NAN-AE-8
Flood
Lokoja, Sept. 26, 2016 ( NAN) Residents residing along the banks of Rivers Niger and Benue in Lokoja are now gripped with fear of possibility of flooding as the water level in both rivers rose to 9.2 centimetre.
A statement issued on Monday in Lokoja by Kogi state Ministry of Environment, confirmed that the water level in both rivers was close to the 9.9 centimetres which led to the 2012 flooding.
“With this development, flooding is very likely in some communities along rivers Niger and Benue and their tributaries,’’ the statement, signed by Ms Dorathy Onoja, Public Relations Officer of the ministry said.
It advised residents living along river plains to immediately relocate to higher grounds for safety of their lives and property.
A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN), who visited some communities on the bank of River Niger, reports that the river might overflow its bank anytime from now.
NAN observed that some of the apprehensive residents were packing their personal effects in case of any eventuality.
NAN recalled that the 2012 flood ravaged 43 communities in nine local government areas of the state.
No less than 33 persons lost their lives while properties including houses, livestock and farms worth billions of naira were destroyed in the disaster. (NAN)
KKA/AEA
========
NAN-H-54
Prosecution
By Yetunde Fatungase
Abeokuta, Sept 26, 2016 (NAN) The Ogun Police Command says it will prosecute a Pentecostal pastor, Wale Fagbere, who allegedly invaded a traditional shrine in Ketu area of Ayetoro in Ogun.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Mr Abimbola Oyeyemi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abeokuta on Monday that the cleric would be charged for malicious damage and conduct likely to cause a breach of public peace.
“What he did was wrong and so he must be charged to court. If it was the other way round too, they will also be charged to court.
“Everyone has a right to worship whatever deity one chooses without fear or favour, “he said.
Oyeyemi, however, said he could not tell in which court the accused would be arraigned as at press time.
NAN reports that Fagbere on Saturday attempted to pull down a traditional shrine in Ketu, Yewa North Local Government Area of the state.
But he was reported to have immediately gone numb upon entering the shrine, attracting a crowd to the scene.
He, however, regained consciousness after the traditional ruler of the town, Oba Abdulaziz Adelakun, intervened and directed that some some traditional rites be carried out on him. (NAN)
YAF/KOO/OJO
===========
(Edited by Kevin Okunzuwa and controlled Mufutau Ojo)
By Donald Ugwu
Abuja, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has said that Nigeria is not in debt crisis but only facing “a liquidity problem”.
Adesina made the clarification while addressing State House Correspondents after a delegation of the bank met with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the Economic Management Team (EMT) in Abuja on Monday.
He said that although the country is facing tough times, it is not falling apart as is being feared in some quarters.
Cue in audio 1 (Adesina)
“We are here to provide very strong support for the Nigerian government.
“And let me just say that Nigeria has tough times, but Nigeria is not falling apart.
“And when people talk about debt crisis, Nigeria is not in a debt crisis.
“If you look at the fiscal deficit of this country with regard to the GDP it is just about 3 per cent or 3.5 per cent; it is still below the 5 per cent for the Fiscal Responsibility Act.
“If you look in terms of the debt to GDP ratio for Nigeria, it’s 15 per cent.
“So there is no debt crisis in Nigeria, what you have is a liquidity problem and we are trying our best to be able to help the country to solve that to be able to drive down inflation.
“To be able to also make sure that working with the government they provide the necessary incentives to the private sector because to come out of recession needs more than government.
“It needs the private sector; so incentives are going to be very important.
“The Minister of Finance talks of all raft of incentives they are going to give and I think that is the right direction.
“Am I happy to be here? I just want to say that Nigeria is not falling apart; I think we are here to support Nigeria.
“Nigeria will come out of this as a better more diversified and more resilient economy than it went through recession. I believe that.’’
Cue out audio 1
The AfDB president said the organisation was not a fair weather friend of the country, but was there to provide very strong support for the Federal Government.
The Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, stated that the Federal Government is elated to receive the Nigerian head of the AfDB, describing him as one the country is proud of.
She said that the government would work in harmony with the AfDB to grow the economy of the country.
Cue in audio 2 (Adeosun)
“I think what has been a great relief to us in the Economic Management Team (EMT) is the amount of synergy between what we are trying to do and what the AfDB repositioned and Dr Adesina is focusing on.
“And most of the sectors and the specific programmes that the bank has are the various areas that we feel we want to focus on for the growth of the economy.’’
Cue out audio 2
The minister said that the Federal Government was looking at the assistance from the $1 billion budget support.
She said that beyond that there were a number of loans and initiatives around agriculture, job creation for youths, solid minerals development, and women empowerment through access to finance for small and medium scale ventures.
Adeosun said that the programmes were key targets of the economic management team in particular and the present administration as well.
The minister described the bank as a great partner and supporter as it is providing the administration with technical support in various areas of economy to aid recovery. (NAN)
DCU/YEE
Nobel Peace Prize winner tasks African leaders on selective implementation of SDGs
NAN-F10
Leaders
By Ekemini Yemi-Ladejobi
New York, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) Ms Leymah Gbowee, Liberian-born 2011 Nobel Peace Prize winner, has called on African leaders to put aside politics of selective funding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Gbowee who is also the UN advocate for the SDGs disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday at the UN headquarters in New York.
She said that for Africa to do well, Africans leaders must deliberately put aside the politics of selective funding and put in place, a holistic kind of funding for our people to benefit.
“Governments need to deliberately decide ways to engage civil society as partners just as they are engaging the wealthy people as partners, the private business people, because sometimes people see civil societies as a nuisance to society.
“But civil societies are the ones that hold the governments to account and I think once they forge a strong partnership around the SDGs, we are going somewhere and also making progress,” she said.
Gbowee who spoke on women’s participation in governance, said there is the need to copy the western world on women participation in governance, adding that time has come for African leaders to appreciate women’s roles and skills.
“Until they begin to see their contributions as crucial, the continent will not develop.
“I think it’s time for governments to recognize and appreciate and begin to use the women skills”.
According to her, if you go to the villages in our communities in Nigeria, who is holding the economy of these villages in Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and other African countries?. It is the women.
“I think government needs to start to put monetary values on the works the women and see how much the women are doing and really begin to appreciate it.
“Over time globally, people tend to just deal with those who they think are making strong contributions and because in most of our society we have women farmers in small scale business people, you find a vast majority of women in those areas.
Gbowee also expressed concerns for some African leaders she described as “Sit tight” leaders, saying that that they are doing disservice to the people of the continent.
She said though people say Africa is moving forward and doing great in entrepreneurship, business, innovations, “but when it comes to leadership there’s a lot of rolling back.
” “We are taking many steps backward and I think that one word that I can use is this quote that the President of the UN General Assembly used at the opening day, he says, ” politicians think about the next elections, statesmen think about the next generations,” she added
Gbowee said the time has come for African people to start voting into offices in Africa people who are really trying to consciously engage the next generation and not those who have the right political rhetoric.
She said people should start voting for leaders who have platforms that addresses economy, health care, education, and the basic needs of the people and not people who come and speak “a lot and steal a lot, I think that is where the crux of the matter is”.
She appealed to the media to educate the electorates on the need to vote the right people into office.
“You should not just wait for election year to educate people, begin right after the first election for example in Nigeria it is four years so, you begin immediately after the last elections,” she added.
NAN reports that Gbowee is a peace activist responsible for leading a women’s peace movement, Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace that helped bring an end to the Second Liberian Civil War in 2003. (NAN)
(Edited by Julius Enehikhuere)
NAN-AE-7
Electricity
By Rukayat Adeyemi
Lagos, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) Residents of Shagari Estate, Mosan-Okunola Local Council Development Area, Lagos, have been thrown into darkness as the base of some electric poles in the area have been eroded.
Investigation by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reveals that the Ikeja Electric Distribution Company (IKEDC) had switched off electric supply to the area to avert impending danger.
This is because the basement of one of the poles carrying 33KVA electric lines has been greatly eroded.
Mr Olufemi Ojo, the Community Development Association (CDA) Chairman in the area, told NAN that the problem had been on for a long time.
Ojo said that the case had been reported to the Sole Administrator of the LCDA, Mr Rotimi Ogunwuyi, and other relevant government agencies, but that nothing was done to remedy the situation.
According to him, continuous rainfall for the past two weeks has further weakened the concrete base.
He said that emergency agencies had also visited the site to evaluate the problem and proffer solution.
“From investigations, the problem was caused by blockage of the canal by illegal structures in the area.
“There are also houses built even under the high electric tension.
“LASEMA told us in confidence that the repair will be done holistically and some houses would be demolished,’’ Ojo told NAN.
The LCDA administrator, Ogunwuyi urged the Ikeja Electric Distribution Company to urgently repair a collapsing pole at the Shagari Estate, before wreaking havoc.
He told NAN that the situation constituted threat to the lives and property of residents in the areas.
Ogunwuyi said the pole, located at Zone A, AB Str., Shagari Federal Low Cost Hosing Estate, on Ipaja road, had slipped out of its basement and could fall any moment soon.
He said that the problem was caused by erosion which is eating up the base of the pole.
Ogunwuyi said erosion has been eating the base for close to five years and that the council had been reported the matter to appropriate authorities.
According to him, there is nothing the State Government could do until the IKEDC is ready to repair the pole base.
“I have spoken with an official of the IKEDC in the area, who also claimed to have reported to the head office at Ikeja.
“I have also notified the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and its officials had come to inspect the erosion devastated site.
“Any rainfall may cause serious disaster in the area,’’ he said.
Ogunwuyi noted that it would be a great disaster if nothing was done in time to avert the impending danger.
The administrator said he had advised occupants of the nearby houses to vacate the site in order to avert endangering their lives.
Meanwhile, an official of the IKEDC, Gowon Estate branch in the area said that efforts were in top gear to ensure that the problem was fixed.
The official, who pleaded anonymity, however told NAN that the matter had been reported to IKEDC headquarters in Ikeja.
“We will swing into action as soon as the needed equipment and facilities to remedy the situation are available.
“However, the head office is in a better position to say the level of preparation,’’ he said. (NAN)
RUKY/AIB/AFA
Edited by Abdulfatah Babatunde/Felix Ajide
===============================
Erosion threatens high tension pole in Shagari Federal Low Cost Housing Estate, Iyana Ipaja, Lagos
No debt crisis in Nigeria but liquidity problem — Adesina
NAN-HE-19
Debt
Abuja, Sept. 26, 2016(NAN) The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has dispelled the fears being expressed in some quarters about the country being in debt crisis.
He made the clarification while addressing State House Correspondents after a delegation of the bank met with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the Economic Management Team (EMT).
Adesina said the country was facing tough times but added that it was not in debt crisis but rather having liquidity problems.
“We are here to provide very strong support for the Nigerian government.
“Let me just say that Nigeria has tough times but Nigeria is not falling apart.
“When people talk about debt crisis, Nigeria is not in a debt crisis.
“If you look at the fiscal deficit of this country with regard to the GDP, it is just about 3 per cent or 3.5 percent; it is still below the 5 per cent for the Fiscal Responsibility Act.
“If you look in terms of the debt to GDP ratio for Nigeria, it is 15 per cent.
“So there is no debt crisis in Nigeria, what you have is a liquidity problem and we are trying our best to be able to help the country to solve that to be able to drive down inflation.
“To be able to also make sure that working with the government, they provide the necessary incentives to the private sector because to come out of recession needs more than government.
“It needs the private sector, so incentives are going to be very important.
“The Minister of Finance talks of all raft of incentives they are going to give and I think that is the right direction.
“Am I happy to be here? I just want to say that Nigeria is not falling apart; I think we are here to support Nigeria.
“Nigeria will come of this as a better more diversified and more resilient economy than it went through recession. I believe that.’’
The AfDB president said the organization was not a fair weather friend of the country but was there to provide very strong support for the Federal Government.
The Finance Minister, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, said that the Federal Government was elated to receive the Nigerian head of the AfDB, describing him as one the country was proud of.
She said the government would work in synergy with the AfDB to grow the economy of the country.
“I think what has been a great relief to us in the Economic Management Team (EMT) is the amount of synergy between what we are trying to do and what the AfDB repositioned and Dr Adesina is focusing on.
“And most of the sectors and the specific programmes that the bank has and all the various areas that we feel that we want to focus on for the growth of the economy.’’
The minister said that the Federal Government was looking at the assistance from the $1 billion budget support.
She said that beyond that there were a number of loans and initiatives around agriculture, job creation for youths, solid minerals, women empowerment and women access to finance for small and medium scale enterprises.
Adeosun said the programmes were key targets of the EMT and also what the administration was interested in delivering.
The minister described the bank as a great partner and supporter, adding that the government was confident that the bank was providing the administration with technical support in various areas of economic recovery.(NAN)
DCU/IA
====
Abuja, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) As the world celebrates `World Tourism Day (WTD)’, Mr Aliyu Badaki has urged government at all levels to reflect, harness and promote the country’s tourism potential to boost the economy .
Badaki, President of Hospitality and Tourism Management Association of Nigeria (HATMAN), said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.
He said Nigeria had nothing to celebrate, adding that there was nothing tangible to show in terms of tourism destinations in the country.
“The World Tourism Day should be a day to reflect back on where we started tourism and where we are today.
“As far as I am concerned, there is not much to show except what this administration is trying to package through the Presidential Council on Tourism.
“If they can quickly inaugurate and kick-start their work; it would go a long way to promote the sector.
“But unfortunately, recession has set in; and it is affecting the industry in terms of peoples’ movement; no money, workshops that need to be held are not being held.
“Levies, multiple taxes and overhead on hotels are problems that do not allow tourism to thrive; but if some of these things are taken care of, it will help,’’ Badaki said.
The HATMAN president emphasised on the promotion of cultural festivals and destinations to attract tourists into the country.
He said “the level of the way we promote our tourism sites are low and destinations are not well developed.’’
According to him, the country has a lot of cultural festivals which are capable of attracting people all over the world, are not being promoted for people to know.
“We also have some artifacts across the country that is worth looking at, but are not being taken care of and promoted.
“Most of our game reserves are left fallow; what we have in `Obudu’ can compete favourably with any part of the world.
“But if they are not adequately showcased or articulated to be able to be promoted, it will be a difficult thing.
“If government can create an enabling environment where private sector can come in to develop such tourism attractions, it will go a long way to transform the industry,’’ he said.
The HATMAN president stressed the need to train tour guards, travel agencies and those in the hospitality sectors.
“If they are well trained and all these things are well promoted and harnessed, we are good to go.’’
NAN reports that the formal celebration of the 2016 `World Tourism Day’ would be held in Bangkok, Thailand, on Sept. 27 in collaboration with Cable News Network (CNN).
The theme is “Tourism for All-Promoting Universal Accessibility.’’ (NAN)
Orba (Enugu State), Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) The Enugu State Government will spend at least N3.4 billion on the upgrade of rural infrastructure in the 17 local government areas of the state in 2017, Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi has said.
Ugwuanyi made the disclosure in Orba on Monday when he received the people of Ezeagu Local Government Area of the state ,who visited him at home to thank him.
The governor said that the 2017 financial year would be action packed in the councils, adding that each had been mandated to forward its projects to the state government.
He said that the rural areas needed to be made catalysts for development and added that his administration would not renege in its commitment to raise the living standard of the people.
“Our administration has resolved to implement projects worth between N200 million and N300 million in each of the 17 local government areas which will be captured in next year’s budget.
“We have appealed to each council to agree and furnish us with what their most pressing needs are,” he said.
Ugwuanyi expressed satisfaction with his guests, adding that the inauguration of an economic team by the council was a giant leap that needed to be replicated by all council chairmen in the state.
The governor commended his deputy, Mrs Cecelia Ezeilo, an indigene of the local government area, who had been consistent in her support.
Ugwuanyi said that the several road projects by his administration would be completed at the stipulated periods.
Earlier, the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Ezeagu Local Government, Mr Chukwudi Ezinwa, said the people were delighted that the governor appointed indigenes of the area into positions of authority.
Ezinwa said that the people would continue to support the governor to achieve his dream for the state. (NAN)
EOA/JCE
========
We’ll key into diversification agenda, says Science & Technology Minister
Minister
NAN-H-24
Diversification
By Tatu Zubairu
Birnin Kebbi, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonaya Onu, on Monday advised the youths to key into the diversification agenda to create jobs and improve the economy.
Onu made this known during a courtesy visit to the Kebbi State Governor, Sen. Atiku Bagudu, in Birnin Kebbi.
He said that the ministry had already keyed into the programme to help address unemployment in the country.
“We have been asking our young people to go back to the farm but they have refused; they prefer to make as much money as people in real estate or in mining or in other areas,” the minister said.
He noted that every aspect of agriculture was dependent on technology, adding that agriculture was crucial to the diversification of the economy.
“Our economy was characterised by agriculture at independence and we exported groundnut, rubber, cocoa and palm oil.
“We did not even diversify the agricultural sector, such that we were exporting cocoa but on the other hand we were importing chocolate.
“We neglected agriculture when we got crude oil and natural gas even though we were the sixth largest exporter of crude oil in the world.
“For many years we were exporting petroleum and importing refined petroleum products and you can see the pressure on our currency presently,’’ the minister said.
Earlier, Gov. Bagudu said Kebbi State recorded about six to seven tones of various agricultural produce in the last 15 months.
He said that all the 21 local government areas of the state planted and recorded a minimum of three tonnes of wheat per hectare during the last season.
“With more application of science and technology, we will still produce more; we will seek more collaboration so that we can achieve this.
“We did not only record input and output, our farmers are our heroes,’’ Bagudu said. (NAN)
SZT/NNO/WOJ
============
(Edited by Wale Ojetimi)
NAN-H-46
Students
By Olayinka Owolewa
Ilorin, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) The authorities of Kwara State Polytechnic, Ilorin, says it has expelled five students for committing various offences contrary to their matriculation oath.
Mr AbdulRahman Muhammad, the Assistant Registrar (Academic Affairs), made this known in a statement in Ilorin on Monday.
Muhammad explained that their expulsion was sequel to the approval of the report of the Students’ Disciplinary Committee and in accordance with Section 14.2 of the Students Regulations.
He identified the students as Murthado Olanrewaju, Elebiju Rotimi, Adam AbdulAzeez, Muhammed Habeeb, and Khalid Olamilekan R.
The institution also rusticated one Olutayo Oluwatobi Elizabeth while it withheld the result of Toluwaleke Gbenga Adeniyi.
Muhammad said that all the affected students were to vacate the institution’s campuses immediately and hand over all polytechnic property in their custody to their respective Heads of Department. (NAN)
OOH/FF/OJO
==========
(Edited by Fela Fashoro and controlled by Mufutau Ojo)
