Blog

NAN-H-73
Lawyers
By Edith Nwapi
Abuja, Oct. 31, 2016 (NAN) Prof. Clement Dakas (SAN), Dean Faculty of Law, University of Jos, had challenged lawyers to see law as a higher calling for nation building.

Dakas told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that “law is a very unique profession, very distinct that lawyers pride themselves as belonging to the only learned profession.

“But it also comes with a great deal of responsibility and it requires us to fully appreciate the fact that we belong to a profession that is of a higher calling not just a business.

“A law degree is not just a meal ticket. Law can be constructively engaged and be a very important, very powerful instrument in transforming society.

“ We all have a responsibility as lawyers leveraging on our ethical principles to ensure that we nurture the flowers in the garden and the key pillars that are at the heart of nation building,” he said.

Dakas was of the view that there might well have been some challenges over the course of time but when lawyers focus on the bigger pictures the better.

“ Lawyers have a very critical role to play in nation building.

“You have a few bad elements in the system, we all are Nigerians and we know some of the challenges we grapple with as lawyers and as a country and the role of lawyers in this.

“ But again, when you focus on the bigger picture you realise that lawyers whether they are in service as judges or in some other capacities, actually those who act in the manners that are not consistent with the ethical imperative in my view are in the minority“ he said.

He believed that a great number of lawyers were playing positive roles in the development of our states and our country.

“I think that is the way to go, Lawyers especially in this dispensation are fully represented in the government.

“The vice president is a lawyer, senior advocate of Nigeria, the speaker of the House of Representatives too, so numbers two and four in the hierarchy are all lawyers.

“ The chief justice of Nigeria of course is a lawyer, as I said well there may be some challenges, the truth of the matter is that ultimately when you focus on the bigger picture you see thousands of lawyers quietly making a very positive difference.

“ I believe that lawyers are playing very positive role in the development of Nigeria, as lawyers, we must go back to the root and ethical imperatives, we must see our profession as more than a business “ said Dakas.

He also commended the corruption agenda of the present administration saying ` We have to ensure that it is undertaken within the framework of the rule of law and inspire confidence in Nigerians`. (NAN)
NEO/DUA/OFN

Embrace agriculture to improve your income, artisans’ leader urges members

NAN-AE-14
Artisans
Ikole (Ekiti State), Oct. 31, 2016 (NAN) Artisans in Ekiti have been advised to embrace agriculture so as to improve their sources of income and livelihood.

Mr Jide Damolekun, the leader of Artisans Association in Ekiti North Senatorial District, gave the advice on Monday while addressing members of the association in Ikole Ekiti.

Damolekun noted that the poor economic situation which affected their professions was making life miserable for many of their members, adding that the artisans should take advantage of being in agrarian communities.

He urged the artisans to take advantage of the agrarian society where they reside and go into farming to augment their sources of income.

The leader of artisans opined that farming could provide better living standard for their respective households if they venture into it.

He stressed that government had encouraged people to go into agriculture in its bid to implement economic diversification policy.

Damolekun cautioned members, who had abandoned their shops for `Okada` business because of daily money realised from it, to have a rethink and channel their energy into farming.

He warned members not to involve themselves in criminal activities due to the current nation`s economic recession. (NAN)
DAK/MOL/AFA
Edited by Mustapha Lamidi/Felix Ajide
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NAN-H-64
Dissolution
Ilorin, Oct. 31, 2016 (NAN) A civil servant, Abdullateef Yahaya, on Monday, pleaded with an Ilorin Area Court to dissolve his 16 years old marriage to wife, Rahmatallahi Yahaya for her alleged misbehaviour.

Yahaya, a resident of Aladi compound in Erubu Area of Ilorin, told the court that the wife he married since 2001 had suddenly turned against him.

He alleged that his wife wanted to assume the role of the family head whenever a decision was to be taken particularly on the children.

According to him, the wife is misleading their four children in spite of his instructions to put things right.

“The children do not respect me anymore as their father due to the way their mother behaves,” he said.

Yahaya urged the court to grant the divorce request as well as award him the custody of the children.

In his ruling, the Presiding Judge, Mr AbdulQuadir Ibrahim, adjourned the case till December 6 for the respondent to enter her defence. (NAN)
AUO/MOL/YEMI

Edited by Mustapha Lamidi

Controlled by Yemi Idris-Aduloju

(Attention subscribers!!! Please correct figure to $3bn NOT $30bn) Warri-Ajaokuta-Obaro-Abuja rail project to attract $3bn investment, says Amaechi

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Rail
By Sumaila Ogbaje
Abuja, Oct. 31, 2016 (NAN) The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, said that Warri-Ajaokuta-Obaro-Abuja central rail project was expected to attract a minimum of  three-billion-dollar investment into the country.

Amaechi disclosed this while briefing the Joint Senate and House of Representatives’ Committee on Land Transport on Monday in Abuja.

He said that the Federal Government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China Railway Construction Corporation in respect of the project on Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement.

According to him, the MoU also covers the construction and expansion of Warri Port and Harbour, construction of deep-sea port and construction of industrial park at Port Harcourt and Bonny Island.

Amaechi said the government had also signed the contract for the construction of Calabar to Port Harcourt rail line with extension from Port Harcourt to Onne deep sea port.

He explained that the project was the Segment one of the Coastal railway projects stemming from Lagos to Calabar with branch line Benin to Onitsha, including the Onitsha bridge rail station.

The minister also disclosed that the Lagos-Ibadan Segment 2 of the Lagos-Kano railway modernisation project would soon commence.

According to him, the line would also extend to the Apapa Ports from Ebute Metta.

“We have also signed the implementation agreement in August for Kano-Kaduna of which the initial commercial contract agreement was signed in 2006.

“The other segments namely Ibadan-Ilorin-Abuja and Minna- Kaduna will come on as the negotiations and works progress.

“In the road transportation mode, our priorities include the completion of some freight offices including that of Seme in Lagos State; Shaki in Oyo State and Illela in Sokoto State.

“Others are Kamba in Kebbi State; Jibiya in Katsina State; Gamboru Ngala in Borno and Idiroko in Ogun State as well as the commencement of inter-state road transit,” he said.

Amaechi said the present administration was determined to reposition the transportation sector for optimal performance, principally by creating an enabling legal and legislative framework to encourage private investment in the sector.

He said the long term effect of divestment by government in railway transportation had been the major factor in Nigeria’s weak position in the railway sector.

According to him, the narrow gauge system will provide affordable and safe transport to over 5.1 million passengers a year.

“This will also account for over 20 million tonnes, amounting to almost 35 per cent of freight movement per year,” Amaechi stated.

Responding, Sen. Gbenga  Ashafa, Chairman, Senate Committee on Land Transport, said the visit of the committee was to conduct an on-the-spot assessment of performance of the ministry within the life span of  the 2016 budget.

Ashafa said the disposition of the committee to the ministry’s proposals in the 2017 budget would be largely guided by its assessment of the ministry’s performance in the current period.

He said that the legislative arm was committed to providing the requisite legislative support to the executive in its drive to create change in the country’s transport landscape.

According to him, the committee believes that with the senate’s passage of the 2016 Railway Bill; more avenues have been opened up in the rail transport sector for foreign direct investment.

While commending the government for the completion of Abuja-Kaduna rail project, Ashafa called for adequate security measure in the rail corridors.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the joint senate and house committee members, during the oversight visit, inspected the Idu and Kubwa rail stations. (NAN)
OYS/DO/YAZ/NKO

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Edited by David Onilede/Yusuf Zango

NAN-DS-3

Ban

Yola, Oct. 31, 2016 (NAN) Truck and wheel barrow pushers have been banned from operating in Mubi town of Adamawa for security reason.

The Chairman of Mubi North Local Government Area of Adamawa, Alhaji Musa Ahmed, announced the ban in Mubi on Monday.

Ahmed said the measure was taken following intelligence report.

Ahmed said that the authorities noticed the influx of truck pushers into the commercial border town and would not leave anything to chance.

“We observed similar pattern of influx the last time boko haram invaded Mubi town”, Ahmed said.

In another development, vigilance groups from Adamawa and Taraba States commenced five-day Basic Intelligence Training in Yola.

Adamawa State Commander of a vigilance, group, Dr Murtala Aliyu, said the training going on at the Mobile Police, MOPOL 14 barracks in Yola, hads 251 participants from the two states.

Aliyu said the training would boost the capacity of members by providing them with the necessary techniques to operate effectively and support the police and other security agencies in curbing crime.

“After this training, we expect our members to conform to standard in their operation and in complementing the police to reduce crime in the society”, Aliyu said.

He lauded the support his members were enjoying from the public in Adamawa, adding however, that the state and local governments were not doing much to support the operation of his members.

Aliyu said that as people who mixed with the public, his members, if fully supported, would play more effective role in gathering intelligence. (NAN)
YMU/IEA
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Edited by Idahosa Asowata

NAN-HG-4
Malaria
Abakaliki, Oct. 31, 2016 (NAN) The U.S. Presidential Malaria Initiative has pledged to support Ebonyi Government in the fight against malaria in the next 20 years.

The Senior Malaria Adviser of the initiative, Dr Jessica Kabuka, made the pledge in Abakaliki on Monday during a courtesy visit to Gov. David Umahi.

Kabuka regretted that Ebonyi has not benefitted much from the global fund, promising to widen its existing support to the state.

“That is why we are here; we are going to continue to support the state in the next 20 years.

“We are here this time around to identify the areas where the state needs the support.

“The first phase of support is the fund from the U.S. Presidential Initiative which we are going to give you.

“We have been supporting the state in the procurement of insecticide mosquito treated nets, malaria drugs and preventive treatments for pregnant women to protect the unborn.

“We are also supporting Ebonyi to strengthening its health system, especially the health information management system, advocacy, community mobilisation and education,’’ she said.

The governor, in his response, thanked the team for its support and for choosing the state among 11 states for the programme.

“We appreciate your supports for the state in the distribution of insecticide mosquito treated nets and drugs for the people,” he said. (NAN)
UVU/MNA/GOK
Edited by Maureen Atuonwu/Olagoke Olatoye

NAN-AE-13
Loan
Dutse, Oct. 31, 2016 (NAN) The Jigawa Government said on Monday that it has disbursed N650 million as soft loans to some cash crop farmers in 2016 in the state.
The Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural resources, Alhaji Kabir Ali, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse.
Ali explained that beneficiaries were mostly youths and were grouped into clusters by the government.
According to him, the cluster operation is mainly on production of rice, soya beans, groundnut and wheat.
Ali said that the farmers had already started harvesting and some of them had started paying back the loan to the government.
The commissioner said that the loan could be paid in cash or in kind by giving out their produce equivalent to the money collected.
Ali told NAN that the same gesture would be extended to dry season farmers in the state.
He said that the present administration had concluded plan to make production of rice all season in the state because of high demand for the product.
Ali said that 50,000 hectares of wheat would be cultivated in the state in 2016 season and 40,000 farmers had so far been registered to participate.
The commissioner noted that the grouping of farmers into clusters had been applauded by all stakeholders in the sector and government would work to improve and sustain it.
He also commended the efforts of extension workers for the success of the programme in the state. (NAN)
MS/ORO/AFA
Edited by Razak Owolabi/Felix Ajide
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 Child care: Wife drags estranged hubby to court

NAN-H-63

Child
By Usman Aliyu
Ilorin, Oct. 31, 2016 (NAN) A divorced wife, Falilat Lawal, on Monday, prayed an Ilorin Area Court to order her estranged husband, Mohammed Lawal to pay her a monthly maintenance fees of N20, 000 for the care of their daughter, Ayomide.

Falilat, a resident of Basin Road in Ilorin, who divorced her husband in June, 2016, told the court that the respondent was failing in his responsibility as a father since their separation.

The 2016 graduate of the University of Ilorin, explained that she had been responsible for the child’s upbringing since the court judgment on their six years marriage.

She urged the court to order a refund of the school fees she had paid and an award of monthly N20, 000 maintenance fee for their daughter.

“I have been the one paying her school fees as well as catering for her needs.

“So, I want him to refund the school fees I paid and pay N20, 000 monthly for the child’s maintenance,’’ she said.

The respondent was, however, absent in court.

In his ruling, the presiding judge, Mr AbdulQuadir Ibrahim, adjourned the case indefinitely based on the plea by the plaintiff that she was going for a -three- week NYSC orientation exercise.

Ibrahim said that the case would resume once the plaintiff returned from the orientation camp. (NAN)

AUO/OIF/YEMI

Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo

 Controlled by Yemi Idris-Aduloju

NAN-H-66

Appointment

By Monday Ijeh

Abuja, Oct. 31, 20116 (NAN) Mr Babachir Lawal, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), has apologised to indigenes of the FCT for their omission in the appointments so far made by the Federal Government.

Mr Bolaji Adebiyi, the Director of Press in the Office of the SGF, said this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

The SGF made the appeal when he received Alhaji Adamu Yunusa, the Ona of Abaji and the Chairman, FCT Council of Chiefs.

Lawal said that the omission was not deliberate, adding that correction would be made in future appointments.

Earlier, Yunusa expressed dissatisfaction over the exclusion of FCT indigenes in the reconstitution of the governing councils of federal universities and the composition of the Federal Executive Council.

He said that the indigenes were excluded in the nomination of non-career ambassadorial nominees.

The royal father urged the SGF to use his office to ensure that the lapses were corrected because “it contravenes certain provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Federal Character Commission Act’’. (NAN)

IMC/MO/

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Edited by Morayo Omolade

NAN-F-17
Restriction
Beijing, Oct. 31, 2016 (dpa/NAN) Human rights organisations are alarmed at new directives for lawyers in China which they said will make them shy away from important cases.

The right groups said that the new rules are effectively a gag on lawyers.

The Chinese Ministry of Justice’s new directives for the country’s lawyers are due to come into effect on Tuesday, in what analysts call an escalation of a government campaign to gag rights lawyers.

According to two amended regulations, lawyers will be prohibited from expressing any opinions that “reject the fundamental political system” of China or that “endanger national security.”

Lawyers will be barred from “inciting” or “organising” their clients and others to participate in sit-ins or demonstrations, even if those gatherings are peaceful.

“The new Justice Ministry rules basically tell human rights lawyers that their successful legal tactics are now prohibited

“People’s rights can’t be robustly defended when their lawyers can’t draw attention to, or even publicly discuss, their cases,”Sophie Richardson, China Director at Human Rights Watch.

Susan Finder, scholar in residence at the Peking University School of Transnational Law, said the regulations may affect all lawyers and firms in China, including those that handle only commercial cases.

“The move aims to warn lawyers not to take up human rights cases,” said Patrick Poon, China researcher for Amnesty International.

He said that the amendments will require lawyers to “support the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party” and to establish party branches in law firms.

Last summer, authorities carried out a campaign that specifically targeted human rights lawyers and activists in China.

Of the nearly 250 rights lawyers and activists who have been detained or summoned by Chinese police since July 2015, about 10 are believed to still be in jail, according to Amnesty International.

The director of the Beijing Fengrui Law Firm, Zhou Shifeng, whose company was known for taking on politically sensitive cases, was given a seven-year prison sentence in August.

At least six other lawyers await trial, and the whereabouts of Wang Yu, one of the Fengrui’s lawyers, remains unknown after she was released on bail in August.

In September, lawyer Xia Lin, who represented high-profile clients including the outspoken Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, was jailed for 12 years on fraud charges.

His supporters say the case was another example of retaliation against a human rights advocate, who had challenged the government.

However, Xia is expected to appeal. (dpa/NAN)
OYE/AFA
Edited by Damilola Oyewole
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