Blog

Resignation

By Olayinka Owolewa
Ilorin, Sept. 24, 2018 (NAN) Tunde Sanni, Coach of Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) FC of Ilorin has resigned, the Coordinator of the team, Idris Musa, said on Monday.

Musa told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin that Sanni had turned in his resignation letter later after a meeting with the team’s Director of Football, Alloy Chukwuemeka.

After the meeting, Chukwuemeka and Sanni refused to comment on the matter.

The club’s U-15 coach, Taofeeq Babatunde, has been drafted to assist the Assistant Coach, Suleiman Quadri, pending when a substantive manager will be appointed.

His resignation may be due to recent results, which are not in favour of the Saraki Boys.

The team lost to Kebbi United 3-2 on penalties after 1-1 draw during regulation time in the round of 64 encounter of the Aiteo Cup in Minna.

The Saraki Boys also lost 3-0 to Mighty Jets of Jos and drew 0-0 with the Jos-based side in the return leg on Wednesday in Ilorin at Bet9ja Nigeria National League’s (NNL), Match Day 10 encounter.

NAN reports that Sanni, who was appointed in January, was unveiled to newsmen in March before the commencement of the 2017/2018 NNL season. (NAN)
OOH/JI/PDE
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(Editing by Joseph Idika/Peter Ejiofor)

Nutrition
Abakaliki, Sept. 24, 2018 (NAN) The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)-Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) on Monday trained 25 farmers in Ebonyi on importance of adequate nutrition in households.

Mr Sunday Ituma, the IFAD-VCDP State Programme Coordinator (SPC), at the training said that the programme realised the importance of adequate nutrition to the health and productivity of farmers.

“IFAD-VCDP realizes the gap in mainstreaming nutrition in its programme implementation and that is why its national office organised this training.

“The training is for selected participants in five benefiting local government areas of the state as it is one of the interventions advocated during the last midterm review of the programme.

“The trainees are expected to propagate this message at the grassroots to ensure that nutritional gaps are adequately filled in their respective areas,” he said.

The programme coordinator urged the participants to take the training seriously to acquire requisite knowledge.

“I never knew before now that obesity is a form of malnutrition as most people believe that being overweight is as a result of feeding,” he said.

Mrs Fransisca Anya, the Rural Institutional Gender Youth Mainstreaming Officer (RIGYMO) of IFAD-VCDP in Ebonyi, said that the trainees were expected to train 30 farmers in each of the five benefiting local government areas of the state.

Anya listed the benefitting LGAs as Afikpo South, Ikwo, Izzi, Ishielu and Ohaozara.

“The local government areas should ensure that the trainees are capable of executing the task so that at the end of next IFAD-VCDP mission assessment, we will be rated high in the nutrition aspect.

“The importance of adequate nutrition in households cannot be over-emphasised because farmers who feed adequately are healthy and ensure high production of crops and other agricultural products,” Anya said.

The lead Consultant at the training, Mrs Nkiruka Nnaemego, offered tutorials on the need for household to ensure that varieties of nutrients are contained in the food they consume.

Nnaemego said that tutorials were also offered on the need for farmers to engage in healthy living, family planning and antenatal opportunities, especially by pregnant women and ascertain their Human Immune Virus (HIV) status. (NAN)
RCO/OFN/MNA
Edited by Felix Nwadioha/Maureen Atuonwu

Collaboration

By Olawunmi Ashafa
Lagos, Sept. 24, 2018 (NAN) Heritage Bank Plc, on Monday said there was the need for sustained collaboration between banks and financial technology companies (fintechs).

The bank said in Lagos that it would support the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) drive for financial inclusion and promote economic growth.

Its Managing Director, Mr Ifie Sekibo, said that over the years, the bank had developed solutions to promote financial inclusion.

Sekibo said the bank had taken some steps in boosting the CBN’s initiative of reducing the numbers of unbanked Nigerians in the country.

He added that Heritage Bank had been offering financial services to the nooks and crannies of Nigeria, thereby providing access to the under-served markets.

“We all agree that our target is to achieve acceleration of financial inclusion. Those who are financially excluded are majorly technologically excluded.

“That means that we cannot push financial inclusion if we do not also push technology inclusion,” Sekibo said in a statement.

We believe that by partnering fintechs, the financial services industry will push for inclusion and improve the economy.

“That is because the financially excluded persons, actually constitute a gap in the financial system and there is no way we can create a perfect economy except we bring all these people on board.

“Another issue is that the older generation are averse to technology because they have not been exposed to it and the fear of fraud,” he said. (NAN)
AWA/PDE
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(Editing by Peter Ejiofor)

Defamation: Court adjourns Dokpesi’s N5bn suit against Lai Mohammed, AGF until Oct. 23

Defamation

By Alexandra Oladipo

Abuja, Sept.24,2018 (NAN) FCT High Court, Apo, on Monday adjourned until Oct.23, the alleged N5billion defamation suit, instituted by Chief Raymond Dokpesi against the Minister of Information and Culture and Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

Dokpesi, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and chairman emeritus of DAAR Communications Plc, filed the suit on April 30, seeking N5 billion damages from the defendants for alleged defamation.

He alleged that Information Minister, Lai Mohammed and the Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami (SAN), defamed his character by the inclusion of his name on the treasury looters’ list.

The plaintiff had told the court that the Information Minister had on March 30, during a press conference, portrayed him as “a corrupt and crooked person, a dishonest man and a thief.”

Dokpesi through his counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), told the court that the minister’s action negatively affected his reputation and that his image had been seriously injured.

The plaintiff said he had suffered considerable distress, odium, obloquy, ridicule in political analysis in the media.

Dokpesi besides the N5 billion damages,  is also asking the court to order the defendants to publish a full retraction of the said publication.

He further asked the court to order the defendants to tender an unreserved apology to him in all the major electronic and print media outlets in the country.

He further urged the court to grant a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their servants, agents, partners, representatives, from further writing, publishing defamatory words about the plaintiff.

At the resumed hearing on Monday, the plaintiff’s counsel, Ennaemeka Adasu, holding brief for Ozekhome, informed the court that the matter was slated for hearing and all the five plaintiff’s witnesses were in court.

He, however, told the court that the defendants’ counsel only this morning in court, served the plaintiff with a notice of preliminary objection on the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit.

Adasu , who argued that the service on his client in court this morning was done in bad faith and in the circumstance, requested for an adjournment to enable him respond to the objection.

Justice  Adegboyega Adeniyi, upheld the plaintiff counsel’s submission and adjourned  the case until Oct. 23 for hearing of the preliminary objection.(NAN)

ATO/KOO/OU

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Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa/Obike Ukoh

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38, 336 court cases filed in Kaduna State in 2018 – CJ

Court
By Aisha Gambo
Kaduna, Sept. 24, 2018 (NAN) The Acting Chief Judge of Kaduna State, Justice Muhammadu-Lawal Bello on Monday said a total of 38,336 cases were filed in all courts of the state in the 2017/2018 legal year.

Bello, who made the disclosure at a ceremony to mark the commencement of the new legal year in Kaduna, however said that 60% of the cases had been disposed of.

According to him, 3,254 out of the 9,679 of the cases before the High Court were treated, while 1,730 cases out of 3,300 before the magistrate courts were disposed of.

He explained that the Sharia Court of Appeal had concluded 2,890 cases out of 3,421 before it.

” There were a total number of 14, 432 cases before the various Sharia courts and 10, 548 cases were disposed of”, the chief judge said.

Bello stated that the Customary Court of Appeal also disposed 4, 832 cases out of 7,515 cases, while 4,832 cases out of 7,515 were disposed of by various customary courts in the state.

The acting CJ, noted that the 2018/2019 legal year was unique due to the fact that the ceremony was not held for a decade, and urged courts to work harder to ensure speedy dispensation of justice.

” I urge the various courts to work harder in the new legal year we are just commencing, so that the overall number of cases disposed of in all courts will be greatly improved”, he added.

Bello expressed his desire to revive the Bar/Bench Forum with a view to identify and harmonize their positions for the development of the judiciary.

He called on all branches of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in the state to continue working hard towards maintaining a leading role in the affairs of the NBA in the country.

Earlier, the NBA Chairman, Kaduna branch, Sule Shuaibu thanked the acting CJ for reviving the tradition of celebrating the new legal year which lawyers always look forward to in each jurisdiction.

He urged the acting CJ to look into matters of lackluster attitude of some judges as regards sitting time, and inauguration of the already established administration of criminal monitoring committee of the state.

He also stated the need to improve on the welfare packages of magistrates and for the establishment of e-library equipped with reports and law books. (NAN)
AMG/MZA

Stealing
By Dorcas Elusogbon
Ile-Ife (Osun), Sept. 24, 2018 (NAN) An Osun Magistrates’ Court in Ile-Ife, on Monday, remanded a 23-year-old man, Wasiu Abolade in prison custody for allegedly stealing one “Infinix Note 2” phone, valued N33,000.

The prosecutor, Insp Sunday Osanyintuyi, who told the court that the phone belonged to one Gbenga Oladunjoye, said the accused also entered one Onigbinde Tunji’s house and stole 23,000 cash.

According to Osanyintuyi, both victims live at Isale-Agbara Street, Ile-Ife in Osun.

The prosecutor told the court that the accused committed the offence on Aug. 7 about 8 a.m.

According to him, Abolade is being tried for stealing.

He said that the offence contravened Sections 383 and 390 (9) of the Criminal Code, Laws of Osun, 2002.

The accused, who was not legally represented, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge of stealing.

The magistrate, Ishola Omisade, adjourned the case until Oct. 2 for hearing. (NAN)
EDA/JI/YEMI
Editing by Joseph Idika/Yemi Idris-Aduloju

IBEDC drags UCH to NERC over N217m debt
Debt
By Yunus Yusuf
Ibadan, Sept. 24, 2018 (NAN) The management of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) on Monday dragged the University College Hospital Ibadan (UCH) to the arbitration panel of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) over a N217 million debt.
Mr Bamidele Falade, Manager, Business Hub Commercial of IBEDC, told the NERC panel sitting in Ibadan that the management decided to involve third party intervention because of the huge debts owed the Disco.
Falade said the company had appealed to the management of UCH on why it should pay the outstanding debt of N217 million but to no avail.
According to him, IBEDC is constrained to disconnect electricity supply to UCH due to the services it renders but it has ignored paying bills despite several appeals.
“The huge outstanding debt is affecting our operations. UCH is the only hospital that has refused to pay the electricity debt owed among the hospitals within our franchise areas.
“We urge NERC as an independent arbiter to implore the UCH management to pay,” he said.
Falade said the hospital with a monthly bill of between N20 million and N24 million was enjoying 22 hours uninterrupted power supply daily.
“If we have the money they owe us, we will be comfortable. It will strengthen our operations.
“We appeal to the commission to instruct the UCH management to give definite timeline for the payment of the debt,” he said.
He said the long-standing debts were the biggest worry of the Disco, and that the UCH debt burden was too big for it to bear.
Mr Yemi Shiyanbola, the Director of Administration, UCH, admitted owing the debt but appealed to the Disco to give the hospital authority ample time to settle the bills.
Shiyanbola said the management was constrained due to the low subvention received from the Federal Government.
He added that the government had promised to take over payment of electricity bills of all federal hospitals but the promise was yet to be fulfilled.
He lauded the management of IBEDC for the effective service and expressed appreciation for its patience toward the huge debt.
Shiyanbola said the management had paid N143 million from Jan. to Sept.
“We are not disputing the debt because it is accurate, but we are appealing to IBEDC for easy mode of billing.
“We are struggling to pay the little we could from our internally generate revenue because the subvention given to us by government is very low.
“Henceforth, we promise and agree that we will ensure 100 per cent payment of our monthly bills while we spread the outstanding debt for easy payment,” he said.
Shiyanbola told the panel that the management of UCH would have a meeting and revert to NERC on the modality of payment.
Mr Yinka Oseni, the Chairman of the NERC arbitration panel, told both parties to see NERC as an objective arbitrator.
He said the essence of the arbitration panel was to hear both parties and advise accordingly, while urging the parties to see themselves as partners in progress.
He said: “I am happy that you admitted owing the debt, this shows that there is no dispute. It is really a huge debt which will definitely affect the IBEDC operations.
“We decided to invite both parties to the panel to give them fair hearing.
“The management of UCH should try and comply with the agreement reached on payment mode to avoid confrontation.”
He urged the UCH management to report back to the panel within a month on its debt payment schedule. (NAN)
YO/FF/SA
Edited by Fela Fashoro/Salif Atojoko
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I will support any aspirant that wins PDP presidential ticket — Sen. Mark

Support

Abdullahi Shugaba

Dutse, Sept. 24, 2018 (NAN) A PDP presidential aspirant and former Senate President, David Mark, says he will support any aspirant that wins the party’s presidential primaries scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt, Rivers.

Mark stated this on Monday in Dutse, Jigawa capital, when he addressed party supporters.

He solicited the support of the party members and urged them to give him their mandate during the primaries to enable him to fly the party’s flag in the 2019 general election.

“I am an aspirant seeking for your support but if I do not get it I am still ready to support anybody that emerges as candidate.

We will struggle and get back power from the All Progressives People Congress (APC).

“Power comes from God; I have never left PDP. I will continue to be in PDP because it is the only party that can bring development in Nigeria,” he said.

Earlier in a speech, the PDP Chairman in Jigawa, Alhaji Salisu Kuit, said that the party supporters in the state were behind Mark’s aspiration.

“This is because you are a fine politician, a gentleman and a detribalised person who performed excellently during your tenure as Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

“We would have given you our automatic ticket but Lamido is also contesting; however we are all one family and we will continue to be one family one,” he said. (NAN)

AIS/PD/EMO
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Edited by Philip Dzeremo/Ejike Obeta

A flooded farms
Boats
By Nabilu Balarabe
Guri(Jigawa), Sept. 24, 2018 (NAN) Guri Local Government Area of Jigawa on Monday distributed 10 boats to seven communities ravaged by recent floods in the area to ease transportation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the communities are Zugobia, Alanjo, Zuba, Giryo, Furgi, Galdimari and Una.

Presenting the boats to the communities in Guri, the council’s secretary, Alhaji Muhammadu Hasssan, expressed optimism that the boats would ease the movement of people and goods.

Hassan said no fewer than 5,000 sacks had also been distributed to the communities for erecting sandbags embankment in the areas.

The scribe urged Community Based Organizations (CBOs) in the area to take active part in the project aimed at controlling flood disaster.

Receiving the items on behalf of the Una community, Alhaji Tsalha Idi, commended the council for its effort aimed at saving the lives and property of the people. (NAN)
NB/IS
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