₦airaland Forum

The Federal Government has approved N13 billion for the procurement of 10 integrated rice mills and six high quality cassava flour mills to boost rice and cassava production in the country.

The government also approved N568 million for the award of contract for the procurement and construction of an additional transformer for the Maiduguri Substation.

Briefing journalists after the weekly federal executive council meeting, which was chaired by President Goodluck Jonathan, the Minister of Agriculture, Akinwumi Adesina, said the rice mills will be located in 10 states of the federation.

The minister spoke flanked by the ministers of Work, Mike Onolememen, Information, Labaran Maku, Health, Onyebuchi and the minister of state for power, Mohammed Wakil.

The 10 rice mills have a capacity to mill 36,000 metric tons of paddy rice, making it a total of 360,000 metric tons of paddy rice to be finely processed across the country.

The rice mills will be located in Kebbi, Zamfara, Kaduna, Ogun, Bayelsa, Niger, Kogi, Anambra, Benue and Bauchi States, while the cassava mills will be located in Ondo, Ogun, Abia, Delta, Cross River, Nasarawa states.

Mr. Adesina said the council deliberated extensively on the need for more integrated rice mills across the country as it is currently working at the total blackout of the importation of rice.

He said the mills “will not be owned or run by government, they are going to be owned managed and operated by the private sector, it’s part of government’s way of making this available at a term of financing that can be afforded by the private sector. The acquisition of this will be done by the bank of industry.

“It will select the private sector people, they will have the down payment, and the plants are going to be constructed and they have a financing facility for them to own it. Government is just doing its job which is to get things to happen, but the private sector will do every single thing about it,” he said.

He added that the government will no longer fold its arms and watch the private sector do the job, rather it is taking the lead and doing the right thing.

“There are still those who go around trying to get waivers to import rice and throw us into poverty, this will no longer be possible,” he said.

Power projects

The Council also gave approval for the award of contract for the additional construction of 1x60MVA, 132/332KV transformer to the Maiduguri 1x150MVA, NK330/132 Substation, in favour of Messrs Best Crompton Engineering (Africa) Limited in the sum of $2.3 m payable at the prevailing exchange rate at the time of payments.

That will be in addition to N208.5 million, with a completion period of 12 months.

The projection is one of the key projects designed by the Transmission Company of Nigeria to strengthen the national grid for effective power wheeling and to enhance socio economic development of the state, the minister said.

It is to be financed under the Eurobond of N800, 000,000.00 loan while the balance would be provided for in the 2015 budget.

Following a memo to council by the minister of works, Mike Onolememen, the council also approved the ratification of the treaty on the establishment of Abidjan-Lagos corridor by the governments of the Republics of Benin, Cote D’ivoire, Ghana, Togo and Nigeria.


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The Lagos State Government says it will prosecute employers of labour for sacking two patients who survived the deadly Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, in Lagos, southwest Nigeria.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris disclosed this on Tuesday at a news conference at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Lagos, saying that it is sad that some employers and landlords would want to stigmatise people who were identified with Ebola and survived the disease.

He also said the First Medical Consultant Centre had been certified Ebola-free and that the hospital had been given the clearance to re-open for business, urging Lagosians to patronise the facility as it is safe.

According to Idris, two cases of stigmatisation by employers had been referred to the Ministry of Justice for prosecution, saying that the case would only be dropped if the employers withdraw their stigma cases against the two Ebola survivors.

The commissioner noted that being Ebola-free did not mean that the people should lose their jobs, while appealing to the public not to stigmatise people with Ebola-related cases.

The social problem being faced by discharged cases has being reported severally. This ranges from stigmatization, eviction from their accommodation, being asked to stay away from work and termination of employment.

“We’ve had cases of employers just terminating the employment of their staff who were just mere contacts, not even suspected cases. We believe this is unfair and we feel this impedes on their fundamental human rights. I wish to implore all Lagosians once more not to stigmatise all cases and contacts that have been given a clean bill of health and passionately urge all of us and all employers inclusive to facilitate their reintegration to the society,” he said.

Idris stated that stigmatisation would further make contacts and suspects to go underground and continue to reverse the gains so far made in the containment and management of this outbreak.

He added that people felt they would be stigmatized once they submitted themselves for scrutiny might not want to come out because of this.

“Even when they come up with symptoms, they may not come out and jeopardize not only their lives, but their family members and other people they come in contact with. That’s why it is essential that people should stop that,” he said.

He emphasised that the Ministry of Justice would take the case of those victimised by their employers, saying that anybody, whether a discharged patient, or a contact followed up who felt stigmatized could petition the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney General of Lagos State as their matters would be taken up on their behalf “because it is not fair and it is not right.”

Idris also urged those on contact list or under surveillance not to travel out of state and should alert the rapid response team on manifestation of symptoms or signs.

“Lagosians are also enjoined to report any case or cases that may want to embark on this kind of dastardly misadventure. We’ve also had very serious meeting with mortuary operators because this is another area that might facilitate the spread of the disease.

“We have given them protocols they need to follow when they are dealing with suspected cases, like what they should do and what kind of precautions they should take so that we can reduce the spread. We also want to urge operators to adhere to their professional best practices when handling such corpses,” he said.

However, the commissioner urged those who use the First Medical Consultants Hospital to support them as the centre remained a flagship medical centre, especially with government given the hospital a clean bill of health.



http://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2014/09/10/lagos-to-prosecute-employers-landlords-for-sacking-ebola-survivors/

The men of the Ogun State Police Command have arrested two ‘white witches’ and two other members of a fraud syndicate who allegedly duped a couple of N14.5m.

The ‘witches’ ─ Risikat Oriyomi, Sola Babalola; and the other suspects; Shehu Salam, and Wasiu Ajani ─ were arrested in Omusorin village, Obafemi/ Owode Local Government Area.

The fifth suspect, who was said to be the ring leader, Baba Awotola, was said to have fled on sighting the men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad.

Ajani, a native of Ilorin, Kwara State, who claimed to be an Islamic cleric, was said to have got the couple into the net of the syndicate.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikemefuna Okoye, who led the police team to the fraudsters’ operational base on Tuesday, said Ajani lured the couple, who were rice merchants, into the syndicate’s net.

Ajani was said to have used the name of a late popular Islamic cleric to hoodwink the victims.

Ikemefuna explained that Ajani, on the fateful day, was dressed in Islamic cassock and hung nine different praying rosaries on his neck.

He was said to have approached the couple around Owode Onirin, Lagos State, and given them a revelation of a problem before them which needed to be warded off through special prayers.

He said, “The suspect also told them to buy a measure of salt and give it as alms to three beggars.

“He later told the husband to buy a local egg, and used it to pray, circling it around his head three times.”

According to the commissioner, Ajani later used the egg as a bait to lure the couple to their den, where the gang began to swindle them.

The couple, who pleaded anonymity, said the syndicate, under the pretence of warding off the evil before them, collected N14.5m in three installments.

According to the couple, the syndicate used the two women, Risiqat and Sola as ‘white witches’ who claimed to offer prayers to ward off evil.

The witches, who claimed to have descended from heaven, were said to have demanded money to fly back to heaven.

Ajani said he got the information about the couple from Baba Awotola.

He said, “Baba Awotola introduced me to this shady business. He was the one who gave the information about the couple. He promised me a car and a sum of N300,000, but he only gave me and Shehu N100,000 each.”

The ‘witches’ claimed they got N5,000 each per visitation.


http://www.punchng.com/metro-plus/ogun-police-arrest-witches-others-for-n14-5m-fraud/

The Investment Corporation of Dubai, the investment arm of the government of Dubai, has acquired 243,500 million units of Dangote Cement Plc for $300m (N48.7bn) at N200 per unit from Dangote Industries Limited.

Confirming the deal, the Nigerian Stock Exchange said the units were traded on Monday as an off-market trade.

It added that the purchase and sale were executed by Meristem Securities Limited, while Guaranty Trust Bank Plc acted as the banker.

A statement on the deal explained that the agreement was signed at a ceremony in Dubai, which was attended by the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, ICD, Mohammed Al Shaibani, and the President/Chief Executive Officer, Dangote Industries Limited, Alhaji Aliko Dangote.

According to the statement, the deal places Dangote Cement, which accounts for up to 30 per cent of the NSE’s total market capitalisation, above industry heavyweights such as Anhui, CRH and Heidelberg in terms of value.

Al Shaibani was quoted as saying, “We believe sub-Saharan Africa, and particularly Nigeria, provides fantastic long-term investment opportunities. In this case, Dangote Cement provides some excellent investment credentials, being a highly profitable, well-capitalised and efficiently run organisation, with a market leading position in the largest African economy and very well positioned to access and act on growth opportunities across the continent.

“Consequently, we are very pleased to be given the opportunity to invest and participate in its future growth potential.”

Dangote expressed his pleasure that “a prestigious investor” such as the ICD had joined Dangote Cement’s growing list of international blue-chip shareholders.

He said, “They share our vision of Africa that will grow to become an economic powerhouse in the coming decades as its people rise to become prosperous members of the global economy.

“Our products may be simple bags of cement but millions of Africans will use them to build a continent that is rich in opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors like ICD, who support them.”


http://www.punchng.com/business/business-economy/dubai-firm-buys-n48-7bn-shares-in-dangote-cement/

A student of the Ibarapa Polytechnic, Eruwa, Oyo State, has accused a soldier attached to the state security outfit, Operation Burst, of rape.

The 21-year-old ND 2 student of Mass Communication (name withheld) said the soldier raped her three times in a five-hour ordeal under a tree.

The victim explained to PUNCH Metro that she had seen a friend off on the night of August 29, 2014 and was returning to her apartment at the Oke Ola area, Eruwa, when she was arrested by the soldier around 10.30 pm on the allegation that she was a cult member.

The student, who narrated her ordeal at the office of her counsel, Ola Adeosun, in Ibadan on Monday amid tears, said the soldier took her to the Ibarapa Zonal Office of Operation Burst where she saw other students of the school being tortured by security agents.

She said, “I explained to him that I was returning home after seeing off my friend, but he refused to accept my explanation and pleas.

“When we got to the office, he dragged me to a shed under a tree and pulled out a double-edged knife, threatening to kill me if I did not remove all my clothes and cooperate with him. He said he wanted to see if I had cult tattoo on my body.

“He said he would kill me and bury me like others who failed to cooperate and that no one would trace my disappearance to him.

“After forcing me to remove my dress, he raped me three times until I escaped around 3am and walked a long distance back home.

“After raping me, he offered me a bottle of trophy beer. He said he would give me a blanket to cover myself because I was tired and shivering. It was when he went inside that I was able to escape.”

The counsel, Adeosun, added that while the “disgusting act was going on”, other soldiers walked by and did nothing. He added that the victim had been taken to a hospital for test.

“The act was reported at Eruwa Police Station in the morning. The victim was taken to the Operation Burst office where an identification parade was carried out and she identified the randy soldier.

“He admitted raping her and begged for forgiveness. Our client was taken to the General Hospital in Eruwa for test.The hospital said it had no gloves to carry out test, so the victim had to buy a pair not far from the hospital. Dr. Jesim Gambo, who conducted the test only used the torchlight in his telephone to examine her private parts and concluded in his report that although she did not see sperm in the vagina, there was evidence that it was tampered with.

“He also wrote that the examination was inconclusive,” Adeosun said in a statement.

The victim told our correspondent that the doctor recommended Postinor 2 as a precaution against pregnancy.

The Police Public Relations Officer for the state, Olabisi Clet-Ilobanafor, declined comment, saying PUNCH Metro should contact Operation Burst.

The Oyo State Government, which spoke on behalf of the security unit, however, denied the incident.

The state government, in a statement by Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s Special Adviser on Media, Festus Adedayo, said the allegation was baseless.

“The government has investigated a case of rape levelled against one of its operatives and found it to be baseless.

“The outfit has, however, recommended a disciplinary measure against the officer involved for abandoning his duty post,” Adedayo said.

He said the deputy commander of the security unit, CSP Elijah Bawa, was the one that recommended the punishment for the soldier for abandoning his duty post.



http://www.punchng.com/metro-plus/poly-student-accuses-soldier-of-rape/

Well, it is very obvious that there was no parley between the FG and NMA before the new resumption date was announced. The Minister of Health should understand the fact that he is still a part of the NMA despite occupying that 'glorified' position as a Minister. The lives of the innocent children should not be toyed with. The decision on the resumption date should be reconsidered before it is too late

A former Minister of Petroleum, Prof Tam David-West, has berated President Goodluck Jonathan for failing to address the security situation in the country.

David-West said he was convinced that the President was afraid of Boko Haram that was why he (Jonathan) refused to visit the parents of the schoolgirls that were kidnapped in Chibok, Borno State over four months ago.

David-West said it was wrong of Jonathan to have invited the parents of the Chibok girls to Abuja instead of going to Chibok to visit them, adding that going to visit them would have given both the parents and Nigerians a psychological boost.

The former minister said this during an interview with Sahara TV, which was monitored by our correspondent.

He said Jonathan had no right to seek a second term in office and urged Nigerians to rise against bad governance. He said it was unfortunate that more Nigerians were being abducted by terrorists.

He described as shocking, the takeover of several towns by Boko Haram members.

He said, “Anyone that is complacent about the state of affairs in the country is an enemy of Nigeria. It is a terrible situation and we should be ashamed, President Jonathan should be ashamed. He is the Commander-in-Chief and the number one security officer and citizen of the state.

“Over 200 of your girls taken away from your territory for the past three months and you are still talking. First, you are not even sure, his wife said nothing happened, then he also did not believe that anything happened and later he changed and said he knows where they are. If you say you know where they are, why can’t you save them?

“With all the security forces in the country, you cannot bring them. Our President is afraid of Boko Haram. He claimed they have infiltrated his cabinet and isn’t he ashamed? Since you know they have infiltrated your cabinet, why don’t you expose them?

“Up till now, he has not gone to Chibok and when he made that cosmetic move to see them, he invited the parents to come to Abuja and when they were going, he gave them money which has now been exposed and that is why Boko Haram has been so because they know that the President is weak.”

David-West said even though he is Jonathan’s kinsman, he would not turn a blind eye to the incompetence of his administration.


http://www.punchng.com/news/jonathan-is-afraid-of-boko-haram-says-david-west/

A former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Victor Attah, has spoken of his regret at the emergence of Godswill Akpabio as his successor.

At a reception as the leader of the Ibibio ethnic nationality, Mr. Attah said his “one painful regret” was leaving office in 2007 with a “successor but without a succession”.

“Since leaving office I have frequently been asked if I have any regrets and my answer, without hesitation, has always been no, none at all. I have also been reminded that success without successor amounts to failure,” Mr. Attah said.

“So with the benefit of time, I must now confess that I do have one painful regret. The one regret I have is that, though I left with a successor, I left without succession,” the former governor said.

The remarks were Mr. Attah’s most direct comments about Governor Akpabio, who served as a commissioner in his administration.

The two men fell apart in the run-up to the 2007 election after Mr. Attah’s attempt at having his son-in-law succeed him, failed. Mr. Akpabio won the election instead.

Since leaving office, Mr. Attah has largely avoided the spotlight with his first major post-office duty being his participation at the just-concluded National Conference where he co-chaired the committee on devolution of powers.

The former governor’s reception Friday was organised by Akwa Esop Imaisong Ibibio, an umbrella socio-cultural group in Akwa Ibom State. The event attracted the cream of Akwa Ibom society across ethnic divides including first class monarchs, frontline politicians and groups.

In his acceptance speech after being installed as leader of the Ibibio nation, Mr. Attah, a former presidential candidate, opened up on his frustration with Mr. Akpabio.

He said his lack of succession plan has haunted him after office.

He also told the gathering how his ambition to become the president of Nigeria in 2007 was aborted, and how a “distinguished son” of the state openly claimed responsibility for the plot.

While acknowledging the individual lacked that capacity, Mr. Attah however questioned the benefits of such claim.

He advised Akwa Ibom people to forge as common front and support each other to gain the respect of other states and ethnic nationalities.

“If we do not want to continue to remain where we are and continue to have these insults and abuses hurled at us, we must learn to accept that, in a dark room, my candle does not burn brighter simply by my putting out the other person’s candle,” he said.

“On the contrary, the more candles we can light, the greater will be the brightness in that room. And in that situation, even the obscure one among us may become visible and recognised.”

In what he described as the renaissance of Ibibio nation, Mr. Attah advised the people to collectively choose a successor who will implement a people-based succession plan when Mr. Akpabio vacates as governor.

While he supported the call for the zoning of the governorship of the state to Eket senatorial district, the former governor however, noted that “certain other compelling determinants cannot be sacrificed on the altar of zoning”.

He reminded Ibibio people that in spite of their number, the tribe was in the past described as an ineffectual majority and challenged them to rise up, unite and face the common enemy of the state.

Continuing, he said, “We have shown righteous indignation at these insults but, undeniably, there is need for an examination of conscience, perchance we had provided the reason for the abuses.”

Also speaking at the occasion, the patriarch of Ibibio land, Essien Ekidem, thanked the people of the state for coming in large number to honour the former governor of the state.

Mr. Ekidem commended Mr. Attah for his contributions to the development of the state and the nation and urged him to continue to lead Ibibio people to greater height.

“You are all aware that it was Obong Attah who formed the coinage ‘Resource Control’ and fought for increased derivation for the Niger Delta region. Today, other people are using the derivation funds as they like,” Mr. Ekidem said.


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Son of famous journalist and Vice Chairman of Sun Publishing Limited, Mr. Dimgba Igwe, Miracle Igwe, on Saturday said his father has died at a time he needed him to celebrate his call to bar at the Nigerian Law School.

Miracle went on his Facebook page to say, “I cannot stop crying. Darkness has befallen on me. Daddy, you died when I just needed you to celebrate my call to Nigerian bar as a barrister after all the money you pumped into my life.

“Daddy! Daddy!! I can’t believe it that your journey is so brief. I am sincerely frozen at this tragedy that has befallen us. But only God knows how to twist his hands to wipe dry our tears. I love you so much.”

The veteran journalist died on Saturday morning after he was knocked down by a vehicle while jogging around his residence in Okota area of Lagos State.

Igwe, who was said to have sustained a fatal injury from the accident, died immediately after undergoing a surgery at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.

The late journalist, aged 58, had also served as the Deputy Managing Director and Deputy Editor-in- Chief of the Sun Newspapers.

Igwe was, until his death, the Assistant General Overseer of the Evangel Pentecostal Church, Lagos.

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan, media practitioners and prominent Nigerians have described the news of his death as shocking.

Jonathan said Igwe would always be remembered as “a hardworking and dependable professional, who, through his various writings as columnist, author and public speaker, demonstrated a special ability to convey the truth and his convictions in lucid, compelling prose, and in a style that was shorn of cant and foppery.”

In a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, Jonathan urged Igwe’s friends and associates to be consoled by the knowledge that “he put his God-given abilities to the best possible use in a very purposeful life that was wholly devoted to the defence of truth and the public interest, as well as the promotion of the highest standards of his chosen profession of journalism.”

A former governor of Abia State and Chairman of Sun Publishing Limited, Dr. Orji Kalu, expressed shock on receiving the news of the incident. He described Saturday as the darkest day in the history of the organisation.

A former Ogun State Governor and ex-Managing Director of the Daily Times, Olusegun Osoba, said, “His death has taught me another lesson of life; a terrible lesson of life. We were together in Katsina for the editors’ conference up till last weekend. He even collected a copy of Ovie Kokori’s autobiography from me and he promised to use it in his column; he promised to see me this week. I never knew it was a parting gift.”

Also, the Publisher, LEADERSHIP Newspapers, Sam Nda-Isaiah, who spoke with our correspondent on Saturday, described the death as a tragedy.

“It is a very sad news. His relationship with Mike Awoyinfa is a very strong union many of us were proud of. I commiserate with family and twin brother (Awoyinfa),” he said.

The President, Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mr. Femi Adesina, described Igwe’s death as devastating, while speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria.

He said, “It is very sad. It is a colossal loss to journalism. He was a very dedicated journalist; a general of the guild and an impeccable writer.

“At our last conference in Katsina, he contributed a lot and was one of the discussants in a paper. To hear that he is dead one week after is indeed devastating,” he said.

In his reaction, a former Editor of the Daily Times, Areoye Oyebola, described the death as a sad occurrence at a time when the coming generation of journalists would need his experience and skill to sustain the industry.

Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola (SAN) described Igwe as trailblazer, who, along with Awoyinfa, pioneered “a refreshing brand of newspapering with the Weekend Concord.”

The governor described the death as a sad loss to the journalism profession in particular and the literary world in general.

Similarly, his Oyo State counterpart, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, recalled Igwe’s “deep, incisive and fluid” commentaries.

A 31-year-old internet fraudster, Adio Opeyemi Michael, has been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for defrauding a 72-year-old Dutch woman of €200,000 (about N40.6 million) in a romance scam.
The suspect, who is a native of Owu Local Government Area of Ogun State, was said to have met his victim, identified simply as Jeanet De Jonge, on Netlog dating site and pretended to be a 41-year-old American citizen working as a chef in a Nigerian restaurant and needs a wife.

Spokesman for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, while confirming the report, told Vanguard that the suspect’s profile actually attracted Jeanet and she eventually began sending him money through Western Union and Money Gram.

He further disclosed that the suspect collected various sums on the pretext that he was going to use the money to perfect his travel plans and obtain the required documents that would enable him travel to Holland to join or visit Jeanet. But his inability or refusal to honour the invitation from Jeanet prompted her to write a petition to the EFCC.

Sources at the EFCC told Vanguard that operatives of the anti-graft agency used information provided by the victim in her petition to track and apprehend the suspect.

Meanwhile, the suspect in his confessional statement said: “She was sending me money monthly, ranging from $800 to $900 from June 2012, through Western Union Money transfer and Money Gram to the extent that Western Union blocked her access.

“So, she requested that I should go to London to enable her send more money there. I contacted a friend in London called Osas Odiah, who was supposed to receive the money and dispatch same to me in Nigeria.

“She first sent €2,000 to my friend’s account in London and he didn’t remit the money to me. I later opened a Keystone Bank Forex Trade account through which she sent me money.”

According to Wilson, the suspect will be arraigned in court as soon as investigation is concluded.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/09/72-yr-old-dutch-lost-n40-6m-romance-scam/

he Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) has given Chris Giwa and its factional NFF board until Monday, September 8 to vacate the Glass House, failure to do so will earn Nigeria an outright suspension.

Stating this in a signed letter by its Secretary-General, Jerome Valcke, the FIFA Emergency Committee “decided that should there still be persons claiming to be elected and occupying the offices on Monday, 8 September, 2014 at 8am Swiss time, the NFF will automatically be suspended with immediate effect until the said persons vacate the premises of the NFF and the General Secretary is able to come back and carry out his work without interference”.

In the letter, addressed to NFF scribe, Musa Amadu, the FIFA Emergency Committee also postponed today’s scheduled Elective Congress of the NFF and extended the tenure of the Aminu Maigari’s Executive Committee board till fresh elections are held.

“The NFF Executive Committee as it was composed on 25 August, 2014, meaning under the Presidency of Mr. Aminu Maigari, should then convene a first extraordinary general assembly as soon as possible to elect the members of the electoral committee and a second extraordinary general assembly in order to proceed with the elections of the new NFF office-bearers”.

The FIFA Emergency Committee, while warning Nigeria on the dire consequences of a suspension, said that “we would like to remind you that a suspension means no team from Nigeria of any sort (including clubs) can have any international sporting contact (art. 14, par. 3 of the FIFA Statutes). During the period of suspension, the NFF may therefore not be represented in any regional, continental or international competitions or in friendly matches.

“The suspension also means that neither the NFF nor any of its members or officials can benefit from any development programmes, courses or training from FIFA or CAF during the time of suspension”, wrote Valcke.

The FIFA ultimatum threatens Nigeria’s African Cup of Nations qualifying match next Wednesday, against South Africa in Cape Town.

Nigeria, the defending champions, are cleared to play their home opener against Republic of Congo on Saturday.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/09/fifa-gives-nigeria-september-8-final-warning/#sthash.kXBEaBiB.dpuf

Church members and other well-wishers hoping the matrimonial squabble between popular televangelist, Chris Oyakhilome and his wife, Anita, would be resolved in no time should forget it as Mrs. Oyakhilome has ruled out the possibility of ever reconciling with her estranged husband.

Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES, through her lawyers, Mrs Oyakhilome said her relationship with Pastor Chris had terribly degenerated that there is no room for any reconciliation or out-of-court settlement.
This newspaper had contacted Mrs. Oyakhilome through her lawyers, Attwaters Jameson Hill Solicitors, after news broke that she had filed for divorce, to enquire whether any out-of-court settlement option was being explored.

In their response Tuesday, her attorneys said there was no chance the estranged couple would ever live as husband and wife again.

“It is with great sadness that our client, Pastor Anita Oyakhilome, has come to the conclusion that her marriage to Pastor Christian Oyakhilome has irretrievably broken down and regrettably there is no hope of any reconciliation,” said Stephen Goddard, Business Development Manager of Attwaters Jameson Hill Solicitors.

From early this year, there had been speculation that the marriage between Mr Oyakhilome, the founder of Believers Love World (aka Christ Embassy), and his wife, who is also Vice-president of the ministry, was collapsing.

Some church members even set up a Facebook page, “Where is Rev Anita Oyakhilome”, in May dedicated to addressing the issue.
The church initially denied reports that the couple were estranged and possibly divorcing.

But TheCable news website reported on August 29 that Mrs. Oyakhilome had filed for divorce since April 9, accusing Pastor Chris, as he is fondly called by his followers, of “adultery” and “unreasonable behaviour”.

Pastor Chris has denied the allegations. He however warned church members against analysing his problem with his wife adding that the church is not a political party.

He said his wife is a bitter and angry woman who is being influenced by bad friends who are out to seek his downfall.

‎The pastor added that most pastors’ wives usually think they are equal to their husbands after they get married.

He said his wife wanted to overpower the authorities of the elders she met when she joined the Christian ministry.

As the divorce battle rages, Mrs. Oyakhilome’s profile has been pulled down from the church’s website.


https://www.premiumtimesng.com/headlines/167687-exclusive-im-done-with-pastor-chris-no-going-back-on-divorcing-him-wife.html#sthash.UbOH2M9w.dpuf

Three months after rolling out the first set of its new 4×4 Patrol assembled in Nigeria, Nissan has given out the detailed features of the off-road sport utlity vehicle.

Some units of the new SUV were presented to President Goodluck Jonathan in Aso Rock, Abuja, as part of the activities to mark this year’s Democracy Day on May 31.

This is also viewed in some quarters as a landmark achievement in the government’s current efforts at encouraging local production of vehicles and rejuvenating the nation’s automobile industry.

The new Nissan Patrol Y62 Series is the largest off-road wagon ever made by the Japanese automaker, a firm with a long history in the 4WD and SUV segment.

The features of the new vehicle were released by the Nissan Motors of Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of the Stallion Auto Group.

There are indications that the latest Nissan Patrol will be competing against upmarket vehicles such as the Toyota LandCruiser Sahara, Lexus LX570 and the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class.

The firm says the new Y62 Patrol as being fondly called adapts to the needs of consumers by breaking away from its ‘proper off-roader’ status to become urbane-friendly SUV with far more refined proposition.

It is said to offer a dramatically improved ride quality and fuel economy than its predecessor.

The Head of Sales and Marketing, Stallion NMN, Mr. Amit Sharma says the top of the range Y62 Patrol is available in Nigeria and describes it as a technologically savvy SUV imbued with all the practicality of a luxury sedan.

“And just as the new Patrol easily conquers a long uphill task with its exceptionally modified V8 torque, so does its multi-mode grip compensates for rocks and loose sand when driven on rough roads and in deep water,” he says.

He also notes the new Nissan Patrol is one of Nissan’s most revolutionary designs in the Patrol’s 62-year history and it incorporates the most innovative highest quality, and highest value luxury SUV in Nissan history.

The statement says, “Compared with Toyota’s Land Cruiser, the new Patrol offers substantial ground clearance of 283mm which is 58mm greater and the Patrol matches competition’s maximum wading depth of 700mm, but breathes through the left-side guard vent, simplifying the fitment of an aftermarket snorkel.”

Engine

The Y62 Patrol comes equipped with a big 5.6-litre petrol V8 engine that delivers up to 298 kW of power and 560 Nm of torque – 90 per cent of which is available from just 1,600 rpm that makes 0-100 km/h sprint in just 6.6 seconds.

It reports test drivers as noting that the Patrol engine is a driver’s delight with an advanced seven-speed automatic transmission and sophisticated and electronically controlled all-mode 4X4 system.

Interior

The new Patrol has plenty of space and comfort with wood-grain finishes and upmarket dash layout and high quality finishes.

With all three rows of seats occupied, there is still 550 litres of storage space and when the second and third row seats are folded, the new Patrol can provide 3,100 litres with a virtually flat floor.

Infortainment:

The vehicle is equipped with Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, large format front DVD player, a 2GB hard drive music server with 13 speakers, USB and iPod connectivity and steering wheel audio controls.

Its other interior features are intelligent key access, eight-way power assisted driver’s seat, drive computer, three-zone climate control, front, side and curtain airbags with active front headrests.

There are also around view camera, 600ml cool box with dual side openings. The Patrol LE, however, has separate seven-inch DVD screens in the rear of the front seat headrests with power operated tailgate.

According to Nissan, compared to its luxury rivals, the new Patrol has much off-road capability.

“And in crowded motor parks, you can rest assured you won’t bump into other cars with dedicated parking aids such as a reversing camera, all-round parking sensors and a 360 degree around-view monitor. This again is a unique feature, which gives absolute peace of mind,” it states.

Exterior

The new Nissan Patrol is one of the largest cars in the luxury SUV category. It’s bigger in all exterior dimensions when compared to competition.

Performance

Nissan says the Patrol SUV will be a fun to drive as it offers four terrain options: Sand, Snow, Rock and On-road – at the touch of a button. This feature makes it unique in its segment.

It says, “At city speeds and crawling around off-road, the broad spread of ratios is perfectly matched to the smooth delivery of torque from the 5.6-litre V8 while on the highway.

“The Patrol lopes along at 110km/h with the engine seemingly only a tick above idle. And when stoked, it responds with a throaty induction-snarl matched by impressive acceleration, particularly when overtaking.”

Another unique feature of the vehicle is that it employs advanced Hydraulic Body Motion Control System with four-wheel independent suspension that works with the chassis and body frame. This gives the vehicle solid stability on rugged and sandy terrain, while also delivering comfortable ride in the city.



http://www.punchng.com/business/transport/nissan-releases-details-of-nigeria-assembled-patrol/

The Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on Tuesday said that Nigerians in Diaspora remitted the sum of $10.4bn into the country within the first six months of this year.

A statement by the minister’s Special Adviser on Communications, Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu, said the amount included remittances to families, friends, communities, medical missions and provision of scholarships.

The statement quoted Okonjo-Iweala as saying that in response to the long-standing desire of Nigerians in the Diaspora to support economic development in the country, a high level ‘Executive-Legislative’ team was currently holding a series of interactive sessions with Nigerians in Europe and the United States.

She added, “The sessions are organised by the Debt Management Office, led by its Director-General, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo. It will be recalled that Nigerians in the Diaspora have been seeking ways and means to contribute more to the country’s development.”

It further said, “This interest is backed by substantial capacity: the value of remittances from Nigerians abroad in 2013 was $20.77bn; for the first half of 2014 it was $10.40bn. This includes contributions through remittances to their families, friends and communities, medical missions and provision of scholarships.”

The minister noted that the experience of countries such as Israel and India had shown that Nigerians in the Diaspora were a force to be reckoned with in the growth and development of any country, especially in the area of funding of critical development projects, among others.

Consequently, she said the Federal Government’s current efforts were being directed at providing similar opportunities for Nigerians in the Diaspora.



http://www.punchng.com/business/money/diaspora-nigerians-remit-10-4bn-in-first-half-of-2014-okonjo-iweala/

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday announced that the Federal Government had signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the construction of a new railway line that will run from Lagos to Calabar and also extend to the Obudu Cattle Ranch.

The President made the announcement when he performed the groundbreaking of the second cement line being constructed by the United Cement Company of Nigeria Limited in Mfamosing, Akamkpa Local Government Council of Cross River State.

This came just as Chairman of the Board of UniCem, Mr. John Coumantaros, said the additional 2.5-million-metric-tonne per annum line would be constructed at the cost of N84bn, adding that the project, which is expected to be completed in 2016, would bring the production capacity of the company to five million metric tonnes per annum.

Jonathan, who was represented by Vice- President Namadi Sambo, said it was commendable that barely five years after UniCem unveiled its first line of 2.5 million metric tonnes, the company had already concluded plans to double its production capacity.

He said, “In 2002, the Federal Government formulated the backward integration policy for the cement industry to facilitate Nigeria’s drive in self-sufficiency for cement production. It should be noted that within a decade, there had been a phenomenal growth from two million metric tonnes per annum to 39.5 million metric tonnes per annum of installed capacity.

“We are impressed that just five years after the first line in UniCem, we are gathered here again today for the second line, which will add 2.5 million metric tonnes per annum to the company’s capacity. This is ample growth of operational efficiency and the resilience of the management of UniCem.

Speaking on the proposed railway line from Lagos to Calabar, Jonathan said, “Indeed, I will like to state that very soon, the 550 megawatts station will be inaugurated. Also, on the railway line, I am also glad to inform you that the Memorandum of Understanding for the construction of a new railway line from Lagos to Calabar has been signed, and we hope that any moment from now, work will commence.

http://www.punchng.com/business/business-economy/jonathan-approves-lagos-to-calabar-rail-line/

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN ’s cashless initiative, has received greater boost as a Lagos based company, 03 Capital Nigeria Limited introduced the first non bank based credit card in the country.

The launch becomes Nigeria’s commencement of credit card system without attachment to any bank.

Chief Executive Officer, 03 Capital Nigeria Limited, Mr. Abimbola Pinheiro, while introducing the cards, said with 03 credit cards, Nigerians were freely presented with effective lending opportunities that will increase their purchasing powers while the country also benefits from economic activity promotion through innovative payment system.

He argued that “In Nigeria today we have about 100,000 bank based credit cards. When we compare it with our population of over 160 million, you will agree that a lot more is still needed to capture the entire people.

There is no risk without a reward. If we as Nigerians don’t take risks, our economy will not develop. It is our philosophy that every Nigerian would have credit card in their wallets. We cannot develop without a credit card system”.

He explained that the credit card works on the Interswitch network which means they can be used on all Automated Teller Machines, ATMs, Point of Sales Terminals, POS and Nigerian internet payment sites in Nigeria. The naira denominated credit cards have limits ranging from N100,000 to N1,500,000.

Pinheiro also flaunted the security compliance of the initiative, declaring: “Our entire operating systems run on certified platforms that are PCI DSS certified in line with international security standards as issued by Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council, PCI SSC.

The Card enterprise infrastructure is driven by an ultramodern Card Management System that is provided by a leading Canadian software company, Bevertec CST Inc. Customer Relationship Management System which is provided by Redmain, a UK based CRM Solution Provider.

“Our infrastructure provides a robust experience for the cardholder while guaranteeing transaction and data security in line with the international EMV standard and best practices. Our Risk management System is integrated with the Credit Bureaus to provide a thorough and efficient credit appraisal system”.

“The O3 selection process is extremely thorough with a high level KYC scrutiny in line with our philosophy of ‘right customer low risk’. The IT infrastructure is integrated with the existing credit bureaus which enables an automated credit history review of each applicant. The card management system has a predictable risk management and anti-fraud solution.

While also endorsing the product, Mr. Tope Adebayo, a representative of NIBBs, said “ NIBBs has been partner of progress with almost all the banks in Nigeria.

There have been collaboration with the banks and other institutions to develop this product. We need collaboration to make our system work well. This product is robust and needs the collaboration of all stakeholders to make it succeed.”

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/09/first-non-bank-based-credit-card-debuts-nigeria/#sthash.6JirSjlB.dpuf

Nigerian preacher and founder of the Liberty Foundation Gospel Ministries, Helen Ukpabio, has sued two UK human rights groups for £500 million( N130 billion).

Ms. Ukpabio is accusing British Humanist Association, BHA, and the Witchcraft and Human Rights Information Network, WHRIN, of libel.

According to the preacher, her teachings that a child “under the age of two” who exhibits certain “symptoms” may be possessed by vampire spirits have been misrepresented by the groups.

A child under the age of two who is “possessed with black, red and vampire witchcraft spirits” can be identified by features such as s/he “screams at night, cries, is always feverish, suddenly deteriorates in health, puts up an attitude of fear, and may not feed very well,” according to Ms. Ukpabio.

The preacher said children who stamp their feet may be “trying to make signs… to communicate with gnomes, the witchcraft spirit in charge of the earth.”

A statement by the groups to PREMIUM TIMES, Monday, quoted Ms. Ukpabio as stating that the BHA and WHRIN had misrepresented her by saying that she ascribed these symptoms to Satanic possession and hence had damaged her reputation and livelihood to the sum of half a billion pounds.

Andrew Copson, BHA’s Chief Executive, described the legal action against his group as an attempt by Ms. Ukpabio to silence her critics.

“Given her baseless identification of features of ‘possessed children’ and her dangerous and irresponsible teachings we feel a strong moral duty to point this out and will not be deflected by libel suits from wealthy ‘witch-finders,’ Mr. Copson said.

“The fact that she is threatening to launch a legal claim for half a billion pounds over an alleged distinction between being accused of exorcising ‘Satan’ or ‘Vampires’ tells you all you need to know about Ms Ukpabio.

“Threats of legal action like this are blatant attempts to silence critics of the harms done by these religious and superstitious beliefs and rituals. Rather than entertaining her vexatious claims in the courts, we believe the UK should be ensuring that Ms Ukpabio and her ilk are denied entry to our country to protect children from their degrading practices,” he added.

Last April, several UK activists launched a campaign for the government to ban and deport Ms. Ukpabio, who had flown into the country at the time, accusing her of being a “risk to youngsters.”

Gary Foxcroft, Executive Director of WHRIN said that the court case is the latest in a long line of “unsuccessful legal actions” that Ms. Ukpabio had pursued against him and other human rights activists.

“Previous cases were thrown out of court in Nigeria but this time she is looking to take action in a UK court,” Mr. Foxcroft said.

“I have no doubt that a judge in the UK will reach the same conclusion as those in Nigeria. Of course, the real question here is whether our government should allow hate preachers like Helen Ukpabio to enter the UK.

“Since her teachings have been linked to widespread child abuse in reports by the United Nations, and various other bodies, it would appear that this may not be in the public interest. This case also therefore provides the Home Secretary and the National Working Group to Tackle Child Abuse linked to Faith and Belief with a great opportunity to take concrete action, condemn the practices of such pastors and ensure that justice is served,” he added.

In his reaction the suit, Mark Stephens, the lawyer representing the defendants in the suit, said that British libel laws must never be abused to censor matters of such public importance.

“We thought witch-finding had been left behind in all civilized societies since the death of the last Witch-finder general, Matthew Hopkins in 1644. Hopkins had pursued innocent people – often elderly women living alone – persecuted and executed them on the basis of a primitive and superstitious belief that they were witches,” said Mr. Stephens of HowardKennedyFSI.

“The horrific consequences of such beliefs are demonstrated in Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible.

“Whilst the medieval methods of Matthew Hopkins are no longer used to “identify witches”, of course, we must remain ever vigilant of the danger of persecution of innocent children – babies, even – being branded as witches by latter-day self-styled witch-finders with perverse and pernicious views. These people must not be allowed to identify the vulnerable as witches. Freedom of speech is at its most precious when it permits voices to be raised against such evil,” he added.



https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/167584-helen-ukpabio-sues-uk-rights-groups-for-500-million.html#sthash.MKk7Sbi3.RAWzsKf3.dpbs

A 33-year-old applicant, Chineye Chinwuba, has alleged that her attempt to terminate the love affair she had with the Chief Executive Officer of Chisco Transport Limited, Chidi Anyaegbu, was what led to her being charged before an Igbosere magistrate’s court for threatening the transporter’s life.

The defendant, who is facing a one-count charge preferred against her by the police, was docked before Magistrate Nike Olagbende.

The prosecutor, Superintendent of Police Agustine Onwuemene, told the court that the defendant committed the offence between November 2013 and August 20, 2014, at about 4pm, at 15 Ruxton road at Ikoyi area of Lagos.

He said that she sent a threat text message to one Chief Chidi Anyaegbu, Chief Executive Officer of Chisco Transport Limited, that she was going to eliminate him and his family and that they will go to hell fire for eternity.

According to the prosecutor, the offence is punishable under Section 230 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

Earlier, the defendant had pleaded not guilty to the one count charge against her.

Her counsel, Amaka Nwafor, urged the court to grant the defendant bail in the most liberal term, adding that the matter is just an allegation until the suspect is proven guilty.

The prosecutor said he was not going to oppose the bail application, adding that he has two witnesses in court, saying although the complainant was not in court, there was a representative from his company.

Nwafor, however, told the magistrate that the matter could not be conducted in proxy, that the complaint has to be in court too.

The defendant also told the open court that it was Anyaegbu who brought her to Lagos from Onitsha in Anambra State on August 5, 2012.

She said Anyaegbu was her lover and that they started dating immediately she got to Lagos, adding that their initial agreement was for him to help her get a job which he promised but failed to do.

According to her, the two started having an affair in 2012, which made the Chisco boss to give her a two-room apartment in one of his houses in Lekki.

She said: “I told him I was quitting the relationship and ever since then, he has been harassing me. Last December, he took me to Tinubu magistrate’s court, alleging that I stole hisN1.5 million.

“He told me that the only way he could forget about the matter was for me to continue with the relationship.

“I only sent him an insulting text message, I never sent him a death threat.

“On March 15, he sent at least eight thugs to my house and they threw my things and my little boy out. The people in the compound were aware of the incident.

“He then said he had rented another apartment for me at Ikoyi, which is where I am currently living but I insisted the relationship could not continue.

‘’Last Sunday, while I was at home, a Police Inspector came in to my apartment and told me that I was under arrest. The case at the Tinubu court is still ongoing.’’

Magistrate Olagbende granted the defendant bail in the sum of N25,000 and one responsible surety in like sum.

She adjourned the matter till September 8, 2014 for trial.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/im-victimised-stopping-chisco-boss-love-advances-accused-lady/#sthash.cUpxNPXI.dpuf

WAEC has released the overall performance of the May/June 2014 SSCE results across the 36 states of the Federation.

Anambra state came first with 68% of the students having five or more credit pass including Maths and English.

Abia state came second with 58%.

Benue state is 19th on the table with 26% out of 51,113 students who sat for the exams from the state scoring at least 5 credits including Maths and English.

How did your state fared?

In 2013, the Centre for Disease control published that the number of deaths caused by firearms in the United States was 32,351. Ten persons out of 100,000 were being smoked by gun violence in most inner cities and urban territories of America. The CDC is located in Atlanta. Atlanta is the ninth largest metropolitan area in United States with population exceeding five million. It’s the crème de la soul of Southern United States, established in 1837. Atlanta is the capital of Georgia State.

It is one of the most enchanting and diversified Southern cities, very appealing with comfort, warmth and opportunities, a city that despite its grandiose bubbles, still struggles with diversity. Yet, it welcomes the world to its life on the metropolis, hence, a destination for immigrants seeking love, happiness and in pursuit of life and liberty.

Late Afolabi Andrew Odifa relocated from Raleigh, North Carolina to Atlanta, in search of southern comfort, in January. He died last week from a gunshot to the head three miles from his apartment. Eight years ago, he left Lagos, Nigeria in search of the American dream of great life and happiness. He attended Ibadan Polytechnic and after graduation, returned to Lagos seeking employment. Lagos was hopeless. Life was extremely frustrating for a young graduate. Afolabi would hustle from sun up to sundown seeking employment and anything legal to make ends meet. His best hustles were not enough. He was determined to provide for his new wife, Oluwatoyin Odifa, a neighbourhood girl he met along the alleys of their neighbourhood and fell in love with.

Oluwatoyin, sat on her couch inside their apartment , rocking their nine-month-old son on her laps, tears stream from her eyes as she remembered how her late husband met her. “We were always hanging out together. I liked him the first time he approached me in our neighbourhood. That quickly developed into a serious relationship. We became inseparable, always staying together, especially when he returned from his daily hustles in the evenings, he would come over our place and stayed with me till late evenings. We shared a dream and planned our future together. We would sit by the pavement in our yard and wished upon the stars. We prayed, planned and wished to sail into a better world, in each other’s arms”.

That prayer to sail on to best places in life was answered in 2008 when Afolabi moved to the United States, promising his wife that he would return for her after he settled in the land where dreams came through and opportunities were plenty. Afolabi went through the challenges of new life in an organised society. He engaged in any available jobs, determined to work harder to fulfill his promise to his new wife he left back in Lagos .

February 2013, Afolabi travelled to Nigeria to visit his wife and other members of his family. He had been granted legal authorisation. “It was magical to see my husband home then. I was very happy to have him in my arms again. I missed him.” The visit resulted in pregnancy for Oluwatoyin: at last, she was going to be a mother: “Every woman desired that moment when the one you love so dearly put you in that special place of a treasured lifetime”.

The Odifas expected their first child in October, but because of pregnancy complications, the baby delayed arrival for few weeks. Afolabi came from US for the birth of his first child. The baby was born on November 19, 2013. “ He was so happy to be a father. He said he would not leave us behind that we would all return with him to United States.”

Six weeks after the birth of their son, Afolabi travelled to his Atlanta base with his new family, in January 2014. He initially got a job as a factory worker in one of Atlanta’s processing food factories: “I became a house wife nursing our new born baby while he worked hard to provide for us. I didn’t know I would only have him for seven months.”

In June, Afolabi quit his factory job to become a taxi cab driver in the city of Atlanta. On August 16, while waiting for his fare inside an apartment complex, Afolabi was fatally shot by a 23-year-old man. The man allegedly stole his credit card and fled.

Oluwatoyin remembered the last hours before he left their apartment the night of his death.” He was home most of the day. He had gone out earlier and returned sometimes after 6p.m, complaining of headache. He said he wanted to lie down for few hours. About 10.37 p.m his cell phone rang. He told me that he just got a fare and he would do the fare and returned home to be with us.” I won’t be long,” he said before he walked out of the door. That was the last time I saw my husband alive. The last time I heard his voice and the last time he stood in my presence affectionately telling me he would be back. “The next morning, I got a call from the Police to come and identify my dead husband’s body… My world collapsed. It was horrible. I never in a million years thought I would go through this. He was killed while making honest living to take care of me and our child. I don’t know where to go and what to do. Friends and family are meeting, trying to assist with burial logistics and arrangement. I can’t afford the cost of taking his remains to his hometown, Isua Akoko, in Ondo State. We would raise funds here and bury him in Atlanta. This wasn’t our fairytale dream… it wasn’t the way we planned to end our union. He always told me that he would live for 120 years so he might enjoy and love me till the end with our children, then when I’m older, he would return to God, my children and I would bury him.Its heart breaking. It wasn’t supposed to end this horrible and gory way.”

Norcross, Georgia Police said that Late Mr. Afolabi Odifa, 36, was shot and killed:“The cab driver parked at the apartment complex for a few hours before anyone noticed, in the middle of the drive. “A couple of the residents did notice him,” said Norcross Police Captain Bill Grogan, “they thought he was intoxicated or asleep. “It wasn’t until a resident noticed him slumping over the wheel, not moving, that police were called. Odifa lived on Sunrise Village Lane in Norcross, about three miles from the scene of his murder.”

On Monday, Georgia Bureau of Investigations announced it had arrested Adam Matthew Pfeifer, 23, and charged him with murder. “Pfeifer was originally arrested on Aug. 18, two days after Afolabi was found dead inside his taxi at the Spring Lake Apartments. At that point, the Norcross resident was charged only with credit card fraud.

“But GBI spokeswoman Sherry Lang said Monday that several far more serious charges had been added to Pfeifer’s booking sheet — namely murder, armed robbery, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and participation in criminal gang activity.

Lang did not release any further details regarding the case. Norcross police were called to the apartment complex off Chase Common Drive at about 3 a.m. on Aug. 16. They reportedly found Odifa, who worked for ATL Taxi, slumped over in his car and shot at least once. A 911 caller told police the vehicle had been in the parking lot for a couple of hours.

A specific motive for Odifa’s murder not been released, though the charges filed against Pfeifer indicate a robbery took place. Norcross police Capt. Bill Grogan said Pfeifer’s original arrest was wholly unrelated to the murder. The fraud charges stemmed from Pfeifer being suspected of stealing about $3,000 from his brother’s bank account earlier this year. ATM video from the bank showed Adam Pfeifer took the money out of his brother’s account,” Grogan said.Prior to additional charges being filed, Pfeifer was being held without bond in the Gwinnett County jail. It was unclear how long he had been a suspect in Odifa’s murder.

“Jebose, my husband was everything for the family. He was such a wonderful human being, very caring and always sacrificing the little that we were blessed with to help anyone. We came to America to build a great life, we were a young, determined family, praying to live and make something great from this opportunity. The opportunity has turned into a nightmare for me and my nine month old son. Whose shoulders are we going to lean on?. It was the three of us that planned our world, now I am left here, with my infant son to mourn my dearest husband, shot in the line of duty. He was only trying so hard to provide for his family. I don’t know how to explain to my son that his father will never return. He told me when he was walking out of the door that he would be back shortly: He will never return. My heart is aching. I don’t know if I can survive this horror, Jebose”



http://www.punchng.com/feature/jebose-boulevard/coming-to-america-has-turned-into-nightmare-for-me-wife-of-nigerian-cab-driver-killed-in-atlanta/

ABUJA—FORMER Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Minister, Malam Nasir El-Rufai and immediate past Chief of Army Staff, Lt-General Azubuike Ihejirika (rtd), Thursday, accused each other of sponsoring the deadly Boko Haram sect that has been terrorising many parts of northern Nigeria since 2011 with over 5000 people killed.

El-Rufai kick-started the accusations on his Facebook page with a post that read: “Breaking News: Sheriff and Ihejirika Just Named as Boko Haram Kingpins – Arise TV – August 28, 2014.’’

He said: “Australian hostage negotiator, Stephen Davis has just named former Borno Governor Ali Modu-Sheriff and immediate past Chief of Army Staff Lt-Gen Ihejirika (removed in January 2014) as the Boko Haram brains on ARISE NEWS.

“Davis said Boko Haram commanders that he has been negotiating with were the source of this information. The kingpins not only finance Boko Haram operations but select targets for assassination and execution. Finally, the truth about Boko Haram is coming out. Hopefully, the murderers of General Muhammadu Shuwa, the abductors of the Chibok girls, those truly responsible for the Nyanya bombings, and attempted assassination of General Buhari and Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi will be known.

“We hope the authorities will take the steps necessary to act on this revelation, and thereby discharge their duty to protect us, the citizens of Nigeria. That is just what it is, a hope!”

Reacting to the accusation, General Ihejirika countered that El-Rufai, who is a chieftain of the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, is one of the front-line commanders of the terrorist group

Speaking with Vanguard over El-Rufai’s allegation, Ihejirika said he is not surprised that this unimaginable allegation is coming from ‘one of the Boko Haram Commanders’ because “The (Commanders) including El-Rufai know where the problem is. He should stop deceiving Nigerians by trying to divert attention.”

According to Ihejirika, “When the Boko Haram operation started, supporters of the sect like El-Rufai said that there was nothing like Boko Haram and that the army was just killing innocent youths. If you also remember, not too long ago, some of their supporters including El-Rufai said that I was re-inventing the killing of the Ibos during the Biafra war following government’s determination to rid the country of terrorism.”

An obviously angry Ihejirika, who spoke on phone, said: “The likes of El-Rufai started the campaign of human right abuses in order to divert international attention from the heinous crime being committed by the Boko Haram terrorists.”

Ihejirika recalled recent allegations that he took away N48 billion, an amount of money he said is still in the coffers of the Ministry of Defence and can be verified by anybody, adding that he was not surprised that this allegation is coming from the likes of El-Rufai who started the campaign.

“The likes of El-Rufai have been supporting Boko Haram. In fact, El-Rufai and his likes are the same group of people that ensured the army did not get the requested equipment to deal with this menace once and for all, as they used their cohorts to tell the government that procuring modern equipment was not necessary.”

Recalling that the same El-Rufai went to This Day Newspaper premises to grant interview to condemn security forces for the efforts to rid the country of the senseless mayhem unleashed by the terrorists, Ihejirika said: “At the onset of this crisis, I was the first person to declare that the country was at war but a group of sponsors led by El-Rufai disagreed, saying that it was not true.

“It is the same group of El-Rufai that started the human rights abuses campaign. It was done in order to block any international assistance after the state of emergency was declared and the sect was initially tamed. That gave Boko Haram time and respite to build up again”.

Furthermore, General Ihejirika said that when the United States was to initially declare Boko Haram a terrorist organization, the same El-Rufai and his group mounted pressure on the international community, using alleged human rights abuses as campaign strategy.

The former Army Chief revealed that this same group including El-Rufai has taken further steps in support of Boko Haram, “which I cannot disclose for now”.

Shortly after his tenure came to an end as COAS, some Northern political elites started the crusade for General Ihejirika to be summoned before the International Criminal Court in the Hague claiming that he killed their sons and daughters innocently in the name of containing the rapid spread of Boko Haram insurgency in the country.

He not only established the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army with headquarters in Maiduguri, he established new Army Brigades, Counter Terrorism Schools in Kachia and Jaji as well as the Terrorism Training School.


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/08/el-rufai-boko-harams-executive-commander-ihejirika/#sthash.o43GDwIa.dpuf

He lives in a country ranked the 144th most corrupt. Nigeria, where Umar Yusuf, a reception manager at Jigawa Hotels, proudly identifies as his country, shares this dubious status with failed states, such as Afghanistan, North Korea and Somalia.

Nigeria only managed to defeat countries, such as Iraq, Syria, Libya, Sudan and South Sudan, Chad, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Yemen of the 177 countries surveyed.

The rating, which has not significantly improved despite the anti-corruption efforts of the government, remains a sore point for Africa’s most populous country.

But Yusuf, who saw and returned a customer’s missing N17 million, has shown that despite the grim corruption index of his country, there is hope that someday Nigeria with his likes can share the same space with Denmark and New Zealand seen as nearly squeaky-clean by graft watchdog Transparency International in the global survey on corruption. The annual list is the most widely used indicator of sleaze in political parties, police, justice systems and civil services.

June 27 started like every other day for Yusuf. He resumed at his work place which is Jigawa State’s best hotel. The hotel boasts of a garden, not far removed from its restaurant. At some point that day, he was around the garden and saw two men sitting and chatting about God-knows-what. Some minutes later the men left the hotel. One of them was a guest, who had just checked out. Not long after, he discovered an Ipad bag where the men were. He reached for it and behold there was over 100,000 dollar bills in the inner compartment of the Ipad bag. The owner checked into the hotel on June 24 and stayed for three days. It was on the third day after checking out that he forgot it at the garden side.

For someone whose salary and other emoluments are nothing close to the money he just found, chances are that he would see it as manna from heaven or answered prayer. But not Yusuf, who was born July 15, 1976.

“It never occurred to me to take the money for myself,” he told The Nation on phone from his Dutse base yesterday.

But why didn’t it occur to him to steal the money?

“My conscience‘ll not allow me to rest. Here we have a forgotten item store. What occurred to me was to just inform the management and that was what I did. Somebody did the calculation and said it was N17m based on the exchange rate at that time,” he said.

Some days later, the contact person who booked the hotel room for the customer called to ask if the cash was recovered.

Yusuf said: “He was not even sure where he forgot it. But immediately he asked if I saw it, I just told him the money was with me. He came for it. I asked him to count it and confirm that it was complete but he said there was no need and left. In the first week of July, I got a letter of appreciation for returning the money.”

He was not the first member of staff who discovered items forgotten by guests. But that was the first time that huge amount of money was discovered and returned in tact. No wonder, the management of the hotel, better known as Three Star, has treated him like the Golden Boy.

“The management gave me an award for the act,” he said.

Determined to further sell him as a symbol of honesty, it also recommended him to the owner of the hotel, the Jigawa State government, to be honoured.

So, on Wednesday, an elated Governor Sule Lamido, as part of activities marking the state’s 23rd anniversary, presented him with a plaque and a certificate. There was no cash reward, Yusuf told this reporter.

Lamido was proud of him and he did not hide his feelings.

This newspaper’s facebook page yesterday published Yusuf’s picture where Lamido was presenting the plaque and certificate to him. It became an instant topic for discussion among Nigerians. The picture was re-shared 248 times; it was seen by 155,520 people; and it generated 444 comments. The comments were diverse. Some praised him; others mocked him.

Alambo Datonye said: “God bless Yusuf Umar. Your good name is far better than all those with dubious wealth. I don’t know if Mandela was the richest man, yet the whole world stood still for him in life and in death. No wealthy man can ever get close to that. A good name is far better than dubious riches.”

The views of Ugboga Olatunji tally with Datonye’s. “There are still men of honour and integrity in this country. Don’t look at it and say in your heart, why don’t I collect this money? May God give you more than this in your pocket. It is well.”

Another commentator, Chris Da’es, said: “People who don’t know that God rewards will conclude that the man is foolish. One disease (sic) can take the whole cash in a jiffy. I love his demonstration of honesty.”

For Pultor Innocent Ogbotobo, Yusuf deserves nothing but commendation. He sees him as a great man, who has written his name in gold.

“Before you start judging this man, think about this for a minute. Even if the government gives him job or not, it does not matter; what matters is, he is a great man. The definition of greatness is to discover who you are and to live by it. Though people, friends and family may call him all sorts of names but there is one thing which I know will earn him honour than the rest, and that thing is nothing but honesty because it is written that ‘a good name is better than abundant of riches’. I am really inspired by this man’s story. To be a man is not to depend on other people. This is the person that is capable of leading this country. Think about it,” Ogbotobo said.

Phemmy Joel feels the government should give him cash reward.

“Nawa for our govt o, Aah! Can u imagine someone who is honest, trustworthy returning that huge amount of money and they paid him back with ordinary paper certificate? Aah! No’ wonder corruption speaks out in everywhere in Nigeria. Government could not give him job or better still something out of the money. How many hotel workers can do what he did? I know God that commands us to do. So, He will reward this man.”

For Gladys Iyamu, her problem is with the fact that he was not given a cash reward.

“My problem is not the money that he returned, but the baseless certificate that was presented to him. Or is it a bad thing if he is recruited in government job? I don’t know why Nigeria government can’t set good example for others to emulate.”

Jaiyeola Joseph feels Yusuf deserves prayer and love. “May God bless him and his entire family. I am proud of you. The owner and hotel management should give him a better award that will transform his life, not mere certificate, at least N5 million should go to his account,” he said.

The concern of Olugbenga Thomas Alabi is why the customer was carrying such a huge amount.

“How did such huge amount get to the hotel and how on earth will someone forget such amount?”

To Owoeye Popularity Highseek, Yusuf was unfair to himself to have refunded the money.

His words: “Opportunity never comes but once. This man will surely die in poverty. Hope the fool is not a married man sha, or else his wife and children need to leave him for a better life. Nigeria is a corrupt society. God really wanted to help this man but he misused the opportunity.”

Makinde Ogunleye said the country had become a nation where hard work and merit are not rewarded.

He said: “We basically live in a world where it is survival of the fittest and virtually gone are the days where hard work and merit were duly rewarded. It is the age of the opportunists, the fittest are the smart, crafty and those with vision. This guy would probably regret his decision for the rest of his life when the bills start coming in and his good name doesn’t mean shit. That is the honest truth.”

For Yusuf, who started working in the hotel 15 years ago, money does not make a man. Character does. He says his religion, Islam, does not support stealing what does not belong to you.

He has a wife who is proud of him and two children—both boys. His focus now, he said, is to pursue a Higher National Diploma at the Jigawa State Polytechnic, where he earlier bagged an Advanced Diploma in Public Administration. He had his elementary education at the Katutu Primary School in Ringim Local Government Area of Jigawa State. His secondary education was at the Government College, Birnin Kudu.

The story of Yusuf may just be unfolding. Though Nigeria is seen by many as an ocean of corruption, again and again the honest ones find their level and excel.

Perhaps a national honour is in the offing for Yusuf.



http://thenationonlineng.net/new/my-conscience-would-notve-allowed-me-to-rest-says-man-who-found-and-returned-n17million/

The Central Bank of Nigeria has begun the restructuring if the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc in line with the directive of President Goodluck Jonathan.

To this end, the board of the company has approved the dissolution of the executive management of the Mint.

It also directed the current Acting Managing Director, Alhaji Bamali Ahmed, and two executive directors to retire from the company with effect from September 1, 2014.

The development was confirmed in a statement signed by the Company Secretary/Legal Adviser to the NSPMC, Mr. Lawal Adamu, and made available to our correspondent on Thursday in Abuja.

The statement said that the board had also approved the appointment of Mr. Joseph Ugbo as the substantive managing director/chief executive of the company.

The board also appointed Alhaji Abbas Masanawa as the Executive Director in charge of Finance and Strategy of the company.

The statement read in part, “The board of directors of the NSPM Plc has dissolved the executive management of the company and directed the current acting managing director and two executive directors to retire with effect from Monday, September 1.

“Consequently, the board has approved the appointment of Mr. Joseph Ugbo as substantive managing director/chief executive officer and Alhaji Abbas Masanawa as executive director in charge of finance and strategy of the company.”

The changes, it added, were in line with the new strategic direction of the company aimed at repositioning it as an efficient and profit-oriented firm that would serve not only the banknotes and security printing needs of the company, but those of the West African sub-region.

Jonathan had on Thursday, while speaking during the unveiling of the national identity card, said he had directed the CBN governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, to reposition the NSPMC to enable it become a global player in the printing of security documents.

He said, “In fact, when I appointed the new CBN governor, I told him that the Nigerian Security and Minting Company must be reformed. There is no way we are doing local government election, electing House of Assembly members, electing governors in Oyo, Ekiti, Adamawa that all what we will produce will be done outside this country. Why?

“Other countries produce their needs, we claim to be a giant, a giant that will just send everything out, we empower others we don’t create jobs for our people. And so, the Mint must be restructured as well as the Independent National Electoral Commission and other bodies.”


http://www.punchng.com/business/business-economy/cbn-begins-restructuring-of-nspmc-retires-directors-2/

Ford Motor Corporation says it has not foreclosed the establishment of an automobile assembly plant in Nigeria, but insists that the conditions must be right for it to do so.

One of the conditions, according to the firm, is for the country to have a free-trade agreement with its neighbouring nations to ensure free movement and unhindered market for all locally produced vehicles and other goods within the West African region.

The President and Chief Executive Officer, Ford Motor Company (South Africa), Mr. Jeff Nemeth, who dropped the hint, said the American automaker would not risk having a vehicle assembly plant in the country unless there were ready markets for its products.

Nemeth spoke to some journalists at a forum facilitated by Coscharis Motors, one of the two representatives of Ford in Nigeria.

Although he said Ford already had vibrant assembly plants in South Africa supplying vehicles to different parts of Africa, including Nigeria, the firm was still studying the new auto policy of the Federal Government and the business environment to determine the viability of a local assembly plant.

The Federal Government had raised the tariff on imported cars from 22 per cent to 70 per cent, as part of the new auto policy announced in September last year for companies without assembly plants in the country.

It allowed local manufacturers of cars to import Completely-Knocked-Down vehicles at zero per cent and Semi-Knocked-Down parts 1 and 2 at five per cent and 10 per cent, respectively, as a way of encouraging automakers to start assembling their vehicles in the country.

While Nissan and Hyundai have rolled out the first set of locally assembled vehicles to join existing local auto firms such as the Pan Nigeria, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing of Nnewi and the National Trucks Manufacturer of Kano, Kia and a number of Chinese automakers are warming up to start assembling.

But Nemeth said Ford would not be rushed into setting up an assembly plant in Nigeria without a fully developed and functional support service system such as road, railway and electricity.

He said, “You don’t want to import parts for ever. All the support structures have to be in place such as the IT, road, rail and power; that, I have not seen.

“What are the sales opportunities in Nigeria right now? You are just selling about 100,000 new vehicles annually. That is rather too small for all the industry players to share and break even if they must assemble the vehicles in your country.”

According to him, Ford is getting about 10 per cent share of the whole auto market in Nigeria, which amounts to 10,000 vehicles out of the 100,000 units.

Nemeth said in South Africa, Ford controlled about 12 per cent of the auto market, which he gave as 650,000 vehicles yearly.

He explained that out of the 650,000 units being produced by all the auto assembly plants in that country, about 300,000 were exported to neighbouring countries, which had free-trade agreements with South Africa.

The Ford boss said he planned to discuss the issue with the Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, soon at a global business meeting in Washington D.C. United States.



http://www.punchng.com/business/business-economy/ford-gives-conditions-for-establishing-factory-in-nigeria/

Health Minister, Prof Onyebuchi Chukwu, on Wednesday, inaugurated two committees to oversee the construction of a 1,687-bed hospital, valued at $650m in the Federal Capital Territory to make quality medical care for all categories of Nigerians.

Tagged the Abuja Medical City Project, he said the facility, which is expected to be completed between 24 and 36 months, would be implemented through a Public Private Partnership arrangement.

He explained that both the Steering committee and the Project Development Committee headed by him and the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Linus Awute, respectively, consist of members from the FCT administration, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation Agency.

He said the Federal Ministry of Health conceived the project as part of the President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda aimed at providing a “one-stop platform for Local and Diaspora Health Professionals to provide critical high quality specialists services to Nigerians.”

Apart from the fact that it will provide access to quality health care for all residents, the minister said the project was also conceived as part of his ministry’s strategy to unlock the market potentials of the health sector by creating an enabling environment for the private sector to grow.

He said, ” It is the responsibility of government to provide the necessary infrastructure for efficient and effective healthcare delivery to the population through both public and private sector initiatives.”

He urged the investors to take advantage of the structured favourable government service level agreements to lease specialists clinics, outpatient clinics, ambulatory and emergency case, diagnostic centres, and hospital spaces.

According to him, “It is expected that the establishment of this World Class Medical City will not only satisfy the yearnings of Nigerians for such services but also enhance that our GDP through inward flow of medical tourism to Nigeria’s advantage.”

It will be recalled that a representative of IBT Group, promoters of the hospital project, Mr. Daniel Toledano, had told journalists last year, after making a presentation on the project to the minister that the project will be the first of its kind in Africa.

Toledano had said that the execution of the project will make Nigeria a medical tourists centre in Africa in terms of capacity and personnel to cater for, at least, 2,040,000 patients at a time.

He had added that the IBT Group, which will handle the project alongside Sumolex and KMD Architects, had over 35 years experience in turnkey projects in 21 countries across the globe.

He had also lamented that Nigeria loses over $500m yearly to medical tourism abroad, and that capital flight per patient ranged between $20,000 and $40,000 per trip.

He had said, “The objectives of the project include provision of the first level three medical care facility in Nigeria and to relocate high-complexity medical care to Abuja Medical City.”

Chukwu on the occasion, had also explained that the proposed 1,687-bed hospital, would include 763 beds for Trauma Centre; 300 beds for Amenities care pavilion; 524 beds for Pediatric section and 100 beds for Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation section.

Also speaking, the spokesman for IBT Group of companies, Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu, said the Abuja Medical City, which will become operational six months to its completion date, will cost $650m.

Defining the operational model for the proposed hospital, Dr. Isioma Okobah, a Nigerian doctor based in Atlanta, Georgia in the US, said “We can attract our doctors in the Diaspora back home and there won’t be need for medical tourism abroad because they will provide the same services here and get the same pays they are getting now.”


http://www.punchng.com/news/fg-begins-construction-of-650m-abuja-medical-city/

Wema Bank has introduced self-dispensing hand sanitisers, and body temperature scanners at all its branches in the country in a move aimed at curtailing the spread of Ebola.

The bank is also introducing protective gears for members of its staffs especially those who deal directly with customers.

In a notice to customers released Monday, the bank said henceforth all customers and visitors to any branch of the bank would be required to use the hand sanitisers and be scanned for symptoms of fever before being admitted into their banking halls.

“In the wake of the recent Ebola Virus Disease outbreak across West Africa, we are compelled to introduce the following preventive health and safety initiatives at all our business locations in order to ensure a safe banking environment for all customers and staff,” the bank stated.

“All customers and visitors are required to use the hand sanitisers and also undergo a quick non-invasive body temperature scan before being allowed into our banking halls and business locations.

“In addition, some of our staff at the more sensitive desks will also be required to wear some protective gears while interacting with customers and other visitors during this period” the document added.

The bank did not say what provisions will be made for customers who are denied access due to their body temperature or other health concerns. The bank did not respond to PREMIUM TIMES’ inquiry Monday.

The federal Ministry of Health said it was not informed of the move, considered by some as discriminatory.

A health campaign organization, Projekthope, said the new policy is discriminatory.

“We should all learn to do things right. The presence of Ebola symptoms does not necessarily mean transmission will take place,” said Steve Aborisade, who heads Ibadan-based Projekthope. “And even if we want to be hyper proactive it should be sensitive in ways that will not be discriminatory and which actually stops transmission which is our first purpose.”

However, a medical expert said the bank should go beyond screening and make adequate referral arrangements for customers who may be turned away due to their health.

“I don’t think we should see it in the light of a discriminatory policy, I think they are just trying to act on the side of caution,” said Osahon Enabulele, the immediate past president of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA.

“The end point should be to aid the referral of such an individual to the nearest health facility for appropriate treatment. And of course, I expect that they should have a medical unit in the bank to quickly evaluate clients that may have suspicious features to properly evaluate them and not just to turn them away,” Mr. Enabulele said.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/business/167274-ebola-wema-bank-to-bar-customers-with-high-fever.html#sthash.5XazXvOY.dpuf

The Dutsen Alhaji Police Division of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, Abuja, has arrested a woman, Mrs. Roseline Uzoamaka, for allegedly brutalising her 14-year-old relative, identified simply as Sarah, because she was bed-wetting.

Our correspondent learnt that Uzoamaka allegedly forced the teenager to sit on a burning electric cooker until the girl sustained severe burns in her private parts as a punishment for urinating on the bed.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the incident occurred last Saturday, August 23, at the family’s residence in Gwarimpa, Abuja.

Sarah, it was gathered, was Uzoamaka’s sister-in-law, being a younger sister to her husband.

Our correspondent learnt that on the morning, the woman had scolded the girl for continuously bedwetting, and asked her to sit on the burning stove until her genitals were cooked by the heat.

It was gathered that Uzoamaka confessed in her statement to the police that she did this because some friends had advised her that the way to make her bedwetting sister-in-law recover from the problem was to make her sit on a hot stove.

After the girl’s privates were affected by the heat, she was said to have been rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment the same day. The girl, our correspondent learnt, was still recuperating in the hospital.

The Abuja Police Command Public Relations Officer, Altine Daniel, confirmed the arrest to our correspondent on the telephone.

She added that because of its severity, the case had been transferred to the FCT Criminal Investigation Department.

She said, “Yes, the woman has been arrested. She told the police that the reason she did that was because the girl was bedwetting.

“She said it was some of her friends who advised her to try that as a solution. The girl is related to her husband. She is not her housemaid.

“The case has been transferred from the division to the Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.”


http://www.punchng.com/metro-plus/woman-sits-14-year-old-girl-on-hotplate-for-bed-wetting/

Following the increase in the price of gas from $1.50 to $3.30 per metric cubic feet, strong indications have emerged that Nigerian electricity consumers will have to pay more for the product going forward.

The new benchmark price of $2.50/mcf for gas supply and $0.80/mcf transportation costs for new capacity from 2014 automatically will raise the production costs of power generation companies.

This, according to stakeholders, will be transferred to consumers in form of higher electricity tariff.

Despite the gas price increase and the attraction it holds for the oil and gas companies, the nation may still struggle with the shortage of the product for the rest of the year.

Though the upward review of gas price has been announced by the Federal Government, the coast is still not clear for its implementation as our correspondent learnt that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission was waiting to see improvement in the volume of gas supplied to the power sector and the signing of new gas supply contracts between the producers and the power generation firms.

The Federal Government, which expects to get additional 5,000 megawatts of electricity to the national grid courtesy of the new price regime, believes that gas will now be more readily available to the power generation companies.

The Chairman, NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi, told our correspondent in a telephone interview on Saturday that in spite of the new gas price, a cost-reflective electricity tariff had yet to be developed, but he did not rule out the fact that consumers would be on the receiving end.

He said an upward review of the tariffs was imminent, but explained that an improvement in the volume of electricity generated might lower the tariff burden for consumers, while retaining the current generation status meant higher tariffs for consumers.

The NERC boss said it was not logical to predict the rate at which electricity tariffs would rise as a result of the recent review of gas price, pointing out that the interplay of multiple market parameters would determine the new tariff structure.

The commission, according to him, is exploring new possibilities with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigeria Gas Company, power firms as well as the ministers in charge of power and petroleum, among others, to put in place a structured gas market for the power sector and a more realistic tariff arrangement.

As to when Nigerian should expect the tariff review, Amadi said discussions among stakeholders would continue till September, adding that before the end of the year, an informed tariff decision would be reached.

With the 120 per cent increase in gas price and the backlash that may greet the expected rise in electricity tariff, our correspondent gathered that the Federal Government was considering some of form of subsidy. Amadi, however, did not confirm this.

This, analysts said, would no doubt, add to the existing subsidy liability owed the power sector by the Federal Government.

Out of the N100bn electricity subsidy, which was to be released to the industry between 2012 and 2013, only N5bn was received, our correspondent gathered.

The money, which was supposed to have been released by the Ministry of Finance, covered the N12 subsidy per kilowatt/hour of electricity said to be currently enjoyed by consumers.

The Federal Government, as part of its efforts to provide stable power to Nigerians had, in 2012 announced that it had set aside N100bn to subsidise electricity supply for that year and 2013.

Commenting on the rise in gas price, the Chief Executive Officer, Egbin Power Plc, Mr. Mike Uzoigwe, told our correspondent on the telephone that a rise in gas price would prompt power generation companies to request tariff adjustment from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, explaining that the request would be targeted at recovering some of the costs of production.

“We don’t know whether the government wants to bear the cost in form of subsidy or otherwise. We are still watching. But the point is that we have to recover the additional costs,” Uzoigwe stressed.

In the same vein, the Chief Executive Officer, Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company, Mr. Abiodun Ajifowobaje, said the increase in the price of gas would automatically result in rise in the cost of production as far as power generation was concerned.

He said, “If the cost of production is high, what do you expect? But there is a solution here! If the government says it is going to absorb the increase in cost, there is no problem. Then the old tariff can remain.

“But if otherwise, there will be an increase in electricity tariff.”

Stakeholders in the power sector had in the past complained that gas suppliers preferred to sell to the manufacturing sector because of the price differentials, stressing that the new arrangement would now bring the price for both sectors at par.

The government also announced a new initiative that would see the Central Bank of Nigeria and Deposit Money Banks lead an effort to pay off about N25bn owed to gas suppliers by the power generation companies.

The NERC had on June 1, 2014 announced a new electricity tariff regime as it adjusted the Multi-Year Tariff Order to incorporate recent changes in supply chain.

The new price arrangement brings the gas supply price for the manufacturing and power sectors at par.




http://www.punchng.com/business/financial-punch/electricity-tariff-to-rise-by-year-end/

Nigeria’s controversial preacher, T.B. Joshua of The Synagogue Church Of All Nations (SCOAN), has declared that the killer disease Ebola currently ravaging West Africa is from ‘the pit of hell’.

According to Mr. Joshua, who, on Sunday, led his congregation in prayer for the nations and individuals affected by the disease, time was up for the ‘strange ailment’ and life would soon return to normal for the affected countries.

“The so called strange ailment coming from three nations – Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia… satan is the manufacturer, the source,” Joshua defiantly declared to the faithful.

“Begin to capture the covenant of that strange sickness,” the cleric then enjoined the congregation. “Command that strange ailment to come out and go to the pit of hell, in the name of Jesus Christ!”

“Because of Christ, people of Liberia, Sierra Leona, Guinea, you are released,” Mr. Joshua said, accompanied by the vibrant congregants in a service believed to have been viewed by millions worldwide through Joshua’s Christian television station Emmanuel TV.

The controversial pastor boldly declared that God had spoken to him to pray for the nations affected by Ebola as its reign of fear was close to closure.

The pastor, cited to be one of Africa’s most influential individuals, decried the toll Ebola had taken on society, especially in the areas of kinship and kindness.

“People are no longer their brother’s keepers because of this strange disease,” he lamented, adding that if someone publicly collapsed from any form of sickness, people would likely abandon the invalid as opposed to lending a helping hand.

“Once satan takes love out of people, he has taken life. Satan is not happy that we are one; he is against oneness. He knows when we are not one, we can be defeated,” he fumed.

“The weapon satan is afraid of is love,” Mr. Joshua continued. “Satan can fight anything but he cannot fight love.”

The cleric then cited a poignant question asked by Jesus in Luke 18:8: “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

He added that the prayer Jesus offered for His followers’ faith not to fail indicated challenges would arise in the last days which would make many ‘abandon their faith’, Ebola being one of such challenges.

Mr. Joshua made headlines this week in local and international media for sending 4,000 bottles of ‘Anointing Water’ to the Ebola-stricken nation of Sierra Leone on the request of the government, alongside $50,000 in humanitarian aid.

Last week, Mr. Joshua debunked a rumour attributed to him that went viral in Nigeria claiming that bathing in salt water could prevent the disease.

With over 1.2million followers on Facebook and 90,000 YouTube subscribers, the preacher has a huge social media following.



https://www.premiumtimesng.com/foreign/west-africa-foreign/167112-ebola-is-manufactured-by-satan-t-b-joshua.html#sthash.5gSXo6XB.dpbs

Bello, an older son of a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasir el-Rufai, has threatened to disown his father, if he attempts to defect from the All Progressives Congress to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.

The younger el-Rufai was reacting to the recent defection of a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, from the APC to the PDP.

He stated that despite Ribadu’s move to the PDP, he would always have a bias for him, but warned his father against following in the footsteps of the ex-anti-corruption czar, noting that el-Rufai would never enjoy such a honour from him.

According to Bello, the PDP is the “main problem” with Nigeria as he described it as a “poisonous party” capable of exerting negative influence on its members.

Writing on Twitter, he argued that defection for “political advancement” is shameful, adding that it was unfortunate that the development was fast becoming a reality in Nigeria’s flawed political system.

“The PDP is not the only thing wrong with Nigeria. But it is certainly more complex than that. However, it is the main problem right now. I will personally decamp from my father’s side if he moves to the PDP.

“I say this because I know he will never entertain the thought. He will not even provide the opportunity for the henchmen of the ruling party to “woo” him,” Bello wrote on Twitter.

He descended on critics of the APC, saying political commentators and analysts should not compare a party that is about a year old and another that has “held and abused power for 14 years.”

Noting that he would have been elated if Ribadu, who he fondly referred to as “Uncle Nuhu”, had furthered his political ambition on the platform of the APC, he stated that he was quite confident that Adamawa State would develop under his rule.

Insisting that Ribadu would be a better leader at the helms of affairs in Adamawa, than the immediate past Governor, Murtala Nyako, he added that he would never campaign for his candidature.

“I will always have a bias for Uncle Nuhu. And I certainly cannot begrudge the people of Adamawa on the development he could bring.

“The main battle is not the PDP waiver. It is the internal wrangling with other “gladiators” like Buba Marwa, Marcus Gunduri and Umar Ardo.

“It is also easier to finance an election and raise money from the same people he (Ribadu) persecuted if he is in the PDP. As the APC/PDP games and intrigues go on, may God protect the masses.

“Do I want Uncle Nuhu to become the next Governor of Adamawa? Yes. Would I have preferred if he had tried under the APC? Yes. Am I happy he has decamped to a poisonous party? No. Do I dislike him for that? No,” he added in a series of tweets.

Meanwhile, the Presidency has welcomed Ribadu into the PDP, describing his defection as a positive development to the Nigerian polity.

Special Assistant to the President on New Media, Reno Omokri, wrote on Twitter that Ribadu’s name could be likened to “honey” in modern-day Nigerian politics.

“Mallam Nuhu Ribadu is like honey. Even if you change its name, honey will still be sweet,” Omokri wrote on Twitter.

Also, the National Coordinator of the Poeples Democratic Party Youth Forum, Oche Joesph, described Ribadu’s defection to the PDP as a boost to what he described as President Jonathan’s transformation agenda.

Joseph stated on Twitter that Ribadu is more of a national figure than a local champion and will be a good addition to any political party he chooses to join.

The PDPYF leader argued that the symbol of integrity in the APC was gone, adding that the party has now been reduced to “gathering of aggrieved politicians.”

“Nuhu Ribadu has the credibility; he has exposure and the intellectual prowess to deliver! A loss to the APC is a good addition to team Transformation Agenda.

“Having men with the courage and intellectual prowess of Ribadu at the helm of affairs is a plus. Ribadu remains the greatest anti-corruption crusader Nigeria has ever produced! If you believe in him you will support his decision to dump the APC,” he tweeted.


http://www.punchng.com/i-punch/ill-disown-dad-if-he-rejoins-pdp-el-rufais-son/

The National Conference will today present its report to President Goodluck Jonathan at a ceremony in Abuja.

The Chairman of the Conference, Idris Kutigi will lead the other members of the leadership as well as the 492 delegates to present the document, which is in three volumes, at a ceremony scheduled for 3p.m. at the National Judicial Institute, NJI.

The delegates held a dinner Wednesday night to mark the end of the confab. The dinner was attended by Vice President Namadi Sambo, who assured that the outcome of the Conference would be utilized to settle the nation’s myriad problems.

“The deliberations of the Conference will be utilized to settle the nation’s problems,” Mr. Sambo said, stressing that it was convoked by Mr. Jonathan because of his belief that there was no alternative to dialogue.

The vice president expressed joy at the understanding exhibited by the delegates while the Conference lasted and that Nigerians and the Federal Government would remain grateful to them. He said the delegates succeeded in producing a living document.

The Assistant Secretary, Media and Communications, Akpadem James, told PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday night that top government officials, including Mr. Namadi, President of the Senate, David Mark, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Aloma Muktar, would attend the closing ceremony today.

The Conference commenced March 17 when it was inaugurated by Mr. Jonathan.

It was originally billed to last three months but was granted about one month extension.
It concluded committee sittings and plenary sessions in mid-July after which delegates went on a short break to enable the conference’s secretariat compile the report.

The delegates returned to approve the draft report after which it finally closed last Thursday following a motion by Second Republic Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Richard Akinjide, and seconded by Yadoma Mandara, who was the youngest delegate.

The convocation of the Conference was packaged by a 13-member Presidential Advisory Committee on National Dialogue headed by Femi Okurounmu, a former senator. The Committee submitted its 69-member report last December.

Apart from its 492 membership drawn from different spheres of life, the Conference was supervised and managed by a secretariat whose six members were also nominated by the Federal Government.

The others, besides Mr. Kutigi, were Bolaji Akinyemi, (deputy chairman), Valerie-Janette Azinge (Secretary), Akilu Ndabawa (Assistant Secretary, Conference Proceedings), Mahmood Yakubu (Assistant Secretary, Administration and Finance), and Akpandem James (Assistant Secretary, Media and Communications).

During the period the Conference sat, its stability was tested by some thorny national issues, which included resource control, derivation principle, Land Use Act, national security among others.

However, at the end of it all, the Conference made some far-reaching recommendations.

Below are the highlight of its recommendations made compared with those of the previous conferences, namely the 1994/1995 Constitutional Conference (CC) convoked by late head of state, Sani Abacha and the National Political Reform Conference, NPRC, convoked by former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Creation of 18 New States
2014 National Conference: Recommended the creation of 18 new states (three per geo-political zone).. Among them are Apa, Edu, Kainji, Katagum, Savannah, Amana, Gurara, Ghari, Etiti (South East zone), Aba, Adada, Njaba-Anim, Anioma, Orashi, Ogoja, Ijebu and New Oyo. Apart from the 18 proposed states, the Conference also recommended one new states for the South East to make the zone have equal number of states with the other zones except the North West which has seven. It also recommended that states willing to merge can also do so based on certain conditions.

2005: NPRC said 36 states structure is too expensive and that the situation will become worse given the number of requests for the creation of new states some of which would need to be met for the sake of peace and stability of the economy.

1994/1995 Constitutional Conference recommended the creation of 20 new states namely Gombe, Apa, Nasarawa, Hadejia, Tiga, Zamfara, Sardauna, Katagum, Ghari, Kainji, Bayelsa, Orashi, Anioma, Ekiti, Ebonyi, New Oyo, Ogoja, Itai, Ijebu-Remo and Rivers East. Some of the states have since been created.

Resource Control/Derivation Principle/Fiscal Federalism
2014 NC: The Conference noted that assigning percentage for the increase in derivation principle, and setting up Special Intervention Funds to address issues of reconstruction and rehabilitation of areas ravaged by insurgency and internal conflicts as well as solid minerals development, require some technical details and consideration. The Conference therefore recommends that Government should set up a Technical Committee to determine the appropriate percentage on the three issues and advise government accordingly.

2005 NPRC: Recommended an increase in the level of derivation from the present 13% to 17% in the interim pending the report of the expert commission. Massive and urgent programme of development of infrastructure and human resources of the Niger Delta should be embarked upon by the Federal Government.

1994/1995 CC: It said in determining the formula, the National Assembly shall take into account allocation principles especially those of population, equality of states, internal revenue generation, land mass, terrain as well as population density provided that the principle of Derivation shall be constantly reflected in any approved formula as being not less than 13% of the Revenue accruing to the Federation Account directly.

The various mineral resources should be controlled and managed by the Government of the Federation through an arrangement which involves Oil Producing States and Communities, in particular, the rights and privileges which the Mineral and Mining Act of 1999 confers on States, Local Governments, Communities and land owners should equally be extended to the case of petroleum resources

Public Finance/Revenue Allocation

2014: That the sharing of the funds to the Federation Account among the three tiers of government should be done in the following manner: Federal Government – 42.5%, State Governments – 35% and Local Governments 22.5%

That the percentage given to population and equality of states in the existing sharing formula be reduced while that assigned to Social Development sector be increased to a much higher percentage so as to ensure accelerated development of all parts of the country.

2005 NPRC: No specific recommendation, but advised that the number of local government in a state should not count as a criterion for revenue allocation

1994/1995 Constitutional Conference: The National Assembly shall determine the Revenue Allocation Formula which formula shall each time remain in force for a period of not less than five years from the day the bill shall be assented to by the president.

Forms of Government
2014 NC: Recommended the Modified Presidential System, a home-made model of government that effectively combines the presidential and parliamentary systems of government.

The president shall pick the vice president from the Legislature.

The President should select not more than 18 ministers from the six geo -political zones and not more than 30% of his ministers from outside the Legislature. Reduce Cost of governance by pruning the number of political appointees and using staff of ministries where necessary.

2005 NPRC:
The Conference recommended the retention of Presidential System of Government.

The number of ministries at the centre should be reduced to between 15 and 18 and to a maximum of 10 at the state level. Similarly, appointment of Special Advisers should be pegged to six and not more than three at the state level. Appointment of special assistants should be made from within the public service.

1994/1995: Recommended presidential system and federalism.

Legislature
2014 National Conference: Bi-cameral legislature, but all elected members of the legislative arms of all the tiers of government should serve on part-time basis

Power Sharing/Rotation
2014 NC: Recommended that the presidential power should rotate between the North and the South and among the six geo-political zones while the governorship will rotate among the three senatorial districts in a state.

2005 NPRC: The principle of power rotation should be enshrined in the Constitution so that executive positions rotate at federal, state and local governments. The office of the president, governors and local government should rotate in such a way that all the geo-political zones in the federation, states, local governments, as the case may be should have a chance to produce a president, governor and local government. It should not however be included in the constitution because of the emotive nature of the issue.

There should be legislation by the National Assembly to ensure that the office of the president should rotate between the north and the south as well as amongst the geo-political zones of the country on the basis of equity, justice and fairness. The principle should be applicable to states and local government on senatorial basis for the governorship and at ward or district for the position of chairman of LGs.

1994/1995 CC: Rotational Presidency should be enshrined in the Constitution. The same logic should apply to rotation of the governors and chairmen of LGs. It recommended multiple vice presidents with a way to ensure that at least one comes from the same zone as the president.

Local Government
2014 NC: Local Government will no longer be the third tier of government. The federal and states are now to be the only tiers of government. States can now create as many local governments they want. The Joint State/Local Government Account be scrapped and in its place the establishment of a State RMAFC with representatives of LG and a Chairman nominated by the Governor. The Constitution should fix the tenure for Local Government Councils at three years. Conference recommends the scrapping of State Independent Electoral Commission, SIECs.

2005 NPRC: The Conference retained three levels of government comprising federal, state and local government councils

1994/1995 CC: The Local government shall be a third tier of government in Nigeria, but in order to save costs, a local government council shall consist of the Chairman, Vice Chairman and elected Councillors without a legislative arms.

Each State shall maintain a special account to be called “State Joint Local Government Account” into which shall be paid all allocations to the Local government councils of the state from the Federation Account. State Houses of Assembly to create local governments and the life of local government officials will be three years.

Immunity Clause
2014: The immunity clause should be removed if the offences attract criminal charges to encourage accountability by those managing the economy.

2005 NPRC: Recommended that immunity clause as enshrined in Section 308 should be amended to remove immunity provision for crimes bothering on corrupt practices, economic and financial crimes and other serious offences such as suicide and murder.

Independent Candidacy
2014 NC: It recommended that every Nigerian who meets the specified condition in the Electoral Act should be free to contest elections as an independent candidate.

2005 NPRC: Recommended the recognition of Independent candidate in election

1994/1995: The Conference recommended that Independent Candidature should be recognized and should be in the constitution

Governance
2014 NC: The creation of the office of the Accountant General (Director-General) of the Federation as a distinct and separate office from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federal Government. The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation shall oversee the accruals of revenue into and disbursement from the Federation Account as and when due; and shall administer these funds as required by the Constitution, while the office of the Accountant General of the Federal Government shall oversee the accounts of the Federal Government.

2005: Separation of the offices of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice. The Attorney General for the Federation shall be appointed by the President for a single term of six years subject to the confirmation by the Senate

Anti-corruption:
2014: A Special Courts to handle corruption cases should be established in the light of undue prolongation in the trials and prosecution of corruption cases in the regular courts. A non-conviction-based asset forfeiture law should be enacted with broad provisions to deal with all issues of proceeds of crimes by the anti-graft agencies and the courts.

2005: Special Courts should be set up for prosecution of cases emanating from corrupt practices and such cases should not last more than 90 days. Secondly, it recommended that the authorities should Investigate and confiscate corruptly acquired wealth of past rulers and bring them to justice.
Re-introduction of the War Against Corruption and EFCC and Code of Conduct should be made members of Screening Committees at all levels of government to screen all candidates aspiring to political office before elections

Land Tenure Act
2014 NC: The Land Tenure Act should remain in the Constitution but be amended to take care of those concerns, particularly on compensation in Section 29 (4) of the Act to read “land owners should determine the price and value of their land based on open market value

2005 NPRC:
1994/1995 CC: Recommended that the Land Use Decree should be reviewed in line with the recommendations made by the Nigeria Law Reform Commission in 1991. It rejected the suggestion that the law should be completely abrogated.

National Anthem
2014 NC: Re-introduce the old National Anthem

Religion
2104 NC: The Conference recommended that there will be no government sponsorship of Christian and Muslim pilgrimages to the holy lands. It also resolved that churches and mosques should begin to pay tax to government.



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A former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory [FCT] and chieftain of the All Progressive Congress [APC], Nasir El-Rufai, has ruled out the possibility of leaving his party for the ruling People Democratic Party, PDP.

In a tweet Wednesday, Mr. El Rufai appeared to be reacting to the defection of a former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nuhu Ribadu, who decamped from the APC to PDP weekend.

Mr. Ribadu is also a former presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, which is part of the APC today.

“I will only consider the choice of defection to the People Democratic Party, PDP when Satan repents and converts to Islam,” Mr. El Rufai said in a Twitter message.

Mr. El-Rufai was a PDP leader during the Obasanjo Administration before Joining the Congress for Progressive Change [CPC], which later transformed into the APC.

The former minister’s posters have flooded parts of Kaduna State, but it is not clear whether he plans to seek an elected office in the state in 2015.


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