Presidency Admits That Nigeria Is Passing Through Darkest Days Before The Dawn

April 24, 2016

The Presidency has admitted that “these are just the darkest days before the dawn. The change Nigerians voted has indeed begun.”
In a statement, the senior special assistant to President Muhammed Buhari on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu insisted that the devastation of the economy was caused by the Boko Haram insurgency, corruption and the lack of planning by the past administrations which he said, should not be blamed on the Change Agenda of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
“The Presidency firmly rejects the insinuations that poverty and lack are products of the Change mantra. This should be dismissed as an erroneous and misplaced opposition criticism.” Garba Shehu said that the President understands the pain and the cries of the citizens of this country and that he is spending sleepless nights over how he can make life better for everyone.
This is why, he said, the President had just ordered for the release of 10,000 tons of grains from the national strategic grains reserves for national distribution to counter food price increases and the intolerably high exploitation of common people by the trader-class.
The President, he added, had also directed the minister of agriculture to ensure that all the able-bodied men and women in IDP camps be assisted to return to farming immediately.
The Presidential spokesman said that contrary to assertions by a faction of the opposition Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), the President’s energy and focus are on changing the life of Nigerians, with a view to making it better than he met it.
“Change is a process. Change does not happen overnight. Change can be inconvenient. Change sometimes comes with pain. Over the past year, the government has been working night and day to deliver on its promise of change to Nigerians, and the painful process is still ongoing.
“This is work in progress. As life gradually returns to normal in much of the country and the northeast in particular, agriculture will resume and traders from neighbouring African countries will once again feel safe to do business with us–yet another boost for our economy.
“But it is only when we appreciate where we are coming that we will grasp the full meaning and essence of what the ongoing journey entails.
“It is estimated, for instance, that three Northeast sates of Nigeria alone have so far lost about three trillion Naira (Nine billion US Dollars) to the Boko Haram insurgency. The previous administration at the center said federal government losses amounted to about USD18 billion.
“It would have been a miracle for our country’s economy to not feel the effects of this. And, in addition to the thousands of lives lost to the insurgency, thousands have also lost their means of livelihood. The northeast region of Nigeria is a mostly agrarian society, which means Nigeria has lost billions of naira in agricultural produce. Many communities, which have had their yearly planting and harvesting cycle disrupted by Boko Haram attacks or occupation, are still yet to return to their farms. In many of these communities, there has not been planting and consequent harvest for between two to five years.”
Garba Shehu said that as the time the Buhari government came to power, about 600 billion naira was owed to fuel marketers in subsidy payments. Strategic fuel reserves were depleted and local refineries were not functioning.
He said that one of the President’s first steps was to pay off the marketers, leaving an outstanding of about 150 billion Naira, which is captured in the 2016 budget.
He added that the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries are being brought back to life and that in a matter of time, Nigeria will resume refining its own fuel rather than depending on imports.
“As part of the permanent solution of recurring cycle of petroleum products shortages, government is working on a plan to ensure that some of the newly-licensed independent refineries start coming on stream from 2018.
“Government is also turning its attention to the sabotage of the oil and gas infrastructure that has taken so much away from the generation and distribution of electricity.
“Other ongoing plans for change include those for social investment. For example, one million poor and vulnerable Nigerians will soon receive monthly payments of N5000 to allow them live decently. This programme is designed to recognize the need for ordinary, poor Nigerians to also benefit from the resources of the country. President Buhari believes that the resources of our country should be spent also on the vast majority of our people who are poor and vulnerable, and not squandered by government officials or the elite.
“This social investment plan is already provided for in the 2016 Budget. The World Bank has begun conducting a Social Register on poor and vulnerable people in Nigeria, by going to the 4 poorest local government areas and then the 4 poorest communities in those poorest local govt areas. About 7-8 states have been completed already. Now the Presidency is working with the World Bank and the Bill Gates Foundation on how to identify the people to be paid the N5000 and how they will be paid.
“This is the first time that the federal government of this country will be spending this much on social welfare for poor, bearing in mind that the money will go directly to the beneficiaries.
“Another programme, also included in the 2016 budget and also targeted at the poor, is the provision of soft loans to one million traders, market men, artisans, etc. These are not the kind of loans that require collaterals that the people can’t afford or provide. No. The loans will come through the Bank of Industry, but this has also been included in the budget.
“In addition to all these, 500,000 unemployed graduates will be directly employed as volunteer teachers but paid by the FG to teach in their communities while they search for better jobs in their areas of expertise. 370,000 unemployed youths will also be trained in skills acquisition and paid while doing so.”
Garba Shehu stressed that these are just some aspects of the change that Nigerians voted for that is happening and which will soon be felt by Nigerians in every nook and cranny of the country.
He noted that Nigerians are a people renowned for their inner strength and ability to triumph, stressing that the country, under President Buhari would overcome all the challenges. [myad]

Dr. Okupe Demands That Next PDP Chairman Must Come From South West Or…

Greenbarge Reporters

April 24, 2016

Senior Special Assistant to the immediate past President, Goodluck Jonathan on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, has demanded that the next national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) must come from the Southwest or the zone would turn its back on the party forever.

“I want to state categorically here, without any fear of equivocation, that We the Yoruba’s from the Southwest, desire and demand the post of the national chairman at the next convention of the party.”

In a statement titled: “PDP and the burden of Justice and Equity,” Dr. Okupe said that any attempt by the party to hoist chairman other than the one from the South West, no matter the reason advanced would not be acceptable to the people from that zone.

“Failure for a Yoruba man to emerge as the national chairman can only mean two things.

That there is a pervasive and concealed hatred for the southwest in the PDP or
2. That the PDP has very little or no regard for Yoruba interest as was evinced by the obvious cheating of the Southwest from the position of the Speaker in 2011, which was never rectified nor compensated for the whole of four years.

“The sad implication of the above is that, regrettably, many of us from the southwest may have to reconsider our membership of this great party we have helped to nurture and supported through thick and thin, a party we have loved almost more than our very existence, and the party we have served with all our natural endowment, in victory and defeat.

“If there exist any conscience, anywhere in this party, let that conscience speak now and stop the new and alien conscienceless power currently holding sway within the party hierarchy.”

The former presidential spokesman maintained that there is an embarrassing falsehood being propagated by political charlatans from the southwest and some influential collaborators in the top echelon of the PDP.

“The seed of this misrepresentation was sowed by a group of political clowns and court jesters under the leadership of Senator Buruji Kashamu, a political impostor who claims he is the leader of the party and the Yorubas in the Southwest.

“On the 21st of April 2016, the cream of the authentic Yoruba leadership in the southwest gathered at the Golden Gates Hotel on Kingsway Road, Ikoyi, under the Chairmanship of Chief Olabode George, a retired Air Commodore, former governor, former deputy national chairman of PDP and a grandson of the revered, legendary and world acclaimed, distinguished Yoruba icon and politician,
Sir Herbert Macaulay.

“At that meeting the true sons and daughters of Yoruba land in an unprecedented unity condemned the erstwhile claim by the Yoruba traitors who went and lied to the PDP chairman, His Excellency Sen Ali Modu Sheriff, that the Yorubas do not want the chairmanship of the PDP.

“The followings are the past chairmen: Chief Solomon Lar, Chief Gemade, Chief Audu Ogbe, Prince Ogbolafor, Dr Nwodo, Alhaji Baraje, Dr Haliru Bello (AG), Alhaji Bamangar Tukur, Alhadji Adamu Muazu, Prince Uche Secondus (Ag) and Senator Ali Modu Sheriff.

“From the above in the last 18 years there have been 11 chairmen from five geopolitical zones. Only the Yoruba race from the southwest has been precluded from this exalted office.

“In the interest of fairness, equity and justice, it is most compelling that the Yorubas of the southwest zone must be allowed to contest for this post at this coming national convention.” [myad]

Rice Farmers Get CBN’s N4.9 Billion Loan

Greenbarge Reporters

April 24, 2016

Thousands of rice farmers across the country have been granted a total sum of N4.9 Billion loan under the anchor borrower programme of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele who spoke today, Sunday, during a tour of the farmlands in Kebbi state, said that the farmers would be producing about one million metric tonnes of rice for the country this year.

Emefiele said that through the intervention, a total of 78,581 farmers were mobilized in Kebbi State under the initiative, with a total of 570,000 direct jobs created in the process.

The CBN Governor said that the success recorded by the rice farmers in Kebbi state has rekindled hope in the ability of Nigeria to be self sufficient in rice and wheat production, adding that with the sum of N210,000 granted to each farmer, they are able to cultivate a hectre of rice.

He disclosed that under the Anchor Borrowers Programme, farmers are already looking forward to a total of one million metric tons rice this year.

The CBN Governor said that with the disbursement of N4.9 billion as loans to the farmers, over N570,000 direct jobs have been created and saved.”

Apart from the number of jobs created, Emefiele said that 70,871 rural farmers now own and operate bank accounts and are also captured under the Bank Verification Number biometric project.

The anchor borrower program is designed to create economic linkages between farmers and processors, not only to ensure increased agricultural output of rice and wheat, but also close the gap between production and consumption.

Under the programme, the CBN has set aside N40bn out of the N220bn Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund to be given to farmers at single digit interest rate of nine per cent per annum.

Under the scheme, smallholder farmers are entitled to loans ranging from N150,000 to N250,000 to assist them in procuring necessary agricultural inputs like seedlings, fertilizers, pesticides, among others, to help boost agricultural outputs and productivity.

This was even as the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh said that with Kebbi State alone targeting one million tons of rice out of the projected seven million tons required by the entire country, the country is on its way to self sufficiency in rice production.

He commended the efforts of the CBN for its intervention in the agricultural sector adding that deliberate efforts are being put in place at opening up other rural areas for agricultural purposes. [myad]

Huawei Partners With Nigeria To Empower 1,000 Youths On ICT

Greenbarge Reporters

April 24, 2016

Huawei Technologies, China’s leading global Information and Communication Technology solution provider is set to partner with the government of Nigeria to initiate a social development program that would empower 1,000 youths in information and communications technology (ICT).

Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Youth and Student Affairs, Nasir Adhama, who disclosed this in a statement in Lagos, said that such partnership is part of the government’s efforts at addressing the issue of unemployment in the country.

He said that the initiative would commence at a date to be announced soon, adding that his office would select and screen the beneficiary participants from all geopolitical zones of the country for the training.

“Out of the 1,000 youth that would be trained by Huawei Africa, 200 would be sent to China for more training on ICT.”

The presidential aide stressed that there are many programs and activities that would get local youths engaged and involved.

During the recent visit by President Buhari to China, the special assistant also met with the leaders of the telecommunication company on the proposed ICT program.

Huawei, which is one of the global brands in ICT, has even announced that it would soon establish a world class ICT center in Nigeria to create more opportunities for Nigerian youths. [myad]

Governor Masari Promises To Establish Tomato Processing Company In Katsina

Greenbarge Reporters

April 24, 2016

Governor Aminu Masari of Katsina State has promised to establish a Tomato Processing Company to boost irrigation in the state.

Governor Masari who spoke today, Sunday in Mashi at a Town Hall meeting with people of the Mashi/Dutsi Federal Constituency, said that the company would be established in Danja Local Government Area through a Public Private Partnership (PPP).

The governor said that the decision to establish the company is part of the efforts of his administration to boost irrigation and create job opportunities for the people.

The governor, who saw the initiative as a mean towards preventing rural-urban drift in the state, said that his administration would continue to accord top priority to agriculture to enhance food productivity and guarantee food security.

Meanwhile, the Education Secretary for the Mashi Local Education Authority, Malam Abdullahi Garba, has said that the area is facing dearth of primary school teachers.

Garba appealed to the government to recruit more primary school teachers, rehabilitate the schools and settle promotion arrears of teachers from 2010 to date. [myad]

CBN’s Big Hammer Falls On Zenith, UBA, GTB, Sterling: Fined N3.2 Billion

Greenbarge Reporters

April 24, 2016

The Central Bank of Nigeria has imposed a total fine of N3.2 billion on United Bank for Africa Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc and Sterling Bank Plc for violating various regulatory orders.

The offences, which were committed during the 2015 financial year, were contained in the annual reports of the affected banks.

UBA had the highest fine among the four banks, paying the sum of N2.969 billion as penalty to the CBN for committing eight offences, including failing to meet the Treasury Single Account (TSA) reporting and remittance deadline, N2.946 billion; failure to update customers’ records and conducting continuous due diligence on some accounts, N2 million; and failing to review credit policy at least every three years in line with section 3.1 of the prudential guidelines 2010, N4 million.

Others are bidding for export proceeds in excess of the Bankers’ Committee guidance rates, N4.8 million; violating the CBN circular in respect of the 2015 Risk-based Examination, N2 million; and inadvertent omission of two customers from the PEP returns, N2 million.

Others are errors in response to an enquiry on offshore subsidiaries, N6 million; and processing import transaction for a customer, pending the receipt of the customer’s renewed NAFDAC certificate.

Zenith Bank, which had the second largest fine, paid the sum of N60.1 million to the central bank for committing nine offences with Offences, including infractions arising from risk assets examination as of December 31, 2014, N2 million; late rendition of fraud and forgeries returns, N2 million; fraudulent instant pay from an account in the Enterprise Bank to the Valluci Properties Limited, N10 million; and late rendition of returns in respect of CDL, N4 million.

Others are anti money laundering spot check exception, N4 million; the TSA deadline exception, N4 million; late rendition of returns, N100,000; penalty in relation to reporting of public sector deposit, N32 million; and failure to implement auditors recommendation contained in a management letter.

The GTBank was fined N60.05 million for committing three offences in the 2015 financial year, including delay in transmitting the list of the TSA names to the CBN, N2 million; late rendition of returns, N50,000; and contravention of the CBN circular on prior clearance of prospective employees of banks, N4 million.

Sterling Bank, which had the least fine among the four banks, was fined N13m for committing five offences for committing offences such as failure of its system in preventing tiered-customers from exceeding their thresholds, N2 million; not classifying customers into appropriate risk category and incomplete account opening forms, N4 million; and failure of the bank to provide reports to the Nigerian Interbank Settlement System Plc as required in the circular, N1 million.

Others are failure of the bank to meet the deadline for transfer of funds to the TSA, N4 million; and delay in response to the CBN directive in respect of reporting lines of the Chief Compliance Officer, N2 million. [myad]

Jonathan Was Smart To Concede Defeat, He’ll Have Been Stoned – Ex Ekiti Governor

Greenbarge Reporters

April 24, 2016

Former Governor of Ekiti State and a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Otunba Niyi Adebayo has described the immediate past President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as being smart by conceding defeat after the 2015 Presidential election.

According to him, if Jonathan had insisted on continuing in office, Nigerians would have by now been hurling stones him whenever he is he seen on the street.

“Jonathan too was smart to concede defeat, because if Jonathan had remained at the helm of affairs, by now, people would have started stoning him on the street.”

In an interview he granted the Sun newspapers, the former governor lamented that while crude oil sold for over $100 per barrel under Jonathan, Nigeria had nothing to show for it, adding that the nation was ran aground under the previous administration.

“During the tenure of President Jonathan oil was selling at over $100 per barrel; but we have nothing to show for that money. It is always difficult to justify the fund. I mean by now our foreign exchange reserves should be in hundreds in billions of dollars. But today, we cannot speak of having that kind of money in our reserves.

“You know our refineries are not working, nothing is working. We have bad roads; the roads are not in good shape. I mean, it’s unfortunate; very unfortunate.

“But luckily for Nigeria; I always say to the people, God knows what He was doing when people turned against Jonathan and voted for Buhari.

“And Jonathan too was smart to concede defeat because if Jonathan had remained at the helm of affairs, by now people would have started stoning him on the street.” [myad]

Service Chiefs Storm Niger Delta To Contain Militancy, Other Crimes

Greenbarge Reporters

April 24, 2016

A team of the Nigeria Service Chiefs, led by the Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, General Gabriel Olanisakin, accompanied by the Chief of Naval Staff, CNS, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ette Ibas have stormed the Niger Delta region to launch a counter-attack on militants that have retunred to the creek to destroy oil installations and commit other crimes.

The Service Chiefs arrived at the headquarters of the Operation Pulo Shield in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State yesterday, obviously on the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari who had earlier warned while on an official visit to China that he would deal with militants in Niger Deta the same way he has been treating Boko Haram insurgents in the North East.

On arrival, General Gabriel Olonisakin pledged the resolve of the Nigerian Armed Forces to deal with pipeline vandals, oil thieves, kidnappers, cultists and sundry crimes in the Niger Delta region, even as the team identified 10 security threats in the region.

The CDS, who was conducted round by Commander of Operation Pulo Shield, Maj-Gen Alani Okunlola, explained: “the visit followed the strategic directive of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammad Buhari, to deal with identified security threats in the Niger Delta.”

He added that the visit was to access the challenges of the troops with a view to addressing them and to ensure operational effectiveness in dealing with the threats.

“I am in Yenagoa on operational visit to Operation Pulo Shield as well as the Boat House vessel we have in Akassa. It is such that we can understand the challenges they are facing here and address these challenges to enhance their operational effectiveness and efficiency.” [myad]

I Don’t Regret Killing My Wife, Man Boasts

Greenbarge Reporters

April 24, 2016

“I never regret killing my wife. She has denied me education. I am a farmer in Angwan Sarki village and I am struggling to have a better life.”

These are the confessions of Joseph Okala, in his 20s, who has been arrested by the Nasarawa police for allegedly his 18 year old wife, Helen Precious, in the presence of his mother-in-law because at Ninda village, Kokona Local Government Area, Nasarawa State.

It all happened when Joseph allegedly went to the village of his in-laws, where he learnt that his wife and mother-in-law had gone to the farm. He then went to his mother-in-law’s farm at Nindama village in Kokona LGA Nasarawa State, met his wife working with his mother-in-law and instantly shot her (his wife) in the presence of her mother and younger sister and then left the scene.

He was allegedly wearing a face mask when he shot his wife and wanted to escape before he was arrested by policemen attached to Garaku Police station.

The suspect, Joseph Okala admitted that he was the one who killed his wife, saying: “my wife denied me going to school. My father warned me against marrying her rather I should go to school.

“Since my late wife insisted that I must marry her. I have to deny my father and abandon my education to marry my late wife in 2013. I was blessed with one kid, a baby boy.

“My late wife has been pregnant for me but she would abort the pregnancy, she has done the abortion severally. It was the senior brother of my wife who came on December 25, 2015 and packed my wife’s luggage and took her away from my house, we have been quarrelling over the matter.”

The suspect, who hailed from Kokona Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, said that it was four months later after his late wife left his house.

“It was April 4, 2016 around 2:00pm I went to Nindama village, my wife’s mother’s village and met them in the farm; I went in anger and took my dane gun and shot my wife dead in the present of her mother and I wanted to escaped before the policemen arrested me.

“I never regret killing my wife. She has denied me education. I am a farmer in Angwan Sarki village and I am struggling to have a better life.”

The Commissioner of Police, Nasarawa State Police Command, Lawal Shehu, confirmed the incident which he said occurred on April 4, 2016 around 2 pm when

He said that the policemen in Garaku Police Station had recovered the dane gun Joseph used to shoot his wife.

This was even as the Police Public Relation Officer, ASP Numan Umaru Ismaila from Nasarawa Command, warned the public not to take laws into their hands but rather always report any grievance to the nearest Police Station.

He said that the case of Joseph Okala who killed his wife was culpable homicide.

A representative of the he family of the deceased, who gave his name simply as Garba said that the suspect had been maltreating the deceased long before he finally killed her, and demanded that justice, should be done.

“We sent her elder brother to pack her luggage from the husband’s house on December 25, 2015.

“Suddenly, we saw the husband in my mother’s farm with her wife and he shot her dead without a reason. We want justice to be done. The policemen have released our daughter’s corpse to us and we have buried her on April 8, 2016.”

The police commissioner said that the suspect Joseph Okala would be charged to court for culpable homicide after investigation had been concluded.

Source: Sunday Sun. [myad]

Congo Music Star, Papa Wemba, Collapses On Stage And Dies

Greenbarge Reporters

April 24, 2016

The influential Congolese music star, Jules Shungu Webadio, popularly called Papa Wemba has died after collapsing on stage in Abidjan in Ivory Coast.

A video recording from the concert shows the artist, who was 66, slumped on the floor as dancers continue to perform; unaware of what had happened to their master.

On the African music scene since 1969, Papa Wemba won a world following with his soukous rock music.

The Congolese bandleader also inspired a cult movement known as the Sapeurs whose members, young men, spend huge amounts of money on designer clothes.

In 2004, he was convicted of people-smuggling in France and spent three months in prison.

A Belgian court convicted him of the same crime in 2012, handing down a fine of 22,000 euros (£17,143; $24,690) and suspended prison sentence of 15 months.

The artist fell ill while performing at 05:30 (05:30 GMT) on Sunday, local media report.

He died before he could be brought to the hospital, a spokesman for the Ivosep morgue in Abidjan told Reuters news agency.

He remained one of Africa’s most popular musicians. Soukous, also known as rumba rock, became the most popular sound across Africa.

Together with his bands, Zaiko Langa Langa, Isifi and Viva La Musica, he racked up hit after hit including L’Esclave and Le Voyageur, and worked with international stars like Peter Gabriel.

He appeared in two feature films, Life Is Beautiful (1987) and Wild Games (1997).

In addition to the prison time he spent in Europe, he was once jailed in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo), for allegedly having an affair with a general’s daughter.

His conviction in France related to a racket whereby illegal immigrants were taken to Europe posing as members of his band. [myad]

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