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
U.S. President Donald Trump has signed orders designed to advance construction of the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada into the U.S. and the Dakota Access pipeline.
Both had been blocked by his predecessor Barack Obama over environmental concerns.
The Keystone project had been a long-standing point of dispute between Republicans and Democrat Obama, who rejected it after years of review in 2015 because of climate change concerns.
The proposed Keystone XL pipeline was slated to have carried oil from Canada's tar sands in Alberta to the Midwestern state of Nebraska, where an existing pipeline would carry the Canadian oil to refineries in Texas.
The Dakota Access Pipeline was the site of protests last year by Native American groups concerned about the impact on their lands and water.
Last month, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers blocked the construction, calling for alternate routes to be considered.
The trail of Mr Olisa Metuh has suffered another adjournment at an FCT High Court on Tuesday.
Metuh, the former Peoples Democratic Party's spokesman, was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a two-count-charge of destruction of evidence.
The Judge, Justice Ishaq Bello, on Oct. 10, 2016, adjourned till Nov. 22 for the defence to open its case and also adjourned till Jan. 24 for defence' case.
Mr Sylvanus Tahir had earlier called three witnesses to testify in order to prove his case then closed his case, for Metuh's (defence) to open his.
On Tuesday, Metuh was not in court, but his counsel Mr Emeka Etieba appeared.
Mr Sylvanus Tahir, the prosecuting counsel was also present.
Tahir said that he was informed that Metuh was admitted in the National Hospital, Abuja, for spinal cord injuries.
The court adjourned the case again to March 2 for the defence to open its case.
Mr Eugene Odo, the former Speaker, Enugu State Assembly and more than 1,000 of his followers on Tuesday defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Odo's defection to the APC is coming barely 48 hours after former Senate President Ken Nnamani announced his defection to the party.
Odo, who formalised his membership of the party after registration at Ukehe Ward 2 in Igbo-Etiti LGA of the state, was received by Dr Ben Nwoye, APC chairman in Enugu state.
Addressing his supporters, the former speaker said he defected with more than 1,000 supporters.
He said that though he was not unmindful of the fact that Enugu is predominantly a PDP state, he was encouraged that the leadership of the APC was making efforts to encourage the people of the South-East to join the party.
Eugene Odo
"The beauty of democracy is the ventilation of ideas and we have found succour in the APC.
"Part of the attraction is the fact that APC is striving hard to encourage our people in the South-East to join the party.
"I can assure you that before the end of June this year, it will be difficult to recognise PDP anywhere in Enugu state.
"The PDP has created a big burden to local politicians and what we now have in Enugu state PDP are temporal landlords," Odo said.
The former speaker in the immediate past administration said the PDP had derailed from the aspirations of its founding fathers.
Receiving the new members, Nwoye described the former speaker as `a democrat' who was vilified by the immediate past PDP administration in the state.
"This is a signal that the end of PDP in Enugu State is here,'' the APC chairman said.
Former councillors and other political appointees in Igbo-etiti local government area joined Odo to defect to the APC.
The new Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) , Zone 2, Kayode Aderanti, on Tuesday gave an assurance that the kidnapped students and staff of the Nigeria Turkish International School, Isheri, Ogun, would be released within 24 hours.
Aderanti gave the assurance while speaking with newsmen shortly after his visit to former President Olusegun Obasanjo at his hill top residence in Abeokuta.
Eight students and staff of the Nigeria Turkish International College in Ogun were recently abducted from the school by unknown gunmen.
The AIG, however, said that he spoke with the leader of the search team shortly before his visit and that he got a positive response from him.
He denied rumours that the families of the victims had been paying ransom, insisting that "no ransom has been paid.''
Aderanti commended the state's Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, for putting in place an effective security system in the state.
He urged residents of Ogun to partner with the police to ensure that lives and property were properly secured.
Pastor Enoch Adeboye, Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God, said he could have graduated from the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) if not for the outbreak of Nigerian civil war in 1967.
Adeboye made the disclosure in Nsukka on Tuesday after being conferred with Honorary Degree of Doctorate of Divinity.
He said he gained admission into UNN in 1963 and his matriculation number was 1800.
He said: "It was the order of the then governor of the Eastern region Chief Odumgwu Ojukwu that non Igbos should leave the East; that was why I finished at the University of Ibadan.
"I am happy that a governor of Enugu state accompanied me today to UNN while the then governor of the Eastern region sent me packing because of civil war; that is God for you.
"I am happy that the first degree I missed in UNN has been replaced with honorary doctorate degree.
"I thank UNN for finding me worthy of this award.''
Adeboye urged Nigerians who had not given their life to Jesus Christ to do so, stressing that life is meaningless without Christ.
"Please if you have not given your life to Christ; do not waste time; do so immediately as you come to the prayer rally I am holding in this University after this award."
In his remarks, UNN Vice Chancellor, Prof. Benjamin Ozumba, said the University created the special convocation to reward excellence
"This is award is to an alumnus of UNN in the department of mathematics until 1966.
"Today special convocation is to reward excellence to a man who through the anointing of Jesus has imparted much to humanity.
"Adeboye is man whose accomplishment speaks more eloquently and reverberates more clearly than the voice of orator," the VC said.
Ozumba said Adeboye was conferred with the honorary degree because of his immense contributions to mankind especially Christianity.
Gov Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu state was among important dignitaries who graced the occasion.
Gambia's National Assembly on Tuesday revoked a state of emergency declared by Former Leader Yahya Jammeh in an attempt to stay in power.
The move comes shortly before President Adama Barrow is expected to return to Gambia from neighbouring Senegal, where he sought refuge for security reasons.
West African troops were meanwhile securing the capital, Banjul, in preparation for Barrow's arrival.
Jammeh, who ruled the small West African nation for 22 years with an iron fist, caused weeks of political impasse when he refused to step down after losing the Dec. 1 presidential election to Barrow.
Jammeh left for Equatorial Guinea on Saturday, after weeks of pressure from West African leaders to step down.
An Upper Area Court sitting in Gwagwalada on Tuesday sentenced one Moses Habilah, 29, to two years' imprisonment for having canal knowledge of a six-year-old girl.
The presiding Judge, Alhaji Alhassan Kusherki, sentenced the convict after he had pleaded guilty to the offence.
He however, gave the convict an option to pay N50,000 fine.
The Prosecution Counsel, Mr Abubakar Tanko, told the court that Habilah, of Passo Village, was arraigned on a one count charge of procuring a minor.
He said that the act resulted to injury in her virgina, adding that N7,300 was spent at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital on her treatment.
Tanko said the offence contravened the provisions of section 275 of the Penal Code was reported at the Gwagwalada Police Station by one Queen Emmanuel of Passo village.
A Federal High Court in Lagos, on Tuesday, fixed Feb. 16 to deliver judgment in a suit by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seeking forfeiture of funds linked to a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke.
Justice Muslim Hassan fixed the date after hearing arguments from counsels representing parties in the suit.
Justice Hassan had on Jan. 6, issued an interim order of forfeiture of the sum of 153.3 million dollars to the Federal Government, following an exparte application by EFCC seeking similar relief.
The EFCC had initiated the exparte application seeking an interim order, for the temporary forfeiture to the Federal Government of the sum, which it claims is linked to Diezani.
The court had also issued 14 days to any interested party to appear and prove the legitimacy of the monies, failing which the funds would be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Tuesday, Mr Charles Adeogun announced appearance for Lawal, who is joined as respondent in the suit.
On the other hand, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo announced appearance for the EFCC. Oyedepo informed the court that in line with its interim orders of Jan. 6, the EFCC had served same on Lawal.
He also informed the court that the order was also published in the Independence Newspaper of Jan. 12, in compliance with the orders of the court.
In response, counsel to Lawal, (Adeogun) confirmed the position, and added that he had filed a counter affidavit deposed to by Lawal, challenging the said forfeiture orders.
Arguing his application, he urged the court to issue an order, directing a refund of the sum of N9.08billion to his client on the grounds that same was obtained by coercion.
He argued that before such forfeiture orders could be made, two essential elements must be satisfied namely: "that the property in question is unclaimed, and that such property or funds forms proceeds of an unlawful act.''
He said: "We became aware of the forfeiture order when the interim order was served on us; My client was never confronted with these sets of facts during his incarceration at the EFCC.
"After service of the orders, I requested for the statement of my client to the commission, but same was never given to me," he said.
He argued that his client admitted having received the sum of 25 million dollars in clear dispensation of his duties, but was coerced by the commission to further admit receiving a total of 65 million dollars.
According to him, the sum of 40 million dollars was therefore, taken as an overdraft from his bank to offset the alleged extra sum.
He therefore urged the court to order the immediate refund of the sum to his client.
In his reply, Oyedepo submitted that the tenure of Section 17 of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offence Act made a property, which is reasonably suspected to be proceeds of crime forfeitable to the Federal Government.
"Going by the facts and circumstances of this particular case, can it be said that the sum of N9.08 billion which is the naira equivalent of 40 million dollars was not reasonably suspected to form proceeds of a crime," he queried.
He argued that Paragraph 4 of the applicant's reply affidavit shows a meeting of the minds of some staff of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the respondent to launder funds.
"My lord, Paragraph 4 of our reply affidavit shows a meeting of the minds of one Gbenga Komolafe, former group Managing Director, Crude Oil Marketing Division NNPC, Prince Haruna Momoh, former group Managing Director, Petroleum Product Marketing Company, Umar Farouk Ahmed, Group Managing Director, Nigerian Product Marketing Company and Dauda Lawal, to launder funds on behalf of former petroleum minister, Diezani Allison Madueke.
"It will amount to contesting the obvious for Lawal to argue that he had no knowledge of the said sums,'' he said.
Oyedepo argued that it was uncommon for a law enforcement agency like the EFCC to detain a person in its custody in perpetuity without an order of the court, adding that the statement of Lawal was lawfully obtained.
"The respondent was duly cautioned before he voluntarily made his statement at the commission, and his lawyer even appended, his signature further attesting to the fact that the statements were obtained voluntarily.
"So having freely volunteered a statement, he cannot urge my lord not to attach full probative value to his statement.
"I submit that the appropriate order in the circumstance is for the court to order a final forfeiture of the sum of N9.08 billion already surrendered by the respondent, to the Federal Government.
He also urged the court to order the forfeiture of other sums to which no claim had been laid.
"I urge the court to so hold," he said.
After listening to the submission of counsels, Justice Hassan fixed Feb. 16 for judgment.
A maiden flight of Imo Air owned by the Imo State Government, Tuesday, landed at the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport Owerri with the first set of passengers, and with the State governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, members of the State Executive Council and thousands of Imo people at the airport to celebrate the feat.
The 140-Seater plane with Imo Air written boldly on the body landed at the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport at exactly 11.42 pm, and is being operated for the State by DANA Airline because according to the governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha the State has not got the license to operate full – blown airline.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/01/okorocha-inaugurates-imo-air-says-imo-not-affected-by-recession/
The Maiden Imo Air at the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport on Tuesday, January 24, 2017.Governor Rochas Okorocha with the Captain of the Maiden Imo Air, Mr. George Komander (3rd from right), Nneoma Nkechi Okorocha (2nd right), Speaker Acho Ihim (1stright), DANA Air Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Mbanuzuo Obi (2nd from left), Deputy Governor Prince Eze Madumere (1stfrom left), at the launching of Imo Air and celebration of the maiden flight at the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport on Tuesday, January 24, 2017.Governor Rochas Okorocha and wife, Nneoma Nkechi Okorocha alighting from the First Imo Air Flight on Tuesday, January 24, 2017.Governor Rochas Okorocha addressing the crowd at the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport when he inaugurated the Maiden Imo Air on Tuesday, January 24, 2017. With him; Nneoma Nkechi Okorocha (1ST right), Speaker Imo House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Acho Ihim (2nd right), Chairman State Council of Ndi-Eze, HRM Eze Samuel Ohiri (3rd right), Deputy Governor Prince Eze Madumere (1st left), a representative of DANA Airline, Mr. Mbanuzuo Obi (2nd left), and the Captain of the maiden flight Mr. George Komander (3rd left).
The staff and students of Turkish International Colleges, NTIC, located in the Isheri area of Ogun State who were kidnapped last week have been released.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/01/sporadic-gunshots-heralded-kidnapping-staff-students-principal-turkish-intl-school/
The Federal Government has directed the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to investigate the circumstances surrounding the reported shooting in South Africa of the ongoing Big Brother Nigeria Reality Show.
In a statement in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed directed the NBC to determine whether Multi-Choice, by shooting the show in South Africa, has breached the Nigerian Broadcasting Code in any way.
He said the commission should also investigate the issue of possible deceit, since the viewing public was never told that the event would be staged outside Nigeria.
"As a country of laws, only the outcome of the investigation will determine our next line of action,'' he said.
The minister said concerned Nigerians had bombarded his office with calls to complain about what they regard as an anomaly of shooting outside the country a show meant for Nigerians.
He urged them to remain calm while the NBC investigates the issue and submits its findings.
The Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Sen. Aisha Al-hassan, on Tuesday called on Nigerian women to take advantage of the Federal Government's social intervention programmes to improve their living standards.
Al-hassan made the call in Abeokuta, the Ogun capital, at a town hall meeting with women groups where she sensitised them on the various empowerment initiatives of government for vulnerable and impoverished Nigerians, particularly women.
The programmes, according to the minister, are the Home Grown School Feeding programme, the Conditional Cash Transfer programme and the Job Creation programme tagged N-power.
Others are the Student Bursary programme known as STEM and the Government Enterprise and Empowerment programme (GEEP).
She informed them that the GEEP, which is a micro- credit programme for men, women, boys and girls, is being directly supervised by her ministry in collaboration with the Bank of Industry (BOI).
According to her, N 1.6 billion has been set aside exclusively for women from the GEEP fund.
Al-hassan said that the GEEP was aimed at providing micro-credit loans, skills development, training and business support for men and women, particularly in the rural areas.
She explained that GEEP was for men and women who are artisans , farmers and market women engaged in productive enterprise.
"Each beneficiary can get between N10,000 and N 100,000 as loan which is repayable in six months with one month of grace after disbursement.
" Each beneficiary must belong to a co-operative society, trade or other registered organisations with a minimum and maximum of 10 and 20 members respectively.
"The loans are interest free and no collateral is required but a five per cent administrative charge applies to cover bank's expenses.
" Generally, payback period is six months and a weekly recovery plan has been prepared to ease repayment for beneficiaries.
"Government is still working out a special repayment plan for beneficiaries engaged in farming, poultry business, fish farming and other business activities that require longer payback periods," she said.
The minister, however, stressed that defaulters would be sanctioned and denied use of banking facility in the country.
The wife of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Bola, stressed the need for women economic empowerment to enable them contribute their quota to the socio-economic development of the country.
Gov. Ibikunle Amosun , who commended President Muhammadu Bihari over the programme, also announced plans by his administration to empower 17,100 people across the state with N25,000 each.
The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, gave its committees on Anti-Corruption, Environment and Habitat six weeks to investigate former President Gooodluck Jonathan's "Clean Stove For Rural Women scheme", contract of about N9.287 billion.
The resolution followed a motion by Rep. Abiodun Faleke (APC-Lagos), which was unanimously adopted by members through a voice vote.
Faleke noted that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had approved a contract for the supply of 20 million units of clean stove and wonder bags under the clean stove scheme for rural women.
He added that the contract was at a unit cost of N464.00, amounting to about N9.287 billion.
The lawmaker said that following the approval of FEC, the Federal Ministry of Finance released the sum of N5 billion to the Federal Ministry of Environment for the execution of the project.
Jonathan- clean stoves, reps
He further disclosed that Integra Energy Renewable Services Limited was awarded the contract for the supply of the 20 million units.
Faleke also said that the company was paid the sum of N1.3 billion out of the N5 billion released by the Ministry of Environment as mobilisation fee without due process.
The lawmaker expressed concern that less than 750,000 units were said to have been assembled and delivered at the velodrome of the National Stadium, Abuja, which was commissioned by former Vice President, Namadi Sambo.
He noted that there was no beneficiary present at the commissioning nor was anyone later given the stove to achieve its intended purpose.
The mandate of the committee saddled with the investigation will be to find out details of the contract, number of units supplied, their mode of distribution and names of beneficiaries on a State by State basis.
The committees would also determine the status of the balance of N952 million with the contractor, since 750,000 units of the clean stoves were supplied at a unit cost of N464 at the value of N348 million out of the N1.3 billion paid out.
The status of the balance of N3.7 billion which was outstanding from the initial payment to the Federal Ministry of Environment will also be confirmed by the committee.
The committees would also determine whether or not the clean stoves and wonder bags project had assisted in eradicating desertification in Nigeria for future consideration.
The Federal Government says it will slash the price of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK) fertiliser to N5,000 per bag to encourage farmers to boost agricultural production in the country.
A bag of NPK is currently being sold between N7, 500 and N9, 000 in the open market.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, said this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday.
Ogbeh explained that the plan was to make food production easier and enhance profit for farmers in the country.
He disclosed that the government would take delivery of the first shipment of 800,000 tonnes of NPK fertiliser from Morocco by Jan. 27.
According to him, we want the blending to take place everywhere in the country, so that the farmer can have access to fertiliser at the lowest possible cost.
Fertilizer
"We expect the first shipment of phosphate from Morocco to arrive by Friday in Lagos and then the blending will be done here.
"We are bringing the price of fertiliser to N5, 000 per bag.
"We want to ensure that every blender in the country who has the capacity will blend and even those that their machines are not in order, we are going to support them.
"If we can bring the prices of fertiliser to N5, 000 per bag, food production will become easier and farmers will enhance their profit.
"That is why the King of Morocco (Mohammed VI) came to Nigeria and that is why President Muhammadu Buhari also went to Morocco.
"The target we have is about 700,000 to 800,000 tonnes of fertiliser per annum from Morocco but the problem we have is that we do not only satisfy Nigeria, our neighbours always come in and take a bit.
"We cannot deny them entirely but we have to satisfy ourselves first,'' the minister said.
Dangote Group and the OCP Group of Morocco had in December 2016, signed an agreement to import more than two million tonnes of customised fertiliser into Nigeria.
The agreement was meant to boost fertiliser production and businesses in the country within the next three years.
The OCP Group is a global leader in phosphate and phosphate derivatives market.
The Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, has warned its Pastors and members against participating in the ponzi scheme, Mavrodi mondial Moneybox, MMM and others like it.
In a memo issued by the General Secretary of the church, Pastor Johnson Odesola, to all Pastors in charge of regions and provinces, it said any pastor or member found participating in any of the ponzi schemes or found to have used the churches name or platform to participate in any of the schemes would be vehemently dealt with.
The memo which said the doctrine of the church does not support "get rich quick schemes" equally said that its members had no course participating in any of the ponzis giving that "God is and remains our supplier…"
"Please be informed that the doctrine of the church does not support get rich quick schemes, gambling, betting, etc in any form.
"God is and remains our supplier by the application of biblical principles of working diligently with our hands.
Sergey Mavrodi of inventor MMM
"All senior pastors are hereby authorised to ensure no one uses the pulpit or any platform of the RCCG to promote any such schemes."
Recall that last week, founder, Apostle Johnson Suleiman of the Omega Fire Ministries, OFM, Worldwide, fired one of his Pastors, Joseph Aiyedun, for using the ministry's name to participate in popular money doubling scheme, Mavrodi Mondial Movement, MMM.
The pastor was fired after many investigations were conducted and ascertained that he did not only participate in the scheme but also used the churches name to register with the scheme.
According to a statement signed by the Head of Administration of the church, Pastor David Apelorioye, it said, "The management of Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide is using this medium to react to a news making the rounds on the social media regarding one of his pastors who used the ministry's name to register for the MMM scheme."
"Ordinarily, the church would not have reacted to the story because of falsehoods being published regularly by some blogs and news websites whose credibility are questionable." "But after a thorough investigation by the church authority, it was established that one of our branch pastors in Aba, Pastor Joseph Aiyedun, indeed participated in the scheme."
"The church authority decided to expel Pastor Aiyedun not because he registered for the ponzi scheme but because he involved the ministry's name in the satanic adventure."
"And we discovered that he was able to use the ministry's name because he had access to the account of his branch which itself is against the church's guidelines and a fraud likely to have been carried out in connivance with the branch's account department. We are still investigating further to unravel the whole activities."
"Of the OFM's 200 churches in Nigeria alone and its 800 branches in 51 nations of the world, it is possible for any of the pastors to go astray and be corrected. In fact, we discovered that Pastor Aiyedun, including some other members of OFM, did the scheme before our father, Apostle Johnson Suleman made the warning last year against MMM, but Pastor Aiyedun was fired because he did it with the ministry's name as the OFM rules forbid any of its pastors access to the account except people in the account department."
Following the Omega Fire Ministries'pastor's saga, many churches have become worried and anxious that many of their members and or pastors may have or are still involved in the ponzi schemes reigning in Nigeria.
Recall also that many Nigerians invested in MMM before it blocked all its participants access to requesting for financial help, known as Get Help (GH) before the yuletide celebrations. The reason it gave was that it wanted to prevent a situation whereby many would rush to GH, thereby over-working the system. Although it made a come-back after a month as it said it would by unfreezing the frozen access (Mavros), up till now, many of the participants are still complaining that they have not been able to get help.
Against the backdrop of speculations about the true state of health of President Muhammadu Buhari in a London hospital, Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Kputom Idris, on Tuesday led a high powered police delegation to visit the President in London.Mr. Ibrahim Idris beaming with smiles following his confirmation as the substantive IGP by the Council of State on Wednesday, September 7, 2016.
Reliable sources told Vanguard that the IGP was accompanied by the DIG in charge Finance and Administration, Mr. Shuiabu Gambo, Commissioner of Police in Charge Monitoring Unit, CP Umar Garba and other top ranking officers who left the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport early Tuesday morning.
Asked reasons for the impromptu visit, the source declined comments but confirmed the trip was a top secret and planned at short notice.
Recall that President Buhari left Nigeria last Thursday for 2-week holiday in London, though his Special Adviser on Media, Femi Adesina said that he will use the opportunity to undergo a medical check-up.
Speculations have been rife about the true health status of the president with the presidency insisting weekend that the President is hale and hearty, that he only went on vacation to rest.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Tuesday, disappointed operators in the nation's money market and other interests pushing for an interest rate cut, as it retained the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) at 14 per cent with +/- 200 and 500 asymmetric corridor.
Briefing the press at the end of 2017’s first Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in Abuja, the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, said that the Cash Reserve and the Liquidity Ratios were also retained at 22.5 per cent and 30 per cent, respectively.
Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele He disclosed that the nation’s foreign reserve has inched to $28.9 billion, but that the nation could still not afford to be reckless with the management of its foreign exchange.
Explaining the rationale for the decision to retain the rate, Mr. Emefiele said, "Conscious of the prevailing market sentiments in favour of a rate cut, the Committee reasoned that most of its decisions in 2016 were informed by the need to address the delicate balance between price stability and growth.
"Noting that the pressures on consumer prices were yet to abate and even as the economy continued to be in recession despite the intervention support by the Central Bank, the Committee stressed that it was not oblivious of the full ramifications of the economic challenges facing the country.
"The MPC was concerned that the current situation was not amenable to simplistic analyses and quick fixes such as have found expression and increased attention at different fora and the media.
"The domestic economic challenges which include a chronically import dependent consumption culture, lack of competitiveness of many sectors of the economy and yawning infrastructural gap, have combined with an unfavorable external environment to complicate the macroeconomic policy environment.
"The Monetary Authority had on many occasions, and to the extent feasible, taken extra-ordinary steps to support other policies as well as compensate for aspects of structural gaps in the economy even at the expense of its core mandate."
Q & A
Power sector qualifies for manufacturers 60% forex allocation
According to the governor, the policy of setting aside 60 per cent of total foreign exchange available to banks for the manufacturing sector would continue, even as he added that operators in the nation's electricity sector qualified for the 60 per cent forex priority for manufacturers and should take advantage of it.
His words, "The 60 per cent that has been set aside of all fx that is available to all the banks to manufacturers . we did that for a purpose because we felt that there is need to support manufacturing sector. There is need to ensure that foreign exchange is made available to those that will provide jobs and get the manufacturing and industrial outputs to look positive. And I am happy that the recent data released by the Nigerian Bureau of statistics has started to show that the PMI is looking upward.
"The 60 per cent that is set aside for the manufacturers, I dare say that those in the power sector also qualify for that because they are importing plants and equipment or components for their transformers and generators for their machines. I don't mean generators that people will put in their houses and generate electricity for themselves. We will appeal to the banks to look in their directions increasingly."
Reserve hits $28.9 b
On the nation's foreign reserve he said, "I am happy to say that het reserve today is $28.9 billion. It is exciting to see this happen. But is there a need to float the Naira? It is important to note that we have to manage the reserve. That means from time to time we will intervene in the market to make sure the exchange rate does not go beyond our expectations and those interventions will be to moderate the rates as necessary.
"The fact that we have begun to see some accretions to the reserves does not mean we have to be reckless. We will continue the policy of ensuring that foreign exchange is made available to those who are importing raw materials, plants and equipment, those supporting agricultural sector and not those who want to engage in what I can regard as less important sectors."
Mr. Emefiele, said that the apex bank would continue to work wotards closing the gap between the interbank and parallel market rates.
"Extra measures to close the gaps between the interbank rate and the parallel markets. We will continue to increase our interventions to make forex more available to the priority sectors and we believe that as we continue to do that the urge for people to continue to go to what I would regard as illegal market would continue to reduce," he said.
The CBN boss, however decried criticisms of the exchange rate regime which he claimed many people erroneously considered as multiple.
His words, "It is important that I must not gloss over some of the things I have heard and read in the press regarding multiple rates: I have heard about Budget Rate, I have heard about black market rate and parallel market rate, I have heard about pilgrims rate , I have heard about airlines rate and all that.
"It is unfortunate and it is unfair that some of those we have read discussing this issue are those who have direct access to the CBN. What we would have expected is that they would talk to us. But I know that they know the objectives that they are pursuing is best known to them.
"Budget rate is forecast rate. Forecast rate or budgfet rate has always been there from history and it the rate that is used just to determine the budget and like you have heard, a budget is a forecast. It is tentative. That is why I don't understand why people would use the byudget rate and say it determines the exchange rate in the market.
"The parallel and BDCs (Bureaux de Change) as far as I am concerned is one rate and I don't understand the duplicity about the rate. "
According to him, "the rising wave of nationalistic ideologues across the West, the re-evaluation of trade agreements and the possibility of rapid monetary policy normalization in the United States", could have adverse consequences for other countries, including Nigeria.
"The uncertainties underpinning the implementation of Brexit and the apparent retreat from globalisation and free trade were also important points of reflection.
"In recognition of the seemingly inevitable structural shift in the global economy, the Committee reiterated the need to be more inward looking and hasten efforts towards economic diversification to support the domestic economy and improve life for the Nigerian people. Consequently, members acknowledged the imperative of sectoral policies and greater coordination of monetary and fiscal policy," he said.
General Electric, GE, a US multinational company, Tuesday in Abuja, proposed to invest in the nation's three refineries located in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna.
GE, in a presentation to NNPC GMD, Dr. Maikanti Baru and his team stated that the company's teams of partners, including its consortium involving the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) partners, off-takers, traders and some financiers would be engaged in the initiative.
GE, which Headquarters is in Boston, Massachusetts, is worth 493 billion dollars in asset and its business focus areas include oil and gas, power, water supply, aviation, healthcare, transportation and capital.
''We were involved in the tenders that started around last year which was subsequently withdrawn but our commitment to bringing the refineries on-stream is still very deep and we are very serious about it. We propose that work commences either with the Warri or Port Harcourt Refinery as a pilot, as we set a target to improve the refinery capacity before the end of 2017,'' the Company stated in its presentation.
GMD NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Kacalla Baru with Chairman/CEO, General Electric (GE), Mr. Jeff Immelt.
GE's desire to partner with NNPC on the rehabilitation of the three refineries came on the heels of a similar proposal by the Italian company, Eni, to establish cooperation with NNPC for the Rehabilitation and enhancement of Port Harcourt Refinery as contained in the company's release in Rome yesterday July 23, 2017.
Leading a high powered delegation to the NNPC Towers, Jeff Immelt, GE Global Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said as part of the offering, GE and NNPC have identified some major national power projects in the country and are currently developing the scope of intervention in the projects which have a potential combined capacity of about 4.4 gigawatts.
GE further pledged its readiness to work with the NNPC to make production in the Off-shore fields profitable for the benefit of both companies and other stakeholders, expressing the hope to consolidate on its existing working relationship with the Corporation to expand the prevailing power business and help NNPC achieve its vision of becoming the leading power company in Nigeria.
Welcoming the GE team to the NNPC Headquarters in Abuja, Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru expressed delight in the interest GE had to intervene in some vital operational areas of the Corporation.
Dr Baru noted that GE's offer of a package that includes projects financing would greatly improve collaboration and initiate the power projects rapidly.
The NNPC GMD also welcomed GE's offer for support to boost the nation's offshore production and raise crude oil reserve ratio replacement, urging the company to also tap into the opportunities on offer in medical supplies as the NNPC moves to commercialise the services of its 52 hospitals and clinics spread across the country in the years ahead.
The Joint Military Task Force in the Niger Delta, Operation Delta Safe, has raided a militants' camp in Bayelsa, killing two suspected militants in a gun duel.
A statement issued on Tuesday by Lt.-Col. Olaolu Daudu, the spokesman of Operation Delta Safe, confirmed that two of the suspected militants died in the raid.
"Troops of Sector 2 (Bayelsa) Operation Delta Safe deployed in Obama flow station acting on a tip off by locals and a vigilance group raided a militant camp.
"One of the suspects is a notorious leader of criminals popularly known as Labista who is on security agencies' watch list,'' he said.
He said the gang leader had at various times engaged in high profile kidnapping, killing of security personnel, piracy, armed robbery and other criminal activities.
"Labista and his cohorts dived into the river in a bid to escape while the raid was ongoing and were engaged by our troops.
"At the end of the operations, the bodies of two notorious criminals were found floating on water.
"They were recovered and deposited at Government Morgue. Items recovered were two single barrel guns, cutlass and four speed boats," the statement read in part.
He said that the Commander of Operation Delta Safe, Rear Admiral Apochi Suleiman, had assured the people of the Niger Delta region of their safety and security as they go about their legitimate businesses.
Apochi encouraged them not to condone any form of sabotage, vandalism or acts of criminality because of the negative effects on the environment and economy.
The commander thanked the people for their continued support and cooperation, urging them to report any act of criminality promptly to the Joint Task Force.
He restated that Operation Delta Safe would remain focused on its mandate of checking oil theft, protecting oil and gas assets as well as providing security for legitimate economic activities.
A 38-year-old divorce seeking woman, Mrs. Jacinta Ezeja, on Tuesday showed a Grade 1 Area Court, Mararraba, Nasarawa State,wounds and scars inflicted on her by the husband.
Ezeja, who is seeking the dissolution of the eight-year-old marriage, accused her husband, Kelvin Ezeja, of constantly beating her and the children at the slightest excuse.
"As I stand here, I am afraid of going back to the house because I do not even know what he will to me after this court sitting," she stated.
She said that the last incident involved their last son of about two years.
"He beat the little boy so mercilessly and flung him to the ground, leaving him with bruises on his forehead," Jacinta said.
She begged the court to come to her relief because the husband had proved that he was not ready to live in peace.
Ezeja said that she had never known peace and happiness in the marriage, and alleged that the man usually destroy household items and threatened to kill her.
"At every slight argument or provocation by me or an outsider, he transfers the aggression on me, my children and destroys any valuable item in the house; incidentally, the items were bought with my money.
"He does not give money for our upkeep; he rather collects the little one I have, or in my absence, he will sell the goods in my shop and squander the money."
She said that the husband had never loved or appreciated her "despite giving him four children and devoting my life and love to him all these years".
"I do not want to live with him anymore; I do not want him to kill me. Even his parents are tired of his attitude towards me."
The respondent, Kelvin, did not deny the allegations but told the court that Jacinta was fond of provoking him.
"She always starts the fights," he claimed.
The presiding judge, Albert Maga, adjourned the case to Feb. 8, to give the couple more time to settle out of court failing which hearing will continue.
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
Minister of information and culture, Alhaji Lai mohammed (M); a leader of the Bring Back Our Girls Organisation (BBOG), Dr Oby Ezekwesili (R); and a member of BBOG, Aisha Yusuf, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport in Abuja on a trip to Sambisa forest and some parts of the North-East on Monday (16/1/17).
By Emmanuel Elebeke The Federal Government has warned the Bring Back Our Girls Group to stop needless attacks on the President, saying that such attacks were counter-productive.
Rather than seeing the Federal Government as a partner he said that the group sees the government as an adversary in the group’s quest to secure the release of the Chibok girls.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who made the call said the BBOG’s continued portrayal of the government as an adversary and the needless firing of darts at the President, who is doing his utmost best to bring the girls back home safely, are ultimately counter-productive.
”The Federal Government has bent over backwards to carry the BBOG along and to show transparency in the conduct of the search for the girls. The recent invitation extended to the group to witness first-hand the search for the girls by the Nigerian Air Force is a clear indication of this.
”However, it came to us as a surprise that in spite of its initial positive report on the tour, the BBOG has too quickly reverted to its adversarial role. BBOG should stick to its role as an advocacy group rather than pretending to be an opposition party. The synonyms of the word ‘advocacy’ do not include ‘antagonism’, ‘opposition’ or ‘attack’. In fact, those words are the antonyms of ‘advocacy’,” he said.
According to him it amounts to needless grandstanding for the BBOG to say it will no longer tolerate ”delays” and ”excuses” from the President on the release of the girls, as reported by the media, noting that such impudent language should have been reserved for those who did nothing in the first 500 days of the girls’ abduction, not for a President who has presided over the liberation of all captured territory, the opening of shuts schools and roads, the safe release of some of the abducted girls and the decimation of Boko Haram.
The minister assured Nigerians that the efforts to bring the girls back safely are continuing, but sought their understanding for not divulging any further details so as not to jeopardize the intricate process.
”Let me say unequivocally that the people involved in the negotiations are working 24/7. The negotiations are complicated, tortuous and delicate. Any wrong signal is capable of derailing things. That’s why the less we say about the talks the better it is for all.
”We need a huge amount of confidence-building, the kind of which led to the release of the 21 of the girls. This has been lacking for years, but right now we are confident that we are on the right track. We won’t do anything to jeopardize these talks, irrespective of the pressure or provocation from any quarter,” he added.
Sporting agony in the shape of an early elimination from their own Africa Cup of Nations has only added to the other woes facing Gabon, a country already in the midst of a political and economic crisis.
“The Africa Cup of Nations is not finished. I encourage all football lovers to enjoy the quality of the remaining matches,” said president Ali Bongo in a statement released following Sunday’s 0-0 draw with central African neighbours Cameroon in Libreville.
That result, Gabon’s third draw in as many matches, condemned them to a group-stage exit, something that had not befallen the hosts of the Cup of Nations since Tunisia in 1994.
“It was a great derby. I would like to pay tribute to the quality of the performance of our brave Panthers. I would also like to congratulate Cameroon on qualifying for the quarter-finals,” added Bongo, who had attempted to rouse the Gabon side by visiting them at training on Saturday.
A last-minute coaching change, a poor build-up and two points dropped in the dying moments of their opening game, a 1-1 draw against Guinea-Bissau, all contributed to Gabon’s poor showing.
Newspaper L’Union was scathing in its criticism, saying: “Of all the teams taking part at the tournament, Gabon, the hosts, were the only ones who did not prepare. Incredible!”
The Gabon squad, spearheaded by star man Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, got together later than planned in early January under the orders of a coach who had been hastily appointed.
The veteran Spaniard Jose Antonio Camacho was brought in to replace the Portuguese Jorge Costa, sacked in November.
But Camacho, who had been out of coaching since ending a stint in charge of China in 2013, does not speak French and was new to Africa.
L’Union nevertheless sympathised, saying he “did his best” while laying the blame at the door of the Gabonese federation.
Meanwhile, former Real Madrid player Camacho refused to be drawn on his future in the role after Sunday’s match, but meetings with the Federation, Sports Minister Nicole Assele and possibly even President Bongo will soon be scheduled.
The Gabon team could certainly do with some stability as they approach the end of their qualifying campaign for the 2018 World Cup, with their next match to come at home to the Ivory Coast in August.
– Turmoil –
Off the field, the usually peaceful host nation has been in some turmoil ever since the violence that followed the contested reelection of Bongo last year.
The 40,000-capacity Stade de l’Amitie was just about full for Gabon’s three draws against Guinea-Bissau, Burkina Faso and Cameroon, but some opponents of Bongo and an element of public opinion was not behind the Panthers.
“I don’t feel like the Gabonese are unhappy after the team’s elimination. This is serious, as if the country no longer identified with the national team. For the people of Gabon, the Panthers are the team of Ali Bongo. They are happy when they lose,” Jean-Gaspard Ntoutoume, a spokesman for opposition leader Jean Ping, said.
“This Cup of Nations has divided people,” one man, Donald, told AFPTV in Franceville, the south-eastern city that is a stronghold of the Bongo family.
“There is not really any enthusiasm. But let’s not fool ourselves. We must not mix politics with sport or with football.”
Others in Franceville said they would have liked to see the money used to finance the Cup of Nations spent on roads instead.
Gabon’s exit from the tournament means a return to economic and social reality.
Worried about a possible buyout, the 400 staff at the oil company Shell called a halt to their strike after reaching an agreement with management.
Meanwhile, having remained silent since the turn of the year, the opposition led by Ping still refuse Bongo’s offer to open political dialogue, and legislative elections are set for July at the latest.
An Ibadan based trader and mother of two, Yetunde Kolapo has urged an Iletuntun Customary Court to dissolve the seven year-old union between her and Olamilekan Kolapo over incessant battery.
Yetunde who resides at Academy area of Ibadan, told the court on Monday that her husband, Olamilekan constantly subject her to battery which sometimes result into her being hospitalised, and then abandoned.
"For seven years that I married Olamilekan, I have had no rest of mind, as his constant punches on me usually results into my being admitted.
"In addition, he does little or nothing about fending for our two children and me. In short, it is one day, one trouble in our home. My lord, I am completely fed-up with him,"she pleaded with the court.
Domestic Violence
She also prayed the court to grant her custody of the two children from the union.
Olamilekan who did not oppose the divorce suit, however said that his wife Yetunde often starved him of sexual intercourse.
"My lord, Yetunde usually deny me sex which is an integral part of what stabilises a marriage.
"As if that is not enough, she usually keeps late night, and she no longer take to my instructions.
"Her mother had been supporting her in her strange behaviour and she assisted her in parking her belongings from my home two weeks ago," Olamilekan said.
The President of the court, Mr Henric Agbaje, asked the couple to provide enough evidence to support their claims and adjourned the matter to Feb. 3, for judgment.
Enugu metropolis, on Monday, recorded its first rainfall of the year, which led to reduction in the temperature in the coal city.
The rain started at about 2:45p.m and lasted for over 30minutes.
The downpour led to the washing of roof-tops and drains that had been dotted by silts occasioned by the harmattan.
Reacting, a resident of the city, Mr Chidi Maduka, told newsmen that the rain had led to a cool weather, which most people of the coal city had been praying for.
Maduka said that the early rainfall also signifies more rainfall in the course of the year.
"We pray God that we have plenty of rain this year to help us grow food to check the current hardship in the land, "he said.
Another resident, Mr Samuel Edeh, said that the first rain would check heat rash and itching, especially among children and infants.
"Heat had been one thing disturbing children at night in crowded areas of the city; while the coolness brought about by this rain will check this.
"Residents, especially infants will now have a very cool night sleep, "Edeh said.
By Marie-Therese Nanlong. Jos – Armed men on Sunday attacked a Divisional Police Station at Dengi, the headquarter of Kanam local government area of Plateau State killing a Police Officer and carting away seven rifles.
State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Matthias Tyopev who confirmed the incident said, “The CP is yet to return from Dengi where he went to see things for himself. Once he comes, we will know the true situation.”
However, the Transition Committee Chairman of the Council, Hashimu Isah told Vanguard, “I am on my way to Dengi now to know exactly what happened. Once I’m properly briefed, I’ll get back to you.”
US President Donald Trump met with a dozen prominent American manufacturers at the White House on Monday, promising them he would slash regulations and cut corporate taxes.
But he warned them of penalties if they moved production outside the country.
Trump, who took office on Friday, promised to bring manufacturing plants back to the United States during his campaign, and has not hesitated to call out by name companies that he thinks should bring outsourced production back home.
He told the chief executives of Ford, Dow Chemical, Dell-Technologies, Tesla and others that he would like to cut corporate taxes to the 15 per cent to 20 per cent range.
This is down from current statutory levels of 35 percent – a pledge that will require cooperation from the Republican-led US Congress.
But he said business leaders have told him that reducing regulations is even more important. "We think we can cut regulations by 75 per cent, maybe more", Trump told business leaders in the Roosevelt Room.
"When you want to expand your plant or when Mark wants to come in and build a big, massive plant or when Dell wants to come in and do something monstrous and special – you're going to have your approvals really fast", Trump said, referring to Mark Fields, CEO of Ford, who sat around the boardroom style table.
The new president told companies that they were welcome to negotiate with governors to move production between states, but said those businesses that choose to move factories outside the country would pay a price.
"We are going to be imposing a very major border tax on the product when it comes in", Trump said.
"A company that wants to fire all of its people in the United States, and build some factory someplace else, and then thinks that that product is going to just flow across the border into the United States – that's not going to happen", he said.
Trump was scheduled to hold a meeting later on Monday with labour leaders and U.S. workers, the White House said.
Trump, a Republican who took over from former Democratic President Barack Obama, was also expected to sign executive orders to renegotiate
the free trade agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico, and to formally withdraw the United States from the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Between winning the presidential election in November and taking office, Trump hosted a number of U.S. CEOs in meetings in New York, including business leaders from defense, technology and other sectors.
He also met with leaders of several labor unions, including the AFL- CIO.
Trump, a real estate developer, has particularly focused on manufacturing, lamenting during his inaugural address on Friday about "rusted-out factories scattered like tombstones across the landscape of our nation" and vowing to boost US industries over foreign ones.
…Charges Parents On Clean Environment Wife of the Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode on Monday flagged-off the State's mass de-worming exercise for primary school pupils in the State, charging parents in the state to encourage hand-washing among their children, as well as maintain a clean and healthy environment so as to prevent them contracting worm infections. Wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode (2nd right), administering de-worming syrup on one of the pupils of Lagos State public primary schools, Miss Precious Okoh during the flag-off of Mass Deworming programme for pupils in Public Primary Schools, organized by the Ministry of Youth and Social Development, at Maryland, Lagos, on Monday, 23 January, 2017. With her are Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Pharm. (Mrs) Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf (right); Special Adviser to the Governor on Arts & Culture, Hon. Adebimpe Akinsola (2nd left) and Acting HOS, Mrs. Folashade Adesoye (left).
She gave the charge at Maryland, lkeja during the flag-off ceremony organized by the State' Ministry of Youth and Social Development.
She said that worm parasites contributes significantly to malnutrition in children by stealing the nutrients they ingest, leading to dangerous health conditions like severe anaemia, stunted growth and low immunity, among others.
According to her, "De-worming children helps them to develop well and boost their learning capability. This is a great advantage that cannot be ignored because good academic performance will to a large extent determine the future of a child.
"It is important to remind ourselves of the need to maintain a clean environment, as it is a simple and effective way of preventing worms and helping the children to live a healthy life," she said.
Speaking further, Mrs. Ambode commended the effort of the State Government in this regard, describing it as pivotal to the survival, growth and development of every child, regardless of social background.
She also reminded teachers of their responsibility towards educating children on healthy habits for good growth and development.
Speaking earlier, the Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf, disclosed that over 60,000 pupils from various primary schools in the state, would be de-wormed, using WHO-recommend drug.
She noted that worm infection had been identified as one of the major challenges to healthy growth and development of children, which the human body system did not have the natural means of combating.
According to her, "Worms infect more than one third of the world's population, with the most intense infections in children and the poor".
She promised that the current administration in the state would continue to take proactive measures that would assist healthy development and robust welfare of children in the state.
The Taliban has called on President Donald Trump to withdraw U.S. forces from the "quagmire" of Afghanistan, saying that nothing has been achieved in 15 years of war except bloodshed and destruction.
In an open letter to the new U.S. president published on one of its official web pages, the insurgent movement said the United States had lost credibility after spending a trillion dollars on a fruitless entanglement.
"So, the responsibility to bring to an end this war also rests on your shoulders," it said.
So far, Trump has had little to say publicly about Afghanistan, where some 8,400 U.S. troops remain as part of the NATO-led coalition's training mission to support local forces as well as a separate U.S. counter-terrorism mission.
Two of his top security appointments – retired Marine Corps General James Mattis as Secretary of Defense and former General Michael Flynn as National Security Adviser – both have extensive experience in Afghanistan.
The Taliban, however, warned Trump against relying on the kind of "unrealistic" reports presented to former presidents by their generals, saying: "They would emphasise continuation of war and occupation of Afghanistan because they can have better positions and privileges in war."
The United States would not accept foreign forces on its territory or even in a neighboring country, said the Taliban. It accused Washington of imposing a "surrogate administration" on Afghanistan in the face of popular Muslim resistance.
"You have to realise that the Afghan Muslim nation has risen up against foreign occupation," it said.
The Taliban has made steady inroads against the Western-backed government in Kabul since coalition forces ended their main combat mission in 2014, with government forces now in control of only two thirds of the country.
It has repeatedly urged the U. S. and its allies to leave Afghanistan, ruling out peace talks with the Kabul government while foreign forces remain on Afghan soil.
Trump has sharply criticized past U.S. administrations for their handling of conflicts in the Muslim world but he has also pledged to eradicate militant Islamists around the globe.
By Evelyn Usman A female graduate of Nutrients and Biotechnology from the Ladoke Akintola University, Ogbomosho, Oyo state has been kidnapped alongside three other farmers in a farmland in Epe area of Lagos State.
The kidnapped graduate, Ifeoluwa |Olabiyi (24) was employed two weeks before the incident happened.
The incident occurred at about 8pm last Friday, barely a week after gunmen stormed the Nigerian Turkish International School, Ogun state, abducting some students and members of staff.
Relatives of the college’s victims are still apprehensive over their state, following delay in the release of their wards after payment of ransom.
Vanguard gathered that kidnappers of the farmers contacted their relatives Monday, demanding for N5 million as ransom for the release of each of them.
The Pro-Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Jerry Gana, has described the 2015/2016 two best graduating students, who are females, as role models of the institution.
Gana stated this on the side-line of the unveiling ceremony of legacy projects of the university on Monday in Lagos, that the female students recorded maximum 5.00 Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA).
The two female students are: Miss Taiwo Bankole from the Department of Cell Biology and Genetics and Miss Ajoke Omotuyi from the Department of Systems Engineering.
The duo, who were among the 231 First Class students that would be graduating during the institution's 2016 convocation, had matched the enviable record set by Mr Ayodele Dada, with similar score during the 2015 Convocation.
According to Gana, the two female students are a pride, not just to their parents, but both the university and Nigeria.
"I congratulate these two ladies as we are delighted to have them match the strength of men academically.
Taiwo Bankole and Oyindamola Omotuyi
"What they have done simply shows there is still so much zeal for hard work, discipline and dedication among some students.
"I want to task the university not to relent in its drive to produce students with good leadership quality because academics are about character and learning,'' he said.
According to him, this is the only way to take the university and the country to the next desired level.
"I want the university to continue with its excellent work, as the feat obtained by the girls, including Dada in 2015, is a combination of excellence in teaching under a conducive environment.
"It is equally the combination of the dedication by both the students and staff because no matter how much we teach excellently and provide the right environment, if the students are not serious, not much can be achieved,'' he said.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Rahmon Bello, said that the university was building on the glory and commitment of its predecessors.
Bello said that each of the eras of the academicians and astute administrators were full of developments and legacies.
"This is what has inspired the University Senate to direct that all of them be honoured in ways that their names would be immortalised in the annals of the university.
"Today, we are renaming six major facilities after some of our past vice-chancellors for generations after us to remember them for what they stood for,'' he said.
The institution's Main Auditorium has been renamed as Prof. Ade Ajayi Auditorium and the Second Access Road of the institution as Prof. Akinpelu Adesola Road.
The others are: the Radiography hostel to be known as the Kwaku Adadevo Hostel and the Distance Learning Institute (DLI) auditorium as the Nurudeen Alao Auditorium.
The Multi-purpose Hall is now known as Jelili Omotola Hall, while the Staff School hall has been renamed after Prof. Tolu Odugbemi.
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted partly cloudy atmospheric weather conditions over the central states of the country on Tuesday morning.
NiMet's Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office on Monday in Abuja predicted that isolated thunderstorms would prevail over Makurdi, Lokoja, Lafia, Abuja and Mambilla Plateau in the afternoon and evening hours.
It added that the region would have day and night temperatures of 33 to 39 degrees Celsius and 17 to 23 degrees Celsius respectively.
The agency predicted that the southern states would experience cloudy to partly cloudy morning with day and night time temperatures of 33 to 36 degrees Celsius and 22 to 26 degrees Celsius respectively.
It also predicted prospects of localised thunderstorms over Obudu, Warri, Ogoja, Ikom, Eket, Port Harcourt, Warri and Yenagoa in the afternoon and evening hours.
According to NiMet, northern states will experience sunny and hazy conditions with day and night temperatures of 37 to 34 degrees Celsius and 17 to 22 degrees Celsius respectively.
"The Northern states are expected to experience sunny and hazy while the Central cities have prospects of partly cloudy conditions with chances of thunderstorms over some southern cities,'' NiMet predicted.
Rivers United have slowly continued their ascent on the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) table following a solid start to the 2016/17 season.
The Pride of Rivers have won two and drawn one of their opening three games of the season, amassing seven out of a possible nine points.
Makes for good reading to the average fan of the football club but not to technical manager, Stanley Eguma, a well-known perfectionist who will hardly settle for anything than the best.
United's home games this season have followed a particular pattern; almost total domination of their opponents, especially in the aspect of chances created but putting the goalscoring opportunities away have seemingly been extremely difficult, a situation that has left Eguma exasperated.
"We could not convert the avalanche of chances (that came our way against Niger Tornadoes on Sunday) despite creating so many and that is a big worry to me.
Eguma
"It's a big worry for me and one of the biggest headaches I am facing at present.
"We will represent Nigeria on the continent and should be scoring goals freely but that is not happening.
"We have to go back and work on this," he told the club's official website, www.riversunitedfc.com.ng.
Striker, Guy Kuemian Venance, who netted United's solitary goal against Tornadoes on Sunday shares Eguma's sentiments and insists he and his teammates must improve in their efficiency in the final third.
"We cannot continue like this because failing to score when you have chances puts you under enormous pressure.
"In our first home match (of the season against El-Kanemi Warriors), we should have scored six or seven and it was the same situation (against Tornadoes on Sunday).
"The coach (Eguma) has every right to be unhappy because we all know the amount of hard work he puts in in the training ground every day.
"Now, we must work extremely hard ahead of our next game against a very difficult opponent like FC Ifeanyiubah," he said.
United will face FC Ifeanyiubah in their fourth league game of the season in Nnewi on Wednesday.
The Minister of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has assured Nigerians of the safety of all prospective corps members, as they were set to begin their orientation course on Tuesday.
Dalung gave this assurance in Abuja, on Monday during the inauguration of four utility vehicles at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) headquarters.
He said that government had put in place machinery to ensure the safety and protection of lives of the corps members while in their orientation camps.
Dalung also assured Nigerians that President Muhammadu Buhari was well, stressing that he had been on vacation to the United Kingdom.
"I spoke with the president just 48 hours ago and from our conversation, there is nothing indicating that the president is in a state of poor health.
*NYSC members
"I commend the leadership of the NYSC for purchasing the vehicles; the scheme has set the agenda for this year.
"The NYSC is so dear to the present administration, hence, we will continue to do everything possible, despite paucity of funds, to ensure that if that is the only legacy Nigeria can leave to the future generation, we will do that.
"The NYSC has contributed significantly to the promotion of national unity. l often wonder whether Nigeria will still exist without the NYSC," Dalung said.
He reiterated that youths remained the fulcrum of building a very good future, adding that government needed to engage them more meaningfully.
According to Dalung, the Muhammadu Buhari administration is determined to lay a solid foundation where hope, hard-work, transparency and integrity will flourish.
Earlier, the NYSC Director of General Services, Bashir Salisu, said the vehicles would be deployed to NYSC locations where they were most needed.
Salisu said that this was the second time in two years the minister was inaugurating field operational vehicles.
He said the development was informed by the commitment of Brig.-Gen. Sule Kazaure, the NYSC Director-General to the welfare of the staff and corps members.
The article, by Godwin Anaughe on January 8, 2017, was interesting, but bemusing!
In the article, Mr Anaughe positioned himself as an APC patriot, distressed by the infighting in Delta APC, a party man who is desirous of APC forging a common front to dislodge PDP and win the governorship in Delta State in 2019. Yet in the piece, you find a partial, self-conceited individual who is out to drive a divisive agenda!
But then, who is Godwin Anaughe? The name rings no bell in Delta APC! Since the inception of Delta APC in July 2013, this is the first appearance of Anaughe! Godwin Anaughe is either a new entrant in the party among those recently admitted and registered in August 2016 from either Light of Labour, Accord Party, SDP or PDP or is a mischievous non-APC member trying to play the smart alec!
Here is the gospel, according to Anaughe: APC failed and was woefully drubbed in the governorship election of 2015, winning not a single local government area! Meanwhile, the Labour won 4 LGAs! This happened because APC had leadership issues and have no political base unlike the Labour Party that had strong leadership base.
Now, the super Labour Party with its winning streak, led by Chief Great Ogboru has magnanimously and graciously agreed to join forces with APC, yet the leaderless, rudderless, no political-base APC is failing to collapse its rickety structure to allow the superior Labour Party structure take over and lead the new APC to the promised land!
To finally nail the case, he resorts to call the dog enough bad names to make its hanging a celebrated acceptability. So here we go: Delta APC Exco is after all “illegal”, having been sacked by an Asaba High Court. Worse, the party is bedeviled by factions. Olorogun O’tega Emerhor/Prophet Jones faction; late Senator Okpozo faction; Adolo Okotie-Eboh faction.
Even the new joiners, Chief Great Ogboru’s Light of Labour is a faction and Hon. Victor Ochei/Chief Ayiri Emami, also head a PDP faction. Ingenious! Moreover, the Prophet Jones Erue Exco is not only “illegal” it is also unrepresentative of all the factions! So, why would such a fractious party resist the attempt to harmonise and restructure it?
Yet, Anaughe complains that new comers, who he claims are now in the majority, have not been welcomed with enough open hands, nor given enough sense of belonging. And, “All efforts to reorganise the party have been thwarted …” When Anaughe and his super joiners came through the Prophet Jones Exco for admission and registration and were dancing the victory dance in APC headquarters in Abuja, they were well aware of the existing disgruntled Okpozo and Adolo tendencies, yet they did not consider the Exco either “illegal” nor a faction at that point.
Then, as soon as their “efforts to reorganise the Prophet Jones Exco was thwarted” the Exco became illegal and a faction. Honestly, how on earth do you brand an Exco that admitted and registered you into a party “illegal”?
The truth is that the purported crisis and disunity in the Delta APC is contrived. It is a deliberate and vigorous strategy being pursued by Anaughe and his brand of new joiners! The objective is to portray a house in disarray which should be dismantled to provide the super joiners the opportunity to rebuild and take control. The Anaughes and co. actually resort to pep up and sponsor the so-called dissenting groups to make the factions de facto!
Then they proceed to inaugurate their own factions to truly complicate and muddle up the waters! According to Anaughe, “The infighting has nothing to do with growing the party to win, rather, it is a battle for who controls the party structure for personal aggrandizement. And leaving the party in the hands of those who cannot deliver victory but too strong to eliminate in the 2019 primary because of their hold on the party structure could result yet again in another disappointment ….”
The earlier Anaughe and his brand of joiners sheath your swords and accept that Prophet Jones Exco is here to stay till 2018, the earlier it will be to grow the party for the benefit of all. The Hon. Minister, Dr Ibe Kachikwu is not deceived by this antics! He knows the so-called infighting is about individuals like Anaughe who can’t wait for the 2018/2019 primary but want to immediately seize the party structure!
He will not be persuaded by this desperation and call on him to help you reorganise the party for your urgent take over! As you rightly observed, the meeting both by the SGF and the National Chairman of the party were indisposed to award you the early gubernatorial crown you seek. It is time therefore to cut it out and work with the structure you met on ground in the party.
You may also use, if any, your super strength of cunning, to positively bring the Okpozo and Adolo tendencies along for an ultimate united party that will deliver victory to the long suffering Delta populace irrespective of who eventually clinches the gubernatorial ticket of APC in 2019! .
A catholic cleric, Monsignor Gabriel Osu, on Monday advised husbands to desist from battering their wives and built good homes that would make Nigeria a better place.
Osu, Director, Social Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
He noted that a family remained the smallest unit of any society, and that, if well built, would impact positively on the large society.
The cleric said that a disunited couple would not be able to raise good leaders of tomorrow.
According to him, in recent times, there has been an unprecedented increase in the rate of reported cases of wife battering.
He called for more love and understanding among couples.
"The wife is the man's partner and not a punching bag; he must always see her as a helpmate and not a distraction or liability.
"There are men who derive pleasure from battering their wives; each day they return from work oozing out alcohol, they pounce on their hapless wives at a flimsy excuse.
"While that is happening, their children will be watching; for such couples, a day hardly passes without exchange of harsh words and blows.
"For their neighbours, they have learnt to live with the frequent squabbles that emanate from the homes of these couples.
"Should this be the case?'' he asked.
Osu said that there was no justification for a man to batter his wife
The cleric advised men to go out when provoked by their spouses.
He said that a peaceful home would result in a peaceful and progressive society.
A beauty queen Miss Yetunde Savage has initiated a football competition among youths in Ikorodu Local Government of Lagos, saying the tournament is one vital means of arresting restiveness in youths to curtailing the ever increasing crime rate in the city.
The reigning 'Miss Southwest', Face of Nigeria World beauty pageant 2016/17 who is also a TV Presenter and host of 'Sisters With Sweet Voices Show (SWSV) programme on AMC TV, Startimes Channels in a statement disclosed that with all arrangements on ground to start the tournament in first quarter of 2017, she believes that crime and other social vices will be reduced to barest minimum in Ikorodu communities,
"It is a football tournament for boys and girls of age 20 and below, titled: "Playing against crime". The reason for the vision is because in Ikorodu right now, crime of all sorts, such as cultism and kidnapping, raping, armed robbery and ritual killing, oil pipeline vandalism, among others are the other of the day. Ikorodu have become a cultists den with rival members brazenly challenging each other publicly. And it is so worrisome that citizens live in fear within the city.
“With the prevalent situation, I deemed it necessary to curb this rampaging menace with a social tool that I believe unites everybody, both old and young together in a peaceful and accommodating manner. Football game is so universal that it understands one language which is unity.
“With this tournament, all the 6 LCDAs' in Ikorodu and environ will participate. The kickoff will be among streets, moved further to local areas and then, finally to Local Council level for the finals. Within the preliminary stage, awareness drive in form of music concerts will feature thereby, sensitizing the community youths about the danger of crime and its consequences on the nation.
“The overall winners will be awarded a cup and cash prize while consolation prize will also be given to runner ups and other participating teams. In this game, everyone is a winner, and from this level, opportunities will be open for young talents to play football professionally." Yetunde said.
According to Yetunde,"This is a huge project that involves the Kings (Obas) in the 6 LCDAs in Ikorodu City, who are the custodians of tradition in the land. They have given their consent to the success of the project. Oba Semiu Orimadegun Kasali of Igbogbo Bayeku in Ikorodu has thrown his weight behind it saying, "It is a welcome development to revive Ikorodu land to its past glory."
Security agencies have begun a cyber hunt for masterminds of a video clip which has gone viral on social networks alleging that an Amstel Malta can drink contains a strange object.
Describing the clip as a calculated attempt to defame the low sugar formulated malt drink from the stable of Nigerian Breweries, the Corporate Affairs Adviser , Nigerian Breweries, Kufre Ekanem, weekend, stated that a picture earlier went viral that a fake Amstel Malta was in circulation, shortly after the company launched a new credential campaign #WhyAddMore#.
The picture was apparently because the new packaging wore the new NIS logo while the old packaging had the old NIS logo of the Standard Organisation of Nigeria, SONs.
The company according to Ekanem, reported the defamation attempt to the security agencies for further investigation, soon after a faceless consumer recorded an alleged contaminated drink and circulated it on social media.
However, the Standard Organisation of Nigeria , SON, which is the statutory body vested with the responsibility of standardising and regulating the quality of all products in Nigeria, has debunked claims by the faceless video producer of the fake Amstel Malta in circulation.
Briefing journalists weekend , on its investigation, SON’s Deputy Director, Mr. Fred Akingbesote, explained that Nigerian Breweries had met the organisation’s safety and quality requirements and had also complied with all requirements of the new National Industrial Standard (NIS) logo.
Maintaining that the people behind the defamation were just playing on the intelligence of Nigerians, Akingbesote said : "We have a web site (www.son.gov.ng) which contains all information on our standards and quality regulations. Every Nigerian who has doubts about any product certified by SON should crosscheck the facts", he said.
Forensic and marketing analysts as stated earlier by the Corporate Affairs Adviser , Nigerian Breweries, Kufre Ekanem observed that same source was responsible for both fabrications.
"Analysts and observers agreed that this might be coming from the enemy's camp as the recording left many gaps to cast a doubt on the genuineness of the video. For instance, the can was opened before the video recording, thus failing the basic test of validity.
They maintained that a careful look at the video reveals a lot of inconstancies and fallacies such as: * The can was not transparent for a consumer to see the content before pouring it * It is technical impossible to have a foreign object in non-reusable container like a can * The content was poured into a bowl instead of a cup ready for drinking * The content was not foaming like the normal Amstel Malta * All the persons in the video were faceless * The video camera was targeted severally at the Can to flash the logo of the product (perhaps to cause more damage to the premium brand) * The 'consumer' did not tell us how he got to know that there was an object in the can. * There was no mention of where it was bought or any intention to confront the retailer.
According to the analysts, the attempt remains a despicable and dirty way to ignite a brand war by exploiting the gullibility and stupidity of many social media users.
Marketing experts also maintained that the 'sword' may have emanated from interested industry persons who are afraid of the flight of Amstel Malta in Nigeria's marketing space", Ekanem stated.
THE family of a former House of Representatives member, Nze Chidi Duru has dismissed media reports that the former lawmaker was an armed robber describing the report as a lie fabricated to tarnish his (Duru’s) image.
Recall that Duru, who is Vice Chairman of First Guarantee Pensions Limited was arrested following an accusation by the National Pension Commission that the former lawmaker, in the company of some armed men in police uniform, stormed First Guarantee Pension office and ordered its management staff out.
In a statement, the Duru Family said the accusation of armed robbery against the former lawmaker was as an act of extreme provocation.
Nze Chidi Duru
The statement said: "The attention of the Duru family has been drawn to the false and malicious information currently circulating to the effect that our son and brother, Nze Chidi Duru was purportedly arrested for armed robbery.
"We wish to state without equivocation that this accusation is an outright lie which was fabricated to tarnish his image.
"It is the work of his detractors who are bent on forcefully seizing First Guarantee Pensions Limited, a company which Nze Chidi Duru founded.
"This most recent trumped up accusation of armed robbery is the latest desperate effort by an errant regulator and their cohorts to undermine the enforcement of valid court judgement and specific directives of the Attorney General of the Federation.
"We consider this development as an act of extreme provocation but remain confident in and faithful in our belief that darkness cannot triumph over light.
"Our lawyers are already challenging this injustice and misuse of state power while continuing to seek redress through the appropriate institutions of the Nigerian State."
*Says Abacha was the healthiest President Nigeria ever had
BY GBENGA OKE
Second Republic lawmaker, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, yesterday lashed out at the Presidency saying they should stop lying to Nigerians over the health status of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He also said Nigerians cannot afford to have another constitutional crises due to Mr. President’s health.
The Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu had attacked Mohammed on Monday saying he is suffering from pathological cynicism.
According to Shehu, "Mohammed’s kind of critics is toxic to national progress because they are only primarily interested in destroying every positive effort and achievements of the government and we advise Nigerians to be wary of prejudiced and biased critics like Dr. Junaid
Mohammed who are more interested in personal publicity than respecting facts and figures about their claims".
But reacting to Sheu’s statement, Mohammed said the Presidential spokesperson should stop telling Nigerians lies about his health just as he maintained that General Sanni Abacha remains one of the healthiest President Nigeria ever had.
Garba Shehu and Junaid Mohammed
His words, "I believe Sheu is under pressure which is why he attacked me. However, I believe strongly they need to stop lying to Nigerians about Mr Presidents health. Can they actually tell Nigerians what this medical leave or routine check-up is? They don’t seems to be telling us the truth".
Mohammed who maintained he has been President Buhari’s friend since when he was a secnd lieutenant in the Army said he cannot shy away from telling the President the truth anytime he misfires.
He said, "If I am to comment on issues that concern Nigerians, I won’t shy away from telling President Buhari the home truth anywhere he is making mistakes. I criticized General Abacha as Head of State and told him some truths in private and sometimes face to face. I believe if people can challenge their friends in power, it shows they are not intimidated by the powerful".
"If Aisha Buhari can say what she said about her husband, I think the President needs to check himself and retrace his steps on some issues that concerns the country. I think the question the President needs to ask himself is that after one he has taken over the reigns of power, what has changed? Is Nigeria better off than when he took over on May 29, 2015? The truth is that Nigeria is worse off today than when Buhari took over the reigns of power.
"Every Nigerian today is worse off and nothing seems to be working under this government. Some who are rich in 2015 cannot say same today due to the economic woes that Nigeria is presently experiencing and we cannot continue to close our eyes off it".
He further explained, "This administration has failed in tamming the economic woes that seems to have turned everyone poor in present day Nigeria. Even though the administration made some giant strides in the fight against Boko Haram, the country is still not safe as people still live in fears even in Kano today. And there is also political crises in the party where President won his own election. So the President seems to be at war with everyone including the National Assembly members".
He however maintained, "I believe President Buhari should engage in turning around the fortunes of Nigeria economically, politically and security wise. By now, his administration should have stopped blaming the Jonathan government for their woes. I believe that in Politics, you take assets and liabilities".
Minna – The National Orientation Agency (NOA), said on Monday that wrong Bank Verification Numbers [BVN] and account numbers provided by beneficiaries of the N-power job was responsible for delay in payment of their stipends.
Alhaji Mohammed Aliyu, the NOA Coordinator in Niger, said this in an interview in Minna.
He said during registration, majority of the participants provided wrong Bank details which had resulted in delay payment.
According to him, majority of the participants provided wrong Bank account numbers and BVNs which made it difficult for the Federal Ministry of Finance to credit their account.
"It is not the fault of the Federal Government that majority of the beneficiaries is yet to receive alert, rather the fault is from the participants themselves.
"So far, for the past one month now, we are working on it and we hope in the next one week the problem will be rectified and they will get paid", he said.
Aliyu disclosed that 5,013 participants were short listed in the state and 4,198 have been posted to Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Health and Education.
He added that the agency would monitor beneficiaries in their different places of work to ensure they are active and doing the job well.
