Blog

NAN-F-15
Election
Washington, Nov. 2, 2016 (dpa/NAN) The U.S. Federal Reserve left monetary policy unchanged ahead of next week’s general election, but fuelled expectations for a hike by December in the central bank’s benchmark interest rate.

In a statement after its two-day regular meeting, the Fed’s monetary policy committee said its preferred measures of inflation “have moved up but remained low.”

The Fed had struggled for years to stoke inflation to reach its own 2-per-cent target.

Against this backdrop, the Committee decided to maintain the target range for the federal funds
rate at 0.25 to 0.5 per cent.

The Fed said the case for an increase in the benchmark interest rate “has continued to strengthen.”

However, committee members decided “for the time being, to wait for some further evidence of continued progress toward its objectives,” which include full employment.

The Fed left the key rate in a range of 0.25 to 0.5 per cent since December 2015. (dpa/NAN)
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(Edited by Damilola Oyewole/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

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Support
New York, Nov. 2, 2016 (PANA/NAN) The President of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Judge Silvia Fernandez, has expressed gratitude to UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, for his strong and principled support to the ICC and protection of human rights.

Fernandez gave the commendation on Wednesday at a meeting with Ban at the UN headquarters in New York.

She expressed appreciation to the UN chief’s dedicated service to the international community and his enormous efforts in the furtherance of peace, justice, tolerance, the rule of law and the protection of human rights.

She said “`while the ICC is not part of the UN, the two organisations cooperate in accordance with a Relationship Agreement concluded in 2004.”

Fernandez then presented the UN chief with special edition of the Rome Statute of the ICC in recognition of his efforts. (PANA/NAN)
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(Edited by Damilola Oyewole/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

NAN-S-9
Competition
By Victor Okoye
Abuja, Nov. 2, 2016 (NAN) The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has set aside a total of N5 million as prize money for this year’s NFF/CBN All Financial Institutions Football Competition, the NFF and CBN revealed on Wednesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this was made known at a news conference in Abuja to announce this year’s competition.

The CBN Director of Corporate Communications, Mr Isaac Okoroafor, said a total of 16 teams were expected to take part in the competition.

He added that “the winner will take home N2 million, while the runner-up will pocket N1.5 million.

“The third and fourth place winners will get N1 million and N500,000 respectively,” he said.

He said that Akure, Enugu, Jos and Kaduna would serve as centres for the preliminary competition.

He explained that “the quarter finals, with the semi finals will take place in Calabar and Owerri, while the final will be staged at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo on Nov. 19.”

Okoroafor added that the competition would serve as platform for the promotion of unity, harmony and peaceful co-existence among institutions operating within Nigeria’s financial system.

NAN recalls that the annual event, now in its 30th year, was also graced in the past by top names in Nigerian football, including late Stephen Keshi, Henry Nwosu, Nwankwo Kanu and Pascal Patrick.

On its part, the NFF pledged to continue to provide the necessary technical support to make the competition more successful.

The NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi, was represented at the news conference by the Director of Competitions, Mr Bola Oyeyode.

Participating institutions include First Bank of Nigeria, Dadinkowa MFB, Accountant General’s Office and Lavunkpan MFB in Group A, with Kaduna as centre.

The CBN, Union Assurance, Access Bank and Enterprise Bank are in Group B, with Enugu as centre.

Federal Inland Revenue Service, Unity Bank, Brass MFB and Kwali MFB are in Group C, with Jos
as centre.

Securities and Exchange Commission, Fulani Balogun MFB, Tangale MFB and the Federal Ministry of Finance are in Group D, with Akure as centre. (NAN)
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(Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

NAN-S-8

Replacement

By Victor Okoye

Abuja, Nov. 2, 2016 (NAN) Super Eagles’ Technical Adviser, Gernot Rohr, has now invited South Africa-based goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi to camp for next week’s 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Algeria in Uyo.

This was announced in a statement by Ademola Olajire, NFF’s spokesman on Wednesday in Abuja.

Akpeyi, who stars for Chippa United, was in the Nigeria U-20 squad that finished as runners-up at the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup in the Netherlands.

He was also in the bronze-winning U-23 team at the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament in Brazil in August.

The former junior international is a direct replacement for Super Eagles number one, Carl Ikeme, whose English club Wolverhampton Wanderers wrote to NFF that he would be unavailable due toinjury.

The Super Eagles take on the Fennecs of Algeria in Uyo on Nov. 12 in a Match Day two clash of the African race for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. (NAN)

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NAN-F-13
Obama
Washington, Nov. 2, 2016 (dpa/NAN) U.S. President Barack Obama on Wednesday made his first comments on the FBI decision to tell Congress about the discovery of emails that could be related to investigation of Hillary Clinton’s private email server.

He said “I do think that there is a norm that when there are investigations, we don’t operate on innuendo. We don’t operate on incomplete information.

“We don’t operate on leaks.’’

The FBI prompted a political firestorm on Friday when it said investigators had “learned of the existence of emails that appeared to be pertinent to the investigation” into Clinton’s use of a private email server while secretary of state.

Obama stressed that earlier investigations by the FBI, Justice Department and Congress concluded that Clinton made some mistakes but there wasn’t anything prosecutable.

Obama did not mention FBI Director James Comey by name.

However another top Democrat responding to Comey’s move said in an interview with CNN  that she believed Comey “made a mistake” by informing Congress about the emails.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said he “couldn’t take the heat” from Republicans when the emails were discovered in separate investigation into former U.S. congressman Anthony Weiner, the husband of close Clinton aide Huma Abedin.

Weiner is under investigation for allegedly sending explicit images to an underage girl.

Clinton had also questioned the FBI’s decision to announce the move just days ahead of the Nov. 8 election.

In July, following a nearly year-long investigation, Comey said Clinton had been “extremely careless” in her handling of classified information.

“However, had not broken the law, and the Justice Department declined to bring charges. (dpa/NAN)
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(Edited by Damilola Oyewole/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

NAN-H-115

Marshal

By Muhammad Bello

Sokoto, Nov. 2, 2016 (NAN) The Sokoto State House of Assembly on Wednesday called on the state government to immediately relieve the Commandant of the State Marshalls Corps, Mr Sa’idu Madawaki, of his appointment.

The call followed the recommendation of a Special Committee set up by the assembly to investigate alleged disrespect of the government institutions and the assembly by officials of the corps.

Chairman of the committee, Alhaji Abdullahi Garba (APC- Gwadabawa North), while presenting report of their findings to the house, said that the recommendation for disengagement of the commandant was reached after extensive consultation.

He said: “There were several complaints of lack of respect and courtesy to institutions by the commandant and the Director of Finance of the Ministry of Home Affair, Alhaji Abba Shehu.

“The Commissioner for Home Affairs, Alhaji Isa Achida, also confirmed the receipt of several of such complaints against officers of the corps from different quarters.

“Therefore, based on the fact that people who have no respect for constituted authorities should not be allowed to head public institutions, the commandant of the Sokoto Marshal should be relieved of his appointment.

“It is for lack of respect and courtesy to government institutions, and the director in the ministry should be warned and redeployed,” he said.

The chairman stressed that the assembly was committed to ensuring cordial working relationship with other arms of the government.

“We will not allow any person, group of persons or institution to undermine that,” he vowed.

The house unanimously approved the motion when the Deputy Speaker, Alhaji Abubakar Magaji, who presided at the sitting, put it to vote. (NAN)

MNB/BRM/OPI

Edited by Olisa Ifeajika

Oyo Govt. urges FG to pay 13% derivation from royalties on solid minerals

NAN-AE-21
Derivation
By Akeem Abas
Ibadan, Nov. 2, 2016 (NAN) Oyo State Government has called on the Federal Government to commence the payment of 13 per cent derivation from royalties, taxes and levies on solid minerals to the State and Local Governments.

Alhaji Ishmail Alli, the Secretary to the State Government, made the call when members of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission Team visited the state government.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the commission was in the state on a nationwide monitoring on royalty collections and activities of miners at the State and Local Governments.

Alli said that the state was due for the derivation, stressing that the fund would be committed to developmental projects in the state.

He appealed to miners in the state to start the payment of their land use charge, taxes and other levies to the covers of the state government.

Mr Uche Nwagbara, the South West Coordinator of the exercise, noted that the Federal Government gave several benefits to the mining sector.

“Such benefits are tax waivers to a newly established industry and duty free on importation of machinery among others to boost the activities of the industry,” he said.

Mr Mathew Oyedokun, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Solid Minerals, pledged the state government’s readiness to collaborate with RMAFC in its activities.

He reiterated the state government’s commitment toward the creation of enabling environment for generating wealth from mineral resources.

Oyedokun stated that the state government has the vision of transforming the mineral sector into an irresistible mining destination for local and global markets. (NAN)
TAA/AFA
Edited by Felix Ajide
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NAN-HG-16
Pregnancy
By Maureen Nwanosike
Enugu, Nov. 2, 2016 (NAN) The Coordinator of Community Health initiative in Enugu State, Mrs Janet Ngene, has urged pregnant women to always go for antenatal checks to reduce maternal mortality.

Ngene told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Wednesday that expectant mothers who failed to access antenatal services stood the chance of having complications during pregnancy, childbirth or after delivery.

The coordinator said that maternal mortality was mainly caused by hemorrhage, unsafe abortion, obstructed labour, anemia, malaria, viral hepatitis and delivery at home without a skilled birth attendant, among others.

She said that for one to survive labour and the delivery process, she needed to attend antenatal classes regularly.

“Labour and delivery is the end of pregnancy and beginning of new life, therefore antenatal care plays an important role to achieve a successful labour and delivery process.

“Regular antenatal classes help in the physical and mental preparation of women who are pregnant.

“Antenatal care ensures the expectant mothers and their unborn babies’ wellbeing and also prepares women physically for labour, delivery and the postpartum period,” she said. (NAN)
OJI/MVO
(Edited by Mbadiwe Okwor)

NAN-H-112
Control
By Emmanuel Mogbede
Abuja, Nov. 2, 2016 (NAN) The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has appealed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federal (SGF) to assist it in sustaining the implementation of speed control strategy.

The Commission`s Corps Marshal, Boboye Oyeyemi, made the appeal in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

He also appealed to the SGF to assist the Commission to regulate the importation of fairly-used
tyres.

He also stressed the need for restriction on importation of fake, expired or substandard tyres
into the country.

Oyeyemi, however, noted that the Commission had recorded one per cent decrease in the number of persons who died in road crashes in the month of July 2016 compared with June.

According to him, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) command of the Commission recorded the highest number of crashes with 188 cases involving 626 people causing varying degree of injuries to 191 persons.

He stated that Kaduna, Nasarawa and Niger states followed in the high rate of road traffic crashes with 61, 50, and 49 recorded respectively.

He added that within the period, the Lagos-Ibadan road was identified as most prone route with 33 crashes recorded which claimed the lives of 42 persons and 109 injured.

He noted that “after the Lagos-Ibadan road is the Abuja-Lokoja road with 30 cases, claiming 10 lives and leaving 83 persons injured.”

The corps marshal said the Abuja-Kubwa road assumed the third position, with 25 cases recorded.

He, however, added that the Commission planned to conduct road audit/researches, increase public enlightenment and enforcement of speed violation, among others, to curb road crashes.

He expressed optimism that further improvement could be sustained with support from the Federal Government with regards to curbing excessive speeding on the roads. (NAN)
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(Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)

NAN-H-111
Land
By Alex Anayo  Enebeli
Enugu, Nov. 2, 2016 (NAN) An Enugu-based lawyer, Bonaventure Ononugbo, on Tuesday appeared before an Enugu East Magistrates’ Court for an alleged N3 million land scam and forgery.

The accused and the complainant, Mr Victor Ekwo, were said to have bickered over the ownership of a piece of land located at Nike Road, Enugu.

When the matter was called up for hearing, the complainant told the court that when he discovered that another person was contending his land with him, he invited the complainant for a peace meeting.

Ekwo said that the accused presented him with a receipt claiming to have bought the land in 2001.

He said that upon investigation, he discovered that the receipt bore a stamp of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in commemoration of OPEC 50th anniversary.

The complainant said that he further went to the internet and found out that the stamp was launched in 2010.

“I became apprehensive when he brought a land receipt bearing OPEC 50 year’s anniversary stamp and I searched from the internet and discovered that it was launched in 2010 and not 2001 as claimed,” Ekwo said.

The complainant also said that he petitioned the commissioner of police over the matter and the accused person was arrested and charged for forgery.

The presiding Chief Magistrate, Mr Dennis Ekoh, adjourned the matter to Nov. 30 for cross examination and continuation of hearing. (NAN)
AAE/MNA/MVO
(Edited by Maureen Atuonwu/Mbadiwe Okwor)