The Lagos State Government has undertaken to provide Free Bus Ride to Lagosians on Christmas Day, December 25, to make life easy for the resident during the festivities. Managing Director of LAGBUS, Mr. Idowu Oguntona, the move is aimed at promoting the use of public transportation, as well as reducing congestion on Lagos roads during the festivities. He said in a statement that the free bus ride will be provided on all LAGBUS routes across the metropolis within normal operational hours (6:00a.m – 10:00p.m) on December 25. Oguntona implored Lagosians to take the opportunity of the free bus service provided by the State Government even as he appealed to motorists not to drink and drive so as to prevent avoidable accidents during festivities. He wished all Lagosians happy celebration, showing his appreciation for their patronage during the year. [myad]
Governor of Kwara state, Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara has presented a budget of N116,164, 643,775 for the 2016 fiscal year to the state House of Assembly. Tagged: “Budget of Sustained Expansion,” Ahmed said that the budget has a decrease of N1.5 billion, representing 1.3 per cent against the 2015 budget. According to him, the 2016 budget is made up of Recurrent Expenditure of N48.4 billion, representing 42 per cent of the total budget, while capital expenditure stands at N57.7 billion, representing 49 per cent of the budget. Ahmed, however, said that N10 billion or nine per cent of the budget was set aside to service public debt in 2016. The governor said that one of the objectives of the proposal was to boost socio-economic activities by completing ongoing projects in health, roads, energy, education, water and justice sectors. He assured the people that the budget would ensure efficient expenditure that will result in significant savings and provide the fiscal space required for growth and stability of the state’s economy. Ahmed told the House that the 2016 budget would increase revenue and block leakages to ensure additional revenue required for the implementation of government programmes and projects. The governor said N25.3 billion of the budget is expected to be sourced from the statutory Federal Allocation, amounting to 21.8 per cent of the budget, while N7.3 billion would come from Value Added Tax. Non-oil revenue, Ahmed said, would account for N4.2 billion. representing 3.7 per cent of the budget, while Internally Generated Revenue is expected to fetch N29.7 billion, representing 25 per cent of the budget. He said N25.8 billion or 22.2 per cent of the budget would come from Capital Development Fund Receipt/Aid and Grants, while N20 billion would come from the bond to be taken from Capital Market. Ahmed added that “term loan facility from financial institutions is expected to contribute N4.2 billion, representing 3.6 per cent of the total revenue. Meanwhile, economic affairs, comprising agriculture, energy, works and transport, information and communication, had the lion share of N37.7billion, representing 32.5 per cent of the budget. Education came next with N30.4 billion or 26.2 per cent of the budget, followed by General Public Services, gulping N27 billion, representing 23.3 per cent. The governor said the budget would capture construction of new state roads to link up with farm settlements, communities, educational institutions, health centres, industries and tourism sites, which will cost N8.8 billion. The roads are Kaiama-Kishi (62.85km), Patigi-Rogun Kpada (43.5km) and Ilesha-Baruba-Gwanara (32.80km). Others are Geri-Alimi Fly-over Bridge, expansion of Kwara Polytechnic Road-Oyun Bridge-Oke-Ose Teaching Hospital (7km) and dualization of Michael Imoudu-Ganmo/Afon junction road (1.9km). “To improve the quality of education at all levels, government will focus attention on infrastructure development of our educational institutions to provide environment conducive for teaching and learning,” he said. According to Ahmed, 30 secondary schools across the three senatorial districts of the state would be renovated. The governor said the 2016 budget would boost rice and fish production, improve water and energy supply and develop grazing reserve to prevent clashes between cattle grazers and crop farmers. [myad]
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has punished the Aero Contractors Airlines for breaching safety regulations when it used a ladder to disembark passengers at the Bauchi airport on Saturday. The punishment is in line with Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations.
The Director General of the regulatory agency, Captain Muhtar Usman, said in a letter to the airlines, that the airlines was punished for allowing the use of a ladder to disembark passengers from a Boeing 737-500 aircraft in a non-emergency situation, which was contrary to its approved aircraft handling manual.
“Therefore, this is a violation of Part 9.2.4.2(b) of Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations, which attracts a civil penalty. “All relevant agencies made useful submissions during the course of the investigation,” NCAA said in a statement yesterday. The director general also said in the letter that “in view of the safety implications of your action you are hereby sanctioned in accordance with the provisions of Part 20.2.3(15) of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulation.”
NCAA noted that although the incident did not result in any mishap, the aircraft was airworthy and the crew qualified to operate the flight.
“However, it is viewed as a breach and resultantly a fine running into millions of naira has been clamped on the airline to serve as deterrence and to forestall any similar infraction by any other airline operator,” the director general said. In addition, the captain of the flight was fined for failing to comply with the provisions contained in the aircraft manual.
“The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) therefore wishes to reiterate its earlier warning that all airlines should endeavour to adhere strictly to Civil Aviation Regulations,” NCAA added.
Meanwhile, FAAN has shifted blame over the Aero Contractors ‘use of ladder to disembark passengers at the Bauchi airport on Sunday.
A statement signed by FAAN management explained that the Bauchi airport is managed by the Bauchi state government while FAAN only provides statutory services at the airport such as aircraft marshaling, aviation security services and fire cover.
“The authority does not provide handling services for Aero Contractors and therefore does not understand why it should be held responsible for non-provision of appropriate equipment for passenger disembarkation.” While making further clarification, even though government had instituted a probe into the saga, it said: “Without prejudice to the directive given by the Minister of State for Aviation, for the immediate investigation to determine the immediate and remote causes of the unfortunate incident, we wish to clarify that Aero Contractors use of unauthorised equipment (ladder) to disembark its passengers does not have anything to do with FAAN.
“We also do not understand why the absence of marshallers on the apron, as claimed by the airline could cause the use of unauthorized equipment for disembarkation of passengers from the aircraft.” [myad]
Cameroonian troops have killed at least 70 residents while pursuing members of Boko Haram who were fleeing Gwoza area of Borno state.
Troops were said to have entered Kirawa-Jimni village, asked where Boko Haram insurgents were and started shooting.
one of the residents, Muhammed Abba said: “we didn’t know what was going on but the Cameroonian troops suddenly appeared and began to ask us for Boko Haram terrorists.”
Abba, who is the village and deputy commander of a local group of civilians set up to fight the extremists in Gwoza added: “before we could say a word, they started firing. That scared most of us and we began to run.”
Abba said that when people returned on Monday, they found 70 corpses littering the ground.
The Borno state spokesman for a civilian self-defense group, Abbas Gava, confirmed the reports, saying that he received calls from residents of Ashigashiya village near the border with Cameroon.
“They said the soldiers were in hot pursuit of the Boko Haram terrorists who ran into Kirawa-Jimni. The soldiers did not waste time upon arrival as they immediately opened fire on the villagers,.
Kirawa-Jimni is a border community near Cameroon, located around the area where Boko Haram insurgents once held sway. Many Gwoza residents who had fled to Maiduguri and Yola say the insurgents are still very present in the area.
Cameroonian troops also chased Boko Haram fighters into Nigerian territory on November 30, killing at least 150 people, burning huts and forcing people out of their communities.
Cameroon’s government denied the charges, saying the military is trained to respect human rights. It said it had also carried out a coordinated operation on several border villages around Lake Chad November 27 to November 29, freeing 900 people held by extremists. [myad]
Founder of the Odua Peoples Congress (OPC), Dr. Fredrick Fasehun has asked the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to pay him and his organization the money owed them for the protection of the nation’s oil pipelines.
Speaking at a quarterly interactive media roundtable in Lagos, Fasehun who is also the national chairman of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), said that six companies were given the contract by the Goodluck Jonathan administration to guard pipelines belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
According to him, a total of 18,000 personnel were sent to the field out of which OPC contributed 4,000, saying that his organization was not given a dime before the contract. He said that after Jonathan’s exit, the contract was terminated with nothing given to the OPC.
“We were given the contract on March 15, 2015 and we deployed youths into the jungle. They faced insects, snakes and other wild animals and some of them even died. The government did not pay us a kobo before or during the time of the contract which ended on June 15.
“We have asked our lawyers to study the terms of the contract. An official in the NNPC told me that we had been paid but I told him that we had not received a penny. We call the attention of the powers that be to look into this. The holy books say that a worker deserves his wage.”
Reacting to the information minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed that Jonathan gave the OPC over N2 billion as mobilization fee for the election under the guise of pipeline protection, Fasehun asked him to withdraw the statement and correct the wrong impression.
“Someone who is now a minister once told Nigerians that I collected N2.8bn. Lai Mohammed, who I call a liar, is now the government’s mouthpiece and he must correct that impression.” [myad]
The Lagos State Government has concluded plans to gainfully engage youth across the State in what is designed to be the first in series of interactive sessions on government’s policies and programmes. The interactive session, tagged: ‘Peace in the world: The role of Lagos State Youth’ is billed for December 29th, and will hold at the Onikan Youth Centre in an atmosphere of fun and merriment. According to the Chief Convener, the State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf, the forum will not only provide a platform for interaction between the youths and representatives of the State Government but also enable government get feedback and clarification on its policies and programmes as it affects the youth. “The platform will also afford the youths the opportunity to learn and air their views about the present administration’s policies and programmes while also discouraging them from constituting a nuisance or falling victim of associated risk especially during the festive season.” She advised members of all youth organisations who have registered with the ministry as voluntary and non-voluntary youth organisations in the State to take advantage of the programme as it is strictly by invitation. Meanwhile, Special Adviser to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode on Education, Mr. Obafela Bank-Olemoh, has said that the state is set to build and develop intellectual capacity of the people and to avail them the opportunity of contributing to discussions on developments. Speaking at the annual Lagos State Quiz Competition among adult learners from various Literacy Centres in all the Local Government and Local Council Development Areas in the State held recently at Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, the Special Adviser said that more Literacy Centres will be created in each Locality to give all the citizen equal opportunity to benefit from the Government programme which would be tag “KICK ILLETRACY OUT OF LAGOS”. According to him: “Lagos State Literacy Level is 87% and the Government is planning to move it up to at least 95% within the next three years. We intend to embark on lots of publicity campaign and create necessary awareness to enlighten the people of Lagos State about these Centres.” He enjoined all Lagosians to support the State Government in its effort to reduce illiteracy level to the barest minimum, even as he admonished the facilitators of the Literacy Centres to be more committed to their duties. He assured them of a better welfare package in the coming year in order to boost their morale. Earlier, the Director of the Agency for Mass Literacy in the State, Mrs. Fola Amore commended the present administration for its support and commended all Heads of Education Department in various LG and LCDAs for their effort on improving Adult Literacy in the State. She however enjoined them not to relent in their effort to ensure that illiteracy become a thing of the past in Lagos State. [myad]
Heaps of refuse dumps have taken over some parts of Niger state. The dumps are found in a community around Gauraka Township of the Tafa Local Government of the State. Residents are complaining that the refuse dump at the Gauraka Primary Health Centre/police station has responsible for the many ill health faced by the people in the community. One of the residents, Waidi Olayiola said that the refuse dump has caused havoc, adding that it has not only affected the health of the people but that offensive smokes being released from the dump has been choking the people around the area. Information reaching us indicated that the matter has been reported to the Tafa Local Government council but nothing ass done to clean up the area. A youth leader, Mallam Danlami Muhammad Tella hinted how decomposing body of dead dogs and rotten animals have littered the area, ooding out offensive odour. Another resident, Mallam Habu Shehu appealed to both the ministry of Environment and that of Health to intervene swiftly and help evacuate the refuse in the community. Director of the Young, Doctors Academy, Abubakar Jibrin also appealed to the ministers of health and environment to intervene come to the aid of the community. [myad]
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the N6.08 trillion 2016 federal budget presented by President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday to the joint session of the National Assembly as a big fraud and executive conspiracy tailored towards mortgaging the future of the nation.
The party queried Buhari’s decision to borrow N2 trillion, the biggest in the history of the nation as the “height of recklessness and deceit from a government that trends on propaganda”.
In a statement in Abuja, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, berated the Federal Government for trying to use their “bogus” welfare programme and “phantom” capital projects as cover and conduit to syphon the funds to satisfy partisan interests, particularly to settle huge campaign debts.
“It is obvious that this budget is an extension of the campaign promises of the APC government, presented as a manifesto filled with bogus promises which implementation will be inconclusive, thereby allowing the APC to once again deny their promises.
“There has never been any known economy in the world where government deliberately mortgage the future of its nation by borrowing excessively to finance partisan interests while hiding under bogus welfare programmes. This is moreso important as the APC in reeling out their bogus campaign promises never informed Nigerians that they would mortgage their future through excessive borrowing.
“We have it on good authority that this is the first in the series of APC borrowings which would leave the future generation of Nigerians under the burden of huge debts after four years,” PDP said.
The PDP also said the budget clearly showed that after seven months in power, Mr. Buhari and his party, the All Progressives Congress was yet to differentiate between governance and campaign propaganda.
“By all standards, the 2016 budget, the first major economic policy outing of this government, is completely unrealistic and duplicitously embellished with impractical predications, a development that confirms fears by economy watchers and investors that this administration is obviously ill-equipped for governance.
“We are indeed shocked that President Buhari and his minister of information have come up with two different reasons for the current fuel crisis in the country. While we appreciate the President’s apology, we think it is high time he called this minister to order as his excessive propaganda and blame game are ridiculing this administration and the image of the nation.
“Furthermore, it is instructive to note the official endorsement of Mr. President to the devaluation of the naira as against his campaign promise of firming up the value of our currency even to the much vaunted one naira to one dollar.
‘Does it mean that Mr. President lied his way to power, or that he did not understand the complexities of governance when he was making his false promises to Nigerians?
“In future, there is need to regulate campaign promises so that we will not end up with a government that promises to climb Mount Everest with bare hands and end up mortgaging our future with orchestrated borrowings.
“Finally, we want to request Mr. President to once again to involve experienced and well-tested hands in the management of the economy and budgeting processes.
“This economy is not for Mr. President, neither is it for the APC. The progress of the economy is for all Nigerians and as such, due care should taken to save ourselves from unrealistic and deceptive programmes.” [myad]
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a 40-count criminal charge of unlawful conversion against a Niger Delta militant, Government Ekpemupolo (alias Tompolo), and a former boss of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Patrick Akpobolokemi over alleged conversion of $108.7 million and N2 Billion. The case was filed yesterday at the Federal High Court in Lagos.
The said money, according to EFCC, belonged to NIMASA and was allegedly stolen by the accused persons, which also included three others as well as five limited liability companies.
The other accused are: Global West Vessel Specialist Limited, Odimiri Electricals Limited, Kime Engozu, Boloboere Property and Estate Ltd, Rex Elem, Destre Consult Ltd, Gregory Mbonu, and Captain Warredi Enisuoh.
The suit, FHC/L/5539C/15, was filed on behalf of the EFCC by its prosecutor, Festus Keyamo. In 16 of the counts, the agency alleges that Ekpemupolo, Akpobolokemi, Global West Vessel Specialist Ltd, Odimiri Electrical Ltd, Boloboere Property Estate, Kime Engozu and Simon John Adomene, who is currently at large, conspired amongst themselves between 2012 and 2014 to commit the offence, knowing that the two sums of money were proceeds of stealing.
In counts 17-38 of the criminal charge, Rex Elem, Gregory Mbonu and Destre Consult Ltd are alleged to have converted the sum of N106.8m, property of Global West Vessel Specialist Ltd, despite knowing that the sum was derived from official corruption.
In counts 39 and 40, the EFCC alleges that Captain Warredi Enisuoh converted the sum of N8million, property of Global West Vessel Specialist, knowing that the money was derived from official corruption.
The offences alleged to have been committed by the accused are contrary to, and punishable under the Money Laundering Act of 2012.
It would be recalled that Mr. Akpolobokemi is currently standing trial in two different courts of the Federal High Court in Lagos for other offences. [myad]
One of the highlights in the N6.08 Trillion federal budget for 2016 as presented to the joint session of the National Assembly yesterday, December 22, by President Muhammadu Buhari, was the promised teaching job for 500,000 unemployed graduates across the country. The President, who described his determination to partner with State and Local Governments to recruit, train and deploy 500,000 unemployed graduates and NCE holders as an emergency measure, said that such measure is being aimed at addressing the chronic shortage of teachers in public schools across the country. These graduate teachers, Buhari explained, will be deployed to primary schools, thereby, enhancing the provision of basic education, especially in the rural areas. Indeed, if there is any one policy of the government that has sought to address three national challenges in one fell swoop, it is this proposal for the employment of half a million fresh teachers, especially at the primary school level. First and foremost, the move would address the issue of unemployment itself. As a matter of fact, the nation has been producing thousands and thousands of graduates every year, even as the employment opportunities get thinner, no thanks to many factors, one of which is the closure of many vibrant factories and industrial estates. There is no gain saying the fact that the situation of graduate unemployment has been posing a serious embarrassment not only to the parents and relations of the graduates, but to the collective interest and pride of the nation. The situation became more insulting to our collective sensibility when unemployment suddenly became an object of political maneouvre in the past governments, so much that even the graduate unemployed themselves fell flat for it. The Buhari’s pronouncement and its eventual practicalisation would go a long way to produce multiple productive effects on the family of the beneficiaries. One person so employed, for example, may end up feeding or caring for an average of four people down the line, which translates into smiles being put on the faces of no fewer than two million Nigerians. The measure would also have positive and multiple effects on the education itself. Besides the fact that it would address shortage of manpower in the system, it would also improve poor academic works in most cases. We in Greenbarge Reporters were gladdened by the President’s specific reference to primary school education as the target for the half a million teachers to be employed. It is at this foundation level that the nation’s education began to limp and which has contributed largely in baking half-literate graduates of higher institutions. This is also why the inclusion of training or capacity building for the 500,000 new teachers is seen by many as a far reaching progressive move to salvage the entire education sector. It would have amounted to pretending on the part of the government to talk of quantity (employing more teachers) without looking into quality (capacity building or training). Frankly, the Nigerian public school education has been infested by so many negative challenges that it is almost difficult for one to know where to start from. For a long time, the quality of the products of the nation’s public schools, from the basic to the tertiary levels, has whittled down to glorified ‘educated’ with no ‘substance’. This, and other factors might have brought about the seeming disdain with which members of the public and the government treat teachers. As a matter of fact, teachers are today, still the least respected even from the point of view of take home pay, so much that no student would pray to become a teacher in his or her life. Where a medical officer receives, for instance, huge amount of money as salary, his counterpart in the teaching profession and on the same level, receives less. This situation still discourages many people from taken to teaching; even those who go through pure teachers’ training come out to embrace jobs in another field entirely. It is hoped that the Buhari government would address comprehensively, the challenges that are facing the education sector, especially, the remuneration for teachers. This is the sure way of making his offer of teaching job to 500,000 graduates more attractive and exciting. [myad]
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The Lagos State Government has undertaken to provide Free Bus Ride to Lagosians on Christmas Day, December 25, to make life easy for the resident during the festivities.
