₦airaland Forum

26 young Nigerian girls who drowned at sea buried (See Photos)

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20-year-old Marian Shaka one of 26 young Nigerian woman who died at sea trying to reach Europe on Nov 3....In response to those who asked, I did not see any official Nigerian representative at the ceremony today for 26 women

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There were Nigerian women there who suffered through terrible journeys to reach Italy.many gently touched the coffins

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Six days to the Anambra governorship election, five leading candidates are slugging it out in the governorship debate organised by Channels Television.

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Those debating each other include Mr Tony Nwoye of the All Progressives Congress (APC); incumbent governor, Mr Willie Obiano, of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, and Mr Oseloka Obaze of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

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Also participating in the debate are Mr Godwin Ezeemo of the Progressives People’s Alliance (PPA) and Mr Osita Chidoka of the United Progressive Party (UPP).

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More than two million people are registered to vote in the election, which will take place on Saturday, November 18 and the candidates are pushing to win over votes by explaining their plans.

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On the expenditure side, a total of 450 billion Naira of the capital vote had been released as at the end of October 2017. With your support for our funding plan, our target is to release up to 50% of the capital vote for MDAs by the year’s end. We have prioritised payments of our counterpart obligations on our concessionary loans, as well as funding of critical infrastructure and other projects with socio-economic benefits. Furthermore, MDAs have made provisions to carry over to the 2018 Budget, capital projects that are not likely to be fully funded by year-end 2017, to ensure project continuity.

Regrettably, the late passage of the 2017 Budget has significantly constrained budget implementation. As you are aware, the 1999 Constitution authorized necessary Federal Government expenditures prior to the 12th of June, 2017 when the 2017 Appropriation Act was signed into law. This year, we have worked very hard to achieve an earlier submission of the Medium-term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper (MTEF/FSP), and the 2018 Appropriation Bill. Our efforts were to avail the National Assembly with sufficient time to perform its important duty of passing the Appropriation Bill into law, hopefully by the 1st of January, 2018. It is in this spirit that I solicit the cooperation of the Legislature in our efforts to return to a more predictable budget cycle that runs from January to December.

PRIORITIES FOR THE 2018 BUDGET OF CONSOLIDATION
The 2018 Budget Proposals are for a Budget of Consolidation. Our principal objective will be to reinforce and build on our recent accomplishments. Specifically, we will sustain the reflationary policies of our past two budgets. In this regard, the key parameters and assumptions for the 2018 Budget are as set out in the 2018-2020 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP). These include:

a. Benchmark oil price benchmark of US$45 per barrel;
b. Oil production estimate of 2.3 million barrels per day, including condensates;
c. Exchange rate of N305/US$ for 2018;
d. Real GDP growth of 3.5 percent; and
e. Inflation Rate of 12.4 percent.

Federally-Collectible Revenue Estimates
Based on the above fiscal assumptions and parameters, total federally-collectible revenue is estimated at 11.983 trillion Naira in 2018. Thus, the three tiers of Government shall receive about 12 percent more revenues in 2018 than the 2017 estimate. Of the amount, the sum of 6.387 trillion Naira is expected to be realised from oil and gas sources. Total receipts from the non-oil sector are projected at 5.597 trillion Naira.

Federal Government Revenue Estimates
The Federal Government’s estimated total revenue is 6.607 trillion Naira in 2018, which is about 30 percent more than the 2017 target. As we pursue our goal of revenue diversification, non-oil revenues will become a larger share of total revenues. In 2018, we project oil revenues of 2.442 trillion Naira, and non-oil as well as other revenues of 4.165 trillion Naira.

Non-oil and other revenue sources of 4.165 trillion Naira, include several items including: Share of Companies Income Tax (CIT) of 794.7 billion Naira, share of Value Added Tax (VAT) of 207.9 billion Naira, Customs & Excise Receipts of 324.9 billion Naira, FGN Independently Generated Revenues (IGR) of 847.9 billion Naira, FGN’s Share of Tax Amnesty Income of 87.8 billion Naira, and various recoveries of 512.4 billion Naira, 710 billion Naira as proceeds from the restructuring of government’s equity in Joint Ventures and other sundry incomes of 678.4 billion Naira.

Proposed Expenditure for 2018
A total expenditure of 8.612 trillion Naira is proposed for 2018. This is a nominal increase of 16 percent above the 2017 Budget estimate. In keeping with our policy, 30.8 percent (or 2.652 trillion Naira) of aggregate expenditure (inclusive of capital in Statutory Transfers) has been allocated to the capital budget.

We expect our fiscal operations to result in a deficit of 2.005 trillion Naira or 1.77 percent of GDP. This reduction is in line with our plans under the ERGP to progressively reduce deficit and borrowings.

We plan to finance the deficit partly by new borrowings estimated at 1.699 trillion Naira. Fifty percent of this borrowing will be sourced externally, whilst the balance will be sourced domestically. The balance of the deficit of 306 billion Naira is to be financed from proceeds of privatisation of some non-oil assets by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE).

The proposed 8.612 trillion Naira of 2018 Aggregate Expenditure comprises:

a. Recurrent Costs of N3.494 trillion;
b. Debt Service of N2.014 trillion;
c. Statutory Transfers of about N456 billion;
d. Sinking Fund of N220 billion (to retire maturing bond to Local Contractors);
e. Capital Expenditure of N2.428 trillion (excluding the capital component of Statutory Transfers).
Statutory Transfers

456.46 billion Naira was provided in the 2018 Budget for Statutory Transfers. The 5 percent increase over last year’s provision is mainly due to increases in transfer to Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), which are related directly to the size of oil revenue.

Debt Restructuring
We are closely monitoring our debt service to revenue ratio. We shall address this ratio through our non-oil revenue-generation drive and restructuring of the existing debt portfolio. Presently, domestic debt accounts for about 79 percent of the total debt. Our medium-term strategy is to reduce the proportion of our domestic debt to 60% by the end of 2019 and increase external debt to 40 percent. It is noteworthy that rebalancing our debt portfolio will enhance private sector access to domestic credit. In addition, annual debt service costs will reduce as external debts are serviced at lower rates and repaid over a longer period than domestic debt.

Recurrent Expenditure
A substantial part of the recurrent cost proposal for 2018 is for the payment of salaries and overheads in key Ministries providing critical public services such as:

a. N510.87 billion for Interior;
b. N435.01 billion for Education;
c. N422.43 billion for Defence; and
d. N269.34 billion for Health.

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On Rail, we recently received 2 additional locomotives and 10 standard gauge coaches for the Abuja-Kaduna Rail Line. These will be deployed for the new non-stop express service between the two cities that will only take one hour and fifteen minutes. This new service will complement the existing service currently in place. We plan to commission this by December 2017.

We have also kick-started the abandoned Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri Rail Line. This project has been on for over 17 years. We had to take some drastic measures but I am pleased to announce that work is ongoing and we expect to commission this service by September 2018. This service will start with 7 standard gauge coaches.

The situation at the Apapa port complex is a top priority for this Administration. The delays due to congestion and their adverse impact on business operations and costs is a key concern to our Government. As I mentioned earlier, we are partnering with the private sector to fix the road. We shall do the right thing considering. We will not cut corners.

In addition to the road, we have also commenced the extension of the Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Rail Line to connect Apapa and Tin Can Port Complexes. This project will significantly ease the congestion at the ports and enhance both export and import operations. This project shall be completed by December 2018. Already, working with the private sector, we have repaired the Apapa Port Narrow Gauge Line which is currently being used to evacuate goods from the port, thereby easing congestion.

As we all know, sometimes doing the right thing takes time and requires sacrifices. I am therefore appealing to all stakeholders to work with us in ensuring we deliver a solution that we will all be proud of.

Certainly, the infrastructure requirement to reposition Nigeria for the future is huge and our resources are limited. Government, therefore, will pursue private partnerships to maximise available capital and developmental impact. In the next fiscal year, we will also establish 7 tertiary health institutions across the country through partnership with our Sovereign Wealth Fund and other private sector investors.

Agricultural Development
The agricultural sector played a crucial role in Nigeria’s exit from recession. Today, it remains the largest employer of labour and holds significant potential to realise our vision of repositioning Nigeria as a food secured nation.

We will consolidate on existing policies and develop new ones to ensure the numerous value chain challenges in the agricultural sector are addressed. As I mentioned earlier, several investors have deployed significant capital in the production and processing of rice, sugar, maize, soya, cassava, yams, tomato, oil palm, rubber and poultry, to mention a few. We are also seeing increased investment in the agro-inputs manufacturing sector such as fertilisers.

We are determined to protect these investments and encourage more. Food Security is an important aspect of this Administration’s National Security agenda. Any person involved in smuggling of food items is a threat to our National Security and will therefore be dealt with accordingly. A Committee chaired by the Vice President is working on this matter. A key part of their work will be the reactivation of the Badagry Agreement signed between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin in 2003. This agreement, which was abandoned by previous Administrations, established a mutually beneficial framework for the two neighbours and allies to partner in tackling smuggling and other cross border crimes. I would like to assure investors in the agricultural value chain that the menace of smuggling will be handled decisively.

To further support investors and State Governments, we will accelerate the establishment of at least 6 Staple Crop Processing Zones, in the first phase. This initiative will develop infrastructure for the production, processing and storage of strategic commodities. The focus is on backward integration for grains, horticulture, livestock, fisheries and sugar; as well as exportable commodities such as cocoa, cassava and oil palms.

Health Sector Developments
During 2017, the country had a number of disease outbreaks such as Meningitis, Yellow Fever, Monkey Pox and Lassa Fever. I would like to commend the Federal and State Ministries of Health for their selfless service and timely responses to contain these outbreaks. I would also like to thank the World Health Organisation, the Global Fund and UNICEF, for their continued support during these trying times. This collaboration was a key factor in the low mortality rates experienced. To further improve our response to such outbreaks, we are working to upgrade our Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response System. This will further enhance the efficiency of our diagnostic and clinical management processes.

In this respect, I urge this Distinguished House to expedite the passage of the Bill for the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control to enable us consolidate on the successes recorded to date.

Implementing the Social Investment Program
I am pleased to inform you that we have recorded tremendous success in the implementation of the Federal Government’s Social Investment Program. Specifically,

a. Over 4.5 million Primary 1 to Primary 3 pupils in public schools are being fed under the School Feeding programme;
b. Over 200,000 unemployed graduates have been employed under the N-Power Scheme in education, health and agricultural sectors;
c. Over 250,000 enterprises have benefitted from the sum of 12.5 billion Naira, which has been disbursed to entrepreneurs to expand their businesses; and
d. Over 110,000 households are currently benefitting from the Conditional Cash Transfer programme across the country.

PERFORMANCE OF THE 2017 BUDGET
The 2017 Budget of Recovery and Growth was based on a benchmark oil price of US$44.5 per barrel, oil production of 2.2 million barrels per day, and a Naira-to-US Dollar Exchange Rate of 305. Based on these assumptions, total revenue of 5.084 trillion Naira was projected to fund aggregate expenditure of 7.441 trillion Naira. A projected fiscal deficit of 2.356 trillion Naira was to be financed mainly by domestic and external borrowing.

On revenue performance, collections were 14 percent below target as of September 2017, mainly due to the shortfall in non-oil revenues.

A key revenue shortfall was from Independent Revenues; only 155.14 billion Naira was remitted by September 2017 as against the projected pro-rated sum of 605.87 billion Naira. This represents a 74 percent shortfall, which is very disappointing.

This recurring issue of under-remittance of operating surpluses by State Owned Entities is absolutely unacceptable. You will all recall that in September 2017, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) announced that they were ready to remit 7.8 billion Naira back to the Government. The shocking discovery was that in the last decades, JAMB only remitted an aggregate of 51 million Naira. This clearly illustrates the abuses that occur in State Owned Entities as well as their potential for increased Independent Revenues, if only people would do the right thing. We all need to play our role to ensure the right thing is done. I would also like to remind Nigerians that the Whistle Blower lines are still open.

Accordingly, I have directed the Economic Management Team (EMT) to review the fiscal profiles of these agencies, to ensure strict compliance with the applicable Executive Orders and Financial Regulations. There may be a need to consider a review of the Fiscal Responsibility Act and the Executive will be approaching the National Assembly on this issue in due course.

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Optimising Efficiency in Expenditure
In 2016 this Administration adopted a policy of allocating at least 30 percent of our annual budget to capital expenditure. This was entrenched in the ERGP to unlock further growth in the economy. This tradition was maintained in the 2017 Budget and has been reflected in the proposal for 2018, in which 30.8 percent of total expenditure has been set aside for the capital vote.

To support these efforts, you would recall that an Efficiency Unit was set up under the Federal Ministry of Finance to reduce wastage, plug leakages and foster greater fiscal transparency. We have intensified the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) across government MDAs to automate personnel records and salaries’ payment process, with the goal of eliminating ghost workers. 461 Federal MDAs have been captured on the system, so far. Our target is to enroll all MDAs. I have directed the military and other security agencies to ensure total compliance without further delay.

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Increased Investment in Infrastructure
Mr. Senate President, and the Right Honourable Speaker, we shall continue to develop our infrastructure across the country. Although a lot of progress has been made, the huge contractor liabilities we inherited have adversely impacted our infrastructure development timetable. Indeed, contractors were owed trillions of Naira when this Administration came into office. In some areas, we have made payments so projects may be completed; while in others, we are reconciling the liabilities to identify and settle legitimate claims. As a responsible and accountable Administration, we decided that clearing this backlog was an important priority.

For instance, at the outset of this Administration in 2015, the Abuja Metro-Rail Project, which began in 2007 was only 50% completed, after 8 years. Today, in just 18 months, we have pushed the project to 98% completion. This was achieved as the Nigerian Government was diligently able to meet its counterpart funding obligations for the Chinese loans.

We have also continued work on key strategic Roads. Over 766 kilometres of roads were constructed or rehabilitated across the country in 2017. For instance, work is at various stages of completion on these strategic roads with immense socio-economic benefits:

a. Rehabilitation of Ilorin-Jebba-Mokwa-Birnin-Gwari-Kaduna Road;
b. Dualization of Oyo-Ogbomosho-Ilorin Road;
c. Rehabilitation of Gombe-Numan-Yola Road;
d. Dualization of Kano-Maiduguri Road;
e. Rehabilitation of Sokoto-Tambuwal-Jega Road and Kotangora-Makera Road that transverse Sokoto, Kebbi and Niger States;
f. Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Enugu-Port-Harcourt Road;
g. Rehabilitation of Enugu-Onitsha Dual Carriageway Road;
h. Rehabilitation of Aleshi-Ugep Road and the Iyamoyun-Ugep Section in Cross River State;
i. Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Expansion of Lagos-Ibadan Dual Carriageway Road;
j. Construction of Loko-Oweto Bridge over River Benue in Nasarawa and Benue States; and
k. Construction Gokanni Bridge along Tegina-Mokwa-Jebba Road in Niger State.

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Under the Federal Roads Development Programme, we recently completed a Data Collection Exercise on the 7,000km Federal Road Network which was funded by the World Bank. This information is enabling us to make informed decisions regarding the planning, budgeting and management of the Federal Road Network. Going forward, we will be working based on facts rather than subjectivity.

Furthermore, we have also invested a lot of time and effort in identifying alternative means of funding new projects. For example, the recent 100 billion Naira Sukuk Financing will cater specifically for the development of 25 roads across the country. We also developed different structures that empower private investors to contribute to the development of roads of significant national importance. Already, we are seeing results. For example:

a. The Bonny-Bodo Road is being jointly funded by the Federal Government and Nigeria LNG Limited. This project was conceived decades ago but it was abandoned. This Administration restarted the project and when completed, it will enable road transportation access for key communities in the Niger- Delta region; and

b. The Apapa Wharf-Toll Gate Road in Lagos State is also being constructed by private sector investors in exchange for tax credits.

Distinguished Members of the National Assembly, our Power Sector Reforms still remain a work in progress. Although we have increased generation capacity significantly, we still have challenges with the Transmission and Distribution Networks. That said, I am pleased to announce that since 2015, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and Niger-Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) have added 1,950 MVA of 330-132kV transformer capacity at 10 Transmission stations, as well as 2,930 MVA of 132-33kV transformer capacity to 42 substations nationwide. With these additions, the Transmission Network today can handle up to 7,000 Mega Watts (MW).

The key bottleneck now is the Distribution Network where the substations cannot take more than 5,000 MW. This is constraining power delivery to consumers. We are working with the privatized Distribution Companies to see how to overcome this challenge. Nigerians should be rest assured that this Administration is doing all it can to alleviate the embarrassing power situation in this country.

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Furthermore, to sustain the continued expansion of generation capacity and enhance evacuation, we approved a Payment Assurance Guarantee Scheme which enabled the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trader (NBET) to raise 701 billion Naira. This assures the Generation Companies of up to 80% payment on their invoices. This intervention has brought confidence back into the sector and we expect additional investment to flow through, particularly in the gas production sector.

Distinguished Members of the National Assembly, this Administration is committed to the development of Green Alternative Energy Sources. To date, we have signed Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) with 14 solar companies. We also approved:

a. The completion of the 10 MW Wind Farm in Katsina State, a project that was abandoned since 2012; and
b. The concession of 6 small hydro-electric power plants with a total capacity of 50 MW.

To enable the successful take-off of these, and future Green Projects, I am pleased to inform this Distinguished Assembly that the Federal Government will be launching the first African Sovereign Green Bond in December 2017. The bond will be used to finance renewable energy projects. We are very excited about this development as it will go a long way in solving many of our energy challenges, especially in the hinterland.

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Our Sovereign Wealth Fund, which was established in 2011 with US$1 billion, did not receive additional investment for 4 years when oil prices were as high as US$120 per barrel. However, despite record low oil prices, this Administration was able to invest an additional US$500 million into the Fund. This further demonstrates that in our struggle to have a stable and secure nation today, we have not, and will not, lose sight of the need to lay a solid foundation for the future prosperity of successive generations.

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We have asked the Sovereign Wealth Fund to look inward and invest locally. Some of the successes we are seeing today in the agricultural sector are driven by this new investment approach by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA). The NSIA also has a very strong pipeline of local investments that will support our inclusive and diversified economic growth plan.

Stability has been restored to the foreign exchange market due to the interventions by the Central Bank of Nigeria to improve access to liquidity, discourage currency speculation and increase net foreign exchange inflows. As at the 30th of October, 2017, our external reserves had increased to US$34bn. This stability has supported our efforts to provide the enabling environment and interventions needed to empower Micro, Small and Medium-Sized enterprises, investors, manufacturers and exporters, to sustain and in some cases, grow their operations. Indeed, by the second quarter of 2017, exports significantly outpaced imports, resulting in a trade surplus of 506.5 billion Naira.

Ease of Doing Business Reforms
One of the targets we set for gauging our progress in creating an enabling environment for business was to achieve a positive movement in the World Ease of Doing Business Index. You would recall Nigeria experienced a decade-long decline in this ranking. In 2008, Nigeria was ranked 120th. By 2015, our situation had deteriorated to 169th of the 189 countries surveyed. Our very simple, logical and user-friendly reforms are reversing this trend. A recently released World Bank business ranking report announced that Nigeria had moved 24 places to 145th position in 2017. I am delighted that we have met and even surpassed our target of moving at least 20 paces up this global ranking. The same World Bank report also stated that Nigeria is among the top 10 reforming countries in the world.

To ensure these reforms are institutionalized, Executive Order Number #1 on the Promotion of Transparency and Efficiency in the Business Environment was issued in May 2017. The Order contained measures that ease the process of business registration, approval of permits, granting visas and streamlining port operations. We are committed to continuing and accelerating the Ease of Doing Business reforms, which are critical to attracting new investments, growing the economy and creating jobs for our people.

Improved Tax Administration
Although the economy is diversified with non-oil Sector accounting for over 90 percent of total Nominal GDP, the Government’s revenues are not as diversified yet. Our Tax-to-GDP ratio of about 6% is one of the lowest in the world. This situation is not consistent with our goal of having a diversified, sustainable and inclusive economy. Accordingly, we are stepping up efforts to ensure all taxable Nigerians comply with the legal requirement to declare income from all sources and remit taxes due to the appropriate authorities.

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Already, we have introduced the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS) on the 1st of July, 2017. The Scheme provides non-compliant taxpayers with a nine-month window to regularise their tax status relating to historical periods. In return, overdue interest and penalties will be forgiven. In addition, no investigations or criminal charges will be brought against participating taxpayers. We expect that this Scheme will widen the tax net for both the Federal and State Governments. I am therefore, asking all Nigerians to seize this opportunity and do right thing. Let us not shy away from our duty to build a better Nigeria.

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President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday presented the 2018 Appropriation Bill to lawmakers. The president read the budget speech before the joint session of the National Assembly.

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Read Mr. Buhari’s full speech below.

2018 BUDGET SPEECH: BUDGET OF CONSOLIDATION - Delivered by: His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari President, Federal Republic of Nigeria At the Joint Session of the National Assembly, Abuja

Tuesday, 7TH of November 2017
PROTOCOLS

I am here to present 2018 Budget Proposals. Before presenting the Budget, let me thank all of you Distinguished and Honourable Members of the National Assembly, and indeed all Nigerians, for your support and prayers for my full recovery while I was on medical vacation.

I am very pleased to address this Joint Session of the National Assembly, on the revenue and expenditure estimates, and related matters, of the Federal Government of Nigeria for the 2018 fiscal year.

The 2018 Budget will consolidate on the achievements of previous budgets and deliver on Nigeria’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) 2018 – 2020.

OVERVIEW OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS IN 2017
2017, so far, has been a year of uncertainty on many fronts across the world. Whether it is Brexit, the crisis in the Korean Peninsular, or indeed, the political uncertainty in key oil producing nations of the Middle East and South America, we can all agree that these developments have in one way or another impacted Nigeria’s economic fortunes.

By all accounts, 2018 is expected to be a year of better outcomes. The tepid economic recovery is expected to pick up pace and the global political terrain is expected to stabilize. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is anticipating global GDP growth of 3.7 percent in 2018. Emerging markets and developing economies are expected to lead with GDP growth of 4.9 percent, while advanced economies are projected to grow at a slower rate of 2 percent.

Nigeria’s journey out of the recent recession was a revealing one. We heard many opinions from within and outside Nigeria on how best to address our economic woes. We listened carefully and studied these proposals diligently. Our belief has always been that the quickest and easiest solution may not necessarily be the best solution for a nation as diverse as ours. We took our time to create a balanced and equitable response, keeping in mind that only tailored Nigerian solutions can fix Nigeria’s unique problems.

And from the recovery that we are seeing today, it is clear that we made the right decisions. Distinguished and Honourable Members of the National Assembly, I am now asking you to continue to support our economic policies in order to consolidate and sustain on the success achieved so far. We simply cannot go back.

In the non-oil sector, crop production has been one of the main contributors to non-oil growth, which rose to 0.45 percent in the second quarter of this year. This was primarily driven by our ongoing financial, capacity building and infrastructure development programs.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, working with development partners and the private sector, have embarked on numerous capacity building projects. We have also completed over 33,000 Hectares of Irrigation Projects that have increased water availability in key food producing states. We shall continue to intensify our interventions through the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme and the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative to ensure that this momentum is sustained. We have also made provisions in the 2018 Budget to complete ongoing Irrigation Projects at Ada, in Enugu State; Lower Anambra, in Anambra State; and Gari, in Jigawa State. In 2017, many factories and projects in the food and agricultural sectors were commissioned in Kebbi, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Anambra, Edo, Jigawa, Rivers, Niger, Ogun and Ebonyi States, to mention a few. This is a clear statement that our economic diversification and inclusive growth ambitions are coming to fruition.

Significant progress has also been made in the Solid Minerals development sector. In Ondo State, for instance, work is ongoing to fully exploit the bitumen resources to meet the 600,000 MTs of asphalt imported per annum for roads and other construction projects. To consolidate on these efforts, we have also established a 30 billion Naira Solid Minerals Development Fund to support other minerals exploration activities across the country.

In the oil and gas sector, the relatively higher crude oil prices supported our economic recovery. Our mutually beneficial engagement with oil producing communities in the Niger Delta contributed immensely to the recovery in oil production experienced in recent months. We would like to thank the leadership and communities in the Niger-Delta for their continued support and to also reiterate our assurances that this Administration will continue to honour our commitments to them. We cannot afford to go back to those dark days of insecurity and vandalism. We all want a country that is safe, stable and secure for our families and communities. This means we must all come together to address any grievances through dialogue and peaceful engagement. Threats, intimidation or violence are never the answer.

We are working hard on the Ogoni Clean-up Project. During the year, we engaged 8 international and local companies proposing different technologies for the mandate. To enable us select the best and most suitable technology for the remediation work, we asked each company to conduct Demonstration Clean-up Exercises in the 4 Local Government Areas of Ogoni Land. These Demonstrations were recently concluded and the results are being studied by the Governing Council of the Ogoni Clean-up Project. Although the Project will be funded by the International Oil Companies, we have made provisions in the 2018 Budget for the costs of oversight and governance, to ensure effective implementation.

On the international front, I would like to thank our friends and partners in the Joint OPEC / Non-OPEC Ministerial Monitoring Committee (JMMC) who graciously granted Nigeria an exemption from the output cuts imposed on OPEC Member Countries in January 2017. This exemption, which was extended in September 2017, significantly helped during our most challenging time. We shall continue our positive engagement with other oil producing nations to ensure that the momentum generated is sustained.

Permit me, Mr. Senate President and Right Honourable Speaker, to state that despite the downturn in oil prices and our challenging economic circumstances, this Administration was able to invest an unprecedented sum of over 1.2 trillion Naira in capital projects through the 2016 Budget. This is the highest ever in the history of this country. This is a clear demonstration of our commitment to consolidate on our economic diversification reforms and lay a stronger foundation for future growth and development.

https://news.assure.ng/budget2018-appropriation-bill-read-full-speech-president-buhari-photos/

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Life Lessons “Success In Ministry Is Not About Faith Alone” – Matthew Ashimolowo

Matthew Ashimolowo, founder and Senior Pastor of London-based Kingsways International Christian Church (KICC) is one individual who has demonstrated that spirituality could also go side by side being wealthy, materially. Ashimolowo runs a vibrant and dynamic ministry with television network in over 200 countries; and, in the business world he has built a couple of first class business entities while he personally owns choice properties in choice places around the world. In an earlier conversation with me, Ashimolowo shared some interesting life lessons. Please enjoy.

Lesson 1: Success in Ministry requires more than faith
When I got the leading of the Holy Spirit to set up a church in the United Kingdom, even though I knew there was a spiritual angle to it, I also knew that there should be application of knowledge and wisdom. I felt led to start something fresh and new, and the first thing I did was to recognise that visions are as distinct as we have over 7.5 billion people on earth. When I was starting out I needed to find my own niche, my own peculiarities, and my own uniqueness.

What I did as soon as I got to the United Kingdom was to enroll for a degree programme in The Sociology of the English People. Although I did not finish the degree programme. I left as soon as I got what I wanted from the course. What happens to people who come from elsewhere into the United Kingdom is that they come with the mindset of where they are coming from, the culture, the attitude and their perceptions, and when the English people refuse to accept what they are offering, they start complaining, that they don’t even understand these English people. The issue is that every set of people have a way of doing their own things, it may not look like your own, but it works for them. For instance, the English people have a way of raising their own children, they may not beat them but their children also grow up responsible, at least on a greater scale.

When we started KICC, people saw the ambiance of the place, the settings, the quality of our infrastructures and presentations and they could not believe this was coming from a Nigerian, from a black man. So I realised that quality sells, that people identify with quality and that quality breeds and generates quantity, that excellence rewards. So we excelled because of the quality of work we put into our endeavour and the grace of God.

But what people do is to blame the ordeals on one witch out there, who doesn’t know them, they blame Satan as if he is omniscient, he is not everywhere at a time, although he has demons that are scattered all over the place, but he isn’t everywhere. So that’s how we come to where we are. The right application of knowledge, the right and careful application of the truth guarantees a man to make progress in life.

Lesson 2: Success is hidden in what you do daily.
I recently taught a series on how to have a great day. This is the idea. Some people don’t know how to have a great day. When you have a great day, you have a great week and then a great month and a great year and so on, that’s it. Many people don’t know how to manage a day, not to talk of a year and they wonder why their life is such a failure, they blame a witch in their village and so on. They blame the devil. The way people talk about the devil, they make him look omniscient, omnipresent, but the devil isn’t omnipresent. The failure of many people has absolutely nothing to do with the devil, they brought it upon themselves.

If you can’t manage a day you can’t manage the entire life; to manage the entire life, you have to learn to manage a day greatly. There are a few things you must do to have a great day; to make a great life. They are preparation, inspiration: you must be excited about the cause of the day, pray, plan and set the day before you and be excited about it believing it will be great. Also is organization. You must be organised, your day must be organised, you must have the things you want to achieve the entire day planned and worked through. There is also delegation, there must be things as you get to a point in life you must delegate, to let you concentrate on the bigger issues. And so on. The idea is that you have to seize the day before you step out. So when your day turns out to be good consistently, it would result into a great week, a great month and a great year and that is how success comes.

Lesson 3: It is not a curse to be wealthy
The day you receive Christ you carry these blessings; but the church you go to, the ministration you sit under determines if these blessings will find fulfillment in your life. Some people go to churches where they are taught they don’t need these blessings, some work on cursed ground, others work with cursed hands. The environment where you are operating is important to the blessings manifesting in your life.

As a Christian we are blessed for the following reasons: to be a blessing to our generation, to make a difference in our family and to be a major sponsor of the gospel. We are blessed so that we can make a difference in our world, we get wealth so that we can touch our world, you can do much more when you are wealthy than you can do when you are broke.

The first thing is if you want wealth, do not talk down on it, celebrate it and as you follow the principles of building wealth, it will naturally flow to you. Whatever you celebrate gets attracted to you and whatever you denigrate gets repealed from you. Money is called currency because it flows to where it is celebrated, to wherever it is respected and showed it is needed and can be handled well.

To attract money you must show passion to get it, passion to multiply it and passion to use it to bless and help others. This can be done in two ways, using your gifts or through a business. Among these, the best has been entrepreneurship; it has been proven that if you want to do something great for the kingdom of God, you must be an entrepreneur. Salaries can never make you rich. For instance, there is nobody in Nigeria that is paid a million dollars, not even the bank C.E.Os, nobody. So if you must be rich you must set out to create something to create wealth, that’s being an entrepreneur.

Lesson 4: Wealth multiplies as you give it out
Wealth multiplies when you allow it to flow through you to others. The principle of wealth creation is universal. It has no respect for anybody; if an unbeliever practises it, it works and if a Christian doesn’t practice it, he remains broke. There are so many Christians who are broke, whereas some unbelievers are being blessed with these same principles. In the United Kingdom, some organisations are using these same principles to prosper and grow tremendously. Organisations like Marks and Spencer, every year give out a large chunk of their earnings as charity and it works for them even without knowing that they are practising Biblical principles. The business world calls it CSR (corporate social responsibility) but this is a fancy way to call this biblical principle.

I have practiced this with results. Anything God blesses me with I pass on to others to be a blessing. There is nowhere I keep so much money at once than to be a blessing to mankind, to people as I get blessed by God. Anything God blesses me with I just use to bless others. I don’t stack it somewhere. I just gave out my Hummer Jeep not long ago to a man of God who is in the heat of Boko Haram insurgency. In what other way can we empathise with people like this, than just to spot them and bless them? So, God laid it upon my heart to bless him with the car and I did. He has been at the heart and heat of this insurgency. He deserved to be blessed and I did. In the last three years I have donated 24 cars to people. Some of them are people who have been praying to God to be blessed and God laid it in my heart to be a blessing to them and I gave them out to these sorts of people

Lesson 5: It is not a sin to do business as a pastor
I used to think like that as well, that being doing business was not compatible with doing pastoral work. In 1974 I was in the Bible school, in 1976 I started pastoring and in 1979 I traveled out for the first time, I bought BTA ( Basic Travel Allowance), and on returning I bought a musical instrument for five hundred naira and sold it for one thousand two hundred naira in Nigeria, with that I built my first house. At that time my salary was one hundred naira, I started with a salary of fifty naira when I joined ministry. People would say fifty naira was a whole lot then, it wasn’t, my wife used to get that amount from her father as pocket money while she was in secondary school back then. So I began to think and I realised that from the age of fourteen years I have always sold things and God was telling me that it was my gift to make a difference and be a blessing to my generation. So it’s okay to be where God has put you and use your strength to be a blessing and touch lives and that’s what we are doing. I have always sold things from the age of fourteen years, I have been hawking bread and the mark is still at the centre of my head.

Message for Nigeria.
Nigeria: Till date we have only raised tribal chiefs and not national leaders. Those that came up to leadership position in Nigeria, quickly surround themselves with people from their own side of the geographical location of the country and sideline all others no matter how good they. That needs to change.

Books
The books that I read now and even the ones that I write are majorly about sixty per cent secular. Books on leadership, on finance, management and so on. My library has about fifty thousand books, I have books, I read books, every time I step into any airport, I buy between four hundred to five hundred dollars’ worth of books. The book that has made the most impact on me is The Power of Vision by George Barma

https://news.assure.ng/not-sin-business-pastor-pastor-matthew-ashimolowo-must-read/

The attention of Lagos State Government has been drawn to the announcement of a proposed tariff hike on Lekki-Epe Expressway and Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge by the Lekki Concession Company (LCC).

The Lagos State government hereby informs the general public that the said tariff hike has now been put on hold as the necessary consultations with stakeholders are yet to be concluded.

While government recognises the need for periodic review of tariffs and any other levies appertaining to road infrastructure maintenance in the state, the public and critical stakeholders as the ultimate beneficiaries of such facilities must always be carried along at all times.

Therefore, the proposed tarrif hike cannot be effected at this period in the interest of the public, while further consultations continue.

Signed:
Steve Ayorinde
Commissioner for Information & Strategy
Lagos State

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https://news.assure.ng/lagos-state-directs-lcc-halt-toll-gate-tariff-hike-press-release/

What have I done to nairaland?....The admin and Seun have refused to move my post to front page....can someone tell me my sins....or is nairaland to the highest bidder.....if that is the case tell me how to bid...

Quite unfair to handlers of Nairaland...

I push this post before anyone on nairaland....and already on 2nd thread of comment...only for the admin of Nairaland to push another version of the post that was posted after mine...

This grave injustice should be looked into and investigated...

If I have committed any sin the admin should state it here....else.....i will see this as threat to the principle setting up nairaland...

What have I done to nairaland?....The admin and Seun have refused to move my post to front page....can someone tell me my sins....or is nairaland to the highest bidder.....if that is the case tell me how to bid...

Quite unfair to handlers of Nairaland...

I push this post before anyone on nairaland....and already on 2nd thread of comment...only for the admin of Nairaland to push another version of the post that was posted after mine...

This grave injustice should be looked into and investigated...

If I have committed any sin the admin should state it here....else.....i will see this as threat to the principle setting up nairaland...

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President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday ordered that ailing former Vice President Alex Ekwueme be flown abroad for medical treatment.

According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President gave the order after he received a brief on the medical condition of the former Vice President.

Shehu explained that the approval given by Buhari would cover the cost of chartering an air ambulance for the journey and the cost of his treatment.

The statement read, “President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the immediate medical treatment of former Vice-President, Dr Alex Ekwueme, outside the country. “The approval followed a brief the President received Friday on the medical condition of the former Vice-President.

“The approval covers the immediate charter of an Air Ambulance for the emergency movement and the cost of treatment. “President Buhari prays that God will grant the elder statesman speedy recovery.”

https://news.assure.ng/buhari-approves-immediate-overseas-treatment-ekwueme/

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The University of Ibadan (UI) on Thursday officially released the 2017/2018 cut-off marks for all courses for admission into the university.

The cut-off marks showed that Medicine and Surgery and Law has the highest merit cut-off point of 71.875 and 70.38 respectively for the 2017/18 academic session.

It put the cut off marks for the Educationally Less-Developed States, ELD, for Medicine and Surgery at 70.25, while that of law was put at 62.25.

However, Archaeology, Chemistry, Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, Forest Production/ Products, and Wildlife and Ecotourism Management in the Faculties of Science and Renewable and Natural Resources have the lowest cut-off marks of 50.

Others are Veterinary Medicine which was put at 60. The institution is yet to release the merit cut-off point for five courses namely; Pharmacy, Edu/Arabic, Edu/Biology, Edu/CLA, Edu/French and Edu/Yoruba.

Merit cut-off marks for courses in Faculty of Agriculture are: Agricultural Economics 51.375; Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, 52.125; Agronomy, 54.5; Animal Science, 51.875 and Crop Protection and Environmental Biology, 54.

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UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN DEPARTMENTAL CUT-OFF MARKS FOR ADMISSION – 2017/18.
FACULTY MERIT ELDS
AGRICULTURE
AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS 51.375
AGRICULTURAL EXTESION AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT 52.125
AGRONOMY 54.5
ANIMAL SCIENCE 51.875
CROP PROTECTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY 54
ARTS
ANTHROPOLOGY 56.5 54
ARABIC LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 58.75 50
ARCHEAOLOGY 51.88 50
CLASSICAL STUDIES 60.25 57
COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE ARTS 67.88 62.25
ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE 65 58
EUROPEAN STUDIES – FRENCH 62.13 54.25
EUROPEAN STUDIES – GERMAN 58.13 50
EUROPEAN STUDIES – RUSSIAN 55 50
HISTORY 60 55.5
ISLAMIC STUDIES 53.13 50
LINGUISTICS 63 57
LINGUISTICS – YORUBA 55 50
MUSIC 59 56.625
PHILOSOPHY 61.25 53
RELIGIOUS STUDIES 52.38 50
THEATRE ARTS 63.63 59
COLLEGE OF MEDICINE
BIOCHEMISTRY 57.625 54.375
DENTISTRY 66.25 63.625
HUMAN NUTRITION AND DIETETICS 58
MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE 60.375 56.625
MEDICINE AND SURGERY 71.875 70.25
NURSING SCIENCE 63.875 57.75
PHYSIOLOGY 63 57.375
PHYSIOTHERAPY 63 60.625
EDUCATION
ADULT EDUCATION 52.25 50
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION 52.62 50
EDU/ARABIC 50
EDU/BIOLOGY 50
EDU/CHEMISTRY 54.37 50
EDU/CLA 50
EDU/ECONOMICS 62.12 50
EDU/ENGLISH 68 50
EDU/FRENCH 50
EDU/GEOGRAPHY 57.75 50
EDU/HISTORY 57.75 50
EDU/IRS 52 50
EDU/MATHEMATICS 53.5 50
EDU/PHYSICS 59.25 50
EDU/POLITICAL SCIENCE 61.5 50
EDU/REL ST 59.87 50
EDU/YORUBA 50
EDUCATIONAL MANAGEMENT 55.87 50
GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING 57.125 50
HEALTH EDUCATION 51.62 50
HUMAN KINETICS 52.62 50
LIBRARY, ARCHIVAL AND INFORMATION STUDIES 57.75 50
SPECIAL EDUCATION 51.12 50
LAW
LAW 70.38 62.25
PHARMACY
PHARMACY
RENEWABLE AND NATURAL RESOURCES
AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES MANAGEMENT 50
FOREST PRODUCTION/PRODUCTS 50
WILDLIFE AND ECOTOURISM MANAGEMENT 50
SCIENCE
ANTHROPOLOGY 55.38
ARCHEAOLOGY 50
BOTANY 52.13
CHEMISTRY 50
COMPUTER SCIENCE 61 55.5
GEOGRAPHY 51.75
GEOLOGY 54.25
INDUSTRIAL CHEMISTRY 56
MATHEMATICS 52.75
MICROBIOLOGY 57.5 52.125
PHYSICS 51.375
STATISTICS 50.125
ZOOLOGY 53.875
THE SOCIAL SCIENCES
ECONOMICS 65.13 62.75
GEOGRAPHY 53.63 50
POLITICAL SCIENCE 64.5 59
PSYCHOLOGY 56.13 51
SOCIOLOGY 62.25 56
TECHNOLOGY
AGRICULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING 52.5 50
CIVIL ENGINEERING 64 61.5
ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING 68.125 63.875
FOOD TECHNOLOGY 52 50
INDUSTRIAL AND PRODUCTION ENGINEERING 62.25 58.25
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING 64.375 59.25
PETROLEUM ENGINEERING 61.25 55.125
WOOD PRODUCTS ENGINEERING 54.625 50
VETERINARY MEDICINE
VETERINARY MEDICINE 60 56.625

https://utme.assure.ng/university-ibadan-releases-201718-admission-cut-off-marks-see-list/

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The Department of State Services has finally produced the detained former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, in compliance with an order of the Federal High Court in Abuja that the ex-NSA should appear as a witness in the ongoing trial of a former Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Olisa Metuh.

He was produced by DSS operatives ahead of the Wednesday’s proceedings which commenced exactly 9 am. He was decked in a light blue attire with a cap to match.

On Tuesday, despite the request by defence lawyers for an order of arrest to be issued against the Director-General of the DSS, Lawal Daura, for failing to produce the ex-NSA in court, the trial judge, Justice Okon Abang ruled that he could not yet conclude that the DSS top man deliberately flouted the court order.

But the counsel prosecuting Metuh and his company, Destra Investments Limited on behalf of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, had informed the court on Tuesday that the Legal Adviser of DSS informed him over the telephone that Dasuki refused to be brought to court except by force.

Tahir later told the judge that he received a text message from the Legal Adviser of DSS saying after much persuasion, Dasuki agreed to appear in court on Tuesday.

But the judge had ruled on Tuesday that whether or not Dasuki and another subpoenaed witness, former President Goodluck Jonathan, would go ahead to testify would depend on the outcome of the court’s rulings on the summoned witnesses’ application objecting to Metuh’s request for them to testify in the case.

https://news.assure.ng/breaking-metuh-dss-bows-court-order-produces-dasuki-photo/

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Good Morning Nigerians. Its November 1, 2017, the appointed date for TSTV launch nationwide.

Thousands of free units of TSTV PR Decoders have been deployed nationwide through our accredited dealers. We implore those who have received TSTV PR units to test our services and kindly drop their assessment on our facebook inbox and official email address.

To ensure we reach more Nigerians throughout this test period, TSTV Management have launched TSTV transmission nationwide and all our channels are Free to Air for one month.

We are very conscious of the need to offer Nigerians value. That is why we have opened all our channels for free. We are doing all of this because Nigerians need to see what they are buying first. Every new product need to be tested before purchase.

TSTV is currently transmitting and its available for free for now on ABS 3 satellite. All our channels are up and free to air for this period of test broadcast. Kindly track ABS 3 and you will receive TSTV on Freq: 11052, (V), S/R: 30,000 free to air.

Please don't forget to drop your comments and findings on our facebook inbox or by email: info@tstvafrica.com

ABS 3 is easy to track. Kindly get any good installer to track ABS 3. Enjoy TSTV for free throughout the month of November.

God bless Nigeria.

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https://news.assure.ng/tstv-commences-tests-transmission-signals-nation-wide-press-release/

This evening at the State House, Abuja: Caucus Meeting of All Progressives Congress (APC). Pres @MBuhari & VP @ProfOsinbajo in attendance

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The Presidential dinner with the principal officers of the National Assembly is said to have been rescheduled for Tuesday. This was contained in a statement posted on the official twitter handle of the Presidency.

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki; and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, were among principal officers of the two chambers of the National Assembly who turned back from the Presidential Villa, Abuja on Thursday night.

Trouble started when security operatives on duty at the Pilot Gate insisted that all the Federal Lawmakers must come down from the Coaster bus that conveyed them for security check. This was said to have infuriated the National Assembly members who decided to turn back. “

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https://news.assure.ng/presidential-dinner-buhari-apologies-saraki-dogara-reschedule-dinner/

Mugono: Mr President Sir, I have no hand in the re-reinstatement of Maina...wahalai...I know nothing about it...see Dambazau is not here....Please save my job sir...

Buhari: Just go back to your seat.....

According to me oooo.....na joke ooooo....

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President Muhammadu Buhari is currently presiding over the Federal Executive Council meeting, where the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau is conspicuously absent.

Dambazau has been in the eye of the storm in recent times after allegations he played a role in the reinstatement and promotion of former head of the Presidential Task Force on Pensions Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina.

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The meeting which started exactly 10:55am, at the Council Chambers, inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja had in attendance Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, both of whom have been fingered in the controversies that re-instated Abdulrasheed Maina, a former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Force.

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The FEC meeting was put off on Wednesday, October 25th and rescheduled for Thursday, October 26th on the orders of the president.

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The Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs Ita Oyo, has confirmed that the age long disparity between holders of Bsc & HND has now been abolished by the Federal Government.

Speaking on Radio Nigeria Network public participation programme aired live this morning in Abuja, the HOSF noted that the decision was taken at a meeting of the Council on Establishment (body of state Heads of service, HOS/HOSF) held last week in Minna Niger State.

States HOS have been directed to issue a circular for d implementation of the HND/Bsc dichotomy.
One of the implications of the policy is that both HND & Bsc graduates will have d same entry point (same grade level & steps) & have d same retirement period.

https://news.assure.ng/fg-confirms-removal-of-bschnd-dichotomy-communicates-state-hos/

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…For instance, on 13th February 2013, the Senate gave the President a two-day ultimatum within which to sack the Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, Mr Abdulrasheed Maina, from the Federal Civil Service.

Mark spoke tough after a debate on a motion entitled, “Dismissal of Mr Abdulrasheed Maina for refusal to appear before the Senate” sponsored by Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba (SAN) and 107 senators, urging Jonathan to sack Maina from the public service.

The upper legislative chamber said Jonathan risked dire consequences if he failed to end Maina’s tenure. Mark declared that the Senate as an institution had been pushed to the wall and could no longer tolerate the insolence of public officials working for the executive. “

The executive has to choose between the Senate and Maina. He has crucified himself. If Maina remains, then the Senate would react appropriately. The Senate is not lacking in ideas on what to do. Nobody in this country is bigger than our democracy. I have been extremely patient with Maina, so that when we react, they will know that we have been fair,” Mark told his colleagues.

Apparently mindful of the fact that he was sending a message not only to the Villa but also to Nigerians since it was in the full glare of media cameras, Mark threw a challenge to the Police about whether they would be on the side of the law or that of Maina, “This Senate is not going to allow this to linger, if in two days they (Police) have not done anything, we can come here and convene and take a decision.

This Senate will bite when it needs to bite, and when we decide to bite, there will be no room for escape. We have been pushed to the wall. The reaction is the correct reaction; no matter the depth of the Maina situation nobody in this country will be left to go free, if he is associated with Maina, no matter who is behind Maina, we are not going to accept it.”

Earlier, the Chairman and the Co-Chairman of the Joint Committee, Senators Aloysius Etok and Kabiru Gaya, gave accounts of their experiences with Maina. Gaya said the committee received 7,800 petitions during its assignment and that Maina coordinated the process of mismanaging pension funds. An exasperated Etok said of Maina, “We called him to account for his stewardship in all the offices he was overseeing.

When we exposed some things, he decided not to appear again. Instead of appearing before the committee, he would go on the media, condemning the entire Senate. He said he was not given fair hearing, but when we offered him fair hearing, he refused. He drives two bulletproof cars, in a country where pensioners are hungry. He used N1 billion for jamboree in the name of verification abroad. He spends more than N8 million every two weeks on personal security.”

Maina was a true ‘fat cat’, seemingly untouchable. At the time the Senate was debating him, Maina was being driven around town, including to Aso Rock, in a convoy of several vehicles with a retinue of policemen. It was the one scandal that made many conclude that the Jonathan administration did not ‘give a damn’ about public perception.

After his failure to honour numerous invitations by the senate joint committee, the upper legislative chamber ultimately issued a warrant for Maina’s arrest, prosecution and sack.

Days later, the House of Representatives followed suit and endorsed the decision of the senate for Maina’s arrest and prosecution. The lawmakers said in a motion that the House was “conscious of the need to present a common front with respect to the institutional integrity of the National Assembly” as they were “aware of the need to send a strong signal to the executive arm of the government of the resolve of the national assembly to stop impunity and disregard of due process in the conduct of government business.”

The President eventually caved in and gave the go-ahead for disciplinary action to be taken against Maina, who was dismissed by the Head of Service for absconding from duty and evading arrest. It was too little, too late.

The harm to the administration was already done. Explaining why he had to adopt a tough stance on the issue, Mark told me that the senate committee had invited Maina several times and he would not come. “You know he is a very loud fellow who talks too much. He was all over the place, boasting about his connection to the Presidential Villa and he kept on bluffing the senate.

To compound the issue, he was indeed seen driving in and out of Aso Rock in a convoy of vehicles with police escort. It was at a point when I couldn’t take the nonsense any longer that I decided on the letter to the President,” Mark disclosed…

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Cristiano Ronaldo won the men’s award for the fourth time in five years while Lieke Martens was named best female player and Oliver Giroud won best goal

So Ronaldo wins the Fifa player of the year award for the fourth time in five years. That’s five awards apiece for him and Messi, the Argentinian’s golden period coming when he won four in a row between 2009 and 2012. Next year will sure be interesting.

Olivier Giroud wins Ferenc Puskas award for goal of the year

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Olivier Giroud wins Ferenc Puskas award for goal of the year. Neymar and Antonio Conte reckon Giroud should win it, while Kane shows no bias by opting for Masuluke. The odd couple of Catherine Zeta-Jones and Diego Forlan are the ones in the know though, and it is Giroud. Great goal lad, but nothing beats this.

Zinedine Zidane wins coach of the year
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Zidane wins, and looking suave as ever in a dickie bow, Zidane flits between English, French and Spanish. In Spanish he says he loves his wife, and name checks his best players “Ronaldo, Marcelo, Toni, Luca, thank you”. Thanks to Madrid he says with a beaming smile, and strolls off.

Gianlugi Buffon wins goalkeeper of the year
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Buffon gets it. Legend. Will he ever stop? “It’s a great honour to receive this award at my age,” he says. The man’s only 39. He can go on for years. For now though he just wants to win the Champions League with Juventus and the World Cup with Italy. Aim high squire.

Celtic win best fans award
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Glory for Celtic, primarily for honouring the ‘Lisbon Lions’ with stunning 360-degree card display on 50th anniversary of historic European Cup win.

Sarina Wiegman wins women’s coach of the year
Holland won Euro 2017 in fine style so naturally Wiegman takes the Fifa award. She’s not here though, but she tells us she’s happy in a video recorded yesterday. What! I thought no one knew the results.

Francis Koné wins Fifa fair play award

“This award shows more than any other the power of football and its ability to touch peoples’ lives the world over,” we are told. “And there can only be one winner”. That man is Francis Koné

The Fifa world team of year is announced
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The Fifa Dream Team has been named, and here it is (4-4-3); Buffon, Alves, Marcelo, Ramos, Bonucci; Modric, Kroos, Iniesta; Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar. Difficult to argue with much of that team. But Iniesta? Was he that good last year? At least the announcement might cheer up Bonucci though …

Lieke Martens wins Fifa women's player of the year - Martens wins it. She was sensational in Holland’s stunning run to Euro 2017 glory. He skills were breathtaking and she’s still only 24.

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Bomb blasts again rock Maiduguri

Bomb explosions have rocked Maiduguri, Borno State capital. The explosions which occurred at about 8.20pm Sunday around the Muna Garage area at the outskirts of the city created panic in the area.

Commissioner of Police, Borno Command, Damian Chukwu confirmed the incident. “There are some bomb blasts this night and our men are already at the scene,” he told NNN, promising to provide more detail as the rescue operation gets underway.

Maiduguri, epicentre of the over six years Boko Haram insurgency has experienced relative peace until now.

More details shortly...

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President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday returned to Abuja after a successful four-day working visit to Ankara and Istanbul in Turkey.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the President’s official aircraft which took off from Ataturk airport, Istanbul at about 12 p.m (Turkish time) local time, landed at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja at 4.05p.m.

Buhari, accompanied by his wife, Aisha, was received at the airport by senior government officials, including his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, Inspector-General of Police, Idris Ibrahim, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Alhaji Mohammad Bello and other presidential aides.

While in Ankara, Buhari was hosted by the Turkish President, Recep Tayyeb Erdogan for “a fairly long one-on-one meeting’’, on Thursday, before the bilateral meeting that involved their ministers and members of their delegations.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by the President’s Spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, said the outing was Buhari’s first visit to Turkey since his election in 2015, but the second meeting with Erdogan who as Prime Minister visited Abuja in March, 2016.

He said that Buhari’s objective during both visits focused on issues of security and anti-terrorism; agricultural cooperation and trade cooperation. Others were education and health; transport and connectivity; energy sector cooperation and increased private sector participation.

Shehu noted that the visit had achieved quite a lot on the stated objectives. Buhari, who participated in the 9th D-8 Summit in Istanbul on Oct. 20, also held bilateral meetings with some member-countries.

“The meetings have also helped to enhance momentum in ties between Nigeria and the rest of the `D-8’ member-countries and the establishment of a positive working relationship, especially between Buhari and Erdogan,’’ Shehu said.

The presidential aide noted that Nigeria and Turkey, during the visit, had agreed to support each other in the fight against terrorism, human, drugs, and arms trafficking.

“Turkey specifically mentioned the menace of the Fethullah organisation “FETO” which they accused of terrorism and involvement in the abortive coup plot in 2016, which the Turkish population gallantly resisted.

“There are more than 1,000 Turkish citizens in Nigeria, many of them accused of belonging to this organisation and for which reason their passports have been declared invalid by their country.

“Nigeria has her own problems with the Boko Haram terrorist organisation which claims ties to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, ISIS and (possibly) Daesh, (two international terrorist organisations which Turkey is up against) in the fight of which we get support from Turkey and we desire more. “Both countries also have issues with domestic terror organisations for which they need each other’s help.

“There is equally the burning issue of the smuggling of illicit arms allegedly from Turkey, which their authorities effectively debunked but nonetheless agreed to enter into agreement with Nigeria that their ports, harbors, airports and territories will not ever again be used as transit points for such trafficking originating from other lands.’’

On the issues of the suspected terrorists of Turkish origin in Nigeria, Shehu said that Erdogan received the best assurances from the Nigerian leader that the country would not allow any person or organisation to use her territory for any subversive activities.

He stated that President Buhari used every given opportunity to denounce the July 15, 2016 failed coup attempt in Turkey. “The Turkish citizens who have sought and already obtained assistance from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNCHR) since they became stateless persons have been warned not to engage in any political activities while they are in Nigeria.

“Turkish authorities on their part gave all assurances that no subversive activities against Nigeria will be permitted of their citizens or on their territory.’’ Shehu also said that Nigeria and Turkey discussed the possibility of working together on the challenges brought about by Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugees in the Northeast.

According to him, Turkey has the experience in handling about five million refugees in her territory. On the issue of arms smuggling, Shehu stated that Nigeria reached conclusions with the Turkish authorities on how to avert future smuggling of illicit arms into Nigeria.

It would be recalled that Col. Hameed Ali (rtd.), the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), had on Sept. 21, at a briefing in Lagos, said that a syndicate based in Turkey had been discovered to be behind illegal arms imports into Nigeria.

Ali was part of Buhari’s entourage to the just concluded four-day working visit to Turkey. The Tin-Can Island Command of the NCS, had in September, intercepted 2,671 pump action rifles imported from Turkey, making the seizure the fourth at the Lagos port within eight months.

Shehu revealed that Nigeria would in the coming weeks sign an agreement with Turkey against trafficking in weapons, humans and drugs.

“Our team which included the Minister of Interior, Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (rtd) and the Comptroller-General of NCS Ali reached conclusions with the Turkish authorities on how to avert future occurrence and to that effect, a negotiated agreement is to be signed by both sides after vetting by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice as a requirement of our own administration.’’

Others on the President’s entourage included the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Geoffery Onyeama; Defence, Brig-Gen. Mansur Dan Ali (rtd); Education, Adamu Adamu and Industry, Trade and Investment Okechukwu Enelamah.

The National Security Adviser, retired Maj-Gen. Babagana Munguno (NSA), the acting Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Amb. Arab Yadam and Nigeria’s Ambassador to Turkey, Ilyas Sulaiman Paragalda also accompanied Buhari to the occasion.

https://news.assure.ng/president-buhari-returns-abuja-4-day-working-visit-turkey/

Hi there, If you have collected your Speedstar Device and have issues, you can visit any of the support centers listed in the image below.

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Aftermath of the massive failure rate recorded in the just concluded Proficiency tests for Kaduna State Primary School Teachers, the State Government has issued a new recruitment guidelines for primary school teachers in Kaduna State....Read details below

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A yet-to-be identified man on Friday afternoon jumped into the Lagos lagoon from the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge.

The suicide mission has forced officials of the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Marine Police and other stakeholders to the scene to search for the man.

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Details shortly....

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President Buhari arrives Esenboğa International Airport, Ankara, Turkey. He is accompanied by his wife.

President Buhari, accompanied by his wife, Aisha Buhari and delegation of ministers have arrived in Ankara, the Turkish capital for bilateral discussions between the governments of the two countries.

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On concluding the bilateral talks on Thursday, the party moves to Istanbul for the meeting of the D8, Organisation for Development Cooperation. On Thursday President Buhari will lead the Nigerian delegation in bilateral talks with their Turkish counterparts.

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Operation CROCODILE SMILE II: No Vaccination In Rivers State Schools (Press Release)

PRESS RELEASE - DISCLAIMER NOTICE

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1. The attention of Headquarters 6 Division Nigerian Army has been drawn to some rumours making the rounds that some Nigerian Army Personnel are going round schools in Rivers State dressed in Military Camouflage uniforms with the intention of forcefully vaccinating students with an unknown substance.

The callous and unpatriotic rumours spread by these enemies of State are, to say the least, despicable, deplorable and highly condemnable by all well meaning Nigerians as they are intended to cause pandemonium among the general public.

2. The authorities of 6 Division Nigerian Army wishes to inform the general public that while the Nigerian Army plans to undertake such gestures like free medical outreaches, sanitation exercises in host communities and distribution of educational materials as part of our community relations activities during the ongoing Operation CROCODILE SMILE II, these activities are yet to be conducted and will eventually be conducted with the consent of relevant authorities of designated communities and at venues and dates that will be duly communicated to the general public through future press releases and relevant posters.

3. For the purpose of emphasis, the Nigerian Army does not and will never carry out its medical outreaches or vaccination exercises for that matter in Schools.

We can therefore categorically inform the public that the ongoing rumours about Nigerian Army Personnel going round schools in military camouflage to forcefully immunize school children are not true and should therefore be discountenanced with.

Additionally, members of the public are please requested to call 09072509436-8 to report any case of any impostor(s) that may be seen actually trying to commit such atrocities.

4. You are kindly requested to disseminate this information to the general public through your medium. Thank you for your usual cooperation.

AMINU ILIYASU
Colonel
Deputy Director
Army Public Relations

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