormous peace, thereby giving room for the beginning of a new era in industrial development in the state.
Having stabilized the state, the governor has through the Plateau Investment and Property Development Company (PIPC) which had also gone under until recently revived, resuscitated a number of the hitherto comatose firms among which are the Highland Bottling Company Ltd, Barkin Ladi, Bejafta Fertiliser, Panyam Fish Farm etc.
Through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, trusted companies were invited to take over the operations of these companies with the government still having some percentage of stakes in them but never interfering with the operations of the companies as carried out by the private investors.
It is the same thing with the fertilizer blending company that is being operated by Bejafta Fertiliser. The fertilizer blending company story is even more significant in that some Indian investors earlier invited by the Lalong administration to come and help resuscitate the company had written off the company as absolutely irredeemable.
But in a bid to keep to his campaign promises to the people of the state, Lalong did not give up but gave marching orders to relevant agencies to find willing and able investors. This is how Bejafta Fertiliser came into the picture.
Today, Bejafta has beaten their target of production, already dreaming bigger and looking at fabricating their own machines needed for their operations, locally, just after about a year of commencing operations.
It is also instructive to note that attempts by this same Bejafta Fertiliser to help revive similar fertilizer companies in other states met with brick walls as political and other vested interests constituted cogs in the wheel of progress of the company, hence, they had to leave and such companies in those other states have remained comatose.
But the case is different in Plateau State where the governor has ensured that such debilitating interests and factors are removed far from investors and their investments thereby giving them room to thrive speedily and profitably.
The Panyam Fish farm which is the largest fish farm in Nigeria, is also receiving attention because of the volume and value of fish tended there. This fish farm alone has the capacity to meet the protein needs of north central Nigeria and beyond thereby employing and engaging thousands of people across the zone directly and indirectly.
This farm which had been abandoned for a long time in the past and left to waste is back again, thanks to the governor's appreciation of its good effect on the state and its people.
To ensure that encumberances are not in the way of potential investors in their bid to acquire lands in the state for their businesses, Governor Simon Lalong has slashed the cost of land in the state by half and also commenced the immediate issuance of Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) to land owners without the usual delays and cumbersome procedures associated with such processes in other places.
Today, Plateau State is thriving again, thanks to the vision and determination of the governor who has proved that no stone shall be left unturned in his bid to return the state to its days of glory. And to think that the governor is doing all this despite the meagre resources accruable to the state from the federal allocation shows that he is a man who is focused and determined to bring smiles back to the faces of the people and residents of Plateau.
With the rate the Lalong administration plans of industrialization is going, very soon, commercial activities in the state will reach an all time high and the internally generated revenue of the state will so increase that the state, just like Lagos, might have little or no need for allocations from Abuja.
Following the imminent restructuring plans of the country, there is no doubt that Simon Lalong is already placing Plateau State on the pedestal of self-sustained progress and prosperity just as the mouth watering testimonies from the revived companies there are an eloquent invitation to other investors to make the state their final and worthy destination for their investments seeing that the state is also strategically located around the centre of the country and is easily accessible to the larger Nigerian market from all regions.
Barcelona star Jordi Alba has become the latest Spanish footballer to enter the Gulf diplomatic crisis after he was shown signing a T-shirt of Qatar’s leader on Wednesday.
Alba
A video of Alba autographing the image of Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, which has become the symbol of Qatari resistance during the month-long row between Doha and neighbouring countries, was posted on Twitter.
Alba, 28, was visiting the Aspire Academy while on a promotional visit to Doha with teammates Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets.
The Barcelona trio were later mobbed by hundreds of delighted fans as they did a meet-and-greet at the Mall of Qatar, a shopping centre in the west of Doha, close to the Emir’s palace.
Alba follows in the footsteps of legendary compatriots and World Cup winners Xavi Hernandez and Iker Casillas who have taken to social media to air their views on the blockade of Qatar.
In June Xavi, who now plays in Qatar for Al Sadd and is a World Cup 2022 ambassador, posted a video on Twitter calling for an end to the crisis.
“I would like to call for an end to the crisis in the Arab world and the end of the blockade against Qatar,” he said.
Days later, goalkeeper Casillas also voiced his support on Twitter for Qatar.
Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain severed ties with Qatar, accusing Doha of supporting extremism.
They have also presented Qatar with a list of demands, including closing down broadcaster Al-Jazeera.
Doha rejects the charges of extremism and called the demands “unrealistic”.
The Barcelona stars’ trip was organised by the Academy and Mall of Qatar.
Former Adviser to Kogi State Government, Mr. Phrank Shaibu has advised Senator Dino Melaye representing Kogi West Senatorial District to stop interfering with the recall process initiated by his constituents.
Shaibu, in a statement issued in Abuja, said, instead, Senator Melaye, who is also chairman Senate committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), should put modalities in place to ensure that the recall process does not succeed as proof that he is truly on the ground at the grassroots.
“My candid advice is that Senator Dino Melaye should stop the filibustering. He should simply cut to the chase by submitting to the process already announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which has the duty to preside over the recall process”, he stated.
Sen. Dino Melaye
The former Chief Communications Manager to ex-Governor Idris Wada also faulted Senator Melaye’s attempt to stop the recall process through the courts and his colleagues at the National Assembly, stating that such a move gives the impression that the outspoken Senator was not on ground at the grassroots.
“If truly the Kogi West Senator is on ground at the grassroots, I don’t see why he has to go to the court to stop the recall process or plead with his colleagues to intervene. Instead, I expect him to prove his popularity and the fact that he is at home with his constituents by submitting to the process.”
Shaibu further decried a situation whereby elected officials carry on as though they were not accountable to the people who elected them into office in the first place, pointing out that such tendencies had often promoted impunity in the polity.
“Our elected officials carry on as though they are not answerable to the grassroots which elected them into office. The consequence is the pervasive impunity seen in the country. I am glad that the framers of our constitution anticipated that lawmakers may someday relapse into such an ugly position. That’s why the recall clause was introduced”, he explained.
The former Adviser said notwithstanding criticisms as to the propriety or otherwise of the recall process against Senator Melaye, that it should be seen as a positive development targeted at deepening the democratic process.
“I know there have been criticisms and many people have queried the objective behind the recall process. But I see it as a positive development aimed at deepening our fledgling democracy. Everyone should be excited at the outcome of the exercise and support it." He particularly commended the people of Kogi West for initiating the process and being pioneers of seeking to perfect an aspect of the country’s democratic experiment, pointing out that irrespective of the outcome, they would be remembered for such an important milestone.
Arsenal agreed a deal to sign France striker Alexandre Lacazette from Lyon for a club-record fee that could rise to 60 million euros ($68m, £52.56m), the two clubs confirmed on Wednesday.
Lacazette
The transfer fee is also a new record sale for the Ligue 1 outfit, worth an initial 53m euros, according to a statement on the Lyon website.
Arsenal said the 26-year-old had signed a “long-term contract”.
“We are very happy to have Alexandre join our group. He has shown over a number of years that he can score goals and that he is a very efficient finisher,” Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said.
“As well, he has very interesting technical qualities and a strong character.
“So he is a guy who is a great addition for us, and someone who will help us challenge at the top level this season.”
He had been at Lyon since the age of 12, and scored 129 goals for the senior team, including 100 in Ligue 1.
Lacazette, who has made 11 international appearances for France, last season became the first player to score 20 goals or more in three successive French top-flight seasons since Jean-Pierre Papin in 1992.
“I am very pleased with the success of Alexandre, who, besides being one of Olympique Lyon’s best-ever strikers, is a charming player who I became very close to,” said Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas in his club’s statement.
Lacazette will be hoping that the move to Arsenal can help boost his hopes of cementing a place in the France squad ahead of next year’s World Cup, having only played one international in the last two years.
The north London club will be expecting Lacazette to add some much-needed firepower up front, after a disappointing fifth-placed finish in the Premier League last term that saw them miss out on the Champions League for the first time in 19 years.
Almost seven years after the Independence Day bombing on October 1, 2010, Charles Okah on Wednesday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, opened his defence.
Okah who called his first witness is defending a terrorism charge filed against him by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Charles Okah is the younger brother to ex-leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Henry Okah, who is serving life sentence in South Africa prison.
Okah, Obi Nwabueze, Edmund Ebiware and Tiemkemfa Francis-Osvwo (aka General Gbokos) were first arraigned before the court on Dec. 7, 2010 over their alleged involvement in the Oct. 1, 2010 blast.
The blast left about 12 people dead and several others injured.
The court had earlier sentenced Edmund Ebiware to life imprisonment, while the fourth defendant, Tekemfa Francis-Osvwo died in prison.
File photo: Okah in Court Photo AFP
Led in evidence by the defence counsel, Emeka Okoroafor, the first defence witness Elizabeth Okoye, who is a civil servant, told the court that she worked with the defendant for 10 years before he was arrested.
According to her, she worked with the defendant as a cook and a nanny for 10 years before he was arrested in 2010, which made her to join the civil service.
She said on Oct. 16, 2017 she took the Department of State Service (DSS) officers who came to arrest Okah round the house to conduct some search.
When cross examined by the prosecuting counsel, Alex Iziyon(SAN), the witness said when she was working with Okah, she stayed in the boys quarters different from the main house.
She further said on Sept. 13, 2010 she was working in the main building when Nwabueze( the 2nd defendant) came to the house, left and returned after an hour with money in dollars and naira.
When asked if she knew one Bassey Nwore a welder who came to the house four times to repair the vehicles, she said no.
Okoye said she always count the numbers of cars and there were two cars in the compound, adding that if someone visited the defendant and came with a car she would know.
"I have never seen a mechanic come into the compound to work on any vehicle since my 10 years of work and stay in the house.''
When asked if she would be surprise that Okah in his statement said the money Nwabueze brought to him was in dollars and he converted it to naira, she said yes she would be surprise.
The defence applied that the court should order the prison personnel to allow the defence have a conference meeting with the defendants, along with the witnesses they are to present in court.
He said the visitation time in the prison would not be enough for them to meet and discuss along with the witnesses in order to have a speedy defence.
The prosecution who did not oppose the application said the defence should have told the court the number of witnesses they will present in order to know the time to allocate.
In a short ruling, Justice Gabriel Kolawole granted the defence request and ordered that the defendants should be allowed access to their counsel from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. starting from July 15 and will run for five Saturdays.
He adjourned the matter until Oct. 11, for continuation of hearing.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole had on June 1, dismissed Okah 's no-case submission and ordered him to open his defence.
cite insecurity, political prosecutions as reasons By Levinus Nwabughiogu ABUJA-German Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Bernhard Schlagheck has said that 13,000 Nigerians are currently seeking asylum in Germany.
Bernhard Schlagheck
Reasons for such applications, according to him ranged from insecurity arising from Boko Haram insurgency to political prosecutions in Nigeria.
Ambassador Schlagheck however hinted that his country was not convinced that there is political persecution in Nigeria at the moment.
He said that the German government was adopting legal measures as required by the international laws and conventions to ascertain the veracity of the claims.
Ambassador Schlagheck made the revelations on Wednesday in Abuja when the House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora led by its chairman, Hon. Rita Orji visited the German embassy on oversight functions essentially predicated on the recently assented Diaspora Commission Bond bill by the Presidency.
He said that about 90 to 99 percent of the applications were not likely to be granted.
He said: “There are 13,000 asylum applications in Germany. It is a serious examination. We are legally required to know if the person (applying) has been prosecuted for political reasons.
“Think of Nigeria in the way you want but there is no political prosecution here. The likelihood that most of these absurd applications are rejected is almost 90 to 99 percent.”
The Ambassador also bemoaned a situation where many Nigerian women cross over to the country only to engage in prostitution.
Noting the cordial relationship that had existed between Nigeria and Germany over the years, Schlagheck said that Germany’s visa processes were not cumbersome for people with genuine economic and educational intentions
He lauded the Committee for such an interactive session, saying it was needed to deepen the bilateral relationships between the two countries.
“Our relationship is of particular significance. This is a very good opportunity to foster a bilateral relation. The Diaspora communities on both sides are working hard. We feel privileged to have this exchange with you. I think the Nigerian Diaspora in Germany is very important.
“I am grateful with the degree of relationship we have with the Nigerian government.
“Some people wishing to study in Germany, it is not difficult to get a visa. It is easier than you think. It requires filing the details or you can just go to our website”, he said.
He also stated that there were Nigerians “who were willing to return”, because “the pastures are not green”.
He however stated that the issues should not be allowed to overshadow the relationship between the two countries, acknowledging that a score of Nigerians living in Germany were making positive impacts on the society. “But we should not allow it (the issues) to overshadow our bilateral relationship. We are treating it in some ways that are in conformity with international treaties”, he said.
Earlier, the Committee had raised the issues double citizenship, vocational trainings and educational exchanges with the ambassador.
Particularly, the Chairman, Hon. Orji stated that the interaction was a platform to elicit the cooperation of embassies and their governments in the implementation of the Diaspora Bond to grant Nigerians resident abroad an improved welfare and protection.
Stating that the German embassy was the first port of call amongst the lot in Nigeria, the lawmaker also commended the friendly cooperation that had existed between Nigeria and Germany, adding that both countries needed to do more to deepen such relationship.
The Naira on Wednesday appreciated marginally against the dollar at the parallel market, the newsmen report.
The Nigerian currency traded at N365 to a dollar, stronger than N366 its closing rate on Tuesday, while the pound sterling and the Euro exchanged at N468 and N412, respectively.
NairaNaira
At the Bureau De Change (BDC) window, the Naira closed at N363 to a dollar, while the pound sterling and the Euro traded at N465 and N414, respectively.
Newsmen report that trading at the official interbank market saw the naira closed at N305.50, while the pound sterling and the Euro traded at N395.59 and N347.38, respectively.
The naira also extended gains at the import/export window as it closed at N365 to the dollar.
Traders expressed confidence in the ability of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to stabilise the market through its interventions.
Newsmen report that the CBN's intervention at the foreign exchange market has continued to impact the market positively as the naira had remained stable in the past three months.
Many Nigerians have expressed worry that the relative stability in the foreign exchange market had failed to stem the rising prices of commodities in the economy.
