The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, has disowned social media and other platforms employed by those he described as faceless persons, to lure unsuspecting members of the Public to submit their Curriculum Vitae at a fee, to a non-existing desk at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, for Federal Government appointments.
INEC Boss, Prof. Mahmood YakubuThe Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed concern that actions and utterances of political actors are threatening peaceful conduct of the November 16 governorship election in Bayelsa.
The National Chairman of INEC, Professor Yakubu Mahmood, who spoke today, October 15 when he visited the office of the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council in Yenagoa, stressed that unguarded actions and utterances of politicians could lead to the breach of peace during electioneering, voting and collation of results.
Professor Mahmood, who was accompanied by senior officials of the commission and security agencies led by the Zone 5 Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Dibal Yakadi, also complained about the use of armed thugs to disrupt the voting and the collation processes.
The INEC boss described Bayelsa and Kogi States as the most difficult states to conduct major elections, even as he said that the commission is further bothered about the ugly trend of voting buying insisting that democracy should not be on sale in the open market.
He said that the commission was deploying 10,000 ad-hoc employees in different parts of Bayelsa for the exercise, adding that INEC would not allow anybody to attack them.
Addressing the council, led by the Amayanabo of Twon Brass, King Alfred Diette-Spiff, the INEC boss said: “We have a few areas of concern.
“The first one is action and utterances likely to lead to the breach of the peace during electioneering campaign, during voting on the Election Day and during the collation of results.
“In 2015, up to the eight local government areas in Bayelsa State, we conducted elections conclusively and made declaration of results only in one local government area, Kolokuma-Opokuma.
“I have been asking all my friends in Bayelsa what makes Kolokuma-Opokuma thick?
“Today, I have the opportunity finally to actually visit Kolokuma-Opokuma and I was in Kaiama and the staff assured us that just as it happened in 2015, it will happen again.
“Next is the recurrent problem where some unscrupulous actors follow voters to polling units with money on Election Day to induce them. It is called vote buying.
“Our democracy cannot be on sale in the open market. The citizens should be allowed to vote for whoever they choose in the Election Day.”
The first female fighter (combatant) pilot winged, Flying Officer Kafayat Omolara Sanni has expressed her eagerness to join her colleagues in the battle with Boko Haram insurgents.
Speaking to newsmen, Flying officer Kafayat Sanni, who graduated from the NAF training school in Kaduna in 2017 as best among the rest and was among the 63 international students from 23 countries, said that she would play her part in the ongoing counter insurgency operations in the North East.
The female pilot fighter went through pilot training at Columbus AFB in the United States where she also distinguished herself. Flight Officer Kafayat Sanni completed pilot training in US in July 25.
In the US, Kafayat had been flying the T-6 Texan II and wants to fly fighter aircraft when she returns to Nigeria. She is one of five women pilots in Nigeria, and the only fighter pilot among them.
She recalled: “Nigeria only has a few selected students who come to the U.S. each year. I was extremely excited when I heard that I was chosen. This is a very rare opportunity that I did not want to miss.”
Senator NdumeBorno South senator, Ali Ndume, has said that he has evidence to prove that some Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are aiding the operations of Boko Haram insurgents in Borno State.
Senator Ndume, who is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, at a news briefing today, October 15 at the National Assembly, Abuja, said: “another area that the Senate will look into is the allegation that the various NGOs in that area are conniving with the insurgents – providing them information, logistics and so many things.
“I have been critical about this and people have told me to be careful but it has come out now that one or two of the so-called NGOs operating there are actually aiding and abetting and supporting the insurgents. But we will do an investigation and we will hear if we have the evidence.
“So far, we have evidence. we just want to make it credible. The evidence is there and the common questions are even there. I have asked them before – when Chibok girls were released, we were very happy and jubilating. Some people went and negotiated for their release.”
The Senator, who had just returned from Maiduguri, the state capital, spoke on the outcome of the trip.
Nigerian government had earlier launched a crackdown on some NGOs operating in the northeast, accusing them of aiding and abetting Boko Haram terrorists.
The Nigerian army had repeatedly accused some of the NGOs in the region of breaching security and sabotaging ongoing counter-insurgency operations in the northeast.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had also said that it was tightening its regulation of the finances of organizations operating in the region.
Last year, another northern lawmaker, Gudaji Kazaure, also alleged that some of the NGOs operating in the Northeast aid the terrorists.
Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’d Abubakar, has called for removal and prosecution of any traditional or religious leader aiding insecurity in any part of the country.
The Sultan, who spoke today, October 15at a town hall meeting on security challenges in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara state, insisted that such leader should be prosecuted and jailed.
He lamented that some traditional leaders, including Emirs and District Heads are involved in banditry, adding: “it is a thing of worry that traditional leaders are part of the unholy and nefarious activities.
“They are core agents and custodians of our cultural and religious values. We will not take it. We will extend our support to governors for actions against anyone one found guilty.”
He said that government should not just remove them, but prosecute and possibly jail any one established and found culpable as disciplinary measure to check excesses on general security situation fast affecting the nation.”
Sultan Muhammad Abubakar said that he is ready to rally support for governors with impacting programme that would end all forms of security threats and challenges.
He supported dialogue with the bandits, saying: “if such approach can be embraced by the US over Taliban, why won’t our governors employ same by reaching out to the perpetrators and persuade their conviction?”
Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, and his Kebbi counterpart, Atiku Bagudu were at the event.
Bagudu was represented by his deputy even as Zamfara Governor, Muhammad Bello Mutawalle was conspicuously absent at the meeting.
Emirs from Zamfara and Kebbi states were also at the meeting which was organized by the Sultanate Council in collaboration with the Sokoto state Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Ikanade Agba has said that the mandate to return the country to the January-December budget cycle represented a great stride towards institutionalising predictions about the economic direction of Nigeria.
Agba said that the new budget cycle would also bolster the confidence of investors and development partners in Nigeria’s economy with concomitant growth and development.
In his closing remarks yesterday, October 14, after the breakdown session on the 2020 budget proposals in Abuja, the minister assured Nigerians that the 2020 budget would sustain growth and galvanise job creation.
He expressed confidence that with the continuous support for President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration: “we will surmount the challenges to the attainment of the country’s God-given destiny as a nation.”
He said that there is a need to create a brand new paradigm in the management of the national economy through proper planning, stressing that to pass the final litmus test, the country’s new push, coming on the heels of the President’s commitment to take 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years, will be accountable and inclusive.
He said that the 2021 budgetary process would commence early so as to ensure more engagements and achieve robust contributions in order to have a better budget for the country.
According to Agba, a team has been set up in the Ministry to look at the next successor plan to the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) and the Vision 2020, which would both come to an end in December next year.
He noted that the current budget is a derivative of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), pointing out: “our focus is on the priority areas.”
On Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit, the Minister said that revenues generated in the past were not effectively used, resulting in the huge deficit gap that existed and was evident in all sectors of the economy.
Permanent Secretary (Special Duties) in the Ministry of Finance, Dr. Mohammed Kyari Dikwa, expressed optimism that the 2020 budget, when passed, would lead to sustained growth and job creation.
He urged all the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to implement the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) scheme in their various institutions.
Access Bank’s expanded digital lending portfolio, which gives Nigerians quick access to funds for emergencies without any collateral, has hit a record N1billion daily in loan value.
In a statement today, October 15, the Executive Director, Retail Banking in the Access Bank Plc, Victor Etuokwu, said that the bank is at the forefront in digital lending across the continent.
“This is a deliberate choice we made when we introduced the first USSD based digital lending product in Nigeria based on our deep understanding of our operating environment.
“In the past two years, we have disbursed over 3.5 million loans to individuals. We acknowledge it is no mean feat when compared to where the market is coming from, but this is still a scratch in the overall potential of this market.
“This year alone we have disbursed over N45 billion in over 2 million disbursements to individuals and have recently witnessed a spike in our volumes hitting N1billion daily. “This achievement and our focus on retail lending reiterate our commitment to democratize access to financial services leveraging digital technology.”
Since the launch of Access Bank’s digital loan portfolio with PayDay Loan as the flagship product, Access Bank has continued to expand its loan portfolio using its proven innovative algorithms and deep machine learning capabilities. The Bank’s retail innovation journey has led it to expand its digital loan offerings to other multi-tenured variants to fit the needs of its diverse retail customer segments.
Access Bank also launched a dedicated loan application platform known as QuickBucks in the third quarter of last year; a Mobile Banking Application for digital loans aimed at improving customers borrowing experience for retail loans. As part of its commitment to deepening digital finance, the Bank has gone a step ahead to provide access to phone ownership as it recently launched a 12-month Device Ownership scheme where any salary earning customer can select a phone of his choice from our QuickBucks app and walk into any of our partner outlets across the country to pick up the phone.
Head Digital Banking Business Development at the Access Bank, Chinedu Onuoha, said recently that the objective of the bank was to ensure that there is a digital loan product for every adult Nigerian who has proven means of livelihood “because we know that every individual at one point or another requires some form of financial support. Our flagship digital loan product, PayDay Loan, is tailored to help individuals meet their urgent cash needs. Though the tenor for this loan is 30 days, we also have loans with tenors of 3 months and 6 months.”
Access Bank’s digital loans are accessible 24hours, through seven days in a week service and can be accessed via the short code *901*11#. It can also be accessed via Access Mobile App and the QuickBucks App; these apps are available for download on the Play Store and iOS stores.
Medical Campaign for combating blindness and its causes in the city floated in Nigeria by Saudi Arabia has reached Lafia, Nasarawa State capital.
Sen. Ahmed LawanPresident Muhammadu Buhari has forwarded request to the Senate for an approval to pay Kogi State Government N10.069 billion being refund of money spent by the state on behalf of Federal government.
The Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), retired Colonel Hammed Ali has said that operatives of the ongoing Joint Border Security had seized items worth N1.4 billion since the partial closure of borders.
Hammid Ali, who spoke at a joint news conference with his counterpart from the Nigeria Immigration Service, Mohammed Babandede, in Abuja today, October 14, saidthat the items seized since the commencement of the exercise were 21,071 of 50Kg of per boiled foreign rice; 190 vehicles; 891 drums filled with Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), and 2,665 jerricans of vegetable oil. Other items were 133 motorcycles; 70 jerricans of PMS, and 131 bags of NPK fertiliser.
The customs boss explained that unscrupulous elements used such fertilisers for explosives to perpetuate mayhem in the country.
According to him, 95 per cent of illicit drugs and weapons use for terrorism come through the porous borders.
He said that the rate of insecurity in the country had reduced dramatically since the closure of borders, adding that 317 suspected smugglers and 146 illegal migrants have so far been arrested during the exercise.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the joint border security exercise, codenamed “Exercise Swift Response”, commenced operation on Aug. 20.
It is set up to ensure a better security of the country’s territorial integrity, particularly the land and maritime borders against trans-border security concerns.
The exercise is being coordinated by Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in the four zones of North-West, North-Central, South-West and South-South geopolitical zones.
