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Hope Rises For Suspension Of ASUU Strike

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Hope Rises For Suspension Of ASUU Strike

There is hope and a strong indication that the over four months strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, will soon be called-off.

The indications emerged after a meeting between the executives of ASUU and President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Monday which lasted till the early hours of Tuesday.

Speaking after the meeting, the President of ASUU, Nasiru Isa Fagge, told State House correspondents that a fruitful deliberation with the Nigerian President was held but the outcome would be pronounced after the union’s meeting with its National Executive Council, NEC.

“We have had lengthy meeting with Mr. President, rubbing minds on how best to address the problem of university education in this country. We now have a message from Mr President that we are going to take back to our members, and we are expecting that our members will respond appropriately,” he said.

The minister of labour, Emeka Wogu, on his part confirmed the fruitful nature of the deliberation with the President, but said government is now waiting for the union to come-up with its modalities that would lead to ending the on-going strike.

“We made progress, the President of ASUU told you that they are going back with a message from the Federal Government to their members and the message is full of expectations and hope,” Wogu confirmed.

The academic activities of universities in Nigeria have been grounded close to five months as ASUU downed tools, demanding welfare benefits and the effective funding of the tertiary education sector in the country.

With this effort of government, the universities in Nigeria would be once again open for full academic activities which have been stalled for over for  months.

The meeting had in attendance, Vice President Namadi Sambo; the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC,  Abdulwaheed Omar and the President General of the Trade Union Congress, TUC,  Bobbo Kaigama.

Others there, were the ministers of education and finance Ezenwo Wike and Ngozi Okonji-Iweala.

Finance Reporter Wanted At Quartz

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Finance Reporter Wanted At Quartz

Quartz, a digitally native news outlet for the new global economy, is seeking a finance reporter who will identify and develop her or his own obsessions around the trends affecting the financial industry globally

Journalists with at least three years of experience in business or finance reporting can apply for this position in New York.

The reporter will deliver a mix of feature reporting, scoops and fast-paced blogging on those topics, as well as covering significant day-to-day news made by finance sector companies or their leaders.

The ideal candidate should have at least three years of business/finance reporting/blogging experience, in addition to experience in digital reporting or publishing, and social media experience.

In addition, the candidate should have international experience and foreign language skills.

To apply, click here.

Gov Obi Names State University After Ojukwu

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Gov Obi Names State University After Ojukwu

The Anambra State Government has re-named the state Anambra State University after the Late Chukwuemeka Ojukwu as part of events marking the second year of his death.

Obi announced a N5 billion donation to improve standard of the university, gave a bus each to the student union governments of the two campuses at Igbariam and Uli and two security vans each to each of them.

The governor said the money, which he described as “high impact contributions” of the Anambra government and federal government, would make the institution become one of the best in the country.

Obi said the state government had awarded a N1.3 billion contract for road projects leading to the Igbariam campus of the institution and had also agreed to write off the N500 million debt owed by the institution.

He said the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, was building hostel blocks at the university at a cost of N1.5 billion, stressing that he was working hard to make federal government to assist the institution with some buildings.

Bianca, Ojukwu’s wife, commended Obi for all he had done for the family since the death of her husband and urged the Igbo people to continue to support the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, the political party the late statesman  led till his death “because there lies Igbo aspirations.”

Nasarawa House To Investigate Al-Makura’s Government

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Nasarawa House To Investigate Al-Makura’s Government

By Godwin Ojoshimite

The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has set up a five – man committee to investigate alleged fraud in governor Al-Makura’s government.

The House had on resumption from recess mandated committees to embark on oversight function to various ministries and parastatals in the state.

Speaking on the floor of the Assembly on Monday, Godiya Akwashi, member representing Nasarawa Eggon West and Majority Leader informed the House that about four committees are ready with their report.

The committees, he said, are Public Account, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Capital Market, Commerce and Industry and Health.

Presenting its report, the committee on Public Account chaired by Francis Orugu said the state governor has been indulging in over budget expenditure.

He explained that an organization like the Nasarawa Investment Property Development Company, NIPDC, which was allocated N200 million as at June had spent over N400 million.

He also accused the governor of misappropriating the federal government flood relief funds of N400 million.

According to him, out of the N400 million, the state government made use of N35 million and could not account for the N365 million.

The committee also faulted the governor for the misappropriation of over N3 billion Sure-P funds approved for the state since the programme’s inception.

Orugu explained that only about 932 million naira has been put into proper use leaving the sum of over 2 billion naira unaccounted for.

Also presenting it report, the committee on Capital Market, Commerce and Industry chaired by Ibrahim Moskolo scored the administration of Governor Al-makura low in terms of budget performance.

He said the House approved N200 million for the Nasarawa Urban Development Board, NUDB but the agency has not received any money from the executive arm since the beginning of the budget year.

Also expressing his dissatisfaction on the floor of the House, the chairman committee on Finance and Appropriation, Philip Dunga, said his committee was taken for granted by the accountant general of the state and secretary to the state government.

According to him, the two government officials have refused to release financial statements of their expenditures.

He called on the House do all within its power to summon the two officials for the committee to ask them questions on their agencies.

Reacting to his complaint, the House ordered the clerk to issue a letter to the officials urging them to cooperate with the committee.

Other committees that presented their reports on the floor of the House had similar report of fraud and misappropriation of funds against the government.

At the end of deliberations, the House resolved to set up a five-man ad hoc committee to look into and review all reports submitted by its various committees.

It also mandated the committee to draw up all records of performance under the government of Al-Makura and submit its report to the House on Monday, November 11.

Council Chairman Decries Killing Of 40 In Bama

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Council Chairman Decries Killing Of 40 In Bama

Musdapha Ilo – Maiduguri

The chairman of Bama local government area in Borno State, Shehu Gulumba, has called on the government to deploy more security men to ensure safety of residents in the area following the death of 40 persons in fresh attacks.

The chairman told journalists that gunmen believed to be Boko Haram members attacked and killed 27 people in Gulumba and another 13 at the T-Junction village on Thursday and Saturday respectively.

He said in the process, 300 houses, 20 shops, 204 livestock, 35 motorcycles, 15 cars, 250 sewing machines, 450 bags of cereal and cash estimated at 3.5 million naira were burnt.

The council boss expressed concern that residents were now fleeing the village and that “if nothing is done fast to reassure the people of their security soon the village will be a ghost village.”

Bama has suffered several bloody attacks by the group in their four-year Islamist uprising.

Chanting Crowd Forces Adjournment of Morsi’s Trial In Egypt

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Chanting Crowd Forces Adjournment of Morsi’s Trial In Egypt

The trial of Egypt’s deposed President Mohamed Morsi which commenced on Monday was forced into an adjournment after chants by his Muslim Brotherhood supporters disrupted proceedings.

The trial that was held at Police Academy in eastern New Cairo neighborhood, was suspended twice due to chants by the Muslim Brotherhood supporters who said the trial was illegal.

Morsi, along with the other 14 top Muslim Brotherhood officials, are accused of inciting the violence and murder of protesters outside the presidential palace in December 2012.

Morsi had arrived in the courthouse in the morning in his private clothes as he refused to wear the uniform of the preventive detention.

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It was Morsi’s first public appearance since he was toppled by the military on July 3 in response to nationwide protests against his one-year rule.

He has been held at an undisclosed location after his arrest.

Following the disruptive chanting outside the court house the judge adjourned the trial till December 8.

Taraba State Speaker Is Dead

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Taraba State Speaker Is Dead

The speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly, Haruna Tsokwa is dead.

Tsokwa reportedly took ill last Thursday and was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre in Jalingo, were he died Monday morning.

His corpse was later moved to the Taraba Specialist Hospital.

The late Speaker was among the majority lawmakers in the state House of Assembly, who insisted that the ailing governor, Dambaba Suntai could not resume work after his foreign medical treatment because of his frail state of health and was therefore a staunch supporter of the acting state governor, Garuba Umar, in the on-going battle for the state.

Tsokwa escaped death on September 19, following an ambush by unknown gunmen along the Jos-Abuja road but some of the policemen travelling with him sustained gunshot wounds.

He was expected to lead a delegation of the state Christian community to the yearly pilgrimage in Israel, before his death.

Ozekhome Admits Paying Ransom For Release

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From Jefferson Ibiwale, Benin

Human rights lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, who was kidnapped in August has admitted paying ransom for his release.

Ozekhome made the disclosure during a thanksgiving service at St. Mary Catholic Church, Ivikwe in Edo state.

He said several of his friends, including former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP governorship aspirant in Edo state, Ken Imansuagbon, donated unsparingly to make up the ransom sum.

The lawyer told the congregation that his son and a trusted lawyer in his chambers, delivered the money to his kidnappers at a specified place.

“I then asked my wife to send my son, Ilugbekhai, and one of my most trusted lawyers who is also like my son, to bring the money,” he said.

Recalling his experience at the point of abduction, Ozekhome said: “They showed me a pistol and a bullet. They asked if I knew what it could do. They told me that they will send me to my early grave if my family members failed to raise the huge amount they demanded for my ransom. At that point, I urinated in my knicker.”

The activist lawyer also disclosed that his son and the lawyer, who delivered the ransom, were also abducted and a ransom had to be paid for their release.

He said: “I will now continue to serve God, because if God is with you, no body will be against you. Henceforth, my household will continue to serve God, and will continue helping the needy, especially the widows and helpless in the society.”

Chaotic Bishop of Auchi Diocese, Gabriel Dunia, who officiated at the thanksgiving service, urged the congregation to be thankful to God in everything.

Among dignitaries present at the service were Ken Imasuagbon, the Onogie of Ebele, Aikpaogie I; Andrew Yusuf Dirisu, the Okudepilagbe of Okpella among others.

Ozekhome’s kidnappers had insisted on collecting N100 million before his release and rejected the money offered to them by the family, claiming that he had the capability to pay the named ransom.

Four officers of the Edo Police Command were killed in a gun duel with the kidnappers in a failed attempt to rescue the legal luminary.

UK Stops Plans To Impose £3000 Visa Bond On Nigerians

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UK Stops Plans To Impose £3000 Visa Bond On Nigerians

Britain is halting a plan to force visitors from six commonwealth  countries to pay a cash bond of £3,000 (about 750,000), that would deter people from over staying in the country.

Under the plan, visitors from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nigeria and Ghana seeking a six-month British visa would have been mandated to pay a 3,000 pounds cash bond, refundable when they return before the expiration of their visa.

They will forfeit the money if they overstay in Britain after their visa
has expired.

This plan prompted an outcry from the government of the affected countries, making the UK to halt plans on the discriminatory policy..

The then Nigerian foreign minister, Olugbenga Ashiru, said in June that the bond scheme was “not only discriminatory but also capable of undermining the spirit of the Commonwealth family”.

“The government has been considering whether we pilot a bond scheme that would deter people from overstaying the visa. We have decided not to proceed,” a home office official told the AFP.

The London-based Sunday Times newspaper reported yesterday that the scheme backed by Prime Minister David Cameron’s Conservatives had been blocked by junior coalition partners, the Liberal Democrats.

Army Disputes Casualty Figures In Borno Attack

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Army Disputes Casualty Figures In Borno Attack

Musdapha Ilo – Maiduguri

The Army on Sunday said contrary to media reports, five persons, not 30, were murdered in a most recent attack in Bulakuri, Borno state on a wedding convoy

Spokesman for the Army, Mohammed Dole, a lieutenant colonel, said the report in the media that 30 persons were killed was false and urged journalists to always verify facts before going to press.

“Please be informed that the media report on the alleged killing of 30 persons is false,” he said.

Dole said that the attack was launched on a bus at a village called Bulakuri in Bama, headquarters of Bama local government area of Borno.

“There was actually an attack on a bus at Bulakuri village resulting in the killing five persons and not 30 as indicated in the report,” he said.

According to the Army spokesman, the corpses of the victims are in Bama and not Maiduguri as reported in the media.

The groom was reportedly amongst the victims.

Survivors. Who spoke to journalists, said the groom and well wishers were ambushed on Saturday on their way back to Maiduguri after the wedding ceremony which took place in Michika, a town in Adamawa State.

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