Blog

Weather

By Sumaila Ogbaje
Abuja, Dec. 20, 2018 (NAN) The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), has predicted dust haze weather conditions over most parts of the country with partly cloudy conditions over some Southern cities on Friday.
NiMet’s Weather Outlook on Thursday, in Abuja, predicted dust haze condition with visibility range of two to five kilometres over the Central states during the forecast period.
It added that there localised visibility of less than or equal to 1000 m over the region throughout the forecast period with day and night temperatures of 27 to 35 and 10 to 22 degrees Celsius respectively.
The agency predicted that the Northern States would experience thick dust haze condition with visibility range of two to five kilometres and localised visibility of less than or equal to 1000m during the forecast period.
It also predicted that the Northern cities would have day and night temperatures in the ranges of 27 to 32 and 11 to 15 degrees Celsius respectively.

According to NiMet, Southern States will experience dust haze condition with visibility range of two to five kilometres and localised visibility of less than or equal to 1000m over the inland states during the forecast period.
“Partly cloudy condition is expected over the coastal cities throughout the forecast period with day and night temperatures of 30 to 34 and 19 to 24 degrees Celsius respectively.
“Dust haze conditions are expected to prevail over the Northern, central, and inland cities while partly cloudy conditions are likely over coastal states in the next 24 hours,” NiMet predicted. (NAN)
OYS/ABI
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Edited by Ali Baba-Inuwa

Wage

By Chinyere Bassey
Lagos, Dec. 20, 2018 (NAN) The organised labour on Thursday said that the Federal Government has before or on Dec. 31 to send the tripartite committee report on N30,000 minimum wage to the National Assembly.

The three labour centres, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the United Labour Congress (ULC) took the decision after a joint meeting in Lagos.

The organiseed labour gave the ultimatum following President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement that a “high powered technical committee” would be set up  to device ways to ensure that its implementation did not lead to an increase in the level of borrowing.

Buhari spoke at the presentation of 2019 Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly in Abuja on Wednesday.

The NLC President, Mr Ayuba Wabba, who address newsmen after the meeting, said that setting up a technical committee could not be a condition for passing the minimum wage report to the National Assembly.

Accoridng to Wabba, the organised labour cannot guarantee industrial peace and harmony in the country if the wage report was not passed for implementation on or before Dec. 31.

“We reject in its entirety the plan to set up another `high powered technical committee’ on the minimum wage. It is diversionary and a delay tactics.

“The national minimum wage committee was both technical and all-encompassing in its compositions and plan to set up a technical committee is alien to the tripartite process.

“It is also alien to the  International Labour Organisations’ conventions on national minimum wage setting mechanism,’’ he said.

The labour leader said that issues on payment of minimum wage was a law that was universal, citing that other African countries like, Kenya, Ghana and South Africa had increased their minimum wage this year.

“If you increase minimum wage, you are increasing the purchasing power of the economy which will help to reduce inflation rather than increase it,’’ Wabba said.

He urged workers to be vigilant and prepare to campaign and vote against candidates and politicians who are not willing to implement the new minimum wage.

Mr Joe Ajaero, President of ULC, also called on the government to send the report to lawmakers so that the implementation of the new minimum wage report would begin without delay.

Ajaero said that all affiliate members of the organised labour had been informed to be alert ahead of the Dec. 31 notice if the government failed to submit the report.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that organised labour had planned to go on a nationwide strike on Nov. 6, following the Federal Government’s delay to accept the N30,000 minimum wage agreement. (NAN)
CHIN/PDE
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(Editing by Peter Ejiofor)

Bill
By Taiye Elebiyo-Edeni
Abuja, Dec. 20, 2018 (NAN) Mr Hassan Bello, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), on Thursday assured that President Muhammadu Buhari would sign the National Transport Commission Bill 2018, upon removal of some sections of the bill.

Bello, who disclosed this in Abuja in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that the sections were added by the National Assembly.

‘‘The president didn’t decline the bill, he only said that some
sections should be corrected and should be brought back to him for his assent, which we have done.’’

NAN reports that the president had noted that some sections of the bill contained safety regulations that would duplicate the functions of existing transport agencies.

Such agencies are the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Nigerian
Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, and insisted that the sections be expunged from the bill.

He also stated that the percentage of the amount to be retained by the agency from royalties collected under section 19 (2) (d) should be reduced from 10 to five per cent.

‘‘Section 19 (2)(f) which stipulates charge of three per cent freight tariff stabilisation fee on all imports and exports out of Nigeria including wet and dry cargoes should be amended and reduced from three per cent to one per cent.

‘‘Section 12 (9) (2) (d) stipulates that a portion of the proceeds from royalties collected by the authority empowered to collect royalties from transport service providers should not exceed 10 per cent which is collected by service providers and concessionaires which is contained in NSC legislation.’’

Bello, however, said that all necessary adjustments would be made and the bill would be returned to the president for his assent. (NAN)
TY/MOL/GY
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Edited by Mustapha Lamidi/Grace Yussuf

Reps urge police, DSS to fish out Badeh’s killers, adjourn till Jan. 16
Probe
By Taiye Agbaje
Abuja, Dec. 20, 2018 (NAN) The House of Representatives, on Thursday, called on the Nigeria police and the Department of Sate Services (DSS) to fish out the killers of former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Retired Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh.

The lawmakers, who condemned the act, also charged the Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, and the Director General of DSS, Mr Yusuf Bichi, to bring the perpetrators to justice.
The resolution was sequel to a motion by Rep. Abdulrahman Abubakar (APC-Adamawa) at a plenary presided over by Speaker Yakubu Dogara in Abuja.
Moving the motion Abubakar, who represents Mubi North/ Mubi South and Maiha Federal Constituency, noted that late Badeh was an exceptional officer, who was killed by gunmen on Dec. 18, in his car while returning from his farm along Abuja-Keffi road.
“Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, the exception officer who flew two former U.S. Presidents, received recognition from Koffi Anan. He was the only four-star General Adamawa state ever produced.
“His driver sustained serious injuries from gunshot and is receiving medical treatment, while his Farm Manager, Engineer Joe, was taken away by the perpetrators of the act.
According to him, Badeh was born on Jan. 10, 1957 in Vimtim, Mubi Local Government Area (LGA) of Adamawa state in Northeast Nigeria into the family of peasant farmers.
“He attended Vimtim Primary School, and went on to obtain his school certificate from Villanova Secondary School in 1976,
“He was admitted into the Nigeria Defence Academy as member of the 21th Regular Course on Jan. 3, 1977, and was commissioned pilot officer on July 3, 1979.
“Badeh was the 15th CDS of the Armed Forces of Nigeria,” he said.
Abubakar said Badeh’s death was a great loss to his constituency, Adamawa state and Nigeria at large.
In his contribution, Rep. Toby Okechukwu (PDP-Enugu) blamed security agencies for the recent killings in the country.
Also speaking, Rep. Chika Adamu (APC-Niger), who expressed fear over the rate of killing in the country, said the killing of the former CDS must have been planned.
“How could a general move alone with his driver and third party?” he asked.

Meanwhile, the House had adjourned plenary till Jan. 16, 2019.

The motion for the adjournment was moved when the house reverted back to plenary presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Mr Yusuf Lasun, on Thursday. (NAN)

TOA/ABI
Edited by Ali Baba-Inuwa

Scholarship

By Desmond Ejibas/Funmilayo Adeyemi
Port Harcourt, Dec. 20, 2018 (NAN) Nigerians studying in Russia under the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) say that they are finding it increasingly difficult to continue with their scholarship in that country.

Under the BEA scholarship, the Russian Government takes care of the students’ tuition, while the Nigerian government pays each of the students 500 dollars monthly for their upkeep.

Mr Lawal Mustapha, President, Association of Nigerian Scholarship Students in Russia, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone from Samara, Russia, on Thursday that students were owed 20 months arrears.

“We are appealing to the Nigerian government to pay 20 months stipend arrears owed to us. We also plead that they pay us the stipend as at when due.

“The BEA award stipulates that the Nigerian government takes care of our living cost monthly with 500 dollars, while the host country pays the students’ tuition,” he said.

He said the Russian government had faithfully held up their end of the agreements by paying BEA scholarship students’ tuition as at when due.

“But unfortunately, the Nigerian government has not faithfully kept their own part of the agreement,” Mustapha said.

He said the students needed the money to pay for their accommodation, Visa renewals, health insurance cover, feeding and other bills.

According to him, the affected students have been living in hardship as many have been threatened with eviction notice from their hostels and deportation.

“We have resorted to looking for other means to fend for ourselves by working illegally for long hours in the cold winter for meagre pay. We are suffering,” he said.

Reacting, Alhaja Asta Ndajiwo, Director, Federal Scholarship Board, said that efforts were being made to pay the students their outstanding arrears.

She said the board had forwarded memos to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to start payment of both 2017 and 2018 arrears of the stipend.

“The arrears will be paid to the scholars bank accounts,” she promised.

NAN reports that the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, during a news conference in Abuja on Thursday also assured the students that their arrears will be paid.

He said the Federal Government was committed to fulfilling its financial obligations to students pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate degrees both at home and abroad.

“On our part, we will do our utmost best to meet our obligations arising from all bilateral agreement as much as circumstances will permit.

“Nigeria under the Federal Government Scholarship, BEA and Commonwealth Scholarship Scheme, has 2,953 students studying abroad,” he said.

Adamu said that the balance of the 2018 appropriation had been released with focus to offsetting the arrears owed to students.

“It is important to note that since the inception of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, the Federal Government has committed about N3 billion under the three schemes.

“As I speak, the balance of the 2018 appropriation has been released and preparation is on to pay the scholars,” he said.

No fewer than 753 Nigerian students under the BEA programme are currently pursuing various undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Russia; Algeria; China; Hungary; Morocco; Egypt; Cuba; Romania; Turkey; Ukraine, Tunisia and Serbia. (NAN)
DES/DOE/PDE
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(Edited by Dianabasi Effiong/Peter Ejiofor)

Alcohol

By Kazeem Akande,

Lagos, Dec. 20, 2018 (NAN) Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), has said that any driver that tested positive on alcohol on highways would be banned from driving for three months.

Oyeyemi disclosed this in Lagos on Thursday while on national patrol of western corridors to ensure free flow of traffic on the highways during the Yuletide.

“Our focus this festive season is accident free and ensure free movement of vehicles, traffic management is our mandate.

“But if any motorist is found guilty of any traffic offences, he will be punished according to the law.

“Because we have digital breathalysers to detect and press for maximum sentence that will get your licence suspended and then you will be ban for three months from driving.

“We are banning you from driving for three months because you must have accumulated the required point to suspend you for three months,” Oyeyemi said.

According to him, there are about 52 corridors and Lagos State is one of the critical corridors; presently Lagos from the former toll gate account for about 25,000 movement of vehicles per hour.

“This is the highest vehicular density in the country, we need to pay more attention to it.

“Nationwide we have about 36 traffic gridlocks locations and it has been eased out now, thanks to the Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) for fulfilling his promise by opening all the diversions that could have caused more gridlocks on highways during the festivities.
According to him, Lagos axis will have three camps where the officials would be on operations
for 24 hours in case of emergencies.

The FRSC boss said that the corps needed the support of the public as the level of assault to FRSC personnel this year was higher.

He said that almost 80 of the corps personnel were assaulted while some of them have died and others injured on duty, which was so painful.

“We need Nigerian citizens to cooperate with us and I must thank the Army Chief of Staff and Inspector-General of Police and other security agencies for their back up support.

The FRSC boss urged motorists to obey traffic rules and regulations and shun drink driving to avoid being banned from driving.

The corps marshal said that more breathalysers had been deployed to various corridors to ensure any drunk driver must not go unpunished.

“We have enough of digital breathalysers to detect the alcohol intake in drivers on highways, so there is no escape route for drunk drivers,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the corps marshal had said that 201 mobile courts were set up by the FRSC nationwide to prosecute traffic offenders during the yuletide.

He said in Ibadan during a national patrol tour that the courts began sitting on Dec. 17 to prosecute traffic offenders on highways. (NAN)

AKA/WOJ

Edited by Wale Ojetimi

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Tributes
By Ibukun Emiola
Ibadan, Dec. 20, 2018, (NAN) The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, and other eminent Nigerians on Thursday in Ibadan paid tributes to an emeritus professor of medecine, Oluwole Akande, who clocked 80 years.

They spoke at a symposium organised by a Committee of Mentees to celebrate the 80th birthday of  Akande.

Adewole, a former student of  Akande, urged Nigerians to emulate the good legacies of the celebrator,  noting that he remained  an embodiment of humility and impeccable character.

“Leadership is not just a title or position but  about one life influencing another.

“Prof.  Akande has achieved so many feats in the Nigerian medical field,  one of which was when he was appointed Chairman of the Presidential Project Implementation Committee (PPIC),’’ he said.

The minister said Akande headed the committee which  supervised the Federal Government’s rehabilitation of university teaching hospitals between 2007 and 2015.

Akande, he added, “ served with candour and commitment as well as ensured that PPIC got value for the money spent.’’

He said that the history of  the University College Hospital and the College of Medicine would not be complete without mentioning the input of Akande.

Prof. Oladosu Ojengbede, a consultant Obstetrics and Gynaecology at  UCH and Prof. Friday Okonofua of the Ondo State University of Medical Sciences, also paid tributes to Akande, saying he remained a worthy example of service to humanity.

Others who paid tributes were the Vice Chancellor of  University of Ibadan,  Prof.  Idowu Olayinka, represented by Prof.  Kayode Adebowale, the Chief Medical Director of  UCH,   Prof.  Temitope Alonge, as well as the Provost of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Prof. Oluwabunmi Olapade-Olaopa.

In his remarks, Akande pledged to continue in his efforts  to support the medical profession in the country in order to take it to enviable heights.

He called on all stakeholders to pay more attention to the health sector so as ensure adequate health coverage for all Nigerians.

The forum tagged, “Exemplary Mentorship and Leadership- A Life of Service and Distinction,’’ was attended by medical professionals from across the country.

Akande,  a professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology,  was the first Chief Medical Director of UCH. (NAN)
IBK/OJO
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(Edited by Mufutau Ojo)

CoralPay introduces new payment platform to Nigeria market

Payment

By Tajudeen Atitebi

Lagos, Dec. 20, 2018 (NAN) CoralPay, a payment processing company has introduced the first interoperable USSD and mobile payment platform to Nigerians desirous of seamless and secure payment solution.

The solution, C’Gate, fulfills the mantra of being Africa’s Gold Standard for payments and allows for enhanced interoperability amongst stakeholders in the payment ecosystem.

The Chief Executive of CoralPay, Chioma Nkechika, said in Lagos on Thursday that the new solution allowed customers using the USSD short codes of their respective banks alongside their Mobile Apps to pay for goods and services directly from their bank accounts and wallets.

The transactions are accepted on POS terminals and ATMs with receipts printed on eCommerce sites with emails sent to registered addresses.

Nkechika said the new solution was already being adopted and deployed by leading Nigerian banks and Mobile Money Operators (MMOs) seamlessly.

“It enables USSD to POS, USSD to Web, USSD Fast Transfer transactions, USSD on App, USSD to ATM, and CiCo (USSD Cash-In and USSD Cash-Out) on POS.

“It also offer customers more flexibilities and payment options than anything currently available in the Nigerian market,”

“Zenith Bank has led the adoption of the C’Gate solution as an addition to its e-payment offerings, with other banks like GTBank, UBA, Access Bank, FCMB, FirstBank, Fidelity Bank, Wema Bank, Keystone Bank, Sterling Bank and Providus.”

Nkechika said the POS transactions had grown significantly with total transaction count up year-on-year from 63.7million to 146.3million transactions with corresponding value rising from N758.9 billion to N1.4 trillion as at December 2016 and December 2017, respectively.

“This excludes web payments, ATM operations and mobile money transfers, all of which are now seamlessly integrated with the C’Gate Platform.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that CoralPay Technology Had earlier in the year announced its entry into the Nigerian payment industry with a solution in partnership with Alipay International to ease online transactions for the Chinese, other Asian consumers and African merchants starting with Nigeria.

The partnership further expanded Alipay’s footprint in Africa and opens the door for its more than 520 million active users in China, to make online payments via the CoralPay platform.

Speaking on the agreement, Nkechika assured Nigerians of the company’s ability and capacity to deliver on the African franchise, leveraging on their business network and partnerships. (NAN)
PR/TÁ
Edited by Tajudeen Atitebi

Commissioning
By Uche Bibilari/Jacinta Nwachukwu
Abuja, Dec. 20, 2018 (NAN) Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), has commissioned 151 housing units in the first phase of the Federal Integrated Staff Housing (FISH) estates in Kuje, FCT.

Oyo-Ita made the disclosure in her address at the presentation of FISH Handbooks, Website and inauguration of the FISH estates Kuje 1 and 11 in Abuja on Thursday.

She expressed the hope that the programme would assist in solving some housing challenges of civil servants.

She said that the programme was expected to address the housing needs of civil servants who were unable to own houses due to the prohibitive costs of land acquisition, building or purchase.

‘‘The overall objective of the FISH programme is to improve the quality of life of civil servants and their families.

‘‘We believe it will help to foster a multiplier effect on the economy and reduce corruption in the public service, in line with the Federal Government’s anti-corruption drive.

‘‘The FISH department has been restructured, staff deployed trained and processes and procedures introduced and streamlined to accelerate the implementation of the programme and achieve this landmark.

‘‘The new and improved processes and procedures are properly documented and explained in the three handbooks and the website,’’ she said.

According to her, FISH estate Kuje 1 comprises blocks of flats of 65 units of one, two and three-bedroom, constructed by C2Q Nigeria Ltd.

The OHCSF stated that the Kuje 11 comprise 86 units of two-bedroom bungalows constructed and financed by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria.

She said that the off-takers of these estates had been profiled, their loans paid and some of them had already moved in and were living in their houses.

Oyo-ita disclosed that in the next phase of implementation, FISH Estate Kuje 111 comprising 97 bungalows would be commissioned and FISH Karu comprising of 20 units of bungalows.

She said that the beneficiaries of the Karu Estate were already in possession of their keys.

She called on state government’s housing agencies and experienced developers to join in the programme.

‘‘We need many more developers to enable us cater for over 55,000 civil servants who have subscribed to the programme.

‘‘I seize this opportunity to appeal to civil servants to key into the FISH programme through our website, which will be presented today as more houses are being uploaded by our developers,’’ she said.

Similarly, the Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office, OHCSF, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, recalled how the FISH programme was initiated in 2013.

She, however, noted that the appointment of the present head of service ensured its continuity by adopting and launching the programme as her flagship.

Walson-Jack added that aside the FISH programme, the OHCSF had approved several other initiatives to improve the well-being and welfare of federal civil servants.

She listed the present-retirement, and post-retirement service scheme, rewards and recognition system, as part her initiatives.

She said that it included a baseline survey on persons with disabilities in civil service and the development of federal civil service welfare policy, among others.

The Executive Secretary, Federal Government Staff Housing Loan Board (FGSHLB), Mrs Hannatu Fika, said the board provided loans to members of the FISH progammes among others to own their homes.

Fika said that the ceremony was a fulfillment of the mandate of the board, adding that the two estates being commissioned were fully funded through the board’s loan scheme.

According to her, not less than 150 core civil servants are beneficiaries of the board’s loan scheme and more are in the process of receiving their keys.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 32 civil servants have benefited from the FISH programme and have been given keys to their apartments.

On hehalf of the beneficiaries, Mr Ernest Paul expressed appreciation for making the dream of becoming home owners a reality.

He added that they would surely spread the good tidings of this great development in order to disabuse the minds of some civil servants, who were still in doubt about the reality of the FISH programme to also key into it. (NAN)
UU/JIN/MOL/GY
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Edited by Mustapha Lamidi/Grace Yussuf