₦airaland Forum

MEET THE LADY WHO ALLEGEDLY BROKE MERCY AIGBE’S MARRIAGE
source http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/04/meet-lady-who-allegedly-broke-mercy.html

We brought you reports earlier from LIB about the marriage crash of Nollywood Actress, Mercy Aigbe over an alleged Domestic Violence from her husband.
Apparently, the details are quite messy, and a light-skinned lady has been fingered to be a factor that caused the marriage crash.
We learnt that the lady named Opemititi, being accused of sleeping with Mercy’s husband was like a “younger sister” to Mercy Aigbe, until things went to the gutters.
LIB gathered that a domestic violence was the number cause for the marriage crash, and now we’re getting reports opemititi has having an affair with Mercy Aigbe’s husband.
Here are her photos:

NIGERIANS BLAST LAI MOHAMMED FOR UNDERATING NIGERIAN JOLLOF RICE ON CNN
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/04/nigerians-blast-lai-mohammed-for.html

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has sparked another uproar on social media.


The information minister was said to have reacted to the buzz CNN's Richard Quest started about who makes the best Jollof.

The battle for Jollof supremacy between Ghana and Nigeria have lasted for a long time, and the information minister has obviously broken the heart of many Nigerians by giving the 'Jollof trophy' to complete outsiders, Senegal.

According to Lai’s response to Quest, “Senegal makes the best jollof“.

Watch video below...



Read comments below...

NIGERIANS BLAST LAI MOHAMMED FOR UNDERATING NIGERIAN JOLLOF RICE ON CNN
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Court To Determine Stay Of Proceedings On Jubrin’s Suspension Suit May 10
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/04/court-to-determine-stay-of-proceedings.html

Justice John Tsoho of a Federal High Court in Abuja will on May 10 determine whether or not to stay proceedings in the legal action instituted by the suspended Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Hon Abdulmumuni Jibrin challenging the legality of his suspension.
The court fixed the date yesterday after hearing arguments for and against an application file by two members of the House, Hon. Nicholas Ossai, Chairman House Committee on Ethics and Hon. Oker Jev who are asking the court to put the hearing of the substantive matter on hold.
They are asking the court to stay hearing in the matter pending when the determination of their interlocutory appeal pending before the Court of Appeal.
In their motion for stay of proceedings filed by their counsel, Mr Akeem Kareem, the two lawmakers informed the court that they had already filed a notice of appeal against the ruling of the court delivered on April 13 which disallowed them from joining the suit as interested parties.
They claimed, through their counsel that they were dissatisfied with the ruling of the court which shut them out hence their decision to go on appeal to resolve the issue of joinder.
At the resumed hearing of the matter, the two applicants submitted that their interest will be greatly jeopadised if the court should go ahead and hear the substantive matter without first waiting for the resolution of the appeal which they claimed was their fundamental right.
They insisted that it would be against the principles of fair hearing if their application for stay of proceedings was not first determined one way or the other by the court before proceeding with the substantive matter.
The position of the two lawmakers in seeking the stay of proceedings was supported by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara and the house itself.
Dogara, through his counsel, Mr Kalu Onuoha told Justice John Tsoho that he had been served with the motion seeking the stay of proceedings and that he needed time to respond to it as required by law arguing that it was the fundamental right of the two applicants to be fairly heard by the court in the application.

ALLEGED $40M SCAM: DRAMA AS EFCC WITNESSES DENY DEALING WITH JONATHAN’S COUSIN, WIFE
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/04/alleged-40m-scam-drama-as-efcc.html

As the trial of the cousin of former President Goodluck Jonathan Azibaola Robert, and his wife, Stella, over alleged laundering of $40 million cash began in earnest, all the witnesses called by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) , yesterday, denied
knowledge of the couple.
Rather, they admitted transacting business with his firm, Oneplus, which was reportedly awarded the contract for the supply of Strategic Communications kits by the Office of the national Security Adviser in 2014.
The witnesses, mostly commercial bank officials, summoned by the EFCC as prosecution witnesses, told Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court Abuja, that they did not know or do any business with the defendants.
The witnesses who testified yesterday were Mohammed Abdurazak Bello, Confidence Onabu Iwade and Remiginus Ugwu, who all confessed not knowing the couple.
Prosecution witness 5 (PW5) Folashade Ibrahim, a branch manager with Wema Bank, said that she did not know or do any business with Robert or his wife, Stella, and that they were not beneficiaries of the money she disbursed from the accounts of Tunji Adeniyi & Co, a property firm owned and managed by Tunji Adeniyi.
Under cross-examination by the defence counsel, Gordy Uche of what she knew Robert and his wife, Stella, Ibrahim replied: “No. I don’t even know them. And they are not part of the beneficiaries of the transfers from the account of Tunji & Co.”
In his testimony, PW6, MOHAMMED ABDULRAZAK BELLO, who is the Managing Director of BDC SAFEWAY CLEAN EXCHANGE, said, “I don’t know the man, I don’t know the lady”, referring to Aziboala and Stella Robert, but I have dealt with Oneplus Holdings.”
“The transaction between me and the Zenith Bank officials is legal; there is nothing illegal about it.
“The Zenith Bank officials told me that the bank did not have enough dollar cash and asked me to source dollar from the black market for them. In all we transacted $6.6m. At times I paid Naira into an account provided by Amobi (Zenith Bank official) KAMARUDEEN DAHIRU.
“All these transactions were handled between, Amobi Odum, Obinna AMAECHI and Nnadozie. In my statement I did say I have never met One plus Holdings Nigeria Limited.”
Also testifying, CONFIDENCE IWADE, a marketer with CAPITALFIELD ENERGY & ALLIED SERVICE, admitted: “I don’t know them (referring to Robert and Stella) but my office had had dealing with Oneplus Holdings sometimes in 2014. ““We had transaction of $2m which Oneplus paid into my company’s account and the naira equivalent paid into Kamarudeen Dahiru’s account. And this is a normal, legal business and which my company has also done with other companies.”
In the same vein, REMEGIUS UGWU, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank, submitted, “Personally I don’t know them (referring to Azibaola and Stella Robert), but I know Oneplus Holdings.”
The statements of the witnesses were however admiited by the judge.
The Prosecution led by SYLVANUS TAHIR, submitted that they agency intended to call no fewer than 13 witnesses to prove its case against the defendants, adding that eight had so far been called to testify.
The trial has been adjourned to June 20 and 21

Four feared dead as traders clash with security agents in Lagos
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/04/four-feared-dead-as-traders-clash-with.html

At least four people were feared dead on Monday following a clash between scrap dealers and security men guarding oil pipelines in Isheri Osun/ Ijegun area of Lagos.

Residents of the area said that the armed security agents raided the scrap dealers for engaging in allegedly “ nefarious activities’’.

In the free-for-all fight, four persons were shot dead while several others sustained serious injuries.

“They came and started shooting, killing four of our men. I am just coming from Isolo mortuary where I deposited the corpse of my brother and some other bodies.

“About 17 people are lying critically wounded in two hospitals in the area, while others are in the police custody,” a victim, who identified himself as Sanni, said.

The angry mob also set ablaze two Hilux patrol vans at the scene.

The injured were taken to Eniola Hospital, Isheri-Oshun while the dead bodies were deposited at Mainland General Hospital, Yaba morgue.

The traditional ruler of Ijegun, Oba Nureni Akinremi, said that policemen from Area ‘M’ Command were invited to quell the clash which disrupted commercial activities in the area for several hours.

“I did not allow the clash to escalate so I called a combined police team from Isheri Osun, Ikotun and Area `M’, Idimu to restore normalcy,” he said.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Olarinde Famous-Cole, said that the police were only invited to the scene to maintain law and order.

About five police patrol vans with armed personnel were moving around the area while those arrested were detained at Isheri Police Station.

Towards Ending Malaria For Good
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/04/towards-ending-malaria-for-good.html


Every April 25, the world observes World Malaria Day, one of the eight official global public health campaigns currently marked by the World Health Organisation (WHO). World Malaria Day, an offshoot of the Africa Malaria Day was established in May 2007 by the 60th session of the World Health Assembly, WHO’s decision-making body. The day was established to provide “education and understanding of malaria” and spread information on “year-long intensified implementation of national malaria-control strategies, including community-based activities for malaria prevention and treatment in endemic areas.” On this day, global efforts to combat the malaria scourge are recognised. The theme of this year’s commemoration is ‘End Malaria for Good.’ Ahead of the commemoration today, the WHO yesterday disclosed that Ghana, Kenya and Malawi will pilot the world’s first malaria vaccine from 2018, offering it for babies and children in high-risk areas as part of real-life trials. It is an injectable vaccine called “Mosquirix”. The WHO said the vaccines was developed by British drug maker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to protect children from the most deadly form of malaria in Africa.

Malaria, one of the leading cases of death especially among children under the age of five and pregnant women, is caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected mosquitoes. Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites that are spread to people through the bites of infected Anopheles mosquito vectors. Of the 5 parasite species that cause malaria in humans, Plasmodium falciparum is the most deadly. According to statistics, nearly half of the world’s population is at risk of malaria. In 2015, there were roughly 212 million malaria cases and an estimated 430,000 deaths, the vast majority of them babies and young children in sub-Saharan Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa continues to carry a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden. In 2015, the region was home to 90 per cent of malaria cases and 92 per cent of malaria deaths. Global efforts in the last 15 years cut the malaria death toll by 62 per cent between 2000 and 2015. In Nigeria, the disease is responsible for 60 per cent outpatient visits to health facilities, 30 per cent childhood deaths, 25 per cent of deaths in children under one year and 11 maternal death. The financial loss due to malaria annually is estimated to be about N132 billion Naira in form of treatment costs, prevention, loss of man-hours etc, yet, it is a treatable and completely evitable disease. These statistics are startling and disturbing and should be a case of concern to stakeholders. World Malaria Day is therefore an avenue to highlight the need for continued investment and sustained political commitment for malaria prevention and control. Medical experts have over the years advised that early diagnosis and prompt treatment of malaria prevents deaths. It also contributes to reducing malaria transmission.

The theme for this year’s World Malaria Day is apt as it captures the entire essence of the campaign over the years, which is to bring the malaria scourge to an end. It is in the light of this that we welcome the vaccine initiative by the WHO, which we consider a practical and radical approach towards ending the scourge. According to the WHO, the pilot programme will assess whether the Mosquirix’s protective effect in children aged five to 17 months can be replicated in real-life. It will also assess the feasibility of delivering the four doses needed, and explore the vaccine’s potential role in reducing the number of children killed by the disease. Interventions in the form of diagnostic testing and treatment have since 2000 seen to the reduction of deaths caused by malaria but to bring it to an end, prevention, which is the step being taken by the WHO is where all stakeholders should be focusing their attention. The WHO said Malawi, Kenya and Ghana were chosen for the pilot due to several factors, including having high rates of malaria as well as good malaria programmes, wide use of bed-nets and well-functioning immunisation programmes and that each of the three countries will decide on the districts and regions to be included in the pilots. It also said high malaria areas will get priority since these are where experts expect to see most benefit from the use of the vaccine.

The premise on which the WHO based its choice of the three countries for the pilot underscores the need for other countries, including Nigeria, to initiate new malaria programmes where they do not exist and strengthen existing ones to position themselves for such interventions. The National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) has been in operation in the Ministry of Health but perhaps needs to tailor its programmes towards proactive interventions. Existing strategies have not been helpful in getting the intervention required to end the scourge and so must be redeveloped to cater to the needs of the people. Access to diagnostic testing and treatment should be seen not only as a component of malaria control but as a fundamental right of all populations at risk.

IKOYI CASH: EFCC moves seized $43 million, £27,000, N23 million to CBN
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/04/ikoyi-cash-efcc-moves-seized-43-million.html


The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday moved the recovered cash to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).



Eyes Of Lagos also gathered that the EFCC obtained a court order for the temporary seizure of the $43million, N23million and £27,000; quizzed a former Managing Director of the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), who was suspected of being the owner of the cash; and planned to review the Close Circuit Television (CCTV) of the building to determine the identity of a “haggard-looking” woman who is said to have been bringing in sacks (suspected to be holding the cash) into the apartment.

The apartment on 6, Osborne Road, Ikoyi is under surveillance by EFCC operatives.

Although three highly-placed Nigerians have been linked with the seized cash, they have all denied having anything to do with the money.

They are a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alh. Adamu Mua’zu; former PPMC boss, Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue, and the Senator representing Lagos West Senatorial District, Solomon Adeola.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) yesterday sacked Nnamdi-Ogbue as part of the organisation’s ongoing reforms. But there were speculations that she may have been fired over the “missing” 130 million litres of fuel kept with Capital Oil and Gas Limited.

The EFCC, after a tip-off, recovered the money from an apartment in House 16, Osborne Road in Ikoyi on Lagos Island.

The anti-graft commission yesterday secured a court order of interim forfeiture of the cash.

The EFCC quizzed Nnamdi-Ogbue yesterday in Abuja over the cash.

Prior to her grilling, EFCC operatives raided her Maitama District home in Abuja.

She denied owning the $43.4million.

It was gathered that the invitation of the ex-NNPC director followed a report that she is a tenant in House 16.

According to EFCC, it sought for an interim forfeiture pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other related offences Act 2006.

A statement by the Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said: “Barely 24 hours after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) uncovered the sums of $43,449,947, £27,800 and N23, 218,000 at an apartment in the Ikoyi area of Lagos, a Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered an interim forfeiture of the funds to the Federal Government.

“In his ruling on Thursday, Justice Muslim Hassan ordered anyone interested in the money to appear before him at the next adjourned date to show reason why the money should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

“The commission was also directed to publish in any National Daily for anyone to show cause within 14 days why the order of final forfeiture should not be granted. The Interim Forfeiture was obtained pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other related offences Act 2006.

“Operatives of the Commission on Wednesday, April 12, 2017, stormed a residential building on the seventh floor of a four-bedroom apartment on Osborne Towers located on 16,Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, where the large sums of money was uncovered

“The operation followed a whistle-blower confidential alert received by the Commission office in Lagos in the early hours of yesterday.

“The case was adjourned to May 5, 2017.”

As at press time, the EFCC was still searching for the owner of the cash.

The anti-graft commission quoted a witness as saying that the sacks were always brought by a haggard-looking woman.

Apart from the court order, the EFCC released the details of the recovery of the cash.

A separate statement added: “The operation followed confidential information received by the Commission’s Lagos office regarding some suspicious movement of bags in and out of a particular apartment in the building.

“Another source who is conversant with the apartment of interest indicated that a woman usually appeared on different occasion with Ghana Must Go bags. She comes looking haggard, with dirty clothes but her skin didn’t quite match her outward appearance, perhaps a disguise,” the source said.

“On getting to the building, operatives who were armed with a search warrant, met the entrance door locked. The guards at the gate explained that nobody resides in the apartment, but some persons come in and out once in a while. The EFCC operatives used minimum force to enter the apartment.

“Monies were found in two of the four-bedroom apartment. Further probe of the wardrobe by operatives in one of the rooms yielded three fire proof cabinets hidden behind wooden panels of the wardrobe.

“Upon assessing the content of the cabinets, neatly arranged US dollars, Pound Sterling and some Naira notes in sealed wrappers were found.”

There were indications that the EFCC might review the CCTVs in House 16 and nearby houses on Osborne Road to determine how the cash was brought into the house.

“We may also interact with the guards at the house and some neighbours with useful information on those behind the ferrying of the cash,” an EFCC source said.

Although three prominent people were allegedly linked with the money, they have all denied having anything to do with it.

They are a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Alh. Adamu Mua’zu; a former Director of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue, and the Senator representing Lagos West Senatorial District, Solomon Adeola.

Nnamdi-Ogbue, who spoke through her lawyer, Emeka Etiaba(SAN), frowned at the allegation.

She said there was no need for “conjecture”.

A statement by Etiaba said the former NNPC Director expressed hope that the anti-graft agency will in due course uncover the owner of the property and the huge sum.

The statement said: “By this Press Release, we inform the public (especially the News Media) that the said sums of money and/or the apartment where the sums of money were found do not belong to our client.

“Our client is as shocked as many other Nigerians at the uncovering and recovery of the said sums of money and wishes to salute the courage and efforts of the EFCC in the war against corruption.

“She also wishes to commend the whistle blowing policy introduced by the Federal Government in the fight against corruption which policy has resulted in large scale uncovering and recovery of monies and assets.

“It is our client’s belief that the source and ownership of the said uncovered sums of money is known or eventually will be known by the EFCC in due course. There is therefore no need for conjecture or speculation.

“May we finally implore the news media to be more circumspect in their publications.”

The Senator representing Lagos West Senatorial District, Mr. Solomon Adeola, yesterday expressed dismay over an online publication alleging his ownership of N15 billion in foreign and local currencies discovered by the EFCC.

The medium alleged that Adeola stashed the huge cash in anticipation of using the money to finance his gubernatorial ambition in one of the states of the Southwest.

His reaction was contained in a statement by his Media Adviser, Chief Kayode Odunaro.

He said the media report was “absolute lies and calculated blackmail to dent the image of the lawmaker”.

The statement said: “We are aware that the satanic report is conscious antics by some politicians, who are having sleepless nights in the rising profile of Senator Adeola, and his impeccable records as a grassroots democrat.

“These elements are hell bent on eliminating him in their paranoid political equation towards 2019.

“Senator Adeola does not own any house or apartment on Osborne Towers at Osborne Road, Ikoyi and could not have been the owner of the discovered cash in the apartment.

“The senator will in due course not hesitate to take legal action against anyone unjustly tarnishing his hard earned reputation and image pursuant of his fundamental rights under the constitution.

“ The EFCC as a credible anti-corruption organisation is doing its statutory duty and I am sure it will soon come out with details of the ownership of the discovered humongous cash.

“Senator Adeola as an APC Senator is fully committed to the anti-corruption agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari and APC.”

Mua’zu, who is overseas, was not willing to talk about the money.

An associate of his said: “The ex-PDP chairman was shocked by the revelation because he has nothing to do with the recovered cash.

“He said he will not talk to the media on it on the seized cash.”

As at press time, EFCC was grilling Mrs Nnamdi-Ogbue over the cash.

A source in the commission said: “Our operatives stormed her residence in Maitama in Abuja for a search and she was invited for interrogation.

“While quizzing her, she insisted that she had nothing to do with the cash.”

CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA RELEASES FRESH $250M FOREX FOR AGRIC, OTHER SECTORS
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/04/central-bank-of-nigeria-releases-fresh.html


The Central Bank of Nigeria on Wednesday, released additional $250m on seven to 30 day forwards for agriculture, airline, petroleum products and raw materials.
The apex bank also called for bids for wholesale spot for $100m for Basic/Personal Travelling Allowance, medicals and tuition fees.
Confirming this in Abuja, the Acting Director, Corporate Communications Department, CBN, Mr. Isaac Okorafor, said in a statement issued on Wednesday night that the apex bank has also commenced heavy injections into the spot market.
This, he added, is in addition to the settlement of requests for wholesale spot bids for invisibles like school fees, medicals and personal travel allowance.
The CBN had earlier this week, disbursed $20,000 each to the Bureau De Change operators in two tranches of $10,000 each.
This, according to Mr. Okorafor, underscores the commitment of the CBN to ensure liquidity in the foreign exchange market.

Prostitute steals client's phones and car, flees before he woke up
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/04/prostitute-steals-clients-phones-and.html

According to an online user who naratted how a Prostitute steals client's phones and car, flees before he woke up

Manufacturers Urge CBN To Raise Special Window Allocation To SMEs To $100,000

source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/04/manufacturers-urge-cbn-to-raise-special.html

Adegbite told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Ota, Ogun, that such a decision would effective help the Small and Medium Enterprises ( SMEs) to import raw materials and boost the economy.

The CBN, through its Acting Director, Corporate Communication Department, Mr Isaac Okorafor, on Monday in Abuja, announced that the apex bank had opened a special window of $20,000 quarterly for SMEs to enable them to import eligible finished and semi-finished items into the country.

The bank also said that its special intervention became necessary after finding out many SMEs were being crowded out of the foreign exchange market (Forex).

According to Adegbite, the new special window by the CBN is not sufficient for the SMEs to import eligible finished and semi-finished items into the country.

“The new special windows just introduced for the SMEs by the apex bank was too nominal and small for them to import goods into the country,” he said.

The chairman said that an upward review of the intervention by the CBN would stimulate activities of SMEs that would further generate employment opportunities.

Adegbite also emphasised the need for the CBN to open another special window for manufacturers to enable them to operate optimally since the $60,000 incentive had been discontinued.

“The SMEs and manufacturers form the bedrock of any nation because they play vital roles in economic development as well as providing jobs for the people.” (NAN)

Poll Bribe Saga: INEC Sends 70 Staff Back To EFCC
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/04/poll-bribe-saga-inec-sends-70-staff.html




The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday declared that 70 staff of the commission will be referred back to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over their alleged involvement in the N23bn, 2015 electoral bribery scandal which has indicted 205 of its staff so far.
INEC while disclosing that an additional 80 serving officials of the commission were queried and interviewed over their alleged involvement in the scandal, added that a former national commissioner and five former Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) have been referred to the Presidency and EFCC for further necessary action.
The commission further revealed that retired senior INEC officials used an NGO, named, the West African Network of Election Observers (WANEO), to bribe and attempt to influence the outcome of the 2015 general elections.
National Commissioner and Member, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mallam Mohammed Haruna, stated this at a press conference in Abuja.
The commission had met yesterday to consider the report of its expanded Appointment, Promotion and Disciplinary Committee on the EFCC Interim Report on Bribery Corruption and Money Laundering Charges During the 2015 General Elections.
Late last year, INEC received an Interim Report from the EFCC, detailing allegations against 202 serving and retired INEC officials and staff in 16 States of the Federation. The money was alleged to have been doled out by former minister of petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
But speaking yesterday, Haruna declared that 205 serving INEC staff have so far been placed on suspension from duties and on half salary, pending the final determination of the cases they have with EFCC.
He further revealed that out of the N23bn alleged to have been doled out for the election, staff of the commission got over N3bn spread across 16 states.
Haruna said “The Commission met today to consider the report of its expanded Appointment, Promotion and Disciplinary Committee on the EFCC Interim Report on Bribery Corruption and Money Laundering Charges During the 2015 General Elections.
“In furtherance of its zero tolerance for corruption in the electoral process, the Commission ordered a thorough investigation into the allegations to establish the culpability or otherwise of those named in the EFCC Report.
“The Committee’s work was thorough and painstaking, involving issuance of queries to the 202 staff mentioned in the Report and interviewing them individually in accordance with the principle of fair hearing and in consonance with INEC Staff Conditions of Service. As a result of initial findings of the Committee, an additional 80 serving officials of the Commission, who were not named in the EFCC report but whose names came up in the course of the investigation, were also queried and interviewed,” he added.

6 STATES TO BENEFIT FROM WORLD BANK $500M RAMP
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/04/6-states-to-benefit-from-world-bank.html

The national coordinator, Rural Access Mobility Project (RAMP), Engr Ularamu Ubandoma, has said that about six states in the country will benefit from the new $500 million loan facility from the World Bank for rural road construction.
Ubandoma disclosed this at a workshop organised by the RAMP, Federal Project Monitoring Unit, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in Abuja, recently.
According to the engineer, “The rural roads construction project is expected to increase farmers’ access to farm inputs and markets, thus reducing post-harvest losses, and the loan is such that participating state governments will pay 5 per cent counterpart funding while the federal government is to make a 95 per cent refund.
“This RAMP project is something that will transform the lives of rural people. All the states in the federation are qualified, especially non-RAMP states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). But we are looking at the possibility of absorbing 10-12 states in this RAMP 3. The essence of this workshop is to discuss selection criteria for participation so that each state can go back and make final submission to the FPMU which will analyse it and submit to the World Bank.”
He explained that considering the success recorded in RAMP 1 and 2 projects in Kaduna and Cross River states respectively, more states have indicated interest to partake in the project. He added that about 1,000 kilometres of rural roads and 143 river crossings were constructed in RAMP 1 while 2,000 kilometres of rural roads are targeted for RAMP 2 with 80 river crossings.
Earlier, the minister of state for agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, described the initiative as vital to achieving the federal government food sufficiency plan.

GEM: WORLD BANK GIVES 81 NIGERIANS N756.3M
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/04/gem-world-bank-gives-81-nigerians-n7563m.html

The World Bank, under its Growth and Employment (GEM) project, has approved the sum of N756.3 million for disbursement to 81 young Nigerian innovators who participated in the 2016 Aso Villa Demo Day (AVDD) – one of the economic empowerment initiatives of the present administration.
A document obtained from the World Bank-funded GEM project indicated that the money would be disbursed to the beneficiaries in two tranches after a grant signing ceremony scheduled for end of March, 2017.
The AVDD in collaboration with GEM project invited business plan submissions from candidates that participated in the regional AVDD pitch screening events that took place in Lagos, Port-Harcourt and Abuja from which the 81 beneficiaries emerged.
According to the document, “the GEM project requested for submission of business proposals from eligible applicants of the AVDD 2016 programme of which 289 applicants were screened before the final 81 were eventually picked after a rigorous process of vetting.’’
The GEM document showed that all 81 submitted applications passed the 50% cut off point and environmental and social compliance check.
Other details contained in the document showed that the beneficiaries are drawn from Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Cross River, Delta, FCT, Kaduna, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Osun, Oyo, Plateau and Rivers state, while 20 others were yet to be registered on the portal.
A breakdown of the grant disbursement process showed that submission of company registration documents for validation is ongoing.

UDUAGHAN DISMISSES DEFECTION REPORTS, SAYS HE’S STILL IN PDP
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/04/uduaghan-dismisses-defection-reports.html

A former governor of Delta State, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, on Monday dismissed as mischief reports suggesting that he had left the ruling Peoples Democratic Party in the state for the All Progressives Congress.
Uduaghan in a statement released by his media aide, Mr Sunny Areh, on Monday said the motives of those claiming he had left the PDP was to create disaffection between him and the state governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, PDP and the Federal government.
One Mr Tony Oritseje, claiming to be Uduaghan’s Press Secretary had in a statement at the weekend, revealed that the former Governor had dumped PDP and joined the ruling APC ahead of the 2019 General Elections.
Another statement which was further released and credited to an unnamed media aide sought to repudiate the first statement, pouring invectives on the APC and its leadership, claiming that it was authored by the ex-Governor.
The new statement issued by Uduaghan age-long media aide dismissed both statements as being authorised by him and claimed that he had no knowledge of the releases.
He said the statements were targeted at creating mischief and gain negative publicity.
Uduaghan stated, “This is obviously the work of mischief makers and those seeking cheap publicity. It is a joke taken too far. None of my aides is named Tony Oritseje. It was obviously meant to create disaffection for me and my successor, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, the PDP and the Federal Government.
“People close to me know this is not my style. I have deliberately maintained a low profile to allow those in power today to have enough space to fulfil electoral promises to the people. It is not my style to seek cheap publicity or disrupt a peaceful process that is delivering democracy dividends to the people.”
The statement maintained that the former governor had chosen to maintain a very low profile since leaving office as a deliberate policy to allow current actors have enough space to attain their goals and deliver on their electoral promises.
It, however, warned against the use of the former governor’s name to cause disaffection between him and the authorities, pointing out that he would not hesitate to seek redress in the law court should such mischief antics persist.

NUPENG STRIKE: MARKETERS ASSURES OF AVAILABILITY OF FUEL IN AKWA IBOM
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/04/nupeng-strike-marketers-assures-of.html

The Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in Akwa Ibom has assured consumers that petrol would be available in the state in spite of the three-day warning strike to be embarked upon by NUPENG.
The Chairman of Association, Mr Ubong Isong, gave the assurance in an interview in Uyo on Monday.
He said that petrol would be available at the government approved pump price of N145 per litre.
Isong said that petrol consumption rate in Akwa Ibom was higher than that of Cross River as the state consumed about one million litres of petrol daily.
He said that Akwa Ibom needed 30 trucks of petrol to meet it’s daily requirement.
“Definitely there will be availability of fuel and the price of the product will not change.
“We have instructed our members not to take advantage of NUPENG’s warning strike to hike price of fuel in the state,” Isong said.
He said that marketers required consumers’ goodwill to stay in business and therefore should not indulge in sharp practices.
The IPMAN chairman said that any member found wanting would be sanctioned accordingly.
The chairman said IPMAN had put measures in place to monitor the sale and price of petroleum products in the state during the period.
He said that supply from NNPC might not be sufficient for marketers, hence some of the independent marketers would source from private depots to ensure that fuel was available in the state.
Isong advised consumers not to indulge in panic buying to avoid unforeseen consequences as there would enough product to last the period of the warning strike.
He said that part of the challenges of marketers was lack of funds as the business required huge capital and appealed to state government to grant soft loans to members to reduce their debt burden.
NUPENG central working committee said the strike was due to the refusal of National Association of Transport Owner (NARTO) to commence negotiation with the union on the working conditions of the tanker drivers.

NO GOING BACK ON TANKER DRIVERS’ STRIKE, SAYS NUPENG
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/04/no-going-back-on-tanker-drivers-strike.html

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has said its Petroleum Tanker Drivers had been mobilised to ensure no movement of petroleum tankers as their nationwide strike begins on Monday.
Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, the South-West Chairman of NUPENG Lagos Council, made the assertion on Sunday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
According to Korodo, all the tanker drivers have abandoned their trucks in respect of the indefinite strike which will begin on Monday unless the Federal Government intervenes.
The chairman said the drivers were forced to down tools due to unresolved issues concerning their welfare, poor remuneration, insecurity and bad roads.
“The tanker drivers for the past three years have been appealing to the Nigeria Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) to increase their salary but they refused on the ground that spare parts had increased.
“NARTO said that government has not increased their fares, so they will not increase their salary.
“Apart from this, most of the roads they ply are bad and this has resulted in accidents or damaging their trucks.
“The activities of the official of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps on the roads is not helping the matter,’’ Korodo told NAN.
“The tanker drivers are forced to break the seal of their product on the pretext that they were carrying adulterated product.
“Most of these drivers are harassed by these officers, at times the tanker and the driver will be detained for close to a month,’’ he said.
Korodo also said that more than 2,000 staff of Capital Oil and Gas Ltd., were on the line due to their closure by the Federal Government due to some issues between the company and NNPC.
He said that the union wanted the government to resolve the matter so that the company would be opened and the staff and tanker drivers would resume duty.
The chairman, however, said that the strike would not affect activities in filling stations, depots or refineries across the nation.
NAN reports that on March 31, the PTD branch of the NUPENG said they would begin a nationwide strike on April 3.
NUPENG’s President, Mr Igwe Achese, announced this in a communique in Lagos at the end of its Central Working Committee meeting held at the union’s secretariat in Yaba.
The communique said the strike would draw the attention of the Federal Government and other stakeholders to some unresolved issues bordering on the welfare of workers, bad roads, poor remuneration, insecurity and the alleged excesses of some security agencies. (NAN)

2019: TIME NOT RIPE FOR CAMPAIGNS – BARAJE TELLS POLITICIANS
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/04/2019-time-not-ripe-for-campaigns-baraje.html

As various stakeholders in Kwara State politics strategise ahead of 2019 governorship polls, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, on Saturday counseled those nursing gubernatorial ambition within the fold of the party to tary a while and be more patience in their ambitions.
He said that, they should allow the incumbent governor of the state, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, to concentrate on the good job he’s doing.
Baraje disclosed this in Ilorin yesterday while speaking with journalists on the state of politics in Kwara.
The former acting National Chairman of PDP who spoke against the backdrop of recent media publications which claimed that 15 governorship aspirants including him are vying for the governorship position of the state under the banner of APC in the state, opined that two years to election year is too extra- ordinarily early for anyone to start campaigning for governorship or any elective office.
Baraje pointed out that a rare political system where the party’s hierarchy decides who takes what exists in Kwara state is yet to commence in the state.
Baraje advised those reported to be nursing gubernatorial ambition to allow the system work.
He added, “In Kwara state, Dr. Bukola Saraki, the Senate President is still our leader. I respect him and still queue behind him and when the time comes all of us shall sit down together and the system will bring out the best candidates for governorship and other elective offices that will be beneficial to the people of our state.
“For now, I think we should allow the sitting governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed to continue the good work he’s doing.
“The governor is doing his best to serve the people of the state in accordance with the principles and policies of our great party, the APC.
“It is public knowledge that the governor has been going round the state flagging off various projects as well as empowering the vulnerable members of the society.
“To those nursing gubernatorial ambition, I advise them to be patient and cooperate with the political leader of the state.”
He said if the so-called gubernatorial aspirants “have been part of APC family in the state, then they are not doing justice to the system and if they have not been part of us,then they should know that we have a system.”
On national scene, Baraje praised the federal government over the step being taken by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to bring down the exchange rate especially dollar to naira.
He urged the government to keep up whatever it is doing to stabilise naira against dollar.

APC WARNS MEMBERS AGAINST UNGUARDED UTTERANCES
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/04/apc-warns-members-against-unguarded.html

The All Progressives Congress has threatened to deal with any of its members whose conduct threatens the ongoing peace initiatives aimed at resolving the feud between the Executive and Legislative arms of government.
The party’s leadership also announced its intention to meet with members of the APC Senate caucus on Tuesday, as part of efforts to broker peace between the two arms of government.
This was contained in a statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, in Abuja, on Sunday.
He explained that the party’s National Working Committee was worried about the ongoing rift between the two arms of government and was determined to broker peace.
While commending the Executive Arm for setting up a committee to look into the issues, the party threatened to deal with any member whose conduct and utterances leans towards jeopardizing the peace process.
The statement partly read, “Following the All Progressives Congress resolve to intervene in the ongoing rift between the Executive and the National Assembly, the APC National Working Committee will on Tuesday, April 4, meet with the Party’s Caucus of the Senate.
“Ahead of the Tuesday meeting with the Senate, the Party expresses its happiness with the committee set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to re-examine the Executive relationship with the National Assembly.
“The Party considers the committee headed by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, as a step in the right direction, which demonstrates President Buhari’s recognition of the paramount importance of the legislative institution in a democracy.”
The statement also said the party was “Worried by the worsening relationship between the two arms of government, the Party had embarked on a series of consultations with the key actors aimed at resolving the growing impasse.
“The Party however warns that it would not hesitate to take appropriate action against any member whose utterances or behaviour is capable of jeopardizing the peace initiatives or further worsening the existing situation.”
The APC reiterated its commitment to ensure that the relationship between the two critical arms of government improves further.
It also commended the National Assembly leadership for its maturity and pre-disposition to have all the issues resolved as quickly as possible in the interest of the party and the nation as a whole.
It would be recalled that the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun-led National Working Committee recently met with the APC Caucus in the House of Representatives.
Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, the Party’s spokesman, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said the APC National Chairman used the opportunity of the meeting to plead with members of the House of Representatives to continue to support the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, even in the face of some of the expressed grievances which may be considered as genuine.
Abdullahi also stressed that the APC would not support any member of the Party or anyone appointed on its platform to disrespect the legislative institution.

Corrupt Nigerians will always criticise Buhari – Presidency
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/04/corrupt-nigerians-will-always-criticise.html

The Presidency says those whose illicit ways of accumulating wealth have been blocked by the present administration will continue to criticise the Federal Government.
According to a statement made available to journalists in Abuja on Sunday, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said this while featuring on a programme on Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Kaduna.
Shehu however said despite the strong resistance of the opposition and their actions to thwart the government’s efforts every day, the war against corruption would not stop.
“Let me say one thing. Those whose illicit ways of accumulating money have been stopped will criticise this government but all that will not derail the unfaltering commitment of the President, Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to the war against corruption,” the presidential spokesman said.
He said President Muhammadu Buhari was aware that Nigerians voted for him massively in the 2015 presidential election because of his promise to fight corruption.
He said the President had therefore resolved not to let them down.
“The President is aware that this was one of the main reasons why Nigerians in their millions put their trust in him; the main reason they voted him into power in 2015.
“To keep that trust of ordinary Nigerians who voted him into the office, he has vowed to give corruption a good fight. He will not let them down,” Shehu said.
The presidential spokesman however admitted that the anti-corruption war has been tough.
“Corruption has been fighting back vehemently, finding accomplices in various forms and guises. Nevertheless, the Buhari administration will not relent,” he added.
Shehu also said the days when corruption reigned indiscriminately in Nigeria were over.
“Nothing will return our country to those sad, old days of wanton thievery that have plunged us into the economic mess from which Nigeria is currently recovering. The war against corruption in Nigeria is one of those clashes between good and evil, where good is determined to triumph,” he said.
The presidential spokesman also said there was no truth in the claims that members of the governing party, the All Progressives Congress, were being spared in the fight against corruption.

True talk , this will bring a lot of scandals

Nukualofa:
Buhari has shown us that Abiola would have been a big flop if he had gotten that seat with the kind of cabals he surrounded himself with.



If we have to go back to Abiola story again them a lot of Yoruba leaders will be shamed for their barefaced betrayals

Buhari is back with his wahala

See gobe

JIBRIN ADVISES PMB TO RESIGN, TIPS PRESIDENT’S WIFE FOR APPOINTMENT
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/03/jibrin-advises-pmb-to-resign-tips.html

A member of the House of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to resign from office on account of his health condition.
Jibrin, who is currently on suspension after a budget padding row with the House leadership, made the call barely 24 hours after he had posited that Buhari had lost everything that attracted people to him as a military head of state.
In a series of tweets on his twitter handle, @AbdulAbmJ, he claimed that the president’s illness had cost the country a lot.
Jibrin also suggested that Aisha Buhari should be given a position in a new cabinet, while President Buhari be allowed to nominate a new vice-president.
“PMB, time to let go: so many issues are left unattended even small issues that a presidential cough can deal with are left hanging,” he wrote.

GOV. EL-RUFAI COMPLETES 100 HOUSES FOR LOW INCOME EARNERS
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/03/gov-el-rufai-completes-100-houses-for.html

The first 100 houses constructed under the Public Private Partnership initiated by Governor Nasiru El-Rufa’i for low income earners in Kaduna State have been completed.
The ”Affordable Housing Scheme” was inaugurated by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on January 12, 2016 in Kaduna.
A total of 2,000 houses were to be provided under the Scheme.
Mr Olaitan Lanre, a representative of Rapida Construction Limited, one of the firms involved in the scheme, disclosed at the project site on Tuesday in Kaduna that the state government had offered land for the houses while the company sourced for funds to execute the project.
“What we have done here basically is a very solid structure and it takes care of both the medium and small level civil servant.
“It is organic in nature because the building can grow, it is a two-bedroom flat, but it can grow to three bedrooms.
”And we have put some structures in place whereby anytime you want to convert it to three bedroom, it will be easily convertible with minimum cost.
“We have made provision that is highly individualistic, with each of the flats having separate water tank, soak away and a fire wall in case of inferno, so that it cannot affect the next flat,” he said.
Lanre explained also that the flats had a small court yard at the back for outdoor activities.
“We are to build about a thousand houses but now we have about 100 on ground and the governor was here to see the state of work by himself.”
On the low number of houses constructed, the site engineer explained that the project had to be segmented because of funding.
“We cannot fly to that 1000 at a go, it has to be segmented; as the funds comes in we will do it and release to the government.
“It is an inter play of a lot of situations; anything can happen, and it is a question of fund which when available we have enough hands to do the job,” he said.
Lanre assured that the company would not compromise on quality.
The governor was at the project site on Monday to inspect the houses.

OSINBAJO, GOVS, MINISTERS, OTHERS HONOUR TINUBU AT 65
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/03/osinbajo-govs-ministers-others-honour.html

Prominent Nigerians including Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo; former Vice President, Namadi Sambo, the President of Dangote Group, AlhajiAliko Dangote, former and serving governors, Senators, politicians, entrepreneurs, among others yesterday converged on Lagos to honour former governor of Lagos State and National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who clocked 65.
Speaking at ninth Colloquium held at Eko Hotels & Suites in Lagos to mark Tinubu’s 65th birthday President Muhammadu Buhari who was represented by the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, said that the Federal Government was already putting policies in place to encourage and facilitate Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to promote made in Nigeria goods, adding that same was part of his administration’s overall national economic policy.
In her remarks, Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun assured Nigerians that the country would soon be out of the economic recession, revealing that the federal government was already copying the Lagos template to revive the economy.
She said the Federal Government recently released N1trillion for capital expenditure to make the economy productive, adding that measures were being taken to bring about multiple streams of revenue.
“The economic template we copied from you (Lagos) is now being implemented for economic recovery of the country and we are not ashamed to say it. The impact of that template is that many of the states are now copying it especially in the area of IGR,” Adeosun said.
In his address, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode described he former Governor of the State and National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a great Nigerian political product and a successful leader who not only mentored many leaders in the country but laid the solid foundation for the sustained progress of the State.
Ambode said the test of any successful leader all over the world was in the number of leaders such leaders created, and that using the said globally accepted parameter, Tinubu without doubt, is a winner.
Also speaking, the celebrant Asiwaju Bola Tinubu said it was time for the Federal Government to press forward with its national industrial policy and national infrastructural plan, especially by creating infrastructural funding from financial institutions.

STOP CELEBRATING CORRUPTION – OSHIOMHOLE TELLS NIGERIANS
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/03/stop-celebrating-corruption-oshiomhole.html

Former Governor of Edo State, Comraade Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday, lamented the celebration of corruption and the corrupt in the society by Nigerians and called for a change of attitude if Nigeria must make progress.
The labour activist and politician, who was Guest Speaker at a 2-day National Anti-Corruption Stakeholders’ Summit organized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, at the Commission’s Academy, Karu, Abuja, asked all Nigerians to support President Muhammadu Buhari to stamp out corruption from the system.
The summit, which has as its theme “Building National Anti-Corruption Consensus in a Multi-Agency Environment”, is designed to engage a host of stakeholders to brainstorm on ways of addressing pertinent national issues.
Oshiomhole said, “The Nigerian condition cannot change by lamenting it. Our roads will never be better, our rails will not function, our airport will remain the way they are, and our schools will remain the way they are or probably get even worse, because of the level of corruption and the impact on our national development, particularly in the area of infrastructure”.
“I believe that no amount of efforts can be too much in sustaining a conversation across the country about what each and every one of us can do to deal with this question of corruption.”
Oshiomhole, who described corruption fight as the most difficult and challenging job in Nigeria, however praised Ibrahim Magu on his achievements so far as the Acting Chairman of the EFCC and asked the agency to extend its dragnet to all sectors of the economy so as to weed out corruption.
The former governor urged the anti-graft agency not to despair as there can be no war without causalities.
“There cannot be war without casualties. Gun is not made as a symbolic weapon. You fire, and there must be casualty. If there is no casualty, it is either that something is wrong with the gun or something is wrong with the person behind the gun.
“So war is supposed to lead to an outcome. So how can we be fighting corruption and yet there are no victims,” Oshiomhole wondered.
Earlier, Magu in his welcome address said that the summit was necessary as Nigeria was at a critical phase in its evolution as a nation having identified corruption as the greatest challenge undermining its development.
Magu said, “What we have lacked in the past is the commitment to make the difference. I believe that we are uniquely placed to change the narrative as far as the fight against corruption is concerned.
While reaffirming the preparedness of the EFCC under his watch to lead the war against graft without fear or favour Magu said, “I am irrevocably committed to leading the young men and women of the Commission in taking the fight to the doorsteps of those who have looted the treasury and mortgaged our common patrimony.
“There will be no hiding places, every kobo taken illegally from the treasury would be traced, recovered and returned.”
In his goodwill message, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, commended Magu, describing him as a man of integrity.
“Magu is a great man of integrity. I have known him since 1997. Magu’s EFCC seized my money, but still invited me to this summit. That shows a large heart on his part,” Ozekhome said.
He called on all anti-corruption agencies not to make the fight against corruption selective saying, “there should be no sacred cow”.
Ayuba waba, NLC President, said, “Nigeria has all it takes to arrive at a level of greatness, but the challenge is that, these resources have actually been misused.

ABUJA AIRPORT REPAIRS 40% COMPLETED, WE’RE SET TO MEET TARGET – FAAN
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/03/abuja-airport-repairs-40-completed-were.html

The Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and Julius Berger, the contractor handling the repair of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja runway, have said that the work is 40 per cent completed.
The duo gave made this known in Abuja on Monday when members of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation led by its Chairman, Mrs Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, inspected the project.
Mr Yemi Ayelesan, Resident Engineer, FAAN, told the committee that the hardest part of the work, which is mailing of the 3.6 kilometres runway, had been completed.
He explained that the laying of ‘’fibre glide rubber’’ which prevents water from going deep underground and also prevent runway from cracking has also been completed.
Ayelesan told the committee that the contractors are working to specifications and would deliver on schedule, expressing confidence that the six weeks period for reopening of the airport was feasible.
According to him, the contractors are working round the clock to ensure that they meet the deadline.
Ayelesan said the repair work was a total reconstruction and not partial rehabilitation, explaining that the entire runway had been excavated for laying of asphalt.
He said there were isolated areas that were so bad that required digging deeper beyond mailing and laying of asphalt, stating that the entire surface were mailed to a certain depth. According to him, there is nothing like partial rehabilitation, even the taxi way is being repaired.
“Laying asphalt does not take time; it is the easiest part of the work.
“The lighting system is the next step, and the cable can be fixed within two days, as things are now, we will start fixing the light cable on March 29,’’ he said.
Dr Lai’s Richter, Project Manager, Julius Berger, said the work was being done in line with the programme of work.
Richter said the fixing of the lighting cable would commence on Wednesday, restating that the runway repairs would be completed before April 19 deadlines.
The Chairman of the House Committee, Onyejeocha, said their visit was to seek explanation on the level of work so far in line with the project agreement.
She also raised concern as to whether the repair work was a total reconstruction or partial repair, urging the contractor to ensure the completion of the project as scheduled.
“We want them to know that Nigerians are concerned and that there should be no extension of the completion date based on the agreement that we have put in place, ’’she said.
The contractors have recorded progress within 19 days since the commencement of work. The runway was shut on March 8 for six weeks for its total repair and Abuja flights diverted to Kaduna pending the completion of the repair work.
Meanwhile, the Minister of State Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika has debunked allegations of extension of repair works at the Abuja Airport by 18 weeks, stressing that he would resign his appointment if his ministry fails to meet up targeted period. Although Sirika pointed out that the entire airport runway was scheduled to be completed within a six month period but that the airport must be opened for flights to land safely after six-weeks of closure.
“We chose Julius Berger because they have been in the site already. We have tested them before. Nigeria will not forgive us, if we fail to meet up the six weeks period. I will resign if I don’t meet the deadline of six weeks”, Sirika said.
According to the minister, the ongoing work has incured extra N150 million which was used by the contractors to charter planes that was used to ferry some of the equipment used in the repair works. Sirika who was speaking at an interactive session between his ministry, Ministry of Information and Culture and members of the Aviation Round Table (ART) in Ikeja GRA, Lagos yesterday said that when completed, the Abuja runway will be used in excess of 10 Years.

SAFETY OF LAGOS NON-NEGOTIABLE, SAYS AMBODE
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/03/safety-of-lagos-non-negotiable-says.html

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode on Monday launched the rebranded Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, with a pledge that the security of lives and property in the State is now non-negotiable.
A total of 177 Salon Cars and Vehicles equipped with necessary communication gadgets, 377 motorcycles, 377 helmets, 4,000 bicycles, metal detectors for ensuring that illegal weapons are not smuggled into public places, among other operational equipment were handed over to the Corps by the Governor.
Speaking at the official launch held at Agege Stadium, Governor Ambode said the move was another giant step towards enhancing security all over the State and a vital part of the ongoing efforts of his administration to reform the security and justice sector.
The Governor, who on August 15, 2016 assented to the law that created the Neighbourhood Safety Corps, said the Corps had been designed to provide a second layer of policing in order to ensure that the State and communities are more secure.
He acknowledged the fact that the Nigerian Police had been very supportive to the State Government especially in fighting crime, but that the need for the Neighbourhood Corps arose from the identified security challenges confronting the State due to huge population, adding that the members of the Corps would complement police especially in areas of community policing.
“Let me, however, make it abundantly clear that the Neighbourhood Safety Corps is not in any way in competition with the regular Police Force.
“In actual fact, they are expected to assist and complement the Police by providing useful intelligence for crime prevention and to facilitate the arrest of perpetrators of criminal activities in our communities,” Governor Ambode said.
He added that in realization of the fact that nothing can be more important in law enforcement than educating the people in charge of enforcing the law, the rebranded Neighbourhood Corps have been trained and equipped with the requisite knowledge and skills to complement the good work of the Nigerian Police.
He said in addition to the induction on orthodox community policing techniques, the Corps were also trained on how to mediate disputes and the art of negotiating for peaceful resolution; balancing communal interest in resolving disputes and proactive policing engagement instead of reactive policing.
“Special hotlines have also been created direct to the Executive Secretary and senior management of the Neighbourhood Safety Corps Agency for easy communication with our communities in the event of any crime.
“Any valuable information given to the Corps will attract handsome rewards from the State Government. I therefore call on all Lagosians to join hands with us to say a final NO to crime in our State.
“All these equipment have been made possible through the judicious use of tax payers money and funds from the State Lottery Fund for good causes. Please continue to pay your taxes for a better Lagos.
“I am very happy to state that through this Safety Corps initiative the State Government has created over 7,000 jobs for officers of the Corps, artisans and other support staff. Job creation is at the heart of economic prosperity and we remain fully committed to a more prosperous Lagos for our citizens,” the Governor said.
The Governor, however, charged the Corps not to indulge in brutalizing citizens, but that they should exercise lot of restraint, patience, understanding and maturity while carrying out their duties.
Besides, the Governor said in order to further strengthen security, a new executive bill to regulate employment of domestic workers and security guards would soon be forwarded to the State House of Assembly, explaining that the bill, among others, will prescribe regulations for the set of workers and other details to monitor their activities.
While noting that there is no longer any room for child abuse or under aged workers, Governor Ambode said it had been discovered that domestic workers were largely undocumented and pose a grave security threat in the State.
He also said the recruiting agencies, under the bill, would be licensed and regulated to ensure safety.
The Governor also handed over four vans fitted with Close Circuit Television Cameras (CCTVs) to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the State Police Command.
Earlier, Commissioner for Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, Mr Oluseye Oladejo said the launch of the Neighbourhood Corps and the handing over of several equipment to the agency was an eloquent testimony of a visionary government which had decided to move ahead of emerging challenges of crime.

CERTIFICATE SAGA: DINO MELAYE'S SCHOOL MATE FINALLY REVEALS THE TRUTH
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/03/certificate-saga-dino-melayes-school.html

A schoolmate of the embattled Dino Melaye, Abdussobur Salaam, at the Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, has said the certificate scandal rocking the senator is a retribution for his past sins.

Salaam‎ who now works at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), spoke against the backdrop of the certificate controversy in which the senator is currently embroiled.

According to Premium Times Salaam while speaking on a Pen pushing social media platform, said he studied political science at ABU at the same time Melaye was a student in the Department of Geography at the university.

“Permit me to make an intervention on the issue of Dino and ABU, having been admitted and ‘graduated’ from ABU same year as Dino. I use the word ‘graduated’, very guardedly and with caution.

“Permit me to say that as at the time we were admitted, Geography Department was under the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS). In our 200 level, the Faculty was split and Geography Department had issues of where to fit in. It was initially placed under Faculty of Arts and later shifted to Faculty of Sciences where it is presently domiciled. The narrative on his certificate could be correct,” Salaam wrote.

“Dino and I are supposed to be ‘friends’ but differences never permitted while we were in school. Till date, we communicate once in a while, but I dare say he is the architect of his problems. “I have spent all yesterday responding to enquiries on different platforms about Dino’s status as a graduate. My take?

“We were admitted the same year, initially into the same faculty of FASS, and given that our courses were four years, we ought to have graduated same year. “However, recalling how studentship in ABU was that period, you could never be too sure of the academic status of any ‘student’.

“What do I mean? We had ‘students’ who were always around, attended lectures, participated in all student activities, were allocated hostel space, were always holding files and feigning academic seriousness, only for an issue to come up and you would find out that despite your having known them for years, they were never students but just lived pseudo student lives!”

Salaam, who was a former Chairman of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities at FUNAAB, said such attitudes of the fake students might make it difficult for any of their colleagues to believe that they were not authentic students.

“If they were never discovered, 20 years time, if a controversy arose as to their status, one would swear confidently that the person graduated!” ‎, he stated.

“While this is not exactly the same with Dino, you cannot be too sure until facts are unearthed.

“I know for a fact that we were admitted together. I am aware that he was very active in student political circles, though he has attempted to insinuate that he was SUG president to shore up his political profile.

Unfortunately, during our time, under the reign of Uncle K, (General Kontagora as Sole Administrator) the student Union was proscribed, so that claim cannot stick! He lied on that!

“As President of Geography students, I am aware that he was impeached. I also know that he had fraud related issues with the Kogi State Students Association and Segun Halilu personally had lamented to me about this, then.

“I remember that he wanted to join the OAU students club then, and we blocked his membership, knowing his tendencies to cause confusion and take over the structure of the club for personal ends”.

Mr. Salaam said it is only the records of ABU that can state whether Mr. Melaye graduated from the university. “On his status as a graduate, only the records can tell. For all you know, he may have had a few unresolved carry-overs. Knowing Dino, he may have bluffed, paid or manipulated the system to ensure those records are obliterated.

“If not, recall that given the circumstances of our year set, many concessions/ waivers were given to ensure that we graduated, having spent almost double the statutory length of years we should spend. Dino may just have been such a beneficiary of waivers. It is however not our place to tell, but the truth will unfold itself”, Mr. Salaam stressed.

“As a political scientist, what I see is a class fragmentation struggle. An in-house struggle within the elite class. Saraki and Dino are the subjects of attack today for a takeover of the National Assembly. They may get over it or it may consume them.

“However, I do not have any sympathy for him (Mr. Melaye) because he is also a master in the art of subterfuge, blackmail and crude propaganda. Today, he is a victim of the same method he has adopted over the years and I am happy to see the tables turn!

“Unfortunately, issues like this have led to the results they were meant to produce – public hysteria! Everyone is now caught up in debates about the Dino certificate scandal, or is it Dinogate?

“Everyone includes me! Last two weeks, it was Apostle Suleiman. This week, it is Dino. Who knows who next week will throw up? While we dwell on personalities and are distracted by their shenanigans, we continue to remain victims of the plots and scheming.

At the end of the day, things like this die off, others take their place in an endless cycle of politics of personality. While the elite class continues to regale us with entertainment, the real problems of underdevelopment, poverty, poor infrastructure, bad governance, corruption, and other malaise remain! God help Nigeria!,” Salaam concluded.