₦airaland Forum

The Federal Government has concluded plans to privatise eight new entities in some sectors of the economy by 2015.

These sectors include: Railway; Inland waterways; Road Authority; Roads Funds; National Transport Commission; Ports & Harbour reform; Federal Competition and Consumer Protection and Postal bill.

Mr. Benjamin Dikki, the Director General of the bureau, disclosed this during the end year workshop of the Commerce and Industry Correspondence Association of Nigeria (CICAN) in Lagos, saying “Government is riding on the success story of the previously privatised Public Enterprises, PEs, such as banking, power, telecom, marine, steel sectors of the economy, etc.

According to him “Today, the banking and finance sector is the most developed sector in Nigeria, efficiently and effectively responsible for implementing all government’s economic and financial policies under the regulation of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN

‘The reform of the telecom sector remains the most successful in terms of its impact on the economy. For example, Nigeria’s tele-density has been raised from 450,000 telephone lines in 2001 to over 134.5 million as at September, 2014; today, telecom contributions to the GDP is now 8.53 per cent , compared to less than 3 percent in 2001.”

Still stressing on the benefits of the reforms and privatisation, he said “Eleme Petrochemical Company has been revitalised and producing at over 99 percent capacity and has been consistently paying over N4, 000.00 as dividend per share. Cement companies have been revived, expanded and made profitable, etc.”

Dikki, stated that to sustain the gains of past reforms and privatisation and enhance the enabling environment for private capital participation in the Nigerian economy, BPE has prepared eight critical bills targeted for passage into law.

The bills are roads authority bill, railway bill, port and habour bill, inland water ways bills; Roads fund bill; National transport commission bill, federal competition and consumer protection bill as well as postal bill.

Additionally, Dikki said that besides these bills, the bureau is working with the relevant ministries to reform Sports, Tourism, Health and Housing sectors of the country by reviewing the policy, legal and regulatory frameworks for these sectors.

In her presentation, Dr. Gloria Elemo Director General, Federal Institute of Research Oshodi (FIIRO, said that research and development are a very potent benefit of research to economic development is the transformation substitution industrialization to export oriented industrialisation.

According to Elemo, it is on record that whereas Research and Development, R& investments in most European Union, EU and some Asian countries lies between 1.5 percent and three percent of the GDP, most developing countries invest much less than one percent of GDP in R& accounting for a meager 0.11 percent of GDP. The R& investments in Nigeria only accounts for 0.01 percent of global expenditure on R&. Consequently, Nigeria ranked 94 out of 134 nations in the global competitiveness index in 2010 and has no university ranked in the world’s top 500.

The official football team of the Mountain Of Fire And Miracles Ministries, MFM Football club has won the inaugural Church World
Cup which ended in Goa, India on Sunday.

The Nigeria Football Federation, NFF has thus congratulated the team on the victory

In a letter of congratulations addressed to the General Overseer of the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries, Dr. Daniel Olukoya on Wednesday, and signed by General Secretary, Barrister Musa Amadu, the NFF lauded the feat and affirmed that it was worthy of recognition and good mention.

"The new Executive Committee of Nigeria Football Federation is determined to celebrate excellence in all spheres of the Nigeria game, and the laudable achievement of your football team, which has brought honour to our dear country, deserves recognition and good mention.

"We also want to express deep appreciation of the NFF and the Nigeria football family for the keen interest of the General Overseer and the entire leadership of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries in football, and also commend your huge investment in the football sector, which has seen MFM Football Club become one of the strongest teams in the Nigeria National League - the second tier of our country's domestic football.

"The NFF believes that the excellent feat of MFM FC in India will encourage the leadership of your church to invest even more in football for the benefit of the youth of our nation."

The      All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Wednesday announced   Prof. Yemi Osinbajo as his running mate, thus putting to an end, days of speculations on the issue.

Osinbajo was the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice when the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, was governor.

The Ogun State-born serving pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, is married to a granddaughter of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

Decked in a dark suit, a white shirt and a red tie, he promised, in his acceptance speech, to rebuild Nigeria with Buhari.

Before Buhari formally unveiled him at the APC national headquarters in Abuja, Tinubu had issued a statement in which he said that the APC presidential candidate   offered him(Tinubu) the position of running mate.

The former Lagos State governor, who was reported to have had interest in the post, explained that he rejected the offer because of his decision to remain a bridge builder across all divides.

While presenting Osinbajo, Buhari said, “To assist me in this great task of securing Nigeria’s future, I have chosen a man of unimpeachable integrity, an excellent professional, a man of faith, a devoted family man and a role model to our fellow countrymen and women.

“He is a professor of Law and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. An alumnus of the University of Lagos and the London School of Economics. He is a prodigious author who has to his credit several books on civil procedure in Nigerian superior courts.

“The vice-presidential candidate is a friend of the less privileged, compassionate and zealous in service.

“A man of uncommon humility, a loyal, dependable and selfless patriot. He is Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who by the grace of God and the vote of Nigerians, will be the next vice-president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Buhari expressed gratitude to Nigerians for their growing support since his election as the APC presidential candidate   for the February 14, 2015 poll.

According to him, the huge acceptance of the APC and his candidacy by Nigerians had boosted his resolve to lead the process of rebuilding   Nigeria and securing “our future.”

He recalled that in his acceptance speech, he pledged to run an efficient government, fight corruption and indiscipline in “our national life” if elected president.

The APC candidate also promised to end the current regime of fear and uncertainty in   the country and place priority on national security.

He pledged to rebuild our battered economy and reduce poverty by deliberate policies   that would lead to the   creation of   jobs for Nigerian youths.

Buhari said, “The challenging process of rescuing our country and changing Nigeria for good has commenced. One of the first decisions that I have to make is the choice of my running mate.”

Explaining the delay in the announcement of his running mate, the former Head of State, said the method employed in choosing Osinbajo was “quite meticulous but yet rigorous.”

He said that it involved the establishment of objective criteria, broad consultations with party leaders and a few opinion leaders outside the party as well as interactions with a number of nominees.

Accepting the offer, Osinbajo said he was privileged to be offered the opportunity to serve as Buhari’s running mate. He explained that he had consulted widely before taking on the task.

The former commissioner said, “The task of rebuilding this nation is one to which I am fully committed. There can be no other President, Leader and commander that can lead that common sense revolution Nigeria urgently needs than Gen. Buhari.

“I will proudly serve this country with him. Gen. Buhari’s uprightness and fierce commitment to good governance are well known. It will be a privilege to work with him.

“I come to this assignment with a lot of hope and a resolve to be a part of this movement to bring Nigeria back to its lost glory. With the support of all Nigerians and the help of God, we shall make Nigeria work again.

“I will work with him and the party to restore hope and confidence in millions of our youths and provide comfort and security for millions of our countrymen and women.”

The selection of the APC vice-presidential candidate   had generated intense debate and interest since the emergence of Buhari as the presidential candidate last Friday.

Governors   Rotimi Amaechi(Rivers); and   Babatunde Fashola(Lagos); as well as   a former governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi; Senator Chris Ngige and former National Chairman of the defunct All Nigerian Peoples Party, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, had previously been tipped   for the vice presidential slot.

It was   learnt after the unveiling of Osinbajo that Amaechi would be named the Director-General of the APC presidential campaign.

A 32-year-old man, Chinyere Agoura, has been brought before an Apapa Magistrate’s Court for torturing his housemaid.

It was learnt that the seven-year-old housemaid, Munachi Ibeaka, is the daughter of one Mrs. Patricia Ibeaka.

Patricia was said to have given out the girl to Agoura, her cousin, who lives in the Ajegunle area of Lagos State, sometime in 2013 to relieve the burden of fending for her family of four after her (Patricia) husband died.

Both the defendant and the widow were arraigned by the police before the court’s magistrate, Mrs. O.I. Adelaja.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Agoura had made life difficult for Munachi who he reportedly tortured at will.

Our correspondent gathered that his neighbours were forced to report the alleged child abuse to the Ajeromi Police Station when the punishment began to tell on Munachi.

It was gathered that the girl’s face had become swollen as of the time the man and Patricia were arrested by the police.

PUNCH Metro also learnt that Agoura used to choke the girl with domestic chores and rarely allowed her to go to school.

It was said that teachers had, on several occasions, complained to the maid’s boss about her absence in the school only to be told that she usually got ill.

A prosecutor, Soji Ojaokomo, preferred two counts bordering on child abuse against the defendants.

The charges read, “That you, Chinyere Agoura, a resident of Ajegunle and Patricia Ibeaka, in the Apapa Magisterial District, did unlawfully abandon and expose seven-year-old Munachi to danger and caused her grievous harm and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 247 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

“That you, Chinyere Agoura, of the above named area, in the aforementioned magisterial district, did possess one Munachi as a slave or in servitude and entered into contract or agreement with one Patricia Ibeaka with or without consideration for doing so and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 274 (9) and (10) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the offence.

The magistrate subsequently admitted them to bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties each in like sum.

“The sureties must be gainfully employed and be of blood relations with the defendants.

“They must also be residents within the state and their addresses must be verified by the court,” Adelaja added.

The case was adjourned till January 19, 2015.

A seven-month-old baby has been found abandoned in a heap of rubbish near Lanre bus stop in the Igando area of Lagos State.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the baby whose head was said to be unusually big was dumped in the refuse owing to an unknown ailment.

It was learnt that a resident, who passed by the area, raised the alarm when he heard the cry of the baby.

Our correspondent gathered that the discovery was reported to the police, at the Igando Police Station, who came to evacuate the baby.

A resident, who identified himself as Segun Adesoye, told PUNCH Metro that he saw the child while he was being removed from the rubbish.

Another eyewitness and food seller, who identified herself simply as Iya Oyo, said, "Nobody could move close to the baby."

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, said the baby had been handed over to an orphanage.

He said, "The baby was taken to Heart of Gold Orphanage in Surulere. It Is sad. A very responsible and caring parent would not have acted that way. We implore his mother to show up at any nearest police station or go to the orphanage."