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Senators were sharply divided Wednesday over the authenticity or otherwise of the alleged non remittance of N177billion operational surplus made by the Nigerian Ports Authority ( NPA) into the consolidated federation account.

As the Senate resumed plenary, a member of the Senate Committee on Marine Transport, Senator Mohammed Hassan (Yobe South), drew the attention of the Senate to the allegation through a motion moved in accordance with Senate standing orders 42 and 52 .


In moving the motion, Hassan emphasised that against the spirits and provisions of the 1999 Constitution and extant laws of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the agency kept to itself N177billion operational surplus it made from accruing revenues in the 2017 fiscal year without remitting it into the federation account.

According to him, the committee discovered that the agency, in its budget defence of the performance of the 2017 budget in April this year, got N303billion as total operational revenue out of which N125billion was taken by it as operational cost as allowed by extant laws but refused to remit the balance of N177billion realised as surplus into the federation account

He went further to say: “This, to me, and by extension, the Senate, should not be condoned because the Committee discovered this seven months ago and ordered the agency to do the needful which it has not done up till now.

“Attention of the Senate is being drawn to this impunity because six months down the line, the agency has not complied with the directive of the committee or communicated to it on the matter in anyway.”

Deputy Senate Leader, Bala Ibn Na’Allah (Kebbi South), at this point, cautioned the Senate from believing the allegation made by Hassan, saying there are three categories of income derivable into accounts of any public agency .

He therefore advised the Senate that it would be premature for it to attach legislative seriousness to Hassan’s allegation since the figures he quoted are not clear to be in the category of perceived income, drive income or accrued income.

“Mr. President (Senate president), as a lawyer, I studied taxation law, so we should not be in haste to conclude on the submission Hassan has just made,” Na’Allah said.

Hassan’s allegation against the NPA was further punctured when the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Marine Transport, Senator Sani Yerima ( Zamfara West), disassociated himself and other committee members from the allegation.

According to Yerima, Hassan, as a member of the committee, did not raise the issue at any of the committee sittings before raising the alarm on the floor of the Senate.

“As chairman of the committee, I am not aware of this allegation raised against NPA by Hassan, and I don’t think any other member of the committee is aware as well,” he said.

Also contributing, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa (Abia North), urged the Senate leadership to compel the committee members to meet over it before bringing it up for general debate on the floor of the Senate in line with procedures and processes of law making.

At this point, the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, directed the Marine Transport Committee to look into the allegation and report back within three days.

Also yesterday, the Senate confirmed the appointment of Mr. Olanipekun Olukoyede as Secretary of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

This was sequel to the presentation of the report of the Committee on Anti- Corruption and Financial Crimes headed by Senator Chukwuka Utasi (Enugu North) for the consideration and confirmation of Olukoyede as EFCC scribe.

The Senate at a ‘Committee of the Whole’ considered the report and approved the appointment of Olukoyede, who until now, was the Chief of Staff to EFCC Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu.

The upper legislative chamber had last Tuesday stepped down the confirmation of the appointment of Olukoyede as Secretary of the EFCC.

This was due to the rejection of the report presented by Utasi by a member of the Committee on Anti-Corruption and Financial Crimes, Senator Isa Misau (Bauchi Central), who said only three out of eight members of the committee signed the endorsement page of the report.

In his defence, Utasi said most committee members could not endorse the report due to their involvement in oversight functions in other committees.

Senate President, Saraki, at this point, advised the committee chairman to meet with other members of the committee after plenary last Tuesday to iron out the grey areas and re-present the report yesterday.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/senators-disagree-over-alleged-non.html

Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi has donated N7 million to 11 churches in support of their projects with N2 million of the amount going to Christ the King Catholic Church, Okene and N500, 000 each to other churches in Central Senatorial district of the state.

Alhaji Abdulmalik Abdulkarim, the Director-General, Bureau of Information and Grassroots Sensitization, disclosed this in a statement he issued in Lokoja on Tuesday.

He said Bello announced the donation during a service to round-off the centenary celebration of the Christ the King Catholic Church, Okene, adding that the money was meant to assist the churches in their various projects.

Bello, who was the Special Guest of honour at the event, congratulated the church on its 100 years of existence in Ebiraland and pledged to donate coaster bus to aid its evangelism.

Abdulkarim quoted Bello, as commending the past and present leadership of the church for immense contributions to peace and harmony in Ebiraland and urged other churches to emulate the church by preaching the gospel of love, peace, unity and religious tolerance.

According to Abdulkarim, the benefiting churches are: Gospel Assembly Church, Nagazi, Adavi, Mountain Crusader Church, Ihucheba, Adavi, St. Andrew Anglican Church, Lafia, Okene, Deeper Life Church, Obehira, and St. Paul Anglican Church, Okengwe.

Others are: Christ Apostolic Church, Oboroke, Okehi, St. Peter Anglican Church, Ihima, Gospel Assembly Church, Iruvusechi, Eganyi, First Baptist Church, Ajaokuta and Catholic Church, Ogori.

In his remarks, the Parish Priest of the Christ the King Catholic Church, Rev. Fr. Ezekiel Awolumate, commended the governor for his personal presence at the centenary celebration of the church.

The Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Dr. Ado Ibrahim, in his speech called the church to continue to pray for divine guidance and protection, for the governor, the people of Ebiraland and the state in general.

The Dean, Okene Deanery of the Catholic Church, Rev. Fr. Ododo Jude, on behalf of other churches thanked the governor for the donations and urged him continue to work for the progress and development of the state.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/gov-bello-donates-n7m-to-churches-in.html

The Buhari Campaign Council has said that President Muhammadu Buhari is not evading debate but will only participate if he is convinced that the circumstances and rules for such debate are germane.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had challenged the president to a live debate with its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on critical sectors ahead of the 2019 presidential election.


The party noted that Buhari had been mortally afraid of debates, adding that he should accept to face its candidate, Atiku, in a general debate organised by independent bodies at any venue of his choice.

However, Buhari’s campaign team responded yesterday describing PDP’s challenge as mere grandstanding.

He said that President Buhari will at the appropriate time decide on his participation in the debate after being availed of all the details and circumstances for such an exercise.

Keyamo said: “ First of all, let me say that the PDP has been in the habit of running away from political debates. So they should not come and tell us that they are some kind of super human who wants to debate at all times.

“Obasanjo ran away from debate, Jonathan ran away from debate during their time, so PDP has a history of running away from debates.”

The Buhari campaign Spokesmen further explained that contrary to the insinuations being made by the PDP, the office was yet to receive the formal invitation for a debate ahead of the 2019, adding that it would always assess the circumstances behind any debate before accepting to or rejecting it.

Keyamo also said that at the moment his office was yet to receive formal invitation to the debate but that he will check with the office of the Director General of the Campaign Organisation to know if the organisers have sent such invitation.

According to Keyamo, the PDP is trying to claim what it does represent based on its antecedents.

“They should not come and deceive Nigerians that they are the debaters, they are not the debaters. At the right time we will let them know, when we know all the circumstances surrounding the debate whether we will accede and not.

“By the time we know how the debate is being organised and the rules of the debate, then we will let Nigerians know whether we will debate or not.

“At the moment he said that the campaign office does not know the details of the presidential debate, adding that it will take a decision on whether to participate or not after studying the rules,” he added.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/buhari-not-afraid-of-debate-says.html

The Independent National Electoral Commission in Ebonyi State has raised the alarm over the increasing rate of apathy by residents on the state regarding the ongoing Permanent Voter Cards collection exercise.

The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Prof. Godswill Obioma, during an interactive session with the civil society in the state lamented the low turn-out of prospective voters to collect their PVCs.

Stating that the commission had recorded a staggering number of PVCs lying unclaimed in various local government areas of the state, the electoral umpire outlined the details to include; Afikpo North, 7, 391 uncollected PVC; Afikpo South, 7315; Abakaliki, 29,569; Ebonyi – 16,884; Ezza North 5283; Ezza South – 5300; Izzi – 1,748; Ikwo – 10,978; Ivo – 6,895; Ohazara – 4785; Ohaukwu, 9056; Onicha -7433; Ishielu – 7849.

“All in all, a total number of one hundred and twenty thousand, four hundred and eighty six (120,486) unclaimed PVCs are in different local government areas of the state,” he said.

Obioma noted that in 2015 the commission recorded one million, one hundred and seventeen thousand, seven hundred and seventy registered voters, while in the last Continuous Voter Registration, the commission recorded three hundred and fifty seven thousand, six hundred and seventeen registered voters, bringing it to the total of one million four hundred and seventy five, three hundred and eighty seven (1,475,387) registered voters in the state.


He further appealed to stakeholders to sensitise the people on the need to get their PVCs, and sensitise the people against vote buying and selling.

He added that the scourge, which had eaten deep into the fabric of the society had become a phenomenon that must be killed.

The INEC REC noted that the improvement in the smartcard reader had filled the loophole in the election process, stating that the menace of ballot snatching was now a thing of the past.

Obioma said, “In 2015 there was a disarticulation between INEC and voting; in 2019, INEC has closed that dis- articulation

“Those of them trying to go and snatch ballot boxes, you are completely on your own. If you think you are going to snatch ballot box or machine, we have already captured the result. A lot of people are still wallowing in the obsolete memory of 2015, which some of us have discarded in the laboratory of wasted papers. It is no longer as it is. So, all those gimmick and vices that gave rise to all sorts of inappropriate activities, have disappeared now. We, INEC, my colleagues who are here, have sworn to do the right thing and we have started to do the right thing.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/inec-120486-pvcs-still-unclaimed-in.html

Expectant of President Muhammadu Buhari’s visit to Edo State tomorrow, residents of Benin City are excited to host the President in the state.


A cross section of Benin residents, who spoke to Akelicious , said they were eager to have the president in the state, even as checks around major government establishments showed buildings wearing a new look preparatory to the visit.

A visit to the Government House and other government offices in the state showed civil servants putting finishing touches to last minute arrangements for the visit.


The president is expected to commission the Edo-Azura Power Plant and attend the Chief of Army Staff Conference holding in Benin City.

A Benin resident, Mr Goodwill Efosa, said that he is anxious to welcome the President to the state, noting, “This is not the first time he is coming to the state, but I am eager to see him this time around because he has performed really well, in my own estimation.”



Another resident, Mr Osaze Moses, said that the President’s visit is always something to look forward to, as there are often fallouts from such August visits.

“For me, I think we might get something big from this visit. The President has shown to be very caring, especially for the poor. I just hope we get a federal government project from this visit.


That will endear Benin people more to the President,” he said.


Mr Moses added that, “The Benin-Abraka road is one federal government’s project that needs the president’s attention because it is a federal road.


The road is currently in a bad state and though Governor Godwin Obaseki has assured that he would fix the road, but I am of the opinion that the governor should continue with the good work he is doing on state roads and streets while the federal government is urged to reconstruct the Benin-Abraka road”.

He urged Edo people to look forward to positive outcomes from the visit as they have faith in his administration.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/pmb-visit-benin-residents-upbeat-as.html

President Muhammadu Buhari has extended his condolences over the passing of the former Military Governor of North Central State, Brigadier-General Abba Kyari, (rtd).

According to a statement by his senior special assistant media, Garba Shehu,In a message to the the government and people of Kaduna, Katsina and Borno states on Sunday evening, President Buhari said “we are extremely saddened by the news of General Abba Kyari’s passing away, an officer and a gentleman for whom we have a lot respect.”

He prayed to Allah to accept his soul, and grant fortitude to the family and friends he left behind to bear the loss.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/president-muhammadu-buhari-mourns.html

The Founder and General Overseer of Friends of Jesus Global Mission, Owerri, Bishop Maglorious Enyioha, has described the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu as a young man who can hardly control his temper.

Enyioha however called on the Federal Government to take a critical look into the issues raised by Kanu.

Addressing a press conference in Owerri, the Imo State capital, over the weekend, the clergyman advised the Federal Government to adopt a more humane and practical approach to the growing agitation for Biafra, rather than the use of force.


Enyioha said, “The Python Dance, initiated and executed by the Nigerian Army, has become history. People died in the process but the agitation has remained. This calls for a more humane and practical approach than the use of force.

“The leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, is a young man that can hardly control his temper.

“Although Kanu may have spoken in some areas like a youth, government should however look critically into what he is saying.”


The Bishop also lamented that Nigeria has never known peace since its creation.

“We cannot allow this to continue ad infinitum. If we don’t want shedding of blood to continue, we should sit down and talk. Any land where innocent blood is carelessly shed, is cursed.

“Those who provide weapons to Nigeria are only asking us to kill our fellow Nigerians. They should instead, help us to conduct a referendum in Nigeria, instead of continuously supplying us arms and ammunition,” Enyioha said.

Full details at https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/nnamdi-kanu-can-hardly-control-his.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXw9EzFae9o


https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/you-stole-my-mandate-uche-ekwunife-to.html?m=1

A member of the Federation of International Women Lawyers ( FIDA ) and a director in the Borno State ministry of Justice, Barr Habiba Gana, has disclosed that one of the challenges faced in the prosecution of rape perpetrators is inefficiency at obtaining evidence from the rape victims by police.


To this end, Barr Gana called for training of police personnel assigned to handle rape cases to avail prosecution with adequate evidence that would facilitate speedy trial of offenders.

Barr Gana made the disclosure, yesterday, at a workshop on “Protection, Empowerment and Resilience Building of Women in Northeast Nigeria (PERD),” organised by the Search For Common Ground ( SFCG ) Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation, with support from UN Women and Government of Japan, in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.


Speaking further, she said another challenge hampering prosecution of sexual violence perpetrators is the society and sometimes, parents as well as relatives of the victims.

The FIDA woman narrated how she once handled a rape case where the victim was stigmatised after her team secured a 25-year-jail-term against the perpetrator of the rape, but when she went back to her area at Federal low-cost housing estate in Maiduguri, other children began to mock her, describing her as the girl who had been raped, thereby subjecting the rape victim to psychological trauma.



According to Barr Gana, following the condition of the girl, she advised that the girl be relocated temporarily to some other place to save her trauma, and based on this advice, the relations relocated her to Yola in Adamawa State where the victim’s sister lives.

“So, here, people are afraid of reporting because of fear that if they report, their children would not get married again. One major challenge frustrating the prosecution of perpetrators of sexual violence offenses is the police. There is need for most police personnel handling rape cases and other gender-based violence to undergo training of taking down evidence.


“Sometimes, evidence they take work against us in court and sometimes, they don’t take the actual report they ought to have taken thereby, hampering prosecution of perpetrators,” she said.


On her part, the secretary of FIDA, Borno State chapter, Barr Zara Umar Yakub, raised concern over silence on the side of victims of sexual-based violence and members of their families, warning that non-report of the crime has implication on the survival and future of the victims.


“Most cases suffer at the early stage because of non-reporting and evidence. This is because being a sexual-based violence, the early medical reports gotten from the hospitals where the victims are treated form formidable evidence in the court during prosecution, but if not reported early and the bruises or injuries resulting from the violence heal, it would be difficult to obtain evidence since most times, the perpetrators deny committing the crime.

The FIDA Secretary called for early reportage of sexual violence cases to the police and referral centres established by FIDA at the Professor Umar Shehu Ultramodern Hospital in Bulunkutu for counseling, treatment and possible prosecution of perpetrators of the crime.


Apart from rape cases, Barr Yakub decried the rampant cases of homosexuality in the city of Maiduguri, saying that the irony of the crime is that even the highly placed individuals in Borno State including some mallams indulge in the shameful act.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/poor-evidence-stigmatisation-frustrate.html

A.P. Moller – Maersk has announced that it recorded progresses in its strategic business transformation, reporting growth in both Ocean and non-Ocean with a total revenue increase of 31 per cent to $10.1 billion in the third quarter of 2018.

The company, in a statement signed by its Africa Communication Manager, Augustine Fischer, said growth in non-Ocean was at 15 per cent, which now contributes 31 per cent of total revenue.

In addition, the company stressed that synergy effects where materialised during the period under review.


Commenting on the result, Chief Executive Officer of A.P. Moller – Maersk, Søren Skou said: “Well into our transformation, we are progressing with the integration of our business to better serve customers and unlock the full growth potential within Logistics& Services. As a result, I am pleased to see revenue growth in Q3 across the business, including supply chain services. Our profitability and cash flow is improving, positively impacted by the emergency bunker surcharge announced due to the significant increase in bunker price, synergies from Hamburg Süd and strong collaboration between Ocean and our terminal activities.”

He added: “Compared to Q3 2017, revenue in Logistics & Services increased 7.5 per cent with supply chain management growing 16 per cent. New products are being developed to improve the customer experience, with results already seen where A.P. Moller – Maersk was first in the world to launch Instant Booking Confirmation to customers in the container industry.

“Furthermore, gateway terminals continued to grow volumes from external customers as well as from Maersk Line and Hamburg Süd reflecting synergy impact from the closer collaboration. Total synergies with Hamburg Süd of minimum $500 million excluding integration cost are expected by 2019 as the integration is progressing faster than planned.”

Cash conversion, he explained, improved from 76 per cent to 95 per cent, adding that the free cash flow of $2.1billion compared to negative $478 million in the same period last year lead to a lower net debt.
“Volumes in Ocean grew 27 per cent, 5 per cent excluding Hamburg Süd which is above the estimated market growth of 2.7 per cent, but lower than anticipated, “he said.

According to him, “Our business performance in Ocean is still challenged by increased bunker prices not being fully compensated through higher freight rates. However, we continue to see improved results in the third quarter after a very weak start to 2018.

“The underlying profit in Q3 amounted to $251million compared to $254million in the same period last year. Earnings before interests, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) increased by 16 per cent despite bunker price increasing 47 per cent. Unit costs at fixed bunker in Ocean decreased 0.6 per cent compared to Q3 2017, when adjusted for foreign exchange rate and inclusion of Hamburg Süd.

“A.P. Moller – Maersk expects an EBITDA in the range of USD 3.6-4.0 billion from previously $3.5-4.2 billion and reiterates the expectations of a positive underlying profit. The organic volume growth in Ocean is now expected in line with the estimated average market growth of 3-4 per cent for 2018 (previously slightly below the estimated average market growth of 2-4 per cent).

“Guidance is maintained on gross capital expenditures (capex) around $3billion and a high cash conversion (cash flow from operations compared with EBITDA). For 2019 we now expect gross capital expenditure of $2-2.5billion. The guidance continues to be subject to uncertainties due to the current risk of further restrictions on global trade and other factors impacting container freight rates, bunker prices and rate of exchange.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/ap-moller-maersk-grows-revenue-by-31-to.html

The Sokoto State House of Assembly on Thursday confirmed the appointment of Alhaji Manir Dan-Iya as the new Deputy Governor of the state.

This followed the adoption of a motion by the Deputy Majority Leader Alhaji Ibrahim Sarki (PDP-Sokoto North II) at plenary.

Speaking on the motion Sarki urged his colleagues to confirm the appointment of Dan-Iya due to his qualities.

“In view of the provisions of section 191 subsections (3)(c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.

“Gov. Aminu Tambuwal submitted the name of Alhaji Manir Dan-Iya for confirmation as deputy governor of the state.

“The person so recommended for appointment is an astute politician with an impressive grassroots appeal, he will bring his experience to bear in the governance and overall development of the state,” he said.

The motion was unanimously adopted when put to a voice vote by the Speaker Alhaji Salihu Maidaji who presided over the plenary.

Dan’iya replaces Alhaji Ahmed Aliyu, who resigned on Nov. 13 after security the All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship ticket for the 2019 poll in the state.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/sokoto-assembly-confirms-dan-iya-as.html

The Anambra Equity Alliance (AEA) has berated the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and its National Chairman, Chief Victor Oye, over the party’s comments and actions on the purported impeachment of the Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Mrs. Rita Maduagwu.

The state chapter of APGA had, on November 15, announced suspension of three members of the State Assembly who played major roles in the impeachment saga, an action the APGA national chairman Oye, sanctioned.

In both radio and television interviews, Oye said that the impeachment of the former Speaker did not enjoy the blessings of the party, stressing that the lawmakers did not consult the party before the impeachment.

But, in a statement, on Wednesday, signed by the spokesman of Anambra Equity Alliance, Mr. Anthony Jude Mbah, the group insisted workings of the legislature were not subject to the control of the political party.

Their statement reads in parts, “At this juncture it is imperative that we submit that by the virtue of all the provisions cited earlier, the powers to make laws by the legislative arm of government is not subject to the control of anybody including a political party as erroneously canvassed by the APGA National Chairman, Victor Oye and contrary to his blatantly misleading position, political parties are the ones who should be subject to the control of the parliament whether federal or State and not the other way round.

“It, therefore, means that the exercise of legislative powers is not under the control of any person including a political party but conversely it is the party that should be subject to the provisions and laws properly enacted by the National or State Assemblies.”

It, therefore, described the submissions of the APGA boss as “grossly mischievous for anyone or party to say that they must be consulted before the legislative arm takes a decision.

“To make this claim that the Governor was not consulted before the impeachment is a violation of the essence of the principals of separation of powers enshrined in our constitutions.

“The governor belongs to the executive arm of government and it is against the laws of the land for the legislative arm to take permission or seek clearance from the governor before carrying out its oversight functions.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/group-dismisses-apga-over-anambra.html

Nigerian airlines, presidential fleet, Nigerian Air Force and the Nigerian Police spend an estimated $2.5 billion annually in conducting C-check and other levels of aircraft maintenance overseas, Akelicious’s investigations have revealed.

Akelicious gathered that most of the funds are expended on the technical personnel, airframe maintenance, landing gear, engine overhaul and aircraft spares.

Aeronautical engineers, airline operators and pilots told Akelicious that this amount would have been halved if Nigeria has major Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility, a leasing company, which could also supply spares and simulators for the training of pilots.

Akelicious gathered that the high cost of maintenance is responsible for the short lifespan of Nigerian carriers, which operate for average of 10 years.

The long time spent in taking aircraft overseas has forced airlines to incur losses, making it difficult for domestic airlines to survive.

Former Aero Contractors’ Maintenance Engineer, who is now the Chief Executive Officer of Seven Star Global, a major maintenance facility that just berthed in Nigeria, Mr. Isaac Balami, told Akelicious that airframe maintenance alone costs Nigeria $1 billion annually at the average of $1 million per aircraft.

“Airlines expend about $1 million on the maintenance of airframe alone and not to talk about the maintenance of landing gear and engine, which have different maintenance programme. These amounts are spent by Nigerian airlines, the Nigerian Navy, the Nigeria Air Force, the Nigeria Police, the Presidential Fleet and others that operate fixed wing aircraft. Maintenance cost is in terms of hardware and software,” Balami said.

He explained that huge cost of conducting checks on aircraft overseas does not jeopardise the safety of the Nigerian fleet because concerning commercial airliners, the regulatory authority, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) is monitoring all the airlines, but the huge cost has ensured that no Nigerian airline has existed for over 10 years, noting that Aero Contractors, which was established in 1959 started having problems 10 years after it went into scheduled commercial operation.

“The high cost of maintenance may not have any effect on aircraft safety but it is one of the reasons why Nigerian airlines cannot fly for more than 10 years. You can recall that Arik and Aero started having problems after they were 10 years. Aero was established in 1959 but went into commercial operations and 10 years after, it started having problems. This is difficult because after expending 40 per cent of your resources on fuel and you spend 30 per cent of your resources on maintenance, it becomes very difficult for you to survive,” he said.

He said that one major reason Nigerian airlines go under is because of the delay in ferrying the aircraft overseas, noting that every day a Boeing B737 is left on ground, the airline loses $100,000.

Boeing B737 is major aircraft type used by most Nigerian airlines.

“If you don’t fly a Boeing B737 a day you lose $100,000 and because you don’t have maintenance facility locally, you have to park the aircraft for about three weeks. That alone can kill an airline. That is why there is urgent need for Nigeria to have a maintenance facility and our MRO, Seven Start Global Hangar obtained licence from NCAA last August and we would start conducting checks soon; that will save Nigerian airlines and others huge amount of money spent overseas on maintenance,” Balami said.

The Chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, told Akelicious that he spends about $2.5 million on heavy checks on one aircraft.

Also, the Account Manager of Dana Air, Obi Mbanuzuo, said the airline spends about $1.2 million on conducting C-check on each of its aircraft.

Mbanuzuo also said Nigeria loses hugely conducting maintenance checks overseas.
“For heavy check, which is done between 15 to 18 months, each time we fly that aircraft abroad, just the flight alone cost us close to $80,000. Your crew flies the airplanes; so that crew is out for three or four days. The cost of each C-check is about $1.2 million and then we fly it back here.
“If there were maintenance facility here, we won’t go through this. For instance, if the Uyo maintenance facility that is being constructed were available; we will just fly the aircraft from Lagos to Uyo and park the aircraft there. Even if initially it is run by expatriates and foreigners, after a short period of time, locals will get the expertise to do the work and the cost of flying the aircraft out is reduced,” he said.

He also explained that main input cost of a C-check is man hour cost, which is about $70 to $100 per hour, noting that the cost would drastically reduce if the maintenance is conducted locally.

“So, having a repair facility in Nigeria will save millions of dollars annually to all the airlines. In addition, pilots go for simulator training every six months. All the airlines in Nigeria send all their pilots for simulator training every six months. Imagine what we will be saving if we had simulators locally,” he said.

The Chief Executive Officer of Aero Contractors, Captain Ado Sanusi, said that maintaining aircraft locally would save Nigerian airlines at least 35 per cent of the cost of maintaining the aircraft overseas and save Nigeria so much foreign exchange.

More details at https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/nigeria-spends-25bn-annually-on.html

President Muhammadu Buhari has described a call by a former secretary of state for the International Development in the United Kingdom (UK), Ms Priti Patel, to potential investors to be wary of investing in Nigeria as “a wicked proposition lacking in substance and devoid of merit in empirical evidence established by facts”.

In a response contained in a statement signed by his Senior Special Adviser, Mr. Garba Shehu, President Buhari said her premonitions are unfounded.


“Her claim to the effect that despite the President’s public anti-corruption platform, Nigeria has not seen any reduction in corruption since Buhari took office, trumpeting a so-called Transparency International report is a false fabrication that cannot be supported by the facts on the ground.

“By the time President Muhammadu Buhari was sworn in and took office, the only amount in the anti-corruption recovery account over 16 years of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP was only two billion naira (N2bn).

“This account has succeeded in netting over four hundred billion naira (N400bn) today, translating to 1,360 per cent increase. This cannot amount to nothing in terms of progress.

“When it comes to policy decisions, this government has put in place instruments that have extraordinarily and unprecedentedly reduced corruption and corrupt practices.

“For example, the Treasury Single Account, TSA has led to greater visibility and control of government funds by way of consolidating government resources in an account as against the past where such accounts are scattered.

“The Bank Verification Number, BVN scheme has equally helped the government to prevent money laundering, financing terrorism and illicit cash transfers. This administration has introduced the IPPS, which implementation has led to an extraordinary reduction of ghost workers, saving the treasury billions of naira every month. The Whistle Blower mechanism put in place has yielded enormously to the treasury and reduced corruption.

“In addition to several and urgent legislations targeted at the reduction of corruption, the administration has equally signed a number of highly rewarding Mutual Legal Assistance with a number of countries that have translated to tremendous recoveries,” the statement said.

The government also said the issue raised about alleged lack of security of investment is equally false and untenable.

“Nigerian has recognised the right of the investor, both local and foreign, as enshrined in our constitution which states clearly that no investment can be taken from its owners without recourse to the law. Given the constitution, you don’t even need international protection for assets held in this country,” Buhari noted.

He said apart from the constitution, there are several laws protecting investments.

According to him, “Beyond this, this administration has moved forward by recognizing arbitration processes. The judiciary in the country has a Practice Code to give legitimacy to awards and arbitration clauses in agreements.

“Cumulatively, we have established a proper climate of investment on account of which, the nation has gained 24 points of excellence in the global ease of doing business index.

“As for the specific case of the agreement in 2010, between the NNPC and the P&ID for a 20-year contract to create a new natural gas development refinery, which appears to be her main issue, a project that fell through after a past Nigerian government reneged on its contractual commitments, we do not wish to plead the government’s case in the press.

“Suffice it to say that the government of Nigeria, in recognition of the sanctity of the judiciary, has submitted to the jurisdiction of a court in the United States to determine the issues in dispute.

“What we can only say at this point is that Nigerians need to pity their own country for the way things were done in the past.

“Before the coming of the Buhari administration, there existed in the country a racket encompassing elements in the three arms of government, the executive, legislature and the judiciary through the activities of which artificial, engineered and factored breaches of contract are made, judgments are obtained, appeals are delayed and the penalty imposed is paid and shared.”

The president assured the citizenry that in the fullness of time, more will be said by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/buhari-disagrees-with-pritis-comment-on.html

Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has said that the federal government is considering concessioning six hydro dams to private operators under the build, operate and transfer, BOT initiative.


He said the plan is part of government’s resolve to raising power generation and expanding its drive in the renewable energy space. Fashola, who made the disclosure in a keynote address at the 2018 pre-conference workshop of the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) in Lagos, yesterday, said that the current component of grid power consists mainly of gas-fired power which is 85 per cent and hydropower 15 per cent and that there is the need to produce an energy mix that targets a 30 per cent component of renewable energy out of the gross energy produced by 2030.

He said: ‘‘let me be clear and unequivocal by saying upfront that our commitment as a nation and government to pursue renewable and low carbon energy at low cost is clear, firm and unshaking.’’


The minister said government recently approved an integrated energy mix targets under Electricity Vision 30:30:30 which targets generation of 30 GW in 2030, with 30 per cent from renewable energy sources.

The minister said that Africa has trillions standard cubic feet of natural gas reserves, billions of barrels of crude oil reserves and billions of tonnes of coal. He also explained that concessioning of the dams was aimed at energising educational institutions and markets in the country.



“These are government-led initiatives based on the rural electrification plan approved by the President in 2016 to provide access to power for rural dwellers and vulnerable members of our society. We proposed to use six small hydro dams that had been abandoned for decades, Federal Government owned universities and some markets as anchors.

“Apart from the universities, where government is directly funding the intervention, the markets are being privately funded. There are currently 15 markets under contemplation with Ariaria, Sabon Gari and Sura markets in Aba, Kano and Lagos as flagships.


“Our thinking is simple. While the whole value chain and power privatisation gradually evolves, it is possible to create oases of success by showing to our children that they can have reliable power while in school.


“If that is a reason to get children to school and keep them there, certainly, no good business can oppose this.


“Indeed, it seems to me sensible to expect that the future of today’s business and even government rests solely on the quality of education that the current generations of students get.

“As for the markets, the 37,000 shops in Ariaria, about 13,000 in Sabon Gari, and about 1,000 in Sura represent SMEs, where the majority of our people earn a living,’’ he said.


Fashola said that Nigeria as a committed member of both the United Nation, African Union and ECOWAS has adopted several international treaties and policies which promote the use of renewable energ

Dr Andrew Ejayeriese, the President of NAPE said that Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa and the twenty-second globally, adding that it is projected that the economy could rise through the world ranking to top 10 in 2050 with a projected GDP of US46.4 trillion.

More details at https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/fg-to-concession-6-hydro-power.html

President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the Super Eagles of Nigeria on their qualification for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations holding in Cameroon in June 2019.

The Eagles secured their ticket following the 1-1 draw against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in Johannesburg Saturday.

The Super Eagles now led the Group E, with ten points. South Africs are second with nine points but have a difficult last game to play away to Libya who are third with seven points.

Either of the two teams can pick the last ticket of the group to Cameroon. South Africa need a draw, and Libya a win.

President joined millions of football-loving Nigerians in commending the Super Eagles for their spirited and disciplined performance against a very formidable opponent which earned them qualification with the final match against Seychelles a mere formality.

In a statement by Femi Adesina, the media adviser, President Buhari has keenly followed the senior national football team’s progress in the qualifying stages.

“President Buhari is enthused by their confidence, sense of patriotism and professionalism, and commends these attributes to other Nigerians.

“He equally commends the coaching crew, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Supporters Club, especially Nigerians residing in South Africa who turned out in great numbers to cheer the players, for a job well-done, and assures them of the unflinching support of the Federal Government going forward.

“The President wishes the young Nigerian football ambassadors more successes as they prepare for the AFCON tournament in Cameroon,” Adesina added.

More details at https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/afcon-2019-buhari-hails-super-eagles.html

The Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, has reiterated Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring safety and security at the nation’s airports for efficient air transportation in Nigeria.

Sirika gave the assurance on Friday in Abuja when the Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr Saleh Dunoma, presented to him, awards of excellence given to Nigeria by Airports Council International (ACI).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, was awarded the “Best Improvement in Safety Award” by ACI in Abidjan in October.

Sirika said that safety and security as well as comfort of passengers were cardinal objectives of President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.

“When I was posted to this duty post, we were very clear as to our mandate – everything will be to improve the safety and security and the facilitation of passengers with a lot of comfort and ease.
“Efficient air transportation has been our goal.
“I am more than humbled by these awards coming one after another from these international organisations, ICAO and ACI, and you also recall a tremendous amount of work has been done in the area of safety and security.
“The most notable is when the airport of Abuja was unsafe for operations and we had to close it for repairs which was very critical to the movement of air transportation and by the grace of God, we were able to deliver that procurement,’’ he said.
Sirika stated that the desire of the government was to improve the nation’s aviation industry and other sectors of the economy for the benefit of the citizenry.
According to him, a lot of achievements have been recorded in the sector because we are no longer where we used to be.

He commended FAAN management for hard work towards achieving the feat and assured that the government would continue to give the authority the needed support.
Earlier, Dunoma had said that the award was a result of the minister’s leadership guidance and encouragement, and therefore, dedicated to him and his team.
Dunoma said that the airports were encouraged and were working towards achieving excellence in the next assessment that would be conducted by ICAO and ACI.
He said that the authority was committed to enhancing passengers’ experience in the nation’s airports and noted that Nigerian airports were recording improvements in all areas.
“On behalf of the FAAN management and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport (NAIA), I present to you sir, the Best Improvement in Safety Award of the ACI-Africa Region.
“An honour that was won by the NAIA at the just-concluded 27th Annual Regional Conferences, and the certification of FAAN training school as ICAO Aviation Training Centre,’’ he said.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/minister-reiterates-fgs-commitment-to.html

The Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram on Friday claimed an attack on a military base in Nigeria’s northeast that killed three, the SITE Intelligence Group said.

“The Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) claimed killing three Nigerian soldiers in a raid on their base in Kareto” in Borno state, said the group, which monitors jihadist activity.

ISWAP claimed in the communique that three soldiers were killed in the clashes and that they captured an “array of weapons and ammunitions as spoils”, according to the statement.


The attack on Kareto, a base some 150 kilometres (90 miles) north of the Borno state capital Maiduguri, started late Wednesday.

“We lost three soldiers in the fight and several others are still missing,” a military officer in Maiduguri told AFP on Thursday.

At the same time, Boko Haram fighters attacked Mammanti village, just outside Maiduguri, killing one person and burning the entire village.

They then stole hundreds of cattle, the local chief of the village and residents said.

In mid-2016, ideological differences caused Boko Haram to split into two factions, one led by Abubakar Shekau, the other recognised by the IS group.

Despite the Nigerian government’s insistence that Boko Haram is near defeat, it still carries out major attacks on military and civilian targets, killing scores.

On November 9, Shekau claimed several attacks in northeast Nigeria in a video message obtained by AFP.

More than 27,000 people have died since the start of the insurgency in the remote northeast in 2009 and 1.8 million are still homeless.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/is-backed-boko-haram-faction-claims.html

Minister of Transportation and Director-General of the Muhammadu Buhari Presidential Campaign Organisation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, has said the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is no match for President Buhari in the forthcoming presidential election.

Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers State, who was a guest on the ‘Morning Show’ of ARISE News, a broadcast arm of THISDAY, yesterday, boasted that judging from the anti-corruption reputation of the Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government, the PDP and its candidate will be a mismatch for his party in 2019.


He noted that evaluating the performances of the incumbent Nigerian leader in comparison with previous administrations under the opposition party, would further reduce the chances of the PDP, which he labelled as corrupt and unfit to take Nigeria to the Promised Land.

Asked if, as the D-G of the president’s re- election bid, he feels the ruling party feels uneasy that the PDP has a very strong team in Atiku/Obi, Amaechi said, “I am telling you clearly, we have nothing to fear about; I am not joking.”

He said for his party and the people of Nigeria, the next general election in February 2019 would be another opportunity to critically look at the issue of who has the known antecedent to genuinely tackle corruption and that by reputation, the PDP could not contend against the APC in terms of corruption perception.

“As soon as PDP elected its presidential candidate, the first thing that went to the social media was corruption. I am not saying whether he is corrupt or not, but the first battle you had in the social media was to battle the issue of corruption and those issues of corruption were the things said by ex-President Obasanjo,” he stated.

On the celebrated reconciliation between Obasanjo and Atiku, Amaechi said their vituperative attacks against each other will also be made public for Nigerians to decide, saying: “Their statements are in the public. We would get back all those statements to the table.”

According to him, “There are two issues that we will be focusing on, corruption; Nigerians will have to decide whether to go back to the stealing, where Nigerian government was borrowing money to pay salary. We are not borrowing money to pay salary now; where we were importing tomatoes, when we can plant tomatoes at home; when we were buying about 500,000 eggs per day from South Africa; and now that we are producing the eggs.

“The reason is that there are too many issues to debate about. For 16 years, Vice President Abubakar was in power for eight years, did they do anything on railways, the answer is no. I saw in my office, contracts awarded by the last government, to Nigerians who do not know anything about railways. To build a narrow gauge, how much was spent? That is why I said I would not pay and I won’t pay, when I leave the next person can pay them because these Nigerians did nothing and they are asking to be paid for having rehabilitated the narrow gauge.”

Buhari’s chief campaign manager said the PDP doesn’t offer any alternative, contending that he could not see any real opposition to his candidate.

Explaining why Nigerians have not witnessed much in terms of infrastructure, especially roads despite claims by the administration that it is spending huge amounts on the sector, Amaechi said weather and other natural factors have delayed work at most of the sites.

He said there are ongoing construction works in most parts of the country, adding that the APC-led administration has been able to implement capital budget almost at a 100 per cent rating as against a dismal situation during the past administration.

The minister listed several ongoing road projects and railway facilities, which he said the Buhari-led administration has invested hugely in the last three and half years.
On the forthcoming campaigns, Amaechi said it will be issues-based.

He denied that the party ever promised to make naira equivalent to dollar during the 2015 elections.
Amaechi said, “We will be telling Nigerians the same thing – don’t let thieves come to power again. The president never said he will make naira equal to dollar. We are not that cheap economists, we don’t practice voodoo economy.
“The president was clear during his campaign. ‘I will ensure that insecurity is tackled; I will ensure that we rebuild the economy and create employment; I will ensure that corruption is tackled because corruption is the basis in which we are finding ourselves into these entire problems.

“I give you this example, by the time we assumed office, we discover that PDP had taken $2 billion from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and we followed the money. It was in everybody’s private pockets. The railway line from Lagos to Kano is $2.6 billion. So, we would have had two times that project with the money.”

Responding to the allegations of bias against Buhari in his fight against corruption, and the fact that he and others in APC have been shielded from prosecution on corruption allegations, Amaechi said he was ready to submit himself to investigation any day, any time.

Amaechi said it was instructive that the first former governors to be sent to jail for corruption under this administration are APC members.

“The prominent persons that went to jail under this administration are APC members. Does it take anything away from the fact that the president does not defend anybody? he asked.


When asked to comment on the crisis bedeviling the APC and the quizzing of the National Chairman, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, by the Department of State Services (DSS), Amaechi said it showed that Buhari would not like to protect the chairman of his party from being grilled by the DSS.

On why President Buhari evaded presidential debate while seeking for election in 2015, Amaechi said his campaign organisation thought that at that time the debate wasn’t necessary and that it was better he talked to Nigerians directly during campaigns.
Amaechi said the campaign organisation would decide on whether to advise Buhari to participate in the debate for 2019 election when the time comes, adding that it will be based on its assessment of the situation.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/amaechi-atiku-not-match-for-buhari.html

Nigerian singer, Flavour has posted a video of himself and daughter communicating in Igbo language.

‎The Igbo highlife‎, ‎hip hop singer has always being a proud lover of the Igbo language and culture. #igbokwenu��

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/flavour-speaks-igbo-with-daughter.html







https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r9Cvak-FRM

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has condemned threat by the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), to sack workers if the new national minimum wage of N30,000 is implemented.

Mr Ayuba Wabba, NLC President, in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja, said the threat was not new.

Wabba was reacting to the statement made by the Chairman of NGF, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, governor of Zamfara, threatening to sack workers on the account of the new national minimum wage of N30, 000.

He said that the process of negotiation by the tripartite social partners for a new wage has ended and a new National Minimum Wage of N30,000 agreed upon by the government, labour and employers in the private sector

According to Wabba, the threat to sack workers is not new in the struggle for review of national minimum wage.

“Therefore, the current one by the governor of Zamfara cannot be used to intimidate labour.

“The consequences of workers retrenchment are too grievous for any political office holder truly elected by the people to contemplate.

“Few political office holders are bent on enslaving Nigerian workers with peanuts mislabeled as salaries.

“We urge such elected public officials to subject their humongous salaries and allowances, reputed to be among the highest in the world to public perusal.

“Pro rata with the minimum wage they want to force down the throats of Nigerian workers, ‘’he said.

Wabba urged each of the state governors to go to their respective state and inform workers on their individual position on the new national minimum wage of N30, 000.

The NLC president further urged workers to remain steadfast and firm on their rights to decent wages and improved living conditions.

“To the oppressors, we have only one answer for you, we will never sleep on our rights.

“We hereby reiterate our directive to Nigerian workers to vote out any politician or political party that refuses to pay the new national minimum wage of N30, 000.

“We shall continue to consolidate our efforts to strengthen already existing platforms and structures to give teeth to our resolve to vote out anti-labour governors and politicians in the forthcoming 2019 general election, ‘’Wabba said.

He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to speedily present to the National Assembly the bill on the National Minimum Wage for appropriate amendment and implementation.

“It would interest Nigerians to know that the new national minimum wage of N30,000 was a product of intense and robust negotiations at the National Minimum Wage Tripartite Negotiation Committee that lasted for one year.

“At the National Minimum Wage Tripartite Negotiation Committee, state governments were represented by six states, one state from each of the six geopolitical zones.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/minimum-wage-nlc-condemns-threat-by.html

The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) has recovered a total of N5.4 billion from 2017 to date, its Managing Director, Ahmed Adamu, has said.

Adamu stated that a breakdown of the bad debts, which were recovered as a result of the execution of the bank’s loan recovery strategies, included N3 billion so far recovered in 2018 and about N2.4 billion recovered in 2017.

Speaking at a management retreat of the bank held in Kano, Adamu explained that they have also engaged some recovery agents to help in that regard, adding that in some cases, they had resorted to restructuring the loans with the debtors.


He disclosed that the bank had no option but to report the recalcitrant debtors to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offenses Commission (ICPC) for their intervention.

“The bank is also working with the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property to recover bad debts,” he stated.

Adamu said, “in the panel’s interim report to the bank recently, there are strong indications that the sum of N43 billion will be recovered within the next 18 months. At every opportunity in our endeavors across the country, we visit the estates tied to these loans and interface with developers and residents to work out solutions towards recovering our investments.”

In his remarks at the retreat, the Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, charged the bank to sustain its aggressive debt recovery efforts while tasking them to focus on cost cutting measures to avoid unnecessary expenditure.

Represented by the Director, Land, Ministry of Works and Housing, Deacon Temitope Onaeko, he said that the housing finance and construction sector is critical to the national economic growth and accounts for multiple job creation for skilled and unskilled labor in the country.

He recalled that the sector was critical to critical to the turning around of the national economy from a state of recession that was in existence last year.

While appreciating the board and management of the bank for accelerating the operational capacity of the bank in so short a time, he said that government would not relent in its responsibility of providing the right policy initiatives for the development of the sector.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/fmbn-recovers-n54bn-bad-debts.html

Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, has faulted the transfer of four Divisional Police Officers ahead of Saturday by-election in Irepodun/Ekiti/Oke Ero/Isin federal constituency, Kwara State.

He said this while speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Wednesday during Islamic prayers for his late father’s sixth remembrance anniversary.

Saraki also condemned huge deployment of policemen and sudden change of divisional heads of police in four local government areas for the by-election.

He said: “You see, the mistake we sometimes make, we forget that Nigeria is a big nation in this global world, not only in the context of Africa. We provide leadership. An action that we take that tries to suggest that we are not civilised with rule of law and processes, doesn’t augur well with the image. Today, the President is the President of ECOWAS likewise the Chairman of INEC as chairman of electoral bodies in Ecowas, even show that we are a responsible country.


“So, when the IG begins to do things like this without following due process, it is not good for our country, and that is what we always stand for. All those who supposed to caution him will ensure that due process is followed in a thing like this.

“We have been doing by-election here, I have never seen where DPOs are being transferred. We have been doing by-elections here, I have never seen where 200 or 300 (security personnel) are being deployed. It is not about Kwara, it is about the country. It is about how the world sees us. It is about how we provide leadership in the continent. And we keep on saying that people like these are not doing the President any good. The people at the end of the day will speak, and they should allow people to exercise their rights, vote in peace and vote their wishes and should not do anything that creates fear or break law and order. In spite of all these, I see PDP winning the election because we are on ground. There is no doubt about it. If you go round, you will know who is on ground, and you will see that in the results. They should allow people to exercise their rights.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/kwara-by-election-bukola-saraki-faults.html

The National President of the Ahmadiyya Youth Organisation, Mr. Said Aina, has urged youths to be agents of change and development rather than agents of destruction.

Aina made the appeal when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin on the 2018 edition of the ride for peace (RFP) campaign held in 16 states of the federation.

He said the event, essentially a bicycle riding exercise, was aimed at showcasing the vibrancy of the Nigerian youth whose energies can be channelled to productive use if properly harnessed.


“Against the backdrop of crime and criminality usually associated with youths, this programme sought to emphasise the beneficial attributes of the dynamic force in today’s youth,” he said.

Aina said that he led the leadership of the group at this year’s event to Auchi town in Etsako West LGA of Edo State as part of its campaign to help youths become actively engaged in productive ventures rather than be allowed to be used as destructive agents.

According to him, the aim of the programme is to sensitise youths that “our viability and agility should be channelled towards meaningful causes and not for criminality or destruction hence the programme was tagged ‘Ride for Peace’.”

Meanwhile, Alhaji Ridwan Bonvis, coordinator of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), in the area, commended the Ahmadiyya youth group on its various strides and activities which he described as worthy of emulation by other youths.

He said that the goals, which the Ahmadiyya youth strove to achieve through its programmes, were congruent with the ideals of the NYCN and urged the group not to relent in its good work.

Over 50 youths participated in the bicycle riding exercise.

The participants commenced their ride from Warrake on a total distance of 4.9km, through AP and Uchi market road into Polytechnic road via I.C.E road onto Jattu road and culminated at the Otaru of Auchi’s Palace. (NAN)

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/be-agents-of-change-development-islamic.html

The Senate has expressed concern over alleged huge reduction, by the federal government, of the refund the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) asked telecoms giant, MTN, to make, from $8.1 billion to $800 million.


But in a swift reaction last night, the CBN Director, Corporate Communications, CBN, Mr. Isaac Okorafor, denied the alleged reduction of the refund.
“There is no such thing. I have no such knowledge,” he told Akelicious.

The refund had been imposed on the telecoms for currency regulations infraction.
CBN had accused MTN of violating currency regulations by sending $8.1 billion abroad.

It also fined four banks, Standard Chartered N2.4 billion ($7.8 million); Stanbic IBTC Bank N1.8 billion; Citibank N1.2 billion and Diamond Bank N250 million over the fund transfer.
While the telecoms denied any wrongdoing and approached the court for redress, the CBN held out an olive branch, saying it was open to negotiating the refund figure downward.

In fact, the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, had in October hinted in London of plans by government to slash the $8.1 billion refund MTN was to make, but did not disclose the amount it was intended to be reduced to.

Akelicious reported exclusively last Friday that the MTN Group CEO and President, Mr. Rob Shuter, was in Abuja last Thursday and met with the Emefiele to discuss the refund, adding that based on unassailable findings, there was an agreement that the CBN would grant the telecoms a substantial reduction.

Although the outcome of the meeting and the size of the reduction have not been made public by the apex bank, the Senate kicked yesterday, alleging that a whopping $7.3billion had been discounted without recourse to it.
It has, therefore, mandated its Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions, headed by Senator Rafiu Ibrahim, to probe the alleged reduction by the federal government through the CBN.

According to Ibrahim, Emefiele had in October hinted in London of plans by government to slash the $8.1 billion figure to $800 million.
The senator noted yesterday in a telephone interview with National Assembly correspondents that though the Senate was not particularly against whatever the government would want to do with the MTN refund, it should be informed why the reduction became necessary.
He said, “We’re not against whatever they’re doing, but they will have to explain to Nigerians. Did they take the decision they took against MTN in a hurry, a foreign direct investor like MTN?”

Ibrahim said his committee would immediately demand for CBN report on the matter to be better informed.
According to him, the only way Nigerians would know what transpired between the CBN and MTN on the $8.1 billion refund was through a detailed report.
Ibrahim said, “The last time we heard about this issue was when we had a retreat two weeks ago in Lagos, where they (CBN) did the presentation of their biannual activities to the Senate Committee.
“We took them up on the issue, and the bank, that’s the CBN told us how they did the investigation. We’re taking them up based on the fact that we have investigated and we saw what happened.”

He added that Senate resolutions were passed to the CBN, complaining that the apex bank did not implement them before going into another investigation.
“They said their investigation was based on a petition from a law firm and their stand was that the penalty was correct,” he said, adding, “From the information you have now, it will be ridiculous for them to say they’re bringing the penalty down from $8.1bn to about $800m. That will be ridiculous for the CBN.”
According to him, “What CBN told the committee that day was that they were going to give us the report from when they started the investigation to date and their discussion with MTN.

“So, if that’s the case, they have to answer to Nigerians through us in the Senate committee to the legislature, what informed the penalty of $8.1bn? And what information have they now gathered that informed the reduction to $800m. I don’t know what percentage of reduction you can call that. Is it not up to 1,000?
“We took into consideration the role of MTN in the economy. That’s why we did a very thorough job, and we believe we did a thorough job, that they did not steal any money then, that was our own assertion, though they repatriated. So, we will be interested in the investigation.”

Asked if the committee may likely pursue the matter further, Ibrahim said, “Definitely, I will call the Clerk to ask the CBN that we are expecting their report as promised at the retreat.
“In the report, if we find anything close to this, I will let you know. We will write them and probably give ultimatum for the report. This is a very sensitive thing to the economy.

“All of us know they (MTN) committed a lot of resources in Nigeria; so we don’t want them to be used as a yardstick as to how the Nigerian government treats investors.”
The Senate adopted a report last year largely exonerating MTN of alleged illegal repatriation of $14 billion out of the country.

It also asked the CBN then to sanction Stanbic IBTC Bank “for improper documentations in respect of capital repatriation and loan repayments” on behalf of MTN.
This followed the consideration of the report of its committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions, which investigated alleged unlawful repatriation of $14 billion from Nigeria.

Emefiele was quoted to have said during a visit to London, “I don’t think the MTN fine will be staying at $8.1bn,” adding that he expected the issue to be dealt with amicably and equitably.
“I want to believe that the figure will reduce. Whether it will be dropped completely, I honestly cannot say at this time,” the CBN governor added.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/mtn-senate-mounts-pressure-investigates.html

Organized Labour has given the Federal Government December deadline to commence payment of the N30,000 new national minimum wage to Nigerian workers.

This is even as feelers emerged that labour may resume its suspended nationwide strike in the next two weeks should the government continue to foot drag on the implementation of the report of the Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage.

Besides, Labour warned that any reduction in the N30,000 agreed as contained in the committee’s report to President Muhammadu Buhari or any further delay in its passage would lead to devastating consequences.

The President of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Bobboi Bala Kaigama and the Secretary General of the Association of Senior Civil Servant of Nigeria (ASCSN), Bashir Alade Lawal, gave the warning at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja yesterday.

They both warned that labour would not accept anything less than the N30,000 agreed by the Committee, as Nigerian workers patiently await President Buhari to forward an Executive Bill to the National Assembly for passage into law.

Kaigama stressed the urgent need to fast-track the implementation of the newly agreed national minimum wage.


Specifically, he said the expectation of labour is that the full implementation of the N30,000 would not exceed December.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige was not available for comment last night.

His mobile phone indicated it was switched off, while his Chief Press Secretary could not also be reached.

But the Deputy Director of Press in the ministry, Mr Samuel Olowookere said he could not comment on the threat by Labour.

“I cannot comment on what I don’t know, I can only speak on what I know with the permission to do so. All I know, which is known to everybody, is that the ministry has concluded its work on the minimum wage and my ‘Oga’ has submitted the report to the president. That is all I can say,” he said.

Though Kaigama stated that he would not preempt President Buhari that the N30,000 agreed through the process of tripartite negotiation could be reduced, he warned that the consequences of reducing or delaying its implementation would be very devastating.

“The Federal Government is advised to avoid any action that can delay or truncate the process of enacting the new Minimum Wage Act as the consequences of allowing that to happen can be very devastating.

“It is worthy of note that the single most important issue agitating the mind of an average Nigerian worker today is that of the new national minimum wage, the report of which was presented to Mr. President on Tuesday 6th November, 2018. It is apt to state that against all odds, the tripartite committee that negotiated the new minimum wage was able to scale all hurdles and agreed to the sum of N30,000 as the new minimum wage for the country.


“It is on this premise that I strongly want to appeal to the Federal Government to fast-track the process of enacting the new national minimum wage into law.

“Our expectation is that the government should be able to complete the entire process before the end of this year so that workers who have waited for so long can begin to enjoy a new lease on life provided by the newly agreed minimum wage.”

The TUC president also regretted that the core civil service, which is the engine room of government, is the least paid in the public service.

According to him, other segments have had their emoluments beefed up over the years.

Kaigama explained that even though civil servants, for instance, possess the same qualifications and experience as their counterparts in the parastatals and agencies, “yet, the salaries of these other employees are, in most cases, three times more than that of officers in the core ministries.”

The labour leader added: “This situation has been made worse by the fact that since 2010 when salary relativity was carried out in the core civil service, no salary increment has been granted to civil servants except for the N900 monthly that was added to the emoluments of senior officers across board after N18,000 was approved as the national minimum wage in 2011.”


Lawal said they were holding President Buhari to his words that he would send the report submitted to him to the National Assembly.

“The way we interpret the president speech is that he said he is going to forward Executive Bill to the National Assembly, and on that we stand. We are not going to accept five kobo drop on that N30,000; we are not going to accept it. We are not going to accept anything less that N30,000. Like I said earlier on, we have mobilised already, we only suspended (the strike). So, we will pick off from where we left. It is not going to be a difficult thing,” he said.

More details at https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/minimum-wage-again-labour-draws-battle.html

As the 2019 General Elections draw closer, 21 candidates have been cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to contest for the Plateau governorship seat.

Their names are contained in a list released on Tuesday in Jos by Mr Imahiyereobo Osaretin, the commission’s Head of Voter Education and Publicly in Plateau.

According to Osaretin, the 21 candidates from various political parties have met all the requirements for the governorship election.

The official also said that 279 candidates were cleared to contest election into the 24 Plateau constituencies.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that among candidates cleared for the governorship position are the incumbent Gov. Simon Lalong, who is seeking second tenure under the APC; Lt.-Gen. Jeremiah Useni (rtd) of the PDP and Mr Godfrey Miri of the SDP.

Also listed are Dr Haruna Dabin, a former PDP Chairman in the state but now the candidate of PPC, Mr Timothy Parlong, who is contesting on the platform of APGA, Mr Bitrus Musa of the ADC and Mr John Bigwan, contesting on the platform of GPN, among others.

The list also contains names of running mates of the various candidates.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/20-candidates-battle-lalong-for-plateau.html

The Diabetes Association of Nigeria (DAN) has said that diabetes cases may leap to 642 million by 2040.
It said that people living with diabetes are about 422 million globally.

National President of the association, Dr. Mohammed Alkali, who is also the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, disclosed this yesterday during the opening ceremony of the 2018 world diabetes celebration and second national diabetes workshop organised by
DAN and held at the hospital.

Full report at https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/diabetes-cases-may-rise-to-642m-in-2040.html

No fewer than 1,801 persons have been confirmed killed and 50,212 others displaced in recent attacks in Plateau state.

The Committee on Resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), set up by the Plateau Government, made the confirmation on Monday.

AVM Bala Danbaba (retired), Chairman of the committee, presented his report to Gov. Simon Lalong on Monday in Jos.

Danbaba said that the committee identified 115 communities cutting across Jos North, Jos South, Bassa, Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Bokkos Local Government Areas, that were affected by the crises.

He said that the committee, whose one month period was later increased to two months, received 55 memoranda and visited 27 camps where the IDPs were quartered.

“The only IDPs camp we did not visit was the one at Lere, in the Dorowa area of Barkin Ladi Local Government. We could not go there because of security reasons.

“The committee also visited all the affected communities for an on-the-spot assessment,” he stated.

He said the committee had recommended that the IDPs be returned to their ancestral homes, saying that the exercise should be carried out in four phases.

“The committee also emphasised the provision of adequate security in the affected areas,” he said, adding that the IDPs were willing and anxious to return to their homes, if security was guaranteed.

Danbaba suggested that a victim support programme be initiated to reduce their sufferings.

The committee also called for the establishment of temporary camps within the victims’ communities, for them to live in, while their houses were being reconstructed.

Lalong, who received the report, commended the committee for a carrying out a good job, and announced that the 7-man committee would be responsible for its implementation.

Lalong reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to securing lives and property, and condemned insinuations that the state and Federal Governments were doing nothing to end the crises.

“Things might be slow, but in the spirit of “slowly, but surely”, as well as patience, we have been able to make some phenomenal achievements in ensuring that peace returns and is sustained.

“As some of our strategic initiatives in engendering peace and security in the State, this administration attracted the establishment of the 205 Combat and Rescue Units in Kerang.

“We also attracted a Mobile Police Squadron in Shendam, as well as the recent approval to establish Mobile Police Barracks in Gashish District of BarkinLadi.

“All these are in addition to procurement and distribution of security vehicles, equipped with modern communication gadgets,” he stressed.

Lalong also said that he had approved the recruitment and training of neighbourhood watch personnel who had been attached to Operation Rainbow for community policing and intelligence gathering. (NAN)

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/1801-persons-killed-in-plateau-attacks.html

The Tonye Cole Campaign Organisation (TCCO) has condemned the sudden directive by Gov. Nyesom Wike for all Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps presently housing victims of ravaging flood in parts of Rivers State to be closed down with immediate effect.

Speaking yesterday in Port Harcourt, the Director-General of the TCCO, Chief Chidi Lloyd, PhD took a swipe at Gov. Wike for choosing to compound the sufferings of the victims of flood in Rivers State by ordering the immediate closure of the camps instead of visiting the people and providing them much needed succour.

“It is condemnable for Gov. Wike to ignore calls by well-meaning people to visit suffering flood victims in the Orashi and other areas in Rivers State. Instead the governor has ordered that the IDP camps be closed down even when communities like Odiereke, Akinima and others are still submerged in water with reptiles roaming freely and occupying homes.

“We expect a responsible government to cater for the needs of the flood victims and when the water has completely receded, carry out a comprehensive health audit and possible fumigation before the victims move back to their homes. These our brothers and sisters are likely to face several challenges such as waterborne diseases, rodents and possible snake bites. Even some of their homes may have weakened to the point of collapsing with all the attendant dangers to life."

“What offence did the poor victims of the floods commit against the governor that he should insist on not visiting and providing assistance to the people he governs but instead has chosen to compound their travails by suddenly ordering them out of the IDP camps where they are taking refuge?” Chief Chidi Lloyd queried.

Speaking further, Chief Lloyd appealed to the flood victims about to vacate the IDP camps not to allow their spirit to be broken by the mindless action of Gov Wike because when the unrighteous rules, the people are subjected to all manner of sufferings.

“You can see that whatever is said in the Holy Bible is true. For example, the Bible says in Proverbs 29:2 that only when the righteous are in authority or rule that the people rejoice. Today it is the turn of the flood victims to taste the bad governance of Wike. This is what most of us have tasted and are still tasting.

“But behind every bleak moment in our lives is usually a bright silver lining beckoning. That silver lining is Pastor Tonye Patrick Cole, the governorship candidate of the APC who, by the grace of God, shall become the governor of Rivers State come May 29, 2019.

“As a disciplined and devout Christian, Cole will heal our broken State and provide the much needed reconciliation for all strata of our society. As an astute business achiever, Pastor Tonye Cole will painstakingly rework and realign the economy of Rivers State for the good of present and future generations of the people and residents of Rivers State, Chief Lloyd concluded.

Meanwhile, the APC governorship candidate in Rivers State, Pastor Tonye Cole has donated relief materials and cash worth millions of Naira to the IDP camp in Obedum Community, Odual Kingdom in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Making the donation to the flood victims when he visited them on Thursday amidst cheers, praise and worship by the inmates, Pastor Tonye Cole promised to do all within his powers and in synergy with the Federal Government to provide a permanent solution to the floods that annually ravage the area and other parts of Rivers State as soon as he became the governor of the State.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/tcco-condemnes-wikes-directive-to.html

Nigerian officials will go on a roadshow to London next week ahead of a planned $2.8 billion Eurobond sale this month, two banking sources told Reuters on Thursday.

The roadshow, which is being organised by Citi and Standard Chartered, would run from November 12, for three days and be attended by Nigerian Finance Minister Zainab Ahmed.

The Senate had last month approved the issuance of $2.786 billion from the International Capital Market to partly finance the 2018 budget. This was sequel to the presentation at plenary of the report on the implementation of the new external capital raising of $2.786 billion from the International Capital Market approved in the 2018 Act by the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, Senator Shehu Sani.


In his presentation, Sani had said the committee emphasised the need for the federal government to reduce its request for more external borrowing “and source for other means of generating revenue internally”.

The Senate also observed that the issuance of the bonds will contribute to the implementation of the country’s Debt Management Strategy.

The Director General, Debt Management Office, Ms. Patience Oniha, had explained that in absolute term, Nigeria’s debt stock is not too high, saying “the problem is that we need more revenues so that we are not using a large part of our revenue to service debt.”

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/11/fg-plan-roadshow-ahead-of-28bn-eurobond.html