Meteorological Agency Warns Farmers Not To Plant Seed Yet Despite Early Rains

March 16, 2023

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has warned farmers in Abuja and the adjoining North Central States who have experienced some rainfall in the last two weeks to desist from planting crops as the rainy season hasn’t commenced in these areas.

The Director General of NiMet Professor Mansur Matazu said that the rains that we have witnessed in Abuja and the environs are just a false onset and don’t represent the commencement of the rainy season.

“What happened in Abuja is a false onset as it was predicted in our Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP) which we categorized as pre-onset activities. However, extreme southern coastal states like Akwa Ibom State, Bayelsa, and a few other states have already reached their onset which we predicted was starting from March 3,” Prof. Matazu said.

“But for Abuja, it is pre-onset activities that are temporary. Farmers should use the opportunity to do land clearing and pre-raining activities. The onset for FCT is predicted to be from late April to early May depending in the local council.”

NiMet also warned pilots and the general public to be wary of thunderstorms and other hazardous weather events.

“NiMet predicted rainfall onset to be earlier than the long-term average in most parts of the country during the 2023 Seasonal Climate Prediction (SCP).

“The onset is expected to start from the coastal states of Bayelsa, Rivers and Akwa-Ibom in early March, progressively followed by the inland states and the Central states.”

Broadcasting Commission Indicts 25 Over Announcement Of Unofficial Election Results

Greenbarge Reporters

March 16, 2023

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has announced the indictment of no fewer than 25 broadcast stations over alleged announcement of unofficial results of the Presidential election, held on February 25 thereby creating infractions of the law.

The NBC’s Director General, Balarabe Ilelah, who spoke to news men at a news conference yesterday, March 15, said that the affected stations were sanctioned in the course of monitoring the 2023 presidential and parliamentary polls, while 16 stations have been given a “final warning.”

According to him, one station was sanctioned for broadcasting the results of the election before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the results which contravened Section 5 (33) of the NBC Code.

He said that 17 stations were sanctioned for broadcasting partisan party content after the prescribed 24-hour stoppage time by NBC, while four stations have been sanctioned for divisive comments.

Balarabe Ilelah cautioned broadcast stations to adhere strictly to its broadcast code, the Electoral Act as well as other extant laws governing the coverage and reportage of the 2023 general polls.

The DG stressed the need for broadcast stations to be professional in the discharge of their duties.

National Population Census Shifted To May; N2.8 Billion Approved For NPC

Greenbarge Reporters

March 16, 2023

Population and Housing Census earlier scheduled to be held across Nigeria for March 29, has been shifted to May this year.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who dropped the hint yesterday in Abuja, said that the decision to reschedule the census was as a result of the rescheduled governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections from March 11 to 18.

He said that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the sum of N2.8 billion for the National Population Commission (NPC), to procure some software to be used for the conduct of the census.

“There was a memo presented by the National Population Commission, seeking for some software to allow them conduct the census in May this year.

”I believe because of the rescheduling of the elections, they cannot commence the census as scheduled.

“They sought council’s approval for a contract to procure software for the census at the sum of N2.8 billion.”

Presidential Election: Atiku Withdraws Motions Against Tinubu, INEC

Greenbarge Reporters

March 16, 2023

The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar has withdrew two motions challenging the election of the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Cpongress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in the February 25 election.

The two motions are motion on notice (number 13M) and motion ex parte (number 13MA) for substituted service on Bola Tinubu.

A statement by Paul Ibe, the media adviser to Atiku said: “When the matter came up for hearing on Wednesday, the two motions were withdrawn because they have been overtaken by events since access had already been granted on Tuesday to Atiku and PDP”

He recalled that the Court of Appeal had granted the request of Atiku and the PDP to be granted unfettered access to the INEC documents used for the presidential election.

“On the 10th of March, 2023 Atiku and PDP filed a motion (number 12M) ex parte and affidavit of urgency to ensure the implementation of the court order. The court, however, asked that they put Bola Tinubu,the All Progressives Congress APC and the INEC on notice. Consequently.”

“But on Tuesday at a conference meeting between lawyers of the PDP, LP, APC and INEC, access was eventually granted to the legal team of PDP by INEC.”

Paul Ibe said that it has become pertinent to make such clarifications “following insinuations and mischievous reporting of the withdrawal of the application for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to grant access to the legal team of the PDP.”

Facebook/Meta To Sack 10,000 More Workers For Its Effiency Policy

Greenbarge Reporters

March 15, 2023

Meta Platforms Inc. has planned to sack 10,000 more employees as it focuses on a “year of efficiency.”
The Facebook parent company announced its latest round of layoffs in a Tuesday morning note to employees that was also posted on the company’s corporate blog.
In November 2022, Meta announced plans to sack more than 11,000 in an initial round of cuts.
Meta shares were up more than 6% in late-morning trading Tuesday. “With less hiring, I’ve made the difficult decision to further reduce the size of our recruiting team,” Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said yesterday, March 14.
The company is set to inform recruitment team members about their status today, March 15 and will announce the impact on tech and business teams in April and May, respectively.
A current Meta employee said that he was bracing for the worst in the spring, when his division goes through cuts, adding to the uncertainty and fear gripping parts of the company.
Zuckerberg noted that Meta would also close about 5,000 additional roles that the company has yet to hire for.
“After restructuring, we plan to lift hiring and transfer freezes in each group,” he said.
Meta’s deeper cuts were initially praised on Wall Street, which is looking for bloated tech companies to rein in costs.
“The Year of Efficiency is becoming more efficient,” Evercore ISI analyst Mark Mahaney wrote on yesterday in a note that raised Meta’s price target to $305 from $275.
“With the new, lowered expense guidance, META is declaring that it can recover to growth with de minimis growth in expenses.”
Meta disclosed in its latest 10-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it had 86,482 employees as of the end of 2022, though it also said that the “reported head count includes a substantial majority” of the 11,000 employees who were affected by the first round of layoffs.
Meta expected those employees to no longer be reflected in its head count by the end of the first quarter.
Technology companies including Meta went on massive hiring sprees during the height of the pandemic as the stay-home economy roared. But advertising spending has slowed since then, and Wall Street wants companies to be more disciplined with their costs.
Amazon.com Inc., Alphabet Inc.’s Google, Microsoft Corp., Salesforce Inc., and Zoom Video Communications Inc. are also shedding tens of thousands of jobs.
Meta initially planned to push forward with aggressive expense plans for this year, but the company’s spendthrift ways didn’t sit well with investors last fall, prompting Zuckerberg to pivot and announce the November wave of job cuts.
Since then, he’s espoused discipline even further, dubbing 2023 Meta’s year of efficiency in the company’s latest earnings materials.
The company has already lowered its 2023 expense forecast multiple times and did so again Tuesday.
Meta disclosed in a filing with the SEC that it now expects to incur $86 billion to $92 billion in total expenses this year, whereas its prior forecast was for $89 billion to $95 billion.
Prior to the first round of layoffs, Meta had been expecting $96 billion to $101 billion in total expenses for 2023.
Still, Meta continues to pour billions of dollars into developing virtual reality and augmented reality technologies essential to creating its vaunted metaverse. Meta’s Reality Labs division tasked with creating the metaverse lost about $13.7 billion in 2022 on $2.16 billion of revenue.
Source: MarketWatch

INEC Boss, Prof. Yakubu Advises Politicians To See Election As Contest, Not War

Greenbarge Reporters

March 15, 2023

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has advised political parties to consider the March 18 Governorship and States Houses of Assembly election in the country as a contest and not a war.

Professor Yakubu, who spoke today, March 14, at an Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting, said:

“It is important for parties and candidates to speak to their agents and supporters to see the elections as a contest and not war.

“They should refrain from acts of violence that may mar the elections or compromise the security of our personnel, observers, the media and service providers,’’ Yakubu said.

The INEC Chairman commended the security agencies for their professional conduct during the February 25 presidential and National Assembly election.

He said that INEC looked forward for an improved performance in the Saturday’s election.

“The commission is encouraged by the directive to state Commands by the Inspector General of Police to handle all cases of electoral offences expeditiously.

“We look forward to receiving the case files. We will immediately set up a legal team to handle such cases in earnest,’’ Yakubu said.

Professor Yakubu called on political leaders to refrain from acts that may mar the election or compromise the security of INEC personnel, observers and other stakeholders.

He said that the governorship election would hold in 28 states, with the exception of Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Ondo and Osun where the election was conducted off-cycle.

He added that the Houses of Assembly election would hold in all the 993 state constituencies across the country.

“Unlike the last elections involving 470 constituencies (one Presidential, 109 Senatorial Districts and 360 House of Representatives seats), the State elections will involve 1,021 constituencies (28 Governorship and 993 State Assembly seats).

“There will also be more candidates involved and more collation centres to protect. They are also local elections involving keen contests.”

In his remarks, the National Security Adviser (NSA), retired Major General Babagana Monguno, advised politicians to call their supporters to order to ensure peaceful conduct of Saturday’s election.

Mongonu said that individuals who has plans to undermine the election process must have a re-think or face the consequences of their actions.

“While commending the efforts of the various political parties and the individuals that participated in the last election, especially those of them that call for peace, I want to also urge individuals, especially at the state level, to demonstrate the same level of maturity.

“They should demonstrate the same level of discipline by calling their supporters to conduct themselves in a manner that is congruous with the expectations of the larger Nigerian society.

“Of course, there are channels for laying complaints and addressing these complaints.’’

Mongonu pledged that security agencies would continue to give support to all stakeholders in the election to exercise their franchise and responsibilities.

Commending professional conduct of security personnel in the last election, the NSA advised them to ensure that no individual took law into his hands in the Saturday’s election.

“So far, so good we do not envisage anything that’s going to be terrible or apocalyptic, in terms of the next few days.

“But that does not mean that we should all do away with our state of readiness. We must comply with the rules; we must also allow everyone to exercise their fundamental rights as citizens of this country.

“What we do not want to happen is for anybody to take the law into his or her own hands.’’

Race For Governorship Of Jigawa: Namadi Of APC Holds The Aces, By Abdullah Zubayr

Greenbarge Reporters

March 14, 2023

The current Jigawa State Deputy Governor, Mallam Umar Namadi has since emerged the Gubernatorial flag bearer of his All Progressives Congress (APC), going into the Saturday, March 18 election with many things working in his favour.
Aside from the incumbency factor, other factors have been identified to be strongly in his favour in the race to the Government House in Dutse.
Speaking to news men in Abuja, the Chief Executive Officer of Emeralds Green-Label Insurance Brokers, Mallam Mikhail Abdulmalik said that he had known Namadi for over 20 years and that given what he knew about the chartered accountant turned politician, he may have been divinely prepared for the position he’s now contesting for in the State.
Abdulmalik noted that the APC governorship candidate was a disciplined and thorough-bred financial expert whose wealth of experinece in both private and public service would add enormous value to good governance. “And this is evident in the various positions he has occupied in the State from the Commissioner of Finance to Deputy Governor,” he said.
Abdulmalik, a chartered insurance broker explained that Namadi is an acknowledged humble man flushed with deep fear of God and he’s widely interacted indiscriminately.
He added that the governorship hopeful parades impeccable academic credentials matched with morals, humility, thoroughness and sound leadership capacity.
According to Abdulmalik, another salient factor that would work in his favour is that since the creation of Jigawa State in 1991 and the subsequent birth of democracy in 1999, Namadi’s Senatorial district, Jigawa Northeast (Hadeija emirate) has never produced the State Governor saved the other two – Jigawa North West (Gumel, Kazaure and Ringim Emirates) and Jigawa South West (Dutse Emirate). The two districts have each produced the civilian governor twice respectively.
“Now that his district has got the ticket to field Namadi, a consummate technocrat and silent philanthropist as flag bearer of the ruling APC that has also done so well in the State, I see him ambling his way to the Government House following his victory at the polls come Saturday, March 18, 2023, God willing, he posited.
lt would be recalled that Namadi had promised in his manifestos to ensure that Jigawa State’s resources were efficiently and prudently utilized and that the State’s economy would be diversified to create job opportunities for the teeming youths.
Acknowledging that the State is agrarian, he also promised to prioritise agriculture, environment, healthcare, education as well as urban and rural infrastructure development. He also intend to invest in technology and innovation.

JAMB Shifts 2023 Mock Examination To March 30

Greenbarge Reporters

March 14, 2023

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has shifted the 2023 Universal Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) mock examination earlier scheduled for Thursday, March 16 to Thursday, March 30.

The Head of Public Affairs and Protocol, Dr. Fabian Benjamin told newsmen in Abuja today, March 13, that the shift became necessary because of the postponement of governorship elections from March 11 to March 18.

“Candidates who registered early and indicated their willingness to take the Mock-UTME would be notified as to when to print their Mock-UTME notification slips, which would contain their centres and other details.

“The Mock-UTME is an optional examination introduced by JAMB to provide opportunity for candidates to have hands-on experience with the system.

“It also affords JAMB an opportunity to ascertain its readiness and that of its partners for the main UTME scheduled to hold between April 29 and May 12, 2023.

“The board also uses this opportunity to announce that the 2023 UTME would witness some ground-breaking innovations to address observed infractions and centre failures.

“For instance, in the new regime, if there is a delay of up to one hour before the commencement of a particular session, that session stands cancelled and would be rescheduled along with the candidates,’’ he said.

Benjamin said that no examination would be started one hour after the scheduled commencement time as the session would be scheduled for any vacant or available slot

“JAMB has made it mandatory that candidates must be notified of their new scheduled sessions or centres, as the case may be, before they leave their original centre.

“In addition, no candidate would be allowed to spend less than one hour before submission of responses during the UTME.

“Similarly, the new regime would make it impossible for candidates to login after one hour of activation of examination.

“If for any reason an examination session is cancelled or cannot hold, candidates are not to panic as they will simply be scheduled for the next available session, which could be that same day,’’’ he said.

Benjamin called on candidates who might experience delays to log into the system to quietly leave the hall and move to the “Holding Area’’ to await further instructions.

He advised candidates not to leave the examination centre until they had been notified of the day and time of their rescheduled examination.

“Candidates are to note that any rescheduled examination is strictly to accommodate only those whose examination session could not hold on account of one reason or another.

“It is not for those who were marked LATE or ABSENT for their session.”

Source: NAN

CBN Has No Reason Waiting For Buhari’s Order To Comply With Court Ruling – Presidency

Greenbarge Reporters

March 14, 2023

The Presidency has come out to deny accusation that President Muhammadu Buhari has refused to comply with the Supreme Court ruling directing the restoration of old N500 and N1,000 notes as legal tenders in the country up to December 31, 2023.

In a statement today, March 13, a presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu said that it is unfair for people to blame the President for the current controversy over the cash scarcity, despite the Supreme Court judgement.

“The CBN has no reason not to comply with court orders on the excuse of waiting for directives from the President.”

The statement said that President Buhari rejected the impression that he lacks compassion, saying: “no government in our recent history has introduced policies to help economically marginalised and vulnerable groups like the present administration.”

It stressed that since the President is not a micromanager, he cannot stop the Attorney General and the CBN Governor from performing the details of their duties in accordance with the law.

“In any case, it is debatable at this time if there is proof of willful denial by the two of them on the orders of the apex court.”

The statement said: “the directive of the President, following the meeting of the Council of State is that the Bank must make available for circulation all the money that is needed and nothing has happened to change the position.”

The statement made it clear that President Buhari never instructed the CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele or the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami to disobey the Supreme Court ruling.

“The Presidency wishes to react to some public concerns that President Muhammadu Buhari did not react to the Supreme Court judgement on the issue of the N500 and N1,000 old currency notes, and states here plainly and clearly that at no time did he instruct the Attorney General and the CBN Governor to disobey any court orders involving the government and other parties.”

The statement emphasized that the President never directed anybody to defy court orders since he was sworn into office in 2015.

“Following the ongoing intense debate about the compliance concerning the legality of the old currency notes, the Presidency therefore wishes to state clearly that President Buhari has not done anything knowingly and deliberately to interfere with or obstruct the administration of justice.

“It is an established fact that the President is an absolute respecter of judicial process and the authority of the courts. He has done nothing in the last eight or so years to act in any way to obstruct the administration of justice, cause lack of confidence in the administration of justice, or otherwise interfere or corrupt the courts and there is no reason whatsoever that he should do so now when he is getting ready to leave office.

“The negative campaign and personalised attacks against the President by the opposition and all manner of commentators is unfair and unjust, as no court order at any level has been issued or directed at him.

“As for the cashless system the CBN is determined to put in place, it is a known fact that many of the country’s citizens who bear the brunt of the sufferings, surprisingly support the policy as they believe that the action would cut corruption, fight terrorism, build an environment of honesty and reinforce the incorruptible leadership of the President.”

BREAKING: CBN Directs Banks To Accept Old N200, N500, N1,000 Notes

Greenbarge Reporters

March 13, 2023

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has formally directed banks across Nigeria to start accepting the old N200, N500 and 1,000 as they remain Legal Tender.
In a statement this evening, March 13, the Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Dr. Isa Abdulmumin said: “in compliance with the established tradition of obedience to court orders and sustenance of the Rule of Law Principle that characterized the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, and by extension, the operations of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), as a regulator, Deposit Money Banks operating in Nigeria have been directed to comply with the Supreme Court judgement of March 3, 2023.
“Accordingly, the CBN met with the Bankers’ Committee and has directed that the old N200, N500 and N1000 banknotes remain legal tender alongside the redesigned banknotes till December 31, 2023.
“Consequently, all concerned are directed to conform accordingly.”

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