Home Blog Page 2969

Nigeria, U.S Partner On Improved Security

Editorial
-
0
Nigeria, U.S Partner On Improved Security
Acting Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Mohammed Maccido, Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, Ambassador Nolan; Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, US Embassy in Nigeria, Alan Tousignant
Acting Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Mohammed Maccido, Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, Ambassador Nolan; Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, US Embassy in Nigeria, Alan Tousignant

The federal government has expressed its readiness to collaborate with the United States of America on Security Governance Initiative Programme for mutual benefit of both countries.

Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau stated this when he received the United States’ delegation on Security Governance Initiative, SGI, in Abuja.

The minister noted that the focus areas of SGI programme is in line with the administration’s three main focus areas of Good Governance, Transparency/Accountability and Security.

He said that the SGI involves all security agencies in the country, and not limited to agencies under the Ministry’s purview.

Dambazzau added that a steering committee would be set up to over-see and implement the joint action plan that would be drawn up after the deliberations.

Acting Deputy Chief of Mission, US Embassy in Nigeria, Alan Tousignant, who was among the delegation explained that the SGI programme was launched in August 2014 by the Obama administration.

Tousignant said the aim of the programme was to help some African countries, including Nigeria, to identify security challenges, and to assist in managing security outfits to efficiently and effectively deliver security and justice to its citizens.

He added that the United States has identified three priority focus areas to help the country.

These are: enhancing the Ministry of Interior’s nationwide emergency response, planning and coordination; enhancing the Ministry of Defence material needs identification, procurement and acquisition procedures and processes; and enhancing civilian security planning for the Northeast.

Tousignant noted that at the end of the deliberations, a draft copy of a joint-country action plan would be produced, which would outline the road-map for security problems and solutions.

The delegation was optimistic that a lot would be achieved from the exchange of ideas and goals on key issues concerning security, assuring that the partnership would continue after the expiration of President Obama’s administration.

Probing Me Is  A Waste Of Resources – Jang Tells Lalong

Editorial
-
0
Probing Me Is  A Waste Of Resources – Jang Tells Lalong
Former Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang
Former Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang

Former Plateau State governor, Jonah Jang, has described the decision of his successor, Simon Lalong, to probe him, as an exercise in futility and a waste of state resources.

Governor Simon Lalong had on Wednesday inaugurated a six-man panel to scrutinize Jang’s administration which lasted for two tenures.

But the former governor, in a statement by his media aide, Clinton Garuba, said that the exercise was just a waste of time.

Garuba stated that the “Plateau State Government under Simon Lalong continues to waste scarce resources that would have been put to better use for the good of the State on a needless voyage of fantasies and fixation bound for the rocks.

“So much money has been expended in what is now a wild goose chase,” he said.

The statement added that “millions of taxpayers’ money capable of paying workers’ salaries for about two months” has been paid to KPMG to conduct a forensic audit.

Garuba said that the commission of inquiry set up by governor Lalong was the fifth of its kind since he became governor.

“As at the last count, the Judicial Commission of Inquiry is the fifth committee Lalong has constituted, mandated, empowered, and inaugurated to probe the tenure of the former Governor,” the statement said.

“Governor Simon Lalong had recently petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to probe Senator Jonah Jang only to impulsively resort to self-help by constituting the commission of inquiry when his phantom claims and capricious desires were not indulged.”

“Senator Jonah Jang is ever ready to give an account of his time as Governor of Plateau State; he absolutely without equivocation has nothing to hide,” he stated.

Jonathan Under Probe Over Pipeline Bombing

Editorial
-
0
Jonathan Under Probe Over Pipeline Bombing
Goodluck-Jonathan
Former President Goodluck jonathan

The federal government may have launched an investigation into the possible involvement of former President Goodluck Jonathan with the spate of bombings that have crippled the country’s oil industry and affected its power generation capabilities.

The DAILY TRUST reported that a hushed up investigation is already underway to establish the extent of the former President’s involvement in the series of bombings of the country’s oil and gas infrastructure which has reduced the country’s crude oil production.

Both the Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun and the Minister of state for petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu have said that Nigeria’s current crude oil production rate will not be enough to fund the over N6 trillion 2016 budget.

Adeosun had even said that the country is technically in recession.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, had repeatedly alleged that the former President is complicit in the bombing of oil installations, an allegation he denied.

DAILY TRUST sources in the investigations said that suspicion of Jonathan’s involvement with activities of militants in the Niger Delta region “was further strengthened after it emerged that one of the groups that threatened to declare a Niger Delta republic was dissuaded from doing so by Mr Jonathan.”

However, the newspaper said that when it spoke to the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, he said that “he was not aware that the former president was being investigated by security agencies over allegations linking him to the spate of bombings by militants in the Niger Delta region.”

Mohammed however added that “these allegations have refused to go away, and those making the allegations are not backing out. So I will not be surprised if the security agencies show interest in it, but I am not aware.”

The paper said it could not reach Jonathan or his media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, for comment.

But another of Jonathan’s former aides who pleaded anonymity said that the ex-president had earlier this month denied the allegations when it was first made by MEND.

On August 7, Jonathan’s aid, Eze, issued a statement denying the claims by MEND and adding that MEND were after the former president’s life.

Recall that during the campaigns for the 2015 presidential election, ex Niger Delta agitators had at various times threatened to make the country ungovernable if Jonathan lost at the polls.

Read also:

More Nigerians To Benefit From Health Insurance

Editorial
-
0
More Nigerians To Benefit From Health Insurance

NHIS

The National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, is set to expand its coverage to the thirty-six States of the Federation to enable more Nigerians benefit from the scheme.

The NHIS was established under Act 36 of 1999 to provide universal access to healthcare for Nigerians. But more than 16 years after it was established, less than 10 percent of Nigerians have healthcare insurance.

The Executive Secretary of the scheme, Usman Yusuf, gave the indication in Abuja during a courtesy visit on the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC.

Yusuf said the scheme was designed to facilitate access to quality healthcare services for Nigerians and stressed that the rights of the enrollees must be safeguarded.

The Executive Secretary of NHIS solicited for the support and partnership of the NLC to enable the scheme to achieve its objectives.

The NHIS Act requires only federal government employees and private sector businesses with 10 or more employees to register with NHIS.

Unfortunately, the majority of government workers work for state agencies, not federal agencies. Since the law does not apply to them, most don’t opt to join NHIS.

If the NHIS is to increase its coverage, the act may need to be reviewed.

NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, called on the new leadership of the NHIS to sanitize the scheme to make it deliver effective services to Nigerians.

Comrade Wabba said the contributory medical fund deducted from workers’ salaries to drive the scheme was not part of government revenue and should not be remitted into the Treasuring Single Account.

CBN Denies Liquidating Skye Bank

Editorial
-
0
CBN Denies Liquidating Skye Bank
CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele
CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has urged customers and other stakeholders of Skye Bank and the general public to disregard any message saying that the bank has been liquidated.

This is according to a statement by the CBN Acting Director, Communications, Isaac Okorafor.

Okorafor said the rumuors were baseless and malicious.

He said, “The CBN wishes to state, and emphatically so, that it has not liquidated Skye Bank or any other Deposit Money Bank for that matter.

“The bank also wishes to reiterate its earlier assurance that Skye Bank is not in distress and remains a healthy bank in the Nigerian banking system.

“Indeed, the health of the Nigerian banking system remains strong; all banks in Nigeria are safe and depositors have no cause to fear over their deposits.’’

The CBN spokesman stated that Skye Bank had corporate governance challenges which had been resolved by the apex bank CBN.

The CBN had on Monday, July 4 took over the Board and management of Skye Bank Plc after it failed to meet the regulator’s minimum key liquidity and capital adequacy ratios.

Godwin Emefiele, governor of the apex bank announced the appointment of a new board and management for the bank following the resignation of the Chairman, Tunde Ayeni, and Management Director/Chief Executive Officer, Timothy Oguntayo.

Emefiele said the CBN had appointed MK Ahmad as the new chairman, while Tokunbo Abiru is the new MD/CEO.

“I maintain that Skye Bank is not in distress. We have only taken this unavoidable decision to ensure that depositors’ funds are not eroded,” Emefiele had said.

Nigeria To Witness Eclipse On September 1

Editorial
-
0
Nigeria To Witness Eclipse On September 1

annular-eclipse

The National Space Research and Development Agency, NASRDA, has stated that Nigeria will witness an eclipse on Thursday, September 1, less than two weeks away.

A statement signed by Felix Ale, Head of Media and Corporate Communications of the agency, said the eclipse will be visible all over the country with different degrees of totality.

The highest degree of obscurity as a result of the eclipse is expected to be in the Southern part of the country, particularly in Lagos which is expected to have 80% obscurity.

The agency added that the lowest degree of obscurity would be about 45% and this would be observed in the northern part of the country, particularly in Sokoto

“The annular eclipse will be observed as a partial or near total eclipse across the nation with Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, expected to be about 60%”, the statement said.

The statement further stated that the annular eclipse is expected to occur between 7:15am and 10:03am with slight variations in actual timing across the country.

In Lagos, the first contact will occur at about 7:15am while the maximum eclipse will occur around 8:30am and will end by 10:03am, NASRDA said.

“The eclipse is expected to commence in Abuja around 7:17am, with maximum eclipse to be recorded at about 8:32am and the eclipse will end around 10:00am”, the statement added.
It noted that eclipse is not a spiritual issue but a natural occurrence that can be accurately predicted by science.

The agency appealed to the general public not to panic or adduce any mystical interpretations to the event, and advised that nobody should observe the eclipse with naked eyes.

EFCC Rearrests Udenwa

Editorial
-
0
EFCC Rearrests Udenwa
Former Imo State Governor, Achike Udenwa
Former Imo State Governor, Achike Udenwa

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has rearrested former Imo State Governor, Achike Udenwa, over alleged campaign scandal committed during the 2015 presidential election.

The former governor had been enjoying administrative bail but has reportedly failed to meet his bailed condition which included presenting himself to the anti-graft agency whenever needed, thereby necessitating the withdrawal of the bail.

Udenwa, who acted as the Imo State coordinator for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential campaign organization, was accused of collecting the sum of N3.5 million from Nenadi Usman, the then director of finance for the PDP presidential campaign.

In his statement to the EFCC, Udenwa admitted receiving the money in three separate installments from a company named Joint Trust Dimension Limited.

The company had been joined in a money laundering suit by the EFCC before a Federal High Court Lagos, alongside Nenadi Usman and Femi Fani-Kayode, the media director of the PDP presidential campaign.

Achike Udenwa was a governor of Imo State under the flagship of the PDP between 1999 and 2007 and became Minister of Commerce and Industry between 2008 and 2010 under President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

Another Judge Re-Affirms Sheriff’s Sack As PDP Chairman

Editorial
-
0
Another Judge Re-Affirms Sheriff’s Sack As PDP Chairman
Ali Modu-Sheriff
Ali Modu-Sheriff

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Wednesday re-affirmed the sack of Ali Modu Sheriff as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Justice Nwamaka Ogbonnaya, held that an earlier judgment given by Justice Valentine Ashi, which nullified Modu Sheriff’s appointment on June 29, has not been set aside or vacated and is therefore subsisting.

Ogbonnaya ruled that all actions taken by Modu-Sherif are null, void and of no effect since the earlier order of Justice Ashi remains binding

The judge restrained Modu-Sheriff from further parading himself as the National Chairman of the PDP.

Recall that Justice Ashi had in his judgment on June 29, nullified the 2014 PDP Constitution amendment upon which Modu-Sheriff was said to have been appointed as PDP Chairman.

Ashi voided the said amendment on the basis that there was no compliance with mandatory provisions of Article 66 (2) and (3) of the PDP constitution.

“By reason of the above, the purported amendments introduced to the constitution on the aforesaid dates, are hereby set-aside.

“All persons, individuals, servants or agents of PDP parading themselves as national officers of the PDP pursuant to the purported amendment which has now been nullified are hereby restrained from further parading themselves in these capacities “, Justice Ashi said.

However, there had been several other court orders for and against the removal of Modu-Sheriff as PDP chairman and the formation of a caretaker committee led by Ahmed Makarfi.

The latest of the judgments was given by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal high court in Abuja, ordering the Makarfi-led faction of the PDP not to go ahead with its proposed national convention which was scheduled to hold on Wednesday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The Nigeria Police, acting on the order, sealed off the venue for the proposed election, forcing the party delegates to return to the Party’s secretariat in Port Harcourt, where they unanimously agreed to extend Makarfi’s chairmanship of the Caretaker committee by 12 months.

Info Minister Visits Family of Deceased State House Director

Editorial
-
0
Info Minister Visits Family of Deceased State House Director
Lai Mohammed with members of Abuah's family
Lai Mohammed with members of Abuah’s family

The Minister of Information and Culture,  Lai Mohammed, has paid a condolence visit to the family of Justin Abuah, the Director of Information in the state house, who passed on recently.

The minister was accompanied on the visit by top management of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture including Bayo Onanuga, the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria; Emmanuel Agbegir, State House Director of Public Communication; and Peter Dama, the Director, Protocol and Public Relations.

Mohammed described the late Abuah as a dutiful and highly effective worker who spent a greater part of his career in the State House. He appealed to his colleagues to emulate his legacy of service to the nation.

He noted that Abuah’s death was painful but urged the family to put their trust in God and to find consolation in the fact that the deceased left behind a rich legacy.

The minister said to the deceased wife: “After a few days, nobody will come here again but God will remain with you and the children and He will guide you aright and he will provide for your needs.

“Put your faith in God and be strong. God will be with you. You will reap from his (Abuah’s) goodwill.”

Elder brother to the deceased, Arnold Abuah, thanked the Minister and his delegation, on behalf of the family, for identifying with them in their most difficult period.

Abuah, was born on January 29, 1959, and died on Sunday, August 14, 2016, in Abuja after a brief illness.

Lalong Inaugurates Jang’s Probe Panel, Says It’s Not  A Witch Hunt

Editorial
-
0
Lalong Inaugurates Jang’s Probe Panel, Says It’s Not  A Witch Hunt
Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong
Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong

Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, has explained the reason for setting up a judicial commission of inquiry into the administration of former governor, Jonah Jang, saying that it was not a witch hunt.

Governor Lalong gave the explanation while inaugurating the six-man panel in government house, Jos, the Plateau state capital.

He said he was only heeding the “deafening calls” by the people to hold the previous administration accountable to the people.

“It is also not a witch-hunt but a hunt for that which has probably been hidden from our citizens. As a responsible government, we cannot afford to ignore this deafening call, which for all intents and purposes are justified,” Lalong said.

He added that the commission’s report will aid his administration in taking the necessary steps to recover government’s monies and property being withheld by past public office holders in the state.

The governor stated that he will be ready to be probed after his time in office.

He said: “It is the belief of my administration that only after facts are publicly obtained and tested, will the truth be brought to bear on the issues agitating the minds of patriotic Plateau people.”

This will “also serve as a caution and clarion call on political office holders and civil servants as well, to know that we will at the end of our term be called upon to also give account of our stewardship.”

“And by the same parameter with which we assess others, we also are setting the parameter upon which we will be assessed,” Lalong said.

He urged the panel to discharge their responsibilities diligently.

Stephen Adah, chairman of the commission, assured the governor that all parties would be given fair hearing, while also calling on him “to come up with facts and relevant information required for this inquiry.”

Members of the commission include Bibiana Bawa, Aliyu Sangei, Ekoja Ekoja, Simon Agamah, and Sani Yahaya.

The commission has three weeks to submit its report.

Read also:

1...2,9682,9692,970...3,441Page 2,969 of 3,441