Blog

Funding
By Sumaila Ogbaje
Abuja, Sept. 19, 2018 (NAN) The Minister of State, Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, has disclosed that the new civil aviation bill before the national assembly would increase the funding of Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet).

Sirika disclosed this during the visit of the Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), Prof. Pereri Taalas and signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between WMO and Nigeria, on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said the bill had been approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and sent to the national assembly for passage.

The minister said that the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) had acquired the requisite capability to deliver accurate and timely weather information to its users.

He added that NiMet had taken the lead in the provision of meteorological services in Africa.

According to him, NiMet had expanded its services to other sectors as agriculture to help farmers to mitigate the impact of climate change.

“Some farmers that heeded the advise of NiMet prediction at a particular year came to testify during the SRP presentation in 2018.

“We have the capability to predict the amount of rainfall for this year all over the country.

“We will continue to fund that service and support it. Aviation is the greatest user of meteorological services because of the usage per minute and per second aside the agriculture and other sectors,” he said.

The Secretary General of WMO, Taalas, commended the Nigerian government for hosting the organisation’s regional office for Western and Central Africa.

He explained that he was in Nigeria to sign Host Country’s MoU with the government in recognition of the its effort to support the country in the fight against impact of climate change.

WMO boss said the current flood situation was a national emergency that required concerted effort. NAN
OYS/AFA

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Edited by Felix Ajide

Oxford Club wants more young Nigerians to study in UK, plans scholarships

England
By Victor Asije
Lagos, Sept. 19, 2018 (NAN) The President of Oxford and Cambridge Club of Nigeria, Dr Timi Austen-Peters on Wednesday urged more young Nigerians to explore the opportunities to study in Oxford and Cambridge universities in the UK.

Austen-Peters told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that if more Nigerians study in England it will impact greatly Nigeria’s overall development.

According to him, there is a lot for young Nigerians to learn from
these institutions that would make them contribute meaningfully to national development after their studies.

“We strongly believe that the more young Nigerians that are encouraged to go for studies in Oxford and Cambridge universities, the more they can contribute to the development of this country.

“There is a lot for more of our young men and women to benefit from
the best the world has to offer by studying in these universities.

“Let me advise that it is important for them to also be willing to
come back to this country after their studies,’’ he said.

Austen-Peters said members of the club of about 400 Nigerians had over the past years been contributing to the development of their
communities and the entire country.

He said the members of the club had a track record of
excellent performances in their chosen professions across the six geo-political zones of the country.

Austen-peters said the club had been mentoring young Nigerians on the benefits of studying in England.

As part of the mentoring, the club’s president disclosed that an
endowment fund was being established to provide scholarships for young Nigerians to enable them to study in the UK.

“Oxford and Cambridge universities are encouraging Africans to come to study in England.

“There is, therefore, every encouragement for more Nigerians to come and study in these universities,’’ he said. (NAN)
AVU/DA

Editing by Dele Akinsola

Economy
By David Adeoye
Ibadan, Sept. 19, 2018 (NAN) A former Senate President and PDP presidential aspirant, David Mark, has promised to turn around the country’s economy if elected in 2019.

Addressing Oyo State PDP delegates in Ibadan on Wednesday, Mark said his intention to aspire for the post of president was to build a strong economy.

“I will turn around the economic fortunes of Nigeria if elected into office in 2019 as the president of the country,” he stated.

Mark reminded the delegates how he made Teslim Folarin, an indigene of the state, the Majority Leader during his tenure as senate president.

He also pledged to tackle the security challenges in the country, saying ” I have the solution to the issue of insecurity in the country.’’

Mark, who told the gathering that he was the bridge builder that Nigerians need, pledged to bridge the gap between the northern and southern parts of the country.

“I am the link between the old and the young, between the men and women, so I am acceptable to all,” he said.

He, however, promised to remain in the party even if he did not win the party’s primary.

Responding, Alhaji Kunmi Mustapha, the PDP Chairman in the state, assured Mark of the delegates’  readiness to work for the unity of the party.

“Mark is a man of peace and because of his experience and the way he held the senate without rancour for a long time, I am in his support,” he said.

Mustapha, however,  called on Mark to remember the state for good if he eventually emerged president.  (NAN)
DAK/IKU/OJO
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(Edited by Tayo Ikujuni/Mufutau Ojo)

Poll
By David Adeoye
Ibadan, Sept. 19, 2018 (NAN) Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has reiterated the commitment of the commission toward conducting free, fair and credible election, comes Saturday in Osun state.

Yakubu, who said this on Wednesday while addressing staff of the commission in Ibadan, admonished them to continue to maintain neutrality.

He assured all Nigerians that votes of Osun electorate would determine, who win the Sept. 22 governorship election, saying INEC has no candidate nor belong to any of the contesting political parties.

He declared that vote of every eligible voter would count and that the commission would remain unbiased umpire during the Osun poll and other elections in the country.

On the preparation for 2019 general elections, the INEC boss said the commission was ready, adding that the success of the elections would surpass 2015 achievement.

He urged all the staff of the commission to effectively monitor primaries of political parties without compromise.

He promised to be more committed to the welfare of the staff of the commission and urged them to build on the commission’s achievements recorded during the 2015 general elections.

Earlier, Mr Mutiu Agboke, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, briefed the chairman on the activities of the commission in Oyo state since his assumption in Jan. 25.

Agboke said the commission had registered 538, 704 new voters in the just suspended Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) in Oyo state.

He further disclosed that 657, 790 unclaimed PVCs were still in the custody of the commission, which made the state placed second among the states with the largest number of uncollected PVCs.

He sought for more improved welfare packages and a better working environment that would make the uphill tasks before them worth giving their best.(NAN)
DAK/AFA
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Edited by Felix Ajide

Why I want to be president —Bafarawa

Aspirants

By Bolaji Buhari

Lagos, Sept .19, 2018 (NAN) A presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Attahiru Bafawara, on Wednesday said the he was seeking to be president not for personal interests, but to serve the nation.

Bafawara, a former governor of Sokoto State, made the statement while addressing party members in Lagos.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bafarawa’s visit to the party secretariat was in continuation of his nationwide tour of state chapters to seek support for his aspiration.

He said the nation needed somebody with a good understanding of governance and track record of performance to address the country’s challenges.

The former governor said the All Progressives Congress (APC) had failed to deliver of its promises and a change was needed to salvage the country.

“I am coming for damage control; I am coming to right so many things that are wrong with governance in the country.

“I am contesting not for personal interests but to genuinely serve the country and put it on the path of prosperity.

“The APC government has failed to deliver on its promises: it is time to kick them out and put a responsible government in place,” he said.

The aspirant said his time as governor of Sokoto was the golden era in the state in terms of democratic dividends delivered.

Bafarawa said he did not only uplift the state economically, but also built human capacities both in the health and the education sectors.

He said it was on record that he never borrowed to run the state and even left N13billion in the coffers of the state when leaving.

Bafarawa said Nigerians could trust him to run the country efficiently if elected.

He appealed to Nigerians to beware of politicians who decieve with fake promises,  as they would abandon them at the end of the day.

The former governor urged party delegates in the state to vote for him at the convention , promising not to abandon the people if elected.

He assured them that the party’s presidential primary would be rancour-free, as all aspirants had agreed to unite after the primary.

“I don’t think there would be any problem after the primary. We (aspirants) have all agreed to unite and work with whoever emerges,” he said.

On the allegation by Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers State that some aspirants are being sponsored by APC in PDP, he said he did not have a definite answer to the claim.

He, however,urged Wike to expose the moles among the aspirants in the interest of the party.

Responding, Secretary of PDP in the state, Prince Muiz Dosunmu, thanked Bafarawa and his team for the visit.

He said the chapter was in support of his agenda to move the country forward.(NAN)
BHB/SOA

Edited by Oluwole Sogunle

Air Nigeria

By Adekunle Williams & Solomon Asowata
Lagos, Sept. 19, 2018 (NAN) Aviation stakeholders said on Wednesday in Lagos that the suspension of Air Nigeria project, a new national carrier, would enable the Federal Government to plan properly on how to float it to stand the test of time.

Mr Ikechi Uko, a travel and tourism expert and Mr Olayinka Abioye, General Secretary, National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) expressed the views in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, had announced on Wednesday that the the Federal Executive Council had taken the “tough decision to suspend the National Carrier Project in the interim”.

Uko, the promoter of the Akwaaba Travel and Tourism Market, said the move by the government was not surprising, especially as the country was approaching the 2019 General Elections.

He said :“It is not surprising because the timing was wrong. I think it is a positive thing that we do not ruin a national aspiration. The way it was going will not have yielded the desired results.

“For me, it is good news that people can now go back and plan properly.

“After the elections, we can now focus on the project with the help of other Nigerian airlines because they have to be carried along.”

On his part, Abioye told NAN that a good foundation for the new national carrier was not laid, particularly as the ex-workers of the defunct Nigerian Airways were still agitating for their entitlements.

“It is a noble thing for Nigeria to have a national carrier. We stand for it and we will continue to advocate for it because the benefits are humongous.

“However, we are not surprised about the suspension because we said it loud and clear that the outstanding N45 billion entitlements of ex-Nigerian Airways workers have to be paid,” he said.

Abioye added that members of the aviation unions had already staged a protest before the Acting Finance Minister, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, who had promised to look into the issue and get back to the unions.

“It is a welcome development and I think we should go back to the table and do all that is necessary.”

NAN reports that Sirika had on July 18 unveiled the name and logo of the new national carrier at the Farnborough Air Show in London, United Kingdom.

Sirika had stressed that the government was fully committed to fulfilling the campaign promise made by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 to establish a new national carrier to replace the defunct Nigerian Airways.

He had set December 2018 deadline for the airline to begin operations with a minimum of five aircraft. (NAN)

WAC/ASO/DA
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Edited by Dele Akinsola

Sack

By Chukwuemeka Opara
Abakaliki, Sept. 19, 2018 (NAN) Gov. David Umahi of Ebonyi has sacked his Special Assistant (SA) on Primary Health (Ebonyi Central Zone), Mrs Stephanie Ugo-Chima, for absconding from duty for over a month.

Dr Hyginus Nwokwu, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), made the disclosure on Wednesday in Abakaliki during a joint state Executive Council (EXCO) meeting at the council’s chambers.

Nwokwu said that Ugo-Chima absconded from her duties and responsibilities as an aide to the governor within the period which necessitated the relieving of her duty.

“The insinuation that her sack was political is unfounded because all appointment or sack of public officers is political.

“There are laid down rules for such appointments, but the civil service rules are not applied in these cases because such appointees are not civil servants,” he said.

The SSG also clarified the issue of the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism in the state, Mrs Elizabeth Ogbaga, who had also not been seen in her official duties and public functions for long.

“Ogbaga as far as the office of the SSG is concerned, is on leave,” he said.

“A Local Government Area (LGA) development centre coordinator and two LGA advisory committee members were also sworn-in during the council’s meeting,” he said.

Rev. Fr Abraham Nwali, the Senior Special Adviser (SSA) to the Governor on Religion and Welfare Matters, told newsmen that the committee set up to discover the number of vacancies in the state’s educational agencies made some findings.

“The committee was set up by the governor to ascertain the number of retired, resigned and deceased staff of the Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB) and the Secondary Education Board (SEB) in both tutorial and non-tutorial categories.

“The number of staff who are either retired, resigned or deceased in SEB is 571, while the number of those in UBEB is 829, totalling 1,400.

“The committee is to evaluate ways of ensuring that these vacant positions are filled, especially with youths in both tutorial and non-tutorial categories,” he said.

He noted that the governor instructed that the committee continue its work and source the funds for the payment of the new recruits’ salaries without increasing the state’s wage bill.

“We will continue interfacing with the state Accountant Generals’ Office, both SEB and UBEB to ensure that this is achieved especially with the current economic meltdown,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that sacked Ugo-Chima is the wife of Chief Innocent Ugo-Chima, former member of the  House of Representatives and the governor’s ally.

Ogbaga, who also absented from duties is the wife of the former Minster of Steel, Chief Goddy Ogbaga, who recently decamped from the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressive Congress (APC). (NAN)
RCO/NNO/PDE
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(Edited by Nick Nicholas/Peter Ejiofor)

APC to screen State House of Assembly aspirants in state capitals

By Emmanuel Mogbede

Screening

Abuja, Sept. 19, 2018 (NAN) The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) says screening of aspirants for State House of Assembly who bought its Expression of Interest and Nomination forms for 2019 elections shall take place in their respective state capitals.

This is according to procedure for the screening of aspirants for the 2018 party primaries signed by Mr Adams Oshiomhole, the APC National Chairman and Malam Mai Mala Buni, its National Secretary on Wednesday in Abuja.

The document, however, said that presidential, governorship, Senate and House of Representatives aspirants who bought the party`s Expression of Interest and Nomination forms for 2019 elections and submitted same, would be screened in Abuja.

The procedure also said that the screening of all aspirants which commenced on Sept. 20 would end on Sept. 22.

It said that there shall be three committees for each zones of the federation for the screening of Governorship, Senate, and House of Representative aspirants.

Oshiomhole further  said aspirants from the North-East, South-East and South-West shall undergo their screening at the Abuja Transcorp Hilton Hotel, while those from the North-Central, North-West and South-South would be screened at the Abuja Sheraton Hotel.

He advised aspirants that may have complaints to contact the party`s National Secretary. (NAN)

EEM/AMY

Edited by Abdullahi Yusuf

Votes
By Akeem Abas
Ibadan, Sept. 19, 2018(NAN)Ahead of 2019 elections, Sen Monsurat Sunmonu (ADC- Oyo Central) has said that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Oyo State, has gained 80 per cent of voting population.

She made the statement on Wednesday during the inauguration of Mobilisation Volunteers at the State Office of National Automobile and Technicians Association (NATA) in Ibadan.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the volunteers comprise artisans, associations, groups, youths, militant groups and non governmental bodies under the auspices of “Itesiwaju Oyo Coalition”.

“The main thing is for you to convince the electorate and that is what we are doing now. We need to tell them our plans and what our aims are and what they should expect from us.

“I believe with the number of people here, obviously, we have gained about 80 per cent of the voting population. The struggle continues and we are very optimistic that by the special grace of God, ADC will win Oyo,” she said.

Alhaji Ahmed Ayinla, State ADC Chairman, said that the party was more popular in the state, addinging the message of the party had been spread across the state.

“The essence of today’s meeting is to create awareness among the people of Ibadan and environs that the ADC is coming out to rescue them from the sufferings of the present government of the day.

“The party is well accepted, considering the overwhelming attendance at any gathering called by the party,” he said.

Dr Wasiu Olatubosun, a former Caretaker Chairman, Ibadan North West Local Government, said that the platform had the pedigree to deliver.

He said that the platform was instrumental to the election of Gov. Abiola Ajimobi in 2011 and his re-election in 2015.

“Itesiwaju Oyo Coalition, formerly known as Ajumose Coalition comprises about 168 associations. This is the platform we used to drive Gov. Abiola Ajimobi’s campaign in 2011 and 2015.

“You are aware that I was the Director of Campaign and Mobilisation for All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2011 and 2015.

“All these associations came together then to form Ajumose Coalition and after Ajimobi maltreated the coalition, we changed the name to Itesiwaju Oyo coalition,” he said.

Olatubosun said that the association was forming mobilisation volunteer canvassers, to make associations serve as canvassers for their political campaign evangelism.

“They are expected to go out and canvass for ADC through the nooks and crannies of Oyo State. That is the essence of our meeting here today.

“We bring all our major leaders, political office holders and aspirants to relate with our people here.

“ They have answered all questions posed to them and have assured them of readiness to be partners in progress,” he said.

Sen. Femi Lanlehin was among the dignitaries at the event. (NAN)

TAA/OOA/IA
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Edited by Olabisi Akinbode/Idris Abdulrahman