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
By Imanuel Jannah ABUJA – A 4yrs old pupil, David Jacob, has been killed in a sub-standard nursery and primary school located in Kado/Life camp area of the Federal Capital Territory.
The deceased was said to be having his meal in the company of his classmates when the walls of their classroom crashed on them. The rubbles of the collapsed classroom indicate that the blocks of the school were made of mud.
Vanguard gathered that the school was among the 500 private schools initially closed down by the FCT administration but most of which their proprietors chose to break the law and re-open for operation.
An official in the FCT administration, Ayuba Didam, said: "The owners of the school are Mr. and Mrs. Ogbonna Uba. They have been arrested and presently in police custody. Prosecution will eventually ensue."
As at the time of filing this report, other pupils who sustained various degree of injuries are receiving treatment at the Gwarimpa General Hospital while the corpse of late David has been buried.
By Benjamin Njoku & Iyabo Aina As Anambra Broadcasting Service, ABS, organisers of the Miss Anambra Beauty Pageant installs another Miss Anambra today, in Akwa, the state capital, following the sudden removal of the reigning queen, Chidinma Okeke, there are indications that trouble looms ahead as the embattled ex-beauty queen has alleged a threat to her life for wanting to unravel the mystery behind her dethronement.
Miss Okeke was dethroned after the allegedly sex tape video of herself and friend hit the internet.
The dethroned queen called for a press conference Thursday, to unravel the circumstances surrounding her predicament, but the forces behind her ordeal are said to be spiting fire, warning her against the consequences of what she wants to do.
However, the ex-beauty queen day morning took to her Facebook page to raise alarm following the threat to her life. In her post, wrote, "Good morning all. This is Chidinma Okeke, Miss Anambra 2015, considering the need to make the world know the truth about the trending scandal and what we have been going through before, then and now I decided to address a world press conference at the NUJ press centre Awka today. But from the moment I made public this intention I have been under siege of threats by my black- mailers and traducers.
They are seriously threatening to shoot me at the press conference if I ever open my mouth to say real truth about the ugly episode. My life is under serious threat if they succeed in killing me today the world already know my traducers the truth is unearthed."
Meanwhile, tongues are wagging that some power brokers in the Anambra Broadcasting Service, organizers of the pageantry are behind ex beauty queen’s ordeal.
According to an unconfirmed online source (Secret Reporters), Chidinma has been having an affair with one of the top management staff of the organization.
Troubled started after she refused to cooperate with the said ‘oga’, who wanted his other friends to also have a taste of her. She was said to have been threatened, and could not bear the pressure any more, hence she decided to surrender the Kia car and her crown.
Recall that the video released late last week, showed the Nigerian pageant winner in an explicit scene with another woman, who at first was not identified.
Okeke spoke out immediately after the video began spreading on social media, saying that the video was actually another person and blaming what appeared to be her appearance on trick photography.
The attention of the management of the Anambra Broadcasting Service, organisers of the Miss Anambra Beauty Pageant has been drawn to a video with lurid contents purportedly showing former Miss Anambra, Miss Chidinma Okeke (Miss Anambra 2015).
However the organizers of the Miss Anambra Beauty Pageant, Anambra Broadcasting Service, ABS, released a statement condemning the act.
"We wish to make the following clarifications –
"The said Miss Chidinma Okeke who is allegedly linked to the lurid content in circulation has served-out her term as Miss Anambra 2015 and handed over the crown in line with the terms and conditions of The Miss Anambra pageant.
"We condemn in clear terms any amoral behaviour/ conduct as suggested by the alleged lurid content in circulation and do not condone such. "It is on record that The Miss Anambra Beauty Pageant has been a platform to empower Anambra women and celebrate our rich culture and heritage.
The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Ibrahim Idris, on Thursday said that the incessant clashes between herdsmen and farmers was a major challenge to the Nigeria Police Force.
Idris made the statement when members of the Senate Committee on Police Affairs paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.
He said that kidnapping for ransom, armed robbery, terrorism, militancy, economic sabotage and religious extremism were other security challenges confronting the police.
He said that the police had handled 108 kidnapping cases in June, 111 in July, 84 in August and 77 in September.
He noted that kidnapping had become a trend in the country where young persons were actively participating.
The I-G said that the existing 300,000 police workforce was inadequate to effectively police the country.
He said that the country was far behind the UN standard of one policeman to 400 persons.
Idris said that the Nigeria police needed more than the 10,000 men being recruited to bridge the manpower gap.
"We need to increase the strength of the rank and file.
"We also need more than the 10,000 policemen being recruited, but it is a gradual process,"he said.
He said that inadequate funding and manpower had been the bane of the police, adding that adequate funding was needed for the police to effectively discharge its mandate.
On welfare of policemen, Idris said that the police wanted to exit the present pension arrangement to enable it support its men after service.
He said that the management had written to President Muhammadu Buhari to allow police retirees to have access to health insurance scheme after retirement.
Idris said that if adequate funds were allocated to the police, it would perform optimally.
Sen. Abu Ibrahim, Chairman, Senate Committee on Police Affairs, said the committee would consider the request of the police force.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday in Abuja stressed the need for a new culture of transparency and efficiency in the nation's oil and gas industry to improve oil and gas production in the country.
The President stated this at the public presentation of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources' 7 BIG WINS, a short and medium term priorities to grow Nigeria's oil and gas industry between 2015 and 2019.
He stated that an efficient oil and gas industry would ensure that agriculture, solid minerals and other critical sectors of the economy were supported to grow and contribute more to the nation's economy.
He added that the nation needed a virile and efficient oil and gas industry to take care of its foreign exchange requirements and also help to explore the frontier basins, improve local refining capacity and build sustainable partnerships with the oil producing communities.
"There is also a dire need to instill a new culture of transparency and efficiency in the industry, streamline operations along best practices by championing and implementing strategic reforms at every layer of the industry.
"If we are able to plug the leakages, and tighten loose systems that characterised this industry in the days of high oil prices, we are convinced that we can do even more with the little that we are getting at the moment than we did even in the time of plenty.
The President said that the petroleum industry remained critical to the Nigerian economy of today and the future, in spite of the current challenges.
"The golden era of high oil prices may not be here now, but oil and gas resources still remain the most immediate and practical keys out of our present economic crisis.''
He said the oil and gas remained a critical enabler for the successful implementation of the nation's budget as well as the source of funds for laying a strong foundation for a new and more diversified economy.
According to him, this is a national imperative and a core thrust of his administration's economic policy.
The president reiterated his administration's determination to resolve the socio-economic and security challenges in the Niger Delta region.
He, therefore, reassured that government's resolve and capacity to work with all stakeholders to restore normalcy would guarantee success in the Niger Delta region.
"As you are aware, recent developments in the Niger Delta have temporarily limited our oil and gas production and supplies.
The president congratulated the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and his staff for their foresight and vision to transform the oil and gas industry.
According to the president, the oil and gas road map reflects the vision and aspiration of his administration for the oil and gas sector.
He urged all stakeholders in the sector to deliver on the expectations contained in the Petroleum Industry Roadmap.
The President, therefore, appealed for the support and cooperation of the media, local and foreign investors and other critical stakeholders in the oil and gas industry "as we seek to consolidate CHANGE in this very important sector of our national economy''.
The minister explained that the 7 Big Wins to grow the Nigerian oil and gas industry was aimed at developing a stable and enabling oil and gas landscape with improved transparency, efficiency and stable investment climate.
He expressed the hope that the ongoing reform in the sector would provide huge investment opportunities in infrastructure development, oil and gas facilities, operations and maintenance across the value chain.
"We can decide today to face the current challenges and build our economy using our bountiful gas resources.
"In just a few years, we can see Nigeria if we work hard to be the latest exporter of petroleum products rather than importers, something that will act very dramatic in terms of foreign earnings, reduce the pressure on our foreign reserve.
"We can begin to work on creating thousands of jobs that will be of great benefit to the host communities.
"We can begin to attract investment and make Nigeria a citadel of investment destination in Africa and we can begin to take our rightful place in the comity of nations and develop policies that are essential to move the industry forward."
The minister announced that President Buhari would be meeting stakeholders from the Niger Delta and oil producing areas as part of efforts to achieve lasting peace in the areas.
The highlights of the event are the multimedia video documentary as well as presentation of the 7 Big Wins by President Buhari.
The Buy Rats Make Money'' initiative by the Lagos State Government is environmental friendly and safe for humans, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Phosgard Fumigants Nig. Ltd., Oluwasegun Benson, has said.
Benson, whose company is partnering with the state government in the project made the assertion on the sidelines of the flag off of the exercise at Obalende Market on Thursday.
The vector control programme had no side effect on the market women, adding that evacuation of the dead rats would be done by its officials.
"The scheme is environmental friendly and safe. We have distributed flyers on how the market women will go about it and how it works.
"What we do is to have the fumigation when the market is closed, that is from dusk to dawn. What the market women will only come to see are dead rats.
"They will not realise anything untoward, the only evidence are the dead rats which we have warned them not to pick with bare hands. They should pick them with hand gloves.
"We will be on ground to evacuate the dead rats and bury them. We are not going to incinerate them but we'll rather bury them.
"Dead rats decompose to sand within six months,'' he said.
Benson said that the exercise would be done monthly around the markets so that the rats are not given room to breed until the environment was fully safe from the vectors.
"The programme has to be monthly because rodents have a life cycle of a month. If we say we want it quarterly, that means what we are doing will be counterproductive.
"We don't want any breeding place for these rodents in our community again, so, the campaign will be rigorous to ensure that we live in a safe environment.
"In the light of this, we are also looking forward to having environmental champions who are to compete on having the best record in this effort aimed at a vector-free environment.
"We want each local government to produce champions which will show what they are contributing to make the environment safe. This will encourage many others to follow suit,'' he said.
Benson appealed to corporate organisations to support the government's initiative aimed at improving the health of the society.
"I want to appeal to corporate organisations to see this initiative as a programme meant for all and not for one.
"Environmental protection is the business for all and we must all rise to do our part not only for government alone. The private organisations should leverage on government good intentions.
"We have also met with the market women on the buy rats programme and also the token to be paid for the exercise which is pocket friendly.
"The exercise is almost free because the token paid will also be returned through the "Buy Rats Make Money'' offered,''
A Witness, Richard Ihediwa, told a Federal High Court on Thursday that embattled Olisa Metuh, solely funded publicity activities during Jonathan's re-election campaign.
Metuh, a former National Publicity Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is being tried for alleged N400 million money laundering.
Ihediwa, who was Metuh's Personal Assistant on Media, disclosed this while being led in evidence by the defence counsel, Mr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN).
He said that it came to a point that the 'situation room' was not funded by the party, and Metuh decided to pick up the burden and funded the activities of the publicity team from his pocket.
The witness said the financial status of the publicity arm was so bad that it got to a point that they could no longer pay companies that ran adverts for them.
He told the court that it was so bad that he contemplated resigning his position because the work load was too much for him to carry.
"But Metuh begged and asked me to understand that the office was not funded.
"That was when it was decided that extra hands be hired but he (Metuh) said he will pay them from his pocket.
"The nature of our schedule was so tight that I literally broke down because of pressure of work. I couldn't cope because I was alone.
"I told Metuh I would not be able to continue except he hired other professionals.
"He reminded me that funding was an issue in the party and said he had severally made a case to the national working committee to no avail.
"He pleaded I should continue but I said I couldn't under such conditions."
The witness further told the court that when he sought to know why his boss was using his personal funds for the party, he explained that he didn't want to fail as a publicity secretary.
"He went ahead to buy laptops, cameras, video cameras and was the one paying the monthly allowances of the five new media aides he engaged.
"As I speak, the party has not refunded him that money."
The trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, adjourned the case till Oct. 31 for continuation of trial.
A Kaduna State High Court has sentenced the immediate past Sole Administrator of Kaura Local Government, Mr Ibrahim Baba, to seven years imprisonment for obtaining money by false pretence.
The court, presided over by Justice Tukur Mu'azu, did not give the convict an option fine, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said in a statement on Thursday.
According to the statement, Baba was arraigned by the EFCC on Jan. 7, 2016 for swindling one Alhaji Auwal Ibrahim of Rahusa Investment Ltd., Kaduna, through a shady gas supply contract.
He was said to have committed the crime sometime in 2011.
The court heard that the victim paid the convict N1 million for the supply of five trucks of gas at the rate of N200,000 per truck.
But after the payment was made, the victim neither received the product nor got a refund, the statement said.
The Federal Government says that within the next three years, it plans to borrow $29.96 billion from the World Bank, African Development Bank, and Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA).
The other international financial agencies it plans to borrow the money from are Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and China EximBank.
The Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun gave details of the loan in Abuja on Thursday in a statement by her Special Adviser, Mr Festus Akanbi.
It will be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday forwarded a request to the National Assembly to approve external borrowing plan of 29.96 billion dollars to execute key infrastructure across the country between 2016 and 2018.
Buhari said the borrowings will target projects across all sectors with special emphasis on infrastructure, agriculture, health, education, water supply, growth and employment generation.
Other sectors, he said, included poverty reduction through social safety net programmes, governance and financial management reforms, among others.
According to the statement, out of the total amount, Federal Government will take 25.8 billion dollars and states 4.1 billion dollars.
A further breakdown shows that 18.3 billion dollars will be spent on infrastructure development, with 14.6 billion dollars going to federal projects and 3.7 billion dollars going to state projects.
The projects billed to benefit from the loans are the Mambila Hydro Electric Power Project, which will get 4.8 billion dollars and the Abuja Mass Rail Transit project, phase two getting 1.6 billion dollars.
Also, 3.5 billion dollars is slated for the completion of the Railway Modernisation Coastal Project from Calabar to Port Harcourt-Onne Deep Sea Port segment.
About 2.4 billion dollars will go to the Lagos-Kano Railway Modernisation project; 1.3 billion dollars is specifically for the Lagos-Ibadan segment and 1.1 billion dollars will go to the Kano-Kaduna segment.
Also, 4.5 billion dollars will go to acquire Euro bonds; 3.5 billion dollars will be dedicated to the Federal Government budget support.
The reports says 2.2 billion will be sunk in education and health projects at state and federal levels.
Similarly, 1.2 billion dollars is set aside for agriculture projects at both levels and 200 million dollars is for economic management and statistics.
ABUJA – IN a bid to deal with the menace of oil spillage particularly in the Niger Delta region, the Federal Government had unveiled new technology that would aid in rapid response to oil spill and prevent the further degradation of the environment.
The Minister of Environment, Mrs. Aisha Mohammed explained that the modelling technique would help determine the direction of oil spill in the maritime environment.
Mohammed disclosed this at a two-day National Workshop on Oil Spill Trajectory Modelling in Maritime Environment in Nigeria, in Abuja.
Represented by Director-General of NOSDRA, Mr. Peter Idabor, the Minister attributed the increasing level of oil spillage in Nigeria to illegal bunkering activities, artisanal refining, oil theft and armed militancy.
According to her, “The use of oil spill modeling techniques in predicting the direction of movement of spilled oil in the marine environment is quite a laudable innovation. Although it is difficult to accurately predict or simulate actual events, this tool presents a very valuable opportunity for both oil spill preparedness and response activities.
United States Consulate and Polish Embassy in Lagos have expressed readiness to support Nigeria's Nollywood industry, according to the President, Eko International Film Festival, Mr Hope Opara.
Opara told newsmen in Lagos on Thursday that they were ready collaborate with the relevant bodies in the country to promote Nollywood as well as Nigeria's rich cultural heritage and tourism.
According to him, such collaborations will help to develop and promote Nigerian films locally and internationally.
"It is important that we know that every film depicts a synopsis of what must have happened in certain areas.
"When you watch films from other countries you are already stepping into their culture and traditions and the same thing applies when people from other climes watch Nollywood films in their countries,'' he said.
Opara said there was also a growing interest from Israel, France and India in working with the Nollywood industry in promoting film exchanges.
He said this year's Eko International Film Festival had received and featured many films from the United States, Poland, India, Israel and France that depicted things about their countries.
On the state of the industry, Opara said the industry deserved more attention and support from the Federal Government than it was currently enjoying.
"Governments (state and federal) are currently not doing enough in supporting and promoting Nollywood films abroad.
"Government needs to know that Nollywood is contributing to Nigeria's economy apart from providing jobs for youths.
"We need to see film as an instrument for promoting cultural exchanges and tourism across the world.''
Dethroned Miss Anambra, Chidinma Okeke has cried out that those who are behind the release of the sex video that made her give back her crown are threatening to kill her if she reveals their identity.
In a released statement, she claimed the plan is to shoot her at a press conference she intends holding in Awka to clear the air on how the video came out and those behind it.
A Makurdi Magistrates' Court on Thursday remanded a cleric, Elijah Ebimone, in prison for allegedly abducting three girls and turning them to sex slaves.
Ebimone, 32, is facing a two-count charge of abduction and causing miscarriage, punishable under Sections 274 and 233 of the Penal Code, Laws of Benue State, 2004.
The Magistrate, Mrs Theresa Wergba, ordered the remand of the accused and adjourned the matter till Dec. 28 for further mention.
Her action followed the application for adjournment made by the Prosecutor, Insp. Daniel Suende, who said that investigation by the police was ongoing.
Suende told court that a team of detectives led by Insp. Attai Sule, attached to the State CID, Makurdi, received information about the activities of the cleric on Oct. 20.
He said that the detectives immediately launched an investigation into the matter and arrested the accused.
The prosecutor said that Ebimone, who claimed to be a prophet, had been abducting young girls and using them as sex slaves.
He said that the cleric went all the way to Delta last June and abducted one Victory Mieturda, Dolor Dinah and Esther Young and brought them to Makurdi.
Suende said that the man had deceived the girls' parents into believing that he was assisting the girls to travel to Ukraine to seek greener pasture.
"However, they got to Makurdi and he turned them into sex slaves impregnating all of them at different times and also causing them to miscarry the pregnancies,'' the prosecutor said.
When the case was called, the court did not take the plea of the accused because it lacked jurisdiction.
By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke ABUJA – THE Senate on Thursday passed the Code of Conduct (amendment) bill, 2016, with the National Assembly taking over power to appoint staff of Code of Conduct Bureau/Tribunal from the Presidency.
With the current amendment proposals to the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act and if finally passed into law and assented to, powers of the Presidency to make rules and regulations for the bodies would automatically be transferred to the National Assembly.
It would be recalled that criticisms have trailed the CCB and CCT being under the direct supervision of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The passage on Thursday means that the heads will now be reporting to the National Assembly.
The House of Representatives initiated Bill which was also approved by the Senate of the Federal Republic yesterday, also reduced tenure of Chairman and members from serving until they are 70, to a term of five years.
The first term of five years in office was however subject to renewal for one further term only, making a total of 10 year so in all.
Another major amendment to the Act is the human face, where observed non-compliance or breach of the provisions are settled between the CCB and the defaulter without going to the tribunal.
“Provided that where the person concerned makes a written admission of such breach or non-compliance, no reference to the Tribunal shall be necessary.”
There is an amendment to the Act that the membership should increase from three to nine, with a compulsory quorum at every sitting, just as this is contrary to the past, when only the chairman could adjudicate over cases.
Although, actual amendments to the Act were done by the House of Representatives and passed on May 31, the Senate concurred with the House and passed the bill on Thursday.
In the amendment, the Bureau will first invite the person suspected of falsely declaring his asset for clarification before taking the person to the Tribunal.
Section 4 (2) was also amended to substitute the word "President" with "the National Assembly" as the one to appoint members of staff of the Bureau and exercise disciplinary control over them.
Section 1 (4) was deleted and replaced with: "The Chairman and members shall serve for a term of five years subject to renewal for one further term only.
"(E) upon complaint(s) of any breach or where it appears to the Bureau that there is a breach of the provision of this Act, any person concerned shall be given particulars of such non-compliance or breaches to explain before any reference to the Tribunal."
Recall that the Upper Legislative Chambers had previously stepped down the consideration of the bill owing to the public outcry that followed the move.”
"There is a serious problem as to whether Nigerians will be able to feed themselves, considering the rate at which prices of goods are going up.” says Mrs Ayanu Olatoyinbo, a trader at the Folashade Boundary Market on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway.
Mrs. Olatoyibo and other traders, Thursday, lamented the continued drop in daily sales in the last three months due to low patronage from customers, a trend that is the direct result of inflation.
The traders told newsmen in Lagos that the development was a fall-out of the rising cost of food items, which had led to low patronage.
Mrs Ayanu Olatoyinbo, one of the traders, said that a 25-litre gallon of palm oil, hitherto sold for N7, 000, was now going for N17,000.
"Everything is so expensive. The 50kg bag of rice that was sold for N6,000 early in the year is now N18,500.
"The 25-litre measure of vegetable oil, which sold for about N7,000 at the beginning of the year, now goes for N14,000.
"Government should come to our aid; there should be plans to ease the difficulties Nigerians are facing because if there is hunger, the people will not be happy,'' Olatoyinbo said.
A bulk orange seller, Mrs Abike Yusuf, said the traders were facing the challenge of high cost of transportation of fruits to other markets in the metropolis from the Mile 12 Market.
Yusuf said the transport operators were making a lot of money at the traders' expense, charging them exorbitantly.
"The cost of fruits has increased tremendously if you compare it to last year.
"Around this time last year, a large basket of medium-sized orange sold for between N1,500 and N2,000; it now goes for N3,500.
"Same goes for watermelon, depending on the size. It ranges from N300 to as high as N600 for sizes that would ordinarily be sold for between N200 and N300.
"Now, the major challenge is that transporters are now charging us too much per trip, from either Mile 12 Market, Oshodi, or from Ifo in Ogun, " Yusuf said.
NAN checks at the market earlier in the day, indicated that sales were halted as traders were clearing their surroundings, in line with the Lagos State Government's directive on sanitation.
Markets in the state remain closed every Thursday from 7.00 a.m. to 10.00 a.m., to observe the sanitation at the markets.
The Iyaloja of the market, who simply identified herself as Mrs Ibrahim, said that traders were duly punished if caught selling between those hours of sanitation.
Ibrahim said the wastes generated were promptly cleared by the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) twice daily at 10.00 a.m. and 9.00 p.m.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said the ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to revive the nation’s economy will not yield positive results unless the fight against corruption is also intensified.
Speaking at the 2016 Annual Lecture of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) in Abuja on Thursday, the Minister said that is why the government is tackling both issues simultaneously.
Lai Mohammed explains ‘Change begins with me campaing’
”And that’s why the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture launched a Sensitization Campaign Against Corruption on 18th January 2016…with a view to alerting Nigerians to the evils of corruption and carrying them along in the efforts by the government to tackle the menace,” he said.
Alhaji Mohammed described as appropriate the topic of the lecture, ”Fighting Corruption and Growing a Sustainable Nigerian Economy”, saying it could not have come at a better time, ”as this Administration is stepping up its anti-corruption fight while also seeking to bring the economy out of recession and put it on the path of sustainable growth”.
”It is also noteworthy that the topic for this 2016 lecture incorporates two of the three cardinal programmes of this Administration, which are the fight against corruption and the revamping of the economy to create jobs and provide wealth. The third priority, of course, is the fight against insecurity,” he said.
The Minister said there is a direct correlation between corruption and economic growth, noting that corruption stifles economic growth in many ways, including by discouraging foreign investment, reducing tax revenue and preventing infrastructural development.
”In other words, in countries where you have a high level of corruption, there is reduced economic growth and, of course, higher poverty level. That’s why the Berlin-based global civil society organization, Transparency International, said corruption, especially public sector corruption, is about so much more than missing money. It’s about people’s lives.
”It is therefore not a surprise that the countries that have consistently scored high marks in the Annual Corruption Perception Index of Transparency International are also the countries that have also managed to grow a sustainable economy,” he said.
Alhaji Mohammed noted that, having recognised corruption as the biggest threat to the economic and political development of any country, the Federal Government will not relent in its efforts to tackle the menace of corruption to a standstill.
”The Buhari Administration, since its inauguration, has left no one in doubt regarding its commitment to ridding Nigeria of corruption, as captured poignantly in President Buhari's statement that if Nigeria does not kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria.
”We are very much aware that the fight against corruption will not be easy. Fighting entrenched corruption can sometimes be a very lonely road to travel in our part of the world, where a true community of genuine corruption fighters are assailed from every side by unwary recruits of the looters among us, in our communities, places of work and worship. We also know that corruption is fighting back, fastly and furiously. But with uncommon commitment and determination, we will win the war against corruption,” he said.
Denmark is committed to supporting Nigeria to diversify its economy from the over-reliance on crude oil to other viable and sustainable sectors, Amb. Torben Gettermann has said.
Gettermann, in an interview with newsmen in Abuja, said Nigeria should be exporting finished products to the West African countries.
"What we would like to see and what we do see and where we want to help as much as possible is in the diversification of the economy.
"Nigeria should make factories that can produce products not only for the local markets in Nigeria but also to export.
"This is because, that's the way you can really make a change in the way people see Nigeria," he said.
According to him, Denmark does not have natural resources but still produces and exports to other countries.
"We don't have raw materials; we have some oil but that has almost come up from the ground, I think we have about 10 years oil left.
"So what do we have in Denmark? We have our brain, we have our education, we have people who come up with new ideas and we live on export.
"If we don't export, we will not exist. So we have an export that is huge compared to our size but that's important.
"Agricultural products, hi-tech, pharmaceuticals, you name it; all of these form part of the basis of our exports, which basically is our survivor."
According to him, Nigeria should also learn from Denmark by exporting finished products and not just raw materials.
"We will like to see Nigeria exporting all kinds of high quality good that could meet the consumer needs not only in West Africa but around the world.
"Go out; fight the market for your products. That is what we want to see in the diversification of the Nigerian economy and that's where we want to help."
On the Denmark-Nigeria trade volume, Gettermann said that the Embassy was formally inaugurated in Nigeria in 2014 and that the economic ties between the two countries were growing rapidly.
He said that the volume of Danish export to Nigeria in 2015 was about two billion Danish Krona, while the import from Nigeria was about five billion.
"We were paying so much on buying so much more from you. So we have an imbalance.
"You export more to us than we export to Nigeria, which your government should be happy about. So that counts in your favour.
"But right now, we have, unfortunately, seen downturn both in terms of import and export," he said.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu on Thursday in Abuja said that the new road map for the oil and gas sector tagged `7 Big Win ' will bring about massive development in the sector.
The Minister at the Launch of the programme said that the major focus of the road map would be on Niger Delta and security.
The programme would also focus on Policy and Regulations, Business environment as well as investment drive.
Others, include Transparency and Efficiency, stakeholder Management and International coordination, Gas revolution and refinery and local production capacity.
"The 7 Big Wins expected to grow the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry is aimed at developing a stable and enabling oil and gas landscape with improved transparency, efficiency, stable investment climate and well protected environment.
"The ongoing reform in the sector presents a new dawn for Africa and we are excited about it.
"It shall provide huge investment opportunity in infrastructure development, oil and gas facilities , operations and maintenance across the oil and gas value change,'' he said
According to him, the effort requires innovative thinking, new ideas, technology and partnership among various stakeholders.
On major issues such as Niger Delta and security, he said the road map would focus majorly on improving security and ensuring environmental safety in the oil producing areas in Nigeria.
This, he said would go a long way to increase the National Crude oil production as well as attract the much needed investment and infrastructure development in the region.
Kachikwu noted that reviewing oil and moribund policies, gazetting new ones and entrenching robust fiscal instrument were also key in achieving the road map.
"The road-map provides a workable plan which will ensure that adequate infrastructure is put in place to ramp up National crude oil production to a target of about 2.8 to 3 million barrel per day.
"Restructuring and revamping of the parastatals by instituting transparency and efficiency at all level of operation will enable us drive profitability and accountability.
Kachikwu further said that deploying a potent communication strategy, building and maintaining robust relationships with stakeholders within and outside the petroleum producing communities would help the sector meet its target.
He added that another major focus of the road-map would be to upgrade the nations refineries and increase local production capacity with the objectives to reduce importation of petroleum production by 60 per cent in 2018.
The minister said that the country was expected to be a net exporter of petroleum products and value added petrochemicals by 2019.
The National Judicial Council (NJC), at its next meeting is to consider a request seeking its nod for live broadcast of proceedings in Nigerian courts, the secretary of the council has said.
The secretary, Mr Halilu Danladi, stated this in a reply to an Abuja-based Citizens Advocacy for Social and Economic Rights (CASER), which made the request recently.
"I have been directed to inform you that your request will be considered by the council at its next meeting scheduled for Nov. 2 and 3.
"The outcome of the deliberation will be communicated to your office,'' Danladi stated in the letter dated Oct. 21 and addressed to the Executive Director of CASER, Mr Frank Tietie.
CASER had written to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and Chairman of the NJC seeking the council's approval for court proceedings to be relayed live to Nigerians.
The civil rights advocacy group had told the CJN that opening up the courts to Nigerians would enhance greater transparency in the country's justice delivery system.
In its first letter dated Feb. 26, CASER said the request was necessitated by "rising public consciousness of the role of the courts in ensuring justice, public order and stability of Nigeria.''
On Oct. 20, the group wrote the CJN again, noting that the recent allegation of corruption against some judges had underscored the importance and urgency of its request.
"CASER is convinced that live media broadcast of court proceedings will debunk corruption and help in sustaining the integrity of the judiciary in Nigeria.
"Live broadcast of court proceedings in Nigeria has its foundation in the constitutional provision of Section 36 (3) and (4).
"The section expressly provides, in general terms, that court proceedings in Nigeria shall be held in public, and CASER believes that nothing can be more or less 'public' than that.''
The group told the CJN that it had resolved to seek judicial interpretation of Section 34 (3) and (4) on the matter, should he refuse to consider its request.
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri ABUJA – A star witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Alade Oluseye Sunday, Thursday, narrated before the Federal High Court in Abuja, how he helped an ally to Governor Ayodele Fayose, Mr. Abiodun Agbele, to move about N1.2billion, prior to the 2015 general election.
Sunday, who is the Branch head of Zenith Bank in Akure, said the fund which was moved in two tranches, was stuffed inside Ghana-must-go bags.
The witness said he was among the team that evacuated the money to the bank with a bullion van after it was flown to the Akure airport in a medium sized aircraft by Senator Musliu Obanikoro.Agbele and Fayose
He said: “The driver that drove the bullion van on that cash pick-up engagement was Olaolu Omotosho. I do not know the registration number of the aircraft but the colour is metallic grey.
“I was able to recognise Senator Musliu Obanikoro since the appearance resemble his picture that I used to see on the television or newspaper, but I cannot recognise the third person that came out of the aircraft with him.
“The cash was packed inside several sacks popularly referred to as Ghana-must-go sack. The aircraft that brought the second tranche of the cash was of a smaller size when compared with the aircraft that brought the first tranche. The sacks were many and as such I cannot remember the number”.
The bank official, who is the first prosecution witness, PW-1, was led in evidence by EFCC lawyer, Mr. Wahab Shittu.
Almost three-quarters of Eurowings flights were cancelled on Thursday after the cabin crew of German carrier Lufthansa's budget airline walked off the job.
"Some 400 of the airline's 550 scheduled flights were cancelled as a result of the strike organised by the cabin crew union UFO which began on Wednesday.
"Some 40,000 passengers were affected by the action, which was part of a dispute over salaries.
"Only 15,000 passengers were able to fly as planned,'' Eurowings said, adding that there are cancellations and delays at all of Germany's major airports except Frankfurt and Munich.
German media reported on Wednesday that the talks between UFO and Lufthansa had collapsed in spite of the fact that the airline had offered an average pay increase of 7 per cent.
However the union said that it had never received the offer.
"Eurowings is offering customers free cancellations and changes to their booking,'' it said.
A Nigerian newspaper and Online version of the Vanguard, a daily publication in Nigeria covering Niger delta, general national news, politics, business, energy, sports, entertainment, fashion,lifestyle human interest stories, etc
Nigeria’s currency scarcity remains a nightmare that won’t go away, with even Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote feeling the pain.
The West African country’s economy has been hammered by the global crash in oil prices — worth 70 per cent of its revenue and the bulk of its dollars — and ongoing rebel attacks on oil infrastructure in the southern swamplands.
But the response to the naira’s slump has made matters worse.
In February 2015, the central bank fixed the naira at 197-199 per dollar in an attempt to stop its rapid plunge.
To protect its foreign reserves, Nigeria banned the importation of many goods, ranging from toothpicks to rice.
Propping up the naira proved costly for the import-dependent country. Facing the imminent depletion of its foreign reserves and double-digit inflation, Nigeria was forced to abandon the peg in June this year.
Yet the country is still suffering the consequences of the peg as it wrestles to overcome an enduring currency scarcity.
A wave of multinational firms, including South African hotel and gaming group Sun International, have left Nigeria, citing forex concerns.
Recently Nigerian billionaire Dangote, a manufacturing tycoon with a range of companies spanning cement to flour, has reduced staff because of “operational costs”.
“This year has been a very challenging one for us as a business. The unavailability of foreign exchange, coupled with an unprecedented hike in the exchange rate has resulted in increased costs across the organisation,” Dangote warned in an October letter.
Once Africa’s poster child for booming growth, Nigeria announced in August it was in recession.
– Flexible rate? –
Business leaders say if Dangote is hurting, then there’s a serious problem.
“It’s unfortunate,” Muda Yusuf, head of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told AFP.
“Not many businesses have access to the official forex window to source for their requirements to bring in the needed raw materials for production,” Yusuf said.
Part of the problem is that it appears the naira is again being held at an artificially high rate, explained Yusuf, who says that the currency should be allowed to “fully liberalise.”
Officially Nigeria’s naira is 305 to the dollar, but today it is trading up to 460 on the black market, where most businesses get their cash to bring in raw materials and supplies.
“A flexible exchange rate regime will encourage inflows,” he said.
“If this is done, the supply side of forex will improve and there will be more dollars to go around.”
– Airlines pull out –
The painful impact of Nigeria’s forex crisis can be clearly seen among international airlines.
Last week, Persian Gulf airline Emirates and Kenya Airways said they would suspend flights to the Nigerian capital Abuja from October 30 to November 15.
However, both carriers added that they would continue to fly to Lagos, the country’s commercial hub.
The announcement comes after US carrier United and Spanish airline Iberia halted their Nigerian operations earlier in the year, citing limited inability to repatriate their profits because of unavailability of forex.
Other international operators complained that Nigeria owed them hundreds of millions of dollars from ticket sales as the government holds on to the dollars to boost its reserves.
– Devaluation? –
Analysts say it’s only a matter of time before the naira is devalued again.
“Although there remains heavy opposition to further devaluation within the Nigerian administration, we believe that macroeconomic realities will force some further downwards movement in the naira this year,” BMI Research said earlier in October.
With investors shying away, Nigeria is struggling to implement a record budget designed to stimulate growth.
Nigeria normally produces 2.2 million barrels per day (bpd), but output dropped to a low of 1.4 bpd this year as a result of rebels attacking pipelines, with no signs the militants are ready to lay down their arms.
Arsenal legend Thierry Henry said Wednesday there was no way he could see his former boss Arsene Wenger filling the vacant England manager’s position.
Wenger, who recently celebrated his 20th anniversary as manager of Arsenal, has been strongly linked with the job following the sacking of Sam Allardyce last month.
“You can never say never but I personally don’t see it happening,” Henry told reporters in India’s commercial capital Mumbai.
Allardyce was dismissed following the publication by the Daily Telegraph of controversial comments made to undercover reporters.
He was secretly filmed giving advice on how to circumnavigate transfer rules and mocking England predecessor Roy Hodgson.
Thierry Henry
Gareth Southgate is in temporary charge with England’s Football Association on the hunt for a full-time successor.
Wenger’s contract with the Gunners is due to expire at the end of this Premier League campaign and he’s known to have several keen admirers at the FA.
But Henry, who won two top-flight league titles with Arsenal under Wenger, believes his fellow Frenchman may be lukewarm about the idea of coaching the English national team.
“I think he answered himself recently when he said that the England manager should be English. That’s his own words,” said the former striker.
“I said recently that Arsene likes to be on the field on a daily basis and when you’re coach of a national team you don’t get to do that,” Henry added.
Wenger has been on the receiving end of severe criticism by some fans frustrated by Arsenal’s failure to win the Premier League since 2004.
But Henry, Arsenal’s all-time top goal scorer, warned supporters to enjoy the 67-year-old while he is still at the club.
“Be careful what you wish for because when he’s not going to be around people are going to realise what he was doing at the time,” said the World Cup winner, now an assistant coach with Belgium.
Arsenal sit joint top of the league on 20 points with Manchester City and Liverpool after nine games. Chelsea and Tottenham are just a point back.
“It looks like finally things are going the right way,” said Henry, on a promotional tour of India for sports brand Puma.
“It would be great if in his 20th season in charge he can win the title. But are they going to do it? The competition is massive,” he added.
Anka (Zamfara) – The Vice Chairman of Anka Local Government Area in Zamfara, Alhaji Yahuza Ibrahim, has allegedly been kidnapped.
The Chairman of the council, Alhaji Mustapha Muhammad, disclosed this to newsmen in Anka on Wednesday.
Muhammad, who was in tears, said he received the report of the incident from the victim's home village, Wiya, in the early hours of Wednesday.
He said eye witnesses from Ibrahim's village said gunmen drove into the settlement on Tuesday night and fired gunshots into the air before they took away the vice chairman.
He said shortly after he received the report, he got a phone call from a hidden number in which a male voice spoke to him in Hausa language and asked for a ransom of N5 million to facilitate the safe release of the victim.
"It was then that we realised that the kidnap was real and had been carried out by bandits who hide in the nearby bushes," the chairman said.
He said he had already reported the matter to the state government as well as all security agencies in the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, DSP Muhammad Shehu, however, said he could not confirm or deny the report because he was on his way back to the state from a trip.
Abuja – A cross section of parents in the FCT have applauded the proposed legislation to extend JAMB results' validity for a period of three years.
The parents said on Wednesday in Abuja that the amendment would not only ease the financial burden on parents but also enable universities to upgrade their standard.
According to them, the legislation, if passed, will benefit both parents and candidates.
One of the respondents, Dr Samson Olori, a Paediatric Surgeon, said the amendment would help to reduce the number of students that writing JAMB every session as well as the cost of conducting the examination.
He noted that such amendment would also enable some universities to upgrade their standard and create a better environment for effective learning.
" I do not think the Act will prevent students from writing JAMB examination, if the cut off mark of the previous result will not help them to secure admission into the desired courses.
"Such category of candidates are still at liberty to re-write JAMB examination.
"But those that had reasonable scores will not be subjected to another JAMB examination, because the result will enable them to sick for admission for the next three years.
"I also think that what the Senate is trying to do is to prevent multiple sitting for JAMB examination.
"But for those that will go into the highly competitive courses, but scored below the required cut off marks, they may want to write another JAMB examination.''
Nevertheless, Olori outlined the benefits of such amendment to include relieving the candidates the stress of sitting for JAMB examination over and over again.
He, however, suggested that the policy should be properly examined before arriving at a conclusion.
Mr Godwin Pius, an educator, who also expressed support for the proposed amendment, saying that it would bring relief to both parents, students as well as the government.
He said that the proposal if passed, would reduce the risk of loss of lives in the process of writing the examination.
"It will also reduce the anxiety, cost of paying for extra mural lesson every year and cost of the examination itself."
According to Mr Joseph Akah, a trader, suggested that the bill if passed, should make provision for candidates with previous JAMB results to be considered first for admission every academic session.
Akah also advised that candidates who applied for highly competitive courses to consider changing their courses if they scored low marks instead of writing another examination.
Mr Hodonu Daniel, the Facility Manager, First Storey Building in Nigeria, located in Badagry, Lagos State, says that 1,800 visitors have been there in the last nine months.
170 yrs old building
Daniel told newsmen on Wednesday in Lagos that visits to the structure, now 170 years, were made between January and September.
The foundation of the house was laid in 1842 and the house was completed in 1845.
"Our peak period is during the New Year, Easter, Sallah and Christmas holidays and on public holidays.
"We are used to recording about 180 visitors in a month but it varies. We have recorded 1,800 visitors in the last nine month,'' he said.
He said that some of the visitors that patronised the facility were local and foreign tourists, students, foreigners, adults and children.
"Students patronise the building more than others,'' he added.
Daniel said that this year's patronage was better than the previous years.
"The difference in the record of visitors that patronised the building this year compared to last year was not much,'' he said.
He urged the Lagos State Government to support the management in giving the building a facelift that is of international standard.
Women numbering over 100 on Wednesday stormed the Federal High Court in Lagos, chanting solidarity songs on the freezing order placed on the bank accounts of ex-First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on Sept. 22 ordered the freezing of some bank accounts belonging to Jonathan.
The Commission had said the action was due to the ongoing investigation into the alleged money laundering charge preferred against her.
Meanwhile, Jonathan in a fundamental rights suit instituted against the EFCC, is asking for a court order, directing the unfreezing of her accounts.
She is also claiming the sum of 200 million dollars against the commission as damages for allegedly infringing on her fundamental rights.
On Wednesday, women numbering over 100, who dressed in traditional attire with head gears, stormed the premises of the Federal High Court in Lagos to protest the freezing order.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the placard-carrying women, chanted songs in Ijaw and English Languages.
Some of the inscriptions read: "Ijaw people are in solidarity with Jonathan", "Unfreeze ex-President Jonathan's wife's account", "We urge EFCC to abide by the rule of law", "Women must be heard."
Immediately after the court rose, the women trooped in their numbers toward a vehicle belonging to the EFCC, chanting solidarity songs.
Meanwhile, Justice Babs Kuewumi has fixed Dec. 7 for the hearing of the suit.
The Registrar of JAMB, Prof. Isha'aq Oloyede, has said that the bill seeking to validate the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for three years will do more harm than good.
Oloyede said this when he received a delegation of the Senate Committee on Education in his office in Bwari, FCT, on Wednesday.
He said that he appreciates the good intentions behind the proposal but said the approach may not solve the problem it seeks to address.
"They (Senators) must have considered many things before arriving at the decision.
"My appeal to the House of Representatives and the President is that it will do more harm to students than good.
"When there is a problem, rather than study it and look for strategy to solve them, we will jump into conclusion which can be more dangerous than the original problem.
"When you look at the issue of three years' validity, somebody mentioned that is what is done in Britain and the United States of America. But there is a basic difference.
"If you go in that direction, there will be change of infrastructure.
"If they change the syllabus, our exam must change and that will not synchronize with the three-year policy," the registrar said.
However, the leader of the visiting delegation, Sen. Ajayi Boroffice (APC-Ondo), said the policy would benefit Nigerians if adopted eventually.
Boroffice representing Ondo North Senatorial District, said that the bill had passed the second reading and would soon undergo a public hearing.
According to him, the bill, when passed ,would also help to improve the educational standard in higher institutions in the country.
"Bills are passed in stages and one of the most important stages is the public hearing.
' When public hearing is held, JAMB, schools and the public will be invited to make inputs.
"Once that is done, we will collate it and send to Senate for third reading.
"We saw that JAMB result is only valid for one year and we believe it will be better for it to last for three years.
"It will reduce burden on parents, students and even on the institution that is conducting aptitude test; I think it is what is good for all of us.
"We do not make laws for an individual but for the country and in the interest of all of us, the bill must not necessarily be at the convenience of the organisation.
"Since we do not want to make laws that will impede the progress of any institution, we are bound to listen to what they are saying.''
He, however, commended the board on the remarkable progress made in the past and urged the management to continue to improve on their performance.
"The lives of millions of Nigerians depend on the board and I hope that the confidence that they repose in the organisation will be justified."
He said that the committee would pay regular visit to the JAMB office in a bid to ensure proper delivery of its oversight function in the organisation.
The Nigerian Federal Civil Service has listed over 90 Jobs including the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR as having vacancies for recruitment or employments.
To apply for a vacancy in any of the jobs, applicants must go through the Federal Civil Service Recruitment Portal.
Below is the breakdown of affected ministries that require applicants.
– Bureau of Public Procurement. – Federal Ministry of Education. – Federal Ministry of Labour & Productivity. – Federal Ministry of Finance – Ministry of Foreign Affairs. – Federal Ministry of Information and Culture. – Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing. – Federal Ministry of Science and Technology. – Federal Ministry of Transport. – Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation. – Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation. – Presidency
Completion/submission of application online is free and at no cost to applicants in line with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention.
The completion/submission will run for six (6) weeks from the date of this publication.
Updates: Notice – 22/09/2016: The below information applies to new registration only. If you receive a successfully registered message after you click "Register" you will be automatically logged in and can proceed to available jobs, select and apply. Make sure your Email and Phone are accurate, this only means the FCSC will use in updating you about the status of your application.
Notice 20/09/2016: We're now sending emails to all those who successfully completed the registration process. However, due to a significant backlog of emails, it may take up to 24 hours for you to receive your activation notice email.
Notice: 16/10/2016: All Registered Accounts have now been activated. If you registered and did not receive an activation email prior to yesterday, you can now use your email and password to log in and complete and application.
New Guidelines For those having problems filling up the forms, the following guidelines should be followed:
Suitably qualified candidates with character and integrity who are interested in making a career in the Federal Civil Service are invited to complete and submit the application on-line on FCSC Website – https://www.vacancy.fedcivilservice.gov.ng for any of the posts indicated in each of the MDAs.
One-time coach of the Flying Eagles, Tunde Disu, and an ex-international Bright Omakro, have commended the confirmation of Salisu Yusuf as Super Eagles Head Coach by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
Yusuf had after a meeting with the board of NFF on Tuesday, yelled out: "I have been offered a contract. So, I'm happy to continue with the job''.
According to Disu, Yusuf's appointment was a welcome development to Nigerian football, adding: "I think the country needs someone like him who has travelled far and wide in the country.
"He is of a dependable quality which I can vouch for. He worked under me as assistant when I was the coach of Lobi Stars of Markurdi but before then, he played under me from 1987 to 1989.
"He has proven to be a highly technical person whose job of handling the national team can be left to; more so, he understands the local league.
Salisu-Yusuf
"Yusuf has handled some of the local teams, Enyimba International of Aba inclusive,''
"Another thing about him is his gentleman's character, he is calm. I don't think he will give NFF any trouble, maybe the reason for them to have appointed him in the first instance.
"Yusuf has never hid his passion for the national team, it is a team he loves to be with and the players are also in his support.
"It is a good thing that NFF is encouraging the local coaches to handle the national teams because they know the players better, obviously because they have handled some of them before.''
"Yusuf has impeccable Curriculum Vitae well enough for the job of the Super Eagles,'' he said
Reacting, an ex-international player, Bright Omokaro, urged support from stakeholders to enable the coach achieve success in the task.
"Yusuf has a very good record as far as coaching is concerned and he has proven himself over time. The only thing that will make him succeed is massive support.
"His confirmation is commendable; he understands Nigeria's football and his experience will guide him as he tries to build a formidable team,'' the ex-international said.
Omokaro, popularly known as 10-10 and member of the 1994 AFCON winning squad told NAN that Yusuf's confirmation would encourage him to work harder for the Russia 2018 World Cup.
"With this development, he has to go all out to ensure that we qualify.
"Nigerians need him to win his next qualifying match against Algeria,'' the former defender said.
Nigeria will host Algeria in the first leg of its qualifying campaign scheduled to hold on Nov. 7.
The Kaduna State-born tactician, was a former midfielder for Ahmadu Bello University FC, and later became a coach.
He started his coaching career with Nassarawa United FC in 2002.
He, however, moved to Lobi Stars FC as an assistant coach and won the Challenge Cup (now Federation Cup) in 1999.
Yusuf was employed as assistant coach to Samson Siasia. He also assisted the late Stephen Keshi.
US Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump maintains that his campaign is "very close or winning" with just two weeks to go until US elections.
"Honestly I think we're doing really well all over," Trump told Fox News on Tuesday even as most opinion polls show him trailing Democrat Hillary Clinton nationwide and in most key states ahead of November 8 elections.
The victor will be determined based on the winners in each state rather than the overall popular vote, and the candidates are focusing their attention in the remaining days on some dozen states that could go to either candidate.
Chief among those is Florida, which Trump admitted "I have to win," and where both Trump and Clinton were campaigning on Tuesday.
Opinion polls show Clinton with the lead in Florida, Nevada, Pennsylvania and North Carolina, while Trump has a narrow lead in Ohio.
The race is also narrowing in states that have traditionally been staunch Republican bastions, giving Clinton an opening in Arizona and even Texas, where Trump leads by 3 percentage points in the most recent poll but where Republicans traditionally have double-digit leads.
Donald Trump on Saturday laid out far-reaching plans for the start of his US presidency if he wins November elections.
The announcement came as an 11th woman came forward to accuse the Republican nominee of making unwanted sexual advances.
In a speech in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Trump vowed to withdraw from or renegotiate international trade deals, begin removing illegal immigrants and implement ethics reforms for government officials.
"We now find ourselves at that very special fork in the road," Trump said as he outlined the actions he would take in his first 100 days in the White House.
"Do we repeat the mistakes of the past or do we choose to believe that a great future still lies ahead for us and our great country?"
Trump vowed to scrap or "totally renegotiate" the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with Mexico and Canada and drop the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) with 11 other Pacific nations.
He said he would label China as a currency manipulator and order officials to tackle trade abuses.
Under a Trump presidency, restrictions on the production of U.S. energy would be removed and U.S. payments to UN climate programmes would be cancelled.
The Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED) on Wednesday said it had no plan to increase the current tariff being paid by consumers.
Mr Sunday Oduntan, ANED Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, disclosed this in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
He said that the Distribution Companies (DISCOs) had not submitted any proposal to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) on tariff increase.
"It is not true that we want to increase the tariff by 200 per cent because we do not have any right to do so.
"When you talk about tariff review or increase, it is the responsibility of a regulator and that work belongs to NERC.
"We should understand how the system works because it is the work of the regulator to decide whether there should be tariff review and not DISCOs,'' said the ANED official.
He urged the National Assembly to reconsider the stoppage of the bond provided by government in order to address the liquidity challenge facing the power sector.
"We are not asking for subsidy but that government should step in and provide a bond,'' he said.
Oduntan said that the business of electricity distribution were presently not bankable because no bank would lend DISCOs money with the huge deficits in their books.
The Senate on Wednesday started comprehensive probe into the activities of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) with a view to blocking all revenue leakages and enhance generation.
The probe, launched by the Senate Committee on Customs and Excise, would look into ways to increase revenue generation capacity of the service.
The Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Hope Uzodimma, during an oversight visit to the NCS headquarters in Abuja, said that service should generate enough revenue to fund the nation's budget.
He expressed displeasure at a report by the Ministry of Finance, which indicated that the NCS had generated less than N400 billion so far in 2016.
Speaking at the end of the visit, Uzodinma said that his committee might re-enact the Act establishing the service for optimal performance.
"We are looking into the operations of Customs Service; looking at the areas of revenue generation and possible leakages with a view to finding solutions.
"We have done detailed work and we have established contacts with all commands under the service.
"All we are interested in is to evolve a robust framework that will help the NCS earn more revenue.
"In order to do that effectively, we are examining its current mode of operations with a view to refining how things are done.
"By the time we finished looking at the operations of some of the ports, we will come back and look at how best to amend the existing Act.
"We want to create a situation where the NCS will be able to fetch the country the kind of revenue we are looking for from non-oil sector,'' he said.
Speaking on the revelation that the service could not access some oil companies for payment of levies, Uzodinma said that was part of the impediments that require enabling laws.
"There are some limitations that have not made it possible for the Customs service to perform its mandate the way it should.
"Those are things that we will also look into so as to remove all obstacles to enable it function effectively,'' the committee chairman said.
While interacting with the Comptroller-General of the Service, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd.), Uzodinma requested that certain documents be submitted to enhance the committee's probe.
The committee gave the service till Friday, Oct. 28 to submit the documents and answer all the queries posed.
It sought to know how the seven per cent Negotiable Duty Credit was managed and how the service handled seized cargoes and overtime cargoes.
The NCS is expected to render details of how it handles seized cigarette and alcohol, record of auctioned overtime and seized cargoes.
The committee also demanded for record of all waivers granted in the last three years, value of the waivers, detailed record of sugar levy and other details of revenue accrual.
Uzodinma expressed displeasure at the inability of the service to collect duty from oil companies, promising that a legislation to review the law would be initiated.
In his remark, the Custom CG, Col. Hameed Ali assured that the NCS would give full cooperation to the committee.
He directed NCS officials to provide the committee with all the information and documents it required.
Oil fell for a third day on Wednesday, nearing $50 a barrel for the first time in three weeks, as investors grew increasingly doubtful that OPEC members will agree to cut output and as U.S. inventories staged a surprisingly large increase.
Iraq, the second-largest member of OPEC, does not want to join in with a proposed production cut that the group has said it will approve at a regular meeting in Vienna next month.
With Iran, Nigeria and Libya already expected to be excluded, along with potentially Venezuela and Indonesia, whose state oil producer said on Tuesday it was targeting a 42-percent increase in output next year, traders and investors are growing less confident in the chances for an effective deal.
"The market is definitely in need of some kind of soothing words once again, but it's a 'cry wolf' thing. The talking has to get louder and louder to attract any attention, because scepticism is on the rise and I think rightly so," Saxo Bank senior manager Ole Hansen said.
"No doubt, the difference now compared to earlier this year, back when the market was primarily reacting to verbal intervention, is now something has been promised and if that promise cannot be fulfilled or delivered, then we obviously have a problem," he said, adding that his near-term target for Brent was $49.40, followed by $48.40.
Brent crude futures were down 74 cents at $50.05 a barrel by 1120 GMT, having touched a session low of $50.02, the weakest level since Oct. 3.
U.S. crude futures also fell 74 cents on the day to $49.22 a barrel.
Iraq, the second-largest producer within the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, has argued it needs its oil revenues to fight Islamic State.
At the Algiers meeting, Iraq said OPEC had underestimated its output, which it pegged at 4.7 million bpd, compared with the group's assessment, based on secondary sources, of 4.2 million bpd.
"Just the fact that there can be such a huge disagreement over what Iraq is actually producing creates doubts in the market over how OPEC is going to handle a cap on production in terms of verifying that the members are actually adhering to the individual targets," SEB chief commodities analyst Bjarne Schieldrop said.
And unless top world producer Russia, which does not belong to OPEC, joins in, that leaves the onus of a potential cut with Arab producers in the Middle East such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
Adding to the pressure on the oil market was data late on Tuesday from the American Petroleum Institute that showed an unexpected rise in U.S. crude inventories.
Official data by the Energy Information Administration (EIA) is due later on Wednesday.
Bauchi lawmaker, Mrs Maryam Begel, said on Wednesday that investigations conducted revealed that the HIV virus is spreading faster in matrimonial homes in most Northern states of the country than outside the home.
Begel, representing Dass constituency in the Bauchi House of Assembly, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi that it appeared precautionary measures were taken by partners only when meeting outside matrimonial homes, than when at home.
"We did an investigation and discovered that HIV virus is spreading faster in matrimonial homes than outside.
"This is because most males take precautionary measures when they sleep with outsiders but hardly take such measures when they meet with their wives.
"This is especially the case in settings where polygamy is allowed and you find a husband infecting some or all of his wives with the deadly virus," she said.
Begel, who is also the chairperson, Committee on Women Affairs, Bauchi House of Assembly, described the development as worrisome.
Meanwhile, the lawmaker said she would work towards reviving the bill on "Compulsory HIV Test before Marriage", initiated by a former member of the 7th Bauchi House of Assembly, but was scuttled due to outside pressure.
Begel who once served as the 'Child Protection Officer' with an international non-governmental organization, 'Save The Children' (UK), said passing the Bill into law was long over-due to safeguard the health of people, especially women and children.
The Bill, sponsored in 2012 by Hon. Ilyasu Zwall, had sought to make the screening of HIV by partners, compulsory, before marriage.
It recommended that any person that contravened the provision of the law be liable, upon conviction, to a fine of N160, 000, or punishment for not less than five years, or both.
In case of corporate organisations, it recommended a fine of N500, 000 or the sealing of the hospital or diagnostic centre for a specified period, or both.
When the bill was referred to the then House Committee on Health, nothing was heard about it again.
The sponsor of the Bill, Hon. Zwall, then Chairman, House Committee on Security, had revealed that pressure from people scared of the law that would make it compulsory to go for the test before marriage, made the committee to frustrate the bill.
A 29-year-old man, Leonard James, who allegedly sent series of threat messages to his ex-girlfriend, was on Wednesday brought before a Yaba Chief Magistrates' Court in Lagos.
The accused,who resides at Ikeja area of Lagos, is standing trial on a two-count charge of threat to life and a breach of public peace.
The Prosecutor, Insp. Roman Unuigbe, told the court that the accused committed the offences on May 16 at about 6.00 p.m. at Nigeria AirForce Base, Ikeja.
He said after James and one Hassana Samson, his ex-girlfriend called it quits early 2016 over an undisclosed reasons, the accused had constantly sent deadly threat messages to her phone.
"The accused, who never hesitated to intimidate his ex-girlfriend whenever their parts crossed, conducted himself in a manner likely to cause a breach of public peace.''
The offences committed by James contravened Sections 56 (b) and 166 (d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011.
James, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Chief Magistrate, Mr P.A. Ojo, granted the accused a N60, 000 bail with two sureties in like sum.
He said one of the sureties must be a blood relation of the accused and should be gainfully employed.
Ojo adjourned the case to Dec. 9 for substantive trial.
The Senate Committee on Power has expressed concern over the liquidity crunch in the power sector.
It has also expressed doubt over the financial and technical competence of the private investors in the sector.
The Chairman of the committee, Sen Enyinnaya Abaribe, expressed the concern in a statement by Dr Usman Arabi, the Head of Public Affairs Department, Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) on Wednesday.
The statement said that the committee members, who were on oversight visit to the commission, queried the reduction in cash collection, which they claimed was N15billion before privatisation, but had now reduced to about N5billion.
The statement said the committee members were unhappy at the inability of the Distribution Companies (DISCOs) to meter customers and their use of the estimated billing system.
It quoted Abaribe as saying: "Are you sure the privatisation of the power sector is producing the needed result with the under-performance by the new investors."
It said Abaribe assured NERC of the committee's readiness to empower the commission to enable it to perform its regulatory functions effectively.
The statement also quoted the acting Chairman of NERC, Dr Anthony Akah, as saying that the commission is doing all it could to ensure that the operators in the power sector value chain played by the rules.
It stated that the strict applications of rules and regulations will help remove obstacles militating against the optimal performance of licensed operators in the sector.
He said sanctions had been meted out to erring operators in nine different instances in the last four months.
He said the gesture is an indication of the change in regulatory tactics, even though some of the sanctions were being appealed.
"The operators are hiding behind judicial proceedings to prevent posting of letter of credit and possibility of escrowing their account," the statement quoted him as saying.
According to the statement, this is frustrating strict compliance with contractual obligations and causing liquidity problems in the sector.
It said Akah assured that some of the DISCOs that initiated the court proceedings were beginning to see the futility of their exercise and might soon withdraw the suits they instituted.
He said the commission, through its regulatory initiative facilitated the increased of 40 megawatts by Paras Energy.
The statement said he advised the lawmakers to prevail on their respective state governments to take interest in investing in the power sector.
The statement also quoted him as saying that what was being experienced in Nigeria was not different from developed countries experienced within five years of privatising their power sectors.
He said Nigerians should begin to treat electricity as a product with its own cost of production.
Fresh information emanating from the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) has shown a 113% improvement in the performance of students who wrote the May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in Osun state. The analysis of 10 years WASSCE results as seen in the table below, shows the increased dividends from the massive investments in education by the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.
Results seen in the analysis of Osun students who passed with 5+ credits including English and Mathematics, shows a poor record of 6.86% of the total number of candidates who sat for the exams in 2007, long before the advent of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in the state.
Most critics failed to analyse Osun's historical performance when comparing the performance of students across states in Nigeria.
The laid-back analysis of comparing state by state performance by many is faulty, in that, if a state presents only 10,000 candidates for the WASSCE, and 7,500 students are able to secure 5 credits including mathematics and English, then such state with a pass percentage of 75%, would be placed above a state who presents 100,000 candidates with a 50% pass percentage.
As much as this analysis could be theoretically correct, it fails to put into consideration, peculiarities of individual states.”
Consider the State of Osun for example, analysis of WASSCE result over a 10-year period shows considerable improvement in the performance of students, reaching a climax of 46.3% in 2016, despite taking 29th position in the entire country.”
“While this achievement may appear insignificant at face value, however, compared to the year 2007 when a woeful 6.86% pass performance was recorded, it attests to the considerable interventions the state government has made to tackle education head-on.”
He said that “Since the Ogbeni administration took over governance in November 2010, students' WAEC performance has gradually improved as seen in the infographics below.”
"Specifically, the 2016 WASSCE result (46.3%% pass rate) shows an improvement of 113.56% over a space of one year when compared with the 2015 result (21.68% pass rate). We can go on and on calculating how year in, year out, the Aregbesola administration has embarked on painstaking steps to not only address the relative decline and stagnation in students' educational performance but recorded considerable improvement accordingly."
"While skeptics and cynics sat back and dismissed the Ogbeni's administration as it committed considerable steps to arrest the over 30 year rot in education, they failed to realize that, the future of our youth is non-negotiable as such considerable positive change of this magnitude requires systematic effort, determinism and perseverance which is often a slow and gradual process."
"For those without a sense of history, need I recall that the Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola inherited a comatose education sector, where teachers lacked motivation, students were less interested in learning, and school buildings resembled chicken pens rather than institutions of learning."
However, a quick run across the state shows considerable improvement from the past administrations in an effort to avoid failing too many of our children by sending them out into what we hope to become a 21st century economy through the doors of 20th century schools.
New palatial learning buildings now dot the Osun landscape – One was recently commissioned by President Muhammudu Buhari on Thursday, 1 st of September, 2016. Osun teachers are well paid and equipped – 5,000 of them has been trained and retrained so far, and students more than ever before, are taking vast opportunities before them.
The Opon-Imo tablet still works wonders amongst students who possess them. Opon-Imo, an indigenous Technology Enhanced Learning Platform (TELP) with locally produced content is designed for the Nigerian secondary education system. It is preloaded with lesson notes on seventeen (17) subjects offered by students writing the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) and NECO SSCE.
Also preloaded inside the Opon-Imo tablet is over 40,000 past examination questions spanning a period of ten years, for (private) practice, 63 etextbooks covering 17 subjects' areas that students do register for in external examinations and 51 audio tutorials installed as study aid.
Opon-Imo is also preloaded with seven extra-curricular subjects such as Sexuality Education, Civic Education, Yoruba History, Ifa Traditional Religion, Computer Education and Entrepreneurship Education, and Twelve Thousand Yoruba Proverbs.
These and many more are the initiatives and measures the Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has set in place to concisely improve the state of education for the future of our kids and consequently nation. The basic premise is that the status quo of dilapidated structures, ill-equipped teachers, limited exposure of our kids to the very tools driving 21st century economies must be tackled comprehensively.
The future of our kids, development of our economy and building of a nation through education is a promise the Ogbeni administration seeks to guard jealously and deliver.
Osun may not be in the desired place amongst comity of states in WASSCE performance, but we are making considerable strides as we deliver our promise to the people, and Ogbeni's investment in education is paying off.
By Semiu Okanlawon Semiu Okanlawon is the Director of Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Office of the Governor, State of Osun.
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri ABUJA – Scores of Protesters on Wednesday, besieged the Three Arms Zone where the Supreme Court is situated, demanding that all judges facing corruption allegations must step down pending their trial.
The Protesters, under the aegis of Forum of Non-Governmental Organisations in Nigeria, FONGON, insisted that all the seven superior court judges that were arrested by the Department of State Service, DSS, between October 7 and 8, must vacate the Bench.
They said the ‘step down’ protest became necessary “since the conniving National Judicial Council, NJC, is not willing to suspend them”.
Meanwhile, heavily armed security operatives comprising of Soldiers, DSS and mobile police men, blocked the protesters from gaining entrance into the Supreme Court complex.
Immediately the crowd which brandished several placards and banners were sighted, security men who said they acted upon instruction “from above”, quickly closed the Supreme Court gate.
People going inside the court premises were thoroughly searched even as those without valid identification card were turned back.
Following the development, the apex court which originally fixed six cases for hearing, decided to conduct proceedings inside chamber.
Addressing journalists at the Aso Villa gate, leader of the group, Mr. Wole Badmus, said they would mobilise Nigerians to besiege courts presided by the accused judges, should they fail to step down.
“Even though the arrested judges/justices have not been declared guilty by any court of law, they have been tainted in the court of public opinion and their positions are no longer tenable until they have been able to clear themselves of all allegations against them”, Badmus added.
