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Kano Emirate Council working on bill to tackle rampant divorce cases

Bill

By Mustapha Sumaila

Abuja, Sept. 12, 2018 (NAN) Kano Emirate Council is working on a bill to tackle rampant divorce cases and compel husbands take full responsibilities of their families.

The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sunusi II made the disclosure at a media interactive session on Wednesday in Abuja.

The emir spoke on the sideline of a conference tagged: ‘Harnessing Demographic Dividend (DD) for sustainable development in Nigeria, the role of religious leaders,’ organised by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

Represented by Talban Kano, Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim, the Emir said the council would no longer tolerate situations in which men  marry and divorce their wives without taking responsibility of raising their children.

He said that the committee working on the bill is about rounding up and would soon submit it to the state House of Assembly for legislative process.

According to him, if the bill is passed and assented to by the executive, the issue of street children will also be curtailed.

“We have set up committee comprising of reputable judges, Islamic scholars and academics to work on a bill that will give rise to responsible family life.

“The attitude of our men who marry and divorce any how without taking responsibility of children from such marriages, will be tackled,” he stressed.

He added that the law would tackle the abandonment of wives and children in the emirate.

Sunusi expressed the hope that with time, the initiative would be spread to other states of the federation to ensure decent family that would provide basic needs of life to dependents.

Earlier, the Chairman, National Population Commission, Mr Eze Duruiheoma said he was overwhelmed by the acceptability of the DD in the country.

Duruiheoma stated that achieving DD is, however, not automatic as certain conditions including education, as such there was need to review the Nigerian education system.

He said that the 6-3-3-4 system of education adopted in 1988 should be reviewed to meet current technological needs of the country. (NAN)

MS/KTO/MZA

Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo/Maharazu Ahmed

Revenue
By Aisha Cole
Lagos, Sept.12, 2018 (NAN) The Tin Can Island Port Customs Command says it generated N31.8 billion in the months of August 2018, higher than N28.6 billion generated in the corresponding period of 2017.

The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the command, Comptroller Musa Abdullahi, said this while conducting the Zonal Coordinator Zone “A” Assistant Comptroller General of Customs (ACG), Dahiru Aminu round the projects to be inaugurated on Wednesday in Lagos.

He said that the figure generated increased by N3.24 billion.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the zonal coordinator inaugurated One Stop Treatment Area, Staff Canteen and a mini football pitch erected at the command.

According to him, the Tincan Island Port received another boost in terms of infrastructural projects to enhance the operations of the Query & Amendment Department.

He added that an Ultra Modern Canteen and a Mini Sports Pitch was inaugurated to attract maritime stakeholders.

Abdullahi said that the projects became imperative following the need to re-position the command to an enviable height in order to add further impetus to its status as the most user friendly port in the sub-region.

While inaugurating the projects, the zonal coordinator commended the CAC of Tin can command for his thoughtfulness, saying that the facilities would address the incessant complaints of multiplicity of alerts, which hitherto was a recurring decimal.

“As the name connotes, stakeholders are enjoined to take advantage of this, especially for the facilitation of Legitimate Trade”.

“The centre will house Query and Amendment (Q & A), Valuation and CIU for the synchronization and harmonization of trade disputes.

“Management is commending the effort of the controller for embarking on projects with considerable significance to the well being of the officers and men of the command,” Aminu said.

Earlier, the CAC eulogised the management and staff of Seven Up Bottling Company Ltd. for donating a synthetic Mini Pitch as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

He noted that it would service the sporting needs of both officers and their esteemed stakeholders.

Abdullahi said the command had also organised a two-day seminar for Association of Nigeria Customs Licence Agents (ANCLA) between Sept. 5 and 6, following their formal request for training on “End User Certificate (EUC) on documentation guideline and requirements.

He emphasized the importance of EUC as a regulatory document and urged importers and their agents to ensure strict compliance with the processes and procedures in the interest of National Security.

Abdullahi harped on the need for stakeholders to build effective partnership by supporting and enforcing the Fiscal Policies of the Federal Government in terms of Trade.

He, however, reiterated his commitment to reward compliant declarants and to sanction complacence. (NAN)
AIC/AFA
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Edited by Felix Ajide

APC will emerge victorious in Osun State governorship election- Ajimobi

Victory
By Akeem Abas
Ibadan, Sept. 12, 2018(NAN) Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has expressed confidence that the APC candidate, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, will emerge victorious in the forthcoming governorship election in Osun State.

He expressed the opinion in Ibadan on Wednesday while receiving Danjuma Ibrahim, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone II in his office.
.
The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the governorship election in Osun State will hold on Sept. 22.

Ajimobi said that Oyetola would win the election, judging by the exemplary performance of the incumbent administration under Gov. Rauf Aregbesola.

“We are confident that the APC will win the Sept. 22 election because of the exemplary performance of the incumbent administration in Osun State. One should have no doubt that the APC will retain Osun State,” he said.

The governor, who described Ibrahim as an intelligent officer, expressed confidence that the leadership of the police in the zone was well grounded and competent to ensure a peaceful election.

He assured the police authority of the state government’s readiness to assist the zone in ensuring a successful governorship election in Osun State.

“AIG Danjuma Ibrahim is one of the most intelligent officers I have ever met and I can easily predict that he will get to the peak of his career soon.

“It is very apparent, though, that APC will win easily because ours is the only party that is on ground and accepted by the people.

“We are quite sure that the coming Osun election is going to be free and fair, and we shall provide necessary support towards this,” he said.

Earlier, Ibrahim commended the governor for restoring peace and security to the state through the combined efforts of security agencies, which he said had spurred socio-economic growth.

He appealed to the governor to extend the assistance to the police command by  refurbishing operational vehicles, provision of Armoured Personnel Carriers and other logistic supports to the zonal command.

“You already know that policing is not easy, especially when you consider the logistics that must be put in place to achieve success. The zonal command needs operational vehicles to assist our operation.

“On the coming Osun State governorship elections, we can assure you that we have more than enough personnel ready for the assignment.

“We will do everything humanly possible to ward off intruders that might want to sneak in and wreck havoc on the election day. We know Osun State to be peaceful, but we do not want to leave anything to chance.

“So we are soliciting your support to also help in spreading the gospel of peace to the people in Oyo State and to caution anti-democratic elements against coming to Osun State to foment trouble during the election,” he said.(NAN)

TAA/IA

Screening
By Bushrah Yusuf-Badmus
Ilorin, Sept. 12, 2018 (NAN) Mrs Dilichukwu Onyedinma, Leader of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) delegation to the ongoing National Youth Games (NYG) in Ilorin, on Wednesday commended the event’s Screening Committee, for doing good job.

Onyedinma, who gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin, said that this year’s screening was better than the previous years.

NAN reports that no fewer than 500 athletes were dropped from the 10-day event at the University of Ilorin, holding from Sept. 7 to Sept. 17, for being overage.

“The screening this year is better than what we had in previous years; it has been able to bring the age within what is expected, instead of allowing states to use overage athletes.

“But we still have states trying to manoeuvre things.

“Like in gymnastics, where we ought to win gold, and we eventually won silver, the silver is like gold because we have very young athletes and with them, there is greater tomorrow for us,” she said.

Onyedinma said, “I am impressed with what happened this year; the organisers brought Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON) to do the screening, and they did a perfect job.

“I will advise that we should leave it with YSFON. But for all these lobbying up and down, which resulted in second screening; that is where they gave room for manoeuvering.

“This is not good for our sports because at this level, we are asked to go and develop athletes,” Onyedinma said.

She, however, condemned the alleged poaching of athletes by some state at the Games.

“States should be seen developing their athletes. It is sad that some of these states, who think that they can start using money to woo athletes at this age, are spoiling the catch-them-young programme.

“We had two chess players that we have been training since they were two years old because their father was our player.

“We have been taking these children for competition; and just last year, they started winning medals for us. But this year, Bayelsa poached them away from us,” she said.

Onyedinma urged the Federal Government to discourage poaching of athletes at this level. (NAN)

BAY/FLP/AFA

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Edited by Folorunso Poroye/Felix Ajide

NYG: Akwa Ibom clinches Gold in male, female scrabble events

Scrabble
By Bushrah Yusuf-Badmus
Ilorin, Sept. 12, 2018 (NAN) Team Akwa Ibom on Wednesday won gold medals in both the male and female singles categories of scrabble event at the ongoing National Youth Games (NYG) in Ilorin.

In the final matches of the male singles event, Prestige Archibong clinched the gold medal haven won seven out of the eight matches played on a spread of +831.

Mosopefoluwa John of Team Lagos clinched the silver medal haven won six out of eight matches on a spread of +1086.

Adedeji Aka of FCT settled for bronze after winning six out of eight games on a spread of +786.

In the female singles category, Akwa Ibom’s Emem Bassey clinched gold haven won seven out of eight matches on a spread of +1403.

Plateau’s Blessing Ola won the silver medal after winning six out of eight matches on a spread of +485.

Her compatriot, Joy Ola clinched the bronze medal also after winning six out of eight matches on a spread of +93. (NAN)
BAY/AFA

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Edited by Felix Ajide

2019: Emohua council Chairman takes steps to curtail cultism

Violence

By Azubuike Okeh

Port Harcourt, Sept. 12, 2018 (NAN) The Chairman of Emohua Local Government Council of Rivers State, Mr Tom Aliezi, says the council is taking steps to curb cultism in the area, especially as the 2019 general elections draw near.

Aliezi stated this in Port Harcourt on Wednesday after a meeting with the leadership of some youth groups in the area.

He said that the council was worried about the incessant cult activities in the area and was ready to take every legal step to stamp out the menace.

He called on youths in the area to avoid being used by some people to cause violence, no matter how highly placed such persons were.

“We are propelled more to evolve ways of tackling cultism because of the nearness of the elections; our youth must learn their lessons.

“We are approaching a time when dubious and over ambitious persons try to use the youths to foment troubles for selfish reasons,’’ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some communities in the council area such as Egbeda, Obelle, Ibaa, Emohua, Ndelle have been grappling with cult-related violence for some time now.

NAN investigation shows that cult clashes have been between two rival gangs and chieftaincy tussle and land disputes are the remote causes.

The council chairman also said he was already consulting with youth groups and community development committees on how to tackle the menace.

Aliezi further stated that although the council was disposed to use pacifying means in solving the problem, it was ready to invoke the powers of the law.

Meanwhile, some communities in the area had taken to the invocation of traditional powers to stop violence and other crime. (NAN)

AZU/COO/EMO
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Edited by Cecilia OdeyEjike Obeta

FG moves to convert Nigeria Shippers’ Council to National Transport Commission

Commission
By Taiye Elebiyo-Edeni
Abuja, Sept. 12, 2018 (NAN) Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, says the Federal Government is set to convert Nigeria Shippers Council (NSC) to National Transport Commission (NTC).

Amaechi said this at a news conference on the achievement of the ministry on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said that the National Assembly had passed a bill that Shippers’ Council should be transformed to a commission, adding that the bill was currently awaiting presidential assent to become a law.

“Senate has passed the bill that converts Nigeria Shippers’ Council to National Transport Commission (NTC), the bill is currently waiting for the assent of the President.

“When NTC is signed into law it will be capable of setting the transport sector on the path of positive development,’’ he said.

Amaechi said it would also create a multi-modal transport sector economic and safety oversight commission that would drive the national transport policy.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Nigeria Shippers’ Council, Mr Hassan Bello said that plans were ongoing to commence building of the TTPs in Enugu and Kogi states.

Bello noted that Truck Transit Parks (TTPs) is privately driven, adding that NSC was working with the Federal Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) to achieve that.

He said that plans were being concluded with ICRC, adding that in two-weeks there would be expression of interest to the private sector to come and bid.

“So far we have two that are coming, the one at Enugu, Enugu state government has donated land to NSC and the one in Lokoja, the Kogi state government has also donated land to NSC.

“We are concluding with ICRC and soon, in two weeks time the private sector will come and bid.

“As soon as the biding is done, construction will take about 16 months for us to complete the Truck Transit Parks in those two locations.

“There are others coming up, we have heard that there’s a tremendous response by international investors and many states have expressed interest to have TTPs.

“We need to have more transport infrastructures and the Federal Ministry of Transport is supporting this.”

Bello, who also spoke on dry ports in the country, said that the dry ports were established to avoid the mistakes of the seaports where there were congestions.

He said the council plan to operate 24 hours services so that goods can be cleared within 48 hours.

He added that the council was working with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and other relevant agencies to make sure that everything takes effect.

“The success of dry port depends on rail connection, we need locomotives and NRC has promised to give us at least ten locomotives to Kaduna, because there are cargos there.

“We need the intervention of the Federal Ministry of Transportation and the Kaduna State government to complete the access roads so that there won’t be challenges,” he said. (NAN)
TY/VOE/AFA
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Edited by Vivian Emoni/Felix Ajide

Interior minister commends NPS over UNESCO Award

By Kelechi Ogunleye

Award

Abuja, Sept. 12, 2018 (NAN) The Minister of Interior, retired Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, on Wednesday in Abuja commended the Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS) for achieving the UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy Award.

Dambazau made the commendation while receiving the award from the Controller-General of Prisons, Ja’afaru Ahmed, who paid him a courtesy call in his office in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NPS emerged winners of the 2018 UNESCO Confucius Prize for Literacy because of an Education for Prisoners Programme being run by the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN).

The prize was jointly instituted by UNESCO and the People’s Republic of China in 2007 to reward outstanding individuals, governments and NGOs working to promote literacy for rural adults and out-of-school young people, particularly women and girls.

It was named after Confucius (551-479 BC), the Chinese educator and philosopher, and one of the most famous historical and cultural figures, whose thinking still has great influence on education in China and the world today.

Winners of the prize are awarded a silver medal, a diploma and US 20,000 dollars prize money, as well as a trip to the birthplace of Confucius.

The NPS, which was selected as one of the five winners of this year’s prize, got the laurel in recognition of its innovative literacy programme of equipping prisoners with useful skills and professions to facilitate income generation upon discharge and discourage future crime.

The minister congratulated the NPS on the achievement, adding that the NPS had set a standard for others to follow.

“Congratulations on this very laudable achievement. We are all very proud of you.

“I never had any doubt about the leadership of the NPS. This has shown how far you can go with the right motivation.

“There is no doubt that the NPS is the ultimate. You are indeed the ones to beat. I want to encourage you to keep up the good work,” he said.

He noted that the prison reform was not just about the decongestion of the facility but also most importantly, the rehabilitation and reformation of offenders.

“It is about the welfare of the prisoners and the staff. It is about the protection of their rights and privileges and of course, the education of offenders is of utmost importance.

“It is also about transforming negative behavior into a positive one.

“These are indeed what we are seeing in our prisons today. However, all these wouldn’t have been possible without some motivation within the prison service itself,” he said.

The Prisons boss thanked the minister for the recognition and commendation of the NPS and promised not to relent in the service’s effort at ensuring that it continued to set the standard.

He noted that the NPS presently had about 465 undergraduate inmates; 23 Masters Degree students and two studying for their PhD programmes in 10 special study centres across the country. (NAN)

KAYC/AMY

Edited by Abdullahi Yusuf

Man, 28, climbs telecommunication mast to protest poor economy

Protest
Uche Bibilari
Abuja, Sept. 12, 2018 (NAN) A 28-year-old man, Mr Nurudeen Lliyasu, has climbed a telecommunication mast in Abuja, to protest the poor economy in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the man was seen on top of the mast at about noon on Wednesday at AYA, Abuja.

NAN also reports that posters with different inscriptions were seen along the AYA road and at the foot of the mast, which read: `Another hope betrayed battered, mutilated with collapsed economy.

Others include, ‘inflation and hunger is killing Nigerians’, ‘unemployment continues unabated’, and ‘Nigeria is on the precipice of collapse’ among others.

Lliyasu said he would remain on the mast for the next seven days, adding that he was ready to sacrifice his life for the progress of the country.

“I am on hunger strike to protest and register my grievances on the condition of the country; I will remain here for the next seven days and I do not mind if I die here.

“If my dying on this mast will change the economy of this country, then I choose to die for others to live a good life.

“ I have not eaten for days and also other Nigerians, if I die on this mast I am not worried, no roads in the states only in the city of Abuja you can see good roads.

‘’The doctors have said that a man can survive only on water without food for some days, I believe I can and if I cannot I will die.”

Lliyasu said that there was nothing working in the country, adding that the education, health system, infrastructure are all in bad shape.

He said that he was into transport business and other businesses.

Mr Ayuba Luka, the security man in the area, told NAN that Lliyasu approached him that he wants to climb the mast he warned him against it.

“He came to me I warned him not to climb that mast, but when I left the site he sneaked in and climbed it.

“I was shocked when I came back and saw him on the topmost part of the mast, I have called my supervisor to come and take necessary action’’.(NAN)
UU/AFA
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Edited by Felix Ajide

200 Edo communities to benefit from UNICEF-assisted water project – Commissioner

Water

By Igbaugba Ehigimetor

Benin, Sept. 12, 2018 (NAN) A total of 200 communities in Edo are to benefit from the N2 billion water project being executed by the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in conjunction with the State Government.

The state Commissioner for Energy and Water Resources, Mr Yekini Idaiye, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin on Wednesday.

Idaiye said UNICEF would provide N1.4 billion while the state would provide N600 million counterpart fund which was about 30 per cent of the amount.

He said the projects would be cited in communities spread across Owan West, Orhionmwon, Uhunmwode, Ovia North East and Etsako West Local Government Areas with a total population of no fewer than 200, 000.

He said the project would include reticulation of water, sanitation and construction of toilet facilities in public places such as schools, market places and health centres.

‘‘These communities were carefully selected following a baseline survey across the state. In the survey, it was discovered that the selected communities lacked access to potable water.

‘‘It will interest you to know that the project is not just all about provision of water; it includes improving the sanitation of the communities by addressing the issue of open defecation.

‘‘What I am trying to say is that toilet facilities would be available in public places such as schools, health centres and markets in the benefiting communities.

‘‘Contracts for these projects will be awarded before the end of September as we have already advertised for these projects,’’ he stated.

Idaiye added that the affected communities would start enjoying the benefit of these projects before the end of the year. (NAN)

ESI/MOL/EMO
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Edited by Mustapha Lamidi/Ejike Obeta