Blog

NAN-H-103
EFCC
By Emmanuel Acha
Enugu, Oct. 12, 2016 (NAN) The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned one Ikechukwu Onyia in Enugu for allegedly issuing N3 million dud cheque to offset his indebtedness to a friend.

The zonal office of the commission in Enugu said in a statement on Wednesday that the accused was brought before an Enugu High Court on a four-count charge of obtaining money by false pretences.

Onyia was accused of issuing a Fidelity Bank dud cheque number 17598860 dated April 8, 2015 of N3 million in favour of one Emeka Okonkwo.

The statement said the offence contravened the Dishonored Cheques Offences Act, Cap D11, Laws of the Federation, 2004. 

It also alleged that the accused, formerly of EMEL Group of Companies in Lagos, had in January 2015 got a N3 million loan from Okonkwo to enable him to import baby diapers.

The deal, according to the EFCC, was an agreement to pay an interest of N1.5 million in return for the capital.

However, the accused was alleged to have at various times issued six post-dated cheques to the complainant after failing to pay the capital and interest.

When the charges were read, Onyia pleaded not guilty.

The prosecution counsel, Mr Muhammad Shehu, prayed the court to remand him in prison custody.

However, the defence counsel, Mr C. B. Onovo, applied for bail on the strength of a motion for bail dated Oct. 10 and filed on Oct. 11.

 Meanwhile, the EFCC said that after a thorough investigation, it discovered that the company the accused fronted, Alteal Enterprises, was fictitious and without presence in the registered address.

The commission alleged that further investigations revealed that the accused fraudulently entered into the deal to use the loan to offset debts incurred from his former office which led to his dismissal. 

In his ruling, Justice C.O. Ajah granted the accused bail in the sum of N500,000 and one surety in like sum, and adjourned the case to Nov. 7 for trial. (NAN)
EOA/MNA/MVO
(Edited by Maureen Atuonwu/Mbadiwe Okwor)

NAN-H-99

Development
By Bushrah Yusuf-Badmus
Ilorin, Oct. 12, 2016 (NAN) The Vice-Chancellor of Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete near Ilorin, Prof. Abdulrasheed Na’Allah, on Wednesday urged universities and other institutions in the country to impact positively on their host communities.

The vice-chancellor gave the advice in Malete while declaring open the third edition of the Community Development Practitioners’ Consultative Workshop.

Na’Allah, represented by KWASU’s Dean of School of Allied Health and Environmental Sciences, Dr Henry Sawyer, also called on the institutions to identify the social needs of the communities for solution.

“When universities are established, they are situated in communities, but when these universities start functioning, they only develop their academia society,’’ he said.

Na’Allah said such societal development often excluded what was supposed to be the institution’s social responsibility or social impact in those communities.

“Consequent to that are the communal clashes that follow, involving the students and community residents.

“Therefore, institutions, either old or upcoming ones, must make the communities they are sited in as a theme of their establishment.

“They should ask themselves the question `if you can’t make an impact on your community, how do you impact on the larger society?’,’’ he said.

The vice-chancellor said the importance of the community in enhancing learning was the motive for KWASU’s motto of “University for Community Development’’.

Na’Allah said the workshop would be an eye-opener for other institutions to include community development in their programmes.
“The importance of the community can never be overemphasised. So, I think with this we will be able to draw a road map for positive development in communities hosting our institutions.

“This conference should serve as a model for institutions in the area of community development.’’

In his address, the Global Vice-President, International Association for Community Development (IACD), Prof. Mohammed Shittu, said it was unfortunate that only two universities in Nigeria were community focused.

“It is on record in Nigeria that only two higher institutions are community development oriented. They are KWASU and American University of Nigeria (AUN), Yola.

“They are genuinely community-focussed and what I mean by this is that, all their underlining philosophy, vision and mission and programmes, both academic and research, are in the area of working with communities.

“It is sad that most of the universities do not align with the communities where they are sited.

“Even the ones that have been established for years don’t carry out community service engagements. They only do ad hoc programmes and think it is community development.

“Rather than do something for the communities, institutions should do something with the communities,’’ Shittu said.

He added that one of the goals of IACD was to partner with institutions on redirecting their programmes.

“Part of our intention is to see that we partner with institutions to see how we can reach out to their management to redirect their actions in becoming community-oriented.

“We are already working towards that,” Shittu said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the conference, which has the theme “Facilitating
Community Development through Institutional Engagements’’ has 38 participants.

The conference which started on Wednesday will end on Thursday.(NAN)

(Edited by Dada Ahmed and Olawale Alabi)

NAN-H-100

Budget

Abuja, Oct. 12, 2016 (NAN) Leader of the Senate, Sen. Ali Ndume, said ongoing budget review initiated by the Senate was part of National Assembly’s commitment to ending recurrent problems in annual budget implementation.

Ndume, who is the Chairman of the Budget Process Review Committee of the Senate, stated this while briefing newsmen shortly after the committee’s meeting in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said that it was high time major stakeholders ensured that the country’s budget processes complied with international best practices.

“We are doing this to bring the best out of our budget processes, eliminate waste, introduce professionalism, and increase transparency and accountability.

“It is subject to adoption and if adopted, will improve our budget process,’’ he said.

He commended the Federal Government for its commitment to the process, adding that it was the first time the executive and legislature were working on improving the nation’s budget process.

Ndume said the review process was part of the Eight Assembly’s agenda in ensuring sustainable development, adding that the senate would continue to interface with the executive to bring it to fruition.

Similarly, the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Mr Ben Akabueze, said that the reform would help to tackle problems often associated with the country’s annual budget planning and implementation.

He said that the present administration was fully committed to ensuring that the mistakes of the past were corrected to move the country forward.

“This is a commendable initiative by the National Assembly as it attempts to give the nation a budget law that will guide the formulation, preparation, enactment and implementation of our annual budget.

“It is the way to go because that is how it is in some of the more advanced nations in the world.

“Surprisingly, this is a coincidence of thinking from the executive and the legislature because for instance, even without a law, one of the things this law seeks to achieve is to enact a budget calendar.

“For 2017 budget, the Ministry of Budget and Planning actually took a calendar to the Federal Executive Council, which was approved and we are bound to follow that calendar,’’ he said.

The director-general expressed optimism that if the report of the committee was adopted, it would ensure that going forward, budget planning would not be left to anybody’s discretion. (NAN)

CJM/EAL/OPI

Edited by Ekemini Ladejobi and Olisa Ifeajika

NAN-H-98

Arrears

By Bukola Adewumi

Abuja, Oct. 12, 2016 (NAN) The Nigeria Union of Pensioners has commended the Federal Government for the payment of 12 months arrears of 33 per cent pension increase to civilian pensioners in the country.

Dr Abel Afolayan, the National General Secretary of the union, made the commendation in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

”We are very appreciative of the payment of 30 months arrears of same to the entire para-military pensioners of our union comprising Customs, Immigration and Prisons.

“We are not unmindful of the current economic situation of the country, especially this season of economic recession; President Muhammadu Buhari has really shown his great love for pensioners.”

Afolayan appealed to the Federal Government to ensure speedy payment of the 18 months balance of the arrears to the civilian pensioners.

“We were surprised that as the civilian pensioners collected 24 months, para-military got the entire 42 months arrears and the Nigerian military pensioners got 42 months.

“It is surprising that the Nigeria Police pensioners got only three months; how on earth can someone explain this grave injustice done to the police pensioners? ” he asked.

Afolayan appealed to Buhari to use his good offices to address the injustice being done to members of the Nigeria Police.

He said that it would be disheartening to see pensioners who had used their youthful period to serve the nation, wallow in endless expectation of their pension. (NAN)

BOL/ORO/NKO

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Edited by Razak Owolabi/Nkechi Okoronkwo

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NAN-H-97
Complex
By Akeem Abas
Ibadan, Oct. 12, 2016 (NAN) The Oyo State Government on Wednesday in Ibadan signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a consortium of developers on the renovation of Agbowo Shopping Complex in Ibadan.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the MoU was signed with  Agbowo Mall Infrastructure Development Company Limited at the office of Alhaji Ishmael Alli, the Secretary to the State Government.

NAN reports that following the signing of the MoU, the state government has given the previous occupants of the complex two weeks to vacate the premises for work to commence.

In his remarks, Alli said that the initiative was part of government’s efforts at repositioning moribund commercial structures in the state.

He stated that the complex after renovation would accommodate substantial number of traders which would in turn curb street trading in the state.

Mr Tunde Shonekan, the representative of the private developer, said that the renovation would gulp over N8 billion and would be completed within 30 months.

NAN recalls that Agbowo Shopping complex was constructed in 1984 by the Oyo State Government and managed by the State Housing Corporation.

The expansive shopping complex located in front of the University of Ibadan had become dilapidated.

Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State had in 2012 signified his intention to develop the high-rise building and turn it into luxury apartments. (NAN)
TAA/OJO
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(Edited and controlled by Mufutau Ojo)

IHVN provides 2.3m Nigerians with HIV testing services

NAN-HG-10
HIV
By Jessica Onyegbula
Abuja, Oct. 12, 2016 (NAN) The Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) says it is providing more than 2.3 million Nigerians with HIV testing and treatment services.

The Chief Executive Officer of the institute, Dr Patrick Dakum, disclosed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

The statement was signed by Mr Dennis Mordi, the Communication Manager of IHVN.

Dakum said that more people were being tested and placed on anti-retroviral treatment in nine priority local government areas in Benue, Nasarawa and the FCT Abuja.

According to him, more than 2.3 million people have been provided with HIV testing services out of which over 25,000 people tested positive to HIV.

The chief executive officer added that more than 23,000 people living with HIV have been placed on treatment.

Dakum said that the IHVN is currently working in eight local government areas to achieve epidemic control as part of the 90-90-90 strategy of reaching 90 per cent of people in communities with high burden of HIV with HIV testing services.

This “includes giving quality treatment to 90 per cent of those identified as HIV positive and ensuring viral suppression in at least 90 per cent of those being treated.

“The significance of achieving epidemic control is that new infections are not as high as people who are being placed on treatment,’’ he said.

He pledged that IHVN would continue to support the maintenance of treatment for current patients in the other local government areas within its funding.

The IHVN chief executive also assured that quality treatment would be given to 90 per cent of those identified as HIV positive and ensuring viral suppression in at least 90 per cent of those being treated.

He said that epidemic control has resulted in the reduction of the burden of HIV in Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

“600 people in Obi LGA living with HIV were newly placed on HIV treatment out of the 773 people that tested positive to HIV.

“This was possible due to the collaboration with government, public and private partners and community-based organisations,” Dakum said.

He said that 95 per cent epidemic control was attained in Buruku Local Government Area of Benue, thereby reducing new HIV infections in Karu, Nasarawa, Doma and Lafia local government areas of Nasarawa State.

Ushongo and Konshisha local government areas of and Benue, and Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) and Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory are the other beneficiaries of the intervention programme. (NAN)
JESY/MST/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Exclusive breast feeding will end child malnutrition – Nutritionist

NAN-HG-9

Malnutrition

By Aisha Ahmed

Kano, Oct. 12, 2016 (NAN) Malam Murtala Inuwa, a nutritionist with the Kano State Primary HealthCare Management Board, says exclusive breast feeding will end malnutrition among children.

Inuwa told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Kano that high rate of malnutrition originated from lack of exclusive breastfeeding.

He explained that “breast feeding occur at three stages with the first feeding being exclusively water, then a slightly concentrated one and finally the one with full nutrients”.

Inuwa noted that many mothers hardly exercise patience for the child to feed to the last stage, which was the most important stage containing all the nutrients a child needed.

However, he stressed the need for mothers to exercise patience until the child feeds on the core, thus sweating furiously before they switched between the breasts.

The nutritionist called for the need to create awareness amongst parents and health workers that no food could substitute exclusive breastfeeding.

Inuwa further charged mothers to eat healthy food in order to feed their children exclusively so as to fight the acute malnutrition level in the state. (NAN)

AAA/MST/MST

Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

NAN-H-96

Tax

By Bukola Adewumi

Abuja, Oct. 12, 2016 (NAN) The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Wednesday in Abuja advocated for what it called tax justice which would ensure that the rich paid more tax.

It also called for the probe of those indicted in the Panama Papers.

Panama Papers is a leakage of sensitive documents detailing how political world leaders, celebrities, athletes, FIFA officials among others, laundered  money using anonymous shell corporations across the world.

NLC President Ayuba Wabba made the demand  at a rally to  canvass for the halt  in illicit financial flow from Africa.

He said it had become necessary to punish those guilty of tax evasion as well as personalities indicted in the Panama Papers.

Wabba said that there must be tax justice that would make the rich to subsidise the poor and not the poor subsidising the rich as currently is the case.

According to him, a situation where only the working class and the poor pay tax is unacceptable.

Wabba said that  such anomaly must be corrected as it amounts to corruption

“The normal thing is for the rich to subsidise the poor as done in developed countries.

“ But in Nigeria, it is the poor that subsidises the rich; the poor must stop servicing the rich.”

The NLC President said payment of tax would impact positively on the economy and the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

Wabba noted that Panama Papers exposed some of the heinous crimes by the rich, adding that the Federal Government should swing into action by taking a look at the papers and punish whoever was found culpable.

He said that  it would  be a good step, if the Federal Government could initiate probe and sanction culprits.

Documents numbering 11.5 million held by Panama-based Mossack Fonseca were released to Süddeutsche Zeitung, a German newspaper, and an International Consortium of Investigative Journalists.

The Panamanian law firm, regarded as one of the world’s most secretive companies, according to the documents, has helped clients launder money, dodge sanctions and evade tax.

Prominent Nigerians named to have links with the offshore assets revealed in the Panama Papers include Senate President, Bukola Saraki, former Senate President David Mark  and former Delta State Gov. James Ibori.

Others are Industry mogul Aliko Dangote, his cousin, Sayu Dantata and a former Army chief and Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NLC president led a protest march and submitted a letter to the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, to register the displeasure of the congress  with the illicit financial flow from Africa.

NAN reports that the Minister was said to have gone for the Federal Executive Council meeting, but Mr Muhammed Dikwa, the Acting Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, received the group on behalf of the minister.

Dikwa said that the Muhammadu Buhari administration was poised to block all financial loopholes, adding that the ministry was working hard to correct tax discrepancies.

He said the minister was working hard to ensure that justice reigned in  the collection of taxes, adding that all illicit financial activities would be addressed.

NAN reports that placards were displayed with inscriptions such as “No to Tax Haven”; “Tax Justice Now”; “PMB probe Panama papers’ leaks” and “$50 billion lost to illicit financial flows can do a lot for Africa”. (NAN)

BOL/DO/NKO

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Edited by David Onilede/Nkechi Okoronkwo

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NAN-H-95
Journalists
By Moses Omorogieva
Lagos, Oct. 12, 2016 (NAN) No fewer than 57 journalists drawn from different media organisations, including the Ministry of Information, were on Wednesday in Lagos trained on tackling cyber crimes.

The training programme was organised by the Lagos Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), in collaboration with Cyber Security Experts Association of Nigeria (CSEAN), at Ladi Lawal Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja.

One of the facilitators, Mr Kingsley Robert, who spoke on the dangers of public Wi-Fi Network usage, said such connection exposes one to hackers.

Robert warned that cyber crime, in no distant time, would be the main issue nations of the world would pay attention to, stressing that guns and bombs would be relatively useless.

He said journalists needed to know the dangers associated with some of the equipment used for their operations such as mobile phone, laptop, flash drive and print-out machine among others.

“When you go to public places like airport, stadium and hotels, you have access to wi-fi network, thinking it is free. Nothing is free in internet.

“Somebody is operating such network for a reason. As soon as you connect to such network that the operators are not known, you expose yourself.

“When you are in public, do not access sensitive documents in your system,’’ he said.

The Lagos Council NUJ Chairman, Mr Deji Olumoye, while declaring open the forum, urged journalists to take their personal security very serious.

Olumoye said that journalists working at all times needed to be cautious of their movement and places they go.

He said that security goes beyond life and property, stressing that the council organised the training session for members so as to secure them and others.

Mrs Sekinah Lawal, Lagos NAWOJ Chairperson, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the training was very useful, stressing that many things people take for granted were identified as dangerous if not properly handled.

Lawal called for more of such training programmes for other journalists.

Mr Raymond Tedunjaiye of the New Nigerian Newspapers said the forum was an eye opener on cyber networks, stressing that he was better informed on internet-related crimes.

Mrs Mary Fatile of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria said the training programme had taught her how to keep a password safe and ways to avoid hackers. (NAN)
MIO/FF/OJO
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(Edited by Fela Fashoro and controlled by Mufutau Ojo)

NAN-ELS-5
Youths
By Collins Yakubu-hammer
Abuja, Oct. 12, 2016 (NAN) A record company, Arewa Entertainment (AE), on Wednesday, says
it is set to use entertainment to deradicalise the minds of youths in the Northeast to make them shun violence and vices.

Its Chief Executive Officer, Mr Ibrahim Ahmed, also known as “Funkiest Mallam” made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

He said “I feel that most of the vices and crisis especially around the Northeast are perpetrated by youths.

“They are the ones being used to carry out most atrocities, so we want to use entertainment, which is the best language that the youths like, to deradicalise their minds.

“There are many of them who are talented in one way or the other; we want to bring entertainment to them and talk to them to embrace peace.”

The “Ga lemu” hit maker and self acclaimed “Arewa Champion” also said that he had recorded a peace music album with 21 artistes.

He explained that he assembled the artistes and would be going to the Northeast to kick-start the deradicalisation process.

He added that “we would assemble youths in each state visited to sensitise them about the ills of vices and atrocities on the society; we would also partner with the state governments to achieve our goal.

“Nevertheless, in our capacity, we would provide technical support to train some of the youths in movie production, sound production, camera and all that.

“With such skills, most of them would be able to get jobs to do and take care of themselves.

“However, I am grateful that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is working to see that there is peace in the country.” (NAN)
CMY/AK/HA
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(Edited by Akin Makanjuola/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu)