Love Conquers: "I caught my husband cheating on me but I still love him, woman tells court

She begged the court not to grant her husband’s wish for the dissolution of the marriage, claiming that she was still in love with him.

A 40-year-old trader, Mrs Folake Alimi, on Wednesday told an Igando Customary Court in Lagos that  she caught her husband making love to a girl on their matrimonial bed.

The woman said this  while responding to a divorce suit filed by her husband whom she accused of cheating on her.

“I came home unannounced and I caught my husband making love to a girl;  he jumped up when he noticed my presence.

“I also saw him with a woman in a hotel near our house when I went to buy food.

“He begged me not to expose him because of his position in the church and I kept it a secret,” she said.

The respondent said her husband was always jealous and had  often  accused her of dating every man he saw her with.

“My husband stopped me from working  claiming men are dating me,” she said.

The mother of four said that what used to cause  their frequent fights  was his penchant for buying  things for the children of his first wife and ignoring her own.

She begged the court not to grant her husband’s wish for the dissolution of  the marriage, claiming  that she was still in love with him.

Her husband, Joseph, had approached the court seeking to end his 11-year-old marriage over  his  wife’s alleged   infidelity.

“My wife is cheating on me, she receives calls from men at odd hours,” he said.

The petitioner accused his wife of going out and returning at will.

“My wife abandoned me and the children for one year for an  unknown destination; she came back and left for another seven months.

“She was always going  to  parties and spending  days before coming back,” the estranged husband said.

The 47-year-old businessman said that his wife’s son from another father, in company with  a gang, attacked him in his church with cutlass, rods and other dangerous weapons.

“My step-son that I trained came to my church with his gang in order to beat me up  because I beat his mother,” he said.

He urged the court to terminate the marriage, saying  he  was no longer in love with his wife.

The President of the court, Mr Adegboyega Omilola, adjourned the case till June 28 for further hearing.

Sad Case: Brother-in-law’s brutality crashes 11-Yr-Old marriage

The petitioner, Mrs Kafilat Usman, has approached the court to dissolve her marriage, citing constant battering by her husband’s brother.

After 11 years, an Igando Customary Court sitting in Lagos on Wednesday dissolved the marriage between Mrs Kafila Usman and her husband, Sheu, over her brother-in-law’s constant beatings.

The court president, Mr Adegboyega Omilola, in his judgment, said that it was obvious from available testimony and the respondent’s refusal to appear in court, that the marriage had hit the rocks.

“Throughout the duration of this case, the respondent refused to honour court processes.

“Therefore, the court has no other choice than to dissolve the marriage.

“The marriage between Mrs Kafilat Usman and Mr Sheu Usman is hereby dissolved today.

“Both parties are no longer husband and wife; both are free to go their separate ways without any hindrances and molestation,’’ Omilola said.

The petitioner, Mrs Kafilat Usman, has approached the court to dissolve her marriage, citing constant battering by her husband’s brother.

“My brother-in-law has turned me into a punching bag. He beats me at the slightest excuse.

“There is nobody in the house to rescue me from him because only the two of us are living in the house my husband built,’’ the mother of two, who also accused her husband of abandonment, told the court.

She said: “My husband abandoned me to his 27-year-old brother about two years ago, relocated to Abuja and married another woman.

“His brother has been brutalising me; there was a day he beat me to the point that I was hospitalised.

“I asked my husband to either get an apartment for his brother or look for an alternative accommodation for my children and I in Lagos; or better still, relocate us to Abuja, but he refused.

“My brother-in-law has been bringing his gang to the house to smoke and drink.

“In fact, I am no longer comfortable as they can harm me one day,’’ the estranged wife said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the husband refused to appear in court after several summons.

Kafilat also accused the husband of failing to take care of her and the children since he relocated to Abuja.

“I have been feeding them and paying their school fees,’’ said Kafilat, who pleaded with the court to terminate the marriage. 

Konji Wahala: 18-Yr-Old marriage shatters over sex starvation

Mrs Helen had approached the court to end her 18-year-old marriage to her husband, Godwin over abandonment and sex starvation.

For sexually starving his wife, a 68-year-old businessman, Mr Godwin Otike, on Wednesday had his 18-year-old marriage dissolved by an Igando Customary Court in Lagos.

Mrs Helen had approached the court to end her 18-year-old marriage to her husband, Godwin over abandonment and sex starvation.

The 50-year-old businesswoman said her husband refused to make love to her.

“My husband, who built a five-bedroom duplex in Lagos, abandoned me alone in the house and travelled to Abuja for greener pastures.

“But even whenever he comes home, he would refuse to sleep with me.

“He will enter his room and lock it from the inside. I will knock severally but he will not open and after some days, he will travel again.

“It is unfortunate, I have wasted my years with him, without a child. I am 50-years-old now, where do I start from?’’ she said.

The petitioner said that whenever her husband returns from Abuja, he would not come home and always refused to pick her calls.

“Whenever I call him, he always told me that he will call back, which he never did.

“On two occasions when I travelled to Abuja to look for him, I was able to locate where he is working but he refused to take me to his house.

“It was later I heard that he had married another woman in Abuja who had children for him.’’ the estranged wife further said.

Helen said she discovered, after their marriage, that her husband had three wives with children, without her knowledge.

“He had wives and children without my knowledge.

“When I wanted to quit the marriage, he begged me and I accepted his plea but not quite long again, he impregnated another woman.

“I don’t know why he does not want me to have a child but he has children with other women.’’

She also accused her husband of stealing her N500,000 when she took her brother to India for a kidney transplant.

“I kept N500,000 in my wardrobe so that I can have something to spend when I return.

“But when I came back, my husband had stolen the money.’’

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the petitioner returned the N120.00 dowry back to the respondent, through the court.

However, Otike in his defence, denied stealing his wife’s N500,000, claiming that he used the money for prayers.

“When my wife took her brother abroad for the kidney transplant, I used part of the money to settle the pastors that were praying for the success of the transplant.

“I also used part of the money for transportation to churches for prayers,’’ he said.

The respondent said he stopped making love to his wife when he heard that her mother was behind his predicaments.

“My mother told me that my mother-in-law was responsible for my downfall and I believed because my health and businesses were booming until I married her.

“When my mother-in-law was invited to say what she knows about my businesses and health, she refused to come.

“Because of that, I stopped any intimacy with her and that also made me abandon her in my house and I relocated to Abuja to start a new life.’’

The respondent urged the court not to grant his wife’s wish for dissolution because he was still in love with her.

The Court President, Mr Adegboyega Omilola, while delivering the judgment, said the petitioner was adamant, despite all mediation from the court and family intervention.

“Since the petitioner insisted on divorce after several interventions, the court has no choice than to dissolve the union, in spite of the claim by Otike that he still loved his wife.

“The court pronounced the marriage between Mrs Helen Otike and Mr Godwin Otike dissolved today.

“Both parties, henceforth cease to be husband and wife.

“Both are free to go their separate ways without any hindrances and molestation,’’ Omilola ruled. 

Preparing security/collateral for bank loan (9): Cash Security/Letter Of Set-off

By Emeka Anaeto

LAST week we focused this series on Guarantees or Surety where a third party signs up to repay the loan in the event that the borrower fails to or couldn’t repay. I can always go online to read up the eight previous editions. In this edition we move on to use of cash as security for a business loan.

Security for a business loan

Most banks treat cash as the best type of security for loans probably because there are no obvious problems of valuation, depreciation and realization in case of default.

There are two ways by which cash could be held as security; 1.) Where the customer uses the credit balances in an account as security for a short term credit facility (an overdraft), and 2.) When cash is deposited by a third party, e.g. guarantor, expressly to secure the debt of the customer, e.g. the principal debtor.

Note that when cash is used as security the borrower would need to maintain two or more accounts (whether current, savings or deposit or any other account).  One of them will have to be in credit usually savings or deposit account while the other will be in debit which means it is the latter that incurred the loan liability. The former is then used to secure or as security for the latter. Needless to say that the amount in credit in the former account should always be in excess of the amount outstanding in debit in the latter account.

In cash security, the borrower would enter into a written agreement with the bank stating the terms of the transactions.   The written agreement can also be referred to as a Letter of Set-off.  In other words a Letter of Set-off is a written agreement through which a bank obtains a borrower’s consent to seize his or her deposit(s) for non-payment of a loan or other obligations, or to offset credit balance of one account with the debit balance of another. It is also called lien letter. In the event of the borrowing account (the latter account) falling short of required inflow within the period set out in the Letter of Set-Off the bank would automatically debit the former account with the required balance amount and credit itself as loan repayment transaction.

 

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Library, best tool for enlightenment — Mr Conde

By Elizabeth Uwandu

EXECUTIVE Director, Pyramid Education Advancement Foundation, PEA, Mr. Adedapo Conde has said that the best way to liberate and remove darkness in the lives of lcitizens of ocal community was to equip them with books and a conducive environment for learning. He said this at the launch of Agbado Ijaiye Primary School library donated by his foundation.

Mr. Conde noted that the library built with support from small world and Bambini schools, and sponsored by Chemstar Paints Industry, makers of Finecoat paints; among other things was to give the 3125 pupils of Agbado Primary School 1 and 11 a tool to better position themselves among their counterparts from affluent environments and also be sound in education and knowledge.

His words: ”PEA Foundation’s decision to set-up a library in Agbado Ijaiye Primary School was based on the potential impact of the project in ensuring that children from economically disadvantaged background are able to access quality books as well as have a conducive and inspiring environment to read. We believe that these factors will enable them to develop a healthy reading culture – which will improve their vocabulary, knowledge and understanding of the world and subsequently better position them for success in life.”

The founder of the NGO added that its dream to set up libraries in undeserving communities and in public schools inspired the building of two libraries at Ojokoro community and in Ijaiye Ojokoro Senior High School.

“Over the years, at least 6,500 people have benefited from our activities directly while the whole Ojokoro Community and its environs (with a population of 300,000 people) has benefited from our activities indirectly. Our objective is to set-up libraries in undeserved communities as well as public (primary and secondary) schools. We also mentor young people through our various programs such as the book reading club, periodic career and life skills seminars, quiz competitions and also our volunteering scheme. “ added Mr Conde.

Mrs Bunmi Oteju, Director, Lagos Co-Curricular who commissioned the library on behalf of Hon. Ganiyu Sopeyin, Executive Chairman, Lagos State Universal Basis   Education Board SUBEB,   while commending PEA for peculiar provisions it made for the pupils especially Nursery children to learn in a conducive environment called on the head teachers of the schools to ensure that the library was maintained and that children are monitored.

 

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How we learned modern fish processing without being smoked – Makoko Youths

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LSETF, UNDP seal $4m deal on employability project

By Yinka Kolawole

THE Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), yesterday, in Lagos, signed a $4 million partnership agreement with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for the Lagos State Employability Support Project.

Under this partnership, LSETF will provide $3 million while UNDP will bring to the table $1 million in addition to providing expert advice and training support. The partnership deal is a follow-up to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Lagos State Government and UNDP in January 2017, which was facilitated by LSETF.

Speaking shortly before signing the agreement, Executive Secretary, LSETF, Mr. Akin Oyebode, said the deal was a major step in solving what is a major barrier towards investment and towards helping business skills. “We are signing this partnership with UNDP which will help us improve the outcome of employability across certain critical sectors in Lagos.

Financial partners

We are proud to have the UNDP as technical and financial partners to our employability programme which we have designed for the benefit of thousands of unemployed youths in Lagos State. With this support from UNDP, we have received the needed boost in the actualisation of the Fund’s Employability Programme, which will address the twin issues of capacity building for our youths as well as the provision of employment opportunities for them.

“Indeed, the LSETF’s Employability Programme seeks to change the current challenge of ‘non-availability of employable (skilled) workers to meet the Lagos state public/private sector demand. Through this partnership, UNDP and LSETF will expand employment opportunities for youths by upgrading the quality of teaching skills and the curriculum of technical colleges and vocational centers in line with the local demand needs: Provide training in relevant sectors for which skilled and employable youths meet local labour demand and ensure job matching and skilled promotion for trained beneficiaries.

The project will improve the quality of vocational training programmes for the manufacturing, health care, construction, entertainment, tourism and hospitality sectors, upgrade training content to make the labour force technically more competent, strengthen vocational instructor training and improve the capabilities of the participating technical colleges and vocational training centers (VTCs) to plan and manage the training programmes”.

Also commenting, UNDP’s Deputy Country Director, Programme, Ms. Mandisa Mashologu, stated: “Our expectation is that this partnership will serve as a model of how Nigeria can address the employment issue and hope that we can document our key results and translate to other states. The UNDP/LSETF partnership on Employability Support will serve as a model to demonstrate how unemployment can be reduced by addressing key labour supply shortcomings through committed partnership between the public/private sectors and a development agency. The project approach will benefit from UNDP’s global experience and expertise in youth employment programmes across the world.”

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Entrepreneurial thinking the way out for Nigeria

By Peter Osalor

THE future is littered with uncertainty, and so are all of our lives’ endeavours.There is one thing we can do to add a bit of certainty to it. We can know a trade or skill that will never diminish in need. This analysis affected the whole world and Nigeria in particular.

The world stock market crashed, big corporation closed down, unemployment rose, jobs that were supposed to be secured for life disappeared, and careers started crumpling, price of oil collapsed from 140 to 45 dollars per barrel, youth unemployment rose up , youth restiveness everywhere even in the Arab world, the Arab spring.

We are now faced with realities where there is no job waiting for you, if you need a job you create it. ILO predicts the global market will continue to deteriorate in coming years and says a slowdown in economic growth means more jobs will be lost this year with young people bearing the brunt. ILO director general said more 61 million jobs have been lost since the start of the global crisis and projection shows that unemployment will continue to rise until the end of the decade, by 2019 more than 212 million people will be out of work.

This means you should be thinking of creating your jobs now. The world has no shortage of capital or natural resources and the demand is there because the population is increasing. The problem is human capital, talents, skills, critical thinking and creativity is what is needed now not academic certificate.

Lifelong learning

For you to develop your skills, identify needs and fill the gap. In simple term create your own jobs and be entrepreneurial in your thinking. No short cut.

At the same time over 40% of employers need employees while over 200 million are unemployed. Why the Education is disconnected with the labour market.

You have to be trained and retrained, and acquire new skills. We are in the era of lifelong learning, continuous education but not the type the traditional universities are producing. The educationist must meet with the business leaders to bridge this gap.

You should be thinking of either quitting a boring job you are stuck with because of fear and if you have no job after searching for years fine don’t lose any sleep just be ready to reinvent you self. Job security is gone forever. Don’t wait to be made redundant just decide to move on to a more life fulfilling level.

BE your own boss: Greater control to take decisions that will affect the future of your family and your business.

You have flexible working hour.

* Opened career progression

* Diverse learning experiences

* Greater sense of satisfaction

* High motivation and morale

* Enhanced business networking

* Employment protection

* Ability to retire sooner and pass your business to your children

But it takes a lot of your time, risk of failing is there but commitment and continuity will make you succeed. Entrepreneurship is the answer and the place to be with present economic situation facing Nigeria and the world.

Be prepared: Planning, Retraining and Skills Acquisition.

This is a major step in your life, deciding that you want to be your own boss. It is not going to be easy. Even taking the decision alone might be scary but in spite of your fears, decide YES I CAN. This means you are bold. Once you decide there is no turning back, forward ever, backward never. Allan Sugar said you cannot start your own business then after some time you change your mind and seek for employment.

You cannot because you will no more fit in.  Taking a decision and abiding by your decision is difficult but it is one of the traits of great men and achievers. This is what differentiates the boys from the men. Living your own dreams not your fears.

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N423bn expenditure: FEC approves audit report on N-Delta Ministry

ABUJA—The Federal Government has approved the technical audit report on the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, showing that it spent N423 billion from 2009 when it was created to 2015.

However, the project execution rate by the ministry was only 12 per cent, an official said.

Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Usani, made these known after the Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting in Abuja, yesterday

Usani added that the meeting also resolved to make those who misapplied the funds face the consequences.

He said: “Today, we received approval of the project technical audit report, which was carried out by the ministry in investigating all contracts awarded and projects and programmes carried out in the ministry since the inception of the ministry from 2009 to 2015.

“The revealing content of the report shows that over N423 billion had been expended in the region by the ministry alone, not other intervening agencies, from 2009 to 2015.

“From this amount project execution rate has been at 12 per cent with an average completion rate of a project standing at five years and the impact rate is eight per cent.”

Mr. Usani said the ministry had sought approval from council to have the recommendations of the report conveyed to the legitimate agencies charged with the responsibilities of recovering government asset.

He said the recovery was for asset that were misappropriated, misused or found to be idling in some quarters.

He said: “With this it means all those who have accessed government’s resources for one purpose or another must be compelled to make adequate use of same.”

“Otherwise they will face the recommendations that go with such violations and that is our position concerning that report and we have got council approval for that,” he said.

According to the minister, the report indicated that about 60 per cent of the N700 billion appropriated for contracts in the region had been paid out to the contractors which recorded low execution of the jobs.

“To find that N423 billion had been expended in the region with the type of results we see shows that there is something tangibly and obviously wrong with how procurement had been carried out in the ministry.”

The minister added that the number of projects awarded during the period was 427 but there was no uniform action by contractors.

He said the action to be taken would vary according to measure of liabilities.

He said some would be asked to return to site while others would be made to refund money for their display of criminal intent of collecting money without appearing at site at all.

The Information minister Lai Mohammed said the 2017 budget was being reconciled with the minister of budget and national planning.

He further said that President Muhammadu Buhari “is in very competent hands; there is no cause for alarm.”

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13% illiterate Lagosians not acceptable —Ambode

Students seek foreign admission for lack of spaces in varsities — Stakeholders

By Kelechukwu Iruoma

STAKEHOLDERS have  said that the lack of admission space and quality research work in Nigerian universities have been the  major reasons parents choose foreign institutions for their wards. In her submission, Mr Rose Omonobi, of Nubi Education and services limited pointed out that the 1.7m registered JAMB candidates struggling for 850,000 admission spaces in Nigerian tertiary institutions was a food for thought.

Speaking at an Education Fair in Lagos, Omonobi said: ‘’We do not have enough universities to absorb our students. Many people who pass out from the secondary schools every year have problems gaining admission through JAMB. ‘’It  is not that our students are not intelligent or they could not pass the examination, it is because the system is bad. Not that I find it interesting sending people abroad to study. We have to make Nigeria worthwhile for our students.”

She added that if our graduates will compete favourably globally, the government has to sit up to do something about our universities, adding that our universities are being run like secondary schools. ‘’The facilities are poor and the lecturers are not  well paid and they turned the students to Automated Teller Machine, ATM, selling handouts and other things,” she said.

She insisted that the government has to devout more funds on research in various universities, adding, ‘’that is why it is a university.”She explained that some of the big universities abroad prefer to take people from federal universities, saying that university is not just a classroom thing, it has a lot to do with research. On getting admission abroad, the consultant said nothing has changed, stressing that the  only thing that has changed is that it is becoming difficult for people to afford oversee studies due to the exchange rates and different policies.

Meanwhile, Ayomikun Akinwumi, a graduate of Medical Laboratory Science from the University of Lagos, who is seeking admission to study Medical Microbiology in one of the foreign universities said: ‘’It is more convenient studying abroad. I studied in Nigeria and I know how you will have to chase the lecturers up and down. When you go for lectures, there will not be light, lecturers will not come for lectures. ‘’There is also no fairness in grading students. Even though you do well, some lecturers will just want to punish you. What you were not taught is what you see during examination. The lecturers abroad are willing to talk to you but here in Nigeria, you look for lecturers anyhow.

”When you compare what the lecturers teach oversees and what ours do here, you will find out that it is copy and paste that many of our lecturers do. There are some of our lecturers that need to be retired but because of politics, they are still in the academic system teaching.  We are just lucky that we have better parents who are ready to send us out to get a better education. I planned to study public health.”

For  Funmilayo, who had her First Degree at Madonna University said: ‘’Foreign universities have more facilities to improve my education in Masters level. ‘’I had my first degree here and doing my masters will open my eyes more. I will be able to make use of what they do not have here in Nigeria and then come back after my masters to offer my services.

‘’We do not have the opportunity to work here after graduation unlike oversees. That is what Nigeria lacks. Over there, you can work and be able to cope with your education.

‘’The quality education is missing as far as Nigeria educational system is concerned. It is what people are yearning for. That is why parents who can afford it are sending their children to school.

Another is the number of years spent in school. In Nigeria, when you are offered admission, you are not quite sure how long you will spend in the school. There is strike everywhere. The four years will have an additional one or two years.

If I get a degree anywhere abroad, the company in Nigeria will employ me not as a Nigerian but as  an expatriate.”

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Nigerian journalists under governors’ bondage — RSF

Reporters Without Borders, RSF, has raised concern over the violence against journalists in Nigeria in the past 18 months and reminded the Federal Government of its obligations regarding media freedom, including ensuring that state governors had respect for people of the pen profession.

RSF said in a statement issued yesterday:  “Since the start of 2016, RSF has registered more than 70 cases of violence against journalists and media outlets in the course of their work in Nigeria. Last week’s demolition of Breeze FM in Abuja, the federal capital, is just one example of the climate of violence and instability to which journalists are exposed.

“The station, which began broadcasting last February, was torn down in a single day, 20 May, on the grounds that it had been issued a permit to operate in a residential area by mistake. Journalists were unable to cover its demolition because the police shot in the air to disperse protesters.’’

Quoting the FM Director of Breeze, Nawani Aboki, RSF stated:  “Due process was not followed; this demolition was carried out because I don’t belong to the same political party as the governor. He is afraid that the station might not support his political ambition. Part of the reasons is that the station aired a report on the ongoing labour strike in the state (Nasarawa).”

“The station broadcasted a debate on 1 May in which guests criticized the delay in paying salaries to employees of the state government in Nasarawa.

“The summary methods used to silence this radio station are unacceptable and are part of a generalized climate of violence towards the media in Nigeria.’’

Reacting further, RSF Editor-in-Chief, Virginie Dangles, said:  “We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to follow through on his statements of support for the media by reining in the state governors and state governments responsible for this kind of violation.

“This was not Nasarawa governor Umaru Al-Makura’s first attack on the media. Several journalists have been targeted.

Punch newspapers correspondent Umar Muhammed and Rabiu Omaku of the Universal Reporters news website, were ejected from Nasarawa Government House last September and were forbidden to return because of articles critical of the governor. In November, they were banned from covering Nasarawa government activities “for life.

“Such arbitrary actions are unfortunately typical of what journalists experience in Nigeria. The wide-ranging autonomy and political weight of governors in their own state guarantee them almost complete impunity in their treatment of the local media, hence the profusion of more or less official measure designed to silence critics.

“The states that are the leading media freedom violators are the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja) in the centre of the country (with 16 cases since the start of 2016), Lagos in the South West (9), Bayelsa in the south (4), and Rivers in the southeast (4). Cases of violence against journalists and violations of the freedom to inform were registered in 24 of Nigeria’s 36 states.

“Bans on access to public information are the leading category of media freedom violation although Nigeria adopted a Freedom of Information Act with great fanfare in 2011.

“Since the start of 2016, at least 39 journalists have been arbitrarily prevented from doing their work because they were denied access to a trial, press conference, senate debate or other activity that they were nonetheless accredited to cover.

“Just weeks ago, on  May 7, Abuja presidential palace correspondents were turned away when President Buhari received the 82 Chibok schoolgirls who had just been released by Boko Haram. The only media allowed to cover the event were state media such as Nigeria Television Authority and Voice of Nigeria, VON, whose bosses are appointed by the federal government.

“Regardless of the federal government’s obligations, journalists are often targeted by the police, army or State Security Service, SSS, and usually with complete impunity. Journalists often pay a high price for catching them in the act of corruption or using violence against civilians.

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‘Outsourcing can generate more jobs in Nigeria’

By Prince Okafor

ASSOCIATION of Outsourcing Professionals of Nigeria, AOPN, has said that outsourcing will help the federal government create jobs for the nation, advising that Nigeria should copy from other nations to make the country an investment destination.

Outsourcing as a management practice is the transfer of job responsibility from an organisation, or from a part of the industry to individuals or entities outside the organization or industry. It is a modern management practice that has gained worldwide traction.

In a chat with Vanguard, the President of AOPN, Dr. Austin Nweze, said that outsourcing is one option which government can resort to in creating jobs. He stated: “Countries like Mauritius, The Philippines, India have been able to use outsourcing to strengthen their economies.”

According to the managing director and chief executive officer, Whytecleon, Mrs. Nereti Adebayo, who is also the chairman of the 2017 Outsourcing Planning Committee, “We are putting round peg in a square hole. We are missing it, which is why it’s difficult for us to develop competences in the country”

She stated: “It is only in this country that I know that non professionals will be made heads of parastatals, ministries. How do you pick a non agriculturist to head the agricultural ministry, or a non-aviation expert to be minister for aviation? “This is a major problem we have in the country, so how do you develop competency in those fields, it becomes really difficult, because even the person at the helm of the affair would have little or no knowledge about that industry and the same person would have been more useful in another ministry aligned to the profession he belongs to.”

The AOPN is set to hold its 2017 Outsourcing Expo next week in Lagos where industry executives would be addressing the theme: ‘Setting global standard for outsourcing in Nigeria’. The Expo would be addressed by Mr Wole Oshin, Group Managing Director of Custodian & Allied Insurance Plc, as the keynote speaker with Opeyemi Agbaje, Chief Executive of RTC Advisory Services Limited and Mr Kolawole Oyeyemi, General Manger, Consumer Marketing at MTN Nigeria among other industry chieftains as Guest Speakers.

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Rights group honours Ned Nwoko

Human Rights Writers  Association of Nigeria has honoured a former federal lawmaker, Prince Ned  Nwoko, for sponsoring bills that promote human rights,  including the  National Public Funds Recovery and Reward bill that gave birth to the whistle blowing policy in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.

The group also listed other notable legislations Nwoko initiated which it said, “Have helped in the  promotion of good governance and protection of the human rights of Nigerians. “

A statement by  HURIWA’s Senior Programme Manager, Mrs. Ogom  Kifordu, said: “We have singled out Prince Nwoko with pride for the volume and quality of the bills he sponsored which have made a positive impact on good governance in Nigeria.”

It said Nwoko was nominated in the  category of Good Governance and was voted for through public acclamation, adding that he (Nwoko) sponsored over 22 bills among which were NYSC reform bill,  the National Disabled People bill,  the Compulsory Vehicle Road Worthiness test, Prohibition of Corporal Punishment bill, among others.

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Sultan slams NYSC for opening orientation camps during Ramadan

The Jama’atu Nasril Islam, JNI, has “condemned in strongest terms” the decision of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, to continue with its orientation camps for fresh graduates across the country despite the Ramadan fast.

The body, led by Abubakar Sa’ad, the Sultan of Sokoto, also called on the Nigerian Army to immediately postpone its planned recruitment exercise until Muslims have concluded their fasting period.

The decision was part of resolutions, which included fervent prayers for President Muhammadu Buhari, reached by JNI at its recently-concluded annual central council meeting in Kaduna, which held on May 21 and 22.

The organisation said NYSC admitting new entrants into orientation camps and the Nigerian Army conducting recruitment exercise during Ramadan would put Muslim faithful, especially those observing fasting and prayers, at a disadvantage.

It said: “This is because the prospective corps members would be at disadvantage to their faith and other camp activities.

“The council also calls on the authority of the Nigerian Army to postpone the intended recruitment exercise until after Ramadan to avoid putting prospective candidates at a disadvantage.”

The JNI called on the NYSC to honour a previous agreement entered by the two parties for camp activities to be placed on hold during Ramadan.

At press time yesterday, the spokespersons for the Nigerian Army and NYSC had neither returned calls nor replied text messages to their respective lines.

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Kwara plans 5-year tax relief for small businesses

KWARA State government is set to commence a five-year tax relief regime for small business owners in the state. This follows a directive given by Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed to the State’s revenue service to put in motion the tax relief regime as part of the government’s effort to boost entrepreneurship and eradicate poverty in the State.

A statement released by Wahab Oba, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, quoted the governor as saying the five-year tax relief regime is aimed at facilitating economic growth and development of the State, at a lecture to mark the 50th anniversary of the State in Ilorin.

Ahmed directed Chairman of the State Internal Revenue Service to coordinate the process of the tax holiday, the statement said.

He said State has not introduced fresh taxes but only succeeded in blocking leakages in the system through effective management of the collection processes, adding that “our business is not to kill your business but to grow your business.”

The guest speaker at the occasion and former Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Dr. Sarah Alade, advised the State government to design an economic blue print that would strategically reposition the State for economic prosperity.

In her paper titled ‘Socio-Economic Development of Kwara State: An Agenda for the future,’ Alade noted that Kwara State has the lowest unemployment rate in the country and should never be among the poorest. She, therefore, urged the government to step up its Public-Private Partnership concept.

On his part, the Chairman of the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service, Murtala Awodun, stressed the need for tax holiday for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) if the State must open up for economic growth and development. He noted that report has it that more than 70 per cent of small businesses die within the first five years of their existence.

“He therefore, called for tax waivers of five years for small businesses with a view to creating economic prosperity in the state,” the statement added.

 

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Coaching imperative for business success —International Coach Federation

By Princewill Ekwujuru

PRESIDENT, International Coach Federation (ICF), Nigeria Chapter, Ajibola  Ponnle, has called on public and private sector executives in Nigeria to key into benefits of coaching in order to optimise the human capital of the country.

Ponnle made the call during a conference organised by the ICF chapter in Lagos, in commemoration of the 2017 International Coaches Week. In  her keynote address, she lamented the rate of misconception about coaching in Nigeria. According to her, coaching helps unlock potentials needed for development, but Nigeria seems not to be moving with the ongoing silent global revolution.

“In our environment, people are still very confused about what coaching is. When you talk about coach, they think of a football or athletics coach. But we tell people that we are life, executive and leadership coach. There’s still a lot of misconception about what it is and what we do. So the aim is to tell people about what coaching is and how it can help their organisations to increase their bottom line and even individuals to perform better and live more satisfied lives in general,” she stated.

Speaking on the benefits of coaching, she explained that coaching is a global trend and is being deployed in every sector of the economy around the globe. She stated that if well embraced it will help develop sectors of the Nigerian economy.

“For Nigeria right now, the focus is on entrepreneurship, agriculture, SMEs. The federal government has identified these sectors as the drivers of the economy. What you find out with a lot of entrepreneurs is that they have the vision and idea, many of them lack the skills and someone that would help channel the skills, and also make them accountable.

Having a coach with small businesses would help the company stay focused on the targets. It would help achieve the business objectives. Coaches really work in every sector. We have professional, life, corporate and leadership coaches. The key is that for whatever goal you set, we help develop the strategies to achieve them,” she noted.

Ponnle added that coaching will also be invaluable in the public sector as it would keep officials on their toes and make them accountable. ‘‘The richest man in the world, Bill Gates said everyone needs a coach. It means that there’s real value to coaching in getting people to where they need to be,” she stated.

 

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FG probes N700bn N-Delta projects under Yar’Adua/Jonathan administration

Amend constitution to devolve more powers to states, make centre less attractive — Abubakar

Ayade visits Akim Police Station, angry over destruction

Sit-at-home: Massive discontent, elite hypocrisy fuelling Biafra agitation

We didn’t conduct ‘assessment poll’ on Buhari’s administration — APC

By Omeiza Ajayi

ABUJA— The All Progressives Congress, APC, has dissociated itself from an online opinion survey on the second anniversary of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

“For the records, the APC has not conducted or authorised any assessment poll on the President Buhari administration. The media and indeed the general public are advised to ignore the questionable poll,” said party spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi, in a statement.

Using the twitter handle, @APCNigeria, the survey had sought the opinion of Nigerians on the successes or otherwise of the Buari administration.

“Two years on: What’s your assessment of the APC-led administration in Nigeria? Kindly vote and RT,” the party had purportedly asked Nigerians, providing four options; Poor, Average, Excellent and Indifferent.

The online poll recorded 14, 532 votes with 54 per cent of the respondents rating the administration poor; 33 percent rated the administration as average, while 10 percent voted for excellent. Three per cent of the respondents were indifferent.

However, in the statement issued yesterday in Abuja, APC said: “The twitter handle, ‘@APCNigeria’ with which the so-called ‘assessment poll’ was purportedly conducted is not the official twitter account of the APC.

“Unfortunately, media organisations that published the story did not verify from the party’s publicity department the authenticity of the unauthorised poll credited to the party.

“Recall that the party had on February 21, 2016 distanced itself from the twitter handle, ‘@APCNigeria’ following a similar false report credited to the party on the outcome of Benue South Senatorial rerun election.”

Vanguard checks revealed that the twitter handle,”@APCNigeria” is managed by one Philip Obin.

It became popular and was mistaken as an official APC media broadcast platform in the lead up to the 2015 general elections for regularly broadcasting news and activities of the APC.

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Rotary begins search for Face of Humanity

The Rotary Club of Abuja Wuse II (The Mayors), District 9125 Nigeria has commenced a search for an exceptional personality that will represent the club as the Face of Humanity.

President of the club, Rotn. Prince Igho Sadjere,  said the “Face of Humanity” personality, which currently enjoys local and international endorsements, would be a brand of the Club in the various projects to be executed.

The event for the unveiling of the ‘Face of Humanity’ personality, scheduled for Sunday, 27th August, 2017 at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja will also host the empowerment of 200 households to receive start-up grants, the Mayors’ Humanitarian Awards 2017, Fundraising, Investiture of 2017/2018 President and Board of Directors, Celebration of the Club’s 2nd Year Anniversary as well as Rotary Projects Exhibition spiced with Orchestra, Music and Comedy.

According to Sadjere, “The club is more determined to make a huge and lasting difference in our communities and the nation at large in line with the theme of the Rotary Year 2017-2018.

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Delta govt assures on betterment of all citizens

By Festus Ahon

ASABA—DELTA State Commissioner, Bureau for Special Duties, Mr Ernest Ogwezzy, has assured that the state  government will continue to work for the betterment of the people of the state.

Ogwezzy, who gave the assurance when he visited lightening and fire disaster victims in Igbodo, Ika North East Local Government Area of the state, said that Dr Ifeanyi Okowa’s administration was committed to the welfare of the people.

Saying that the state government was keen on building a society that will be environmentally conscious in a bid to curtail disasters caused by man as well as reduce the effect of natural disasters, he said that government will continue to pay priority attention to lives and property of Deltans.

One of the victims, Mrs Theresa Iwediunor, expressed shock at the visit, saying she never knew that the state government was concerned about the ordinary man.

She narrated how the lightning struck her building, destroying some electrical fittings, the ceiling boards as well as some parts of the building, killing four of her livestock.

Another victim of fire disaster, Mr Felix Matthew, whose rented apartment was razed down by fire, could not ascertain the cause of the inferno, but thanked the state government for the assistance.

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Rename Maritime Varsity location in 14 days —Itsekiri youths

By Gab Ejuwa

Itsekiri youths, under the aegis of Niger Delta Omega, NIDO, have issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal and Delta State Governments and International Oil Companies operating in their land to rename the location of the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko to Okerenghigho, as allegedly recognised by the law of Nigeria.

NIDO gave other reasons for the ultimatum include immediate provision of licenses to Itsekiris to own and operate oil blocs and modular refineries in their land, completion of the Koko-Ogheye-Lagos road project, pilling of all Itsekiri riverine communities, employment of Itsekiri indigenes by the IOCs, provision of light, drinkable water, hospitals, motorable roads with bridges to connect Itsekiri areas in the Niger Delta.

NIDO, in a statement by its spokesman, Agbogunyo Oliriogun, said that failure to meet their demands within 14 days would attract their wrath on all assets of the Federal Government and those of the IOCs, adding that it would be better for the IOCs to move all their personnel, equipments and installations before the end of the 14 days if they (IOCs) know they won’t be able to meet the demands within the stipulated period.

The group lamented that they cannot continue to sit and watch the underdevelopment and oppression of their people by the government at all levels and the International Oil Companies.

It added, “Though the Itsekiri nation produces about 30 percent of the national oil production, it is sad to note that most Itsekiri from oil producing communities have not seen a tarred road, television, an hospital, electrical powered light, fan or a car as a result of the stealth wickedness by both the government and the IOCs in under developing our land.

“We note with dismay how both factions of the Itsekiri National Youth Council are using the current situation in Itsekiri to do their private self centered business to the detriment of the tribe. The youth leadership of the Itsekiri people that is suppose to provide leadership has  ended up being hijacked by politicians who now use it at will to satisfy their interest. It is most shocking that both factions of the INYC don’t care about how the tribe is fairing, neither do they think of what their actions may cause the tribe in the long run rather they are only concern in the power tussle and how to use the tribe to hustle for political relevance.

“in line with the foregoing,  we call on all Nigerians at large and Itsekiri in particular not to take any action from both factions of the Itsekiri National Youths Council, INYC, serious because they are both hustlers and jobbers who are not to be taken serious, hence all their threat and ultimatum should be ignored as it is merely a tool to gain government patronage. We warn the two factions of INYC to keep cleer from all activities for the survival of Itsekiri by NIDO or they should be ready to face our wrath.”

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Power Oil takes health campaign to Rivers State NYSC orientation camp

Power Oil has stormed Port Harcourt NYSC Orientation Camp in Rivers State to sensitize the new batch of corp members alongside the members of staff on the significance of leading a healthy lifestyle during the on-going three weeks orientation exercise.

The 2017 Batch B Corp members were taken on a health talk centred on significant factors contributing to a sound and healthy life in relations to the heart. Power Oil presented the platform for the corp members to receive free basic medical check-up, which include BMI, blood pressure, body temperature test, and medical consultation/nutritional advice.

Speaking at the camp, Ms. Omotayo Azeez, Public Relations Manager, Power Oil, said: “As the need to further reach out to more Nigerians becomes more imperative, we are delighted to also partner with the Rivers State National Youth Service Corps by extending our reach to cover more youths, considering the alarming rate of heart complications which we believe could be avoidable through proper enlightenment and regular check-ups.”

“Beyond our community outreach plans, we are also working with the conviction that everyone deserves to benefit from this life impacting project irrespective of localities which is the reason behind the extension drive into other strategic institutions such as churches, mosques and schools and NYSC Camps”.

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Pinnick lauds Senate for passing NFF Bill

Obaseki charges Arase to enforce CDA law in Edo

By Simon Ebegbulem & Gabriel Enogholase

BENIN—GOVERNOR Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has appointed the immediate past Inspector General of Police, IG,  Mr  Solomon Arase, as chairman of the Task Force on Private Property Protection, PPP and charged the former IG to help enforce the Community Development Association, CDA, law recently passed by the state House of Assembly.

Inaugurating the committee, Obaseki said that the activities of the CDAs almost destroyed the peace being enjoyed by the people of the state, as he urged the committee members not to spare anyone caught contravening the CDA law.

He said, “The activities of these CDAs retarded economic growth and development in the communities and our state in general. They flagrantly disregarded rule of law so as to achieve their selfish interests. So this task force on Private Property Protection, PPP,  law is being set up to enforce  the CDA law because this is one of the provisions enshrined in the CDA law.”

The governor explained that the task force will apart from enforcing the PPP law,  monitor the CDAs and other group activities, ensure compliance with the provisions of the law, prohibit CDAs and other groups from selling landed property or collect any related fees or levies  and help apprehend or direct to the security agents any person or persons found contravening the law.

On his part, Arase assured that the task force will ensure that the purpose of promulgating the law was achieved, just as he appreciated the Benin monarch, Oba Ewuare II over what he described as his passion and love for the people of the state by backing the prohibition of the activities of the CDAs.

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31 ships with petrol, others expected

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) says 31 ships laden with petroleum products and other goods will arrive Apapa and Tin-Can Island ports in Lagos between May 31 and June 19.

NPA, in its daily “Shipping Position” made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday, said seven of the ships had only petroleum products, including base oil and crude palmolein.

NPA said that the other ships had bulk wheat, empty containers, bulk sugar, general cargoes, base oil, bulk corn, bulk fertiliser, empty containers and frozen fish.

NAN reports that 12 other ships are already at the port discharging buck wheat, steel products, petrol, empty containers and aviation fuel.31 ships with petrol, others expected

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China asks FG to tap into $43.5bn fund for economic devt

By Vera Samuel Anyagafu & Prince Okafor

THE government of the Peoples’ Republic of China has urged the Federal Government of Nigeria to tap into its $43.5 billion fund to enhance the nation’s economic growth. This is even as the Chinese government increased its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Fund by 100 billion Yuan ($14.5 billion), following the global acceptance of the Initiative.

The Belt and Road Initiative aims to connect Asia, Europe and Africa along five routes, geared towards policy co-ordination, facilities connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration, and people-to-people bonds.

In a chat with Vanguard, China Consul General to Nigeria, Mr. Chao Xialiang, stated: “The BRI offers an ideal platform and framework to Nigeria in conducting cooperation, not only with China, but also with all participating countries. Through the platform of BRI, Nigeria can obtain more opportunities to strengthen its infrastructure, diversify its economy and integrate itself into the world economy. With more initiatives, efficiency, willingness and proper forms of participation, Nigeria can take advantage of the BRI as a strong driving force to help realise its own development strategy.”

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ITTF Championships: Quadri zooms into 2nd round, Oshnaike crashes

They were considered the best in Africa and this they confirmed at the 2017 ITTF World Championships after they overcame their opponents to berth in the second round of the men’s singles.

Even when their continental counterparts – Nigeria’s Segun Toriola and Egypt’s trio of Ahmed Saleh, Mohammed El-Beiali and El-Sayed Lashin were shown the exit, Quadri and Assar are fighting for their lives against their Chilean and Italian opponents.

In order not to allow what happened to him in 2015 repeat itself again, Quadri ensured he wasted no time in dismissing Chile’s Gustavo Gomez 4-0.

Unlike Quadri, Assar was made to work harder for his victory against Italy’s RECH DALDOSSO Marco in an entertaining encounter.

From 3-0 down, Assar had to recover to edge out the Italian 4-3 to ascertain his place in the round of 64.

Also, Nigeria’s Olufunke Oshonaike, Egypt’s duo of Dina Meshref and Yousry Helmy were shown the doors in the first round of the women’s singles.

A satisfied Assar said: “It was a very surprising and difficult match because I played against my opponent last time at Kuwait Open and I defeated him easily 4-1. With the way he played it showed that he has improved tremendously and I was really surprise with the way he played. It was very tough match for me to come back from 3-0 down to win at 4-3. I think I prepared very well for this competition and I was also in top form lately so for me when the match was 3-1, I was determined not to allow all my efforts to waste.

“But I must commend my opponent for the match because in the first two games I was too soft with my receive and service and this gave him an edge but when I changed tactics, things began to work. I had made up mind to play very well in this competition and I am really determined to do that.”

 

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IYC: Peace c’ttee submits report to Dickson

By Samuel Oyadongha

YENAGOA—THE Eminent Persons  Peace and Reconciliation Committee, recently set up by Bayelsa State governor, Mr Seriake Dickson,  to look into the succession crisis rocking the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC,  has submitted its report.

The committee, headed by Chief Joshua Fumudoh,  yesterday, submitted its report to Governor Dickson and Chairman Board of Trustees of Ijaw National Congress, INC, Chief Edwin Clark, at the Asokoro, Abuja residence of the Ijaw leader.

Dickson had in April inaugurated the nine- member committee to reconcile the two factions laying claim to the leadership of IYC and ensure a peaceful enthronement of a single executive that will be acceptable to all stakeholders, leaders and elders of the Ijaw nation.

Submitting the report, Fumudoh, who was the pioneer president of INC,  thanked Dickson for his leadership qualities and finding his committee worthy to undertake the assignment.

He said the committee met with all the parties and held discussions with critical stakeholders in a bid to get to the root of the matter before arriving at the recommendations which formed the basis of the report.

Chief Clark, on his part, commended the governor for his timely intervention and for taking the initiative to set up such a high powered committee to serve as members of the committee.

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EFCC case takeover: Sokoto reacts to Justice Minister’s query

By Abdallah  el-Kurebe

Sokoto—Barely two weeks after the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, Abubakar Malami, faulted the takeover move by Sokoto State government of an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, case against a serving commissioner, Abubakar Bello, the state government has finally reacted.

Sokoto State’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Suleiman Usman, disclosed that the state government sought to take-over the case because the AGF had granted Attorneys General of states fiat to prosecute Federal cases in their states.

Usman said that Malami granted the general fiat to conduct prosecution of all Federal offences committed in various states, including Sokoto on January 30.

He said: “There was a petition that there was a similar action initiated by the state government. Even though the latter was called money laundering, the other one was called criminal misappropriation and breach of trust.

“We were worried about the issue of double jeopardy but what we did was to take over the case, look at what is there and see what could be done.”

He stressed that in the case under reference, Sokoto had more than a passing interest because the money that was alleged to have been laundered belonged to it.

Usman said if the office of the Attorney General of the Federation had suspicion of foul play by the state’s Ministry of Justice, it could monitor the proceedings as it deems fit.

 

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Workers shut Jos hospital over unpaid salaries

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

Jos—Activities were, yesterday, crippled at the Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Jankwano, Jos, as protesting workers defied the early morning rain to block the entrance of the hospital.

The workers, who do not belong to any union as such is not allowed in the hospital, were protesting what they termed as inhuman working conditions and non-payment of their three months salary arrears.

At press time, some workers who volunteered to lead the others, were meeting on the way forward, as no management staff was on ground to address them at the gate.

A staff said: “We are suffering and we do not even have a union. We are owed February, March and April salaries.

“When we complained, the Management said we should have patience that we will be paid. When the May salary was paid, they told us to forfeit the three months.”

Meanwhile, the hospital’s Management refused to talk to newsmen.

However, one management staff said: “I am not the mouthpiece of the hospital. In fact, I cannot talk to the press. But I am sure the issue will be resolved amicably.”

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AFBTE gets new President

The Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers, AFBTE, has elected the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Intercontinental Distillers Limited, IDL, Engr. Patrick Anegbe, as its new President.

Engr. Anegbe, who takes over from Mr. Paul Gbededo, was Vice President, Committee of Chief Executives of AFBTE. He started his career with Guinness Nigeria Plc, before joining IDL.

Anegbe, a management expert is an alumnus of Lagos Business School, Pan African University; IESE Business School, Barcelona, Spain; Harvard Law School, USA; Univer-sity of Chicago Booth School of Business, USA; IMD Business School, Brazil and many others.

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Biafra my way

By Ochereome Nnanna

WHAT is Biafra? Is it an ideology or a country? Or both? I see it more as an ideology, but it could end up being both an ideology and a country. Biafra my way is a struggle for freedom; a rejection of internal colonialism after independence from British colonialism.

I refuse to be a second class citizen in my own country. I reject any notion that I am inferior to anyone in a country governed by a constitution that says we are all equal. On the equality of all Nigerians irrespective of their circumstances of birth, religion, tribe, region and political belief I stand. Anything to the contrary I not only reject but I fight. I have fought Muhammadu Buhari’s “97%/5%” evil formula from the first day he pronounced it, and I have the backing of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999.

I am not like Dr. Chris Ngige, Buhari’s Labour and Employment Minister who only labours but does not employ. He demonstrated his slave mentality by endorsing Buhari’s illegal deployment of his “97%/5%” formula to deny the South East and to some extent, South-South of their constitutional entitlement to equal share of the commonwealth of this great nation.

Ngige and his co-travellers are not perturbed by the fact that Buhari intends to borrow Nigeria blind to the tune of $30 billion to build/reconstruct roads and railways all over the country except in the South East. Yet, when the repayment for this crippling loan starts, the people of the South East will be made to pay for goodies they will only enjoy when they travel out of their homeland.

Buhari and Ngige have proved themselves ignorant of our constitution, especially Sections 14 to 18, which lavishly describe Nigeria as a country where all citizens and groups must be treated equally and given a sense of belonging to bring out their utmost patriotic instincts. The framers of the constitution knew that the non-inclusive governance that Buhari is running would trigger the type of alienation that is propelling the Biafra agitators.

But the Biafra agitation goes way beyond Buhari’s ultra-reactionary government of nepotism. It has its roots in the doubts raised in the minds of the Easterners, especially the Igbo, as to their real place in Nigeria based on how they were treated in the wake of some historical events. For instance, the first military coup of 1st January 1966 was dubbed an “Igbo coup”. Coups usually don’t bear ethnic names.

Usually when a coup takes place and it is crushed, those implicated in it would be apprehended and dealt with according to the law. Rather than insist that the law must take its course, its inciting branding as an “Igbo coup” led to massive pogroms against innocent and defenceless Igbos, especially in the North. Thousands were murdered in an orgy of violence that went on for months. Eventually, Ironsi was also killed and a Northerner, Col. Yakubu Gowon, took over as Head of State. The killings continued and the Federal Government seemed unwilling to stop it.

Biafra would not have come up if the coup plotters who killed Northern leaders were arrested and punished according to the law. Biafra only came up when it became clear that the East had to do something drastic to protect its people who were no longer safe in their supposed country. Biafra was pushed or forced to fight a war of self-preservation. Secession was never in their political calculation just two years earlier. Smarting from the loss of the cream of their leadership, the North convinced the rest of the country to join it in a “war to keep Nigeria one”, though vengeance and consolidation of regional power were their hidden motives.

After the war, General Gowon’s declaration of “No victor, no vanquished” was just on paper. The confiscation of the savings of Ndi-Igbo in exchange for Twenty Pounds, the declaration of Abandoned Property in Rivers State and the promulgation of Indigenisation Decrees that favoured only Western and Northern aristocrats betrayed the real intentions of the “victors” over the “vanquished”. Usually after a civil war, a Marshall Plan is created to rebuild the theatre of war. But in Nigeria, policies were made to subjugate and exclude the former Biafrans from full participation in the affairs of the country they were forced to return to.

Fifty years after Biafra, with no end in sight to the sidelining of Igbo people which the Buhari regime has made no pretences about, the Igbo youth are fed up. Most of them want out. They want Biafra, where they will live like free people. It does not matter if Biafra is just the South East zone. After all, Rwanda and Botswana are among the best-governed countries in Africa with thriving economies despite being landlocked.

But the silent majority of Igbo people do not believe in pulling out of Nigeria. I am one of those. Our reason is simple. Igbos are part of the owners of the Nigeria commonwealth. They led the fight for independence. They demonstrate their co-ownership of this country with massive investment of their wealth. They cannot run away from what belongs to them.

The battle for restructuring, which is gathering more steam, will afford everyone the freedom to develop their homelands within the Nigerian commonwealth. I am a Biafran-Nigerian, just as Northerners are Arewa-Nigerians and the Yorubas may be Oódua-Nigerians, and so on. The battle for restructuring is viable, and it will be won sooner than later. That is Biafra my way.

But if, sadly, Nigeria breaks up, no one need to shed blood. The day the Soviet Union collapsed or the Berlin Wall went down, it did not cost a drop of blood because its time had come. I am willing and ready to join hands in getting Nigeria restructured to bring out it greatness and make all its various peoples truly at home. But I respect the wishes of those who want out.

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FG’ll turn cultural heritage to money spinner—Runsewe

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

ABUJA—THE Federal Government will transform the nation’s cultural heritage into a money-spinning enterprise that will attract tourists from all parts of the world, Director-General, National Council for Arts and Culture, NCAC, Otunba Segun Runsewe, has said.

He also revealed that government had removed  over 250 blind roadside beggars from different parts of the country to Bauchi State for training on skills acquisition.

Speaking in an interview in Abuja yesterday, he said government decided to train the blind beggars  in different skills so that they would be able to take care of themselves instead of begging on the streets.

Runsewe said already the NCAC had proposed to host a national summit on the role of traditional rulers in promoting economic growth and national development.

According to him, the country would generate huge income from culture if well harnessed.

Besides, he said, the country had not tapped the potential of traditional institutions in peace building, noting that NCAC was working on a compendium of the homesteads of traditional rulers from all parts of the country tagged 1000 Palaces of Pride in Nigeria.

The DG said: “We are blessed with traditional institutions that have a rich history and command respect globally. We have the Sultan of Sokoto, we have the Obi of Onitsha, the Ooni of Ife, Alake of Egbaland, the Amayanabo of Bonny and many other great traditional institutions.

“You can only imagine what we can achieve when they support NCAC in its new drive. So, for the first time we will be hosting a national summit on the relationship between tradional institutions, government and the governed.”

He added that the council signed a N300 million MoU, with the Bank of Industry, BoI, to provide loans for youths and artisans involved in arts and craft.

as the culture component is vital to improving the country’s standing in the international tourism market.

“We also will be presenting a compendium, which we have titled one thousand palaces of pride in Nigeria to showcase the many historic locations from which our royal fathers contribute to the development of their domains and the country ultimately.”

He said, “Our heritage is our style of dressing, our food and way of life. Our disconnection from and  failure to work with the traditional institutions part if the problems we gave as a nation today. That’s why more young people are involved in criminality and they prefer the easy way to money, hence people choosing to be called unemployed, rather than seek for means to earn a living.

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Ugbo Egbelemeji petitions NJC over transfer of case to Koko

By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief

Ugbo Egbelemeji Community in Warri North Local Government Area, Delta State, has petitioned the National Judicial Council, NJC, over what it described as “malicious transfer” of suit (HCH/15/2014)  between Pastor Florence, ORS Vs Mr. Victor Buwa ORS by Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Marshall Umukoro, from Sapele to Koko, both in Delta State.

The community urged the NJC to prevail on the state Chief Judge to return the case to the High Court in Sapele or any other neutral ground as it claimed that Koko was not safe for its members.

The case involves a dispute between the Ugbo Egbelemeji community and Koko community, its neighbours, over the ownership of a piece of land.

According to the petition by the community’s lawyers, M.I. Oyakhire & Co (Ahonkhai Chambers), the Chief Judge of the state had earlier transferred the case from Oghara to Koko but the Ugbo Egbelemeji requested that it be transferred to a neutral ground since the case was between it and Koko community.

Based on that request, the case was transferred from Koko to Sapele Judicial Division.

Ugbo Elegbemeji said it had complained to the Chief Judge to transfer the case from Koko because its members were being attacked whenever they went for hearing.

However, it said that the intervention of the NJC had become necessary as the Delta CJ had reversed his earlier transfer of the case by returning it to Koko.

According to the community, its members cannot go to Koko for hearing since their lives would be in danger, as they had been previously been attacked in Koko.

The petition reads in part, “Our client who are the claimants in the above suit which had been filed since 2014 as shown in the suit number stated that  Justice P. N. Obanor transferred the suit to Koko as he was covering both courts and the area in dispute between the parties which said area is situated within Warri North Local Government Area, a place within Koko Judicial Division.

“We wrote to the  Chief Judge, Delta State and complained of the situation on ground, that since Koko community are parties to the suit, the matter should be heard in a neutral ground as our clients know very well that Koko people will attack them during and after each court date.

“That because of the attack and thugery acts of Koko people hence the court today to maintain peace and order.  We therefore,  appeal to Chief Judge of Delta to transfer the case to neutral ground.

“An application for transfer was made to the Chief Judge of Delta State by a letter dated November 4,2016 which said application was granted via a letter with reference No. DTJJ/CA/138/VOL 1/145 dated  December 6, 2016 whereby the case was transferred to High Court of Justice (Court 1) Sapele in the Sapele Judicial Division.”

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Uphold promise to Ogbe-Ijoh people, group urges Okowa

Concerned Members for Peace in Ogbe-Ijoh Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, has urged the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, not to renege on his promise on the development of the disputed 289 hectares of land between them and Aladja community of Udu Local Government Area of the state.

Coordinator of the group, Mr Friday Deinghan, in a statement,  yesterday,  while lamenting the living condition of the people of Ogbe-Ijoh, said: “Ogbe-Ijoh people are presently landlocked as they have  no access to electricity, health facilities or proper academic activities in primary and secondary schools.

“Even the only access road to Ogbe-Ijoh which is the headquarters of Warri South-West Local Government Area, has been blocked, yet the state government has failed to implement the recommendation of the commission of inquiry it set up on March 3,  2015 to look into the land dispute between both communities.

“Due to the inaccessibility of the council headquarter, the council boss and other officials have abandoned their duty posts.”

As a people, we frown at the neglect of our community and want the state government to be alive to its responsibility in ensuring that this dispute is resolved to avoid a future breakdown of law and order in the affected communities.”

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NBA-SBL focuses on young lawyers’ devt

LDS leader asks Nigerians to trust in God

NIGERIANS have been urged to put their trust in God at all times, bearing in mind that therein lies the solution to their problems.

According to President of the Nigeria Lagos Egbeda Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Sunday Adejuwo, who spoke at a Stake Conference on Sunday, when people centre their desires, quests and energies on the things of God, things work better for them.

The church leader said: “We should trust in the Lord and follow Him. When we do this, our lives will be transformed.”

He urged members of the church and all Nigerians to “completely trust God, obey His commandments, love one another and support their leaders” for them to enjoy God’s abundant blessings.

Adejuwo advised Nigerians to submit to the “enticing of the Holy Spirit, submit to the will of God, centre their desires, quests, accomplishments to God if they want to live happily.

“We should immerse ourselves in the teachings of God. When we are asked to do something in  the name of God, we should do it. We should always do what the Lord would expect of us. We should do what the Lord asks us to do without asking questions.”

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Indomie fete 100,000 children on children’s day

By Dayo Adesulu

As part of activities marking the 2017 Children’s day celebration, Indomie Fan Club (IFC); Nigeria’s largest children based fan club organised a fun-filled children’s party for over 100,000 school children across the country and also used the event to reward winners of the Indomie ‘Show Your Talent Competition’ which started in April.

One of this year’s celebrations held at the Apapa Amusement Park, Lagos State hosted over 100,000 thousand children from different schools within Lagos to a fanfare celebrations. Dufil Prima Foods Plc, makers of  Indomie gave an amazing treats to all the children present regardless of their social class as they all participated in various fun activities which include bumper car, carousel, the rockets, the pirates’ ship, the spinner, the tea cup, disco ride, and the air bicycle, all in a bid to deepen the social interactions.

The Group Public Relations and Events Manager, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Mr. Tope Ashiwaju speaking during the event explained that the celebration which is replicated across various parts of Nigeria has been decentralized to make it accessible to more children in the hinterland with such fun centres. According to him, “One of the reasons for this fun-filled event is because some of these kids may not have the privilege to go to such places to celebrate children’s day as some of their parents may not have the time or resources to do, so the brand is filling the gap and providing such ambience for the kids to have fun.”

Ashiwaju added that, “This annual event targets at least a hundred thousand kids over the period of the celebration days with over a thousand schools across the country.”

In spite of the monetary cost, the joy on the faces of the hosted children as they bond with each other is what is paramount to Indomie. A platform to bring kid together is what Indomie brand loves to do.”

Commenting on the competition, the Coordinator of Indomie Fan’s Club, Mrs. FaithJoshua,expressed that “It was a deliberate act that the grand finale of the Indomie Fan’s club ‘Show Your Talent Competition’ which started in Aprilsimultaneously hold during the Children’s Day celebration week. The competition is one of the many ways through which the brand is engaging with kids by giving the opportunity to express their creative talents and abilities.”

In the final stage of the competition, the top ten that qualified from all over the country battled it out for the first, second and third positionswith cash prizes for the best in each region of the Indomie fan’s club nationwide. In all,the sum of one million naira was shared among the top contenders in the competition with loads of other gift items.

Mrs. Dupe Ogunwo, a parent present at the event, expressed her gratitude to Dufil Prima Foods for putting together the exciting events for children, particularly for kids that their parents can’t afford such luxury. “The impact of this event cannot be quantified as it will go a long way to boost our children’s morale.”

The Indomie Children’s Day celebration which started on Monday, 22nd May will end Saturday, 27th May, 2017 and will be held simultaneously in Lagos, Abuja, Akure, Abeokuta, Benin and Ibadan.

 

 

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EEDC begins installation of prepaid metres in Aba

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

ABA—THE Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC, said it has started installing prepaid metres in Aba, Abia State, in line with its determination to ensure consumers get value for their money.

Speaking at a town hall meeting in Aba, a member of the Board of Directors, EEDC, Dr. Stephen Dike, stated that the company has commenced installing prepaid metres in some parts of the city, but added that it would be a gradual process to check what he described as metre bypass and energy theft by some consumers. Dike said the prepaid metres cost between N30, 000 and N60, 000, depending on the phase the customer is using.

welding business steal light at night. This is why we have started fixing metres on high electricity poles. Last year, a sitting Commissioner in a state was caught bypassing the metre. A Chief Judge of a State was also caught in the act. When you have the Chief Judge of a State order the beating of our staff, it is a problem.”

He charged consumers to report complaints about EEDC services or staff on the telephone number, 0812102 0423, or visit established EEDC customer centres located across the city.

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UTME: Adams College rewards students for scoring above 300

By Destiny Eseaga

FIFTEEN students out of many that were registered and tutored by Adams College, Lagos, were decorated with medals and certificates at the maiden edition of Adams’ College Merit Award,  for scoring 300 and above  in the just concluded UTME examination.

Adams College which commenced operation 15 years ago is a tutorial college that encourages bright young minds to become the best they can be, providing conducive learning environment and a culture of excellence which places students at the cutting edge of science and technology through intensive learning and research.

The cynosure of all eyes was 17 years old Patrick Delight Kechukwu who score 339 in the UTME. Other students who scored above 300 includes,  Eboh Chinonso Jessica, Lawal Adesina,   Sanusi Oluwamayokun, among others.

Speaking at the event, Chairman and founder of the College, Mr.  Adams Adebola congratulated the awardees for their outstanding performance in the just concluded UTME, adding that their performances have added value to the rising profile of the College. He urged them to remain focus. His words: “I congratulate you on your outstanding success in the just concluded UTME and also thank you profoundly for adding to the profile of Adams College. I say this to you; you shall remain high flyers wherever you go.” “For the college, this is just the beginning of landmark achievements in as much as our watch words remain integrity, impact, commitment and above all the fear of God in our modus operandi.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Nigeria’s natural gas reserves high — DPR

By Chidi Nkwopara

OWERRI—THE Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, has expressed worry that despite the significant natural gas reserves, the country was yet to fully benefit from her natural gas endowment.

The DPR Director, Mr. Mordecai B. N. Ladan, made his feelings known yesterday, while flagging off the establishment’s Liquefied Petroleum Gas, LPG, sensitization workshop in Owerri.

“Nigeria has significant natural gas reserves, estimated at 192 Trillion Cubic Feet, TCF, and currently, ranks ninth in the world. Despite this abundant reserve base, its utilization in the domestic sector is grossly inadequate and the country is yet to fully benefit from her natural gas endowment”, Ladan said.

It was the considered opinion of the DPR boss that LPG is essential for the reduction of deforestation, air pollution, promotion of clean energy usage, as well as to facilitate healthy population growth.

Explaining the reason for convening the workshop, Ladan said it was to through more light on the safe handling and usage of gas, especially at the plants and private homes.

While expressing great concern at the number at the number of accidents at LPG plants, Ladan however opined that majority of the accidents could be traced to non-compliance of the Standard Operating Procedures, SOP.

Welcoming the participants earlier, the Zonal Operations Controller, ZOC, Ogbuefi Morrison Nwokedi, said that in its quest to eliminate accidents at LPG plants and restore public confidence in the use of the product, developed new guidelines.

“The Department has granted approval for the construction of new LPG depots in Calabar and Port Harcourt, with storage capacities of 3,000 and 9,000 metric tonnes respectively. These depots, which are expected to be operational before the end of 2017, shall increase the LPG storage Nationwide”, Nwokedi said.

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Ngige denies endorsing perceived marginalization of Ndigbo

EGCDF seeks stakeholders’ collaboration for devt in Delta

By Onozure Dania

An interventionist agency, Egbema Gbaramatu Communities Development Foundation, EGCDF in Warri, Delta State, has solicited for more collaboration between major stakeholders in the area in order to meet the human capital and infrastructural developmental needs of indigenes of the oil bearing communities.

Its chairman, Mr Jude Ukori, who made the appeal in a statement in Warri, yesterday, noted that the issue of  underdevelopment of the area was  enormous and would require the concerted efforts of all stakeholders both in  government and the private sectors to tackle problems.

According to him, “The communities of Egbema and Gbaramatu have contributed much to sustain the economy of Nigeria as major oil producing communities and deserve to be developed.

“This administration will engage the Delta and Federal Governments,  other interventionist agencies to pay attention to the communities of Egbema and Gbaramatu Kingdoms to help them in the area of development. We will carry out economic empowerment projects and is a source for employment for the teeming able bodied youths in the communities.”

“Many of our teeming youths area are unemployed, the source of livelihood in the area is quite dwindling because of the environmental impact and degradation as the result of oil exploration and exploitation over the years.

“We need the assist all stakeholders both in government and other interventionist agencies to help our people by providing them economic empowerment projects that will create employment for the people.

“As of the peace, we have been engaging our people and we will continue to engage them on need to live peacefully with the oil companies operating in their domain, in order fast tracking infrastructural and economic growth, especially in the area of youth empowerment programmes and scholarship schemes for those who need to be educated.

“We need to support the educational institutions in the area. Many of the educational institutions in Egbema Gbaramatu communities are short staffed as the teachers posted their hardly stay. We need other incentives to keep them there in order to make the school functions as good as the schools in the urban.

“We will be looking on how our people can have economic control, it is a good opportunity that the federal, state governments are encouraging our people in the area of setting up modular refineries which boils down to issue of capital base.

“ We are calling on interested investors to partner us as we are credible and organise to provide a conducive atmosphere for any form of business to thrive in the area. That I can assure. What we are looking at is human capital development, economic empowerment and social infrastructural development in the area to ensure  a source of livelihood for our people.”

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Nigeria accounts for 40% of gas flared annually in Africa — Senate

…Says $2.5bn lost annually, 200 die monthly in N-Delta
…To increase 39-year-old N10 gas flaring fine
…Calls for a law to protect host communities

By Henry Umoru

ABUJA—THE Senate said, yesterday, that Nigeria accounts for over 40 per cent of the gas flared annually across Africa,  which amounts to about $7 billion in waste.

It also declared Nigeria was losing over $2.5 billion to gas-flaring  annually and that the country also accounts for an estimated two billion standard cubic feet of flared gas, which amounts to about 19 per cent of gas flared globally.

The upper legislative chamber has, therefore, set in motion a machinery to the 39-year-old law which recommends only N10 as fine for gas flaring.

Declaring open a public hearing on Gas Flaring (Prohibition) Bill 2017, Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, noted that gas-flaring remained a matter of great national embarrassment to the country.

He said: “Apart from economic waste being a consequence of gas flaring, flared gas is also known to contain toxic substances, which cause respiratory diseases and air pollution, leading to depletion of the ozone layer, and ultimately having an adverse effect on weather and climate.”

According to him, only God knows how many of Nigeria’s citizens have lost their lives as a result of gas-flaring.

Represented by Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Ibn Bala Na’Allah, Saraki said there was no reason the country should continue to flare gas, considering its short and long term consequences.

He said: “The issue of gas-flaring in Nigeria is a matter of great national embarrassment. We have no reason to continue to flare this precious resource God has endowed us with. This bill, therefore, seeks to make provisions for the prohibition of the flaring and venting of natural gas in any oil and gas production operation in Nigeria and for other matters connected therewith.

“Gas-flaring is as old as the discovery of crude oil in Nigeria. While it remains a global environmental malaise with attendant environmental consequences, we must move with the rest of the world to seriously put an end to it. Gas flaring is not an inevitability.

“While statistics may not be accurate, the quantity of gas flared in Nigeria exceeds over 40 per cent of the gas flared annually across Africa, which amounts to about $7 billion in waste, apart from economic waste being a consequence of gas flaring.”

Nigeria loses $2.5bn annually

Earlier in his remarks, Chairman, Senate Committee on Gas, Senator Bassey Akpan, noted that Nigeria was losing over $2.5 billion to gas flaring annually, adding that the statistics remained the highest among the member nations of Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC.

He also said the non-availability of adequate data had made it difficult to gauge the exact magnitude of the effect of the practice.

According to him, there is a better understanding of the barriers that must be overcome to reduce flaring.

Akpan noted that Nigeria’s estimated 188 billion cubic feet of proven natural gas reserve made it the ninth largest concentration in the  world

He said: “Due to unsustainable exploration practices, coupled with the lack of gas utilization infrastructure, we flare more than 75 per cent of the gas produced and re-inject only 12 per cent to enhance oil recovery.”

In his presentation, National Chairman of Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas, HOSTCOM, Prince Mike Emu, said there should be insertion of a clause or section in the proposed bill that should recognise and seek to protect the rights off host communities as bonafide beneficiaries of the gas-flaring penalty levy as those that suffer the hazards of gas-flaring and as required by global best practices.

200 die monthly in N-Delta

Also in his presentation, National Chairman, Host Communities, Chief Alfred Bubor, told the committee that an average of 200 person die monthly in Niger Delta as a result gas related illness.

He said communities where gas was flared do experience perpetual day of intensity resulting from gas flaring and prevent residents from enjoying night sleep, adding that crops and building roof were often destroyed by the effect of gas flaring.

He demanded that the Federal Government should establish a department of gas regulation in the Ministry of Energy to oversee the implementation of the new gas policy.

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BUHARI: Fayose’s aide condemns Ojudu’s response to gov’s call

Special Assistant to the Ekiti State Governor on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka has described the Presidential Adviser on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu as an unrepentant hypocrite and blackmailer, who should resolve issues with his immediate family

before dabbling into matters concerning Nigeria and Ekiti State in particular.

Olayinka, who was reacting to Ojudu’s comment that governor Ayodele Fayose was disrespecting President Muhammadu Buhari whom he (Ojudu) said was old enough to be his (Fayose) father, said; “Ojudu will be making the biggest political mistake if he believed that this time around, he will ride on the back of political treachery, blackmail and bootlicking to become the governor of Ekiti State.”

The governor’s spokesperson said; “Ojudu should rather advise President Buhari to go back to his farm in Daura, Katsina State if he has become too old to be corrected by Nigerians, who elected him and on whose sweat he is being sustained.”

He said Nigerians, irrespective of their age and position have inalienable rights to criticise public office holders, including the president, adding that; “Civilian dictators like Senator Ojudu are the  ones carrying public office on their heads and playing god in the lives of Nigerians.”

Olayinka said; “It is funny that someone like Ojudu, who never took proper care of his own father is talking about  Fayose disrespecting President Buhari on account of his age.”

He challenged the Presidential Adviser to tell Nigerians the benefit  derived by Ekiti people from his four years in the Senate and close to two years in the Presidency.

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