Blog

Technology

By Collins Yakubu-Hammer

Abuja, Sept. 27, 2018 (NAN) As the world celebrates World Tourism Day (WTD), the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN) has urged stakeholders to capitalise on digital technology to drive the sector toward attracting foreign investors and tourists.

The National President of FTAN, Alhaji Rabo Saleh, made the call in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja to mark the WTD, which has “Tourism and Digital Transformation” as theme for this year.

It is a day set aside by the UN World Tourism Organisation to create awareness on the need to appreciate tourism across the world.

The FTAN boss said “we should use digital technology and data to drive tourism in Nigeria, especially the positive side.

“What is happening today is that when an information is negative, it will go viral and you will see it on the internet.

“For us in the tourism industry, we should look at our good tourism sites and packages that we have to offer as a country and capitalise on digital media and technology to show them to the world.

“However, we should try to drive domestic tourism, before we move to international tourism; because it is only when we move people around Nigeria and they begin to appreciate what we have as a country that foreigners will begin to develop interest.

“There is need for effective publicity on tourist sites in the country and what we stand to gain from its different facets.

“Tourism is all inclusive, we have transportation, airlines, car hire, entertainment, arts and craft.”

The national president, therefore, urged government to create an enabling environment for operators to harness the many untapped treasures in the country’s tourism sector. (NAN)

CMY/HA

Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

Insurgency: VSF partners ITF to train 5,000 women as entrepreneurs in North-East

Entrepreneurship
By Lizzy Okoji
Abuja, Sept. 27, 2018 (NAN) The Victims Support Fund (VSF), on Thursday in Abuja, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) to train 5,000 women victims of insurgency as entrepreneurs.

Prof. Sunday Ochoche, Executive Director, VSF said that the partnership also aims at providing vocational skills acquisition to 1,500 out-of-school Youths in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States.

“The entrepreneurship development project will target 5,000 community-based women entrepreneurs, already under the VSF Women Economic Empowerment (WEE) project that had benefited from the cash support.

“Existing savings and loans associations established in 2016 and 2017 will be scaled up into 250 small scale women producer groups.

“1,500 out-of-school youth in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe will also have their capacities built in vocational skills to increase their employability and self reliance.

“ N130 million had been earmarked for the first phase of the programme, which involves training in critical areas,” Ochoche said.

Ochoche said that after the training, starter packs would be given to the beneficiaries to commence their own businesses as second phase of the programme.

He explained that the partnership would further facilitate the restoration of livelihoods and hasten the community recovery process in the North-East.

He said the VSF was now working on addressing the root causes of the insurgency in North-east Nigeria, stressing that it has been discovered that lack of education and high poverty rate were responsible for the crisis in the area.

Ochoche said that the ITF had similar programmes presently running, adding that their technical skills will help VSF to fast-track its own programmes.

Also speaking, Mr Joseph Ari, Director-General of ITF, said the two organisations have some similar mandates, expressing readiness to work with VSF to actualize its programmes.

Ari said that the partnership between both organisations would help in addressing some of the root causes of the conflicts in the North-East.

He called on other stakeholders to join force with the VSF and ITF to solve the problems of the North-east.

The ITF boss added that improving the livelihood of the people was important as the country’s population was increasing drastically. (NAN)
LIZ/AFA
======
Edited by Felix Ajide

N650bn debt: Oil marketers urge FG to hasten payment
By Yunus Yusuf
Debt
Lagos, Sept. 27, 2018 (NAN) Oil marketers on Thursday appealed to the Federal Government to hasten payment of over N650 billion subsidy arrears to save their assets from being taken over by banks.
The marketers, under the aegis of Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), made the call in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
Members of the association include Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN); Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA) and Independent Petroleum Products Importers (IPPIs).
The Executive Secretary of DAPPMA, Mr Olufemi Adewole, urged the government to lessen the bureaucratic process involved in the payment process.
According to him, the inability of federal government to pay the debt had resulted in massive job losses in the oil and gas industry, which has affected the marketers’ operation.
Adewole said that 60 per cent of marketers had been forced out of business, as banks had taken over their depots, assets and properties due to their inability to pay back monies borrowed.
He added that many marketers were forced out of business, while others are presently struggling to survive due to the unpaid subsidy arrears.
Adewole also said that the development has been threatening investment in the downstream sector.
“It has had very adverse effects on our operations. I am aware of two depots that have been forcibly taken over by banks because they got injunctions from the courts.
“They did so the moment they heard that National Assembly has approved payment to marketers. Unfortunately, as at today, Sept. 27, the money is yet to get into our accounts.
“Another challenge we have is that many of the marketers had to lay off more than 90 per cent of their staff because of financial challenges.
“Although, few of them are still operating, but not in good number with just about three to four staffs,” he said.
Similarly, the Chairman of South-West Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Mr Tayo Aboyeji, told NAN that loading activities had been bad at most private depot.
Aboyeji attributed the situation to the inability of the marketers to import petroleum products.
He said that most drivers had been lamenting low patronage from private depots due to non-payment of marketers’ subsidy arrears, among other factors.
Aboyeji said the situation had made some depots to convert workers into contract staff.
“Government should find a way to pay the marketers and deregulate the sector to allow more players into the industry.
“When the downstream is fully deregulated, more marketers will engage in importation and it will help tanker drivers in their businesses because of the financial challenges,’’ he said.
However, he regretted that the government, as against paying part of the money in promissory note and cash, may pay only in promissory note.
Adewole frowned at the prospect of having to go back and discount the promissory note in the bank.
“This means we are losing, because the money had been delayed and this adds up the interest to be charged on our accounts.
“Although, what was approved to be paid is not the actual amount the government owes us.
“The interest came about as a result of devaluation of naira from N197 to N285 to a dollar,” he said.
Meanwhile, a source, who is an independent marketer, urged government to deregulate the downstream sector.
He said that the deregulation would curb the huge amount of money spent on subsidy.
According to him, marketers have run out of cash and their businesses are gradually going moribund as a result of capital been stocked.
“No marketer can import petrol with the present price differential
“We cannot buy fuel at N174 per litre at the international market and government is forcing us to sell at N145 without paying the differentials.
“That was the reason we are urging the government to urgently embark on full deregulation of the sector to create free flow market and allow government to use the money to develop other sector,’’ he said.
According to him, only the NNPC imports fuel and then use its discretion to allocate products to marketers, adding that if deregulated it will also help government to invest the subsidy money into other sectors. (NAN)
YO/KTO/MST
By Kamal Tayo Oropo/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Aisha Buhari calls for strategic partnership to end TB Epidemic

Tuberculosis

By Ahmed Ubandoma

Abuja, Sept. 27, 2018 (NAN) The wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, on Thursday called on the relevant stakeholders across the globe to make strategic partnership towards finding lasting solutions to the spread of Tuberculosis in Africa.

Mrs Buhari made the appeal on her social media handle shortly after addressing the United Nations Committee on Tuberculosis (TB) at the sideline of the 73rd United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting followed the adoption of political declaration towards ending Tuberculosis at the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) 2018.

The wife of the president has been appointed as the UN Special Ambassador to end TB in recognition of her selfless services to health Advocacy in Nigeria.

“When I accepted to serve as a TB Champion, I believe there is something I can contribute and I believe there is something every one of us can do to end this epidemic.

“As a global TB Champion and Ambassador, I am committed to work with Stop TB partnership, and other stakeholders such as World Health Organization, especially other First Ladies in Africa and the world to end TB.

Mrs Buahri expressed dismay that a curable and preventable disease such as tuberculosis became one of the most infectious killer diseases.

“ How did we get to the stage where in one year, about 1.7 million people still die needlessly, including over 250,000 children?.

“Unfortunately Over 95 per cent of TB deaths also occurs in low and middle-income countries, especially in Africa’’ she said.

She commended the World Health Organization (WHO) and other relevant stakeholders for the success recorded in the fight against Polio, HIV and Ebola diseases.

She, however, questioned the challenges facing the success of the fight against the spread of TB.

“ In 2017, 10 million people were infected with TB but only 6.4 million cases of TB were reported as diagnosed and treated, so, where are these “missing” four million.

“And how can they be found, diagnosed and treated; without doing this, every single person not treated can spread the disease to 10-12 others per year,’’ she lamented.

The wife of the president said there was need for increased commitment on the part of political leaders both at national and global levels to stem the scourge.

She also said that human and material resources were needed to end the TB epidemic.

According to her, the resources will support in rolling out new vaccines, diagnosis and treatment as well as strategic advocacy among others.

The fact that this event is holding after about two years of calling for it is a testimony to what and how we can work together in partnership to end TB in our lifetime just as we had done for other major epidemics.

Mrs Buhari made a commitment not to relent in her advocacy until TB was eliminated, especially in Africa (NAN).

AMU/IA
======

Governorship primary: We are fully ready, says Lagos APC

Primary

By Bolaji Buhari

Lagos, Sept. 27, 2018 (NAN) The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday said it had concluded all arrangements to conduct its governorship primary on Saturday.

The Assistant Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Mr Abiodun Salami, made the statement in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)in Lagos.

Salami spoke to NAN after the state party executive led by Alhaji Tunde Balogun met with local government executives and council chairmen at the APC secretariat.

NAN reports that Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode; a former Commissioner for Training and Establishment, Mr Jide Sanwo-Olu; and a former Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, are in the race for the sole ticket.

Salami said the party was fully set to conduct the primary that would produce its governorship candidate for the general elections.

“We are completely set for the governorship primary, I can assure you .We have put everything in place and perfected plans for a successful conduct.

“The party executive just had a meeting with council chairmen and party executives in the local government areas on how to go about the election.

“We have done the necessary things and I can confidently tell you that the state chapter is ready for the exercise,” he said.

Giving details about the primary, Salami said the exercise would take place in 245 wards across the 20 constitutionally recognised local governments.

He said that the primary mode would be direct, and the option A4 system used during the 1993 general elections would be employed.

Salami said the results of all the wards would be collated afterwards, from which the eventual winner would be announced.

According to him, the party is adopting the method to ensure transparency and fairness.

He urged all registered party members to participate in the process to determine the governorship candidate of the party.

Salami attributed the suspension of the screening of state house of assembly aspirants in the chapter to the delay in the arrival of officials from the national secretariat to monitor the exercise.

“As soon as we hear from them, we shall conduct the screening,” he said.(NAN)
BHB/SOA

========

Edited by Oluwole Sogunle

NCP postpones presidential primaries indefinitely due to lack of funds
Postponement
By Moses Omorogieva
Lagos, Sept. 27, 2018 (NAN) The National Conscience Party (NCP) has announced indefinite postponement of its presidential primaries earlier scheduled for between Sept. 28 and 30.

The Publicity Secretary of NCP, Dr Okereke Emmanuel, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Thursday in Lagos that the primaries were postponed due to lack of funds to financed the meeting.
He said that the founder of the party, late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, was its main sponsor, stressing that after his death, members had been contributing to carry out the party’s activities.
“The presidential primaries scheduled for this weekend (Sept. 28 and 30) had been postponed due to lack of funds. Delegates coming are to be given money, but there is no money for all these logistics,” Emmanuel said.
Meanwhile, the South-South and South-East zonal chapters of the NCP have called on its National Chairman, Dr Tanko Yunusa, to step-down ahead of the party’s presidential primaries.

A statement by the two NCP deputy national chairmen in the zones, Prince Goodluck Obi and Pastor Peters Omoragbon, said that the call became necessary since Yinusa is also a presidential aspirant.

The NCP chieftains are also requesting for complete review/reversal of the “exorbitant nomination fees’’ for all aspirants seeking elective offices.
Reacting,  Emmanuel said that the two men, (Obi and Omoragbon) have no authority to demand for anything in the party as they were no longer recognised leaders of their zones.
“As far as we are concerned,  they demanded for the national chairman to step-down before presidential primaries, there is nowhere in NCP constitution that demands for resignation.
“The founder of the party, Late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, contested for presidency while he was the national chairman.
“Some people requested him to step-down, but late Chief Fawehinmi said if there is any provision for such in the party’s constitution, as a law abiding person, he will step-down,” Emmanuel added. (NAN)
MIO/WOJ
=======

Edited by Wale Ojetimi

NAFDAC shuts down 6 sachet water factories in Rivers
By Mustapha Sumaila
Closure
Abuja, Sept. 27, 2018 (NAN) The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) said it has shut down six sachet water factories at Okirika Local Government Area of Rivers for operating in an unhygienic environment.
The NAFDAC Director of Public Relations Unit, Dr Abubakar Jimoh, confirmed this in a statement in Abuja.
Jimoh explained that NAFDAC office in Port Harcourt “after a successful raid of illegal sachet water producers in Okirika local government area of the state and the agency was alarmed at the unhygienic environment and had to shut down the six factories visited.
“What we saw in Okirika is horrible and despicable to say the least; most of the illegal producers, packaged their water directly from the bore hole without any filtration system and with very poor Hygienic Practice.
“The factories are located in dingy rooms while sachet waters were packed on bare floors, some were located very close to toilets, gutters and kitchens which is against the agency’s rules,” he said.
“Almost all the outfits are not registrable, they connect water directly from bore holes to water packaging machines.
“No micro filters, UV water sterilizers and treatment plants; the environment is very bad, the operators are not trained and the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) are not observed; everybody does what he likes,” the statement read in part.
The spokesperson said that two persons were arrested while others took to their heels on sighting the officials of NAFDAC.
He disclosed that five generator sets, two water packaging machines, two water treatment machines, films, two standing fans and loosed parts of water packaging machines were confiscated during the exercise.
Jimoh warned illegal sachet water producers to desist from producing unhygienic and unregistered packaged water that could endanger public health. (NAN)
MS/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Alleged Fraud: Mrs Buhari deny release of her ADC
By Ahmed Ubandoma
Fraud
Abuja, Sept. 27, 2018 (NAN) The Office of the wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, has denied speculations that her Aide De Camp (ADC), CSP Sani Baban-Inna, has been released by the Department of State Service (DSS).
Mr Suleiman Haruna, the Director of Information in the office of Mrs Buhari, said this in a statement via his social media handle on Thursday in Abuja.
“The officer (Baban-Inna) is being investigated on allegation of corrupt practices, which is a serious offence.
“As such, it is unlikely that the DSS will compromise and release him mid-way without completing the investigation,’’ the statement read.
Baban-Inna was detained by the DSS over allegations of collecting N2.5 billion on behalf of the First Lady without her consent.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Mrs Buhari had earlier refuted allegations suggesting that she used her ADC to collect funds from unsuspecting members of the Public.
“I wish to use this opportunity to inform the general public that I have never sent any of my staff to collect any favours on my behalf or on behalf of my children and will never do so,” she said.
“Baban-Inna has been my ADC since 2016 and has been associated with me ever since,” she said in a statement by her spokesman (Haruna).
She expressed surprise that the initial investigation showed Baba-Inna allegedly used her name for some suspicious activities.
She denied having any connection with his arrest and detention as the Nigeria Police, being the constituted authority, have the power to do so.
“It was the Nigeria Police Force, being his employer, that arrested him to investigate the allegations levelled against him because the case is within their jurisdiction,” she said.
Aisha advised alleged victims of the scam to recover their money and whatever he took from them from Baban-Inna.
Mrs Buhari therefore warned that she would not condone fraudulent behaviour by any of her staff.
She also called on individuals in authority to deal with erring aides involved with extortion by name-dropping.
She noted the Buhari administration was voted into office based on trust and confidence of the people to fight corruption, assuring that she will not betray that trust. (NAN)
AMU/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Candidate
By Isaac Aregbesola
New York, Sept. 27, 2018 (NAN) President Muhammadu Buhari has urged ECOWAS member states to harmonise for consensus candidates to secure more seats in the African Union and UN.

Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the end of ECOWAS Ministers meeting at the sideline of the 73rd UN General Assembly in New York.

Onyeama said that the meeting, at the instance of Buhari who is the current President of ECOWAS Commission, was to reposition ECOWAS towards presenting a common front both at the AU and UN.

He said that Buhari urged the ECOWAS ministers to come up with a formula whereby they can evaluate each candidate in good time from ECOWAS countries and settle on one.

“At the moment the President of the ECOWAS Commission felt that we have a situation now where there are a lot of positions in the international organisation.

“We have many candidates from ECOWAS. Of course, the risk in it is that you now compete against yourself and you could have a situation where you knock yourselves out.

“So, the president suggested that we meet at the ministerial level while we are here at UNGA to enable us come up with a formula whereby we can evaluate each candidature in good time,” he said.

The minister said that this would enable the whole of ECOWAS block to come around a candidate and push the candidate forward.

“That will give the best possible chance for that candidate to succeed in the election rather than having different countries putting up different candidates and countering each other and ECOWAS become a loser,” he said.

President of the Commission, Jean Claude Brou said the meeting was to help ECOWAS harmonise so that members do not begin to fight one another at continental and world level.

“This meeting was made at the request of ministerial committee that they have to really look at this as the minister of foreign affairs of Nigeria said.

“It is important that we harmonise so that we don’t begin to fight each other to give the best chance to ECOWAS countries as a group to put candidate in international position whether at the UN, AU or any other.

“So the meeting went very well. It will set good criteria so that we can have efficient process in harmonising our position.

“There are several position in non permanent members in the Security Council and there are also positions in the international community and the African Union.

“It is important; that we are able to work on the process and select a number of criteria that will be used to look at all the various candidates that we have in future is a main achievement of this meeting,” he said. (NAN)
IAA/IS
=======

2019: Katsina North senatorial zone youths pledge 1 million votes for Buhari

Support

By Auwalu Yusuf

Daura (Katsina State), Sept. 27 2018 (NAN) No fewer than 35,560 youths under the auspices of Buhari Campaign Organisation in the 12 local government areas in the Katsina North senatorial district converged on Daura to drum up support for the re-election bid of president Muhammadu Buhari.

The Zonal Chairman of the organisation, Malam Mohammed Mashi, who addressed the youth in Daura on the imperative of re-electing Buhari for second term, on Thursday, described the task as a clarion call to ensure that the president continued with the good work he had started.

Mashi said the last three years of  the administration of president Buhari were eventful and encouraging, especially considering the positive impact recorded on security, anti-corruption fight, rehabilitation of roads and railway infrastructure.

He said he was optimistic that the second term of Buhari would further salvage the nation from financial crimes and other crimes, stressing “we will massively vote for him in 2019 to enable him to continue with the good work he is doing”.

He said the Katsina north senatorial district being the zone where the president Buhari hailed from, would give the president  one million votes during the presidential election.

Alhaji Abdulfatah Daura, the Daura Local Government Chairman of the organisation, assured that Buhari would get hundreds of thousands of votes from his ancestral home, Daura, during the election.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Katsina north senatorial district comprises of Daura, Maiadua, Sandamu, Zango, Baure, Mashi, Mani and Dutsi local government areas.

Others are: Ingawa, Bindawa, Kankiya and Kusada. (NAN)

BKD/AMY

Edited by Abdullahi Yusuf