Nigeria Won’t Severe Diplomatic Ties With South Africa – Minister Onyeama

September 6, 2019

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, has said that the country would not severe diplomatic ties with South Africa in spite of the current diplomatic crisis resulting from attacks on Nigerians by citizens of that country.

Onyeama, who spoke when he when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Diaspora today, Friday, said that such action would not be in the interest of Nigerians in South Africa.

He said available statistics from the Nigeria High Commission in Pretoria indicated that over 800, 000 Nigerians are legally living in the South African country.

He said that the special envoys dispatched to Johannesburg by President Muhammadu Buhari would return to Nigeria tomorrow, September 7, adding that their report would guide the Nigerian leader to take a decisive action in the overall interest of the country.

Onyeama, who briefed journalists after a meeting with the Senate panel led by Senator Bashir Ajibola, said Nigeria would consider other options to resolve the unfortunate development.

“We are not thinking to the stage of diplomatic ties called off. There are various options. We are not by any means at a stage where we are breaking diplomatic relations with South Africa.

“We just met with the senate committee to review the situation with regards to South Africa and we looked at all the possible options we analysed the possible causes and agreed on a road map going forward.

“Part of that road map on the executive side Mr. President has dispatched a special envoy to South Africa who would be holding discussion with the South African government at the very highest level.

“He (leader of the envoy) should be back tomorrow (Saturday), that will now give the government the basis for further action. In the mean time, if the government is very much on top of the situation.

“We know for a fact that no Nigerian life has been lost so we are extremely concerned now to ensure that there will be adequate compensation for property that have been damaged.

“We know that a Nigerian Airline is putting a plane at the disposal of most Nigerians that wish to take the opportunity to leave South Africa, this is purely voluntary, but we are particularly determined to particularly make sure that this crisis does not re-occur.

“It has been happening for far too long, its becoming almost endemic, so with the distinguished senators, are helping with some of the options that we may have to ensure that this will be the last time we will ever be meeting to talk about Nigerians attacked in South Africa and to take definitive measures.

“To start doing that, we want to have all the facts available and then we will take the necessary measures.”

CBN Injects $321.11 Million, CNY 33.3 Million Into Retail SMIS

Editorial staff

September 6, 2019

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has made another intervention in the Retail Secondary Market Intervention Sales (SMIS) to the tune of $321, 112,537.31.

Figures obtained from the CBN today, September 6, showed that the sum of CNY33, 304,365.10 was also offered in the spot and short tenured forwards segment of the inter-bank foreign exchange market today.

The Director, Corporate Communications Department, Isaac Okorafor, who confirmed the new development said that the United States’ dollar intervention was for requests in the agricultural and raw materials sectors, adding that the Chinese Yuan for Renminbi denominated Letters of Credit.

Okorafor said that the market had remained stable because of the regular interventions by the Bank even as he noted that the demand management approach introduced by the apex bank had yielded positive results.

According to him, the CBN management would remain committed to ensuring that all the sectors of the forex market continue to enjoy access to the needed foreign exchange.

It will be recalled that the bank on September 3, offered authorized dealers in the wholesale segment of the market the sum of $100million, while the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and the invisibles segments each received the sum of $55 million.

Meanwhile, $1 exchanged for N358 at the Bureau de Change (BDC) segment of the foreign exchange market, while CNY1 exchanged at N46.

Water Resources Minister Embarks On Advocacy To End Open Defecation In Nigeria

Editorial staff

September 5, 2019

The Minister of Water Resources, Engineer Sulaiman Hassan Adamu has embarked on an advocacy to end open defecation in Nigeria.

His first port of call today, September 5, leading a powerful delegation from his ministry, was the office of the Minister, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Malam Muhammad Musa Bello.

Engineer Sulaiman Adamu told his FCT counterpart that his visit was to kick- start the “Clean Nigeria: Use the Toilet” campaign aimed at making Nigeria open-defecation-free by 2025.

He stressed the need to mobilize for an increase in sanitation budget line to ensure that the Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Action Plan of the Federal Government, to improve the sector, was achieved.

He appealed to the FCT Minister to declare a state of emergency on open defecation in the Federal Capital Territory.

The FCT Minister assured his Water Resources counterpart that necessary support is being given to relevant department in the territory to ensure that the goal of completely eradicating open defecation in the country is achieved, adding that already FCTA is partnering with the private sector for solar powered public toilets in the FCT.

Malam Muhammad Musa Bello said that he has directed that the Minister of State of the FCT, Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu should coordinate activities for the success of the project in the FCT and ensure that FCT becomes a model worthy of emulation.

According to him, FCTA has six major water tanks under construction to aid in the distribution of water to newly opened districts in the territory, and that water was not a problem in the FCT as the Lower Usuma Dam was providing adequate water to service the Capital city.

“In the FCT, raw water supply is not the real issue. As you know, we have enough water at the Lower Usuma Dam which is annually supplemented by the basin transfer from the Gurara dam under your Ministry. And we have the water treatment plants which is adequate for the needs of the Capital city for a reasonable enough period of time to come.

“The main challenge is being able to reticulate and distribute the water to other newer phases of the FCT and I am pleased to say that we have a system of about six major water tanks under construction now and we are introducing projects that would bring in pumping stations to be able to supplement the water pressure.”

Death: Asiwaju Tinubu Mourns His First Cousin, Rafiu Tinubu

September 5, 2019

The national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has expressed with a heavy heart the death of his first cousin and eminent member of his, Alhaji Rafiu Babatunde Tinubu, who was the son of Dr. Abdul Hameed Saka Tinubu.

Asiwaju acknowledged in a statement he personally signed today, September 5, that the deceased helped him to lay a solid for the success of his administration during his two-term tenure as governor of Lagos State between 1999 and 2007, adding that his memory, as a distinguished public servant, passionate Lagosian and patriotic Nigerian will ever remain fresh in his mind.

The Asiwaju recalled that at the time he became governor from the private sector, he needed a Head of the State Civil Service who he could trust and who would help forge a harmonious relationship between his administration and the public service on which the success of any government depends to a significant extent. “Nobody at that time could fit the bill as perfectly as Alhaji Rafiu Babatunde Tinubu. As a family member, he would understandably desire nothing but the success of my administration. But much more than that, he had the requisite intellectual grounding as well as public service managerial experience, rising from the lower rungs to the upper echelon of the Lagos State Public Service between 1978 and 1999.

“With a Bachelor’s (B.A) and Master’s (M.A) degrees in Political Science from the prestigious Howard University, Washington, D.C., USA, he joined the Lagos State Public Service in June 1978 after a teaching stint at the Department of Political Science of the then University of Ife between 1974 and 1978. Before his appointment as my administration’s first Head of Service (HOS) in 1999, Alhaji Rafiu Tinubu had served with dedication and distinction in various administrative positions both in the State Civil Service and Local Government Service over a period of two decades.

“His experience and dexterity in the complex politics of the public service was of tremendous value to my administration and helped to gradually build and sustain a cordial working relationship between the political class and the bureaucratic machinery of the public service. I recall that at the inception of my administration, there was a protracted labour crisis between the government and the public service as a result of the new minimum wage of N7, 500.00, which the state was unable to pay at the time due to the near insolvent state of its finances.

“Alhaji Tinubu’s experience and wise counsel played a crucial role in enabling us go through that difficult period and forge a relationship of mutual trust, confidence and respect by both parties especially as the capacity of our administration to meet our welfare obligations to workers systematically grew as a result of our far-reaching reforms. His advice helped us greatly in appointing a team of highly capable, experienced and dedicated Permanent Secretaries who played indelible roles in our administration’s success in laying a solid foundation for the continuing transformation of Lagos.

“At the same time, we commenced during his tenure as HOS, the reorganization, re-equipping and transformation of the Lagos State Public Service to the pride of place it occupies in Nigeria’s public administration today.

“Alhaji Rafiu Tinubu was particularly passionate about recruiting new, talented hands into the Service, which commenced with the employment of 5000 fresh graduates into the civil service in Y2000 popularly known as the millennium staff. It is gratifying that these have today risen to critical managerial positions in the Service.

“The late Rafiu Tinubu came, saw and gave his very best to the development of the Lagos State Civil Service, Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole. I condole with his wives, his children, the extended Tinubu family, all his loved ones as well as the government and people of Lagos State on this sad loss.”

Major Bridge In Ogbia, Ex President Jonathan’s Area, Collapses

Editorial staff

September 5, 2019

A major bridge linking some communities in Ogbia, the Local Government Area of former President Goodluck Jonathan, with other communities in Bayelsa State has collapsed. Information reaching us Said that it is only bridge that connected Emeyal and Kolo and Jonathan’s Otuoke community.

Residents in the area told news men that the bridge, which caved in under the weight of heavy truck, was constructed over 33 years ago.

Information had it that the truck, loaded with heavy chippings tried to cross the bridge but was unsuccessful as the concrete columns and pillars holding the bridge gave way.

Giving an account of the incident, Precious Okala, who is the clan President-elect of Obahn Emeyal Youth Council, said the bridge had depreciated over time and was due for maintenance, adding that it has not been maintained since it was constructed in 1986.

The Youth President-elect, Elebele community, Okala Azibola, described the incident as tragic and called on the government and other relevant authorities including the oil multinationals operating in the area to come to their aid.

Residents and travelers were seen patronizing canoe paddlers to cross to other communities for their daily activities.

It was gathered that no life was lost as the driver of the truck and three other passengers were rescued alive with minor injuries.

Ebonyi Governor Bluffs IPOB, Says He’ll Let Them Know Before He Travels Abroad

Editorial staff

September 5, 2019

Governor of Ebonyi State and chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum, David Umahi, has made it clear that members of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) in other countries have no constitutional right to issue travel ban on Igbo leaders in Nigeria, especially the Southeast governors.

Answering reporters’ questions today, September 5, shortly after a private audience with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Governor Umahi stressed that there is no constitutional responsibility placed on IPOB to have the right to place travel ban.

“Incidentally, when I will travel, I will let IPOB know that I am coming to that particular nation. They remain our brothers. It doesn’t matter the misunderstanding.”

He said that one of the reasons he met the President was to arrange a meeting between him and the Southeast governors, leadership of Ohaneze, leadership of Nzuko Umunna, the clergy, bishops and national assembly members.

“Our people want to do an interaction with Mr. President.”

I’m Not Owing Workers Salaries, Kogi Governor Insists

Editorial staff

September 5, 2019

“We have been able to clear all workers salaries and we are up to date. As a matter of fact, the last primary election that was held on August 29, we paid the salaries of August. That is to tell you that we are up to date as far as salary is concerned.

“The issue of us owing up to 38 months’ salary arrears before we cleared it was all false and lies. We did owe up to that, what we were owing at that time was between four to five months.”

These were the statements of Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello when he spoke to news men today, September 5, after a meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC and all those who contested the party’s governorship primary

“As regard the issue of news making the round that Kogi state is owing salaries, I want to categorical state that, my two predecessors inherited salary arrears.

“It is a problem I inherited when I assumed office. But I want to announce to you today that Kogi does not owe any worker salary at all.

“As I speak with you now, Mr. President graciously approved bailout of N30.8 billion for us and our National Chairman helped me to facilitate the release and the fund which has been fully applied and salaries are cleared including pension arrears. We do not owe any salary.”

Kogi: PDP Did Not Achieve In 13 Years What APC Achieved In 4 Years – Oshiomhole

Editorial staff

September 5, 2019

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshionhole has said that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which ruled Kogi State for 13 years, from 2003 to 2016 did not achieve what Governor Yahaya Bello has achieved just three and a half years in the State.

Oshiomhole, who spoke today, September 5 at the party’s headquarters in Abuja during a meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC)of the party with the governorship aspirants in the state, stressed that weighing the performance of the previous administrations and that of the governor (Yahaya Bello): “you will score the current governor higher if we must tell ourselves the truth.

“Bello did not only inherit salary arrears from his predecessors which he had defrayed but also inherited burdens of infrastructure, projects approved and money paid but were not executed and the governor is doing all such projects today,“ he said.

”Even our party’s enemies will agree with us that Yahaya Bello has done well in the area of security. If the people are not secured, no meaningful development can take place.”

Oshiomhole said that three of his relatives were kidnapped in Kogi State while travelling from Edo to Abuja during the PDP administration, saying: ”I have people who live in Kogi State and we all know the level of insecurity in that state before. But today you can all agree with me that the current governor has addressed the issue of security in Kogi,” he said.

The APC boss said that the rots left behind by the 13 years rule of the PDP in the state could not be cleared in four years by Yahaya Bello- led APC government even as he called on the people to support the governor for a second term.

Oshiomhole said the meeting was to resolve grievances that arose from the primary election in the state and to harmonise the party for the 2019 election.

“We have had an extensive conversation as APC family to touch issues that arose from the primaries in Kogi. Aspirants have spoken their minds and we have heard them as National Working Committee of the party.

”I am glad to let you know that all our aspirants including those that were disqualified and those that contested and lost, have agreed to work with Governor Yahaya Bello, who is the APC flag bearer.”

The chairman thanked all the aspirants for their understanding and loyalty to the party while commending the people of Kogi State for standing by the APC. He assured the people of more democratic dividends.

He said that all the defeated aspirants had also agreed to work with Mr Bello to win the next election, stating that none of them was going to court on the primary matter.

Yahaya Bello was declared the winner of the APC governorship primary held in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital Thursday night. He polled 3,091 votes to defeat his closest rival, Babatunde Irukera, who polled 109 votes.

There were nine other contestants in the race. They are Yahaya Audu (10 votes), Sani Lulu Abdulahi, (7 votes), Bashir Gegu (4 votes), Blessing Ekele (0) Iyoma Hadiza (0), Yakuba Muhammed (0) and Dalami Muhammed (0).

Minister Akpabio Stops Payment Of NDDC Contractors’ N2 Trillion

Editorial staff

September 5, 2019

The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio, has ordered that payment of over N2 trillion to the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) contractors be stopped immediately.

At a meeting with the management of the interventionist agency in Abuja, the minister accused the commission of paying money to ‘political youths’ in the region and said that he had directed banks to stop payments for contracts undertaken in the last one month to enable the ministry to ascertain the incidence of asset stripping or otherwise.

The minister, who announced that a forensic audit had begun, blamed the agency for failing to leave up to expectations, even as he regretted that the agency had abandoned millions of the suffering people of the oil-rich area.

“People that you owed just N500,000 to N1 million are over 400 and they have been coming to the NDDC for over 10 years and the money has not been given to them.”

“I believe that the NDDC has not performed well. I do not want to say that you have failed the region, but I am saying that you have not performed well because when I saw so many of you looking so robust, I realised that at least you have not failed your families, but I do not know how far the people on the streets have gone.

“There are a lot of complaints all over, even the real youths of the Niger Delta who undertook just clearance of water have not been paid. Those that were paid are political youths, not the real youths.”

He lamented the absence of a specialist hospital in the region, saying that President Muhammadu Buhari is disturbed by the deplorable state of the zone and was eager to leave behind a legacy project.

Also speaking, the Minister of State, Festus Keyamo, said that the ministry is determined to redefine the vision of the commission, adding that the NDDC had failed in terms of commensurability of projects.

“It may not be business as usual again. We have become a laughing stock to outsiders, as people say that our own people are under-developing in our region.

“The commission for long has been used to enrich politicians’ pockets. You can no longer sit down in Port Harcourt and do whatever you like because we learned directors sit down in Port Harcourt without going to work.”

Gen Magashi And National Security Agenda, By Yushau A. Shuaib

Editorial staff

September 5, 2019

When Major General Bashir Magashi (rtd.) was announced as a ministerial nominee, I reached out to the former Commissioner for Information and Finance in Kano State, Mallam Garba Yusuf, for an insight into the capabilities of the retired military officer.

I was aware that Magashi had led a 12-man high-powered reconciliation committee of the ruling party in the state, of which Garba Yusuf was a member, which ensured the amicable reconciliation of aggrieved politicians in the State, within the shortest possible time, before the last general elections.

Garba Yusuf said: “General Magashi, as an experienced lawyer, not only meticulously handled the delicate reconciliation process, but through his strategic interventions and guidance, the State witnessed peace and tranquillity after the elections.”

A few weeks later, Mallam Garba drew my attention to the live transmission of the ministerial screening of General Magashi on national television.

A former military governor of Sokoto State during the regime of Ibrahim Babangida and member of the Provisional Ruling Council (PRC) during the Sani Abacha’s regime, General Magashi spoke eloquently and with confidence, while responding to the queries of the federal legislators.

Whilst discussing insecurity in Nigeria, Magashi insisted that infighting among Nigerian service chiefs was affecting the war against insurgency and analogous efforts against other forms of insecurity.

A former Commander of the elite Brigade of Guards in Abuja and erstwhile General Officer Commanding (GOC) the strategic 2 Mechanised Division in Ibadan, Magashi berated the non-cooperation among the service chiefs, as each of them sought to individually appear to his Commander-In-Chief, and the country, as the most conscientious in his remit. He added that the current military command structure is not a true reflection of what should be obtainable in the services and advocated for the restructuring of the armed forces.

Magashi gave an example of his experience as Commander of the ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) during the Liberian civil war, where he ensured cohesion of all the services maintaining peace, including the police and paramilitary agencies, at that time.

“In an ideal situation where I served as an ECOMOG commander, it was a single unit that was overseeing the needs, aspirations, (and) welfare of our troops in combat zones. In Nigeria today, what we call (the) command structure is now being seen as weakness. We only have divisions probably by name, but I do not think we have the required manpower to man them,” he said

His tour of military formations in the North-East, in his first outing as Defence Minister, was quite impressive. And, some of his statements were quite encouraging and motivational to the troops, as they inspired and admonished them to redouble their efforts in the counter-insurgency operations.

Yet, it was shocking that General Magashi, a retired military intelligence officer and a lawyer, could make a controversial statement during his tour, when he claimed that 22 local government councils in Borno State have been liberated from the grip of insurgency since the inception of President Buhari’s administration on May 29, 2015. Possibly aware of the implication of making such an unfounded claim, he refrained from mentioning the specifics of the so-called rescued local councils.

In my book “Boko Haram Media War: An Encounter with the Spymaster,” I have provided the details, timelines and manners in which more than 25 towns were liberated from the grip of terrorism during the former Goodluck Jonathan administration.

In one of the chapters, I stated that: “At the twilight of Jonathan’s administration when Sambo Dasuki was the National Security Adviser, dozens of towns and cities in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states were recovered and confirmed with video and pictorial evidence through military press releases.

“Some of the liberated towns include, but (are) not limited to: Abadam, Askira, Baga, Bama, Bara, Buni Yadi, Damboa, Dikwa, Gamboru-Ngala, Goniri, Gujba, Gulag, Gulani, Gwoza, Hong, Kala Balge, Konduga, Kukawa, Marte, Madagali, Michika, Monguno, Mubi, Vimtim, among other communities with pictorial and video evidences provided by the Defence Headquarters.

“In one day alone, April 30, 2015, at least 234 abductees (Women and Children) were rescued by the military, who had stormed sections of the Sambisa Forest.

“A clear testimony to some of the accomplishments was the official DHQ release dated March 16, 2015, with reference No: DHQ/ABJ/901/32/DDI and titled: ‘Troops Finally Rout Terrorists from Bama and Last Stronghold in Yobe.’” That was before the coming of the present administration.

It is necessary to point to the new Defence Minister that he should always seek credible and trustworthy intelligence on the realities on the ground before making claims, and more importantly in finding a more lasting solution to the menace of Boko Haram.

The public commentary of Governor Zulum of Borno State, the open letter to President Buhari by Zanna Boguma of Borno, Alhaji Hassan Zanna and media reports on the current situation in the North-East, merely suggest the urgent need for a truly pragmatic approach to winning the war on terrorism in the country.

President Muhammadu Buhari must be commended for deploying huge resources to the security sector, which has enabled the massive recruitment of personnel, acquisition of sophisticated equipment and the upgrade of infrastructure that have been crucial requirements, even though something essential is still missing.

I strongly believe that the current service chiefs, who were top military officers in the previous Jonathan administration, know the strategies deployed between January and May 2015, in the defeat of Boko Haram and recovery of the aforementioned towns. The traditional and political leaders in that axis are also aware of this too. Not every action of the past can be jettisoned, especially when it has to do with the lives of our troops and citizens.

Yushau A. Shuaib can be reached on

yashuaib@yahoo.com

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