Blog

NAN-H-13
Power
By  Yunus Yusuf
Lagos, Sept. 10, 2016 (NAN) Mr Dallas Peavey, the Chief Executive Officer,  Egbin Power Plc, has said that the company is highly constrained by more than N86 billion debt owed it by the Federal Government.

Peavey made the fact known in Lagos on Saturday during the company’s scholarship award programme to schools within Ijede community in Lagos State.

He appealed to government to pay up the debt to enable it to carry out its operations.

He also said gas supply had  been a major challenge to power generation .

“We have a total generation output of 1,320MW but currently we are generating just 425MW which is 30 per cent of what we should be generating,’’ Peavey said.

He said the company was considering other sources of power generation that would complement gas, such as Low Pour Fuel Oil, one of the products in the fractional distillation of crude oil.

According to him, right now the major challenge confronting the plant is gas and the company does not know what the future has for the power station.

“ Another big problem is that of over N86 billion being owed by Federal Government on energy produced to the national grid in the last six months.

“We only got 16 per cent of the total bills out of the total money on energy generated to the national grid.

“ The amount is the money owed by government through the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading (NBET) to produce power to the grid by generating companies,’’ he said.

According to Peavey,  generating companies are highly constrained by the debt burden because it is frustrating power development plans.

“We are highly constrained by the lack of payment for services rendered.

“ No matter how much broad-minded you are and no matter the desire to serve your nation, if services are not paid for, the momentum to continue to serve will not be sustained.

“Industry operators are in dire need of funds as most of the monies used in acquiring the power assets and other post-privatisation investments came from the banks.

“But banks do not want to hear about any delays or the reasons for such delays. When the amount of the debt payment is due, they simply call for their money,” he said.

Peavey said that the company had spent N 760 million in the last three years on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to communities within its area of operation.

He said that the company also spent over N 120 million to offer scholarships to indigent pupils within the community of Ijede where it was operating.

Peavey said, “we put together the education scholarship programme to students in the communities to contribute part of our quota to their development.

“It is part of our CSR, which takes care of over 25 pupils’ schools fees, textbooks and other required amenities for four years.’’

NAN learnt that NBET owes the power companies various sums, N28.29 billion owed Transcorp Ughelli Power Limited,   and  N9.66 billion owed Shiroro Power Station.

Other debts are Geregu Power Plc N7.98 billion,  Kainji/Jebba Power Station, N20.94 billion, and  Sapele Power Plc, N9.9 billion. (NAN)
YO/IAA/JCE
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(Edited By Aregbesola Isaac/Chukwudi Ekezie)

NAN-H-9
Recession
By Monday Ijeh
Abuja, Sept. 10, 2016 (NAN) UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has pledged to send a special envoy to the Nigerian Young Professionals Forum (NYPF) Summit scheduled to take place in New York on Sept. 24.

A statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by Miss Owomilere Obe, Director of Communications of the forum, said that the summit was aimed at preferring solutions to the recession facing the country.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria Charles Soludo and Minister of Finance Kemi Adeosun are expected to attend the summit, according to the statement.

“The summit is part of efforts to resolve the present economic crisis in Nigeria and assist with credible projects that could potentially elevate Nigeria from its current status as a third world country.

“The theme of the summit is X-raying the current Nigeria’s Economic Challenges and our Foreign Policy, Prospect and Solution.

“We can no longer pretend that Nigeria is not in a recession. This is evident by the dip in government revenues, drop in consumer spending, decline in economic activities, job losses and most importantly Inflation rate.

“This is why we have come together as young professionals to address these issues on the way forward for Nigeria,’’ Obe said.

She said that the summit would hold concurrently with the United Nations General Assembly and it would feature discussions that border on inclusive growth, food security, economy diversification and foreign direct investment.

Obe said that representatives of International Monetary Fund, World Bank Group, African Development Bank, Bill Gates Foundation, EU and Rockefeller Foundation would feature in panel discussions.

NYPF, founded by Mr Moses Siasia, is a non-governmental organisation with more than three million young Nigerian professionals from diverse professions and perspectives.

It recently inaugurated a N500 special seed fund — Young Entrepreneurs and Student Grant Scheme — for young Nigerians as part of efforts to grow more indigenous entrepreneurs and encourage self-reliance.(NAN)
IMC/KAY
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(Edited by Kayode Olaitan)

Nasarawa Govt. advises inmates against jail break

NAN-H-12

Prisons

By Sunday John

Keffi, (Nasarawa State), Sept. 10, 2016 (NAN) Mr Tim Yigga, Nasarawa State Commissioner for Information has called on inmates in the state not to conceive the idea of embarking on jail break.

Yigga made the call while addressing inmates at Keffi on Saturday, when he led a team, set up by the state government to inspect prisons facilities in the state.

He said the call had become imperative due to incessant jail breaks experienced in some prisons across the country in the recent past.

The commissioner appealed to the inmates not to see their imprisonment as the end of life, saying that they can come out and still be better persons if they amend their ways.

“All you need to do while you are here, is to continue to obey the rules guiding your conduct in the prison yard and respect the officers looking after your welfare.

“Do not do anything that would hurt these officers because they are not the one that brought you here; their own responsibility is to look after you and your welfare.

“For the fact that you are here today, you can come out one day and become the President of this country if God destined it to be so,’’ he said.

He, however, said the visit was to inspect facilities in all the six prisons in the state and study the cases of the inmates for the purposes of making recommendation to the state government.

He, therefore, assured the inmates that the committee would make recommendation on the improvement of the facilities and release of some of them.

Also, Nasarawa State Controller of Prisons, Ekwere Ekanem, decried the congestion of inmates, shortage of mattresses and plates in the prison.

Ekanem said that due to the shortage of plates inmates were given food in batches.

He also lamented the lack of constant water supply in the Keffi and Nasarawa prisons and call on government and other spirited individuals to assist by providing boreholes.

Earlier, the Controller of Keffi Prisons, James Landen, decried the bad nature of road leading to the prison and encroachment in the land belonging to the prison by people.

He, therefore, threatened to take legal action against those encroaching in the lands belonging to the prisons service.

Landen called on the relevant authority to come to the aid of the prison to help it reclaim its land and prevent further encroachment. (NAN)
SDJ/JAN/AFA
Edited by Joan Nwagwu/Felix Ajide
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NAN-H-8
Celebration
Kafanchan (Kaduna) Sept.10, 2016 (NAN) Barely two days before the Eid-el-Kabir, Nigerians have begun to plan its celebration in different styles.

In Kafanchan, owners of relaxation spots on Saturday said they were prepared to thrill fun seekers during the celebration.

Some of the operators of the spots who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said they had planned adequate security for customers.

Mr Carson Mira’s of Cristal Palace Spot, Madakiya road, Kafanchan, told NAN that the outfit was collaborating with the police and its private guards to ensure security within the festive period.

“With the security threats in parts of the country, we want to ensure that our customers are relaxed and not tensed in any way,’’ he said.

Mrs Maureen David who operates a restaurant along NEPA roundabout, Kafanchan, expressed optimism that insecurity posed no threat to her business.

Also, Miss Helen Francis, who owns an amusement park for kids, said everything had been set to give the children memorable celebration.

Irrespective of this development, a visit by NAN to some of the tailoring outfits on Saturday revealed that the tailors had recorded low patronage.

Alhaji Isa Ladan, a tailor at the Kafanchan market, said that he only had about five sets of cloth materials to sew in the past one week.

“I have even offered to sew on credit, yet the patronage is not encouraging. People are more concerned with what to eat now than what to wear,’’ he said.

However, in Sokoto State, the state government said it had disbursed more than N11 million for the purchase of cows for the provision of meat to 4, 205 orphans on the Eid-el Kabir as part of the celebration.

The Chairman of the State Zakkat and Endowment Committee, Alhaji Lawal Maidoki, said in an interview that N130, 000 was given to each of the 85 districts, in the 23 local governments of the state.

But in Gombe State, rams sellers have complained about low patronage of customers.

The Chairman Animal Dealers Association, Bogo Market, Malam Bala Sallau, told NAN that the customers were not patronising them like that of last year due to the economic situation in the country.

He said a ram sold for N70, 000 last year could be sold for between N45, 000 and N50, 000 this year, depending on the size of the ram.

Alhaji Bello Mabel, one of the customers, observed that rams were cheaper this year when compared with the last year’s sale.

In Zaria, a ram seller, Malam Aliyu Babankarfi, described economic recession as one of the factors responsible for the low patronage.

“The present economic recession has now become a threat not only to ram sellers but to all business activities in Nigeria.

“Another factor is, before, politicians used to buy ram in large numbers and distribute to people free of charge, but this year the case is not the same,’’ he observed.

Report from Auchi, Edo, also indicates that ram sellers in Etsako West and East Local Government Area of the state record low patronage.

NAN, however, observes that prospective buyers who were able to buy ram last years are buying goat or chicken due to the high cost of ram.

A ram seller, Alhaji Yusuf Usman, said he sold only 10 of the 40 rams he brought weeks ago.

A prospective buyer, Mr Ibrahim Sadiq, said he could only buy chicken as he could not afford ram due to the high cost.

“Food items are very expensive, I came to buy ram only to discover that the price had gone up so I have to settle for chicken due to the prevailing economic situation,’’ he said.(NAN)
Repoters/YETI/KAY

(Edited by Yetunde Bada, Kayode Olaitan)

NAN-H-6
Deployment
By Suleiman Shehu
Ibadan, Sept. 10, 2016 (NAN) Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Oyo State says it has deployed 1,500 personnel to provide security across the state during the Eld-El-Kabir.

Mr John Adewoye, the commandant of the corps in the state, said in a statement issued in Ibadan on Saturday that the deployed officers had been directed to be more vigilant throughout the celebration.

The commandant said that the officers had also been positioned in sensitive areas such as eid- ground, parks and recreation centres, among others.

He urged Nigerians, irrespective of their religion, to be law abiding and to ensure peace and unity during the celebration.

Adewoye also called on Nigerians to be patriotic to ensure harmony, stability and development of the country.

He said the personnel on duty during the celebration would comprise those on mobile, stationary and customary patrol across the state.

“I enjoined the public to volunteer information to NSCDC and other sister agencies whenever they suspect any strange movement around them,’’ he said.(NAN)
SYS/JAN/KAY
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(Edited by Joan Nwagwu, Kayode Olaitan)

Court Martial demotes Maj.-Gen. Falola to Brigadier- General
NAN-H-2

Reduction

By Angela Atabo

Abuja Sept.10, 2016 (NAN) A Special Court Martial has demoted Maj.-Gen. Patrick Falola, to Brigadier-General for admitting students for clinical training without permission from higher authorities

Falola, Director, 68 Military Reference Hospital, Yaba, Lagos State, was arraigned on a two-count charge before a court martial presided over by AVM James Gbum.

Faloola admitted international students from Espan Formation University, Cotonou, in Benin Republic, between July and September, 2016.

Gbum, the President of the court martial, held that Falola’s conduct amount to fraudulent use of property of the armed forces.

He discharged and acquitted him on charges of conduct to prejudice the service but convicted him on fraudulent misapplication of the hospital’s property.

“This court is compelled to award a higher punishment under sections 103 and 66 of the Armed Forces Act Cap A 20 laws of the Federation 2004.

“The court has taken into consideration the service record of the convicted senior officer, the touching plea in mitigation by the defence council as well as the demeanor of the convicted officer

“But we have also taken into consideration the senior officer’s seniority, rank, experience and the regimental tradition of the armed forces.

“This court has discharged and acquitted the convicted officer on the first charge, on the second offence, the sentence is reduction in rank to Brigadier General.”

Gbum said that the filing and sentences were subject to confirmation by the Nigerian Army Council which was the confirming authority.

He, however, said that the convicted officer would maintain his rank until the council concludes the confirmation process.

The prosecuting counsel, Lt.-Col. Ukpe Ukpe, told newsmen that the convicted was arraigned for using the Nigeria army property to train students from neighboring Benin Republic without following the necessary procedure.

Ukpe said the judgment was a balanced one as the court was very liberal in metting out punishment.

“If you check Section 115 of the Alarmed Forces Act, the offence falls under Section 68, punishment that could be metted out included dismissal,imprisonment or even death but the court went down to reduction in rank which is balanced enough.”

The defence council, retired Wing Cdr. Enokela Onyilo-Uloko, said the conviction had no legal backing and was an attempt to tarnish the clean record of his client.

Onyilo-Uloko said this was because there was no law stating that senior officers must take permission from the higher authority before allowing such training.

He said his cleint only did what his predecessors also did, which was no crime, adding that his client would appeal.

“No such law was tendered in evidence but they are saying he should use his initiative when there is no law finalising an act it does not amounted to criminal offence that my cleint is being tried for.

“So, the conviction is based on nothing and cannot stand the light of day in the eye of the law.

“And when we go higher to the Court of Appeal, I assure you, this conviction will be thrown out,” he opined. (NAN)

ATAB/OFN

(Edited by Felix Nwadioha)

Nasarawa Govt. advises inmates against prison break

NAN-H-

Prisons

By Sunday John

Keffi, (Nasarawa State), Sept. 10, 2016 (NAN) Barr Tim Yigga,  Nasarawa State Commissioner of Information has called on prisoners  in the state never to conceive the idea of embarking on jailbreak.

The commissioner made the call on Saturday at Keffi Prison in Keffi Local Government Area (LGA) when he led a team setup by the government to inspect prisons in the state.

According to him, the call became imperative due to increasing incidence  of jail break  in the country.

He appealed to the inmates not to see their imprisonment as the end of life adding that, ‘they can come out and still be better persons if they amend their ways’.

“All you need to do while you are here, is to continue to obey the rules guiding your conduct in the prison yard and respect the officers looking after your welfare.

“Do not do anything that would hurt these officers because they are not the ones that brought all of you here.  Their own responsibility is to look after you and your welfare.

“For the fact that you are here today, you can come out one day and become the President of this country if God destined it to be so,” he added.

He said his team came to inspect facilities in all the six prisons in the state and study the peculiar cases of the inmates to enable it make recommendations to the state government.

He  assured the inmates that the committee would make recommendation on the improvement on the facilities and the need to pardon some of them.

Ekwere Ekanem, Nasarawa State Controller of Prisons, lamented the congestion of the prison  and the shortage of mattresses and food plates.

He said because of the  shortage of plates,  inmates were given food in batches’.

He also lamented the shortage of water in Keffi and Nasarawa Prisons.

He called on government and philanthropists  to help by providing boreholes to the prisons in the state.

James Landen, Controller Keffi Prisons decried the poor state of the road leading to the prison.

He also drew attention to the encroachment by the public on prison land.

He urged the government to assist the prison in reclaiming its land and prevent further encroachment. (NAN)

SDJ/

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Eid-el-Kabir: Ram sellers in Kafanchan record low patronage

NAN-H-

Rams

Kafanchan (Kaduna) Sept. 10, 2016 (NAN) With the Eid-el-Kabir celebration
barely two days away, sellers of ram in Kafanchan, Kaduna state said they
recorded low patronage.

Checks conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday revealed
that the sellers, located at Bauchi, Zaria and Funtua streets recorded low sales.

Some buyers only came to haggle but ended up not buying.

Malam Illa Adam of Bauchi street said he brought his rams from Katsina and had sold only three out of twelve a week ago.

“The poor patronage is not far fetched from the economic situation in the country,” he said.

Adam said prices of the rams ranged between N25,000 to N130,000 depending on their sizes.

Another ram seller, Salisu Fage of Zaria Street also blamed the nation’s economic downturn to the poor patronage.

“The situation is not peculiar to ram sellers alone as it affects virtually every business activity, ” he said.

Fage said he could not afford to take the rams back to Kano where he came from but may be forced to reduce the prices to woo buyers.

Also, Nasiru Abdullah who sells ram at Funtua street said although patronage
was poor, he is optimistic that buyers would patronise him before the
festivity. Eid-el Kabir will be celebrated worldwide on Monday.

“We have not completely lost hope as some people prefer to buy their rams a
day before Sallah because they believe they would be sold cheaper, ” he said.

Alh. Ibrahim Na’Allah, a resident  of Kafanchan told NAN that  it is  not mandatory for muslims to  slaughter rams to mark  Eid-el-Kabir,.

“The slaughtering of rams is only for those who can afford it as they also, are expected to share with those who do not have,” he said. (NAN)

MGK/
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Rivers Govt. to put chronically ill persons off street begging, wandering

NAN-H-66

Begging

By Azubike Okeh

Port Harcourt, Sept. 9, 2016(NAN) The Rivers Government says it will take measures  owards discouraging chronically ill persons from wandering and begging along the streets.

River Deputy Governor, Dr Ipalibo Banigo, said this while speaking to newsmen after a strategic committee meeting on the removal of chronically ill persons from streets in Port Harcourt.

She said that the presence of people with chronic and contagious diseases along major streets in the state capital was on the increase.

According to her, such ill persons wander in the company of other physically fit persons to seek alms from the public.

The deputy governor further said that the presence of such persons on the streets had negative health implication on the public.

“We have decided to take steps towards putting such persons off the streets due to the public health risk they pose.

“It is not a good thing to encourage; in most cases, such vulnerable persons are contrived to beg for money to the detriment of their health by their exploiters,’’ he said.

Banigo further said that putting chronically ill persons off the roads would protect them from further exploitation and avail them time for better upkeep.

She commended the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent De Paul, an NGO, and the National Orientation Agency for their commitment towards realizing this objective.

In his remark, the committee Chairman, Iminabo Fubara said the essence of the move was to tackle the plight of chronically ill persons by freeing them from exploitation by their supposed care-givers. (NAN)

AZU/NKO/NKO

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Edited By Nkechi Okoronkwo

Eid el-Kabir: NSCDC FCT Command deploys 5,000 personnel

NAN-DS-15
Deployment
By Muhyideen Jimoh
Abuja, Sept. 9, 2016 (NAN) The FCT Commandant of NSCDC, Mr Patrick Ukpan, says the command will deploy 5,000 personnel to all nooks and crannies of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to ensure hitch free Eid el-Kabir celebration.

This is contained in a statement signed by the command’s spokesperson, Mr David Akinbinu, on Friday in Abuja.

The statement quoted Ukpan as saying this at a meeting with senior officers of the command in Abuja.

He urged officers and men of the command to provide adequate security for lives and property during and after the Eid el-Kabir.

The commandant urged all residents of the FCT to remain vigilant, conduct themselves peacefully and enjoy the celebration.

He said that the command had also deployed its armed squad, sniffer dogs, vandal unit, disaster management unit and crowd control dogs to strategic areas within the FCT.

Ukpan said that emphasis would  be on strategic places such as  the mosques, recreational parks, public places, churches and all entry and exit points in the FCT.

He, however, called on FCT residents to report any suspicious movement to the nearest security agency during and after the celebration.

He said that Abuja being the Federal Capital Territory and the seat of government must be adequately protected. (NAN)
Edited by Shittu Obassa/Felix Ajide
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