Blog

NAN-H-83
Budget
By Chukwuemeka Opara
Abakaliki, Nov. 30, 2016 (NAN) Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi has presented a budget estimate of N127 billion to the state’s House of Assembly for the 2017 fiscal year.

The bill, tagged “Budget of Inclusive Growth and Poverty Reduction in Economic Recession”, allocated N87,061 million for capital expenditure, representing 68.43 per cent
of the budget.

The budget also allocated N40.171 billion for recurrent expenditure, representing 31.57 per
cent of the total estimate.

The total estimate, which is the highest in the state’s history, is more than the 2016 estimate of N101.1 billion.

The economic sector got the largest chunk of the budget with N57,078 million, which the governor attributed to his resolve in tackling challenges in roads, water, electricity, agriculture, education, commerce and industrial sectors.

The social sector was allocated N14.039 million with the administration sector having allocation of N9.9 million.

The governor said that the government would borrow N40 billion to execute the budget
to accelerate rapid growth and development in the state.

“This would enable the state government to complete various projects, especially road construction, commercial agricultural ventures and other infrastructure.

“The officers responsible for our Internally Generated Revenue should re-double their efforts as we are seriously relying on the area to finance the budget,” he said.

He commended the House for speedily accenting to the bills sent by the executive arm of government, noting that it demonstrated commitment and collaboration in developing the state.

“I want to also congratulate you for the quality of renovation works being carried out at the assembly complex as you have keyed into our policy of giving the best in the service of the state.”

Mr Francis Nwifuru, the Speaker of the House, said the legislature was satisfied with fiscal prudence of the executive arm during the 2016 fiscal year.

“The executive arm has performed creditably in all sectors, considering the prevailing economic challenges in the country where most states are still finding it difficult to pay salaries.

“The House is at the fore-front of scrutinizing the expenditures of the executive arm and is ready to complete all constitutional duties, including oversight functions, public hearings, among other legislative duties,” he said.

He urged the governor to increase the level of funding to the House, noting that it would help in performing its functions for the people’s benefit.

Members took turns to comment on the bill and identified the various strides of the governor in the areas of infrastructure provision, agriculture, health, among other sectors.

The House later went into plenary, where the bill passed second reading. (NAN)
RCO/HA
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NAN-H-81
Ban
By Akeem Abas
Oyo (Oyo State), Nov. 30, 2016(NAN) Most Rev. Peter Akinola, the Chancellor of Ajayi Crowther University(ACU), Oyo, has called on the Federal Government to enforce a strict ban on importation of goods that could be produced in the country.

Akinola made the call on Wednesday in Oyo at the 8^th convocation ceremony of the university in Oyo.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that 319 students were awarded first degrees, with 16 graduating in first class category, 66 in second class upper division, 125 in second class lower division and 111 in third class.

Akinola said that goods like rice, canned food, fruits, vegetable oil, wine, champagne, liquor and furniture could be produced locally.

“Our inability to develop and sustain local industries and our penchant for foreign goods and services and even for food have caused foreign reserves to dwindle.

“We import with reckless abandon; we also shamelessly import polished white rice to the neglect of our far more nutritious Abakaliki, Bida and Ofada brown rice.

“Our import bill has continued to rise much higher than export receipts.

“ Our currency has no advantageous platform  from which it can compete favourably with international currencies,” he said.

Akinola said it was disheartening that one American dollar now exchanges for over N400.

He also said that government borrowing at this time was not the right path to recovery from recession, saying it was more likely to mortgage the country’s future.

“ We have to wake up from our slumber and work hard productively with our hands and live on what we produce or manufacture in our land.

“It’s not impossible. It was done before. We can do it again. Given the right political environment, Nigeria can be great again.

“Both the government and the governed need to realise that it is time we all change our lifestyle of flamboyance to reflect the reality of economic recession.

“We cannot be in recession and still be living as if there was known,’’ he said.

Akinola congratulated the graduands, urging the returning students to be godly and pious in all their dealings with students, faculty management and staff of the university.

In his address, the Pro-Chancellor of the university, Chief Wole Olanipekun(SAN), urged the graduands not to forget that their character was a currency as important and expensive as the substance of their knowledge.

He said that the country today needed good and well-intentioned citizens to turn things around.

“We all complain that Nigeria is bad while most of us make little or no positive efforts at changing societal ills.

“I enjoin you all to be worthy ambassadors of this university and to make conscious and deliberate efforts at ensuring the improvement of Nigeria.

“Through your actions and deeds, many converts would be made that will join the vanguard at repositioning, restructuring, re-engineering and re-situating our dearly beloved country,” he said.

Also speaking, the key speaker at the occasion and oil magnate, Mrs Folorunsho Alakija, urged the graduads to emulate the good virtues of late Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther.

Alakija in her speech entitled, ” Go The Extra Mile,’’ said Crowther’s hallmarks were motivation, passion, diligence, godliness, integrity and pioneering spirit.

She urged them to believe in themselves, eschew negative mindset and be ready to take risks, saying such traits were to be possessed to “ go the extra mile.’’

NAN reports that Alakija, a former head of state, retired Gen. Yakubu Gowon, professor emeritus Oladipo Akinkungbe, business guru, Oba Otudeko, and retired Justice Timothy Oyeyipo bagged honourary doctorate degrees.

Responding on behalf of recipients, Gowon commended the institution for considering them worthy of honour.

He said it was a call to duty, adding that the awardees would not relent in contributing more to the institution, the nation and humanity.

Also speaking, Mololuwa Jonah, the overall best student in her speech, expressed gratitude to the management of the institution as well as the academic and non-academic staff for reshaping their lives.

Jonah pledged that they would continue to be good ambassadors of the institution while ensuring that the knowledge acquired was put into good use for the benefit of humanity and the nation.(NAN)
TAA/OJO
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(Edited by Mufutau Ojo)

NAN-S-20

Judo

Abuja, Nov. 29, 2016 (NAN) Mohammed Yakubu, a judo gold medalist at the 2016 National Youth Games (NYG), on Wednesday expressed his desire win maiden edition of the Japan Ambassadors Judo Cup Championship.

Yakubu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that he had prepared very well to win the cup.

“With my experience in the NYG and from what I have learned from my coach, I know I will excel.

“My strength is from God and I know He will crown my efforts by making me to win the cup,’’ he said.

Yukubu, who is fighting in the 46kg category said that it was his hope to represent Nigeria some day in the Olympics.

NAN reports that Yukubu, who is represents the Almajiri Judo Club won three straight fights at the championship.

The championship featured participants drawn from 18 states and four clubs.

NAN also reports that the championship featured judokas drawn from the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy and the Para-military organs.

NAN reports that the Japan Ambassador Judo Cup Championship which opened on Monday would end on Thursday.(NAN)

DE/EEE

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Edited by Ese E. Ekama

NAN-HE-23

Facilities

By Monday Ajogun

Benin, Nov. 30, 2016 (NAN) Dr. Maikanti Baru, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has urged the  Oba of Benin, Oba  Ewuare II, to assist in the  protection of  the corporation’s facilities from vandals.

Baru said this in Benin on Wednesday  when he paid homage  to the monarch.

He said NNCP had two major companies in Benin, the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) and Integrated Data Service (IDSL).

Baru said the  support was needed to end  pipeline vandalism, adding that NNPC was using a  huge  sum of money to repair the  pipelines destroyed.

The NNPC chief executive also appealed to Oba Ewuare II to help educate the people of oil and gas producing communities  to create enabling environment that woild,  in the short term,  provide economic benefits to the people.

He assured the Oba  that NNPC would continue to  provide  scholarships to the youth in the  host communities, especially those studying related courses and the orphans.

Oba Ewuare urged Baru and the  NNPC to do more in the provision of contracts and employments to the people in the host communities.

The monarch  further appealed to  the NNPC to do more in providing sufficient food for the people. (NAN)

AJOM/OSA/IA

Edited by Shittu Obassa/Idris Abdulrahman

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NAN-H-79
Contract
By Mohammed Nur
Kano, Nov. 30, 2016 (NAN)‎ The Kano State Government has signed contracts valued at 1.8 billion Dollars with China Railway Construction Group C18 for the construction of light rail line in the state.‎

‎Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje signed the contract in a brief ceremony on Wednesday in Kano.

Ganduje said the first phase of the construction was billed to take two years, while the second phase of the four-line rail was expected to take another two years.‎

He added that the project would‎ improve the transport system within the state, as well as drive economic activities in the state.

The governor explained that “the project is part of grand design to upgrade Kano to the status of a truly great city, as it will significantly ease movement of goods and services.

“Upon completion, the light rail is expected to cover Janguza-Bata, Jogana-Bata, Dawanau-Bata and Kwanar Dawaki-Bata routes in Kano city.”

He added that a  Chinese Bank would provide 85 per cent of the total sum, while the Kano State Government would pay the remaining 15 per cent.

He said that the first phase of the project from Dawanau to Bata would cost 555 million Dollars.

The Chairman of the company, Mr Ben Shinxo, assured the state government of the company’s readiness to complete the projects in two years as this would benefit the public.‎ (NAN)
MNT/HA
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Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

‎

NAN-H-77

Absence

By Edith Nwapi

Abuja, Nov. 30, 2016 (NAN) The Trial within trial in the police pension fund case was stalled in a High Court in Maitama, Abuja on Wednesday due to the absence of the fourth defendant Mrs Veronica Onyegbula.

The judge, Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf, had on Nov. 29 adjourned the case to Nov. 30 after hearing submissions from the counsel in the matter of the veracity of the fourth defendant statements to EFCC.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Onyegbula was arraigned alongside six other persons.

Onyegbula and other defendants in the suit, Esar Dangabar, Atiku Kigo, Ahmed Wada, Sani Zira, Uzoma Attang and Christian Madubuke, are standing trial over complicity in the alleged N24billion police pension fund fraud.

At the last sitting, the fourth prosecution witness, Mustapha Gadanya, in his testimony, told the court that he reviewed the cheques that were drawn by the fourth defendant.

“Onyegbula was invited to the EFCC to volunteer statements on Feb. 13, 15, 16 and 17; March 22 and 26; May 2 and Oct. 22, 2012.

“I took her statement in the EFCC interrogation room.After the statements, a search warrant was executed in a Sun City home in Abuja.

“We recovered various documents, among which was document on Ulovi International Resources Ltd account with Eco bank”, he said.

The witness also told the court that another search was executed in the same house subsequently.

“We recovered several other documents including an agreement signed with Revita Core, a GTB deposit slip and some documents of Lloyd International Bank”, Gadanya said.

Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), then sought to tender the documents, but counsel to the defendant, Mr Ernest Ikeji objected.

Ikeji said that his client did not make those statements voluntarily, citing sections 29 (2) (b) of the Evidence Act 2011.

“EFCC refused to release her on bail saying that her bosses have been released and if she refuses to make statements she will remain there.”

He urged the court to conduct trial within trial to obtain the truth of the document.

Jacobs then told the court that he would be calling four witnesses to testify in the trial within trial.

All the counsel in the matter did not object to the application for adjournment by counsel to Onyegbula.

Baba-Yusuf, thereafter, adjourned hearing in the trial within trial until Jan. 20, 2017. (NAN)
NEO/HAS/IEA
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Edited By Hajia Sani/Idahosa Asowata

Non passage of competition bill impeding economic growth -Coalition

NAN-HE-21

Businesses

By Kingsley Okoye

Abuja, Nov.30,2016(NAN) An economic expert, Mr Leonard Ugbajah, has said that the non passage of the Competition Bill  is a contributory factor to  the  non emergence of new businesses  in the country.

Ugbajah, the Technical Adviser to the Private Sector Coalition on the enactment of Competition Bill, said this at a News Agency of Nigerian (NAN) Forum in Abuja on Wednesday.

Competition law is a legal framework to promote or maintain market competition by regulating anti-competitive conduct by companies.

It is otherwise known as anti-trust law and anti-monopoly law in other jurisdictions.

The major aim of competition law is to ensure a deep supply market for consumer goods and services.

Ugbajah said that the absence of a competition law in the country was preventing willing investors to invest in different sectors of the economy.

This, he said, was also resulting in the limited nature of job opportunities in the country, adding that the absence of the law had deterred many job creators from developing businesses.

“It means new businesses cannot grow in that sector; if new businesses don’t grow people will not be employed.“

He said that the absence of competition in some sectors of the economy had also resulted to a situation where Nigerians paid more for the prices of goods and services.

Ugbaja said that the enactment of the law would help to stop price fixing and reduce the exploitative  activities of cabals in some strategic  sectors of the economy.

He also said that the  non passing of the bill would make it impossible to  sanction business people involved in price fixing.

According to him, the coalition has made some creative inputs  in the proposed Bill.

This, he said, was to ensure that the interest of all stakeholders were considered.

“One of the critical inputs in that Bill we have looked at is the provision in the bill that talks about the power of the President to regulate prices.

“ We have looked at it the way it is proposed; it is contradicting.

“We are proposing that and have consulted widely and  everybody has agreed that that provision is not necessary because some of the things that provision of the Bill wants to achieve has been taken care of in some other aspects.

“Another important area where we spent a great deal of time considering is the relationship between  the newly-proposed commission that will emanate from the law and  the existing sector regulations.

“These are regulators that have regulatory power over one sector and the other and there are also competition issues and consumer protection issues and concerns in those sectors.

“So how do we ensure that by coming into force of this new law, we  don’t  have  multiple  layers of regulation that would work against the interest of doing business with ease.“

He said that the coalition had also recommended mechanism for resolving  conflict, to eliminate areas of conflict among the regulators.

According to him, the Bill which is receiving a priority attention  in the  National Assembly, would soon be presented  for public hearing.

He said that the coalition was determined to ensure that the Bill was passed before the end of first quarter of 2017, noting that Nigeria was ripe for consumer protection law.(NAN)

KC/CIA/IA

Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

NAN-H-75

Employment

By Carol Utulu

Asaba, Nov. 30, 2016 (NAN) The Delta Government has disowned over 700 academic and non-academic staff of some tertiary institutions whose names were  not in the State’s payroll over ‘illegal’ employment.

The state’s Commissioner for Higher Education, Mr Jude Sinebe, announced this at a news conference in Asaba on Wednesday.

The commissioner said there was no provision for such employment before the staff were engaged.

“In tertiary institutions, we don’t just employ workers for the sake of employment. We only employ when there is a need for such workers.

“This issue can be likened to a case of illegal employment and I can tell you that it is not only in the Delta Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku; we have similar cases at the State Colleges of Education in Agbor and Warri.

“The affected staff were employed out of the institutions’ statutory provisions. The system that we operate does not recognize them as our staff, as such we cannot pay them”, Sinebe said.

The commissioner further explained that many of the schools went out of their way to employ the affected staff without recourse to approval from the state government.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that many of those employed between 2013 and 2015, were lecturers, technicians, information officers, clerical officers and messengers. (NAN)
CVU/DO/IEA

Edited by David Onilede/Idahosa Asowata

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NAN-S-19

Wrestling

By Dorcas Jonah

Abuja, Nov. 30, 2016 (NAN) The Acting Director of Sports in Imo, Austin Atasir says plans have been concluded to organise wresting competitions in all the local government areas of the state to resuscitate the sport.

Atasir told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Wednesday that over the years, wrestling had been dwindling in the state.

He said that the competition would help to identify young talented wrestlers in the state.

Atasir, who is in Abuja for a two weeks wrestling coaching clinic said that the competition would also help him to impact what he had learnt on the young athletes.

“I will not look at my position as the acting director during the competition, rather I will be involved as a coach that I have been for many years,’’ he said.

He called on the private sector to invest in the sport, adding that government’s funding alone was not enough.

“Gov. Rochas Okorocha is a sport loving governor, but he alone cannot fund sports.

“I am calling on all Imo indigenes to come on board and sponsor the sports to bring glory to the state and the nation at large.’’ (NAN)

DE/EEE

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Edited by Ese E. Ekama

NAN-HE-5
Claims

By Tukur Muntari
Kano, Nov 30, 2016 (NAN) The Nigeria Deposit insurance Corporation (NDIC) has called on depositors who lost their money in any closed banks to file their  claims through the appointed 10 agent banks nationwide.

The Managing Director of the Corporation, Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim, made the call on Wednesday in Kano at NDIC’s Special Day at the ongoing 37th Kano International Trade Fair.

According to him, the appointed agent banks include First Bank of Nigeria Plc, United Bank of Africa, Zenith Bank and Wema Bank.

Others are Heritage Bank, Union Bank, Fidelity Bank, Skye Bank, Unity Bank and Diamond Bank.

Ibrahim said in addition, depositors could also file such claims in any of its Zonal offices located across the country for the payment of such claims.

He said the corporation had also extended deposit insurance coverage to the subscribers of non-interest banking institutions under the Shari’ah compliant banking services to the maximum limit of N500, 000 per depositor.

In addition, Ibrahim said the corporation had developed framework on Pass-Through Deposit Insurance Scheme (PTDIS) to protect subscribers of Mobile Money Operators (MMOs) with a maximum insured limit of N500,000 per subscriber of the banking product.

He, however, noted that the activities of illegal funds managers popularly known as ‘wonder banks’ had continued to thrive in recent times.

“I wish to once again sound a note of caution to discerning members of the public to beware and avoid any contact with these fraudsters.

“This is because many unsuspecting public are still falling victims of to the mouth-watering offers of hot returns,” he said.

Ibrahim advised membesr of the public to patronise only insured banking institutions that display the NDIC stickers: “Insured by NDIC” in their banking halls or entrances.

He said NDIC had established a toll free telephone line: 080063424357  with 24-hour help desk which depositors and other stakeholders could make inquiries.

“They can also lay their complaints on any sharp practices perpetrated by banks and seek redress,” he added. (NAN)
MTM/AOM/IA
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(Edited by Abdullahi Mohammed/Idris Abdulrahman)