Blog

NAN-H-28
Election
Akure, Nov.17, 2016 (NAN) The Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement (YIAGA) said on Thursday that 363 well-trained, non-partisan observers would be deployed across Ondo State for the Nov. 26 Governorship election.

A Consultant for YIAGA, Mr Paul James, disclosed this during a “Watch the Vote (WTV)’’ media training organised by YIAGA in Akure.

He said that the observers would include 340 stationary and 23 roaming observers deployed to 300 polling units to collate data for the Parallel Votes Tabulation (PVT) methodology.

James said that the PVT method deployed for the election would be evidence- based to verify election processes and its outcome, adding that this would only be shared publicly after original results for INEC had been released.

“The PVT is driven by data, non-partisan and has no affiliation to any political party and has also performed in Ghana, Malawi, Madagascar and Zambia, ‘’ he said.

The WTV Project Manager for YIAGA, Miss Cynthia Mbamalu, stressed the importance of media to keep the government on its toes.

She said the media needed to be carried along with such programmes in a bid to ensure that the electoral process was free and fair.

“The media remains a critical factor in achieving a peaceful, credible, free and fair election on Nov.26.

“Random sampling of polling units will be employed with observers assigned to each and sending coded messages to the data centres.

“PVT builds voters’ confidence and helps them builds trust in the system because the major challenge is not having confidence in the system, ‘’ Mbamalu said. (NAN)
AYO/AJA
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(Edited by Adeleye Ajayi)

NAN-S-4
Building
Adedeji Egbebi
Ado-Ekiti, Nov. 17, 2016 (NAN) The Chairman of Ekiti Football Association (FA), Mr Ayodeji Alabi, on Thursday said its new secretariat would be inaugurated in the first week‎ of January 2017.

Alabi made the disclosure in Ado-Ekiti while inaugurating three statutory committees that would pilot the affairs of grassroots football development in the state in 2017.

He said the association’s new building would be enable members have well-organised offices to discharge their duties effectively.

“For over five years, the FA did not have its own office and this is the reason why I feel our tenure should change that history by making sure that a standard building is built.

“The office of the FA will be inaugurated in January 2017 by the grace of God,’’ he said.

‎Alabi said the building comprised the office of the chairman, vice-chairman, board room, media centre and library among others.

He explained that the three statutory committees which would be effective from January included the Organising, Welfare and Protocol; Technical, School Sports, Competitions, Finance and Marketing and Media.

Alabi said that‎ the committees were inaugurated to ensure strict discipline, promotion and development of grassroots sports in 2017.

He appealed to all the members of the committees to work hard in their various positions to achieve the desired objectives in developing football. (NAN)
DJ/PDE
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(Edited by Peter Ejiofor)

NAN-H-25
Television
By Boboye Moronke Tinuola
Lagos, Nov. 17, 2016 (NAN) A 28-year-old man, Emmanuel Okoli, was on Thursday arraigned over alleged N10 million fraud.
He appeared before an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos.
The accused, a business man who resides at Igando, a suburb of Lagos, is being tried for conspiracy, stealing and obtaining by false pretext.

The Prosecutor, Sgt. Donjor Perezi, told the court that the offences were committed on May 29 in Egbeda, Lagos.
Perezi said that the accused and others now at large obtained N10 million from one Mr Eze Shedrack under false pretext of supplying a plasma TV for the company.
“The complainant gave a N15 million contract to the accused and others at large, but gave them N10 million and promise to pay the balance as soon as they delivered.
“Since then, the accused and his accomplices disappeared and all efforts to see them failed until someone gave the police useful information about the where about of the accused,’’ he said.
The offences contravene Sections 285, 312 and 409 of Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Chief Magistrate, Mrs O. A Layinka, granted the accused N5 million bail with two sureties in like sum.
Layinka adjourned the case to Dec. 8 for mention. (NAN)
MTO/LAB/TA
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Edited by Lydia Beshel/Tajudeen Atitebi

NAN-DS-7
Engineers
By Angela Atabo
Abuja Nov.17,2016(NAN) Dr Orji Uzor Kalu,former Governor of Abia, on Thursday urged the Federal Government to patronise local engineers to curb capital flight.

Kalu made the call at the inauguration of the 7th Chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Civil Engineers in Abuja.

According to him,there is an urgent need for the government to partner with the local engineers to salvage the economy from recession .

“I condemn in totality a situation where government takes loan from foreign countries like China without partnering with engineers;it is an abomination .

” No country that wants to succeed and grow will go that way,both this administration  and the past ones have been making that mistake.

“Tax payers money should not be used to encourage capital flight by importing  a lot of foreign engineers out of China,Philippines etc, because it is making our capital flight to be on the rise.

“Nigerian engineers will not be looking for dollars to take to their countries since they are here, so, there is need for the government to partner with them.”

Kalu also urged the government to involve the youths in the affairs of the nation, adding that any nation that doubted the ability of its youths, had doubted its future, since they owe the key to  development.

He said that the impact of youths, especially engineers, in national development, would liberate the society from lack and called for a partnership between the government and the youths to move the nation forward.

“The engineers must be brought into governance to man engineering works,design work,housing ,roads etc, for progress.

” If you go to some of these airports  and ask who designed the jobs you might not even know who the designers are because they are Chinese, so, if it gets bad we must wait for them to come back and repairs them,” the former governor said.

He urged the government to have a change of heart toward Nigerian engineers because they held the key to national development.

He also advised the engineers to concentrate on innovations and inventions that would lead to manufacturing products that would take the country away from depending on importation to exportation.

Kalu added that most of the equipment manufactured in China and the other countries could be done in Nigeria if our engineers were given the full support.

He urged the government to build an institution that would enable it to partner with local engineers to boost manufacturing industries to industrialise the nation.

Also speaking , Mr Ben-Osy Okor, the newly-inaugurated Chairman of the institute, appealed to the government to create an enabling environment for local engineers to thrive .

Okor said no nation could develop without the input of engineers, adding that there was need to allow engineers to man ministries such as housing,works,power so as to enhance productivity.

“It is necessary for the government to put the right peg in the right hole to get value for projects.

He urged engineers to always improve on their skills so as to keep abreast with global best practices.

He added that henceforth,quackery would no longer be condoned in the profession as the institute was partnering with security agents to apprehend quack engineers and prosecute them .(NAN).
ATAB/AMY/AMY

Nasarawa State Govt. spends N850m on water supply

NAN-H-62

Water

Nassarawa Eggon (Nasarawa State) Nov. 17, 2016 (NAN) Nasarawa State Government said on Thursday that it had spent N850 million for the construction and provision of water supply to three local government areas of the state to reduce water shortage in the areas.

Dr. Salisu Rajj, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Gov.Almakura on Planning and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) said this known when the state House of Assembly Committee on Planning and SDGs inspected Nassarawa Eggon and Daddere water works.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that areas that benefited from the schemes are Nassarawa Eggon, Toto and Daddere development area.

He said that the project was geared towards reducing water problems in the state and improving on the living standard of the people.

The water work, with different water fetching points, has been completed  and ready for public use.

“Nassarawa Eggon water scheme cost about N300m; Daddere scheme  N300m and the rehabilitation of Lille projects in Toto Local Government cost N250m.

Nassarawa Eggon and Daddere schemes have 300,000 litres capacity.

Earlier, Alhaji Ibrahim Muluku, Chairman, House Committee on Planning and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), said the visit was to assess the 2016 budget performance of the institution.

He assured the people of the state of the assembly’s readiness to collaborate with the executive arm and other stakeholders to address.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some members of the  communities, who spoke during the visit, appealed to the state government to reticulate the water to town for use.(NAN)

BAB/IA

Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

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NAN-AE-3
Law
Dutse, Nov. 17, 2016 (NAN) The Federal Government has been advised to submit the 2014 European Union (EU’s) sponsored drafted National Fisheries bill to the National Assembly for consideration and passage.

Mr Evang Anthony, the National President, Fisheries Cooperative Federation of Nigeria (FCFN), gave the advice while speaking to newsmen on Thursday in Dutse.

Anthony called on the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh to submit the draft to the National Assembly for passage and to President Muhammadu Buhari for gazetting and enforcement.

“The FCFN makes a clarion call on the Minister of Agriculture to submit the drafted National Fisheries bill in the ministry’s archive sponsored by EU in 2014 to the national assembly and to President for gazetting and enforcement.

“This will solve most of the problems militating against the growth of the fisheries industry,’’ he said.

Anthony said lack of institutional capacity and poor budgetary allocation by both federal and state governments were among the major problems facing the industry.

Others are lack of fishing and aquaculture inputs supply at subsidised rate and lack of credit support and conditions attached if any.

Anthony also listed lack of fisheries data-base and its effect on policy policymakers, planners and research, lack of education and lack of modern fish markets, processing and preservation facilities.

He said lack of involvement of fisheries NGOs in the planning and implementation of policies and projects, high tariffs on fisheries inputs and its accessories among others are major challenges.

The president, however, called for the establishment of Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture as well as increase in budgetary allocation to fisheries by both federal and state governments.

This, he said, was the only way to actualise the government’s policy on diversification to non-oil sector.

Anthony further urged the governments to provide fishing and aquaculture inputs to fishers at subsidised price.

“It is not a crime that government is buying other agricultural machinery and making inputs such tractors, harvesters among others, available to crop farmers at subsidised rate.

“We hereby call on government at federal and state levels to provide fishing and aquaculture inputs to the fishers at subsidised prices,’’ he said. (NAN)
MNB//AOM/AFA
Edited by Abdullahi Mohammed/Felix Ajide
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NAN-DS-5‎

Deaths

Minna, Nov. 17, 2016‎ (NAN) The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Niger says that 147 persons died in road traffic crashes (RTC) in the state between January and September 2016.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Acting Sector Commander in the State, Mr Nma Magana, made this known on Thursday during the 2016 African Road Safety Day and World Day of Remembrance for Traffic Victims‎ in Minna.

“In Niger state, we have a death record of 147. And the record also shows that for RTC from January to September is 361, with 74 fatal cases and 265 serious cases.”

Magana said the number of injured persons in the period under review was 915, adding that prompt and proper medical care be given to road traffic crash victims to avoid fatalities.

It would be recalled that in 2015, the FRSC had 479 cases of RTC with 1,256 persons injured and 191 deaths.

On the issue of speed limit device, Magana noted that no single vehicle had complied, adding that the command had decided to get vendors to educate commercial vehicles on compliance.

“Enforcement proper will start Feb. 1st, 2017 and we are going to do more aggressive enlightenment because it will help reduce the number of RTC to a barest minimum.” (NAN)

AMEN/IS

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Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

Centuries-old 10 Commandments tablet goes under hammer for $850,000

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Tablet
Dallas, Nov.17, 2016 (Reuters/NAN) A 1,500-year old stone tablet with the earliest known chiselled inscription of the Ten Commandments, was sold at a U.S. auction on Wednesday for $850,000.

The two-foot (61 cm) square slab of white marble that weighs about 115 pounds (50 kg), was sold in Beverly Hills, California, by Dallas-based Heritage Auctions.

The buyer has refused to be identified.

The tablet was put up for sale by Rabbi Shaul Deutsch, founder of the Living Torah Museum, in Brooklyn, New York.

As part of the agreement before the tablet was sold, tt was stipulated that the buyer must put it on public display, the auction house said.

The tablet is chiselled with 20 lines of Samaritan script with principles that are fundamental to Judaism and Christianity.

The inscription lists nine of the 10 commandments in the Book of Exodus.

It omitted “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain” and replacing it with a rule for Samaritan worshippers, the auction house said.

It was probably chiselled during the late Roman or Byzantine era, between 300 and 500 A.D., and marked the entrance of an ancient synagogue that was likely destroyed by the Romans, according to the auction house.

The tablet was discovered in 1913 during excavation for a railroad line near the modern city of Yavneh in Western Israel.

Someone, possibly a construction worker, acquired it and set it in a courtyard where it remained until 1943, when it was acquired by an archeologist, who owned it until his death in 2000.

Deutsch acquired the tablet for temporary display through an agreement with the Israel Antiquities Authority, and then bought it outright after a legal settlement, Heritage officials said.

Deutsch said he wished to sell the tablet and other artefacts from his collection chronicling Jewish life and history back to antiquity to raise money for a makeover of his museum.

He said he plans to transform the museum with more hands-on exhibits to attract younger visitors.

“The new owner is under obligation to display the tablet for the benefit of the public,” David Michaels, Director of Antiquities for Heritage Auctions, said in a statement.

Two phone bidders pushed the sale price up from an opening live bid of $300,000, Heritage officials said. (Reuters/NAN)

ERO/IEA

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Edited by Emmanuel Okara/Idahosa Asowata

COEASU protests delay in provost appointment

NAN-H-24
Protest
Pankshin (Plateau) Nov. 17, 2016 (NAN) Academic staff of the College of Education, Pankshin, Plateau, on Thursday protested alleged delay in the appointment of a substantive provost for the college.

The workers made the protest under the aegis of Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), College of Education (FCE), Pankshin Chapter.

In a letter to the minister of education dated Nov. 14 and signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the union, Mr Emmanuel Hemba and Mr Mershak Yenle respectively, the union described the alleged delay as “very unnecessary and detrimental’’ to educational standards.

“We have noted with disillusion the non-appointment of a substantive provost for the college since March, 2015, ‘’ the union stated in the letter, a copy of which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Pankshin.

“COEASU noted with dismay that the period allowed for an acting provost has since expired due to the stipulation that it is temporary and should not exceed six months and extendable for one or two months to allow for appointment of a substantive provost.

“Since March, 2016 when the Ministry of Education conducted an interview for the vacant position of the provost, staff and students have awaited with anticipation, the release of the result of the interview to no avail.

“The delay throws to the wind the proactive step taken at advertising the vacancy of the position of the provost in July, 2015, more than six months ahead of its expiration,’’ COEASU stated.

The union expressed dissatisfaction that the education ministry had appointed substantive provosts for Federal Colleges of Education, Obudu and Katsina.

It noted that the two other colleges of education held interviews for the appointment of their provosts two months after that of FCE, Pankshin.

According to COEASU, this engenders a feeling of discrimination against FCE Pankshin, insinuation of political machination, suspicion of vested interests and questions of the integrity of the process.

The union said that the delay was affecting the running of the college due to the limitations in an acting capacity.

COEASU called on the minister of education to appoint the provost.

“This, we believe, will be for the good of the education sector as well as help to raise the interest of the education above political interests and sectional sentiments.

“We trust the office of the honourable minister to consider this letter as bearing good intention,’’ the union urged. (NAN)
TYC/IGO
(Edited by Ijeoma Popoola)

NAN-H-59
Climate
By Isaac Aregbesola
Abuja, Nov. 17, 2016 (NAN) Commonwealth has pledged to assist member countries through its Climate Finance Access Hub to make the Paris climate agreement a reality.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland made the pledged on Thursday at a high level segment of UN Framework Convention on Climate Change conference, COP22 in Morocco.

A statement issued by Communications Officer, Commonwealth Secretariat, Will Henley, quoted Scotland as saying that governments needed money to come up with innovative solutions to address the threat of climate change.

Scotland, who expressed concern over financing for climate initiatives, highlighted the benefits of the Commonwealth
Climate Finance Access Hub.

The Hub was reported to have been launched in September to help small and climate-vulnerable states draw on billions of dollars pledged funds yet to be utilised.

“Donors are contributing to the pot of climate funds, but it’s all tied up in red tape and countries are making efforts to manoeuvre through immensely complicated processes to access it.

“At present at least half of Commonwealth small states have requested assistance through the hub. This demand reflects the great challenge facing resource -strapped countries.

“It goes to the heart of concerns over meeting targets to reduce emissions in the Paris Agreement and the level of
ambition in national climate pledges.

“The bottom line is that governments need money to come up with innovative solutions to address this threat to our existence,” said Scotland.

Recently, the Secretary-General, in collaboration with the Cloudburst Foundation had invited experts to examine the
possibility of significantly accelerating the pace of carbon emission reduction at a workshop at Marlborough House in
London.

She said, “We had leading scientists, academics and experts from universities and regional organisations in
Caribbean, Pacific, Africa, Asia and Europe explore innovations that can be scaled up to help countries tackle
climate change.’’

“One example is concrete that can ‘breath in’ and safely dispose of carbon.

“We also learn about projects in the Commonwealth, like restoration of the Rugezi Wetlands in Rwanda, that reversed declining hydropower production and boosted food security,” she said.

The experts, according to her are working with the Commonwealth Secretariat on a climate action project to propose to its members, adding that the initiative was a perfect companion for the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub.

“I am proud of the fact that the Commonwealth was instrumental to what the Paris Agreement achieved at COP21.

“The influence of the Commonwealth Leaders’ Statement on Climate Change made at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Malta on the eve of COP21 is undeniable.

“What we achieved in Paris was historic. But there is unfinished business.

“The Commonwealth is working hard to ensure that future generations do not accuse us of going back on our commitment to tackle climate change,” she said. (NAN)
IAA/EAL/GY
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Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi/Controlled by Grace Yussuf