₦airaland Forum

The Federal government’s Economic Recovery and Growth [ERGP] Focus labs has set a target of $9.24 billiion revenue inflows for private sector investments in manufacturing and processing industries in Nigeria expected to create over 300,000 jobs across the six geo-political zones by 2020.

This, in addition, will be backed by over $400million government’s investment to be injected in six entry points of food, manufacturing, textiles, minerals, petrochemicals, manufacturing and the construction of new industrial parks.

A financial expert Dr. Nosa James Igbinadolo gave the details in an interview with The Guardian at an investment forum, Tuesday, in Abuja.


Igbinadolo said that the abundant availability of raw materials, labour, land, market access and strategic location in the gulf of guinea makes Nigeria an ideal manufacturing hub.

According to him, despite being Africa’s most populous country, the contribution of the manufacturing sector to GDP is lower than Morocco, Kenya, Egypt, Mauritius and South Africa, a situation he describes as unfortunate.

He stated, ‘’Growth in the sector is crucial to achieving a diversified, sustainable and inclusive economy, other than Agriculture, it is the sector that has the most capacity to create massive job growth as it currently employs only 12 percent of labour force’’.

He explained that the influence of policy on the manufacturing and processing sectors is particularly acute adding, ‘’The unreliable supply of FOREX, high cost of accessing finance and regulated pricing has created low policy perception for investors’’.

He said that in view of the above the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment as well as the Ministry of agriculture will jointly execute projects developed at the Labs to plug the gaps between raw material producers and manufacturers,.

‘’Towards strengthening collaboration between manufacturers and raw material producers, a petrochemical project conceived at the labs has been granted gas allocation by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, a gas cylinder manufacturing factory was also linked with a 20 Megawatt power plant which will form part of a newly established industrial park’’..

He noted that the country’s growth is existentially tied to the growth of the private sector stressing ‘’enhancing collaboration between various actors in the Manufacturing value chain presents a giant opportunity for significant growth for the sector and the nation’s economy’’.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/ergp-focus-labs-target-925b-investments.html

The beef between Nicki Minaj and Cardi B is officially over after the “Chun-Li” rapper extended an olive branch in the form of a very expensive gift basket for the star’s new baby.

Sources at Petit Trésor in L.A. — which caters to the elite kiddos in town — tell The Blast Minaj just purchased a $5,000 gift basket for Cardi and Offset‘s new baby, Kulture Kiari Cephus. The basket was bought minutes after the birth announcement was made.We’re told the requirements for the basket were to “make it as girly as possible,” and was stuffed with some of the store’s most sought-after products including luxury seasonal clothes, an assortment of dolls and stuffed animals and, of course, a sterling silver rattle.

Along with the baby, there’s also some luxury organic pampering items for the new mom included!

We’re told about two dozen expensive orders have been placed at the popular boutique since Cardi and Offset announced the birth of their daughter.

Minaj’s basket has already been shipped to the “Bodak Yellow” star’s Atlanta residence and should be delivered by end of day Wednesday.

This is a big step for the stars, who have been in and out of public feuds. Earlier this year, Cardi took offense to one of Minaj’s lyrics in “Motorsport,” however that all appears to be water under the bridge.

More photos at http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/nicki-minaj-gifts-cardi-b-5000-basket.html

Kogi chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teacher has said primary school teachers in the state are dying, in their hundreds, of hunger and starvation over non-payment of their salaries.

Addressing newsmen in his office, yesterday, the state Chairman, Comrade Ayodele Thomas, said teachers are being owed up to 15 to 25 months salaries, a situation he said has created some critical health challenges for some of members.


The NUT chairman also said Governor Yahaya Bello’s directive, that teachers’ salaries must be treated on First Line Charge, with not less than 45 percent payment, was surprising as local government administrators have flagrantly refused to adhere to the directive.

Instead, he said they are paying teachers between 20- 30 percent of their monthly salaries.

Following this directive, he said the Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs swiftly set up a committee to implement the governor’s directive but regretted that the local government chairmen, along with local government treasurers and some top government officials, are frustrating the effort.

He showed an October 5, 2017 letter from Kogi state Head of Service, entitled: “Computerizing and centralising of the payroll of the state, local governments workforce and pensioners” where local government administrators and other stakeholders were specifically directed to pay teachers salaries as first line charge from the Joint Account Allocation Committee.


Thomas reiterated that the local government bosses still refused to comply with the directive.

He said efforts to meet with the governor, to let him know about the latest development, has not been successful even as he alleged that the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Folashade Arike, of not responding to three different memos sent by the NUT to her on the issue.

While pleading with the state governor to look into their plights of teachers by directing the local government administrators to comply with his directive, he said government officials should stop playing politics with teachers’ salaries .


The NUT boss said some children and wards of teachers in the state can no longer go to school due to lack of payment of salaries.

He also claimed that while other categories of workers in the state collect their minimum wage, primary school teachers have been denied theirs.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/kogi-teachers-were-dying-of-hunger.html

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Monday sealed an agreement with Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, Oando Plc and other partners on the implementation of seven critical gas development projects worth $3.7 billion to bridge the gas supply shortfall in the domestic market.


This development came as crude oil prices rose Monday following increased global demand and the United States efforts to shut out Iranian output using sanctions.

The development, according to unfolding drilling data, indicated an increase in US shale.

Speaking Monday in Lagos at the ‘Framing Workshop on the Seven Critical Development Projects’, where the agreement was signed, the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, identified five projects by the NNPC joint ventures and two projects by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Corporation (NPDC), a subsidiary of the corporation, as the seven projects.

According to him, some of the projects include, full utilisation of Uquo Gas Plant to deliver 200 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (mmscfd), through the NPDC’s Utapate gas in Oil Mining Lease (OML) 13; and the joint development of OML 24, a joint venture between the NNPC and Newcross and OML 55, a JV between the corporation and BELEMA OIL.

The other projects are the full utilisation of Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc’s Oben Gas Plant to deliver 465mmscfd of gas; and the full utilisation of Pan Ocean’s Ovade Gas Plant to deliver 130mmscfd.

“There exist another opportunity to utilise the spare capacity of 100mmsfd in Pan Ocean Ovade Gas Plant, which currently processes 30 mmscfd due to sub-surface limitation. The plan was to send NPDC Oredo gas to Ovade for processing but due to lack of alignment of schedule, NPDC has progressed significantly with the installation of two compressors to supply the gas directly into the Escravos Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS). This non-alignment of purpose can be eliminated through proper synchronisation of our developments,” Baru explained.

He noted that domestic gas demand was growing at an exponential rate that outpaces gas supply development plan.

According to him, a gap of about three billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) of gas by 2020 has been identified by NNPC, which will be bridged at the full completion of the seven critical gas projects.

Baru said the NNPC had engaged two world-class project management consultants – DeltaAfrik/Worley Parson and Crestech/Penspen) who will work with NPDC and NNPC JV partners and other stakeholders to achieve set project deliverables.

He said the implementation of the projects was the beginning of the end to the gap in domestic gas supply of 3.5 bscfd, as these projects at full implementation would be the final solution in resolving the foreseen domestic gas supply gap.

Baru identified the timely availability of funds as one of the factors that would help in project delivery, adding that the NNPC had developed a third party financing arrangement for new investments and had also secured $3.7 billion for the under-listed projects.

Baru included Belema Oil and Pan Ocean as some of the NNPC’s partners in the projects.

He listed governance for unitised assets; timely approvals with other agencies and lease renewal­ as some of the other enablers that would quicken the implementation of the projects.

According to him, though lease renewal is not under NNPC purview, the corporation would do everything within its means to ensure that lease renewal requests related to these projects are supported for renewal.

As the NNPC commenced the implementation of gas projects, crude oil prices also rose Monday over increased global demand and the limited success of the US efforts to shut out Iranian output using sanctions.

Benchmark Brent was up 70 cents at $77.81 per barrel, while the US crude was unchanged at $73.80.

The US said it wanted to reduce oil exports from Iran, the world’s fifth biggest oil producer, to zero by November, in a move that will oblige other big producers such as Saudi Arabia to pump more.

But Saudi Arabia and other members of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) have little spare capacity and oil demand has risen faster than supply over the last year.

At the same time, exports from several OPEC producers, including Venezuela and Libya, have been falling.

US oil output is increasing but is unlikely to be able to fill the supply gap if US sanctions are successful in blocking Iranian exports.

US energy companies last week increased the number of rigs drilling for oil by five to 863.

The US rig count, an early indicator of future output, is much higher than a year ago as companies have ramped up production in response to higher prices.

OPEC, Russia and other producers agreed in June to a modest increase in output to dampen oil prices, which recently hit three and a half year high.

A rise in supply will reverse some of the output cuts that OPEC and other major producers put in place in early 2017 to end several years of glut.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/nnpc-signs-agreement-with-shell-seplat.html

The Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has charged the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to examine the nature of employment contracts oil servicing companies foisted on its members and ensure that the implementation of the Nigerian Content Act conforms with labour issues.

The oil workers have also commended the NCDMB for its effective implementation of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act.


The President of NUPENG, Williams Akporeha and Deputy General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, made these remarks during a recent meeting convened by the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), in Abuja.
The House Committee had invited the NCDMB to respond to concerns raised by the oil workers that the Service Level Agreement (SLA) signed by the Board and the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS) on May 9, 2018, would limit the duration of industry contracts of labour service to a maximum of three months as against five years, which it claimed was previously the practice.

The union leaders, however, sang a different tune after listening to the clarifications made by the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr. Simbi Wabote, who explained that the SLA between NCDMB and OPTS was aimed at shortening the protracted contracting cycle in the Nigerian oil and gas industry, which used to take about three years before the award of a major contract would be completed.
The NUPENG officials thereafter asked the NCDMB to examine the nature of employment contracts oil servicing companies foisted on their members.
According to them, NUPENG members were often made to accept short term contracts, with unfavorable conditions of service.
Akporeha claimed that oil workers championed the Nigerian Content Bill when it was undergoing legislative processes, hence they expected the NCDMB to extend the implementation of the Nigerian Content Act to key labour issues, like the provisions of employment contracts which operating and service companies subject Nigerian employees to.

He regretted that most operating companies no longer hire middle and lower cadre personnel on a full- time basis, but prefer to use casual workers.
Such practices, he insisted, were against labour laws and inimical to the interests of the nation and its youths.
Providing insight on the SLA, Wabote explained that the Board signed the first of such agreements with the Nigerian LNG Limited in May 2017 and was jointly developing the third SLA with the Independent Petroleum Producers Group (IPPG).
He said the SLA with the NLNG greatly improved the speed of interactions between the two organisations, leading to the timeous conclusion of the recent award of a contract by the NLNG to a fully indigenous company, E.A. Temile Development Company for the provision of a new build Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) ship.

The Executive Secretary confirmed that the SLA with OPTS was aimed at accelerating the approval process of the NCDMB’s activities on the contracting cycle and enhancing the ease of doing business, which is a key policy thrust of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.
“It is meant to shorten the time by removing all unwanted bottlenecks and red tapes in order to conclude Nigerian content reviews and approvals by NCDMB before award of contracts by NNPC-NAPIMS,” he said.
Wabote also promised to intervene in the complaints raised by NUPENG against operating and service companies, within the limits of the Board’s mandate.

While noting that most violators of the Nigerian Content Act were indigenous companies, Wabote charged the union to serve as whistle blowers and report cases of Nigerian Content infractions to the Board so it would call the violators to order.
In his comments, the chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Hon Akinlaja Iranola Joseph, asked the Board and NUPENG to develop a regular interface for addressing labour issues in the industry. He decried casualisation in the industry and charged relevant agencies of government to fight against it.
A member of the House of Representatives Committee and former President of NUPENG, Hon Peter Akpatason also urged the industry to employ junior cadre staff and build their capacities so they can play leading roles in the sector.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/nupeng-tasks-ncdmb-on-labour-laws.html

The African Development Bank has revealed plans to invest $12bn in Nigeria’s energy programme and other African countries.

A statement by the bank quoted the President, AfDB, Akinwumi Adesina, as saying this, adding that there was a need to act speedily to accelerate the plans to light up and power Africa.


He spoke during the inaugural edition of the Africa Energy Market Place on Friday.

“The bank has made a $12bn investment commitment to its new deal on Energy for Africa programme. Sub-Saharan Africa currently has 14 per cent of the world’s population and accounts for four per cent of global energy investment. Analysts at the bank note that several countries, including Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana and Kenya, are on track to reaching universal electricity access by 2030,” he said.

Adesina described the AEMP as an industry-wide collaborative platform convened by the AfDB to address barriers to mobilising and scaling-up private investment into the energy sector by bringing together key stakeholders in the continent’s energy sector.

He added that the workshop specifically sought to address Africa’s dismal energy and electricity production and consumption, which currently stood at 150kWh per capita.

The Director, Côte d’Ivoire Cabinet of Petrol and Renewable Energy Development Ministry, Jacques Chevalier, stated that energy held a critical role in Africa’s economic transformation, particularly in improving the living conditions of Africans.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/afdb-to-invest-12bn-in-nigerias-energy.html

The Peoples Democratic Party has said its lawyers were considering taking a legal action against the Federal Government over the asset seizure executive order which was signed by President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on Thursday.

The party described the executive order as illegal, unconstitutional, reprehensible and a dangerous step towards a descent to fascism.


A statement issued in Abuja on Friday and signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said the President was breaching the law with the order.

“Already, our lawyers are considering a legal action against the Federal Government on the illegality of Mr. President’s action in the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians,” it said.

It said that the order was in total disregard for the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.

The party said the Nigerian Constitution does not, under any section, confer what it described as “fascist powers” on the President and that there can be no legitimate latitude of interpretation placed on sections 5 and 15 (5) of the 1999 Constitution cited as justifications for the executive order, that can excuse it.

It said, “Therefore, President Buhari’s unilateral executive order is a travesty of justice and rule of law, as it vehemently seeks to hijack and usurp the powers of both the legislature and the courts and vest it on himself, so that he can use same at will, as a political instrument, to haunt, traumatise, harass and victimise perceived political opponents.

“In order words, Mr. President wants to change our democratic governance to a military regime, in line with his lamentation, two days ago, that the fight against corruption would be better under a military regime than under a democracy.”

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/corruption-pdp-may-sue-fg-over-asset.html

The National Emergency and Management Agency (NEMA) has received a fresh batch of 155 stranded Nigerian returnees trapped in Libya in their futile attempt to cross over to Europe for greener pastures.

The returnees comprised 41 female adults (five pregnant women, one female child and one female infant and 107 male adults (three male children and two male infants) with three minor medical cases recorded.


The returnees voluntarily decided to return to Nigeria when the International Organisation for Migrations (IOM) offered them opportunities to return with free transportation.

The IOM Director General, Mustapha Maihajja, received the returnees on behalf of Mr. Segun Afolayan at the Cargo Wing of the Murtala Muhammad International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

He admonished the returnees on the need to utilise the new opportunities to restart a new life as their efforts at getting unavailable fortune in foreign land.

“We have been inundated with tale of woes on the sufferings that many of our nationals are going through and efforts are being made to ensure that helps get to all,” Maihajja expressed.

According to him, currently, the country has a very responsive and responsible government that cares for the well-being of all Nigerians.

He added: “It will not let Nigerians down but we want you to be agents of positive by supporting this Federal Government to put on your efforts at rebuilding the country progressively.”

One of the returnee, Khadija Balogun aged 23 from Ogun State expressed regret for attempting to embark on the journey, adding that her ordeal started from Cote D’Ivoire through Mali when she landed in the den of kidnappers on arriving in Libya.

“I spent a total of one million and one hundred thousand naira to get to Libya. In the hands of kidnappers, I was sold out but I freed myself with N400,000.

“After that, another group arrested me and kept me in jail for a year before my parents raised and sent me N750,000 before I finally got out.”

Hence, when Balogun heard of the opportunity to return to Nigeria, she embraced it voluntarily.

Although her dreams to travel to Spain foiled, she advised: “All those talks that there are opportunities are lies fake. Imagine that I use 1 million out of the money wasted to start a business, I would have been very prosperous.”

“No one should try to travel to Libya. If you try it, well, it’s 7 years imprisonment waiting for you on arrival. Libya has warned us not to come back. If we try it, we would be imprisoned for seven years,” he disclosed.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/nema-receives-155-nigerians-from-libya.html

Nigerians, Who will you vote for in 2019 presidential election?

you can also click here to drop your comments

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/nigerians-which-political-party-will.html

The ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) says it is not factionalised.

The party stated this on Thursday while reacting to a new faction which self-styled itself as ‘Reformed APC’ (r-APC).

On Wednesday, the r-APC while addressing a press conference during it formation said the new faction was formed due to the failure of their former party.

The party had earlier said it was studying the situation and would react appropriately.

The new group had described the APC as “severely underperforming and unable to meet its potentials for good governance,” among others.


But the ruling party on Thursday described the action of the group as mischievous and ill-advised having failed to scuttle its recently held National Convention.

In a series of tweets on its official twitter handle @OfficialAPCNg, the APC said the group’s intention is to cause confusion. It also doubted that members of the faction belonged to its fold.

“No Faction in @OfficialAPCNg. Yesterday, a group of individuals announced itself as ‘Reformed All Progressives Congress (APC)’ at a press conference in Abuja. By their actions, this group has attempted to create the impression that our Party is factionalised. This is not true,” the APC tweeted.

“We wish to affirm that there is no faction in @officialAPCNg and declare the action by these individuals as mischievous and ill-advised.

“Having failed to scuttle the #apcnationalconvention2018 as was their original plan, they now resort to this subterfuge as a way of achieving the pre-determined end of causing confusion.

“As a matter of fact, we doubt that these individuals parading as leaders of the so called faction are actual @OfficialAPCNg members. We are currently investigating their true membership status within the Party.

“While we shall continue to monitor developments in this respect; we will not hesitate to take lawful actions to defend the unity of our Party and protect the sanctity of its identity.

“We are currently reviewing the action of this so-called faction in order to determine if any aspect of the Party’s constitution has been breached with the connivance of any of our members”,the party said.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/our-party-it-is-not-factionalised-says.html

The Senate Committee on Police Affairs has summoned the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Ibrahim Idris, over the Monday killing of seven police officers in Abuja.


Abu Ibrahim, the Chairman of the Committee made the disclosure on the floor of the Senate on Thursday after the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, asked that the matter be investigated.

Saraki lamented over the death of the security officers while contributing to a point of order earlier raised by Mao Ohabunwa on the armed police and army roadblocks along South-Eastern roads.


The Senate President urged his colleagues to pay attention to the death of officers as they were killed in selfless service to the nation.

He said, “While also talking in that light, I observe that we have not taken this issue of the SARS police officers that were killed on Monday in Galadimawa Junction.

“I think as a National Assembly, as much as we pay attention to ordinary citizens that lose their lives either by one action or inaction of the police, we all should be seen to also protect and be there for those that protect our lives.


“I’ll like us to please find out what happened as regards to these seven police officers that were killed, the circumstances and how we can also show our commiseration with the families as well as whatever needs to be done so that police officer and all of them know that we do care and appreciate what they are doing. Please let us have a report by next week.”

Shortly after, Ibrahim told the Senate that the committee had summoned the IGP.

According to Ibrahim, the committee was expected to be briefed by the IGP on Tuesday.

“The Committee on Police Affairs invited the IG to brief us on these killings and what happened in Maiduguri and it is going to be on Tuesday,” he said.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/again-senate-summons-igp-idris-over.html

A presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, Thursday said he is determined to rescue Nigeria from poverty and hunger if he wins the 2019 elections.

Speaking in an interview with journalists in Sokoto, Turaki lamented that Nigerians were going through pains because of economic hardship.


He posited that the All Progressives Congress (APC) has destroyed the nation’s values and caused division among Nigerians.

“The APC-led federal government has destroyed all the values we cherish as a people. Since the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates, Nigerians have never been in this situation that they now find themselves.

“There is serious division in the polity and this is because we have a federal government that openly discriminates against the citizens of this country.

“We will look into the issue of our togetherness as a people and strive towards uniting Nigerians. We will ensure equal access to opportunities to all citizens without discrimination,” he said.

Turaki pledged to restructure the security architecture of Nigeria and ensure that the economy is liberalised and unbundled, if given the mandate come 2019.

According to him, he would also ensure synergy between the three arms of government in a sense that the executive would not try to usurp the powers of the legislature, thereby overheating the polity.

The former Minister of Special Duties expressed the hope of defeating President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 presidential election.

“I have no doubt that I will defeat Buhari. I am optimistic of winning the 2019 presidential election because I have a lot of things I consider as my strength. I have integrity, credibility, education,
knowledge, experience and capacity to deliver,” Turaki added.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/2019-pdp-will-rescue-nigeria-from.html

Following the second round of the 2018 National Immunisation Plus Days (NIPDs) aimed at vaccinating children of between ages zero to 59 months against polio in Nigeria, the Lagos State government has vaccinated 4.9 million children across the state.

The campaign, which started Saturday June 30 to Tuesday July 3, 2018 at designated sites, covered 4859 houses, 752 fixed posts, and 1712 transit teams.


Speaking during the last lap of the exercise in Agege local government secretariat, the Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Primary Healthcare, Dr. Olufemi Onanuga noted that the four day programme experienced massive turn out, as the state ensured there were activities which attracted children and caregivers for the exercise. He said the exercise is aimed at boosting the herd of immunity against poliomyelitis, adding that the children received two drops of oral polio vaccines irrespective of their previous immunisation status.

“To ensure the success of this year’s polio vaccination campaign, many training sessions were conducted to strengthen the capacity of relevant health workers. We also did massive media campaigns involving airing of jingles while LGA social mobilizers moved within communities to sensitize and mobilize citizenry effectively,” he explained.

He added, “The responsibility to vaccinate all eligible children against measles is not that of the parents and care givers alone. The responsibility rests on everybody to ensure that children are fully immunised against childhood preventable diseases.

“The state government is particularly interested in the health of the children and as such is prepared to carry out any activity that will ensure that their right to health is attained. Polio is one of the major killer diseases of children under the age of five years which can be prevented by vaccination.”

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/lagos-immunises-46-million-children.html

Super Eagles captain John Obi Mikel has revealed that he played for Nigeria against Argentina at the Russia 2018 World Cup with the information of his dad being kidnapped and held for ransom. But the former Chelsea star added that he could not tell anyone because the abductors warned him that his father would be killed immediately authorities know about the incident. Mikel stressed that he was in a devastating mood when the kidnappers called him four hours into the Group D tie between Nigeria and Argentina which the Super Eagles lost 1-2. His father was on his way to a funeral in south eastern Nigeria from Jos when he was abducted along the Makurdi-Enugu expressway on June 26. Mikel explained further that the kidnappers demanded the sum of N10 Million ($28,000 US) for the safe return of his father Pa Michael Obi. "I was confused and I did not know what to do, but in the end I knew that I could not let 180 million Nigerians down. "I had to shut it out of my head and go and represent my country first. I was told that they would shoot my dad instantly if I reported to the authorities or told anybody.
"And I did not want to discuss it with the coach because I did not want my issue to become a distraction to the coach or the rest of the team on the day of such an important game. So as much as I wanted to discuss it with the coach, I could not do it." Mikel explained according to ESPN. Mikel's father was later rescued on Monday, July 2, after a gun battle between the police and the kidnappers in which the hoodlums were forced to run away for their lives leaving their victims behind. Meanwhile, this will be the second time that Mikel Obi's father will be abducted as the first time was in August 2011 before he was later rescued after spending 10 days with the kidnappers.
Goals from Messi and Rojo secured qualification for Argentina as Chelsea winger Victor Moses also scored his first goal in the World Cup for Nigeria.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/mikel-reveals-his-father-was-kidnapped.html

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says the street protest by police personnel on special duty in Borno State has confirmed that the “Presidency has not been committed to providing security” for the people.

The party made the claim in a statement by their National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Monday hours after the police personnel demanded the payment of their allowance of about five months.PDP described the protest as “unfortunate and an ugly caption of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led Federal Government.”

They alleged that despite the huge resources at the government disposal, it has only been paying lip service and giving false assurances to the people in the region and other parts of the country.

“Is it not disconcerting that policemen, who daily risk their lives at the fronts, are denied their allowances for months; left unaccommodated without basic needs, and kept forlorn in the face of battle?” the opposition party questioned.

“Nigerians can now see that this administration is overtly deceitful, thrives on propaganda, lies, false claims and is never committed to the good of the people even as it blames everyone else for its failures,” the party claimed.

The PDP purported that the situation was more than has met the eyes and called for an urgent investigation into the cause of the protest by the security operatives.

They noted that while the findings of such investigations must be made public, the policemen should exercise restraint as they vent their grievances.

The party further challenge the Police High Command to ensure that the immediate payment of the allowances and do the needful to restore the morale of the men at the front.

The police personnel stormed the streets of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital earlier in the day, calling for the removal of the Inspector General of Police.

Barricading major roads around the Police Headquarters in the state, they claimed that they have not been provided with their basic needs, including good accommodation.

But the police authorities have played down the report of protest, saying the personnel were only at the Command Headquarters to enquire about their unpaid allowances.

A statement from the Force Headquarters, Abuja revealed that the Inspector General of Police had promptly directed the Commissioner of Police in Borno to address the issue.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/presidency-not-committed-to-security.html

The Federal Government on Monday offered for subscription a two-year savings bond at 10.48 per cent and a three-year savings bond at 11.48 per cent, the Debt Management Office (DMO) has said.

According to the offer circular on the DMO website, the two-year bond will be due in July 2020 while the three-year bond will be due in July 2021.

It, however, did not state how much was offered for the bonds, but stated that the maximum subscription was N50 million at N1, 000 per unit, subject to minimum subscription of N5, 000 and in multiples of N1, 000.

The DMO said the bonds were fully backed by the full faith and credit of the Federal Government, with quarterly coupon payments to bondholders.

The savings bond issuance is expected to help finance the nation’s budget deficit.

It is to also part of the Federal Government’s programme targeted at the lower income earners to encourage savings and also earn more income (interest), compared to their savings accounts with banks.

The circular also said the offer would close on Friday.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/nigerian-govt-offers-2-savings-bonds-at.html

Security agencies, including the Nigerian Police Force are to jointly deploy 30,000 officers and men to enhance adequate security during the July 12 governorship election in Ekiti State.

Arrangements are also in top gear to receive the Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris on a one-day official visit to the state next week.

Caleb Ikechuckwu, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Ado Ekiti that the IGP would meet with all stakeholders, preparatory to the polls.

Ikechukwu listed other security and paramilitary agencies in the pool to include Nigeria Immigration Service, Civil Defence, Directorate of Security Services (DSS), Nigeria Prisons Service and the FRSC.

He explained that contrary to expectations, none of those to be deployed for election purpose would be armed.

According to him, since election matters are generally regarded as civil in nature, all the security agencies had been told to be civil in their approach.

Besides, he disclosed that such officers and men had also been told to be at a radius of 500metres, away from every polling booth.

“I can tell you proudly that the police, as a major security outfit, is more than ready.

“Our readiness is such that even if the election has to come up tomorrow, we will not be caught napping,” he said.

NAN reports that no fewer than 10,000 of those to be deployed are from the police.

His disclosure was coming just as the Ekiti State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC), said no fewer than 7,500 of its men are to join the security team.

Spokesman of the Corps in the state, Tolu Afolabi told NAN that those to be deployed had already undergone series of trainings to boost their preparedness.

Meanwhile, the Inspector General also on Monday deployed the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in charge of Public Complaints Rapid Response Unit, Mr. Abayomi Shogunle to the state ahead of the election.

Shogunle told NAN that he had the instructions of I-G to carry out confidence building patrols in different parts of the state by attending swiftly to all complaints emanating from individuals and groups against its men.

“This is one of the several measures the police authorities are taking toward ensuring that we remain neutral in the Ekiti State election,” he said.

He listed emergency numbers to call for complaints including 08057000001 and 0805700002 (For calls only), 0805700003, (Gor SMS only), and 0805700003 (For Whatsapp) only.

Shogunle however, warned complainants against grave consequences of false alarms or allegations that could not be substantiated with facts.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/30000-security-personnel-for-ekiti.html

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, has inaugurated a 15-member technical committee to develop a Welfare Policy for Federal Civil Service.

She said that the inauguration was part of implementing the 2017 to 2020 Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation plan.

This was as Oyo-Ita said workers should look beyond salary increment as the only welfare.


She said one of the major priority areas in the implementation plan was the improvement of welfare benefit packages for civil servants.


“The policy is expected to provide a framework that would ensure that all issues of welfare of federal government employees are fully developed and institutionalized. The policy will ensure that MDAs are committed to providing a caring and supportive work environment that is conducive for the welfare of all employees which enables them to develop to their full potential,” Oyo-Ita said.


She urged the members of the committee to work hard and ensure they complete the assignment in three months.


The committee is chaired by the Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office (SWO), Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHoCSF), Mrs Didi Walson-Jack.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/fg-panel-to-develop-workers-welfare.html

Former Kano governor, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has said that he as a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, can easily defeat President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.


The former governor said this while identifying the PDP as the most potent opposition platform capable of defeating Buhari at the upcoming presidential election scheduled for next February.

Kwankwaso, in an interview with popular columnist, Dele Momodu, said, “I’m a free man now and available to try my luck elsewhere but I know that PDP is the biggest party and as long as they follow democratic principle, Buhari will easily be defeated, but if they handpick and force any candidate on the party, they will fail.


“PDP needs someone from the 3k States: Kano, Katsina and Kaduna to win the next election. That’s where the votes are. It would be difficult to win if they pick someone from any other zone…”


“I can guarantee them that I will beat Buhari if given the chance,” he added.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/07/2019-ill-easily-defeat-buhari-if.html

Anambra State is targeting to become the number one destination for investment in the country even as the state may have attracted investments worth $4 billion over the last four years, Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Don Adinuba has said.
He said this during the courtesy visit to the state by Charles Nworji the Director; National Orientation Agency (NOA).

Adinuba said that the state has been able to attract significant amount of investment because of the relative peace it enjoys.

Anambra, he said, was the only state pursuing a development vision that takes into account generations yet unborn, stressing that with the cooperation of NOA, there would be no doubt that the state would succeed.

Responding, Nworji, the Director General of the NOA said that there were many ways that the NOA can cooperate with Anambra state to promote the state as an investment destination.

“They are organisations that cooperate for the common good, and that is why we are here to solicit for your cooperation,” Nworji added.

Meanwhile, as part of the efforts to attract investment into the state, Willie Obiano, the governor of the state, announced plans for the state to produce 613,000 metric tons of rice annually from its flourishing agricultural investments. He disclosed this during a tour of JOSAN Giant Rice Mill in Umumbo in Ayamelum Council of the state.

Obiano who recalled that when he assumed office in 2014, total rice production in the state stood at 80,000 metric tons per annum, said that has since more than doubled to 302,000 metric tons per annum. “We want to move to 613, 000 metric tons in the next three planting seasons.”

“And to be able to achieve that, we must renovate the irrigation system in Omor also in Ayamelum Council Area, in partnership with the federal government,” he said.

He said that JOSAN Rice Mill in Umumbo had a capacity to produce 50,000 metric tons of rice but that his administration had plans to beef up the production output of the mill to 100,000 metric tons.

The Umumbo Rice Mill which was built during the reign of former President Shehu Shagari had been abandoned for decades until the Obiano administration handed it over to JOSAN Integrated Farms and Mills Ltd in 2017.

According to him, the plan to revamp the moribund irrigation system would guarantee year-round rice production in the Ayamelum agricultural belt and boost the overall output in rice production in the state.

Obiano expressed confidence that when fully reactivated the Omor irrigation system would add vigour to the ongoing agricultural revolution in the state.

The traditional ruler of Umumbo, Igwe Simeon Chidubem and his Omor Counterpart, Igwe Chidume Oranu commended the governor for his interest in repositioning the agricultural sector of the state to become a major income earner

Already the state is getting support from the World Bank and the African Development Bank (ADB) which are implementing a Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) to build access roads and markets in rural areas leading to major farmlands.

The Anambra State Coordinator of RAAMP, Joe Onyejekwe said that the work plan was to maximize agricultural production in the state.

Onyejekwe said that it was discovered that many food crops were wasting because there were no access roads to farms in the hinterlands noting that not less than US$8.9 billion was lost yearly in the country due to under harnessed farm produce.

“The World Bank and ADB have already selected roads that meet their qualifications to be built without interference of any person from the state. `They will come up with designs and check the quality of roads to be constructed,” he said.

The state coordinator said that three communities from Idemili South were selected. These include Awkaetiti, Nnokwa and Alor and Obosi from Idemili North.

Still in a bid to boost investment, the State Government has perfected plans to stage a Trade Fair at Onitsha, the commercial hub of the state. The fair, which would last for two weeks, has been scheduled to run from November 26 to December 11 at the Chuba Ikpeazu Stadium, Onitsha.

The Chairman Trade Fair Planning Committee, Chris Ukachukwu said the fair would be the third in the series in Anambra. It would be organised by three of the city’s chambers — Awka, Onitsha, and Nnewi and backed by Anambra State Government.

The theme of the trade fair is: “Promoting Economic Development Through Manufacturing, Trade and Agriculture’’.

“The core objective has been chosen — to organise a well-articulated fair that will attract international and local businesses to showcase their products,” Ukachukwu said.

The Head, Marketing Sub-Committee of the fair, Chinedu Nwonu said the trade fair would be in line with the Government’s economic pillars and enablers.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/anambra-targets-number-one-investment.html

The Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, has cautioned the state’s civil servants not to sell their votes to the All Progressives Congress on the election day.

He said the offer to buy votes could be a trick to arrest the workers and hand them over for prosecution by the Electoral Offences Tribunal


The governor warned that any worker caught taking money to vote for a particular candidate on the day of election would be on his own because the people offering the money might not be able to secure their freedom.

He urged the workers to vote and stay until result was announced and their preferred winner win the election.

Fayose gave the warning on Monday when he handed over promotion letters to civil servants at the Fajuyi Pavilion in Ado Ekiti.

Fayose told the workers, “Be very careful of the way you collect money to vote during the coming election. They will use money to entice you, but collecting such money at polling centres is an electoral offence.

“If you are caught and you are found culpable, you can be prosecuted and end up in jail.

“The security people will arrest you and you will be prosecuted at the electoral offences tribunal. Don’t allow them to rig the election, vote and stay there until the votes are counted.”

The governor added that he never sacked workers arbitrarily throughout his reign.

He reiterated his promise to either pay the backlog of workers’ salaries or reduce it to the barest minimum before leaving office.


Fayose added, “I ask for your support for Olusola (Eleka), come July 14. He is a visionary leader who will take over from me. He is one of us. I want to say we have only one state and we must preserve it.”

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/sell-your-votes-risk-jail-fayose-warns.html

Barring any unforeseen circumstance, millions of internet users in Nigeria would this week start enjoying the benefit of rolling over unused data which they could not exhaust at the original expiry date following the introduction of the Data Roll-Over policy by the National Communications Commission (NCC).

According to the NCC, the Data Roll-Over policy would come into effect this week following complaints from millions of data subscribers that they were being short-changed by internet service providers as a result of the non-implementation of the policy in the country.



The official statistics provided by the NCC as at year showed internet users in Nigeria were in the region of between 98.3 million and 149.3 million, connected to mobile telecommunications, with players in the industry predicting steady growth of mobile telecommunications subscribers.

Delivering his address at the 39th edition of Consumer Town Hall Meeting (CTM), in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State, the Deputy Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, Alhaji Ismail Adedigba, said the Data Roll-Over policy was among the latest in the recent directives introduced by the telecommunications regulatory body to ensure that subscribers enjoy the worth of what they subscribed to.

“As you may be aware, the Commission has been inundated with various complaints such as: Unsolicited text messages and calls; Failure/refusal to roll over unused data at the expiration and activation/subscription to data and value-added services (VAS), without prior consent of the subscriber, among others.

“In response to the above major complaints, the Commission, as consumer-centric institution has taken appreciate steps such as: Development of 2442 DND Short Code to solve unsolicited text messages/calls; Issuance of directives to Service Providers on Data Roll-over which now enabled consumers to roll over unused data for period of time, ranging from 1 day to 7 days , depending on your data plan. This takes effect from 26th of June, 2018.

“Issuance of directives to Service Providers on forceful subscription of data and Value Added Services (VAS) which directs Service Providers to resist from forceful/automatic renewal of data services without prior consent of subscribers. This has taken effect from 21st of May, 2018.

“The Commission also developed 622 Toll-Free Line through which you can easily lodge complaints for any unresolved service issues to the NCC,” Adedigba said.

Adedigba added that the CTM in Akpabuyo was one in the series of such endeavours lined-up to educate Nigerians and protect consumers from , what the Commission views as “unwholesome practices by some service providers.”
He said the programme was to enable a “tripartite meeting of the Regulators, Operators and Consumer to resolve pressing consumer issues with respect to provision of telecom services.”

Adedigba said that, so far, adequate steps had been taken to regulate illegalities and violation of consumer’s right by some service providers, and that in future more policies aimed at protecting the customer would be rolled out to further protect telecommunications subscribers.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/ncc-begins-implementation-of-data-roll.html

Chief Ugochukwu Nnam, President of Initiative for Leadership Development and Change (ILDC), says the newly elected Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Adams Oshiomhole is a man with integrity and leadership initiatives.

Nnam told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that APC took a laudable decision by electing the former Edo governor as its national chairman.

He said the former Nigeria Labour Congress leader had the capacity to turn around the party for the better with his experience in both economic and human management.

“Oshiomole has been tested and trusted in various capacities ranging from labour unionism to politics.

“You will agree with me that he delivered excellently, therefore he shall bring such experience to APC leadership,’’ Nnam said.

The group’s leader said that APC’s journey to greatness had begun with the emergence of a seasoned administrator like Oshiomole.

He added that it was time for the party to consolidate on the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari by supporting Oshiomole.

Nnam, who noted that political disagreement, had been a necessary feature of democracy, called on politicians to close ranks for a greater Nigeria.

He urged Nigerians to continue to support democracy in spite of its challenges, saying that “worst democracy is better than the best military rule’’.

The ruling APC on June 23 elected its national leadership where Adams Oshiomole emerged as chairman.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/oshiomhole-has-leadership-quality.html

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and the Action Democratic Party (ADP) have asked President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately arrest the masterminds of the early Sunday morning massacre in Plateau State.

ADP warned that the president risk losing face and will be perceived to have compromised if he fails to act now.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Henry Okolie-Aboh, APGA reminded the federal government that one of its major constitutional responsibilities​ is the protection of lives and properties

“With deep sense of loss and sadness, totally condemns the latest spate of killings in Plateau State​ in which defenceless children, pregnant women and a huge number of other villagers lost their lives in cold blood. The party empathises as well as commiserates with the government and people of Plateau State, especially they families that lost their dear ones, on this barbaric, callous and dastardly act. The party wishes once again to remind the federal government that one of its major constitutional responsibilities​ is the protection of lives and properties. Therefore, it should get the Police in particular and other security Agencies in general, to do their work by maintaining​ law and order and stop the criminal, incessant and wanton loss of precious lives and destructions of properties,” the party said.


“The party views the killings​ in Plateau State as one too many to recount, because of the activities of some unscrupulous elements, including brigands and arsonists who have decided to turn the state into a slaughter slab, a killing field and a huge cauldron,” the party added.
APGA also expressed worry about the spate of killings across other states that included Benue, Taraba, Nassarawa, Kogi, Borno, Zamfara and Adamawa, which makes the entire country look very insecure and lawless.

The party advised the federal government to urgently restructure its security architecture, in order to tame the growing menace of killings and general flow of citizens’ blood without ceasing, across the country.
On its part, the ADP has advised the government of President Buhari to effect the immediate arrest of the masterminds of the massacre or risk losing face.

National Chairman of the ADP, Mr. Yabagi Sani, said in a statement signed by the party’s Director of Media, Kayode Jacobs, yesterday in Abuja, that the current perception held by the people was that “the government of President Buhari shielding killer herdsmen and this must be proved otherwise.
“If the government fails to respond appropriately on this Jos killings, the country may be driven into a situation where every citizen will fend security for themselves and this could spell doom” he said.

full details at http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/apga-adp-condemn-herdsmen-killings-in.html

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has asked the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to make the National Identification Number (NIN) a basic requirement for asset declaration.

The Director General of NIMC, Mr. Aliyu Aziz, made the proposal at a one day Code of Conduct Sensitization Workshop which held at the NIMC headquarters in Abuja.

According to him, it is vital for the two agencies to collaborate, and make the NIN a basic requirement for all public officers who come forward for asset declaration.

He noted that NIN will allow the Code of Conduct Bureau tie all records of public officers together, and automate the process so that you can search for an individual and his assets with the unique NIN.

Aziz said the intention of the Commission is to work as an ecosystem with all data collecting agencies, save billions of tax payers’ money, and work towards the same goal of creating a unique National Identity Database in Nigeria.

He explained that the ecosystem will go a long way in eliminating duplication of efforts and responsibility, and enhance security especially in the area of information sharing.“We are currently working with the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) which has made the NIN mandatory for land allocation within the FCT; and this process allows them track assets and transactions,” He added.

He applauded the management of the Code of Conduct Bureau for the visit, and the effort to enlighten and sensitize public officers on the codes and ethics of work expected of public officers in Nigeria.

Responding, Mr. Michael Okwose, the Deputy Director, Code of Conduct Bureau promised to take back word to his Director General, on the need to include the NIN in the data capturing process of public officers at the point of registration.

He also called on all members of staff of NIMC to abide by the codes and work ethics of the public officers, and cautioned against bribe taking, abuse of power, accepting and or soliciting for gifts/benefits of any kind, etc.

He added that every public officer must ensure that they declare their assets three months after joining any government organisation and every four years or be ready to face the law.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/nimc-wants-nin-for-asset-declaration.html

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the dissolution of the Governing Board of National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB).

The decision was contained in a three paragraph statement issued by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Sonny Echono, on Monday in Abuja.

The decision is with immediate effect.

The President also rescinded the suspension of NABTEB Registrar, Prof. Ifeoma Abanihe and four (4) other Directors of the agency.


The statement said their suspension did not conform to due process especially in the case of the registrar.

According to the statement, the Governing Board went beyond its powers and in contravention of Section 5 and Section 6 of NABTEB Act.

Buhari therefore directed Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu to take immediate measures to reposition and refocus the agency for greater efficiency.

The statement reads: “President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the dissolution of the Governing Board of National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) with immediate effect. Mr. President has also directed the Honourabe Minister of Education to take immediate measures to reposition and refocus NABTEB for greater efficiency and to render its performance more responsive to the expectations of the present administration.

“The purported suspension of the Registrar, Prof. Ifeoma Abanihe and four (4) other Directors of NABTEB has been nullified as it did not conform with due process especially in the case of the Registrar, because the Board went beyond its powers and in contravention of Section 5 and Section 6 of NABTEB Act.”

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/president-muhammadu-buhari-dissolves.html

The Anambra state governor, Chief Willie Obiano has been urged to reconsider his decision to ban and restrict Okada riders from operating in certain parts of the state.

This call was made by the chairman of Fairly Used Motorcycle Dealers Association(FUMDA) Mr Eloka Ubajekwe while speaking with journalists in his office in FUMDA section of Nnewi main market yesterday.

Mr Ubajekwe said that in as much the governor is the Chief Security Officer of the state and that the decision to ban Okada was said to be an attempt to improve security in the state pointed out quickly that banning and restricting commercial motorcycle operators is not the best approach.

He said that it is common knowledge that men of the underworld are known to use latest state of the art cars, motorcycles, wheel barrows and even carry out their nefarious activities trekking observed that singling out commercial motorcycle operators for ban leaves so much to be desired.

The FUMDA boss noted that the attempt to ban Okada operators in certain part of the state would render over twenty five thousand peoples who are gainfully engaged to become jobless overnight with attendant negative implications on their direct and indirect dependents.

Mr Ubajekwe also pointed out that motorcycle mechanics, electricians and others who are in servicing and maintaining commercial motorcycles would be adversely affected by the governor's latest decision.

The development according to him instead of bringing down crime rate in Anambra state would lead to an upsurge in criminal activities as many of those disengaged in commercial motorcycle activities may not find any other positive venture to engage in.

"The ban of commercial motorcycle operators in certain part of the state when it come into effect on July 1st would cause an influx of Okada riders from Onitsha and Awka and other places into Nnewi and this of course will lead to security challenges in the industrial town." He reasoned

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/gov-obiano-urged-to-rescind-decision-on.html

President Muhammadu Buhari has called for calm following the killings in Jos, the Plateau State capital, which occurred over the weekend.

While describing the attacks as painful and regrettable, he, however, assured residents that the perpetrators will be brought to justice.

The President said this while condoling with victims of the attacks on Sunday evening, via his official Twitter handle.Furthermore, the presidency assured residents that men of the Nigerian Army and the Police are working hand-in-hand with the state Governor, Mr Simon Lalong to bring an end to the attacks.

“President @MBuhari has been briefed on the deeply unfortunate killings across a number of communities in Plateau State, today. @HQNigerianArmy and @PoliceNG are supporting the determined efforts of Governor @SimonLalong to end the attacks and bring relief to affected communities.

“The President appeals for calm and assures that no efforts will be spared to bring the perpetrators to justice and prevent a recurrence / reprisal attack.

“The President and the entire Federal Government stand with the Government and people of Plateau at this sad time,” a tweet from the Presidency said.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/plateau-killings-buhari-calls-for-calm.html

Over 500 shanties and illegal structures within and outside the Oko-Oba abattoir and Lairage Complex in Agege area of Lagos State were on Saturday demolished by the State Government as part of effort to ensure adequate upgrading and transformation of the complex for improved operations.

The State’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Oluwatoyin Suarau who disclosed this while reviewing report of the demolition exercise carried out by officials of the State Ministry of Agriculture in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Lagos State Environment and Special Offences Enforcement Unit, Department of State Security and Operation MESA, noted that the clean-up exercise included all shanties and illegal structures inside the abattoir and along Fagba-Railway section of the abattoir complex.

According to him, the State Government’s motive for carrying out the clean-up exercise is in a bid to improve the hygienic condition of the complex and ensure best practices in the red meat value chain and not to witch-hunt anyone.

“I want us all to see this exercise as a positive development in the red meat value chain and not as Government’s instrument to disrupt activities at the complex. Rehabilitation of the facilities at the Oko-oba abattoir is to ensure that operations at the complex meets international standard”, Suarau said.


While restating the State Government’s commitment to ensuring best practices, he stressed that the clean-up exercise and the completion of various projects within the complex will be of great benefits to stakeholders in the complex and to Lagosians, adding that this will ensure wholesomeness in production, processing and consumption of meat in the red meat value chain.

The Commissioner stated that the administration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has put in place and implementing planned policies and programmes aimed at changing the face of abattoirs and slaughter slabs across Lagos.

He explained that completion of projects at the Oko-Oba abattoir complex will result in an upgraded abattoir equipped with a standard clinic to take care of people and other emergencies in the complex.

“We have completed the fencing of the abattoir and the heap of refuse which has existed for several years has been cleared”, the Commissioner added

He said that apart from upgrade of facilities and infrastructure of abattoirs and slaughter slabs, the State government has also trained butchers and live cattle dealers drawn from various abattoirs and slaughter slabs in the State on current trends in abattoir management.

Suarau, while speaking on the significance of the upgrade of the complex, said that the State Government is poised to monitor and ensure a safe red meat market that will conform to the smart city status.


Reiterating Government’s commitment to ensuring that Lagos remains a food secured place, Suarau assured that the present administration is ever ready to overcome all challenges threatening wholesome production and consumption of meat in Lagos.

While urging stakeholders at the complex to support the drive of government to attaining a befitting status of a smart city abattoir, he warned anyone who does not have legitimate business within the complex to vacate stressing that the State government will not tolerate harboring of miscreants in and around the complex.

He added that a task force team has been stationed at the complex to ensure continued monitoring of activities at the complex and ensure effectiveness of the clean-up exercise.

“Operations in the abattoir after this clean up exercise will no longer be business as usual. We are committed to implementing in phases planned projects that will transform the abattoir around for good”, he said.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/lagos-demolishes-500-shantiesillegal.html

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the reinstatement of three permanent secretaries, who had been under suspension since 2015.

Mr Lawrence Ojabo, Director Information in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, said this Friday night in Abuja.

The reinstated permanent secretaries are Mrs Ibukun Abimbola Odusote, Mrs Nkechi Ejele and Mrs Fatima Binta Bamidele.

Bamidele, was in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Ejele in the Ministry of Culture and National Orientation and Odusote in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The officials were suspended in November, 2015 and investigated for alleged misconduct.

However, Bamidele recently retired from the service upon the attainment of the mandatory age of 60 years.

Ojabo said the President gave this directive while considering the recommendations of the Federal Service Management Committee and that of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

He said that the president directed that the appointments of the permanent secretaries, who have been without posting since November 2015, should not be terminated in view of the fact that allegations against them could not be proven.

“The Presidential clean bill for the top civil servants is a further demonstration of the Federal Government’s determination to ensure that no government employee is unduly victimised on account of frivolous allegations and petitions,” he said.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/buhari-reinstates-3-suspended-permsecs.html

Days after it declared N2.8 billion dividend, the management of Okomu Oil Palm, has committed N80 million to environmental and health safety for its staff and host communities.

The Managing Director of the company, Dr Graham Heifer, said that the 2018 commitment was in line with international best practices.

Heifer spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday on the side-line of activities to mark the company’s Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Day.

Activities to mark the day were held at the company’s corporate headquarters at Okomu in Udo , Ovia South West Local Government Area of Edo.

Heifer said the company’s management, which had taken issues of HSE as a priority, was hopeful of getting the Round-table on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification this year to meet global standards.

RSPO was established in 2004 with the objective of promoting the growth and use of sustainable oil palm products through credible global standards and engagement of stakeholders.

Heifer said: “We will continue to focus our energy on environmental conservation, health, education and safety issues.

`This is to ensure that any negative impact on our staff, their families, communities, stakeholders and the surrounding biodiversity within our jurisdiction as result of our activities are mitigated and minimised.

“The company successfully completed all statutory environmental audits in 2017 without any state and federal sanctions and continues to pursue and maintain certifications by International Standards Organisation to ensure that stakeholders are guaranteed the highest standards possible.’’

He said that the company has designated more than 10 per cent of its total area as High Conservation Value (HCV) areas, a notable achievement in the area of conservation.“In 2017, we spent N8.4 million on environmental impact assessments and audits.

“ The company also spent N48 million on staff health, safety and welfare programmes, up from N35 million in 2016.’’

The managing director further said that the company had invited independent auditors from internationally recognised NGOs who work closely with RSPO for independent assessment.

“The independent auditors have said we are good to go and all that is remaining is for us to book an appointment with an auditor from RSPO to do its order which we hope will take place in October.

“Once we are certified, we are then able to display the ISPO logo on our banner like the ISO certification.

“The certification will be pleasing to us as that will make Okomu Oil Plc the first Nigerian company to be so certified by RSPO,’’ he said.

Mr Benson Imasuen, the Edo Chairman of the Agricultural and Allied Employees’ Union of Nigeria, commended the management of the company for its proactive measures, especially on HSE-related matters.“It is wonderful to know what Okomu is doing with HSE to ensure safety of human beings and the environment.

“ It’s one of the companies we know that is 100 per cent compliant with RSPO conditions.

“We as a union are confident that the company will get RSPO certification this year,’’ he said.

The company on June 12, announced a N2.8 billion dividend after tax for shareholders.

http://www.akelicious.net/2018/06/okomu-oil-commits-n80m-to-safety.html