First Lady Takes Battle For Gender Agenda Commission To National Assembly

February 23, 2022

The First Lady of Nigeria, Mrs. Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, has taken the battle for the establishment of a gender agenda commission to the National Assembly.

Aisha, who made a surprised appearance in both chambers of the Senate and House of Representatives, pushed her advocacy for affirmative action on behalf of Nigerian women.

Recall that the two Special Committees on the Review of the 1999 Constitution had recommended the entrenchment of 3 new provisions to provide for special seats for women in the National and State Houses of Assembly, the inclusion of women in political administration, and to reserve a quota for women into executive positions as an affirmative action.

The First Lady told the lawmakers that the proper placement of women in the front row is not only on account of affirmative action, but in consideration of their merit, special skills, distinct endowment, and several other exceptional qualities that God has conferred on women in the service of humanity.

“Nigerian women and men, therefore expect no less than the provision of a National Gender Agenda Commission as a mechanism to address the issues of gender demographics, inclusivity, and opportunity.”

Aisha Buhari recalls how she spearheaded the APC Women and Youth Presidential Campaign which was predicated on the quest for a realistic national gender agenda and believes that its entrenchment in the constitution will represent the crowning glory of the campaign promise of the ruling All Progressive Congress.

The First Lady commended the bold efforts of APC state governors in their determination to ensure the achievement of the ruling party’s campaign promises and bequeath an improved democratic culture. She expressed confidence in the resolve of state houses of assembly to deliver on the constitutional alteration exercise, especially in concurring with the National Assembly on the National gender agenda.

Aisha Buhari commended the 9th National Assembly for the ongoing constitutional alteration process which has promised to be one of the most profound deliverables for which posterity will judge them.

As President of the African First Ladies Peace Mission, the First Lady sought the understanding and partnership of the National Assembly to honour womanhood by gifting women of their request and proving exemplary leadership for other countries to follow.

School Principal Lands In Court Over Alleged N3.8 Million Fraud

Editorial staff

February 23, 2022

A Gombe State Secondary School Principal, Bello Muhammed Abubakar, has been arraigned in court for allegedly

defrauding unsuspecting admission seekers to the tune of the sum N3,884,200:00.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), charged him before Justice Halima S. Muhammed of Gombe State High Court 2 over alleged fraudulent activities and other ancillary offences in

The charge reads in part: “That you Bello Muhammed Abubakar (m) between the period of 2009 to 2014 or thereabout at Gombe within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did obtain by false pretense the sum of N3,884,200:00 from unsuspecting admission seekers under the guise of offering them admission into Mukhtar Polytechnic Gombe and Goni Mukhtar College of Education Gombe State.

“And you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) (a) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.”

ICPC, in a Charge No: GM/128C/2021 averred that Abubakar had obtained by false pretense, the above sum when he illegally operated the following institutions: Mukhtar Polytechnic, Goni Mukhtar College of Education, and Goni Mukhtar Linguistic Centre,” all in one block of three classrooms in Gombe State between 2009 and 2015.

Counsel to ICPC, Mashkur Salisu, informed the Court how the School Principal was perpetrating the said offences before he was nabbed by operatives of the Commission during an intelligence-led operation.

The Commission has since shut down the said illegal institutions in which the accused person was operating.

The defendant’s actions, according to the ICPC, are contrary to Section 13 and punishable under Section 68 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and Section 1(i) of the Advanced Fee Fraud Act, 2006.

When the accused person was admitted to take his plea, he pleaded not guilty to all the charges when they were read to him.

Counsel to the accused, A.B. Ebrany moved a bail application in favour of his client which was not opposed by the prosecution counsel.

The trial judge, therefore, granted the accused person bail in the sum of N2 million and two sureties in like sum.

They must be residents within the jurisdiction of the court and must depose to an affidavit of means, failure of which he would be remanded in Gombe Correctional Centre.

The case was adjourned to the 29th and 30th of March 2022 for hearing.

Cases Of COVID19 Go Down To Zero Percent In Lagos

Editorial staff

February 23, 2022

The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi has said that bed capacity utilisation in the state’s public and private COVID-19 care centres have dropped to zero per cent.

Abayomi disclosed this on Instagram while giving the state’s COVID-19 update for February 21 today, February 23.

He said that the total bed capacity at the 11 isolation centres are 572, and the available bed space was 570.

According to him, average case positivity now stands at 9.0 per cent, and the fatality rate stands at 0.71 per cent.

The commissioner said that the state recorded seven new COVID-19 infections on the reported date, increasing its confirmed cases to 98,977.

He said that 1,087,835 COVID-19 sample tests had been conducted in the state, with 80 per cent done by private laboratories, while 20 per cent was conducted by public laboratories.

Source: NAN.

Nigerian Boxer Knocks Out American Opponent In Round 1

Editorial staff

February 23, 2022

A Nigerian boxer, Onoriode ‘Godzilla’ Ehwarieme, has defeated his United States’ opponent, Jeff Holcomb in the first round of their scheduled six-round bout in Cleveland, Tennessee.

It was the second fight for the Boxing Federation (WBF) champion for Ehwarieme, who has been described in the boxing world as “knockout specialist.”

The hard fighting Nigerian relocated to the United States of America late last year.

After receiving some hard punches from the Delta State-born boxer in round one, Holcomb gave up the fight.

“He couldn’t come out after the end of round one. He said he couldn’t continue with the fight,” Ehwarieme said shortly after the fight.

The tall, dark-complexioned boxer, who is now managed by a new team in the United States, started his professional career on a sound note on arrival in the U.S., beating America’s Rodolzo Damahi Lewis in a six-round bout in South Carolina.

With the latest victory, Ehwarieme, has extended his Knockouts to 19 in 21 fights.

Source: The Guardian.

Revenue Officer Sent To 3-Year Jail For Defrauding Orthopedic Hospital Of N4.6 Million

Greenbarge Reporters

February 23, 2022

A former Revenue Officer with the National Orthopedic Hospital, Enugu, Mrs. Dorothy Chigozie Amalili, has been sentenced to three years in jail for defrauding the hospital of N4.6 million.

Mrs. Amalili, who was jailed by Justice K. Okpe, of the Enugu State High Court, was accused by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) of diverting N4,644.030.00 belonging to the hospital into personal use.

The Commission, in an amended 6-count charge, had accused her of knowingly furnishing false statements in respect of money received in order to conceal her actions while performing official duties as a revenue officer.

ICPC Counsel, Enosa Omoghibo, averred before the court that her offences which were committed between February 2017 and December 2018, were contrary to Section 16 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under the same section of the Act.

The convict, while performing her duties would write the actual amounts collected from patients on the original copy of the receipts, while writing lesser amounts on the duplicate and triplicate copies of the same receipts kept in the Accounts Department for audit purposes, which enabled her to remit lesser sum of money than the actual amount collected to the hospital, thereby fraudulently retaining the difference. She, through this deceitful means, was able to defraud the hospital of N4,644.030.00, over a period of time.

Justice Okpe, at the conclusion of the trial, found her guilty on all six counts. He therefore, sentenced her to six months imprisonment for each of the counts which will run concurrently.

The convict was also given an option of a fine in lieu of custodial sentence by the trial judge for being a Person Living with Disability (PLWD).

Her right leg had been amputated due to a diabetic foot ulcer.

The jail term includes the fact that the convict should make a refund of the entire sum she embezzled to the National Orthopedic Hospital, Enugu. She will refund the balance of N4,544,030.00 to the hospital after an initial repayment of N100,000.

The money will be taken from her Pension Funds domiciled with IBTC Pensions into the ICPC Recovery Account under the TSA as recovery for and on behalf of the Hospital.

Content Development Board, ITF Train 100 Youths In Various Trades

Editorial staff

February 22, 2022

No fewer than 100 Nigerian youths have commenced training in the vocational skills programme sponsored by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and facilitated by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF).

The training covers eight skills areas, including Information and Communication Technology; Electrical/Electronic Technology; Industrial Automation and Mechatronics; Instrumentation and Process Control; Mechanical Services and Maintenance; Mobile Phone Repairs and Troubleshooting; Residential Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Maintenance and Building Technology.

According to a statement from the spokesman of the Content Development Board, the training would last for six months.

The statement said that this is the second time the Board is collaborating with the ITF for the training of Nigerian youths.

It said that the first edition was concluded in 2021 and 254 youths were trained and equipped with tools and resources that should enable them to start their own enterprises.

The statement said that the Executive Secretary, Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote expressed delight that many participants from the first programme have started their own businesses, and that some of them have got formal employment to support the economy.

The Executive Secretary, who was represented by the General Manager, Capacity Building Division, Dr. Ama Ikuru, explained that the design of the training is to ensure that beneficiaries end up as successful artisans, entrepreneurs, and employers of labour.

This, he said, is why emphasis will be placed on entrepreneurship and practical skills.

“With our 60:20:20 training policy, we insist that at least 60 percent of our beneficiaries will have a clear line of sight to gainful employment and or are equipped to start their own businesses.”

The beneficiaries were selected from the Board’s NOGIC-JQS platform, with representation from different zones of the country. Selection exercises were also organised for the trainees, involving tests and oral interviews in Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt.

Wabote said that human capacity development is one of the key mandates of the Board and each year the agency trains over 2000 Nigerians in various skill areas, either through direct intervention or through the project-based training executed by contractors and operating companies.

“Over 3000 Nigerians benefitted from the Board’s sponsored or facilitated training programmes in 2021, and a higher number is expected in 2022 to cushion the effect of COVID 19 and the challenges being faced in the wider economy.”

He said that the objective is that Nigeria will have adequate and competent human capacity to run the economy and achieve a high level of domiciliation and domestication of activities in key industries, including the oil and gas industry.

He confirmed that the Board’s human capacity training programmes have been aligned with the rapid advancement of technologies and the digitalization in the oil and gas industry and the Board will increase the number of training programmes in digital science, analytics, and digital coding.

He listed other areas of the Board’s capacity building interventions to include the renovation and upgrade of some technical and vocational education training schools (TVETS) across the country, with modern industrial equipment and strengthening engineering departments in selected tertiary institutions to ensure that their graduates are trained ready for the challenges of the modern industry.

In her remarks, the Director-General of ITF, Sir Joseph Ari commended NCDMB for its commitment to the empowerment of Nigerians and for collaborating with the institution. He submitted that “this kind of synergy is vital to actualize our respective mandates and effectively address most of the problems confronting the country, especially unemployment and poverty and their effects on national life.”

Represented by the Head Corporate Planning, Mrs. Yinka Shodunke, the Director-General suggested that Nigerians who are equipped with requisite skills will be better disposed to take advantage of numerous policies designed by the Federal Government to boost the economy and improve the standard of living of the citizens.

Airlines Increase Domestic Air Fares By 100 Percent

Greenbarge Reporters

February 21, 2022

Domestic airline operators have increased airfares on domestic routes by 100 percent with effect from March 1 2022. This is as a result of high cost of Aviation fuel and inadequate supply of Dollars with which they transact businesses.
Information said that aviation fuel now costs above N410 in Lagos, N422 in Abuja and Port Harcourt and N429 in Kano per litre, while the dollar, which sells for between N580 to N600 is in short supply.
The airlines also expressed anger at the Unavailability of Forex for spare parts and maintenance.
Airlines carry out most of their activities in dollars which today sells for between N580 and N600 and is in short supply. Nigeria’s domestic airlines are in a ‘life and death’ struggle to secure the Forex they need to acquire their spare parts to maintain their aircraft.
”This is a major influence on how quickly a grounded aircraft can be fixed and restored to its flight schedule, which in turn has a huge impact on the schedule reliability of the domestic airlines,” AON said.
The decision reached by all the domestic operators shows that the least economy ticket will from March 1 sells for N50,000, instead of the previous N22,000 for an hour flight.
Indications are that some of the airlines have already fixed some of the fares that will come into effect on March 1.
A survey of airline ticketing shows that an economy class domestic ticket on Max Air outbound Jos to Abuja sells at ₦50,000, while Green Africa Airlines’ Lagos to PortHarcourt goes for ₦35,000 as opposed to its current ₦16,500 fare.
Green Africa will sell its Owerri to Abuja flight tickets at ₦35,000, while Air Peace Lagos to Abuja will sell at ₦50,000. Equally, Air Peace will sell Lagos to Benin return ₦105,000. Azman Air flight from Abuja to Kano will sell at ₦50,000, while Overland Airways Akure to Abuja will go for the same ₦50,000.
Other airlines, namely, Dana, Ibom Air, Aero Contractors will also raise their ticket prices by 100 percent.
The airlines, under the aegis of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), had issued a statement complaining about the current high cost of aviation fuel.
The civil aviation regulatory authority, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), has not issued any statement on the new fares.
However, a source within the authority said that airfares have since been deregulated by NCAA, leaving market forces to determine price.
NCAA only intervene when an airline fixes ridiculously low airfares that can compromise safety standard as operations of any airline is capital intensive.

Minister Directs Setting Up Of NCC, FCT Joint Team To Tackle 5G Broadband Deployment

Editorial staff

February 20, 2022

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has directed the setting up of a joint committee of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) and the FCT Administration to tackle issues surrounding the 5G broadband deployment in the Territory.

The Minister, who spoke when he received a delegation of the NCC, led by its Chairman, Professor Adeolu Akande in his office, said that all pending issues concerning the deployment of telecommunication facilities within the Territory, including the payment of appropriate charges by telecommunication companies should be resolved with the collaboration of all parties.

He said that the joint team should be made up of the Executive Commissioner (Technical Services) of NCC, the Executive Secretary in the Federal Capital Development Authority, (FCDA) as well as the Chief of Staff to the Minister.

The team, he added, should be mandated to harmonise and resolve all outstanding issues.

According to Muhammad Musa Bello, it is expensive to provide infrastructure within the Capital City even as he assured that provision has been made for the easy deployment of telecommunication facilities, as part of its extensive road network.

The Minister acknowledged harmonious relationship existing between the NCC and the FCTA and expressed appreciation for the NCC’s educational support to schools in the capital city.

The Chairman, of the NCC’s Governing Board, Professor Adeolu Akande had disclosed plans by the NCC to deploy infrastructure to accommodate 5G broadband in the FCT.

He for a partnership with the FCTA to increase the number of possible technology deployment sites in the Territory.

This was even as the Executive Vice Chairman of the Commission, Professor Umar Garba Danbatta commended the Minister and the management of the FCTA for the infrastructural development.

Nigerian Content Retains $8 Billon Annually, Creates 50,000 Jobs – Executive Secretary

Editorial staff

February 20, 2022

The implementation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act has created over 50,000 direct jobs in the local economy over the past 11 years and retained $8 billion annually in the oil sector.

The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote made this known at separate breakfast meeting wit editors of newspapers and broadcast stations.

According to him, the level of Nigerian content in the oil industry hovered around five percent before the enactment of the NOGICD Act in 2010, adding that the implementation of the Nigerian Content Law had resulted in an increase to 26 percent in 2016 and 42 percent as at December 2021.

Wabote explained that NCDMB had launched the Nigerian content 10-Year Strategic Roadmap in 2017 with a target to achieve 70 percent Nigerian content by 2027.

“As part of this goal, the Board would catalyze the creation of 300, 000 direct jobs in the oil and gas industry and linkage sectors, enable the retention of $13 bn out of the estimated annual $20 bn spend in the oil and gas industry and establishment of major fabrication yards and manufacturing hubs in-country.

He said that a pointer of the marked improvement in Nigerian content implementation is that the local economy used to retain little or nothing from the annual oil industry spend of $20 billion before the NOGICD Act, 2010 but is now able to retain more than $8 billion in-country per year.

He said that the improvement is because of the development of critical capacities and assets by local oil and gas service companies and increased domiciliation and domestication of industry operations, he said.

According to the NCDMB boss, Nigeria has also moved from near zero participation in the operations side of the oil and gas sector “to the point that our indigenous operators such as SEPLAT, AITEO, EROTON, and others are now responsible for 15 percent of our oil production and 60 percent of our domestic gas supply.”

Other major accomplishments of Nigerian content implementation include the establishment of two world-class pipe mills and five impressive pipe coating yards, the ability of Nigerian firms to fabricate more than 250,000 tonnes of steel per year and ownership of more than 40 percent of marine vessels used in the oil and gas industry by Nigerians.

The Executive Secretary said that over 10 million training manhours have been delivered via the Board’s Human Capacity Development Programs, adding: “ it was no surprise that our indigenous workforce was able to sustain oil production at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.”’

Providing details of the Board’s provision of credit facilities to the oil and gas industry, Wabote said that NCDMB had inaugurated a $50million Nigerian Content Research & Development Fund to drive basic research, commercialization of research breakthroughs, establishment of research centers of excellence, and to sponsor university endowments.

“The Board floated a $50m special loan product for women in the oil and gas business to enable empowerment of the womenfolk in the industry and established another $30m Working Capital Fund to support oil and gas service companies. Both the Women and Working Capital funds are managed by Nexim (Nigerian Export-Import) Bank.”

He said that NCDMB recently secured the approval of its Governing Council to set up a $50 million fund for NOGAPS Manufacturing Product Line, to be dedicated to companies that would operate in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Parks, being constructed by the Board in Bayelsa and Cross River States. “Beneficiaries of the NOGAPS fund would have to be engaged in the manufacturing of equipment components used in the oil and gas industry and linkage sectors.”

Giving reasons why the NCDMB convened the breakfast meetings with the leadership of the media, the Executive Secretary said that the agency wanted senior members of the media to understand the importance of Nigerian Content to the national economy and to continue to advocate for the implementation in all spheres of the Nigerian economy. He added that the COVID-19 pandemic made humanity to realize that every economy needs to develop local capacities and capabilities in the core sectors, hence, all hands must now be on deck to push the local content narrative.

He charged media practitioners to uphold the ethics of their professionalism, saying that Nigerians depend on the media for their news and information, hence practitioners must strive to retain their audience’s trust and not fall for the temptation of propagating fake news and carrying out unwarranted attacks on innocent Nigerians.

He regretted that some online media platforms were undermining the Federal Government’s noble intentions of bringing in technocrats and professionals to serve as appointees through targeted and unwarranted attacks under the cloak of investigative journalism and challenged the publishers and editors to condemn and weed out the bad eggs in their profession, and our society generally.

In his remarks, Manager Corporate Communications NCDMB, Esueme Dan Kikile said that media practitioners are key partners in the implementation of the NOGICD Act and their role is clearly spelled out in section 70 (n) of the Nigerian Content legislation.

He solicited the support of senior media practitioners to curb the incidence of fake news and libelous publications perpetrated by some news organizations.

He assured the media of the Board’s continuous partnership and support of their operations and advancement of the national economy.

Fuel Scarcity: Minister Apologises To Nigerians

Greenbarge Reporters

February 20, 2022

Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva has apologized to Nigerians over the scarcity of fuel that had lingered in the country for days now.
In a statement today, February 20 by his spokesman, Horatius Egwa, the Minister described the situation as “regrettable.”
He said that this time, the scarcity is not because of the absence of supply of products “but due to inspection failure, which allowed adulterated products into the country.”
He also expressed appreciation with the NNPC for showing so much concern to the plight of Nigerians by coming forward with an apology.
“This is unprecedented and shows that we on the government side are not afraid to take responsibility.”
The Minister stressed that the Federal Government is in sympathy with the citizenry over the hardship, occasioned by the scarcity.
“Let me once again appeal to Nigerians to be patient with government in finding lasting solutions to the crisis.
“The Mid

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