FCT MInister, Muhammed Musa Bello and some officials
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has distributed assorted presidential grains worth over N100 million to the people of Adamawa State as part of the Federal Government’s efforts to provide food stuffs to Nigerians pending the commencement of the harvest season in earnest.
The food items are 3,600 bags of maize, 1,850 bags of sorghum, 1,200 bags of millet and 1,200 bags of garri.
Malam Bello said that since Nigeria is currently in the middle of the raining season when the people are in the farms and the new crops have not started getting into the markets, President Muhammadu Buhari asked that grains should be obtained from the strategic grains reserve of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to be delivered to our people.
Handing over the grains to Senator Abdul-Aziz Nyako and other political and community leaders in the State, Malam Musa Bello advised them to to ensure that the grains are distributed to the vulnerable and indigent members of the communities in the State.
This was Senator Abdul-Aziz Nyako expressed appreciation to President Buhari for the timely gesture.
The Senator pledged to ensure the equitable distribution of the food items to the vulnerable and needy.
Also, the Deputy Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in State, Samaila Tadawus said that the party will also ensure transparent distribution of the grains.
Photo credit: Premium Times Photo credit: Premium Times
Medical doctors in Nigerian under the auspices of Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) are back from a short break as they gave a two-week ultimatum to embark of strike if their demands are not met by both the Federal and State Governments.
President of the association, Dr. Godiya Ishaya, at a media briefing shortly after the end of the Extraordinary National Executive Council (E-NEC) meeting today, August 21 in Ilorin, Kwara State, said that the Association resolved at the meeting to give the week ultimatum after observing the federal government’s efforts as a show of goodwill from the association.
“This we believe will give the Federal Government adequate time to substantiate their efforts with results which will avert industrial harmony.”
The NARD president called on the federal government to urgently implement and commence payment of the 2022 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) in full to members using the old template, while the shortfalls, using the reviewed template, be computed and incorporated into the 2023 budget and paid in arrears.
He said that the association would continue to work closely with the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) towards the implementation and payment of the new hazard allowance to all affected healthcare workers by the government.
Ishaya lamented the slow pace encountered in the payment of the 2020 MRTF to members who were omitted while decrying the worsening spate of brain drain in the healthcare system, leading to a perpetual shortage of manpower with attendant burnout.
“The deplorable situation has led to the shutdown of the Federal Medical Centre, Owo.”
He said that the association is also concerned about the conditions of members in various stages of government-owned hospitals, including Abia, Ekiti, Imo and Ondo, which he said have remained unchanged, where members are owed salary arrears spanning months.
Ishaya, however, commended the efforts made by the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, as well as National Salaries Income and Wages Commission towards the upward review of the MRTF.
He appealed to the government not to delay the full implementation and payment of the newly upgraded Hazard Allowance since its circularisation by the federal government on December 22, 2021.
Ishaya added that the ultimatum would be duly communicated to the government to ensure resolutions were reached and further escalations averted.
The meeting, which was hosted by the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), had in attendance 79 chapters of the association from both state and federal tertiary health institutions across Nigeria.
The Zambian Minister of Commerce and Industry, Chipoka Mulenga, has begged the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote to assist in developing that country’s agricultural sector. Chipoka Mulenga, who led a delegation from Zambia on tour of the 3.00 million metric tonnes Dangote Fertiliser plant at the weekend, called for collaboration between Dangote Group and the Zambian government in the establishment of fertiliser plant in the southern African country. Mulenga expressed belief that any investment in fertiliser production will not only help the country to be self-sufficient in food production, it will also help grow the Zambian economy as well as that of the neigbouring countries.
According him, the Zambian government has created an enabling environment for local and foreign investment through great incentives to attract investment in all sectors of the economy. “The Zambian government in the last budget made some pronouncements which focus on value addition, industrialisation, skill enhancement and development. We have a huge youthful population who are ready to work if given the opportunity to be productive,” he said. He described Zambia as Africa’s new investment destination because of its stable political system, stable macroeconomic environment and investment protection guarantees.
He said that Zambia is strong in agriculture and even seeking to become stronger through having its own Fertiliser plant. “Rather than continue to import Fertiliser from anywhere, we want Aliko Dangote to come and establish plant in Zambia.
The country’s fertiliser consumption has increased tremendously in the last few years and has continued to increase.
“I am happy that we no longer have to go outside of Africa to seek investors. Dangote has been able to change the narratives through his investment in cement production across Africa.
“We now have Africans investing in the Africa continent. Dangote has already established the biggest cement plant in Zambia. Dangote Cement Zambia has a remarkable portfolio and is bringing positive change to the cement industry, not only in Zambia, but also to other neigbouring countries.”
Mulenga commended the President/CEO of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote for investing massively in fertiliser production in Nigeria.
”This could only happen because the company put the right people, right leadership, right technical skills and the right management in place to have such a remarkable result.
This Fertiliser Plant is not only serving the needs of Nigeria, but also attracting foreign exchange into the continent.
“This is a good demonstration that we can have this kind of investment in any part of Africa, which can grow and be beneficial to other countries.”
He called on Nigerians to guard Dangote investments and other local investments in Nigeria. “Let all Nigerians support this investment to grow from strength to strength. This is amazing and we will like to have a similar investment in Zambia.”
Speaking at the end of the tour, Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Fertiliser Limited, Vishwajit Sinha said that demand for Urea fertiliser in the Nigerian market and beyond remains robust and is expected to continue to grow.
He said the $2.5 billion fertiliser complex would make Nigeria self-sufficient in fertiliser production with excess capacity exported to other African countries and the rest of the world. “The key focus of Dangote Fertiliser has always been to cater to the growing fertiliser demand of the domestic market in Nigeria and also to work towards bringing a green revolution in the country so as to contribute towards food security for Nigeria.
“The surplus production after supplying the domestic market is exported,” he added. Sinha stated that Dangote Fertiliser is positioned to take advantage of the Federal Government’s policy, which focuses on agriculture as one of the keys to unlock the diversification of the Nigerian economy.
“As population is increasing, food consumption is changing. Many countries’ economic progress is linked to agricultural development, which is the best form of inclusive development.
“For all the countries that I have been to, I can see the potential of agriculture in the entire value chain from the farm to the kitchen in Nigeria. Dangote Fertiliser has the potential to transform the entire African region.
“Definitely it will have a huge value on the country.”
Sinha described Dangote Fertiliser plant as a company which will not only increase food-sufficiency in Nigeria, but also drastically reduce the level of unemployment and youth restiveness in the country through the generation of direct and indirect employment.
The Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Muhammad Nami has expressed confidence that the Service will perform better this year than last year, 2021 when it raked in N6 trillion in tax collection. He said that with several strategic measures that have been put in place, the Service was able to record an unprecedented collection of over N6 trillion in 2021, “and has set its sight on higher performance this year.” Nami, who handed over Tax Credit Certificate to the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) for the construction of the Bonny – Bodo Road in Rivers State, is confidence that the Service can achieve its targets with the contribution of taxpayers like the NLNG. He listed such strategic measures to include energising FIRS consultations and regular engagements with stakeholders. “We are building a customer centric and data centric organisation while also restructuring the administrative framework and processes of the Service; we are driving towards full automation of core tax operations. “You may recall that the FIRS started with the development and deployment of an in-house digital solution – The Taxpromax Solution. This solution allows taxpayers to sit in the comfort of their offices or homes to file returns, pay taxes and conduct all forms of tax processes with us. “At the heart of our customer-centric reforms is the setting up of a multi-lingual Call Centre for enquiries and report from taxpayers. “I wish to assure you that the Service is ever ready to attend to any issue that will enable you and taxpayers like you to comply with statutory tax obligations.” Receiving the certificate, the Company’s Deputy Managing Director, Olalekan Ogunleye, who represented the CEO NLNG, Philip Mshelbila said that the company is a major contributor to the country’s economic development and is working towards building a better Nigeria. He acknowledged FIRS as being at the forefront of economic resuscitation and progress the country, adding: “I also want to put on record our appreciation for the expedited issuance of the tax credit certificate. “As you know, this tax credit is in relation to the Bonny-Bodo road which is itself a landmark project and a pilot scheme in this initiative. “This would be the first time the Island of Bonny will be linked by road to the rest of the country. And this is very significant to the development and advancement of the country because it will open new opportunities for economic activity.” The Road Infrastructure Development and Refurbishment Investment Tax Credit Scheme, also referred to as the Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme, is a public-private partnership scheme signed by President Muhammadu Buhari under Executive Order 007 in January 2019. It will enable the Federal Government to leverage private sector capital and efficiency for construction, refurbishment and maintenance of critical road infrastructure in the country. Under the Scheme, participants are entitled to tax credits against their future Companies Income Tax to the tune of the project cost incurred in the construction or refurbishment of eligible roads. So far, NNPC, MTN, Transcorp Group, Access Bank, GZI industries, among others are some of the entities participating in the Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme of Executive Order 007.
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has vowed to fight to finish anyone working with the enemies of the State, emphasizing: “I will fight to “finish” anyone who pitches his tent with “enemies of the state.”
Governor Wike, who spoke today, August 20, at the flagging off ceremony of the construction of internal roads in Omagwa, Ikwerre Local Government Area of the State, remarked: “if anybody fights our system we will fight the person back.
“Let me tell you what you don’t understand in politics. The moment you claim to be working with us and tomorrow you shift to our enemy, we will take every might we have, we will even leave our enemy and finish you first.
“So all of you who are going back to Abuja to hold meetings with our enemies in the state, I’m going to finish you to the last.
“We removed a National Party Chairman who was not doing well. All of them were here, we all agreed, now they are going to Abuja to hold meetings with the man we removed, thinking that you will use that to fight us, we will crush them.”
And, in a swift response, the former PDP Chairman, Secondus rebuked Governor Wike over his warning against his support for Atiku Abubakar.
A terse statement by the ex-chairman’s media office reminded the governor that he would not be in power till eternity.
Secondus condemned Wike’s “disdainful threat that he will crush anybody who works with him in support of the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
“Wike, you cannot crush anybody. I cannot fight or join issues with you. Only God can crush.”.
Quoting Nnamdi Azikiwe’s advisory, Secondus added: “No condition is permanent and nobody can become Governor of a state or President of this country forever.”
Secondus, a strong ally of the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, was ousted as chairman of the Party in 2021, through a strong opposition led by Wike
Some university workers under the aegis of the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Allied and Education Institutions (NASU) have agreed to return to work with effect from Wednesday, August 24 even as the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) resolved to carry on with the 6-month old strike.
The two unions of the federal universities suspended their almost 5-month-old strike for a period of two months at a brief meeting today, August 20 between the leadership of both unions and the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, in Abuja
Adamu said during the meeting that the Federal Government has committed N50 billion to pay earned allowances for members of SSANU, NASU and the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
The new development is coming a few days after the Minister of Education hinted that members of five labour unions out of six within the university system would soon call off their strike, leaving only ASUU, who rejected the federal government’s decision to implement the “no work, no pay” rule.
It would be recalled that on March 27,members of SSANU and NASU declared a 2-week warning strike over some unresolved issues with the government which includes the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement, payment of earned allowances, usurpation of non-academic career positions by vice-chancellors, the inclusion of university staff school into the university community, non-payment of minimum wage arrears, and funding of state universities.
The unions had extended the strike by another two weeks on April 10, citing the government’s failure to meet their demands and in June, the unions further extended the strike by two months.
The strike by SSANU and NASU has led to the suspension of the issuance of academic transcripts, mobilisation of graduates for the compulsory one-year service organized by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)
The Nigerian Army has lashed out at some social media for reading dangerous meanings on the recent voluntary retirement of 243 soldiers from service.
In a statement today, August 20, the Army spokesman, Brigadier-General Onyema Nwachukwu, said that the allegation that soldiers of the Nigerian Army were proceeding on voluntary retirement due to alleged corruption, poor service conditions and low morale as recently reported by some media outfits “was nothing but a concoction of the imagination of the unrepentant enemies of the nation and mischief makers and should be outrightly discountenanced by the public.
He said that the subjective and unethical report was a distraction and another failed attempt at dampening the morale and fighting will of the loyal, dedicated and patriotic fighting force of the Nigerian Army.
“Perhaps these impenitent mischief makers need to be schooled to understand that the NA is not a conscript Army and that recruitment into the NA is voluntary with extant policy on discharge and retirement of soldiers and officers respectively, like other organizations.
“This provides its personnel the opportunity to apply for voluntary discharge, when they deem fit and meet the terms and conditions as stipulated in the Harmonized Terms and Conditions of Service soldiers/ratings/airmen (Revised) 2017.
“It is thus, the inalienable right of a personnel to voluntarily or on medical grounds apply for discharge, if they meet the terms. It is therefore not an aberration that the COAS granted approval for 91 NA/32/4792 WO NDAGANA ISHIAKU and 242 others to voluntarily discharge from the NA, as being unprofessionally manipulated by some media.”
Brigadier-General Onyema Nwachukwu said that given the pedigree and mannerism of the publisher of the ill-fated report, such misreprentation of facts was targeted at deflating the high morale of troops by downplaying recent critical interventions by the Chief of Army Staff Lt. General Faruk Yahaya on troops’ welfare, which included car loans, housing loans, extensive construction of new accommodation, massive renovation of old and dilapidated accommodation, among others.
“These interventions evidently account for troops’ game changing onslaught in the North East. It must also be mentioned, that the quantum of equipment that have been injected into the theatres and prompt payment of operational allowances, have all turned the tide against the insurgents.
“Also worthy of note is the welfare flight for troops, which has significantly reduced the burden of troops travelling in and out of the theatres, in addition to huge commitment on the medical needs of wounded-in-action soldiers and the barracks communities.
“Equally important, is the fact that troops are now being regularly and consciously rotated from the frontline, hence, issues of overstay and battle fatigue are gradually being overcome. Suffice to say, that some of these recently discharged soldiers are beneficiaries of these giant strides.”
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said that the discussion during the visit of the Presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to him was “more brotherly than political.”
A statement today, August 20, by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi quoted Obasanjo as saying that the statements coming from those claiming to be supporters of Bola Tinubu are unhelpful to the candidate.
Obasanjo said that at the request of Bola Tinubu, he (Obasanjo) agreed that the two of them would issue statement on the discussions at the meeting.
“Those claiming to be insiders at the meeting issuing statement on the discussion and those crediting to me statement I had not made are enemies of the visitor and are not doing the visit any good.”
Tinubu had met with the former president last week Wednesday behind closed doors.
The two leaders did not address newsmen after the meeting, but speculations of what transpired at the meeting trended on social media.
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has extended the notice to August 23 for the shut down television and radio broadcasting stations across the country to renew their licences. In a two paragraph statement today, August 20, NBC said that the decision was taken to temper justice with mercy on the affected stations “following intervention of Concerned Groups and visible concerted efforts by some defaulting Licensees to offset their debts.” The statement was signed by the Director General of the NBC.
Former military President of Nigeria, retired General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida has made it clear that he was not a dictator when he was in charge of the country. Answering questions on a special programme of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the former leader said that there was no decision he took alone. He said that members of the Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC) then used to have regular meetings, the way the Federal Executive Council (FEC) is currently doing, to discuss issues of national interests. Babangida stressed that most times, the views of the members of the military Council over-rode his own, and that such superior views were often implemented.
According to him, even the views of Nigerians through social media across the country would form the basis of the decision and action of his government. He cited the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) saga and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan issue as examples, saying that despite his opinion to the contrary, the views of the majority members of the AFRC), via the views of Nigerians expressed through social media were implemented. Babangida said that the Armed Forces Ruling Council took the decision to prepare the country for a democratic civilian rule by renaming his position as Military President and that of the Supreme Military Council to Armed Forces Ruling Council. He added that many decisions were taken after thorough deliberation at the Council meetings.
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