The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has agreed to shift the date for the commencement of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to September 5 instead of original date of August 4.
The Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, who broke the news yesterday, July 17, said that the decision was the outcome of a meeting between the Federal Government and officials of WAEC’s Nigeria office on Monday.
According to him, both parties have agreed to further consult with four other countries on new examination date.
Nigeria’s Senate President, Ahmad Lawan has described the rumour making the rounds that he is planning to run for Presidency in the 2023 election as a beer parlour gossip by idle people.
A statement today, July 18 by his Media Adviser, Ola Awoniyi, the Senate President said that such beer parlour gossips should be treated with the contempt it deserves.
Ahmed Lawan advise those he referred to as “idle pseudo-journalists” to look for other engagements “and stop bastardising this noble profession.”
The statement read: “The attention of the office of the President of the Senate has been drawn to a rather puerile media report that the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, is making plans to run for president in 2023. The report was first published by the Daily Independent newspaper of Friday, 17th July, 2020 and reproduced later by the Sahara Reporters.
“It is easy to see that the report emanated from the sort of practice that drags the noble profession of journalism to the gutters as it only dresses up the lazy fantasy of its unimaginative authors as a fact.
“The report apparently has its source in beer parlour gossips and should be treated with the contempt which it and those who concocted it deserves.
“It is true that the Senate President was involved in the consultations that President Muhammadu Buhari held prior to the last emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC). But there was nothing extra-ordinary in his involvement in such consultations, given his status as holder of one of the highest political offices in Nigeria and on the platform of the APC. Such is required of any concerned member of the party. It is therefore sheer mischief for anyone to read ulterior motives to the Senate President joining hands with the President and other leaders in resolving misunderstanding in their own party.
“We will like to stress that the Senate President’s preoccupation is with advancing the agenda of the Ninth National Assembly to focus governance on the pursuit of the best interests of the Nigerian people and to support President Buhari in delivering his promises to Nigerians.
“The Senate President does not suffer such needless distractions as imputed by the false report under reference. He believes that it is premature for anybody to be talking now about 2023 when all hands should be on deck against the myriad of challenges that faces our nation in this period.”
The Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has described the introduction of non-interest rate introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in its intervention programme as a step towards an inclusive economic growth.
Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar also noted that the programme is another bold step by the apex bank to move the nation’s economy to the next level.
A statement today, July 18, quoting the Sultan, by the NSCIA’s Deputy Secretary-General, Professor Salisu Shehu, read: “The initiative covers the Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP), Agri-Business, Small and Medium Enterprises Investment Scheme (AGSMEIS), Creative Industry Financing Initiative, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Development Fund, Real Sector Support Facility (RSSF) and Credit Support for the Healthcare Sector.
“For decades, Nigerian Muslims have been grossly marginalized in the country’s financial sector and other growth triggering financial interventions of the CBN due largely to the interest element that is usually involved in the schemes. For Muslims, who constitute well over half of the country’s population, the question of avoiding interest is non-negotiable, and the majority of Muslims would opt to live in poverty rather than devour interest and face the wrath of their Creator.
“In the absence of non-interest finance, the result has been a high rate of financial exclusion among Muslims, as high as over 60% in some Muslim majority communities. This leads to worsening incidence of abject poverty. The implication is that without non-interest alternatives, the CBN can hardly attain its goal of 80% financial inclusion earlier targeted for 2020, nor can any meaningful poverty alleviation and economic empowerment programme be actualized in the foreseeable future.
“The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), under the leadership of its President-General, His Eminence the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, views the integration as a welcome development, a bold step towards engendering inclusive growth and a proactive mechanism for averting a looming recession threatening the global economy as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. While praying for the effective implementation of the guidelines, the NSCIA wishes to congratulate the CBN and by extension the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) for achieving this remarkable milestone.
“The NSCIA suggests that, given the indispensability of financial literacy to achieving financial inclusion and economic recovery and growth, the CBN should use all relevant agencies and avenues, including the networks of the National Orientation Agency, radio and television programmes, among others, to educate the public on the importance of these interventions, and the procedures for accessing them.
“The procedures should be made as accessible as possible to enable even the poorest of the poor to benefit from the schemes.
“Meanwhile, as a step towards assisting the FGN and the CBN in achieving the success of the post-pandemic economic recovery, His Eminence, the President-General of NSCIA, directs all State Councils of Islamic Affairs, as well as all other Islamic organisations to design and implement sensitization and mobilization programmes for farmers, businessmen, and other eligible citizens. Imams and the ‘Ulama’ should use their sermons, lectures, lessons, radio and television programmes to educate the Muslim community on the imperative of utilizing the interventions.
“To this end, His Eminence directs all State Councils to, after studying the details of the guidelines, organize trainings for Imams, ‘Ulama’, leaders of Islamic organizations, trade unions and farmers associations, as well as other key stakeholders, on the value and procedures of accessing these important interventions.
“The general public is hereby advised to take this new initiative as a rare opportunity, and optimally utilize it for actualisation of productive purposes it is meant to serve, keeping in mind that this is not a free money. For a Muslim, a debt is an amanah. In addition to the worldly consequences of diverting the resources to consumption purposes, they should remember that they would account for how they handle and manage it on the Day of Judgment.”
President Muhammadu Buhari has advised the co-founder and publisher of Premium Times, Dapo Olorunyomi, to recommit himself to all that are noble, fair and just in journalism.
The President’s advice was contained in a statement today, July 18 by his spokesman, Femi Adesina as he joined in celebrating Dapo’s nomination as one of the four awardees for year 2020 International Press Freedom Award, by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ).
President Buhari acknowledged that Dapo’s nomination for the prestigious award attested to his many decades of commitment to the ideals of journalism and freedom of the Press.
“Democracy and a free Press are kindred spirits, and that is what we have committed to as a government. It is, therefore, gratifying to hear of this award to one of our own.”
President Buhari emphasized the need for Dapo to use the occasion of the award to recommit himself to all that is noble, fair and just in journalism, adding that a responsible media is part of the building blocks of a country.
The President reiterated that a free and responsible Press remains an abiding commitment of the Nigerian government, and urges the media to adhere to the finest tenets of the noble profession at all times.
Olorunyomi wins the CPJ award along with three other journalists from Bangladesh, Iran and Russia.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has ordered the six Area Council Chairmen to go and clean their environment and focus on human capital Development in the developmental agenda of their domains.
The Minister, who spoke today, July 17, when he hosted the six Council Chairmen in his office, charged them to imbibe the principles of leadership and responsibility to their people, reminding them that governance at the Local Government level being closest to the people, is very critical for the overall development of the Territory.
He charged them to concentrate on three main components of primary education, environmental sanitation and public health, adding that these three components are the bedrock of development in any community.
Malam Mohammad Musa Bello said that a clean environment and a functional primary health care system will make less people in the communities become ill with common ailments and will become more productive in the farms and other social and entrepreneurial endeavors.
“All of us will finish our tenures and we will still live within the communities. This is the time to upgrade your communities and focus on human capital development.”
He said that making major changes in the communities do not necessarily require massive funding, saying that what is required is a massive re-orientation and mobilization of the people. He advised them to deploy the same amount of energy and methods utilized during political campaigns to mobilize the people into the development of their communities.
“You all have markets and market unions, yet there is refuse everywhere. These are areas where you can show leadership by ensuring they are clean.”
“If your communities are clean, it will encourage people to develop properties there because there will be no difference between your community and the city center. And as it develops, the standard of living will increase, and encourage revenue generation. But the initial efforts has to come from you.”
The Minister called on them to return to the fundamentals of governance and not expend scarce resources on the construction of massive structures while also urging them to follow all extant financial regulations, including all procurement laws.
Earlier, the Chairmen of FCT ALGON and chairmen of Gwagwalada Area Council, Adamu Mustapha Danze, said the Council Chairmen are in support to the FCT Administration for all its developmental efforts and accomplishments in the Territory.
British Airways has grounded its entire 31 Boeing 747s as a result of sharp travel downturn. The UK airline is the world’s largest operator of the jumbo jets, which it first flew in 1989.
Spokesman of the Airways said today, July 17: “it is with great sadness that we can confirm we are proposing to retire our entire 747 fleet with immediate effect.”
“It is unlikely our magnificent ‘queen of the skies’ will ever operate commercial services for British Airways again due to the downturn in travel caused by the Covid-19 global pandemic.” .
The British Airways, which is owned by International Airlines Group (IAG), currently has 31 747s in its fleet. They will all be retired with immediate effect. It had planned on retiring the planes in 2024 but has brought forward the date due to the downturn.
The British carrier added it will operate more flights on modern, more fuel-efficient planes such as its new Airbus A350s and Boeing 787 Dreamliners. It expects them to help it achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Boeing’s 747 helped democratise global air travel in the 1970s, and marked its 50-year flying anniversary in February 2019.
US-based Boeing signalled the end of the plane’s production a year ago.
A wave of restructuring triggered by the virus outbreak is hitting airlines across the world, along with plane-makers and their suppliers. Thousands of job losses and furloughs have been announced in recent weeks.
Hundreds of BA ground staff face redundancy as the airline slashes costs in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Airlines across the world have been hit hard by coronavirus-related travel restrictions.
President Muhammadu Buhari has recommended Professor Charles Egbu, from Anambra State, who had just been appointed as Vice Chancellor of Leeds Trinity University in the United Kingdom, as a role model.
In a statement today, July 17 by the special adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, the President said that Professor Egbu, a foremost Quantity Surveyor with 12 books and over 350 publications to his credit, is a worthy example of an industrious Nigerian, “whom the younger generation should adopt as a role model.”
Buhari congratulated the Professor for being the first black person to be appointed as helmsman of a ranked university in the UK, even as he advised him to continue to proudly hold the flag of Nigeria aloft in all his endeavours in the elevated position.
“With wide experience as Pro-Chancellor at the University of East London, Dean of the School of Built Environment and Architecture at London South Bank University, and stints at University of Salford, University College London, Glasgow Caledonian University, Leeds Beckett University, among others, I have no doubt that you will acquit yourself creditably once again in this new assignment.”
President Buhari also advised the new VC, who assumes office in November, to build on the strong foundations laid by his predecessors at the university, where he is equally an alumnus.
The National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) has announced the appointment of Ojo Amos Olatunde as new acting Clerk to the National Assembly (CNA).
The appointment of Ojo Amos Olatunde today, July 17, followed the announcement of the retirement of Mohammed Ataba Sani Omolori in what looked a controversial circumstance. Ataba Sani Omolori had argued that he still have five more years to serve in that capacity in view of the legislation by the National Assembly in 2018, but NASC insisted that he must retire.
In a statement today, signed by the Executive Chairman of the Commission, Engineer Ahmed Kadi Amshi, said that the decision to make the new appointments was in pursuant to the mandate given to the Commission as provided in the National Assembly Service Commission Act 2014 (as amended), section 6 (b). The section, he said, states: “appoint persons to hold or act in the offices of…”
The statement said: “The National Assembly Service Commission, at an emergency meeting held today, 17th July 2020, approved the appointmentsof some senior management staff for the service.”
Others who were appointed are Bala Yabani Mohammed as Acting Deputy Clerk, Dauda Ibrahim El-Ladan as Acting Clerk to the Senate while Patirck A. Giwa retained his position as Clerk to the House of Representatives, but is due to retire in November 2020.
Yusuf Asir Dambatta was appointed as Acting Secretary to the Commission.
The statement said that all the appointments take immediate effect.
One Nwonu Emmanuel has allegedly confessed to the police that he broke into the St. Patrick Catholic Church in Abakaliki, the capital of the Ebonyi State, broke the offering box and took the sum of N41, 465.00 from it.
The man, who was sentenced to 12 month imprisonment by the Abakaliki Division of Magistrate Court today, July 16, was arraigned before the Magistrate’s court on two counts of burglary and stealing.
The charge read: “That you Nwonu Emmanuel ‘m’ on the 11th day of July, 2020, at St. Patrick Catholic Church Kpirikpiri, Abakaliki in the Abakaliki Magisterial District did enter a building used for religious worship and stole the sum of Forty-One Thousand Four Hundred and Sixty-Five Naira (N41, 465.00), belonging to St. Patrick Catholic Church and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 415 of the Criminal Code Cap. 33, Vol. 1, Laws of Ebonyi State of Nigeria, 2009.”
“I came out to protect our daughter and I will do so to every Rivers citizen. That is the oath of office I swore to. It doesn’t matter the political affiliation. We will not allow anybody to destroy Rivers State.”
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, made this statement today, July 16, after he intervened in the alleged police invasion of the residence of a former Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Joy Nunieh.
The governor’s statement, issued by the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Paulinus Nsirim, said: “what has happened today is a disgrace. Who knows what would have happened to her if they had gained access to her main room. I went there personally to see things for myself and rescued her.
“She is supposed to testify before the House of Representatives Committee and here we are having armed men wanting to abduct her. Governor Wike
“It is unfortunate and I cry for this country concerning the way things are going. They didn’t have a warrant of arrest but would stormed somebody’s house, in fact, the state Commissioner of Police is not aware.
“So, tell me how something will happen in a state and the Commissioner of Police is not aware. They said it’s the Inspector-General Monitoring Unit. So, we have such a unit taking over the responsibility of crime fighting in a state and the Commissioner of Police is not aware. I can also assume too that the Inspector-General of Police is not aware. He should investigate it.”
Governor Wike called on governors of states that make up the NDDC to ensure that their citizens do not have a hand in the planned abduction of the former Managing Director of NDDC.
“If there is any allegation of crime against her, I will not back her, but you can’t kill her for no established crime. I don’t know who’s responsible, but whoever is behind it should not take Rivers State for granted because we will fight back.
“From what has happened now, I want to say that Rivers State is fully out. Anybody who is responsible for this attempted abduction of our daughter should know that enough is enough.
“They can’t treat her as a common criminal. I am sure that President Muhammadu Buhari is not aware of this.
“All the Niger Delta States should find out if any of their citizens have a hand in the unfortunate incident and call on such people to leave our daughter alone. She is no longer the Managing Director of NDDC.
“The way things are going now, it seems people want to destroy Rivers State and it is unacceptable.
“Using the police to carry out abduction of citizens should not be encouraged. A similar incident had happened in this state before when they wanted to use the same style to abduct a serving judge.”
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The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has agreed to shift the date for the commencement of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to September 5 instead of original date of August 4.
The Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has described the introduction of non-interest rate introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in its intervention programme as a step towards an inclusive economic growth.
British Airways has grounded its entire 31 Boeing 747s as a result of sharp travel downturn. The UK airline is the world’s largest operator of the jumbo jets, which it first flew in 1989.
One Nwonu Emmanuel has allegedly confessed to the police that he broke into the St. Patrick Catholic Church in Abakaliki, the capital of the Ebonyi State, broke the offering box and took the sum of N41, 465.00 from it.
