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FMBN to determine housing deficit in Nigeria by 2018 – MD

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Housing

By Emmanuel Acha

Enugu, Oct. 27, 2016 (NAN) Mr Richard Esin, the Acting Managing Director, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), said plans were under way to determine the actual housing deficit in Nigeria by 2018.

Esin who spoke on Thursday in Enugu at the 1^st Enugu Housing Development Forum,  said Nigeria had no reliable statistics to backup the housing deficit in the country.

He said that the current 17 million deficits was a figure that had been around and could not be realistic.

“The 17 million deficits has been one figure that has been around for a while. It is over 10 years since we started hearing about it.

“We are trying to work with other stakeholders to build some statistics around the housing sector.

“We have already started talking with the National Population Commission (NPC), so that when they are conducting the population census  proposed for 2018, we will work with them to determine the housing deficit,” he said.

Esin regretted that the Nigerian mortgage system was still underdeveloped in driving home ownership.

He said that a larger chunk of the FMBN resources would henceforth be channelled to providing mortgages for contributors who earn below N10 million per annum.

“Our focus is now primarily on low and medium income earners.

“If we do that there will be a profound impact in the number of people that will be able to promote home ownership in the country.

“This will address the home ownership needs of over 75 per cent of the population and promote opportunities for employment creation in a sustainable manner,” he said.

Esin said that a block of eight flats could generate 93 direct and indirect jobs per site, halve the growing housing deficit figure and create relative demand for value chain services.

He said that the Ministry of Housing was bringing a certain level of standardisation into the housing construction sector.

“This is meant to encourage people who want to invest in the value chain activities to come on board,” Esin said. (NAN)

EOA/FF/OU

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Edited by Fela Fashoro/Obike Ukoh

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Revenue

By Abdullahi Ishaq

Dutse, Oct. 27, 2016 (NAN) The Chairman, Jigawa Revenue Board, Alhaji Ibrahim Sani, says the board is making concerted efforts to increase its revenue generation.

Sani told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Thursday that the reduction in funds allocation to the state from the Federal Government made it necessary for the state government to redouble efforts at boosting its internally generated revenue.

The chairman said the board had blocked all channels through which public funds were diverted to private coffers.

He stated that there has been marked improvement in the internally generated revenue of the state since his appointment about a year ago.

He advised people of the state to always ask for genuine receipts each time they made revenue payments. (NAN)
AIS/TO/YEE

Edited by Tola Okinbaloye/Emmanuel Yashim

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Contractor
By Oluwatope Lawanson
Lagos, Oct. 27, 2016 (NAN) A contractor, Isiaka Rafiu, who allegedly stole telecom materials belonging to IHS Nig. Ltd., is facing trial at an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.

A resident of No. 9, Efe Obasuyi St., in Baruwa, Ipaja area of Lagos, the accused is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing.

Rafiu, a contractor with AIG Engineering Ltd., however, pleaded not guilty.

But the prosecutor, Insp. Ezekiel Ayorinde, told the court that the accused committed the offences with others still at large, between May 17 and June 26 at Oregun, Ikeja.

Ayorinde said the accused was contracted to move telecom materials from sites in Benue to IHS warehouse in Lagos State.

“It was later discovered that some of the materials the accused removed from the sites were diverted.

“The accused was asked to come to the IHS office, to give account of the missing items, which he never did,” he said.

Ayorinde alleged that the accused never picked his calls, as all efforts to meet him or retrieve the stolen items proved abortive, until he was recently apprehended by the police.

The offences contravened Sections 285 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Section 285 prescribes three years imprisonment for offenders.

A bail of N1 million with two sureties in like sum was granted the accused, while the Chief Magistrate, Mrs Omolade Awope, adjourned the case till Nov. 11 for mention.(NAN)

LAW/FLP/MZA
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Edited by Folorunso Poroye/Maharazu Ahmed

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Planks
By Oluwatope Lawanson
Lagos, Oct. 27, 2016 (NAN) A truck driver,Bawa Iza, who allegedly conspired with others still at large to steal planks worth N1.1 million, was on Thursday released on a bail of N500, 000 on the order of an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.

A resident of Egbeda, a Lagos suburb, Iza, 54, was arraigned for conspiracy and stealing which contravened Sections 285 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The accused conspired with others to divert and steal the planks valued at N1.1 million which he was transporting from Kogi to Lagos State,Prosecutor Ezekiel Ayorinde said.

He told the court that the accused stole the planks belonging to the complainant, Mrs Oluwabi Modinat, on Sept. 29 at No. 1, Araromi St., Ogba, Lagos.

“The accused, attached to Gred Lime Logistics Company at Amuwo-Odofin was asked to transport 100 pieces of planks from Kogi to Lagos State.

“He, however, sold the planks and converted the money to personal use.

“The case was reported to the police, and the accused was immediately arrested.”

The truck driver denied the charge and was granted a N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Section 285 prescribes three years imprisonment for stealing, while Section 409 stipulates a two-year jail term for conspiracy.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Omolade Awope, adjourned the case to Nov. 11 for mention. (NAN)

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Edited by Dele Akinsola

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Curfew
By Moses Kolo
Kafanchan (Kaduna), Oct. 27, 2016 (NAN) Authorities of Jema’a Local Government of Kaduna State have relaxed the 24-hour curfew imposed in Kafanchan following rising tension in the area.

A 24-hour curfew was imposed in Kafanchan on Sunday following tension from attacks in Godogodo Area that led to the killing of scores and destruction of property.

The Interim Council Chairman, Dr Bege Katuka, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in a telephone interview on Thursday that the curfew was relaxed to 5a.m to 10p.m., adding, “the development is due to normalcy that is gradually being restored in the local government.

“People can now go about their usual activities within the stipulated period,” he said.

Katuka said that security agencies would continue to observe routine surveillance and urged the people to comply with government’s directives.

He assured the people that the curfew would soon be completely lifted as soon as normalcy was restored in affected area.

The chairman cautioned the public, especially youths against unguided utterances and tendencies capable of breaching public peace, and urged the people to remain vigilant and report any suspected person or group of persons to the appropriate authority. (NAN)
MGK/YMU/OFN
Edited by Felix Nwadioha

Insecurity: Deputy Governor wants Southern Kaduna people to change rhetorics

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Insecurity

Kafanchan (Kaduna State), Oct. 27, 2016 (NAN) Kaduna State Government has urged stakeholders in Southern Kaduna to change their rhetorics on the insecurity challenges bedevilling the area.

Mr Barnabas Bantex, the state Deputy Governor, made the appeal at a town hall meeting in Manchok, Kaura Local Government on the lingering crisis in the area.

Bantex said the stakeholders and government must work together to build confidence and engender peace among the people.

He said that the natives and Fulanis had lived peacefully in the area for centuries, as such recent crisis should not be used to severe the bond that existed between them for a long time.

“I want the people to always consider the path of peace in their dealings with one another and desist from taking the law into their hands, ” he said.

Prof. Solomon Captain, President, Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SUKAPU), alleged that the area was facing “existential threat.”

He said that the state and Federal Government should synergise to bring about peace and harmony in the area.

The SUKAPU president called for the setting up of camps to cater for those displaced by the crisis in Godogodo chiefdom.

Earlier, a cross section of participants including religious, traditional and opinion leaders, called for more security presence in the area to tackle persistent attacks by gunmen.

They said government must also punish those involved in formenting the crisis.

They noted that the reluctance to met out penalties to perpetrators of similar acts in the past, had encouraged recurrence of the crisis.

The participants agreed that continuous dialogue was necessary to bring the crisis to an end. (NAN)

MGK/DUA/MZA
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Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

School head urge teachers, students to sustain high performance in public exams

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Performance
Ikole (Ekiti) Oct 27, 2016 (NAN) A retired school headmistress, Mrs Ruth Olugbamila has urged teachers and students in Ekiti to build on their top performance in future NECO examinations.

Olugbamila, gave the advice on Thursday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ikole Ekiti.

Ekiti emerged as the best performance in 2016 National Examination Council (NECO) results.

The former teacher noted that the current impressive performance by students in the state should be sustained and  improved upon in next year’s public examinations.

“This will make every Nigerians to know that Ekiti is truly Fountain of Knowledge’’.

She urged teachers to be selfless in carrying out their duties, saying input from teachers would play significant roles in achieving extraordinary performance by the students in public examinations.

Olugbamila, implored teachers to also update their knowledge in their respective fields, so as to use knowledge gained to uplift academic standards in public schools across the state. (NAN)
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Performance
by David Adeoye
Ikole (Ekiti) Oct 27, 2016 (NAN) Teachers and students in Ekiti have been urged to build on their 2016 National Examination Council (NECO) performance in future public examinations.

A retired school headmistress, Mrs Ruth Olugbamila, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ikole, Ekiti, on Thursday.

NAN recalls that the state emerged as the best performing state in 2016 National Examination Council (NECO) result

Olugbemila noted that the current feat by the state should be sustained and also improved upon in the 2017  West African Examination Council result “so that every Nigerians will know that Ekiti is truly Fountain of Knowledge.

She urged teachers to be selfless in carrying out their duties optimally, saying inputs from teachers would play significant role in achieving extraordinary performance of students in public schools.

She implored teachers to update their knowledge in their respective fields so as to use knowledge gained to lift academic standards in public schools across the state.

She further called on students, especially those that would write the next NECO and WAEC to be diligent in their studies and work toward surpassing the academic records of their predecessors.

She admonished them to refrain from actions that could jeopardise their academic exercise but embrace what would make them to succeed academically.

Olugbemila also appealed to parents and guardians to prioritise the school needs of their children and wards, saying adequate provision for useful items of students would enhance their academic performance.

She urged state government not to relent in doing things what would place the state in the first positions in all public examinations. (NAN)
DAK/OFN
Edited by Felix Nwadioha

No crises in Kwara APC -Spokesman

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Crisis
By Olayinka Owolewa
Ilorin, Oct., 27, 2016 (NAN) The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara has described as untrue and misleading reports that crisis was brewing over the appointment of Transition Implementation Committee.

The state Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari, dismissed the report in a statement in Ilorin on Thursday.

“It is untrue that there exists brewing crisis in our party over the appointment of persons into the Transition Implementation Committee.

“Therefore, we urge members of our party in Kwara to disregard the misleading report.

“While it is true that the leadership of the party has requested for the submission of names across the 193 wards in the state, we want to emphasize that we have experienced party administrators in our party.

“We can assure party members and the people of Kwara that the nomination process into the proposed Transition Implementation Committee will be hitch-free.

“The party will ensure justice and equity in the entire process.

“We also want to assure party members who tirelessly worked for the success of the party during the elections that their contributions will not be in vain,” Buhari said.

He said the party believed that the idea of the Transition Implementation Committee for the 16 local governments in the state was in the best interest of the people.

Buhari noted that the state government was working round the clock to ensure it conduct the local government polls as soon as funds were available. (NAN)
OOH/OFN
Edited by Felix Nwadioha

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Emergency
Kafanchan (Kaduna), Oct. 27, 2016 (NAN) A member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, Mr Labari Tella, has said that the Federal Government should declare “a State of Emergency’’ to curb killings in Southern Kaduna.

Tella, who represents Jema’a Local Government made this known when he spoke with newsmen at Manchok, Kaura Local Government on Wednesday.

He decried the insecurity in Southern Kaduna, especially Godogodo Chiefdom and urged the Federal Government to give marching orders to security operatives to engage the attackers in their hide outs.

“The Federal Government should direct the soldiers to enter into the bush and fish out the attackers instead of operating just on the main road,” he said.

The lawmaker, who expressed concern over the untold hardship displaced persons were exposed to, also urged government to as a matter of urgency provide relief materials to cushion the effect of the crisis.

According to him, the declaration of a state of emergency will stem the tide and promote mutual trust and understanding amongst diverse communities in the area. (NAN)
MGK/OFN
Edited by Felix Nwadioha