No Plan To Sell National Assets, Budget Minister, Udoma Assures

September 25, 2016

The Minister of budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma has said that government has no plans to sell national assets as a panacea for the current economic recession ravaging the country. He assured that the government is working to diversify the country’s economy in the face of the recession.

Speaking to news men, Udoma frowned at the suggestion by some Nigerians like Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki that the government should sell-off capital intensive but dormant establishments in the country, Udoma said that government’s main strategy is to implement capital projects in the 2016 budget and source for funds to reflate the economy.

“Government appreciates that the down-turn in the economy has brought hardship to the people, but we are committed to redressing the situation.

“Our goal is to unlock the economic potentials of the non-oil and high-employment sectors, so as to achieve a sustainable inclusive growth that will ensure that the majority of Nigerians become more productive, thereby reducing poverty.

“Thus, we are deliberately working towards diversifying the Nigerian economy by ensuring that the non-oil sector drives the economy because this is the sector that contributes the most to GDP, and has more capacity to employ.”

The Minister said that the strategy is to reflate the economy through fiscal stimulus and strategic implementation of annual budgets, adding: “what this means is that we are geared to strategically spend our way out of recession. Unfortunately, we have not met all our planned expenditures for 2016 due to low revenue outturns.

“However, we have ensured that the resources that we release are targeted at priorities that will stimulate activities in the economy. We are also developing a more robust monitoring and evaluation framework to track performance.” [myad]

Gwarimpa Building Collapse An Indictment On The Entire System, Minister Admits

Greenbarge Reporters

September 25, 2016

Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has described the collapse of building in Gwarimpa, the Abuja suburb as an indictment on the entire system.
“The Gwarinpa building collapse though developed by a private person and wholly supervised by the Federal Housing Authority, it is an indictment of the entire system.”
The minister spoke at the weekend when he received in audience, the Managing Director of the Ahmadu Bello University Consultancy Services, Professor Suleiman Karwai in his office in Abuja.
The minister was of the view that building collapses are avoidable if strong institutional supervision of projects either publicly or privately owned are put in place.
He said that the FCT Administration would use the collapsed building in Gwarinpa, supervised by the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), to correct so many things in the industry in the Territory.
“I’m sure you know that that building in Gwarimpa was not supervised by any of our agencies. It was basically handled by the FHA under very lose corporate governance issues because I saw their preliminary report and as you all know, that builder was directed to stop work in March this year. Unfortunately, they continued and because of the weakness in the system nobody stopped him.”
The Minister said that the FCT Development Control Department will soon embark on post development audit of completed houses in Abuja to ascertain that what was earlier approved was not changed after ward.
Muhammad Bello said that the FCT Administration would also embark on registration of all Material Testing Laboratories operating in the FCT that are individually or corporately owned. It would also step-up surveillance of their facilities for effective control.
Professor Suleiman Karwai had promised to continue to partner with the FCTA in the areas of training, exchange expertise in civil engineering and other infrastructural development know how. [myad]

Governor El-Rufai Flags Off $120 Million Potato Factory In Manchok, Kaduna

Greenbarge Reporters

September 24, 2016

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has flagged off the construction of a Potato Farm and Processing factory worth $120 million, in line with his administration’s economic diversification programme.

The factory, said to be the first of its kind in West Africa, is expected to be completed in the next 18 months. It is located at Manchok in Kaura Local Government Area of the state in northwest Nigeria.

The proposed factory is being constructed in partnership with Vicampro International, an agro-based company with branches in several countries.

At the ground breaking ceremony for the proposed factory today, Saturday, Governor El-Rufai said that the processing facility would earn foreign exchange and reduce over-dependence on oil.

He said that the state government is committed to promoting agricultural practices to fast track development, diversify the economy and boost Internally Generated Revenue.

The Governor appealed to the host community to support and cooperate with Vicampro, in order to pave way for the attainment of its mission.

He expressed the belief that the return of vibrant economic activities and the reduction of poverty among the populace would drive prosperity and reduce the divisions that became pronounced as the state’s economy entered dire straits from the late 1980s.

This was even as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, spoke on the issue of access to finance, which he said remained a major challenge of most investors, saying that the issue is being addressed to ensure that investors with viable ideas were given the necessary support.

The CBN Governor, who said the drop in oil prices had affected Nigeria’s economy drastically, suggested further diversification as the only alternative to overcome the economic crisis even as he assured the people that the CBN would collaborate with the Kaduna State government to translate the idea to reality for the benefit of all.

The Minister of State of Trade and Investment, Mrs. Aisha Abubakar, described the development as a giant stride towards moving the nation’s economy forward.

Giving the details of the project, the Executive Secretary of Kaduna State Investment Promotion Agency (KADIPA), Gambo Hamza, explained that to successfully run the plant, the factory would need about 10,000 hectares of land for potato cultivation.

He said that upon completion, the factory would have the capacity to process 2,500 tonnes of potatoes daily and create at least 30,000 jobs.

In his remark, the Managing Director of Vicampro, Michael Agbogbo, said the company would produce French fries, Irish flakes and biscuits for local and international consumption. [myad]

NLC To Edo People: Don’t Return The State To Years Of Holocaust

Greenbarge Reporters

September 24, 2016

The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has cautioned Edo people not to return the state to what it called ‘the years of holocaust.’

The state Chairman of the Congress, Emmanuel Ademokun vowed that NLC would mobilize members in support of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Godwin Obaseki.

The NLC leadership spoke at an event organized in honour of Governor Adams Oshiomhole by the state chapter of the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Benin.

The NLC leadership commended the Oshiomhole administration, which it said could not be matched by previous administrations, even as it listed some of the achievements of the incumbent governor to include the appointment of two permanent secretaries from the organised labour and increment of the minimum wage from N18,000 to N25,000.

According to the leadership of NLC, others are prompt payment of workers’ salaries, interventions in the payment of local government workers, employment of 900 Information Communications Technology staff into the civil service and the building of a twin Labour House.

“A comparative analysis of this government with others that existed since 1991, when Edo State was created, reveals that the entire past(administrations) could not achieve one-third of what the government of Oshiomhole has achieved since 2008.”

Meanwhile, governor Oshiomhole has declared September 27 and September 28 as public holidays for the conduct of the governorship election in the state. The rescheduled Edo State governorship election will hold on Wednesday, September 28.

The governor explained that the holidays was aimed at providing all eligible voters with the opportunity to relocate to their respective areas of registration.

He said that the work-free days would also allow the voters to exercise their constitutional rights. [myad]

Buhari Turns Back On Oil, Vows To Concentrate On Agric, Others

Greenbarge Reporters

September 24, 2016

President Muhammadu Buhari has given a strong indication of shifting emphasis from oil that had been the major revenue generating income to Nigeria now to agriculture, mining industrialization, infrastructure development and the creation of the enabling environment for Foreign Direct Investment.
Buhari, who spoke to media men to round up his five-day activities at the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA71), in New York, the United States of America, acknowledged that “Nigeria as a developing country has been adversely affected by the global economic downturn.

“But we are undeterred and have embarked on a wide range of reforms in our efforts to diversify our economy. My government is shifting emphasis to mining, agriculture, industrialization, infrastructure development and the creation of the enabling environment for Foreign Direct Investment.”

The President made a general review of all his major and side events during the visit to the New York, and highlighted the issues on which he sent a clear and direct message to world leaders.
“I highlighted the need for the international community to work together to liberate humanity from poverty, save our planet from the devastation of climate change and rid the world of terrorism for a more peaceful and prosperous future.
“I mentioned that the plight of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) arising from Boko Haram terrorism is of particular concern to us. For this reason, we have taken concrete steps to address their humanitarian needs and to ensure that necessary conditions are established to enable the voluntary return of the displaced persons to their homes in safety and dignity.”
Buhari said that fighting corruption remains the prime importance of government, adding that the campaign is already yielding positive gains including significant stolen assets recoveries.
The President said that Nigeria was able to state its position clearly on Climate Change, development in developing countries, youth development, statehood for the Palestinians, and reform of the UN Security Council with Nigeria ready to serve on a reformed Council to “advance international peace and security.
President Buhari listed his meetings with world leaders and the benefits from some of the side events, such as the US-Africa Business Forum during which discussions focused on how top American business executives can collaborate with us to diversify our economy, which will in turn drive development, job creation and general business development in Nigeria.
He mentioned his meeting with top Nigerian professionals in the United States and the urgent need to reclaim the shrinking Lake Chad, even as he expressed delight that some countries notably the United Kingdom and United States pledged additional support in the tune of US $391 million humanitarian aid for the Lake Chad region.
President Buhari used the occasion of the media event to thank relevant United States authorities for efficient security and administrative arrangements and officials of the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for demonstrating “that we still have capable officers in our Foreign and Civil Services.”
He commended the Nigerian officers for the “tireless effects in projecting a positive image to our country, even in difficult times.”
President Buhari did not forget members of the Nigerian media, as he thanked them for going through elaborate security checks and clearance procedures to follow his activities and hectic schedule in order to keep all our people at home well informed of his meetings and engagements. [myad]

4 People Traveling To Attend Tompolo Father’s Burial Feared Dead In Boat Mishap

Greenbarge Reporters

September 24, 2016

Four people, a man and three women, who were among the sympathizers traveling to attend the burial of late Thomas Ekpemupolo, father of Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo) were said to have died in a boat mishap.

Two of the female victims were said to have come from Kurutie and Ogulaha communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom. The victims boarded the ill-fated speed boat at the Miller Waterside in Warri to attend the weeklong funeral which commenced yesterday, Friday

feared dead in Warri River on Friday in a boat mishap involving the funeral party to the burial of.

A community leader in Gbaramatu Kingdom, who requested anonymity, told journalists on Saturday in Warri: “we were already at the funeral celebrating Chief Thomas Ekpemupolo when we got news of the accident. Initially, we were told only two persons died, later we heard that the victims were four.

”The male victim, who was apparently from the northern part of the country, was on a mission to sell some wares at the funeral ground,” he said.

Mr. Ekpemupolo died on September 7 at Lily Clinic in Warri.

Meanwhile, the Delta State Police Command’s spokesperson, Celestina Kalu, has confirmed the incident and said that the number of casualties were yet to be ascertained.

“I was regretfully informed that AW-19 boat mounted with 115 horsepower Yamaha engine capsized at Warri River. My patrol team rescued 11 persons; searching and investigation is ongoing.

“For your information, there is no manifest to show the number of passengers in the boat.

“So the number of deaths is not certain yet, the bodies will float by tomorrow,” said the Delta police spokesperson.

Tompolo is a former militant leader in the area. He is wanted by law enforcement agents in Nigeria.

(NAN). [myad]

Pastor Divorces His Pregnant Wife, Accuses Her Of Bringing Bad Luck To His Church

Greenbarge Reporters

September 24, 2016

Apostle Kenneth Kiarie of God’s Covenant Holiness Church in Mihang’o, Kayole in Nairobi, has ended his marriage of about three months to his 23-year-old pregnant wife, accusing her of having brought bad luck to his church as the tithe and other contributions are no longer flowing like before. The couple wedded in April this year.

The 30-year-old pastor said that he hurriedly married Marion Wagitu “because being a pastor, I needed a wife officially married in church.” adding that he borrowed money to finance their wedding which has now left him in debt.

The two were said to have fallen in love when Marion, whom he saw as a ‘humble rural girl’ attended his church.

Marion said that the marriage has been a bumpy one, with Kiarie allegedly blaming her for the declining congregation numbers and tithe amounts in his church, because of her odd behaviours in and out of the church.

“He blames me over a Sh70,000 debt he incurred to fund the wedding. He claimed I threw hot tea and stove at him and attempted to beat him in front of his parents,” said Marion, adding that the man of God often left her with Sh5 for cooking oil on grounds that she was a villager.

The pastor is being accused however of of throwing out his newly wedded wife in order to marry another woman. Even before the honeymoon was over, their marriage hit the rocks sometime in July, with both parties pointing accusing fingers at each other.

“He used to tell me that if I left, I would not get a husband, and that he had scores of beautiful girls hanging around him,” says Marion, who is now back at her Murang’a village.

However, Pastor Kiarie denied the accusation and instead accused Marion of destroying their marriage through her weird behaviour, offensive words, attempt to assault him in front of friends and blood relations and accusing him of infidelity.

“Actually, that was the third time I chased her and it has now been successful. She wanted to control me but that is not African. I said we rather separate than have one of us dead,” he explains.

Marion felt offended that Kiarie rarely funded her salon makeover sessions, while Kiarie said: “she even said I never bought her underwear. I don’t consider her sober and I want her sanity checked. I believe nobody can stay with her unless she changes.”

The short-lived marriage has been the talk of the village in Gaturi, Murang’a County and in Kayole. Kiarie says events that followed the wedding left him broke and unable to cater for her and their unborn baby.

“I did not want to send her away. I have never assaulted her, but being a pastor, everybody thinks I am the problem. A wife means a lot to a man, but Marion is not worth living with. She will harm me.”

While Marion claimed that the pastor was pressurized by his parents and siblings to dump her, Kiarie said that she was spoilt by her parents who failed to reach out to the other side and mend differences.

Both admitted that the four months they courted was too short to really know each other.

“We had not shared a house or bed before we wedded,” said Kiarie.

Marion’s father, Gabriel Chege said that he overlooked Kikuyu traditions by allowing the wedding to take place before Kiarie had paid bride price.

Source: SDE.CO,KE. [myad]

FCT Police Describes Protest By Shiite Over Detention Of El Zakzaky As Satanic

Greenbarge Reporters

September 23, 2016

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Mustafa, has warned members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), who demonstrated yesterday, demanding the release of their leader Ibrahim El-Zakzaky to desist from further actions that will threaten the peace of residents of the capital city.

The commissioner, who briefed news men on the incidence, further warned that that his command will not fold its hands and watch the group disrupt the peace of the residents of the FCT, insisting that the protest was illegal and with satanic intention.

“In view of the current security situation in the country, the command unequivocally reiterate that while it will continue to be professional in the discharge of its constitution and statutory role of protection of lives and property of all the good people of the FCT and equally recognize the right of citizens to express their lawful grievances, the command will not, I repeat, the command will not fold its arms by permitting some individuals or groups of persons to threaten the existing peaceful atmosphere in the FCT under the guise of expressing alleged grievances.

“To this end, I therefore warn those of the Shi’ite group to desist forthwith as the protest is not intended to be peaceful.” [myad]

No one Can Intimidate Us, EFCC Tells Protesters On Dame Patience $15 Million Saga

Greenbarge Reporters

September 23, 2016

“EFCC is a law abiding organization which discharges its duties not minding whose ox is gored. We do not shy away from our responsibilities. Where there is a case, we pursue it to logical conclusion, if there is no case, there is none, we move to other things. The motto of the Commission is “Nobody is Above the Law.”

These were the words of the South South Zonal head of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Ishaq Salilu, today, Friday when he addressed a group of protesters under the aegis of “Coalition of Civil Rights Organisations, Concerned Youths and the Ijaw Nation Worldwide,” on the controversy dogging the $15 Million which Dame Patience, wife of the immediate past Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan claimed belonged to her.

The protesters had thronged the Port Harcourt zonal office of the Commission where the zonal boss of the anti graft agency insisted that the agency is law abiding which discharges it duties without fear or favour, adding that as a creation of law, it will discharge its responsibilities within the ambits of the law.

Ishaq commended the protesters for the peaceful manner they conducted themselves and assured them that their letter will get to the appropriate authorities.

The protesters carrying placards with various inscriptions, such as “Patience is Innocent,” “How Many First Ladies have Been Tried in Nigeria,” “Mrs. Patience Jonathan Deserves Respect, Stop Embarrassing Her,” “EFCC Stop Victimizing Niger Delta People,” “EFCC How many corrupt Nigerians have been prosecuted and jailed,” and so on. They were led by Sukubo Sara-Igbe Sukubo, a self acclaimed ambassador.
Sukubo said that they were in the Commission to express their unhappiness and submit their letter of protest over what he called ill-treatment of the former first Lady.

“We, as coalition of Niger Delta Civil Rights Organization, Concerned youths and Ijaw Nation World Wide, hereby, demand that the EFCC should stay off Mrs. Patience Goodluck Jonathan, as there is no established legal or political precedent for what EFCC is currently doing to Mrs Patience Jonathan.”

Mrs. Jonathan recently instituted an action against the EFCC claiming that the money placed on “Post-No-Debit category” in the accounts of four companies currently being prosecuted on money laundering charge by the Commission, belonged to her. [myad]

Emergence Of Akeredolu As Ondo APC Gubber Candidate Runs Into A Hitch

Greenbarge Reporters

September 23, 2016

The emergence of the former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Rotimi Akeredolu, has run into a hitch, with his opponents, Senator Ajayi Borofice, Olusola Oke, Abraham Olusegun kicking against him.

At a news briefing today, the trio referred to the election and emergence of Akeredolu as grim dirtiness that characterized the process which was not captured and shown to the people of Ondo State in the cinema beamed live on 3rd September, 2016.

“Since we have discovered the dirtiness in the process of the last primary election, it is necessary, as change agents, we speak against the corruption in the process.”

They alleged that there was what they called ‘fraudulent injection’ of three hundred and eighty three (383) names into the delegates list that was used to conduct the primary election, adding that there was also the issuance of delegate tags to non-delegates and allowing the non-delegates to vote in the primary election.
“On investigation, three hundred (300) delegate tags were indiscriminately issued to non-delegates, two designated buses were provided to convey known non-delegates to the voting centre and voted to give undue advantage to one of the aspirants. These, among others were discovered after the charade called credible election.”

The full text of the press statement reads:

You will recall that the All Progressives Congress, Ondo State Chapter, held its Gubernatorial Primary Election on Saturday, September 3rd, 2016. Recall also that three major aspirants here present lodged serious and substantiated complaints against the process of the election.
Gentlemen of the press, since election is a process, this media chat is to once again bring into the public domain the grim dirtiness that characterised the process which was not captured and shown to the people of Ondo State in the cinema beamed live on 3rd September, 2016. Since we have discovered the dirtiness in the process of the last primary election, it is necessary, as change agents, we speak against the corruption in the process. As you are aware, we approached the Primary Election Appeal Committee provided for by the APC Primary Election Guidelines.
As enumerated in our petitions, which we submitted to the Appeal Committee that was duly constituted by the National Executive Council (NEC) with the approval of the National Working Committee of APC and as contained in the Primary Election Guidelines of APC, the following are the planks upon which our appeals are based:
Fraudulent injection of three hundred and eighty three (383) names into the delegates list that was used to conduct the primary election.
Issuance of delegate tags to non-delegates and allowing the non-delegates to vote in the primary election.
On investigation, three hundred (300) delegate tags were indiscriminately issued to non-delegates, two designated buses were provided to convey known non-delegates to the voting centre and voted to give undue advantage to one of the aspirants. These, among others were discovered after the charade called credible election.
It is important to bring into the public domain that on Friday, September 2nd, 2016, a new copy of compromised delegates list was made available to all the aspirants by the Election Committee of APC around 10:30pm. On the receipt of the purported new delegates list, we all made a written protest letter, including Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN transmitted our letters to the Primary Election Committee Chairman informing him of our rejection of the substituted delegates list.
As democrats, having discovered the fraud in the process, we submitted ourselves to the process of redress as stipulated in the Primary Election Guidelines of APC, believing that we are safe in the hands of supposed democrats. The Appeal Committee, within the mandate of their authority, having regards to the preponderance of evidence laid before it recommended that the election be nullified and another election be conducted.
In line with the Electoral Guidelines of APC, the report of the Appeal Committee was submitted to the National Working Committee for final ratification.
Gentlemen of the press, considering our strength in the APC and a total votes of 1,617 in the primary election, as the Apex authority in the administration of APC in Nigeria, we have always assumed sanity and reasonableness on the part of the members of the National Working Committee. We hope the members of the working committee will uphold justice and exorcised corruption from the process.
Yesterday, September 22nd, 2016, the National Working Committee considered the report of the Appeal Committee and puts its decision on the recommendations of the Appeal Committee to vote. The majority of the members of the National Working Committee voted that the recommendations of the Appeal Committee be upheld. To our dismay and in a manner at variance with democratic norms, the National Chairman overruled the majority of the National Working Committee. He rejected the path of truth and upheld the primary election that its process was characterized with corruption.
Let it be known that we are not deterred by the action of the National Working Committee and the undemocratic behaviour of the National Chairman, we are encouraged by the genuine desire of the people of Ondo State for a change that will free them from the economic captivity of the present administration in Ondo State.
We are determined to liberate our people and no undemocratic decision of a party and its leadership will be allowed to misdirect our attention from the goal.
We have a mission, mission to liberate our people, mission to bring about sustainable change, a mission to give government back to the people of Ondo State.
Therefore, we hereby condemn in absolute terms the undemocratic decision of the National Working Committee. Since the party and the official leaders of the party have found pleasure in covering fraud, we owe the people of Ondo State a sacred duty of liberation. This we are committed to and this we shall do.
In the days ahead, we shall consult widely and make public the next line of action that will liberate our people from the present state of hopelessness and despair.
Thank you and God bless you.
. Being the text of a press conference by three of the aspirants for the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State – Senator Ajayi Borofice, Olusola Oke, Abraham Olusegun – against the emergence of a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Rotimi Akeredolu. [myad]

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