Local News

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has ruled himself out of the presidential race in the forthcoming coming election in 2019.

Attending the Financial Times AFRICA Summit in London on Monday, he had been reportedly asked if he had considered running, Osinbajo, to which he replied: “None of that is on the card.”

However, speaking at the summit, Osinbajo had explained that the present administration was making specific efforts to enable the private sector to thrive specifically by undertaking extensive ‘ease of doing business’ reforms, in addition to on-going investment in infrastructure.

He noted that the federal government in the past months has been working assiduously to improve macroeconomic conditions.

“After a continuous slide in growth since 2014, the trend of growth in GDP has turned around with a modest growth of 0.55% in the second quarter of this year while inflation, though still somewhat high, has declined from its peak of 18.7% in January 2017 to about 16% today,” he stated.

Speaking to a global audience made up of international business leaders, investors, public sector officials, media gurus and intellectuals, the Vice President noted that ‘the outlook going forward is quite positive based on improvements in oil prices and production and the trend of leading indicators such as positive purchasing managers indices, a revived stock exchange and increasing foreign exchange reserves.

He highlighted some of the efforts of the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in agriculture and power, drawing attention to the significant progress achieved in the ease of doing a business initiative.

He stated that “in the first stage, reforms were introduced under a 60-day national action plan focused on eight areas that make it easier to register businesses, obtain construction permits, get credit, pay taxes, get electricity, trade across borders, facilitate entry and exit of people and register property.”

Continuing, Osinbajo said: “Practical examples of success include leveraging the use of technology to fast track business registration and payment of taxes, a functioning, tried and tested 48-hour electronic visa procedure, and an Executive Order mandating greater transparency and efficiency across all government agencies.

“The reforms have led to a reduction in cost and time, as well as greater transparency for small and medium-sized enterprises in particular.

“Following the 70% success rate achieved in the first phase of the ease of doing business reforms, we recently embarked on a second national action plan which will have 11 areas of focus and will run for 60 days from October 2017.”

The Vice President equally noted that Nigeria is an investor’s delight because of the opportunities which the Nigerian economy offers, specifically emphasizing that “the opportunities are enormous indeed.”

He added that the Buhari administration is “nevertheless determined and optimistic that Nigeria will along with the rest of the continent bring about an Africa that works for all its people and contributes to global growth and prosperity.”

The Vice President observed that the theme ‘What Africa Works’, is appropriate and remarked that with Africa’s experience in the past few years, it is clear that “what makes Africa work, is what makes economies work anywhere; honest visionary leadership and good governance, letting the private sector and markets lead, diversification from resource-based revenues, developing the potential of the human resources available.”

He noted that Africa “can demonstrate with clear examples that what makes Africa work are the ingenuity and resilience of the people, especially its 70% youth population, leadership and good governance, allowing the private sector and markets to function, focusing on infrastructural development, and the incredible opportunities that abound.”

According to the statement, the summit was also attended by a number of Nigerian dignitaries including Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, the Emir of Kano, HRH Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, and Mr Yemi Cardoso among others.

Former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Nigeria, Akin Olujimi, has said that the fight against corruption in the country would remain shallow if anti-graft and security agencies were only keen on rushing to court to satisfy Nigerians’ thirst for conviction.

Olujimi said the police, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), continued to lose corruption cases in court owing to lack of thorough investigation and its attendant insufficient evidence for due prosecution.

Olujimi spoke as Chairman at the 2017 summit of The Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria, Oyo State branch, themed, “The Roles of Professionals in Fighting Corruption in Nigeria”, held in Ibadan, on Friday.

He also enjoined Nigerians not to expect hurried judgements when corruption cases were brought before the courts.

“From 2003 till today, even though the EFCC, ICPC and police make arrests and take people to court, corruption still seems to be on the front burner, and is fighting back.”

“As practitioners of the law, we have come to know that investigation of cases is not thorough. The judge was not there when the offence was allegedly committed and can only rely on the evidence produced by the prosecution.”

“So, if that evidence cannot sustain the charge, the judge releases the accused. It is therefore very important for the EFCC, ICPC to ensure that they carry out a thorough investigation and there is no need for them to rush to court just to please the public.”

“The public would want the judge to convict the accused person in one or two weeks. It doesn’t work like that anywhere in the world.”

“The UK, US may trail the suspect for a year before they make an arrest. Before they make an arrest, they would have gathered all evidence, such that the lawyers would guide the police so as to gather the necessary evidence to sustain the charge.”“In Nigeria, it is only the police, EFCC that carries out their investigation alone without carrying along the prosecution, and so, there are gaps in the investigation, which the defence counsel exploits to his advantage.”

“The public needs to know that the procedure for trial in court does not move as rapidly as they think, except where an accused person pleads guilty.”

“The prosecution may be presenting his case for a year and defence has not started because he has many witnesses. The judge taking the case also has other cases to attend to.”

“So, we have to be patient because there is a procedure that has to be followed and by this, we will begin to have better results in the prosecution of corruption cases,” Olujimi said.

He also admonished professional bodies to abide by their code of ethics as a way of fighting corruption.

Special guest, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state enjoined professionals to always embrace a code of ethics as a way to ensure societal order.

Represented by Commissioner for Finance and Budget, Mr Bimbo Adekanmbi, he emphasised that professional bodies must enforce their codes of conduct to enable them to discover erring professionals who are violating the working framework.

“Professional bodies have a role to reduce to the barest minimum, the menace of corruption to maintain the integrity of their profession and win the loyalty of investors as a way to assist in promoting economic development”, Ajimobi said.

The newly elected Chairman of the association, Prince Ganiyu Adebayo decried that some Nigerian professionals thrived on corruption while others were victims of corruption.

He, therefore, recommended the institution of the whistle-blowing policy by state and local governments, firms and organization in the country.

Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Thursday adopted a Strategic Framework for Strengthening National Child Protection Systems to prevent and respond to violence, abuse and exploitation against children in West Africa.

A statement signed by Geoffrey Njoku, Communication Specialist, United Nations For Children Fund (UNICEF), said that the decision which will have positive implications for millions of children in West Africa was taken at the ECOWAS First Ladies’ Forum in Niamey, from October 2 to 5 2017.

Based on the new framework Ministers responsible for the care and protection of children across the 15 Member States of ECOWAS agreed to take concrete measures to protect children from every form of violence, abuse and exploitation on a wide range of issues.

In doing so they are committing to concrete measures to protect children from the most damaging forms of abuse, by focusing on five priority areas: sexual, physical and emotional violence against children, including female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C); child marriage; child labour; civil registration and vital statistics; and children on the move.

The statement said: “Almost nine out of 10 children in West Africa experience violent discipline. While child marriage exists throughout the continent, it is especially prevalent in West Africa, which hosts six out of the ten countries with the highest rates of child marriage in the world: about four in ten young women in West Africa were married off as children.

“Less than one in two children in West Africa have a birth certificate, which is their basic right to an identity. In addition, the region is the theatre of complex migration routes where children are especially vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.”Led by the ECOWAS Commission, the Strategic Framework was developed in collaboration with a Regional Child Protection Working Group comprised of United Nations (UN) agencies and international non-governmental organisations and networks.

“The Ministerial adoption marks a major step forward for the protection of children in our region”, said ECOWAS’ Commissioner for Social Affairs, Dr. Fatimata Dia Sow, whose organisation convened the gathering of experts and ministers from the 15 Member States.

“We stand together more strongly than ever to ensure children are safe and protected. With the right framework, the right actions, the right resources and the right positive changes in attitudes and practices, we can ensure they have an opportunity to fully contribute to our societies.”

The statement noted, “Strong child protection systems can ensure that no child falls between the cracks.

”They provide the surest safeguards against child abuse, neglect, exploitation and other forms of violence through a concerted effort between formal and informal actors. The adoption of the Child Protection Framework provides a joint platform for action on the protection priorities for children.

“As programmes for children are strengthened at national and community level, Ministerial commitments made during this week’s meeting will be submitted for approval at the next ECOWAS Heads of State meeting in December 2017,” it added.

“In West Africa, urgent action is needed to address the acute vulnerabilities of children”, said Andy Brooks, the Chair of the Regional Child Protection Working Group.

“We count on the commitment shown by the Ministers being echoed and supported by the Heads of States and the First Ladies’ network in West Africa. We will continue to support States to strengthen services on the ground and the ECOWAS Commission in tracking accountability to commitments made here today,” Brooks added.

The First Lady of Nassarawa State, Mairo Al-Makura, has secured the freedom of no fewer than 70 inmates of Lafia Prison.

She reportedly did so through the payment of the fines for their offences.

Mrs. Al-Makura, who was represented by the former Secretary to the Nasarawa State Government, Hajia Zainab Ahmed, said the inmates had been incarcerated for a long time.

She advised them against going back into crime or keeping bad friends.

She said “I am greatly delighted to be here to witness the release of 70 prison inmates, whose fines have already been paid, from the Lafia Prison.

“I have confirmed from the prison authorities that the inmates have been reformed and are ready to be released into the larger society.”She, however, called on the members of the society to accept and embrace the inmates and give them all the necessary support to enable them to live crime-free lives.

One of the ex-inmates, 25-yrs-old Abdullahi Musa, said he was incarcerated for armed robbery.

Also speaking, a 21-year-old man, Michael Marcus, said he had spent four months in the prison custody over his involvement in robbery, while 23-year-old Abdulraman Abubakar said he was remanded for stealing N400,000.

Each of the former inmates was given N5,000 by the First Lady for transportation home. She also donated 10 bags of rice, five gallons of groundnut oil, five gallons of palm oil and cartons of seasonings to the five prisons in the state.

The Acting Executive-Chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), Dr. Shettima Bukar Abba, has said that Igbos are not the only tribe marginalised in federal appointments.

He said that the scourge of marginalisation is like a cankerworm affecting every tribe in the country, not just those from South East region.Abba stated this in Abuja while addressing journalists in his office.

According to him, if an accurate data of all public and civil servants across the federation was collected and collated through a process that requires minimal human interference or influence, it will be noticed that members of a particular ethnic group or state dominate particular federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) either as decision makers or staffs.

“Some groups are talking about marginalization in federal appointments but if you look at the Federal Character strictly and contextualize it in particular MDAs, there is no state or tribe which is not marginalised.

“For instance, if you look at all the appointments in Federal University, Ebonyi and analyze them in the light of equal representation of the 36 states of the federation and Abuja, you will definitely find out that some states are not represented within the institution’s workforce.

“You will find the same thing if you go to Kano or Jigawa. So, it tells you that every state and tribe is marginalized in one way or the other.

“But what the law says is that there should not be a predominance of any state or ethnic group in within federal MDAs in the country,” Dr. Abba said.

He blamed the lopsidedness and imbalances in federal appointments on the submission of incomplete nominal rolls to the Commission by MDAs.

According to him, the problem of incomplete or late nominal roll submissions make it impossible for the Commission to advise MDAs or the Presidency on how to go about employing workers or appointing public servants in the way and manner the Federal Character Commission laws prescribe.

“That means we need to see and analyze the nominal rolls and identify states of the federation not represented or under-represented in particular MDAs before we can advise properly,” he said

On how the federal government plans to address the perceived lopsidedness and imbalances in the deployment of human resources across federal MDAs, he said the Presidency, through the Federal Character Commission, is organizing a compulsory training programme in Abuja for Desk Officers across all MDAs between October 9th and 24th to teach them how to update their nominal rolls in real time and on a monthly basis using the Commission’s portal.

He said this would enable the Commission give proffer relevant advice that will address the problem of marginalisation before federal appointments and recruitments were made.

“The training is mandatory. It is an offence if the Federal Character Commission asks an MDA for information or participation in a particular activity to enable it fulfill the requirements of the law considering the diverse nature of our population and the MDA refuses to cooperate.

“The training of Desk Officers is very important because we also want to have a uniform format of receiving the nominal rolls from them through our own portal.

“I want to add that such trainings will avail us to get a direct statistics of what is required to address marginalization.

“By the time we address this issue of inaccurate data collection through the training of Desk Officers on the correct format for filing their nominal rolls, we can focus on data analysis and determination of ways to address the imbalances,” Abba said.

NDLEA  recover 38 bags of Indian hemp worth over N20m in Lagos

The Police Command in Lagos State has recovered 38 bags of Indian hemp worth over N20m during a raid on suspected hideouts in Itire, Mushin.
According to the Commissioner of Police in the state, Edgal Imohimi, 52 suspects were also arrested during the raid which was precedented by reports of a clash over a lady in the area where over 150 cars were vandalised.
“In line with my avowed policing plan which is based on community policing, residents of the area were invited and based on the partnership we had built over time, they confirmed the incident and gave information on their hideouts.
“Based on the information gathered that the hoodlums had been terrorising the neighbourhood, I ordered an overnight raid during which 44 male and 8 female suspects were arrested with 38 bags of Indian hemp.
“They were also caught with other hard drugs which are very expensive and can not be less than N20m.
“The drugs are usually packaged and called Bible and so, whenever members of the public see anything like this, they should know it is hard drugs and not a Bible.
”Members of the public should also be vigilant so that these drugs are not sold to your children as you know the effect of drugs on human body system.
”I have also observed the strong connection between drugs and crime and therefore established partnership with other security agencies especially the NDLEA to fight drug-related crimes.
“I appreciate members of the public for their support and assure them that such raids on criminal hideouts in the state will continue,” he said.

 

The ongoing rehabilitation work on the Apapa/Wharf road is taking longer than stakeholders had envisaged due to gas pipelines along the project site, our correspondent has learnt from parties handling the job.
The Nigerian Ports Authority had in June signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Dangote Group and Flour Mills for the rehabilitation of the two kilometre road at an estimated cost of N4.3bn.
Although the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, had said that the work might take one year to complete, stakeholders argued that it did not have to take that long because of the ordeal being faced by road users along that axis.
Traffic in and out of Apapa had gone from bad to worse since the rehabilitation work commenced and one section of the road had to be closed.
The line-up of trucks going into Apapa recently stretched from Ijora to Maryland end of Ikorodu Road.
The situation had informed a recent directive by the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, to owners and operators of articulated vehicles/trailers and petroleum tankers to stay away from Lagos for a while.
Ambode said the traffic bottleneck had impacted negatively on the commercial activities of the state.
The Chairman, Seaport Terminal Operators of Nigeria, Dr. Vicky Haastrup, had said that if the road repairs were to last for one year, then it would be a nightmare for road users.
The President, Manufactures Association of Nigeria, Dr. Frank Jacobs, confirmed in a media briefing earlier in the week that most firms had relocated from Apapa because of the difficulty faced by workers in trying to get to their places of work.
The Managing Director, NPA, Ms. Hadiza Usman, while inspecting work done on the road, remarked that the pace of work was slower than expected.
Apart from the pipelines, it was discovered that paucity of funds had also slowed down the pace of work.
Usman added that whatever was needed to increase the pace of work would be made available to the contractors.
She said, “The level of work is unacceptable. I will meet with the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing and the Bureau of Public Procurement to see how the pace of work on the road can be hastened.”

Bayelsa govt investigates cause of monkey pox outbreak

The Bayelsa Government is investigating suspected cases of monkey pox outbreak in its communities, the Commissioner for Health, Professor Ebitimitula Etebu, has said,
Etebu spoke in Yenagoa on Wednesday following reports that some 11 persons, including a medical doctor, had been placed on surveillance in Yenagoa.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that those with the suspected cases had been quarantined at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH), Okolobiri, Yenagoa Local Government Area.
NAN learnt that the centre was established by Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the epidemiological team of the state Ministry of Health to control the spread of the virus.
NAN also learnt that NCDC and the epidemiological team were tracing 49 persons, who were in contact with persons suspected to have been infected.
Etebu said that samples of the virus had been sent to the World Health Organisation laboratory in Dakar for confirmation.
He described monkeypox as a viral illness caused by a group of viruses that include chickenpox and smallpox.
The commissioner said the first case was noticed in the Democratic Republic of Congo and subsequent outbreaks in West Africa.
He said the virus had the Central African and the West African types but that the West African type was milder and had no records of mortality.
“Recently in Bayelsa, we noticed a suspected outbreak of monkeypox.
‘’It has not been confirmed. We have sent samples to the World Health Organisation reference laboratory in Dakar.
”When that comes out we will be sure that it is confirmed. But from all indications, it points towards it.
”As the name implies, the virus was first seen in monkeys but can also be found in all bush animals, such as rats, squirrels and antelopes.

Ebonyi govt begins registration of IPOB members

The Ebonyi State government has begun data capturing and registration of members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, living in the state.
The government said the youth ”were misled to join the agitation of the group.”
The State Commissioner for Economic Empowerment and Job Creation, Uchenna Orji, said this in Abakaliki.
He said the exercise was going on simultaneously in the 13 local government areas of the state.
He said the initiative by the state government would make the IPOB members economically independent and help in reducing social vices and other forms of criminality currently plaguing the society.
The commissioner, who said that the state government had extended its empowerment schemes to Ebonyi youth in other states of the federation including Sokoto, Kaduna, Anambra and Lagos, added that over 3000 youths had so far been empowered in the State.
According to him, the state government was set to create 12,000 jobs through the empowerment of these youths, including women as they are currently being given N250, 000 each to start up any business of their choice so that they will become economically self-sufficient.
Mr. Orji further added that the reason for the numerous empowerment programmes of the Governor David Umahi-administration was to increase the per capita income of Ebonyi citizens and ensure the boosting of the economic status of the state.
“These IPOB youths are being registered in the Department of Education and Social Welfare in the LGAs. After the process, the state government will create a programme to train them in their chosen career,” he said.
“Those of them that have taken to the streets due to lack of job will be empowered so that they can be usefully and meaningful to the society. Those who are living and staying outside the state are equally undergoing our empowerment programmes.”
IPOB, a group seeking for a secession from the rest of the country, is led by Nnamdi Kanu, whose whereabout is currently unknown after a military onslaught on his community in Abia last month.
The group had clashed sporadically with soldiers who were there on an exercise tagged Python Dance.
The Federal Government later declared the group a terrorist organisation while the South-east governors also banned the group.

by gezzyworld

EFCC rejects Patience Jonathan’s witch-hunt accusation

Nigeria’s financial crimes agency on Wednesday brushed off allegations by the wife of the country’s former president that it had conducted a “witch-hunt” against her.
Patience Jonathan, whose husband Goodluck Jonathan was the president of Africa’s most populous country from 2010 to 2015, accused the head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of an “orchestrated plan” to tarnish her reputation and that of her husband.
President Muhammadu Buhari took office in 2015 after defeating Goodluck Jonathan in elections during which he vowed to crack down on corruption. Buhari said state coffers were virtually empty when he assumed the presidency.
Last year, the EFCC froze four U.S. dollar bank accounts that the ex-president’s wife said she owned. Her spokesman said in September 2016 that the accounts in total contained around $10 million – a third of the sum reported in the Nigerian press.
A legal case is continuing in the commercial capital Lagos over the funds but she does not face criminal charges.
“The case is before the court where she (Patience Jonathan) has the liberty to state any claim,” an EFCC spokesman said.
In a statement signed by her media aide and dated Oct. 2, Jonathan’s wife accused the EFCC’s acting chairman of an “unjustified witch-hunt and media propaganda” against her and her family.
“It is either the EFCC is now led by people who cannot conduct proper investigations, or they are deliberately feeding the public with false information,” said the statement.
“We believe that she is being systematically persecuted and punished because of her unflinching support for her husband during the 2015 elections.”
A number of former government officials have faced criminal charges, which they have denied, since Buhari came to power. However, there have been no convictions.
The opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which was in power for 16 years prior to Buhari taking office, has accused the president of focusing on its members.

Good News in Nigeria! Price Of bag Of Rice To

Fall To N6000 

Rice farmers, millers and processors on Wednesday announced that the price of a 50kg bag of rice will fall to as low as N6,000 in the next few months. According to them, the current market price of rice, which is about N15,000 per 50kg bag, will drop to between N6,000 and N7,000 in a couple of months, going by the bumper wet season harvest by rice farmers.
Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting between rice farmers/processors and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, at the ministry’s headquarters, in Abuja, the National President, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Aminu Goronyo, told journalists that operators had resolved to currently reduce price of rice to N13,000 per 50kg, but stressed that the price would further drop to N6,000 in a few months."Biafra Is A Spirit That Cant Be Killed With Guns Or Other Weapons" Says Pastor Chris Okafor

The General Overseer of Mountain of Liberation and miracle ministry, Pastor Chris Okafor, has opined that Biafra is a spirit and cannot be killed with guns, arrows, and not even with a nuclear bomb. The pastor made this known while felicitating with Nigeria on her Independence Day celebration.
While Speaking on the Operation “Egwu Eke 2” in the South East of Nigeria, the acclaimed man of God stated that it’s unfair for the Nigerian government to deploy the full weight of the military in the manner they did to quell the secessionist agitations by the IPOB members and in fact the people of that region.
According to him,

“Our Government needs to learn how to resolve issues with dialogue. No amount of time or resources expended towards dialogue is a waste. ‘’
‘’This is not 1967. Anybody who thinks that they can kill an agitation like Biafra with force is truly living in fools’ paradise. It can never happen! Biafra is a spirit. Wasn’t it Ojukwu who started it? He’s gone but Biafra is still here.’’
‘’You can’t kill a spirit with guns and arrows, not even with a nuclear bomb. If Ojukwu’s exit did not kill the agitation, how can any human being think or believe that Nnamdi Kanu’s exit will kill the agitation.’’
”As a matter of fact, more people have now joined the agitation and mark my words, worst people than Nnamdi Kanu will soon emerge-they are already there and nobody knows how peaceful those ones will be.”
”We should behave like a 21st century constitutional entity and stop using force to do everything. Dialogue is the only way out and the Government of 

the day must take advantage now.”

He, however, said he was not advocating for the split of Nigeria but that, if Nigeria does not put its acts together, things might get out of hands and no amount of force can stop the outcome. He urged worshipers to pray for Nigeria’s peace and unity.

General Assembly 70th session 12th plenary meeting H.E. Muhammadu BUHARI President THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA

My dear Nigerians,
October 1st remains a special date for all Nigerians as this marks the day when we attained one of the most precious of human desires — freedom.
Over the years the country has gone through trials and tribulations, but October 1st is always a day for celebrations.
It is a day for thanks giving, reflection and re-dedication.
It is also a day for remembrance. We should remind ourselves of the recent journey from 1999 – 2015, when our country happily returned to democratic rule.
 However, in spite of oil prices being an average of $100 per barrel and about 2.1m barrels a day, that great piece of luck was squandered and the country’s social and physical infrastructure neglected.
We were left with no savings and huge infrastructure deficit.
The APC Government’s Campaign rallying cry to restore security, re-balance the economy and fight corruption was not all rhetoric.
The country must first be secured. The economy must be re-balanced so that we do not depend on oil alone. We must fight corruption which is Nigeria’s Number One Enemy. Our Administration is tackling these tasks in earnest.
In the past two years, Nigeria has recorded appreciable gains in political freedom. A political Party at the Centre losing elections of State Governor, National Assembly seat and even State Assemblies to the opposition parties is new to Nigeria. Added to these are complete freedom to associate, to hold and disseminate opinions. Such developments clearly attest to the country’s growing political development. But like all freedoms, this is open to abuse.
Recent calls on re-structuring, quite proper in a legitimate debate, has let in highly irresponsible groups to call for dismemberment of the country. We can not and we will not allow such advocacy.
As a young Army Officer, I took part from the beginning to the end in our tragic civil war costing about 2m lives, resulting in fearful destruction and untold suffering. Those who are agitating for a re-run were not born by 1967 and have no idea of the horrendous consequences of the civil conflict which we went through.
I am very disappointed that responsible leaders of these communities do not warn their hot-headed youths what the country went through. Those who were there should tell those who were not there, the consequences of such folly.
At all events, proper dialogue and any desired constitutional changes should take place in a rational manner, at the National and State Assemblies. These are the proper and legal fora for National debate, not some lop-sided, un-democratic body with pre-determined set of objectives.
Government is keeping up the momentum of dialogue with stakeholders in the Niger Delta to keep the peace. We intend to address genuine grievances of the communities.
Government is grateful to the responsible leadership of those communities and will pursue lasting peace in the Niger Delta.
SECURITY
On security, Nigerians must be grateful to our gallant Armed Forces for rolling back the frontiers of Boko Haram’s terrorism, defeating them and reducing them to cowardly attacks on soft and vulnerable targets.
Nigeria is grateful to its neighbours and the international community for the collective efforts to defeat this world-wide menace of terrorism.
Not even the most organized and most equipped police and security forces in the world can escape the menace of modern day terrorism, as we have seen in recent years in Europe and other parts of the world.
But we are not letting up. Our Armed Forces in an effort to enhance the operational capability of troops of OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE have established Mobile Strike Teams in the North East. These will ensure the final push to wipe out the remnants of Boko Haram.
In addition, through targeted air strikes most of the leadership and identified logistics bases and routes of the insurgents have been neutralized. The Armed Forces have established a Naval presence in the Lake Chad Basin as part of the coordinated military efforts to curtail the movements or re-emergence of the sect in the area.
Government is working round the clock to ensure release of the remaining Chibok girls, as well as other persons in Boko Haram captivity. Government will continue to support the Armed Forces and other security agencies to fight not only terrorism, but kidnapping, armed robberies, herdsmen/farmers violence and to ensure peace, stability and security in our country.
ECONOMY
With respect to the economy, the Government has remained pro-active in its diversification policy. The Federal Government’s agricultural Anchor Borrowers Programme, which I launched in November 2015, has been an outstanding success with:
·        N43.92 billion released through the CBN and 13 participating institutions,
·        200,000 small holder farmers from 29 states of the federation benefitting,
·        233,000 hectares of farmland cultivating eight commodities, namely Rice, Wheat, Maize, Cotton, soya-beans, Poultry, Cassava and Groundnuts, in addition to fish farming.
These initiatives have been undertaken in close collaboration with the states. I wish to commend the efforts of the Governors of Kebbi, Lagos, Ebonyi and Jigawa States for their support to the rice and fertilizer revolutions.
Equally commendable are contributions of the Governors of Ondo, Edo, Delta, Imo, Cross River, Benue, Ogun, Kaduna and Plateau States for their support for the Presidential initiative for palm oil, rubber, cashew, cassava, potatoes and other crops.
With the abundance of rainfall last year and this year, agriculture has enjoyed Divine intervention.
Since December last year, this Administration has produced over 7 million 50Kg bags of fertilizer. Eleven blending plants with a capacity of 2.1 million metric tons have been reactivated. We have saved $150 million in foreign exchange and N60 billion in subsidy. Fertilizer prices have dropped from N13,000 per 50Kg bag to N5,500.
Furthermore, a new presidential initiative is starting with each state of the Federation creating a minimum of 10,000 jobs for unemployed youths, again with the aid of CBN’s development finance initiatives.
Power remains a huge problem. As of September 12th, production of power reached an all — time high of 7,001 Megawatts. Government is increasing its investment, clearing up the operational and financial log jam bedeviling the industry. We hope to reach 10,000 Megawatts by 2020.
Key priorities include better energy mix through solar and Hydro technologies. I am glad to say that after many years of limbo, Mambilla Power Project has taken off.
Elsewhere in the economy the special window created for manufacturers, investors and exporters, foreign exchange requirements has proved very effective. Since April, about $7 billion has come through this window alone. The main effect of these policies is improved confidence in the economy and better investment sentiments.
The country has recorded 7 consecutive months of lower inflation, Naira rate is beginning to stabilize, appreciating from N525 per $1 in February this year to N360 today. Broad-based economic growth is leading us out of recession.
Furthermore, in order to stabilize the polity, the Federal Government gave additional support to states in the form of:
·        State Excess Crude Account loans,
·        Budget Support Facility,
·        Stabilization Fund Release
to states and local governments as follows:
·        N200 billion in 2015
·        N441 billion in 2016
·        N1 trillion in 2017
Altogether totaling N1.642 trillion.
This was done to enable states to pay outstanding salaries, pensions and small business suppliers who had been all but crippled over the years.
In addition, the Government’s current N500 billion Special Intervention Programme is targeting groups through;
·        Home Grown School Feeding Programme,
·        N-Power Job creation to provide loans to small-scale traders and artisans,
·        Conditional Cash Transfer,
·        Family Homes Fund and
·        Social Housing Scheme.
CORRUPTION
Fellow Nigerians,
We are fully aware that fighting corruption was never going to be a straightforward task. We expected corrupt elements to use any weapon to fight back, mainly judicial obstruction and political diversion. But we are determined to eradicate corruption from our body politic.
In this fight, the Government has:
·        Empowered teams of prosecutors,
·        Assembled detailed databases,
·        Accelerated the recovery of stolen funds.
The Administration’s new institutional reforms include:
·        Enforcing Treasury Single Account,
·        Whistle-Blowers Policy,
·        Integrated Payroll Personnel and Information System.
We have signed multi-lateral cooperation agreements on criminal matters with friendly countries. There are signs of increasing cooperation from the Judiciary. Recently the Chief Justice of Nigeria directed Heads of all our Courts of first instance and Appeal to accelerate hearings of corruption cases and dismiss any judicial officers found to have been compromised.
Justice Salami has just been appointed to chair the Judiciary’s anti-graft committee. Government expects a lot from this Committee.
I commend the National Assembly for refocusing on its oversight committees. They should, in addition, ensure swift passage of enabling corruption laws. But fighting corruption is a bottom to top operation. I call on all Nigerians to combat corruption at every turn. By not asking for and refusing to accept a bribe, by reporting unethical practices or by blowing a whistle, together we can beat corruption. The government for its part will work for accountability at all levels – Federal, State and Local Governments. CHANGE will then be real.
As we enter the second half of our term of office, we intend to accelerate progress and intensify our resolve to fix the country’s challenges and problems.
Thank you and a happy holiday to all of you.
God bless our country

 

Inside Lagos ‘kidnappers’ den‎’ where two were burnt alive, three arrested

  Residents of Obadeyi at the Ijaiye-Ojokoro axis of the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway on Tuesday called on security operatives to conduct a ‘thorough search’ on a building allegedly used by kidnappers in the area.

Some of the residents spoke to PREMIUM TIMES Tuesday when an alleged kidnappers’ den was uncovered in a tunnel around the bridge on that part of the expressway.
PREMIUM TIMES had exclusively reported the mayhem which led to the death of two suspects who were set ablaze by an irate mob.
Although Police Commissioner, Fatai Owoseni, said on Tuesday that seven people have been arrested by the police, only three individuals were arrested at the scene of the incident which PREMIUM TIMES monitored from morning till dusk. THE TRAGEDY
‎
Tragedy struck in the early hours of Tuesday when a street sweeper allegedly overheard the voice of a woman and her child crying for help inside the tunnel.
The development prompted local security operatives and residents to plunge into the tunnel and allegedly found the first suspect who was beaten and immediately set ablaze.
The presence of security operatives and fire fighters, however, deterred the
“He bragged that he cannot die. Many of us used several objects on him and he didn’t die. He swallowed a gourd and said he won’t confess. We just had to do the needful,” a member of the mob who declined to be identified told PREMIUM TIMES.
Two others allegedly arrested from the den were, however, lucky as they were rescued by security officials on ground. One of them was caught after he allegedly burst out of an exit around Zenith Bank premises. He allegedly confessed that that were about 25 more suspects underneath the tunnel. The other rescued suspect, who was wearing African wax material, popularly called Ankara, was allegedly found with charms and a calabash.
The third ‘suspect’ arrested was a man believed to be mentally unstable who hung around the neighbourhood. But residents took him to security operatives, saying he might be kidnappers’ ‘informant’.
However, the atmosphere became tense when another suspect was caught after he allegedly ran out of the tunnel. Police and other security operatives were overpowered by the mob who declined to have him rescued like the other two, saying the police may compromise the matter.
He was eventually dragged to the spot where the first suspect was burnt to death and set ablaze by the jubilant mob.

SUSPECTED BUILDING
Meanwhile, windows and louvres of a building located on Ajasa Close, off the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway, were vandalised by the mob who alleged that owners of the building were abbeting crime.
Trouble started when some of the residents traced a few ‘incriminating’ materials to another abandoned building located beside the building. Some of the materials allegedly found in the abandoned building include female underwears, used condoms and calendars.

The mob later stormed the building with the intent of vandalising valuable items. Residents of the building later emerged to plead with the mob and the police prevented an attack on the residents.
“This building is a ‘suspect’, the tunnel connects to this place and they might know about it,” Ajayi, one of the angry crowd members told PREMIUM TIMES.

“Owners of this building are not completely innocent. How would they not know about the materials found here. They must be probed by security officials,” another resident told our correspondent in Yoruba.

Meanwhile, another resident, Jide Obadina, called on the government to conduct thorough search around the tunnel.
“Government has the master plan of this tunnel. Let them come around to search it.”
Other residents however claimed that officials of the local vigilante made several suspicious discoveries when they plunged into the tunnel

I know why PDP lost 2015 presidential elections – Jonathan

  Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan has promised to reveal details of how the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) lost the 2015 presidential elections to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The former President said this while playing host to members of the Forum of Ex-speakers of State Houses of Assembly, who visited him in Abuja on Thursday.
He also stated that contrary to belief in some quarters, the PDP recorded several achievements in the 16 years it ruled the country.
According to him, “PDP is still the strongest party. We know the reason we lost elections.”
“People maybe writing left and right, at the appropriate time, some of these things would be properly addressed because of history.”
“There are certain things you don’t write now because it would be misunderstood as if you are playing politics.”
“After some years, five, six or eight years, when the beneficiaries have left, you can state it in writing and people will not fight with you.”
READ ALSO: Goodluck Jonathan offered me money, other things, to support PDP in 2015 – Okorocha
He also noted that approach is a very important factor in fighting corruption in the country.
“There are stories of corruption. I say this will always be there because if you read the statement of the organizers of the first military coup, their statement was attributed to corruption.”
“It will continue to be, but one day we will get out of it. Most nations passed through this stage of life.”
“The only thing I plead of you is not to politicize certain basic things. Issues of corruption, yes, it is worrisome. Nobody will encourage it.
“The society must come up with reform to reduce it, if you cannot eliminate it totally. No Society is 100 per cent free of some of these vices but the approach you go about it is key.
” You may approach it in a way that it will become detrimental to the society. It should be done in a way that will enhance the development of the nation. So we encourage people to do well

So says the Ekiti State Environmental Controlling Agency...

  Biafra: Obasanjo slams IPOB, Buhari

Former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo has faulted those agitating for Biafra.
In an interview withObasanjo said individuals agitating for the dissolution of Nigeria were only waiting for ship at the airport.
Naija News gathered that Obasanjo slammed agitators they have no idea what the struggle was all about.
The former soldier expressed his view on the Biafra struggle in an interview with African Argument, a Liberian based news platform.

Obasanjo said, “The protesters don’t even know what the struggle is all about, but if it gives them false hope, why not hang onto it? Let the elders handle it or ignore it until it loses momentum.

“There are elders in any community who are still respected…After all, they’re their fathers and mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers, and can still be used effectively,” he said.
READ ALSO: Biafra: IPOB Declares Turkish Citizen As Its Rep In Middle East, Asia
Obasanjo, speaking on the issue of federalism expressed that he does not believe in “true federalism”.
He said, “I don’t believe in true federalism. What is true federalism? Why are they not accountable? What powers do they not have?
Obasanjo also condemned President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration for not effectively tackling unemployment and recession, while contesting that those agitating for true federalism have adequate knowledge on what they are calmouring for.
He added, “In fact, state governors are more powerful than the president. That’s the truth.”
“If anybody tells you they want devolution or true federalism, he doesn’t know what he is talking about.
He advised that if “youth empowerment, skill acquisition and youth employment – education are provided the ticking bomb of possible youth explosion out of restiveness and anger will subside. In fact, state governors are more powerful than the president.”