₦airaland Forum

The federal executive council (FEC) has approved N2.1 billion for the completion of five projects at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra state.

Lai Mohammed, minister of information and culture, announced this to state house correspondents after the FEC meeting presided by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday.

He said the university had awarded the projects earlier but lacked funding to complete them.

“The significant thing about these contracts is the fact that these were contracts that were awarded by the university itself, some in 2007, some in 2010, some in 2012 and some in 2015,” Mohammed said.

“But due to the inability of the university to execute these projects, for reasons ranging from lack of funding to other sundry reasons, they appealed to the federal government to help complete the contracts.

“The contract, which was then awarded at the sum of N2.5 billion due to contract variation, cost of materials has now been jacked up to N4.6 billion.

“In other words, the federal government is making available to the university the sum of N2.1 billion to augment the contract, which is awarded between 2007 and 2015, but was unable to complete.

“The five contracts are the construction of students’ hostels, Type D, at Awka, which was augmented in the sum of N120 million; construction of students’ hostel, Type A, at Nnewi, for which we have to provide an extra N385 million.

“Construction students hostel, Type A, Awka; also, here we’ve provided an extra N104 million and then the construction of Faculty Building for Physical Science and Biosciences in the sum of N1.2 billion, raising the contract sum from the original N983 million to N2.243 billion.

“Finally, construction and completion of min-stadium complex in favour of another contractor, which we had to augment with the sum of N510 million.’’

Mohammed said the contracts were under the Needs Assessment — an intervention fund that the federal ministry of education made available to assist educational institutions all over the country.

The minister said the council approved the procurement of landed property for the residence of the vice-chancellor of the Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa state.

“This is a very short memo, which actually sought council’s approval to provide accommodation for the vice chancellor; and of course, it means the university was purchasing a property in Dutse, which will serve as the official accommodation of the vice chancellor,” Mohammed said.

“After the due process has been observed, including whether the seller has title and whether it was adequately covered by Certificate of Occupancy, the council approved that a property be purchased for the sum of N161, 250, 000, inclusive of 7.5 percent VAT, with the delivery period of two weeks for the official residence of the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Dutse, Jigawa State.’’

Mohammed said the council also approved a sum of N847,502,000 for the award of a contract for digital interconnectivity among identified ministries and other agencies of government through the Local Area Network (LAN).

hensben:
How you go sell Abraham sign Osimhen. Wetin be the difference between the two

The Senate , yesterday, raised concern over the deplorable state of roads, urging the Federal Government to deploy an emergency intervention fund of N300 billion for critical roads in Niger State linking economic corridors in the North and South.

It bemoaned the deplorable state of critical roads across the country and resolved that a national legislative roundtable on the state of infrastructure be convoked. The proposed roundtable would bring all critical stakeholders in the transport and logistics industries together with a view to identifying urgent actions needed.

These were part of resolutions reached following a motion by Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (APC, Niger North). He said“

The Senate noted with disbelief and shock the very ugly scene playing out in Niger State since February 24 to September 2021 in which heavy trucks and tanker drivers blocked all entry and exit roads to protest the horrible state of federal roads passing through the state.

“ Recall that Niger State has the longest federal roads network of 2, 263 km out of a total of 32, 000 km of federal roads.

The federal roads in Niger State stretch from the Abuja – Kaduna end to the Jebba – Mokwa – Makera – Tegina – Birnin Gwarimpa – Kaduna Road , to the Mokwa – New Bussa – Agwara – Kigera end, which lies on the border with the Republic of Benin.

“Overall, the following are critical linkage roads within Niger State that provide logistical and vehicular movements between the North and South , especially the South West and North West corridors.”

He added: “Because of the massive land area of Niger State at 76, 363 km (representing about nine per cent of the total land area of the country ), all movements from North to South substantially traverse the state.

“Indeed, the massive haulage of heavy industrial goods such as petroleum products, iron rods, cement, finished manufactured goods, machines and equipment, electronic materials and goods, building materials etc., in which trucks and tankers are overloaded seriously devastate the roads .

“Cursory observation and reports indicate that many trucks and tankers are loaded with up to 90,000 tonnes of goods and all vehicles are consistently loaded well above their approved tonnage.”

President Muhammadu Buhari has granted approval to 159 companies, communities and institutions of higher learning to operate radio and television stations.

The Director General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Malam Balarabe Ilelah, announced this in a statement yesterday in Abuja.

“Following the approval granted by the President, NBC has released the list of 159 licences granted to companies, communities and institutions of higher learning.

“The commission was established by the NBC Act, Cap. N11, Laws of the Federation 2004, with the mandate to regulate and control broadcasting in Nigeria.

“Today, there are a total of 625 functional broadcast stations in Nigeria,” Ilelah said.

The NBC boss said the newly-approved licences were for the Federal Polytechnic Ilaro (Radio), Prospective Union of Reno People (Radio), Smile Community Radio Initiative and International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Radio.

He said others are: Dudu African Broadcasting Communications Limited, Independent Television, Prince Media Network, Jamkat Integrity Investment Limited, Hikima Media Services, and Galaxy Television Radio.

The NBC boss also listed other licencees as H-i Fidelity Communications, B360 Nigeria Limited, Communication Faculties Limited, Godfrey Okoye University Radio, Art Broadcasting Company, Hamdana Media, Sunshine Radio, Blue Print Newspapers Limited, NV Broadcasting Company Limited, among others.

saphiere:
The car looks cheap in my eyes..

What happens to range rover and Benz?

I don't do guys.

NinjaMetahuman:
May be we should have gone for mahrez instead of ziyech.

The Emir of Argungu, HRH Sumaila Mera on Sunday conferred the traditional title of Kakakin Kebbi (Cultural Ambassador of Kebbi) on the Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the turbaning which took place at the forecourt of the Palace of the Emir in Argungu town, Kebbi State was on the sideline of the 2021 World Tourism Day to be celebrated in Birnin-Kebbi on Monday.

Speaking at the event, the Emir said the title was conferred on the minister because of his “courage and strength of character in projecting the image of Nigeria locally and internationally”.

Specifically, the Emir said the emirate honoured the minister with the title as a show of appreciation for his effort in promoting the Argungu Fishing and Cultural Festival to attain international status.

NAN reports that the annual festival which attracts local and international participants and tourists was in 2017 listed by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity .

The Emir also commended past Ministers of Culture and Tourism for their efforts in promoting the festival nationally since 1970.

“Traditionally, Kakakin is an instrument which attracts attention. From the authority of the Emir and the entire people of the emirate, it has now been handed over to the recipient.

“The bearer of the instrument is the trumpet of the Argungu Emirate and he will be traditionally referred to as Kakakin.

“This gesture will be permanently recorded in the annal of our history that the minister is the Kakakin Kebbi.

“On behalf of the entire people of the emirate, I welcome you most warmly and I want to assure you that we will involve you in all matters of importance in the emirate,” he said.

The traditional rulers charged the minister to reciprocate the gesture by continuing to promote the cultural heritage of Kebbi and Argungu emirate in particular.

He assured that the emirate and the country at large would benefit from the wealth of experience of the minister.

The minister thanked the Emir and the entire people of the emirate for their affection and generosity in bestowing the honour and title of Kakakin Kebbi on him.

“As the cultural ambassador of Kebbi, I will endeavour that we develop all the festivals in the four emirates in the state in a manner that they will be globally recognised.

“I will also work assiduously to ensure these festivals become magnet to unite Nigeria and make the state a global tourist destination,” he said.

The minister said the choice of Kebbi for the 2021 celebration of the World Tourism Day was not just by coincidence but well planned and thought out.

According to him, Kebbi state is one of the frontline cultural and tourism destinations and all the four emirates in the state havensellable cultural heritages.

“The Argungu fishing and cultural festival is known not just in Nigeria but all over the world and I am proud to say that it is one of the five festivals that have been ascribed intangible heritage of UNESCO.

“The festival should not be seen from the view point of fishing and entertainment alone. rather it should be seen as a symbol of unity,” he said.

Mohammed said the Hottungo festival in Gwandu emirate of Kebbi is celebrated annually by the Fulani tribe to thank Allah for the safe return of their cattle.

He said the Regatta Carnival , celebrated in Yauri Emirate of Kebbi started way back as a measure for protecting bridal trains which were being attacked on the river in those days.

https://guardian.ng/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/67F941D8-D9A4-4CF1-AE98-C1BA3FEAC4AA.jpeg
Alhaji. Lai Mohammed in red traditional regalia shortly after his turbaning as “Kakakin Kebbi” meaning Cultural Ambassador of Kebbi by the Emir of Argungu, HRH Sumaila Mera in Argungu town of Kebbi state. Photo /NAN

The minister said the Uhola festival in Zuru Emirate is celebrated annually at the end of harvest to thank God for bountiful agricultural produce.

“I am glad that a lot of these cultural practices have been largely modernised.

“In particular is the practice where a prospective bridegroom have to stay seven years in the farm of a father in- law before he can be given his bride,” he said.

The minister said Nigerians are people with history and past and all their festivals are element for unity and oneness.

He appealed to the private sector to invest in culture and festivals, stressing that they were the heritage that would be handed over to the children unborn.

NAN reports that the highlights of the event included the hiding of the minister from the crowd shortly after his arrival at the palace with his entourage.

He was later brought out by the Galadima Argungu, Alhaji Murtala Umary who offered prayers and led the minister to a prepared mat on a platform where he sat with Ulamas.

While sitting on the mat, the minister was adorned with his traditional regalia comprising a long red royal cap, a big gown, another chieftancy long gown and turban on his head.

While the decoration was going on , the citation of the minister was read and he was later lifted up by the Galadima who presented him to the Emir.

The Emir offered the minister with his instruments of office, a long trumpet and another short one which he said symbolised what he would use in projecting the virtue, culture and traditions of Argungu and Kebbi.

The federal government has granted 12,000 expatriate quota licences to foreigners seeking to work in Nigeria while treating 2,000 applications from companies.

Sola Fasure, the spokesman for interior minister Rauf Aregbesola, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.

The minister stated this on the second day of the sixth edition of the Annual Kaduna Economic Investment (KADINVEST) in Kaduna.

Mr Aregbesola noted that the ministry had handled 14,690 companies and granted 126,893 quota licences to expatriates from inception to date.

“From August 2019 to date, we have registered more than 2,000 companies, while over 12,000 expatriates have been given permits to work in Nigeria,” he stated. “We now handle applications with dispatch and will encourage any firm or organisation with a genuine need for expatriates to bring their applications. We shall accord it the required courtesy.”

The minister also reiterated the fact that Nigeria was still a profitable investment destination, despite security challenges.

”In spite of the challenges we have faced, it might interest us to know that Nigeria is still an investor’s dream where there is abundant raw materials, highly skilled and affordable workforce, and the largest market for goods and services in Africa. The return on investment has always been mouth-watering,” Mr Aregbesola explained in the statement.

He commended the Kaduna government, the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), and the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) for organising the summit and choosing the theme, ‘Towards a sustainable knowledge-based economy’.

Mr Aregbesola further said, “Looking at the history of economic development, we can see that there is a quantum leap in economic production at the onset of the Industrial Revolution circa 1760 in England, compared to what obtained in the feudal era.

“The introduction of machines and factory systems that enabled mass production of goods unleashed economic prosperity on the industrialised nations.”

He pointed out that the 50 years had created a yawning gap between the former colonial nations and the societies still trapped in feudal productions.

“Two and a half centuries down the line, the paradigm of production will be further altered spectacularly with advancement in knowledge altogether,” the interior minister noted. “Economic production in the immediate Industrial Revolution era had been built on the factors of nearness to raw materials and markets, among others.

Therefore, the concept of comparative advantage is said to favour locales, where these factors count higher than others.”
(NAN)

The Nigeria Customs Service has seized contraband goods worth N41.4 million in the Kano and Jigawa in the last three months, comptroller of the Area Command Suleiman Pai Umar said yesterday.

A breakdown of the seized items and their Duty Paid Value (DPV) include: 707 bags of foreign rice with DPV of N20.5 million, 155 bales of used clothes with DPV of N11.6 million 625,16 jerry cans of vegetable oil with DPV of N334,000, 130 spaghetti with DPV of N1.95 million, 231 cartoons of Milky Creamer with DPV of N5.08 million and eight cartons of Macaroni with DPV of N104,000.

Other seizures include: 30 packs of money mosquito coils with DPV of N660,000, 29 cartons of Couscous with DPV of N337,000, 10 cartons of Tiger Head batteries with DPV of N220,000, six sacks of snuff made in Ghana with DPV of N308,000 and 85 cartons of unregistered and expired drugs.

“The seizures are part of our anti-smuggling activities since July. It is worrisome that some Nigerians still indulge in smuggling, despite the wide awareness of the threat smuggling poises to the nation’s security and economy,” Umar said.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has rescheduled its nationwide state congresses earlier slated for October 2 by two weeks.

The congresses will now hold nationwide on Saturday, October 16.

The postponement was announced last night in Abuja in a terse statement by the Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) Secretary, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe.

The statement said an updated timetable/schedule of activities and guidelines for the conduct of the state congresses will be released to the public in due course.

Contacted, the CECPC Secretary said the state congresses were postponed in honour of the country’s independence celebration and to allow political office holders and party members the opportunity to mark Nigeria’s 61st Independence anniversary.

“The need to honor the country’s 61st Independence anniversary, which holds a day before the initial date fixed for the state congresses, informed the new date.

“Governors, ministers, and party members will be involved in the Independence celebrations in their various states.

The party decided to reschedule the state congresses to allow all our members to participate in the Independence celebration,” Akpanudoedehe said.

The party had fixed the state congresses for October 2, 2021.

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed new members to the board of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Buhari, in a letter to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, named Mr George Abang as secretary of the board while Kola Adeshina, Mohammed Yahaya and Lukman Mohammed, were appointed as board members.

The appointments are subject to the approval of the Senate.

The president’s letter seeking confirmation of the nominees was read on the floor of the Senate by Lawan, at the commencement of plenary on Tuesday.

Buhari said the nominations were in accordance with the Act establishing the EFCC.

He advised the Senate to confirm them in the “usual expeditious manner”.


This is coming less than three days after Buhari appointed board members for NNPC Limited.

Embattled Super Cop, Abba Kyari may not be extradited as it could not be established that he committed a crime on US soil.

This is according to a report by a panel setup by the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba Alkali to look into an indictment on Kyari by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI over his ties to disgraced fraudster, Ramon Olorunwa Abass, a.k.a Hushpuppi.

POLITICS NIGERIA earlier reported that Kyari entered hot water after the indictment was made public. He was indicted by a US court for being a conspirator in a $1.1 million fraud setup by Hushpuppi against a Qatari businessman.

In response to the development, the IGP setup a special panel to investigate Kyari. The panel was headed by DIG Joseph Egbunike. The Panel in a report submitted in August, established that there was communication between Kyari and Hushpuppi as well as infractions on the part of the former IRT boss.

According to DailyTrust, the panel didn’t recommend the extradition of Kyari as it couldn’t be established that the decorated police officer committed any crime in the US.

“There is no proof that he committed any crime on the soil of the US to warrant his extradition.

He will be sanctioned by the appropriate authorities here. However, it is for the AGF to advise if there is a ground to extradite him to the US, which is very unlikely,”, a source told the paper.

M[b]ajor CL Datong, who was kidnapped during an attack on the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in Kaduna State by bandits last month has finally regained his freedom.
[/b]
DAILY POST recalls that some gunmen suspected to be bandits broke into the Nigerian foremost military school on August 24, killed officers and abducted Major CL Datong.

The abducted Major has been in the kidnapper’s den till he was rescued on Friday.

The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Colonel Ezindu Idimah who confirmed the development, said Datong was rescued by troops.

According to him, the operations leading to his rescue led to the destruction of several identified bandits’ camps in Afaka-Birnin Gwari areas of the state, revealing that scores of bandits were killed during the operation, particularly, in the late hours of September 17, 2021.

He said the Division in conjunction with the Air Task Force, Department of State Services and other security agencies, immediately swung into action by conducting operations in the Afaka general area to find and rescue the officer after a directive by the Chief of Army Staff.

“The troops arrived at a camp suspected to be the location where Maj CL Datong was being held. At the camp, the troops exchanged fire with the bandits and overwhelmed them with superior fire.

“In the process, the gallant troops were able to rescue the abducted officer.

However, the officer sustained a minor injury but has been treated in a medical facility and handed over to NDA for further action,” he said.

He lauded the efforts of the NAF, DSS , Nigerian Police and “patriotic Nigerians” who worked tirelessly for the release of the victim.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Malam Abubakar Malami, SAN has warned judges and lawyers in the county to maintain the sanctity and credibility of the judiciary and not make Justice a commodity for sale to the highest bidder.

Malami issued the warning on Monday in Abuja in his address at the 2021 legal year ceremony of the Court of Appeal held in Abuja.

Malami charged the judges and lawyers to ensure that the sacred integrity reposed on the judiciary remains unshaken at all times in order to foster and promote public confidence in all rulings that emanate from the courts.

“I hereby also extend a call of solidarity, reverence and respect for the Courts and Court processes, to all our Learned Distinguished Colleagues here present to ensure that justice is not trivialised to a commodity bargained for and taken by the highest bidder, at the detriment of the indigent who for want of equal bargaining power, wallow in the shadows of judicial neglect”.

He said uniformity, consistency and universality of judgement and rulings in the face of judicial precedent is an exceptional value of a judicial system and must at all times be used to uphold the sanctity of the judiciary in re-enacting the confidence of the common man in our judicial system.

Armed bandits have overrun a Nigerian military base in Zamfara, Peoples Gazette has learnt, marking a major setback in the campaign to curb violent crimes across the state.

The bandits struck a forward operating base in Mutumji, Dansadau, about 80 kilometres south of the capital Gusau, at about 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, The Gazette learnt from military sources.

Officials immediately confirmed 12 fatalities, comprising nine Nigerian Air Force officers, two police officers and one Nigerian Army soldier. It was not immediately clear the level of fire that the soldiers returned to prevent the base from being sacked.

All slain personnel were evacuated to Yerima Bakura Specialist Hospital in Gusau and the three wounded have been receiving treatments at a brigade medical facility, officials said.

The attackers also seized weapons from the killed service members and set ablaze other equipment in the facility.

The number of security forces manning the base was not immediately clear. The base has served as a crucial point operation for logistics and reconnaissance efforts to rout out bandits operating between the eastern flank of Zamfara and western Katsina.

Last month, the criminals shut down a Nigerian Air Force jet, forcing the pilot to eject before the fighter went up in flames as it hit the forest.

Over the weekend, presidential spokesman Femi Adesina said the bandits were pleading for mercy after President Muhammadu Buhari ordered a large-scale military effort across the troubled North-West.

Telecom signals have already been shut down across Zamfara, with regulators saying the demand came from the military who wanted to barricade the bandits in a forest before eliminating them.

The Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Air Force did not return separate requests seeking comments about the development from The Gazette on Sunday night.

Romanoff:
Dance is rhythmic and soft, enjoyable.

Choreography is a performance so it tends to be exaggerated.

FrankGiel:
This is just hating.. Pere is a damn good and articulate speaker.. Even haters know this.. he doesn't speak as slow as many of the guys in the house but by far the most eloquent

Beorn:
Nah, bro. Pere is a damn good and eloquent speaker. It's not about speaking slow. Yousef speaks slow but his speech is boring.

You can talk slow and still struggle to speak eloquently. I'll rate Peace and JayPaul as better orators than Pere, but when it comes to finnesse and charming tone of voices, Pere only comes second to Peace.

Pere's voice is deep but very sleeky. His voice is like the stealth movement of a ninja assassin in the dark. The guy speaks slowly but with swag. Why do you think the HMs in his groups at tasks let him do the talking? Pere's voice is amazing. It's his strongest trait for me.

phemmyfour:
God called Moses not Aaron. Aaron ASSiSTED Moses and when Moses died, Aaron didn't take over, Joshua & Caleb did.

Endeavor to study your Bible

Daniluv1:
Before Nkor
abi na holy spirit go still appoint who go do that one?