Blog

Farmer urges Sokoto Govt. to establish sugar factory to boost economy

NAN-AE-5

Factory

By Muhammad Bello

Yabo (Sokoto State), Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) A sugar cane farmer, Alhaji Mani Biye has called on Sokoto State Government to establish a sugar refining factory to boost the economy of the state.

Biye made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Binjin Muza village of Yabo Local Government, Sokoto state on Monday.

He said the establishment of sugar refining factory became imperative as it would assist to boost the state’s internal revenue generation and create jobs for the teeming youth and sugar cane farmers.

According to him, establishment of a standard sugar refining factory will go a long way to boost the economy of the state.

“Sokoto state will be better off with a revenue base and employment opportunities for our teaming youth and the farmers,’’ he said.

Biye said such a company would create market for farmers and aided the mass production of the sugar cane in the state.

He urged the state and Yabo Local Governments to provide Binjin Muza community with a good road to ease the transportation of farm produce to the markets. (NAN)
MNB/ADA/AFA
Edited by Deji Abdulwahab/Felix Ajide
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NAN-H-35
Payroll
Kano, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) The Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission says it has detected 1, 134 ghost workers with foreign names in the payroll of the state government.

This is contained in a statement by the Public Relations Officer of the anti-graft agency, Mrs Shabbana Abdul’aziz, in Kano on Monday.

Abdul’aziz said the commission was able to detect the names during an investigation it carried out based on a tip-off.

“We initiated an investigation based on information which was made available to the commission into an alleged insertion of foreign names into Kano state government payroll.” it said.

She said that the investigation revealed that some staff of the Ministry of Finance connived with some local government officials to illegally insert ghost names as workers into the government payroll.

According to her, the perpetrators of the illegal act took advantage of the e-payment system which unified and centralised salary payment of the entire state workers.

Abdul’aziz explained that most of those detected had fake letters of appointment, and some could not explain where they work.

“The commission, therefore, requests the office of the state Head of Service to suspend salary payment of the detected names pending the completion of the investigation.

“This is necessary because of the strong evidence suggesting official corruption and abuse of office in their employment or insertion into the payroll.”

According to her, the commission has in the course of the investigation, come across those who claim to have been transferred from other establishments to SUBEB.

“The commission is now trying to determine the validity of their claim,” she said. (NAN)
MTM/MO/MZA

Edited by Morayo Omolade and Controlled by Maharazu Ahmed

By Ali Inuwa

NAN-DS-2

Reconstruction

Bama (Borno) Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) The Borno State Government said on Monday that it required about N30 billion for the reconstruction of structures damaged by  Boko Haram insurgents in Bama.

Dr Babagana Umara, the Commissioner for Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement stated this while speaking with newsmen in Bama Local Government Area of the state.

Umara explained that more than 10,000 private houses were destroyed by insurgents in the town.

“Bama is badly damaged by the insurgents, in fact it is the worst hit area in the state.

“No fewer than 10,000 houses were destroyed, in addition to over 86 public buildings, comprising schools, and hospitals among others,’’ he said.

Umara said that the ministry had made some progress in the reconstruction process.

“Gov. Kashim Shettima directed last week that we should mobilise to site and begin rebuilding the structures.

“We have made some progress since we started last week.

“Our target is to attain at least 50 per cent millage by the end of December.

“We have building materials worth about one billion naira on ground,’’ Umara said.

According to him, about 1,000 workers have been engaged in the project which involved direct labour system.

“We have about 1,000 workers on ground working tirelessly to achieve our aim.

“We believe that by December ending, we will have recorded some appreciable progress,’’ Umara said.

He, however, lamented that paucity of funds may affect the progress of work.

“Lack of adequate funds is our major challenge.

“It is a well-known fact that the country is facing some kind of economic recession, our state is badly affected because we do not have Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) due to the prevailing insurgency,’’ Umara said.

He appealed to the Federal Government and donour agencies to lend a helping hand to the state towards attaining its aim.

“We need help from the Federal Government to enable us achieve our aim of rebuilding the structures ravaged by Boko Haram insurgents.

“We also call on donour agencies to come to our aid so we can pick up the pieces of our lives again,’’ Umara said. (NAN)

ABI/EEE

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Edited by Ese E. Ekama

NAN-H-18

Complaints

By Solomon Asowata

Lagos, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) received a total of 2,133 complaints from both domestic and international air passengers between January and June 2016, statistics from its Consumer Protection Department have indicated.

A document issued by the department and obtained on Monday by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos showed that the NCAA received 2,091 complaints from passengers flying international routes and 42 from those on domestic routes.

According to the document, Turkish Airlines recorded the highest number of complaints with 431 cases, while Air France recorded 372 complaints.

This was followed by Ethiopia Air and Emirates Airlines which recorded 214 and 213 complaints respectively.

It indicated that 1,800 of such cases were successfully resolved with compensation paid by airlines to the affected passengers during the period under review.

Mr Sam Adurogboye, General Manager, Public Relations, NCAA, told NAN that the regulatory agency was committed towards the protection of the rights of passengers. (NAN)

ASO/SOA

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(Edited by Oluwole Sogunle)

Expert tasks govt to reduce spending on ‘invisible’ transactions
NAN-HE-13
By Olawunmi Ashafa
Transactions
Lagos, Sept. 23, 2016(NAN) Mrs Morenike Babington-Ashaye has called on federal and state governments to minimise its spending on foreign ‘invisible’ transactions to reduce the huge reduction from nation’s tax revenue.

Babington-Ashaye said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos that reducing the amount of money spent on foreign ‘invisible’ transactions would help boost job opportunities available to Nigerians.

According to her, the Federal Government spent about 80 per cent of its tax revenue on administration, including consultancy.

NAN reports that invisible transactions relate to payment for services and intangible goods.

According to her, the way the tax law has been positioned is also a challenge such that politicians are not paying the way they should.

She said consultancy service was one of the key areas that drew much from the nation’s tax revenue.

“Our government prefers to hire a foreign consultant for services which Nigerians are capable of doing.

“If the government believes in Nigerians, it will not pay a lot of dollars in invisible transactions that relate to consultancy.

“Foreigners are usually expensive and the income they generate are repatriated to their countries.

“Government must insist and hire Nigerians to do those jobs that can be carried out by Nigerians.

“In other countries, we are not giving that same privilege as Nigerian government does to foreigners here.

NAN recalls that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in August 2015, said that all legitimate requests for foreign currency for eligible transactions, normally referred to as “invisibles shall be fully met at the official/interbank exchange rate.

The bank said they included remittances for school fees, student maintenance allowances, Business Travel Allowance (BTA), Personal Travel Allowance (PTA), medical and other eligible transactions.(NAN)
AWA/IA

Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

NAN-ELS-3

Monument

By Collins Yakubu-hammer

Abuja, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) The National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) has promised to restore the recently demolished Ilojo Bar national monument in Lagos.

This is contained in a statement signed by Malam Yusuf Usman, the Director-General of NCMM and made available to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

NAN reports that on July 2, a developer in collusion with some members of the `Olaiya family’ mobilised a bulldozer and some armed men with the intent to demolish the structure.

The NCMM got wind of the move and quickly mobilised some members of staff of Lagos museum, and in collaboration with Lagos State Government officials accosted the group and frustrated the attempt.

“You may also recall that in August 2016, a stakeholders meeting was convened by the NCMM at the National Museum, Lagos.

“During the meeting, the stakeholders agreed that all necessary steps must be taken to safeguard the monument from any threat.

“The meeting also agreed to revive an earlier plan to organise a gala night to raise funds for the rehabilitation of the monument.’’

Usman, however, said that in spite all the efforts of highly responsible and patriotic individuals and government agencies, the developer on Sept. 11 sneaked in and willfully demolished the Ilojo Bar.

“The demolition has destroyed a masterpiece of the only surviving Brazilian houses in Lagos with its attractive arches and fine iron works.

“It has done great injustice to the credit of African craftsmanship in architecture which has exerted great influence on Yoruba architecture that is today visible in all parts of Yoruba land.

“Indeed the demolition has eliminated the tangible evidence of social and cultural impact of the transatlantic slave trade and its abolition.

“It has wiped away an outstanding source of memory and history of freed slaves and their roles and impact in the evolution and development of cosmopolitan urban Lagos.

“At the same time, it has destroyed one of the outstanding symbolic evidence of cultural ties between Nigeria and Black diaspora in general and Brazil in particular,” Usman said.

According to him, the act has distorted the eminent position of Lagos in colonial history as a centre where returnee slaves from Brazil built houses in the new architectural fashion.

Usman, however, said that the NCMM would not rest on its oars until the perpetrators of the dastardly act were brought to book.

According to him, the NCMM will ensure that criminal action is leveled against the culprits as well as demand full compensation for the demolished monument.

The NCMM boss reiterated that the demolished bar would be reconstructed and fully restored back to its original and authentic form.

“We wish to assure all Nigerians that the ‘Ilojo Bar’ will be restored as it is a fully documented National Monument with an up-to-date and comprehensive documentation of its architectural history and design details.

“In the meantime, the site of the monument being an integral heritage space is being explored for rescued archaeology and heritage impact assessment.

“We call on all well-meaning Nigerians to join the NCMM in saving, protecting and maintaining our national heritage resources,” Usman said.

NAN reports that the Ilojo Bar formerly known as Casa De Fernendez or Angel House was built approximately 190 years ago.

Its historical, social and architectural values have been well acclaimed, thus prompting the Federal Government of Nigeria to provide special protection status as a National Monument on April 5, 1956. (NAN)

CMY/EEE

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Edited by Ese E. Ekama

By: Abdulrahman Kadiri
NAN-HE-2
Recession
Lagos, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) The Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineering (NIMechE) says it will use engineering innovations and inventions to address economic recession and economic diversification.

Mrs Funmilade Akingbabohum, the Chairman of the Lagos branch of NIMechE, made the promise in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.

Akingbagbohum said that the institution intended to collaborate with relevant private and government agencies to create inventions that could solve the country’s problems.

“We intend to collaborate with relevant private organisations and government agencies to get innovations and inventions that could be problem solving to Nigeria, and produce them commercially for the benefit of all.

“We are working with the Bank of Industry to see the possibility of setting up a recycling plant through which we will transform used auto parts like tyres, body parts and scraps into usable items.

“The idea is to identify certain societal challenges and use the instrumentality of mechanical engineering to proffer solutions both socially and economically,’’ she said.

The engineer said that certain home-grown products that could bridge the petrol and electricity deficit in Nigeria were already being researched.

“Some young engineers and students have already devised products that could serve as alternatives to premium Motor Spirit (petrol) for our cars as well as products that could boost electricity.

“In the near future, these schemes will be demonstrated for our government to see and to buy in,’’ she said.

Akingbagbohun said that the mechanical engineering body was taking steps to encourage young and aspiring engineers by collaborate with willing auto industry players to fund their creative endeavours.

She said that such collaboration with Toyota Nigeria Ltd. yielded N10 million support for engineering departments of tertiary institutions in Lagos.

“We are also enhancing the careers of the younger generation of engineers by collaborating with relevant industry players to fund their research engagements.

“We already secured a N10 million funding from Toyota Nigeria Limited for the purchase of equipment for engineering departments of tertiary institutions in Lagos,’’ she said.

Akingbabgohum said that NIMechE was also working to enhance the welfare of older generations of engineers and retirees.

“We are also looking at enhancing the welfare of our members. We will look at their well being within the context of an economic recession,’’ she said.

NAN recalls that NIMechE is an arm of Nigerian Society of Engineers. (NAN)
KAE/TA

Edited/controlled by Tajudeen Atitebi

NAN-H-31
Rape
By Muhammed Mamman
Damaturu, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Yobe has decried the  increasing cases of rape, indecency and breach of trust in the state.

The NSCDC Commandant in the state, Dr Muhammed Fari, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Damaturu on Monday.

Fari said the command recorded more cases of rape, indecency and criminal breach of trust in the last three months, than what it had in the previous year.

He said the command had charged several suspects to court for contravening sections 283, 285 and 312 of the Penal Code.

The commandant said one of the rape cases involved defilement of a six-month-old baby by a 40-year-old  deaf and dumb man, Shaaibu Danladi, in Potiskum.

He said medical report indicated that the baby sustained tear in her vagina down to her anus and was undergoing medical treatment at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital.

Fari said “the case no: YBS/PT/CMCII/091c/2016  suffered set back due to lack of a sign language expert at the court to communicate with the deaf and dumb suspect.”

He said other rape cases were also recorded in Damaturu with the suspects charged in a Magistrates’ Court in Damaturu.

Fari said that the command arrested and charged many people for alleged criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust in Damaturu, Potiskum and Nangere. (NAN)
MM/AAB/OFN
Edited By Adeboye Ajayi//Felix Nwadioha

NAN-H-14
Union
By Bolaji Buhari
Lagos, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN)The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Senior Staff Association on Monday urged the Federal Government to repair the dilapidated roads leading to Apapa and Tin-Can Island Ports.

Mr Benson Adegbeyeni, the president of the association, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

He said that the deplorable condition of the roads was a major cause of traffic congestion in Apapa, and the situation was affecting operations of the ports as well as businesses around.
“You see, we cannot talk about port efficiency without good access roads; that is why the Federal Government has to once and for all find a lasting solution to the poor state of roads in Apapa.
“Port users are suffering daily as a result of the congestion caused by these bad roads; consequently, valuable man-hour and revenue is lost.
“The port is a major cash cow of the economy, and if we must optimize the revenue benefits of the ports, the government must put the appropriate things in place, especially by the fixing of bad roads,’’ he said.
Adegbeyeni said that port access roads was not an issue in  major ports of the world, urging the government to learn from the port roads in Liverpool and the Singaporean ports, and replicate same in Apapa.
He faulted the recent approval by government for some private organisations around the port to rehabilitate some roads, describing it as an aberration.
“I don’t want to mention names, but there is no way we can allow these private organisations to fix port roads and expect the best results.
“They will do shoddy jobs in exchange for some government incentives. I think the government should not continue with the idea. It is not the best for port infrastructural development,’’ he said.
NAN reports that Dangote Group and APMoeller Terminal recently announced plans to rehabilitate some port access roads after a deal with the government on some incentives in return. (NAN)
BHB/AOM/SOA
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(Edited by Mohammed Abdullahi and Oluwole Sogunle)

NAN-H-12
Influence
Lagos, Sept. 26, 2016 (NAN) A traditional ruler in Idanre Local Government in Ondo State, Oba Olusegun Akinbola, has urged fellow monarchs to strive to uphold cultural values and tradition to guard against Western influence.

Akinbola, spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos on telephone, against the backdrop of his 21 years on the throne as “Aladeokun of Alade Idanre”.

The traditional ruler said that the norms and traditions were gradually fading away, because of the advent of Western civilisation which should not be.

“We are gradually shying away from our culture and tradition, the norms and ethics of the people are being ignored and replaced with civilisation and politics,’’ he said.

The traditional ruler said that most monarchs that got converted to foreign religions, eventually adopted culture that was alien to their indigenous tradition.

“Our culture is not idolatry but a tradition that protects the sanctity of norms and ethics of the people. We are custodians of this culture and should not be mere administrators.

“The traditional ruler was initially seen as a demigod, a mediator with the almighty but the reverse is the case because they are not being taken care of by the government, ‘’ he said.

He complained that monarchs were not being given the type of protection they deserved,.

Oba Akinbola said that this was mainly responsible for the recent spate of kidnapping in the nation.

The traditional ruler told NAN that such neglect by the government could be the reasons behind the involvement of some monarchs in questionable deals.

“Yes, it could be true that some monarchs got involved in some dirty deals; it is like a child you did not give food to and he decides to find an alternative.

“Monarchs have to be cared for, because they are the recognised mediator with the people, so they deserve adequate protection.

“They should be provided with adequate security just like other government functionaries so that they would not fall victim to the antics of hoodlums,’’ he said. (NAN)
JNEO/ERO/AJA
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(Edited by Emmanuel Okara and Controlled by Adeleye Ajayi)