CBN: Inclusive Growth Initiatives Needed to Check Under-employment

The Deputy Governor, Economic Policy, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Joseph Nnanna, on Tuesday appraised Nigeria's economic trajectory, declaring that the country was in dire need of inclusive growth policies capable of resolving the huge unemployment and under-employment challenges facing the youths.

Nnanna, in his remarks at the launch of the Regional Economic Outlook for Sub-Saharan Africa in Abuja by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), lamented that the brand of capitalism being practised in Nigeria was not good enough and needed to be redefined to help build inclusive growth.

The CBN chief observed that besides the high unemployment rate, majority of the youths were under-employed. 

According to him, the nation's economy is expected to record about 2.8 per cent growth in 2019, but expressed regret that such would still not provide the needed inclusive growth with an annual population growth of about 3.2 per cent.

Nnanna noted that the major constraint to the emergence of an economy that has inclusive growth potential was the huge infrastructure gap, adding that this must be tackled.

He affirmed that the CBN had embarked on tight monetary controls at all levels.

The CBN deputy governor ruled out the possibility of the economy relapsing into recession, stressing that macroeconomic indicators were showing promising signals.

On inflation, he stated that achieving single-digit inflation was achievable before the end of the year, adding that the CBN was working towards that goal.

Nnanna stated that the money market has continued to perform well, assuring that the CBN would maintain a positive interest rate stance in real terms.

He assured portfolio and foreign direct investors that the federal government's policy of allowing them repatriate their profits in full would not be hamstrung in any way.

The CBN chief wooed investors interested in emerging and frontier markets to look towards Nigeria.

Adeleke Certificate Saga: School Principal Alleges Threat to His Life

The Principal of Ede Muslim High School 1 Ede, Osun State, Khalid Adejare Abass, on Tuesday appealed to the law enforcement agents to help stop the trauma and psychological tension he is going through for some days now.

Also, the family members of the principal have equally called on the police authorities to stop further unjustifiable arrest of their son, Abass, alleging that the police have politicise the matter .

Speaking yesterday from his hospital bed in Ede with journalists, Abass, who was critically ill, lamented how he was being made to travel between Lagos and Abuja during his ten days incarceration as a common criminal.

He said the security agents are after his life, adding that they had made up their mind to kill him.

According to him, "If anything should happen to me, the police should be held responsible; the brutality of the police was just too much for me to bear.”

He remarked that he was talking to people on his sick bed with weakness of the body, pains, fever and high blood pressure.

The principal, who was brought to the hospital last Monday due to his bad health condition, called on the law enforcement agents to please leave him alone and stop further unjustifiable arrest.

Abass also denied collecting N10million from Dr. Deji Adeleke as rumoured in his community and Nigeria at large.

However, the family spokesman, Alhaji Abdulrazaq Sholagbade Abass, said the principal has been unduly punished for doing his legitimate duties as a principal of a school.

According to him, the principal is not a politician, why then should he be subjected to this unwarranted suffering?

He said: "We are now pushed to the wall to cry out to the world on the persistent and unwarranted incarceration of our son, Khalid Adejare Abass, by the law enforcement agents."

The family noted that the ‘unjust’ detention at Alagbon Force CID headquarter for 10 days has subjected him to untold harassment from the police.

They also noted that since his incarceration, he was not allowed any medical attention nor allowed to visit any hospital for medical checkup, saying he has been in and out of the hospital as an out-patient.

But his lawyer, who alongside with his family members spoke with the media on Tuesday, Kanmi Ajibola, said the principal did not commit any offence under the law that would warrant any untold punishment.

Ajibola also made it clear that his client is innocent and he had done his job well as the principal of the school, saying even if there is a problem with the certificate and the testimonial, it can be ratified without any problems.

Finally, Zainab Aliyu Regains Freedom In Saudi Arabia

A female Nigerian detained in Saudi Arabia for alleged drug trafficking, Zainab Aliyu, has been released.

Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmed, on new media, made this known on Tuesday.

Her release was after President Muhammadu Buhari got involved in the matter following recent facts after Aliyu’s detention for allegedly transporting banned drugs into the oil-rich Arab nation.

A statement by presidential Aide, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, in Abuja, said that the President had directed the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami, to immediately act on the case of Zainab, a student of Maitama Sule University, Kano.

“President Muhammadu Buhari gave the directive immediately the matter was brought to his attention about two weeks ago. My office has been working with the AGF as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in that regard”, Dabiri-Erewa revealed.

The Presidential aide assured that progress was being made in Zainab case, along with two others in similar circumstances in Saudi Arabia.

She said that Zainab, though detained, has not been put on trial by the Saudi Arabia government, saying that with the hard evidence that those who implicated her had been arrested, a strong legal case is being made to the Saudi authorities.

 Security officials had busted some luggage handlers operating a drug peddling syndicate, at the Kano International Airport, where Ms. Aliyu and her family departed from.

Habib Aliyu, the father of the student, had appealed to Buhari, the Saudi authorities and the international community, as well as well-meaning individuals to intervene in her daughter’s case and save the ‘’innocent’’ lady from being executed wrongly.

FG, States, LGs Share N617.5bn March Allocation

A total of N617.566 billion was on Tuesday distributed as Federal Allocation for the month of March, 2019 among the three government, comprising the  federal , state  and local governments.

A communique issued by the Technical sub -Committee of Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) released at the end of meeting in Abuja, indicated that the Gross statutory revenue received for the reference month was N446.647 billion, which is lower than the N478.434 billion received in the previous month by N31.787 billion.

In the same vein, the revenue generated from the Value Added Tax (VAT) was N92.181billion. This is a decrease from the N96.389 billion generated from previous month, with N4.208 billion. There was also N653 million from Exchange Gain, N13.085 billion from Forex Equalization; N55.000 billion from Good & Valuable Consideration as well as N10.000 billion added by NNPC.These therefore, brought the total revenue distributable for the current month to the sum of N617.566 billion.

Consequently, from the Net Distributable Revenue for the month, federal government received N257.758 ; States received N168.254 billion; Local Government Councils received N126.575 billion , while the Oil Producing States received N49.823  billion representing 13% derivation of Mineral  revenue.

The cost of Collection, Transfer and FIRS Refund came up to N 15.156  billion.

The distribution of the the Value Added Tax (VAT) realised saw the federal government receiving N13.274 billion, representing 15 per cent; states received N44.247 billion representing 50 per cent while the local government councils received N30.973  billion also representing 35 per cent 

The communique also showed the breakdown of allocation from the the Statutory revenue generated as thus: Federal Government N208.394 billion representing 52.68%; States Government N105.700 billion, Local Government Council received N81.490 billion.

It explained that Federation Crude oil export sales increased by about 49.18 per cent due to the increase in lifting volume, which resulted in increased Federation Revenue of about $240.23 Million. Also, the average crude oil price increased from $63.62 to $79.06 per barrel.

However, lifting operations, the communique retreat said, were adversely affected by production Shut-in, Shut -down at various Terminals due to technical issues, leaks and maintenance.

There were also remarkable increase in Revenues from Oil Royalty, Import and Excise Duties increased, while Petroleum Profit Tax(PPT) decreased significantly. Companies Income Tax (CIT

The balance in the Excess Crude Account (ECA) currently stands at $183 million.

Military Task Force Arrests Suspects Threatening to Kill JNI Scribe …Smashes militias terrorizing Riyom

The military Special Task Force (STF) in Plateau State has arrested two suspects that threatened to kill the Secretary General of Jama’tu Nasir Islam (JNI), Dr. Khalid Aliyu.

The Command has also smashed a group of militia behind series of attacks and killings in Riyom Local Government Area of the state.

Parading the suspects before journalists in Jos on Tuesday, Commander of the task force, Major General Augustine Agundu, said the Command received a tasking from the Defence Headquarters that the life of Aliyu was in danger as he was receiving unanimous calls threatening to eliminate him.

He added that the Defence Headquarters supported the operation with technical capability to enable the task force  deploy its wide range of human intelligence capabilities since the threat calls were emanating from Jos.

“Eventually, on April 20, 2019, the combined efforts eventually led to the arrest of one Mr. Aliyu Fadhad Tijani and Haruna Abdullahi at Paar Hotel along Tafawa Balewa Way, Jos. The initial reaction of the suspects was that of denial, but having been confronted with evidences, they confessed to the crime," he said.

Agundu said one of the suspects, Tijani, is a blood relation of the JNI secretary general, which was corroborated by scribe, while Abdullahi has been accomplice for years.

Speaking with journalists, Tijani said he conceived the idea to kidnap his cousin with the intention of raising money to pay his house rent and to settle other domestic issues, adding that the threat was to make him cough out the amount but not to kill him.

The task force also paraded 14 persons believed to be militias terrorising the Riyom LGA of the state from whom assorted dangerous weapons were recovered.

General Agundu said following a tip off of an impending attack by the armed militias along the Kwi-Heipang road, a patrol team was dispatched to the area, and on approaching the location, the militias engaged the troops in heavy gun duel “during which three of them were neutralised while 14 others were arrested.”

The Commander reassured members of the public of the Command’s determination to protect lives and property of all law-abiding citizens, enjoining them to always strive to create an environment of civility that permits good neighbourliness and brotherhood.

Insecurity: Aremu Laments Inadequate Police Personnel

The General Secretary of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) and Vice President of the Industrial Global Union, Issa Aremu, has lamented the inadequate number of police personnel in the country.

Speaking on Tuesday at a pre-May Day lecture in Kaduna, he noted that inadequate police personnel was one of the factors responsible for the security challenges bedeviling  the country.

According to him, police personnel are grossly inadequate considering the population of Nigerians.

Aremu noted that countries with less population have more police personnel than Nigeria, stressing that there was need for  more police personnel who should be  properly equipped to be able to stand any criminal activities in the land.

He noted for instance that Egypt, with a population eight million people, has 1.5 million police personnel, while Nigeria with a population of about 200 million people,  has only 400,000 police personnel.

He said even of this number, about half are deployed to guard and serve ministers, commissioners, political office holders among others.

The union leader however called for the sacking of any security chief who fails  to ensure the protection of lives and property within his area of  jurisdiction, adding that those who performed  excellently should be promoted.

Aremu called on Nigerians workers to be united and work towards tackling the problems facing the country.

According to him, "Workers should learn to vote for their fellow workers seeking  elective positions instead of voting  politicians with  questionable characters in order to restore the country’s past glory.

“Leaders should be voted for base on what they can do for the people not where they come from.

"Our past leaders like Tafawa Balewa, a teacher, and was elected, and Ahmadu Bello, the Sarduna of Sokoto, who was an administrator and a civil servant, was also elected into sensitive positions to lead the affairs of the country and they performed excellently."

UBEC Board Chairman, Daughter Freed from Captivity

The Board Chairman of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Muhammed Mahmoud, and his daughter were on Tuesday released by their abductors.

Mahmoud, his daughter and several other travellers were abducted last Monday on the Kaduna-Abuja expressway when suspected bandits open fire at them.

The UBEC boss’ driver was said to have been killed during the incident.

There has been no information about other commuters who were abducted by the bandits.

Mahmood's freedom was confirmed in a telephone interview by Hussaini Danladi, a relation, who said they were freed from captivity at about noon yesterday.

Danladi, however, did not say whether a ransom was paid before their release.

The kidnappers seemed to have taken over the Kaduna-Abuja expressway which has been deserted by travellers following the deadly activities of the criminals-kidnapping, armed robbery among others

Despite the massive deployment of security of personnel on the highway, the bandits have continued to operate in the most daring manner, killing and abducting people plying the road.

The road has been deserted by many commuters who now prefer to travel by train.

Efforts to reach the spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, Yakubu Sabo, were abortive as his mobile phone number was not connecting.

NCMG Calls for Peace Awards Nomination

 

As part of efforts to honour individuals and institutions providing humanitarian aid as well as facilitating the establishment of peace in Nigeria, the Negotiation and Conflict Management Group (NCMG) has called on Nigerians to nominate persons or entities which have distinguished themselves in this regard for the 2019 NCMG Peace Award.

It said the annual award billed to hold on November 11, 2019, will seek high flyers who have assisted in preventing recurrence of violence by addressing causes of conflict and creating visible long lasting solutions, especially in conflict-prone and unrest areas in Nigeria.

In a statement made available to the media Tuesday, the Founder of NCMG International, Kehinde Aina, said the awards would consider several categories, including NCMG Justice Builder, NCMG Institutional Peace Builder, NCMG Youth Innovator for Peace, and NCMG Community Peace builder Award, adding that those who meet the set criteria will be honoured in a grand ceremony later this year.

Aina said: "For the NCMG Justice Builder Award, the individual or entity to be recognised must have built initiatives, shape new and humane approach to equitable justice in Africa while defending and upholding the rights of those at the bottom rung of the economic pyramid in order to pull humanity out of the mud of violence, war and conflict.

"The individual or entity must also have demonstrated that access to justice should offer a variety of approaches and options for dispute resolution within the judicial system."

He added that no serving judge is eligible for this award category.

For the NCMG Institution Peace Builder Award, the international body said the entity must be that which uses its core business and competitive advantages to contribute to peace and stability as well as create shared value.

According to Aina, "This organisation must be proactive in building both peace and opportunity, especially in insurgency areas by applying risk, conflict analysis, and conflict-sensitive practices."

For the Youth Innovator for Peace Award, Aina said the category would be limited to persons less than 35 years of age, adding that the beneficiary must have promoted peace and cooperation beyond traditional boundaries of religion, race, ethnicity and nationality through intellectual dialogues, conflict analyses and transformation narratives.

He said the future of Nigeria and Africa resides largely on its youths and the ability of the youths to effectively harness the positive capabilities of their strength and good character, adding that with 70 per cent of Nigeria’s population below 35 years of age and 65 per cent of Africa’s population being under 35, there was need to focus and invest enormously in youths as a precondition for the continent’s development.

While calling on Nigerians to also make nominations for the NCMG Community Peace Builder Award, the founder said the recognition would honour traditional rulers or community leaders who have committed themselves to promoting development within their respective communities through social work and selfless leadership.

"The nominees must have demonstrated significant achievements in building inclusive communities, conflict prevention, conflict resolution and reconciliation. The community peace builder is one who has successfully mobilised members of their communities, promoted inclusion, and developed resources and collaborative relationships necessary for catalysing positive social change," Aina said.

NCMG said the award nominations will end on June 28, 2019.

Guber Poll: Bayelsa Govt May Demand Date Shift

 

There are indications that the Bayelsa State Government may have requested the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to consider effecting a change in the November 2 date scheduled for the governorship election in the state.

Aside the political leadership in the state, other stakeholders like the clergies were said to have disagreed with the date for the poll because it is a Thanksgiving public holiday.

It was further gathered that the stakeholders were unhappy over the seeming lack of consultation by the electoral body before fixing the date.

The day is regarded as a remarkable one in the calendar of the state with public institutions closed and churches of all denominations will converge on the 15,000 capacity state-owned Ecumenical Centre, while other religions are encouraged to go to their places of worship annually as a mark of respect for God.

When the state Governor, Seriake Dickson, took over in 2012, the bill declaring November 2 as a work-free day was the first sent by his administration to the state House of Assembly.

Being his last year as governor of the state, it was learnt that the governor was planning to make the day an eventful one before the announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

A source said the governor had already written to INEC explaining reasons for a change of date, while the response was still being awaited.

It wasn't clear if the government had an alternative plan if INEC declines the request, but stakeholders in the state believe that it might set the tone for a hostile relationship between the leadership of the state and the electoral body as the polls draw near.

A frequent preacher at government functions and General Overseer of the Royal House Grace International Church, Apostle Zilly Aggrey, urged INEC to review the date to ensure it doesn't clash with the Thanksgiving Day.

The respected cleric urged the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Yakubu Mahmmud, to shift the election as a mark of deference for God.

"The Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmud, must show respect for God by shifting the November 2, 2019, date announced for the state governorship election," he said.

SARS Arrests Three for Kidnapping, Murder of Two Bureau de Change Operators in Lagos

Three suspected members of a robbery/ kidnap gang, who allegedly abducted and murdered two Bureau de Change (BDC) operators last month at the Ikorodu area of Lagos State, have been arrested by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the state Police Command.

The victims, Alhaji Yakubu Musa and Alhaji Hassan Umoru, had gone for a monetary transaction with the gang on March 14, 2019, unknown to them that they were embarking on a trip to their death.

The gang members were said to have taken them to an abandoned building at the Odogunyan area of Ikorodu, where they were bound and shot dead.

This was after they had paid N1.6 million ransom into an account provided by the gang to secure their release.

The state Commissioner of Police, Zubairu Muazu, was said to have directed SARS to investigate the matter after the duo was reported missing.

However, during investigation and subsequent arrest of three of the gang members, Oluwatosin Olarewaju, Mayowa Olawuni and Babatunde Idris, the bodies of the victims were trailed to a septic tank in an abandoned building in Odogunyan.

Narrating how they killed the victims, one of the suspects, Olarewaju, said: “Pencil (the suspected leader of the gang) and I planned the deal but the intention was not to kill them. Pencil said I should convince the operators that an Alhaja wanted to change $10,000.

“The operators came on a motorbike and called us from Trailer Park bus-stop in Odogunyan. Pencil directed his own commercial motorcyclists to take the operators to a boys quarter (BQ) around Odogunyan.

“By the time I joined them at the BQ, I met them lying down with their hands bound. Pencil asked me to lie on the floor too in order to make it look like I don't have a hand in the game.

“Pencil told them that the Alhaja they came to meet owed him $10,000 and that his gang had come to collect the money. They started beating the operators. I also received my fair share of the beating to make it look real.

“The operators then promised to give them money for their freedom. Pencil instructed them to transfer the money into one Femi's account. But when Pencil called to know if the money had been paid, the account holder said it was paid.

"At that point, he changed the game plan. He threatened to kill me alongside the operators if he did not receive alert on the payment. He said he suspected I was playing pranks by asking the person at the other end not to reveal he had received the bank alert.

“He said if he did not receive the alert by 4.55p.m., he would kill all of us. At that point, one of the operators suggested that another account should be given to him to pay into. That was when I contacted Oluwafunmilayo, the nurse that treated me when I was sick. The operator paid in N1.6 million into that account.

“By 8p.m. same day, they tore the operators clothes and used it to cover their mouths.  He took one of the operators to the back and later sent for the second one. He shot both of them dead and said that was the only way to cover up our tracks, since the operators already knew me.”

Afterwards, the trio contacted the nurse and they withdrew the money and shared the proceeds.

As at press time, the police said efforts are ongoing to arrest other fleeing members of the gang.

2019 Polls: INEC Replacing Servers Nationwide, PDP Alleges

The main opposition party in Nigeria, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Monday raised the alarm over alleged replacements of servers in all states of the country by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in what it referred as a desperate bid to obliterate the actual results transmitted from the polling centres across the nation in the February 23 Presidential election.

Describing the development as “completely reprehensible,” the party maintained that the move has exposed the culpability of the electoral umpire in the manipulation and rigging of the 2019 presidential election.

 In a statement by PDP spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party accused the commission of doing the bidding of the ruling party APC “after they realised that the servers have information of Atiku Abubakar’s victory at the election.”

The statement further read: “Our party also has details of how the INEC leadership and the Presidency agents procured and detailed computer experts to the commission’s offices to switch the servers, mutilate vital information in the system and attempt to erase all trails of transmitted results to the main server. 

“Moreover, our party has been informed about how the INEC leadership, several weeks after the election, used some compromised officials of the commission to manipulate voter registers in some states by ticking names of individuals who did not participate in the Presidential election, as having voted. This is with the view to using such to cover the fictitious results it wrote for the APC.

“What INEC and the Presidency do not understand is that computer software and applications leave traces, signatures as well as foot mark. Forensic investigation of the system will reveal the real votes transmitted from the polling centres, which show Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the winner of the election.

 “The PDP therefore insists on forensic examination of all relevant documents and equipment used for the Presidential election. Our party will continue to be at alert as we stand with Nigerians to reclaim our stolen mandate at the tribunal and no amount of manipulations by INEC will detract from this national resolve.”

Kachikwu Tasks Judges to be Up-to-date with Current Happening

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, on Monday tasked the judicial arm of government to be up-to-date with the current happenings in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

The minister, while speaking at a two-day workshop organised by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) for Judges in collaboration with the National Judicial Institute (NJI) in Abuja, noted that the workshop represented the federal government's commitment to further assist the judicial arm of government in building capacity and enhancing its competence for an effective and efficient administration of justice as regards the oil and gas sector.

Kachikwu, represented by the Director of Legal Services, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mr. Muhammed Saidu, stated that the Nigerian oil and gas industry is a dynamic one, such that the exploration, production and contraction processes are complex and rapidly changing hence "the need for your lordship to be up-to-date with the current happening of the industry cannot be overemphasised."

According to him, "The responsibility of effective and efficient justice system can only be achieved through training, re-training and by attending workshop of this kind.

"The workshop, which is the second for the members of the Bench, is expected to provide participants with new knowledge and skills, capable of developing and enhancing the Judges’ competencies for speedy dispensation of justice. And as officers of justice, it is expected that you dispense justice in a more effective and judicial manner in line with our judicial guidelines.”

He explained that for many years, the Nigerian oil and gas industry has been operating in a legislations and guidelines which sometimes are not in harmony with the current trends in the industry practice globally.

The minister further disclosed that the  Nigerian oil and gas industry has developed on focusing in increasing indigenous participation in the industry, which is reflected through the federal government initiative of increasing local content and ensuring that indigenous company has a greater part in developing the oil and gas access.

"You will agree with me that there is need for trainings in other to address the lacuna in terms of capacity building. This event will extensively look into major challenges in the Administration of Justice as it relates to the Nigeria oil and gas industry. The workshop will also look into alternative dispute resolution, more particularly, administration in the oil and gas argument," Kachikwu said.

Speaking in similar vein, the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Muhammed, said considering the high-risk, complex operation and gamut of legal issues that would arise from the activities of the different component of the oil and gas sector, there is a need for the Judges to be sufficiently skilled and proficient at all levels of the sector.

Muhammed disclosed that the principal role of the judiciary is adjudication, and "this therefore implies that disputes or controversy must exist before the court can be called upon to adjudicate."

He said: "Consequently, in order to discharge effectively our duties, judicial officers must have the proper grasp of the law and this forum provides us with viable opportunity to achieve same.

The CJN, represented by Justice Dongban M. Mensen, however, said the theme: 'Review of the Legal Instruments Governing The Operations of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry’, underscore the critical role in the development of the oil and gas sector.

Earlier, the Executive Director, PTDF, Dr. Bello Gusau, in his welcome address, stated that currently, the operations of the oil and gas sector is complex and is also constituted by complex relationships of new laws regulations and guidelines, thus, the judicial system should align with the evolving changes in the discharge of their duties.

Gusau said with the evolving laws and procedures regulating the industry, the judicial system as a major stakeholder on legal issues must make laws that correspond with these changes.

Last PDP Lawmaker of Lagos Assembly Defects to APC

The lone Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Dipo Olorunrinu,  has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Olorunrinu, who represented Amuwo-Odofin constituency I, lost his re-election bid to Mojisola Alli-Macaulay, APC candidate, in March 9 state assembly election with just 278 votes.

He, however, vowed not to challenge the result at the election tribunal.

The lawmaker informed the house of his defection on Monday at the plenary through a letter titled: “Letter of Defection from PDP to APC,” and addressed to Mudashiru Obasa, the speaker.

The letter was read by Azeez Sanni, the clerk of the assembly.

“I have been a young progressive-minded person and I have decided to realign with the APC based on moving trend and party to reckon with taking Lagos State to the next level,” the letter read in part.

“I will like to appreciate Mr Speaker for his continuous act of service to my constituency. This explains the magnanimity of Mr Speaker.”

Olorunrinu had earlier said that in 2015, there were eight PDP members in the house but seven defected, adding that, in all sincerity I made bold to say here that, I have never had any regret.

He said he was happy to still find himself in the midst of great administration.

“Sincerely, I said to myself that continuity as a young man in politics is a necessity. I said to myself that I must join the progressives’ party, which is the APC,” he said.

“Permit me to say this in this hallowed chamber that the PDP have been discovered by my humble self, as a party that is not to be reckoned with.

“Not to be reckon with because it is a party that lacks structure, it is a party that lacks visions for Nigeria of tomorrow.

“That’s the more reason why I said to myself that we must start from here and preach the good news of APC. I want to say a very big thank you to Mr Speaker for accepting me.”

Olorunrinu apologised to the speaker for his late defection.

He said he has spoken with his constituents, stakeholders of different cadres on the decision to join the “moving train”.

The speaker welcomed Olorunrinu to APC and commended him for his decision while other APC lawmakers also received the defector into the party.

“I thank you for making the decision at last. We welcome you into our midst as members of APC in the House of Assembly,” he said.

“You have always been part of us save the fact that you refused to dump the leaking umbrella but today you have decided, I welcome you on behalf of our party.

“I want to thank you for lending your voice to what have been our position from quite sometime that the best party in Nigeria today is APC.

“So there is nothing to gain from PDP, for realising this, I congratulate you.

“Distinguished colleagues, we are now 40 members of APC. Thank you for joining us.”

NAN reports that eight PDP lawmakers were elected into the 40-member Lagos assembly in 2015 general elections but seven defected into the ruling party in 2017.

The seven lawmakers that defected from the PDP earlier included Akeem Bello, minority leader representing Amuwo Odofin II; Mosunmola Sangodara, minority whip representing Surulere II and Olusola Sokunle of Oshodi/Isolo I.

Others were Jude Idimogu (Oshodi/Isolo II), Dayo Famakinwa (Ajeromi Ifelodun II), Fatai Oluwa (Ajeromi/Ifelodun I) and Victor Akande (Ojo I).

While six of the lawmakers defected on February 16, 2017, Akande, the seventh, moved on July 10 same year, all citing the achievements of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and the leadership quality of Obasa.

Five of the seven defectors got the party tickets to return to the house and won their re-election while two, Akeem and Famakinwa could not get the party tickets.

The candidates of APC won the entire 40 seats in the house of assembly during the 2019 poll, unlike in 2015 general elections when PDP clinched eight seats.

CULLED FROM THE CABLE

Rivers APC Accepts to Work with Wike For The People

Peace seems to be on its way to Rivers State as the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state on Monday announced its acceptance of the olive branch extended to members of the opposition by the state Governor, Nyesom Wike.

APC disclosed that it had accepted to work with the governor for the overall interest of the state.

Addressing a press conference in Port Harcourt on Monday on behalf of elected and appointed members of APC in Rivers State, the senator representing Rivers East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Andrew Uchendu, said the party believes the governor was sincere in his offer even though they were yet to see evidence of the olive branch.

Uchendu said: "On April 17, 2019, the world woke up to a live broadcast by His Excellency, Nyesom Ezebunwo Wike, CON, Governor, Rivers State in which he extended his hand of fellowship to Rivers people, including all political parties which have been engaged in the struggle for power to guarantee a better life for the people of Rivers State

"About two weeks have passed since this broadcast was made and as stakeholders in the Rivers project, we have waited with bated breath in the hope that we would see deliberate actions arising from that broadcast geared towards rebuilding our state and restoring the dignity of every Rivers person.

"Although we are yet to see indications of any intent in this direction, we are still resolved not to give up. We believe Wike is very sincere in this initiative. It is for this reason that we want to commend Governor Wike’s call for collaboration and peaceful coexistence.

 

"Happily enough, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, in his Easter Message re-echoed Gov. Wike’s position on the fact that Rivers State has suffered enough and that every true son and daughter should be prepared to make the necessary sacrifice for the return of peace in our land. His clarion call we hope is one that should signal the end of politicking and the beginning of governance.

"It is our considered opinion that Rivers people must now become the centre of all politics and governance. We cannot continue to toy with the lives of our people or take them for granted any longer. A key indicator of good governance is the return of peace and security in the state."

The senator advised Wike to borrow from the experience of his predecessor and Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, to tackle insecurity by investing massively in the security sector of the state.

He said: "Thankfully, Governor Wike can draw from the experience of his predecessor, Amaechi, who inherited a state that was plagued by massive insecurity and infrastructural decay but within the first few years of his administration had addressed these challenges and set the state on the path of recovery.

"Then, Governor Wike was the Chief of Staff (CoS) and can attest to the massive investments in men and materials by former Governor Amaechi in the security sector to enable the state gain respite.

"As it stands today, life in Rivers state has become brutish and worthless with kidnapping and killings occurring daily. This is the narrative our reformed Governor must change.

"We can offer some more areas of immediate intervention: revitalisation of the C4i Security architecture of the previous administration; Rehabilitation of sons and daughters that are roaming the streets of foreign lands because of the cancellation or stoppage of their scholarship awards.’

Strike: ASUU Accuses Taraba Govt of Insincerity

 

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Taraba State University chapter, has accused the state government of insincerity and lack of commitment to end the ongoing strike embarked upon by the union.

Addressing a press conference on the institution's campus on Monday, Chairman of the chapter, Dr. Samuel Shikaa, told journalists that the union is disappointed by the failure of the government to take concrete steps towards meeting its demands which have been lingering since 2014.

The strike, according to the chairman, was necessitated by the failure of the state government to honour the agreement it entered with the union in March 2018 for it to suspend the strike it embarked upon in February 2018 contrary to the propaganda being peddled that the strike was due to the deductions in their January and February salaries.

In the Memorandum of Action (MoA) signed on behalf of the state government by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Anthony Jellason, and Commissioner for Education, Johannes Jigem, and dated March 21, 2018, a copy of which was made available to journalists, the state government agreed to implement the agreements in the MoA in order to resolve the issues at stake.

Though it failed to implement the funding of the university via full implementation of law No 4 of Taraba State House of Assembly which stipulates that the institutions would be funded through five percent of state and local government monthly allocation as well as two percent of contracts awarded to contractors and two percent of revenue of hotels, the government however agreed to increase monthly salary allocation from N70million to N100million with effect from March 2018.

One of the agreements the government failed to implement was the security challenges which it promised to address by constructing a perimeter fence round the university and the implementation of the staff pension and gratuity scheme.

The government, according to the ASUU chairman, equally failed to release N10million monthly for the payment of Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) as agreed pending when all the outstanding from 2013/2014 session which has accumulated to over N460million is cleared.

In the same vein, the state government failed to eject non university staff from the university staff quarters which it promised to do once rehabilitation of houses given to staff of the College of Education in Zing is completed.

Shikaa further explained that the union had embarked on several industrial actions to press home its demands and government had always entered into agreements with it refusing to honour them.

He said: "Since 2014, there have been series  of industrial dispute because government has failed to honour agreements reached with ASUU which have to do with  funding,  infrastructural deficit in the school, pension, perimeter fencing of the school and security of staff.

"All we are saying is that the state government should do the needful by showing serious commitment to the issue at hand.”

Meanwhile, Senior Special Assistant to the state governor on Media and Publicity, Bala Dan-Abu, has appealed to ASUU to come to the negotiating table with the government with an opened mind, saying the government is committed to ending the strike.

Larry King Hospitalised After Suffering Heart Attack, Says Report

Larry King is in the ICU after suffering a heart attack last Thursday, TMZ reports.

The pioneering talk show host, 85, reportedly went into cardiac arrest and had a heart attack last Thursday, April 25, while getting ready to go to the hospital to check himself in for an angiogram, because he had been having trouble breathing. TMZ reports that he was then rushed to a local Los Angeles hospital by ambulance, where he underwent an angioplasty. Several stents were inserted into his heart.

The outlet adds that King has been in the cardiac intensive care unit and will likely be released on Monday, April 29.

The former CNN personality had suffered heart attacks on two previous occasions, including one over 30 years ago in 1987. TMZ reports that the he'd been experiencing breathing problems for the past six months, but he hadn't been formally diagnosed with any conditions.

King last appeared at a public event in February.

CULLED FROM YAHOO

Akinlaja: Lawmakers Lack Information on Fuel Subsidy

 

…Says daily consumption of fuel about 40m litres

Former General Secretary of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Hon. Joseph Akinlaja, on Monday said since there is no appropriation for petroleum subsidy in the National Assembly, lawmakers have no information on how much Nigeria is spending on it.

Worried that Nigeria and some other countries still subsidising fuel for domestic consumption have spent about $5.2 trillion globally from 2015 till date on the policy, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) President, Christine Lagarde, had said at the recent World Bank/IMF Spring Meeting in Washington DC, United States, that subsidy removal would help boost revenue and improve local infrastructure development.

But when fielding questions from journalists on the advice, particularly on how much the country is expending on fuel subsidy, Akinlaja, who is the Grand Patron and Technical Consultant to tanker drivers in Nigeria, said he lacked information on how much is being spent on subsidy. 

According to him, “I cannot tell you how much is being paid for subsidy. We know that if the government had come to the parliament to ask for a specific amount, based on our specific consumption for the year for appropriation, we would have known; but if they had not come here, we cannot answer the question. It means that it is only the Nigerian Nation Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the Minister of Petroleum Resources that can answer such question.”

He however said Nigeria subsidises the price of fuel, stating that “as for the issue of subsidy, I believe that there is subsidy that is being paid in whatever name it is called. The executive is the one responsible for supply and distribution of petroleum products in Nigeria. The same executive said petrol especially should be sold for not more than N145 per litre, and the same government, specifically the NNPC, during fuel scarcity last year, said the landing cost was N171.50.

“If oil marketers are instructed not to sell more than N145 and the same government talks about N171.50 as the landing cost, who is paying for the N26.50? Somebody must be paying it. Definitely, it has to be the government.”

According to him, “As Chairman of the Committee on Downstream sector, when we took on the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, what we heard (from them) was 'under recovery.' What is 'under recovery'? Somebody is paying for something. So I concluded in my mind as a knowledgeable person that the N145 per litre is being subsidised.”

On the suggestion by IMF, the lawmaker said: “IMF will talk to us in advisory capacity; they don't run our government for us. It is the government that is supposed to take the decision. But as somebody who has been in the industry for more than 40 years, I believe that the issue of subsidy for petroleum products is outdated.

“Nigeria does not have the discipline to operate subsidy in whatever form. Subsidy is good for agriculture or any other product. I have been in the forefront for more than 20 years fighting against the removal of subsidy, believing that Nigerian Government or the people responsible will be like America, which we copy all the time, which subsidises agriculture.

“For farmers not to be out of business, if they produce in America, there are agencies to buy the produce from the farmers and preserve them, so that the farmer can produce next year. But here, it is the middlemen who are being subsidised in our Nigerian situation.”

While he noted that finding solution to the problem of subsidy would require political will and the understanding of the populace, Akinlaja stated that successive governments have delayed removing subsidy because of the fear of Nigerians who do not trust the leaders.

The lawmaker said: “Do you know that no government will touch subsidy? It’s like hot charcoal; nobody can hold it in his hand for too long. That is what deregulation of petroleum product has turned to. Every government is afraid to do it. Why? There is loss of confidence between the governed and the government.

“Where there is trust-where the people know that if you remove subsidy, you are going to use it for power for everybody within two years, they will follow and support you.”

Contrary to a December 2018 report by the NNPC that Nigerians consumed a total of 479 million litres of petrol from January 2018 to September 2018, representing an average of 53.2 million litres daily for nine months, Akinlaja said following his research, he found out that the country does not consume that much.

“In actual consumption, nobody can put his finger on it because it varies, but if you take the average of a year, then percolate downward to daily, we should not consume more than 34 to 40million litres a day,” he said.