Blog

Pension

By Lucy Nwachukwu

Abuja, Sept. 2, 2018 (NAN) The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), says Pension Fund Asset (PFA) in the second quarter stands at N8.232 trillion as against N7.943 trillion recorded in the first quarter.

The NBS disclosed this in its “Pension Asset and Membership Data (Q2 2018)’’ report released in Abuja.

According to the report, the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) bonds have the highest weight percentage of 49.08per cent of the total PFA.

It said this was closely followed by Treasury bills with 20.76 per cent weight and Domestic Ordinary Shares with 8.62 per cent weight while Green bonds has the least with 0.09 per cent weight.

According to the bureau, 8,136,202 workers were registered under the pension scheme in the period under review, compared to 7,975,976 registered workers in the first quarter.

It said participants within the age distribution of 30 to 39 had the highest percentage composition closely followed by participants within the age bracket of 40-49 years and 50-59 years.

It further said that participants with ages above 65 years had the least percentage composition in the period under review. (NAN)

LCN/SH

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edited by Sadiya Hamza

Outbreak
By Zubairu Idris
Charanchi(Katsina State), Sept. 2, 2018(NAN)Authorities on Sunday confirmed 15  deaths due to what an official suspected to be cases of gastroenteritis in Charanchi Local Government Area of Katsina State.

The Transition Committee Chairman of the council, Alhaji Yusuf  Radda, made this known to newsmen through his Information Officer, Mannir Idris in Charanchi.

He said that the areas affected by the outbreak were Charanchi town, Malali and Banye villages.

Radda said that about 24 persons have so far been hospitalised and were currently receiving medical treatment at the Charanchi Comprehensive Healthcare Centre.

He said the council had already sent team of medical experts to render services to the victims.

‘’We quickly responded to the situation by providing necessary drugs for treatment of the affected persons.

‘’We are calling for urgent intervention from the state government to curtail spread of the disease,’’ he said.

He also urged people in the areas to continue to embrace both personal and environmental hygiene as part of measures prevent diseases outbreak.(NAN)
ZI/SH

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edited by Sadiya Hamza

NFF

By Emmanuel Afonne

Abuja, Sept. 2, 2018 (NAN) Sani Katu, Chairman, Electoral Committee of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has dismissed concerns that the committee has concluded plans to disqualify top contenders in forthcoming election into the NFF Executive Committee.

Katu allayed the fears in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday.

A source who preferred not to be mentioned had told NAN that plans had been concluded to disqualify former NFF President Aminu Maigari and embattled current NFF boss Amaju Pinnick.

The plan according to the anonymous source is to disqualify both contestants during the screening exercise and leave only one candidate Taiwo Ogunjobi knowing that he might not have the support of the congress for the NFF top job.

“After the screening and disqualification of candidates, the electoral committee will open the nomination form for five days to pave way for more people to pick form including Shehu Dikko, Chairman of the League Management Company (LMC).

“Ogunjobi and Dikko may be the only ones in the final race and in the end, the LMC will emerge

“Other popular candidates from the zones may be disqualified also before the final contest,” the source said.

But Katu told NAN that the committee had no plan to disqualify any candidate that met the requirement set in the electoral guideline.

“We are already screening candidates and we will be holding our meeting tomorrow (Monday) to know the next step.

“There is no plan to disqualify anybody that is qualified. We have election guideline that guides us. We asked contestants that want to occupy positions to come and obtain a form and fill it according to the guidelines of the election.

“Once we are satisfied with the requirements, I don’t see any reason one should be disqualified; we intend to screen and find out whether the contestants are qualified, and once they are qualified, they are qualified.

“There is no way we can disqualify somebody that is qualified. We are an independent body and we are not going to do anything that is contrary to the guidelines; it’s very clear,” Katu said.

He however, said that there might be change of activities in the timetable if need be but that would be decided in the committee’s meeting scheduled for Monday.

“We cannot rule out the possibility of change of date based on election phenomena; we published a timeline but anything can happen at any time but for now, we are working with our schedule.”

The NFF electoral committee chairman noted that his members were not perturbed or distracted by the current leadership crisis in the country’s football house.

The timetable for the NFF election showed that intending candidates would buy and return their forms between Aug. 17 and Aug. 24, while screening takes place from Aug. 27 to Aug. 29 with names of candidates to be published on Aug. 30.

Protests and appeals will be heard and treated between Sept. 4 and Sept. 6, after same must have been submitted between Aug. 31 and Sept. 3.

Publication of final list of candidates will be released on Sept. 7 and elections into the NFF Executive Committee for 2018 to 2022 will hold on Sept. (NAN)

EMAF/SH

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edited by Sadiya Hamza

Deforestation: Nigeria has lost 96 % of its forest — NCF

Deforestation

By Itohan Abara-Laserian & Grace Alegba
Lagos, Sept. 2, 2018 (NAN) Nigeria has lost 96 per cent of its forest due to deforestation, according to the Director-General, Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), Dr Muhtari Aminu-Kano.

He said the country currently has only four per cent of its original forest cover.

“About 96 per cent of our original forest have been lost; it is catastrophic.

“It is sad that we are losing vegetation cover and there is absolute need to make concerted effort to grow more trees because the more the merrier not only in Lagos but across the country, “he told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Aminu-Kano said the NCF was exploring ways of increasing the country’s vegetation from four per cent to at least 25 per cent in the next 30 years.

One of the ways, he said, is to plant more trees and stop felling of trees as fuel for cooking and furniture purposes.

The director-general said: “We are exploring ways of gaining back some of what we have lost through the `Green Recovery Nigeria Initiative’ that will bring stakeholders like the government, faith leaders, traditional rulers and others to thinker on solutions.

“We have only four per cent of our original forest cover now and we think that is catastrophic and requires massive efforts to increase that coverage to at least 25 per cent across the country in 30 years.

“We want to see more trees everywhere because they will help to save humanity from global warming as they breathe in what we breathe out and then they breathe out what we breathe in for survival.’’

Aminu-Kano, therefore, called for urban regeneration like the one being implemented by the Lagos State Parks and Gardens (LASPARK), describing it as commendable.

“I think it is time for urban regeneration like what LASPARK is maintaining and I hope they will up their game. We need to plant more trees as wood to stem the firewood crisis facing Nigeria.

“We could also explore tree plantations for timbers so that we do not cut down our forest for the purpose of furniture.

“It also means leaving trees on farmlands so that we do not just clear everything and plant perennial crops, thereby reducing our forest cover, “he explained.

On Nigeria’s coastal erosion, the NCF D-G called for a holistic approach toward arresting the ravaging strong ocean currents from the Atlantic.

He noted that the currents have compounded coastal erosion in Lagos and some states in the South.

Aminu-Kano said the various efforts to provide immediate remedies to shoreline erosions in Lagos had moved the problem to other parts of the state and beyond.

Giving a brief history, he said that the problem of coastal erosion started in the 1930s when moulds were built around the Apapa Port to make it easy for vessels to berth.

According to him, the move transferred the problem to Victoria Island compelling the Lagos State Government to begin the Eko Atlantic City Project to stop the Bar Beach erosion but pushed the problem eastward to other parts of Lekki.

Aminu-Kano said some houses and communities were disappearing overnight due to the fast moving ocean currents and called for urgent multi-level action.

“We do not hear of Bar Beach erosion or Victoria Island anymore but it has pushed the problem more eastwards and this is the same with many other environmental issues.

“If you do development and look only at your immediate environment, then, you are not looking at the whole picture and you are pushing the problem somewhere else or at another time.

“The current of the Nigerian ocean and the nature of the Atlantic on our side is not really very favourable to Nigeria because the Atlantic is very turbulent in the Nigerian Coastal Waters and close to the high seas in our side and, therefore, it comes with force.

He expressed satisfaction that the Lagos State Government had saved about 14 kilometres of the coastlines by constructing groins eastward the Eko Atlantic City at a cost of N1 billion each and appealed for the Federal Government’s support.

“The project is too expensive and the problem overwhelming for Lagos alone to handle. Those groins are expensive and from what we hear that to build a groin is in the region of N1 billion.

“Our call has always been that the federal government steps in through the Ecological Funds which are set up specifically to address this kind of issue.’’

Aminu-Kano also wants FG’s intervention in tackling coastline erosion in Ayetoro area of Ondo State and other states including the Niger Delta Region being ravaged by the turbulent ocean currents. (NAN)

GA/ITM/DA

(Edited by Dele Akinsola)

Cherubim and Seraphim church inaugurates school for children with special needs

School

By Kate Obande-Okewu

Abuja, Sept.2, 2018 (NAN) The Cherubim and Seraphim Movement Church, Kubwa on Sunday in Abuja, inaugurated its Nursery and Primary School for the gifted and children with special needs.

The Board Chairman of the school, Pastor Alex Ogundipe disclosed that the name of the school was “PESACH” International Academy and designed to accommodate the child with special needs like Autism and those living with disabilities.

He added that, God created everybody in His image, therefore nobody’s situation should deny them of education and special needs teachers were employed for them.

He explained that “PESACH” was a Hebrew which means Passover, adding that the school was a model Christ centered school, established to nurture every child, both Christian and Muslims to reach their full potentials.

“A church is not about the physical building and the sermon but a church is about the light and impact it has on a community.

” The school is an opportunity for us to show love, to build people up with a distinct Christian world view for service to humanity and for the good of the nation.

“It is a not for profit establishment because we will charge minimal fees and also support those whose parents cannot afford the fees to pay through charity.

“Pupils shall be developed to possess relevant skills that could compete favourably at the international level and among comity of nations”, he said.

He urged other churches to carry out Corperate Social Responsibility projects in their communities, stating that churches don’t pay tax and they receive contributions.

Ogundipe thanked the Bwari Area Council Zonal Education Department of the Federal Capital Territory, Education Secretariat for their support in making their dream a reality.

Also speaking, Deborah Ogbede, Kubwa District Supervising Pastor, congratulated the church for their achievements and making the school a reality.

She assured them of her support and prayer for the growth of the school and the church, stating that the vision of the school is to expand into a university.

Also Pastor David Adewusi, Kubwa Christian Association of Nigeria Coordinator, said the decision of the church to set up a school was to meet the need of quality education in the community.

Adewusi added that, children that attend church schools tend to behave better in the society because the school helps to mound their character in line with the standards of God.

He also urged, churches in the country to follow the example of Cherubim and Seraphim and build schools that can cater to the educational needs of the poor masses.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that “PESACH” International Academy has ` Creche, Pre-Nursery, Nursery and Primary one to three classes.(NAN)

KTE/SH

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edited by Sadiya Hamza

Moses

By Chukwuemeka Opara

Abakaliki, Sept.2, 2018 (NAN) Football fans in Ebonyi have urged Chelsea FC of England’s Victor Moses, to reconsider his retirement from the national team.

NAN reports that on Aug. 15, Moses announced his international retirement from the Nigeria national football team, much to the shock of anyone and everyone involved.

The fans interviewed by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki on Sunday, were reacting to Moses’s snub by Coach Mauricio Sarri in the team’s 2-0 win over Bournemouth on Saturday, a streak witnessed since the start of the current season.

Bright Igboatu, Former Chairman of Chelsea Fan Club Abakaliki branch, noted that Moses was misguided by thinking that retiring from the Eagles would make Sarri look his way.

“The problem is not due to Moses’s commitment with the national team but because Sarri is employing a system different from that of former Coach, Antonio Conte which made the player tick.

“Conte employed a 3-5-2 formation which made Moses combine both defensive and offensive roles at the right wing but Sarri employs a 4-3-3 formation which features players on both the right-full back and outside right positions.

Jude Omagwe, defunct Jasper United of Onitsha player supported this assertion, arguing that featuring for the national team would even enhance Moses’s chances of breaking into Sarri’s main team.

“Chelsea’s blistering start to the season would make it difficult for Sarri to drop any play from this group that have adapted to his new system.

“Matches in the Europa league, Carabao and Federation Cups in which Moses and other fringe players can feature, are not played regularly as the focal attention is the premier league,” he said.

Chika Nwangele, Ebonyi United of Abakaliki Captain advised Moses to realise the impact playing for the national team could make in his dire situation.

“Luca Modric of Croatia has recently overthrown Christiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to emerge Europe’s best player and this was due to his scintillating performance at the world cup.

“Moses should realise that established players such as Cesc Fabregas, Adreas Christensein among others are facing similar situations as the national team affords him the opportunity of being match-fit,” he said.

Samuel Chukwuemeka, A Soccer historian, recalled that the national team afforded several Nigerian stars not playing regularly at their clubs, the avenues of being relevant.

“The world acclaimed ‘USA 94’ team for instance, had several players that had no clubs or were not regulars at their clubs during the world cup qualifiers and competition proper.

“Late Uche Okafor and Stephen Keshi fell out with their clubs management while Peter Rufai, late Wilfred Agbonavbare among others were not regulars,” he said.

Mrs Chidinmma Akanno, Youth Activist and football enthusiast however urged Nigerians to continue praying for Moses to reclaim his first team place at Chelsea.

“I am optimistic that by the time Moses starts playing regularly for Chelsea, he would be motivated to reconsider his stand of retirement from the team,” he said. (NAN)

RCO/ECN/SH

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edited by Emmanuel Nwoye/Sadiya Hamza

Some tourists at Lekki Conservation Centre

Lekki Conservation Centre records 140, 000 visitors in 3 years — DG

Tourists

By Okuanwan Offiong
Lagos, Sept. 2, 2018 (NAN) No fewer than 140, 000 visitors including local and foreign tourists were recorded at the Lekki Conservation Cenre in Lagos from 2016 to date.

The Director-General, Nigerian Conservative Foundation (NCF), Dr Muhtari Aminu-Kano, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Sunday.

Aminu-Kano said the number of visitors increased in the current year from the 60, 000 recorded in 2017.

“The numbers have really been up recently; we used to have 5,000 or 7,000 visitors a year but from 2016 the number really went up to 40, 000 at an average of about 120 people per day.

“To us as far as environmental education is concerned, the fact that at least 120 people every day want to go out and experience nature it is good in itself.

“In 2017, it was even higher as we had between 50,000 to 60,000, and it is even higher this year.

“We are quite satisfied that we are getting increased numbers of people wanting to come and learn about nature, experience the forest and natural environment and we think they will take this information out there,’’ he said.

On the centre’s “Catch Them Young’’, the director-general expressed satisfaction that schools have been bringing their students and pupils to the centre on daily basis.

“We have had at least four schools bringing their pupils in large numbers every week day of the year. So, we are really catching them young to imbibe the culture of love for nature,’’ Aminu-Kano said.

He disclosed that the centre had mapped out enlightenment strategies to reach out to the ordinary people on the street apart from the elite and the students who have embraced the campaign.

As part of the strategies to attract more people, Aminu-Kano said the entrance fee had not been raised in the last five years and also ruled out any raise for now while registered members are exempted from paying entrance fee.

The NCF director-general lauded the Lagos State Government and Chevron Nigeria Ltd for their interventions in providing link roads and other infrastructure at the facility. (NAN)
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Edited by Dele Akinsola

Prices
By Veronica Dariya
Bwari (Abuja), Sept.2, 2018 (NAN)Yam dealers in Bwari and Dutse markets of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) say the harvesting of new yams has forced the price of the tubers down in the market, making it more affordable to residemts.

A cross section of the dealers made the observation during a market survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday.

NAN reports that the prices of yam in both markets ranged from a negotiable price of N1000, to N1,200 for five tubers and N2, 000 to N2, 500 for 10 tubers, depending on the sizes of the tubers.

This is compared to the N3,000 for five tubers and between N5,000 and N6,000 before the harvest.

One of the traders, Mrs Roseline Audu said that the rainy season had made foodstuff, generally, available in the market because of a bumper harvest by some farmers.

According to her, yam harvested now cannot be stored beyond two to three months or it spoils, while adding that the farmers need the seedlings for the next planting season.

She said: ” Once you remove yam from the farm before they are fully developed or matured, you cannot store them for long.

” Besides, farmers need the seedlings for the next planting season, we have no option but to sell at whatever price offered to us.”

Another seller, Yaro Shehu said that in spite of the availability of the product, the old yams were still expensive as many people preferred to buy them because they were believed to be more suitable for consumption.

Shehu said that the price could also be reduced when sold in large quantity while adding that there were more customers compared to the previsions weeks.

He also said that most farmers are forced to sell the produce at cheap rates because they have problems that require money.

“We don’t make much profit these days. We just have to sell to solve our domestic and other problem and if we don’t harvest them now, we will not get the seeds for the dry season,” Shehu said.

Madam Felicia Nnamdi, a buyer, said that the price of yams had reduced and is more affordable than before, while adding that the produce has in no small measure reduced the burden of many families who relied on it for their various food needs.

Similarly, Mr Chris Elisha, another consumer, said he was happy that the new yam came at a time other food produce may have skyrocketed in the market beyond the reach of the common man.

He added that the new yam was cheaper and affordable.

He also said that consumers were yet to experience abundance of the produce because bigger harvests are yet to commence. (NAN)
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edited by Sadiya Hamza

Planing

by Mujidat Oyewole
Ilorin, Sept. 2, 2018 (NAN) Hajiya Toibat Ahmed, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development in Kwara, has called for immediate action to stem the incidence of child abandonment in the state.

Ahmed made the call in Ilorin on Sunday, during a visit to the Kwara Teaching Hospital.

The Commissoner was in the hospital to visit an abandoned baby.

She also called for effective family planning to stop unwanted pregnancy and child abandonment in the state.

Ahmed said the baby was abandoned for three days, behind ‘ F ‘ Division , Tanke, and was taken to the Ministry of Women Affairs by a police officer.

“The ministry took the baby to the general hospital for proper medical care and  the state government will foot the bill.

“After the medical check, the baby will be transfered to state Children Rehabilitation Centre,” she said.

Ahmed, commended the state government, for been pragmatic for providing the funds for the child.

She expressed dismay over the rate at which child abandonment increases on daily basis in the state.

Ahmed again reiterated her call for proper family planning, which she said would be the solution to the “ugly practice”. (NAN)
MOB/SH

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Award
Edeki Igafe
Warri(Delta), Sept. 2, 2018 (NAN) Former President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Edwin Clark and the Publisher of Vanguard Newspapers, Sam Amuka would be honoured with the “Niger Delta Lifetime Achievement Awards” by GbaramatuVoice Newspaper.
Mr Jacob Abai Publisher of GbaramatuVoice Newspaper disclosed this in a press statement signed and made available to newsmen on Sunday in Warri.
According to him, the recipients would be honoured with the awards on Sept. 11 at the KFT Event centre in Warri.
He also said the governors of Bayelsa, Rivers and Delta, Seriake Dickson; Nyesom Wike and Ifeanyi Okowa respectively have been nominated for the “Niger Delta Governor of the Year Award”.
The publisher said the award was part of the programmes lined up to mark the 3rd Anniversary of the foremost multimedia organisation in the South South region.
He said a lecture titled “Niger Delta Beyond Oil: Searching for Sustainable Development” would be delivered by the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs and Coordinator, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Prof. Charles Dokubo.
Abai said that the awardees were carefully selected by a committee constituted by the newspaper.
“GbaramatuVoice announced the names of the former Nigeria President, Dr Jonathan and foremost Ijaw leader, Clark as winners of Niger Delta Lifetime Achievement Awards.
“Also, the publisher of the Vanguard Newspapers Limited, Amuka, will be honoured with Niger Delta Media Icon Award.
“Others to be awarded are: Founder, Federated Niger Delta Ijaw Communities, Mr Bello Oboko; Founder, Word of Life Bible Church, Pastor Joseph Oritsejafor; and Founder of the Salvation Ministries, Pastor David Ibiyeomie,” he said.
Abai also said that Mr Julius Pondi, member representing Burutu Federal Constituency and Mrs Evelyn Oboro member representing Sapele/Okpe/ Uvwie Federal constituency at the House of Representative would be honoured with the Niger Delta Representative/Lawmaker of the Year Awards.
He said that Amaju Pinnick, Chairman, Nigerian Football Federation , would receive the Sports Personality of the Year Award for his “superlative performance in piloting the affairs of the nation’s football body.
“Ann-Kio Briggs will receive Niger Delta Woman of the Year Award,  Engr. Augustine Oghenejabo, Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director, Fenog Nigeria Limited, will be honoured as the Niger Delta Businessman of the Year Award.
“They are celebrated by the GbaramatuVoice Newspaper for being good ambassadors of the Niger Delta region and their contributions to the development of mankind,’’ he said.(NAN)
EDI/SH
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edited by Sadiya Hamza