₦airaland Forum

SALLAH: FG DECLARES FRIDAY, MONDAY AS PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/sallah-fg-declares-friday-monday-as.html

The Federal Government has declared Friday, 1st and Monday 4th September, 2017 as public holidays to mark Eid-el-Kabir celebrations.

This was confirmed by the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, who made the declaration on behalf of the FG in a statement on Monday.

He congratulated Muslim faithful and all Nigerians, urging them to use the occasion to pray for peace, unity, prosperity and the stability of Nigeria.

Dambazau also urged citizens to join hands with President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, in its avowed determination to build a peaceful and harmonious country, “where the rights of every citizen are protected and guaranteed, as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The Minister assured Nigerians of security and safety in all parts of the country, emphasizing that security agencies have been directed to maintain peace and protect lives and property.

He condemned in strong terms the prevalence of hate speeches in the country and warned that the government would henceforth deal with perpetrators according to the law.


The minister stated that the government would continue to foster peaceful coexistence, national cohesion and stability in its march towards actualizing the full potential of Nigeria.

ARSENAL'S ALEX OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN SET TO JOIN CHELSEA
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/arsenals-alex-oxlade-chamberlain-set-to.html

Arsenal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is on the brink of joining Premier League champions Chelsea.



Oxlade-Chamberlain, 24, will be out of contract next summer and has refused to sign a new deal at Emirates Stadium.

The England international has started every game for the Gunners so far this season, including Sunday's 4-0 defeat at Liverpool, when he was substituted.

Chelsea have declined to comment but it is understood they have agreed a transfer fee with their London rivals.

Liverpool have also shown an interest, but the former Southampton player is set to move to Stamford Bridge.

Oxlade-Chamberlain would be Chelsea's fifth major signing of the summer following the arrivals of striker Alvaro Morata, goalkeeper Willy Caballero, defender Antonio Rudiger and midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko.

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte had made it clear he wanted to add further to his squad before the transfer window closes on Thursday.

Oxlade-Chamberlain, who has made 198 appearances for Arsenal since joining them from Southampton in August 2011, would be the first arrival since the Italian said he wanted to sign four more players.

The Blues have allowed a host of players - including defenders John Terry, Nathan Ake and Kurt Zouma, and midfielder Nemanja Matic - to leave this summer, while last season's top scorer Diego Costa has been told he can leave.

They have won two of their opening three Premier League matches.

Arsenal, meanwhile, have lost their past two games, including Sunday's defeat at Anfield.

Like Oxlade-Chamberlain, forward Alexis Sanchez and midfielder Mesut Ozil are also out of contract next summer.

FOUR ARRESTED AS POLICE UNCOVERS FRAUD SYNDICATES IN IKEJA
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/four-arrested-as-police-uncovers-fraud.html


The operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) attached to the Lagos State Police Command have arrested four members of two fraud syndicates operating in Ikeja, Maryland, Ojodu-Berger, Agege and Oshodi parts of the metropolis.
The members of the syndicates – three male and a female – were arrested in two separate cases of fraud last Thursday and Saturday in Ikeja and Oshodi.
The first group, comprising of Chinasa Sunday and Osadebe Aigbe were arrested in Ikeja after several days of being under the surveillance of RRS Undercover team for defrauding a lady of the sum of N85, 000.
The victim, Grace Enitan, had reported at the RRS Headquarters that a syndicate of four men picked her up in a taxi and duped her of N85,000 while she was heading to Ikeja.
Investigations revealed that Chinasa Sunday and Osadebe Aigbe were involved in the scam while their ring-leader, identified simply as Martin is on the run.
The victim when invited to the RRS headquarters after their arrest identified the two suspects and their respective roles in the scam.
Upon his arrest, Chinasa while pleading for leniency explained that he joined the syndicate after losing his job in February, 2017. He explained that they picked up the suspect in Olowopopo Way, Ikeja, adding that her role was to monitor their victims while the scam lasted.
The second syndicate was arrested Saturday, August 26, 2017, after a failed bid to swindle a food seller of over N120,000 and dispossess her of her jewelry in Oshodi.

According to EYES OF LAGOS source, the suspect, Rukayat Aderinwale was accosted and hypnotized by a syndicate of five members before dispossessing her of a purse containing N120,000 and her mobile phone.
They were leading her away to another location when the lady regained her consciousness and called out to RRS officers stationed nearby.
In a direct response, the RRS team arrested one Sunday Atanda and Fausat Tijani, while three other members of the syndicate escaped.
In his confession to the police, Atanda gave the names of other syndicate members as Kayode, Shina and Lateef. He added that the syndicate only operated on the road.
Confirming the development, Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole said that the Command is charged to make Lagos inhabitable for criminals. He added that investigation is on-going to arrest other syndicate members.

EASE OF DOING BUSINESS: CAC’S GIANT STRIDES IN BUSINESS REGISTRATION
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/ease-of-doing-business-cacs-giant.html


The federal government has demonstrated its determination to improve the way businesses are being done in Nigeria.
Stakeholders have described this step as one in the right direction considering the fact that the country is viewed by many as that with enormous opportunities and business potentials. The sheer size of the country’s population, human and natural resources as well as its diverse culture place the country in a class of potentially great nations. It is therefore a sad narrative when the challenges faced by businesses and entrepreneurs are considered. According to the World Bank Doing Business Report 2017, Nigeria is ranked 169 among 190 economies in the ease of doing business.
However, in the wake of the recession, which the country slipped into in the second quarter of 2016, the federal government has adopted a number of measures to try to curb economic decline and engineer growth. One of the most remarkable is the effort to improve the ease of doing business.
In July 2016, President Muhammadu Buhari established the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) with a mandate to remove bureaucratic and regulatory constraints to doing business in Nigeria and improve its global business rating. The Council is chaired by the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo
A major component of this reform is in business registration. Today, this has witnessed much improvement with the new model adopted by Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) under the leadership of Mahmud Bello.
EYES OF LAGOS learnt that the CAC has been in the forefront of strengthening ease of doing business through its plethora of initiatives including the Company Registration Portal (CRP).
Since the launching of the CRP, company registration activity has witnessed progressive increase. Worthy of note, is the fact that the feedback which the CAC gets from its customers and other stakeholders has over time helped to further enhance the workability of the on-line registration experience and operational needs required for a perfect registration process which the Commission is committed to provide.
EYES OF LAGOS findings have shown that the CRP is not only user-friendly, but also affords customers on-line real-time access to the services of the CAC from the comfort of their offices or homes, using different e-payment platforms such as inter-switch, e-transact, MasterCard, Verve card and Visa card to effect payments for their registration. This has made it possible for potential investors to register companies without necessarily hiring the services of a lawyer or lawyers. The CRP has also been found to have significantly impacted on the time cycle for company registration, thereby leading to the achievement of the Commission’s 24 hours registration target. This is undoubtedly a huge leap for Nigeria in terms of one of the key components of the World Bank’s ease of doing business assessment criteria, ‘Starting a Business’.
Beyond the CRP, however, the CAC’s current dynamic management led by Barr. Bello Mahmud had also envisioned other initiatives which have helped immensely towards ease of doing business in Nigeria. For some time now, the Commission has maintained a desk at the One-Stop Investment Centre (OSIC) being hosted by the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), which is a platform to carter for foreign investors coming to register and do business in Nigeria.
The CAC’s OSIC desk has been empowered to conclude company registration activities within 24 hours. Another laudable initiative by the Commission has been the creation of a public search window which allows members of the public to view all existing and approved names online free of charge before they choose names for reservation. Hitherto, this was only being done physically by lawyers on behalf of potential registrants after payment of a sum as search fees.
Equally invaluable to its clients, the CAC has established a 24/7 Call Centre which is domiciled in its Public Affairs Department, with four dedicated telephone lines and an email account, for the public to make enquiries and complaints resolution.
Also, as part of the federal government’s initiatives to ease doing business, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Okechukwu Enelama recently approved timelines and extended working hours for the Commission. The CAC now closes by 7pm to the public. These, among numerous other initiatives, are sure measures towards not only fast-tracking quick start of business in Nigeria, but also ensuring that the Commission evolves into a world class companies Registry.
EYES OF LAGOS learnt that in the new dispensation, founding a business in Nigeria now simply starts with a person or a group of persons choosing a desired business name and approaching the CAC for its availability on their platform. Approval for reservation of a name shall be completed within 12 hours from inception. If such a name is free for registration, the Commission approves and reserves it for the promoter[s] for a period within which the process of formal registration is expected to have been completed or in some cases, should have been in progress.
The Commission has uploaded the names of all registered Companies, Business Names, Incorporated Trustees and those undergoing registration on its website. The information is updated daily –to enable members of the public to confirm the name, registration number and date of registration for every Company, Business Name and Incorporated Trustees at no cost. The public search window can be accessed directly at .gov.ng or through the Commission’s website cac.gov.ng.
The current guidelines for the process is contained in the Commission’s Companies and Allied Matters Act provisions of 2012, which contains the required forms and documents that the registration seekers must provide, and also the various fees they should pay to the government through the Commission.
Before now, it was compulsory that promoters of a business name engage the services of either a CAC accredited chartered accountant, chartered secretary, or a lawyer to register such a company on their behalf. But in the new order, promoters of business names can are now permitted to register their businesses at the Commission directly by themselves provided they have valid identifications such as the permanent voter’s card, international passport, national ID, or driver’s licence.
This new order ensures that expenses incurred by business registration seekers are reduced. Besides this, almost all the fees charged by the Commission for its services have been reduced by half.
Our correspondents learnt that in order to get the optimal benefits of the Companies Registration Portal and further ease the process of company registration, the Commission has integrated it to the Electronic Stamp Duty Portal of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). It was disclosed that the e-stamping system has cancelled the physical submission of documents to FIRS for assessment and manual stamping at the various Stamp Duty Offices across Nigeria.
The director-general of CAC, Mahmud Bello has said that once the stamp duty is paid through an e-platform, customers fill in the application form and the Memorandum and Article of Association on the CRP.
“They are then required to download and print the certificate of stamp duty as well as the Memorandum and Article of Association together with the application form for submission.
“Upon such execution, the documents are then scanned and uploaded through the document upload interface together with all relevant documents including the means of identification of the individual subscribers/Directors and their proficiency certificate – if required. These scanned documents are then uploaded via a link to the Company Registration Portal that enables customers to upload their registration documents from the comfort of their homes or offices.
“By this new procedure, there is no more need for physical submission of documents by customers for new and post registration filings, as they can easily do so through the interface. To ensure seamless operation of the portal and zero downtime, the Commission has concluded arrangement for external hosting of its main database and operating software. This will ensure availability of the site by customers 24/7 – thus ensuring efficient registration services,” he said.
In furtherance of federal government’s commitment and determination to improve the business environment, also turned the light on the states.
Enelamah disclosed that the 36 states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory were being assessed on the basis of the ease of doing business in each location for the period 2014 to 2018. This is in preparation for rankings due to be released in the first half of next year.
According to them, the subnational rankings are being undertaken by the World Bank Group, in collaboration with the EBES and the Nigerian Investment Promotion Council (NIPC). The EBES and NIPC would assist state governments in the implementation of their priority reforms.
The states and FCT will be ranked based on 11 indicator areas, which include four World Bank indicators and seven additional areas of interest that are governed or implemented by the state governments. The World Bank indicators are; starting a business, enforcing contract, registering property, and dealing with construction permits.
The seven additional indicator areas comprise: trade/investment and marketing; infrastructure; access to landed property; regulatory environment; institutional support and business resources; transparency and accessibility to information; and security.
While the global World Bank Doing Business Rankings evaluate countries based on the performances of one or two major cities, generally using Lagos and Kano as representative centres for Nigeria, the subnational assessment would rank all the states and the FCT. The government says the aim is to bring out local peculiarities, help states to compete on the basis of their comparative advantage, and highlight good practices and success stories that can be replicated.
Experts hail the looming state-by-state rankings as an exercise that would engender healthy competition among the federating units.
Speaking on this initiative, president of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Dr. Frank Jacobs, “Such an exercise would engender competition among the federating states in terms of who would be the best in the ease of doing business.
“If that happens, it will create a better business environment and it is going to increase the ease of doing business among the states.
That will be to the benefit of the manufacturing sector.”
Jacobs explains, “We believe that it is a step in the right direction. It is something that should be encouraged, in fact, not just in the states alone, but also in the local governments. It will make the business environment attractive and more investment will go into business, thereby creating jobs and wealth for the country. That would improve the economy of the country.”
However, experts noted that there are serious structural issues that need to be addressed before the intentions of the state-by-state ease of doing business rankings can really be realised.
With the retention of Monetary Policy Rate at14 per cent, which has been operational since July last year, alongside all other policy parameters, this position of the monetary committee contradicts that of many experts, who have maintained that lowering the interest rate would reduce the cost of funds and give both government and private investors more access to loans to expand infrastructure and production.
Economist Henry Boyo said, the high cost of funds, double-digit inflation rate, and CBN’s monopoly of the foreign exchange market are problems that must be addressed before Nigeria can truly attract both local and foreign investment.
Many have also said that the pseudo-federal nature of Nigeria, which is anchored on a unitary-style central sharing of revenues, would always neutralise any pressure on the state governments to take concrete steps to encourage ease of doing business within their territories.
They stated that the current momentum of business reforms initiated by the federal government is commendable.
“Further, the step towards enforcing compliance with these reforms through issuance of executive orders is a step in the right direction. Nonetheless, it is instructive to note the attendant challenges in the implementation of the orders,” they said.
They envisaged that with the success recorded so far, Nigeria will move up in the World Banks’ next rankings in the Ease of Doing Business Report.

MAKARFI’S LEADERSHIP FAILS TO RECONCILE KWARA PDP
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/makarfis-leadership-fails-to-reconcile.html

Moves by the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to reconcile the warring factions of the party in Kwara State failed yesterday.
The failure of the national party to broker peace between the warring camps led by IyiolaOyedepo and Sunday Fagbemi, manifested barely minutes after the stakeholders came out of the peace meeting which held at the party’s national secretary in Abuja.
Eyes Of Lagos gathered that, The Sen. Ahmed Makarfi-led leadership had summoned the party stakeholders from the state to Abuja in a bid to reconcile them. The party had engaged Sen. Solomon Ewuga to serve as mediator between the two warring factions.
But indications that the two-hours meeting ended in an intense deadlock emerged as some of the stakeholders were seen discussing angrily in clusters, while others hurriedly left the party premises.
When approached for comments, former minister of National Planning Prof Suleiman Abubakar refused to speak with newsmen but directed them to a former senator, Suleiman Ajadi, who angrily rebuffed them saying “what journalists, what journalists, can’t you see we are discussing”.
Earlier, SenMakarfi, while speaking during the open session, cautioned the two camps to tow the part of four other states that have resolved to work together, noting that Kwara State was reputed to be very politically mature.

Patoranking Hints He Just Welcomed A Child, Shares Baby Bump Photo With Lady (See Photo)
source : https://makesensemusic.com/patoranking-hints-just-welcomed-child-shares-baby-bump-photo-lady-see-photo/

Nigerian Reggae and dancehall king, Patoranking seems to have welcomed a child.

The singer just shared this baby bump photo with a mystery lady and captioned it;

” Daddy Yo Thank God ”
See below:-

cc : lalasticalala , mynd44

ASUU MAKING UNREALISTIC DEMANDS - EZEKWESILI
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/ASUU-making-unrealistic-demands.html

A former Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, on Sunday said that the demands by the Academic Staff Union of Universities were unrealistic in light of the current economic situation in Nigeria.


Eyes Of Lagos gathered, Ezekwesili said this while speaking in Ibadan while reacting to the ongoing strike embarked upon by the union.

Strike: We won’t go back to class until govt implements past agreements –ASUU

The former minster said that lasting solution to the crisis bedeviling the education sector could only be found from strong analysis of the issues raised by ASUU and evidenced based policies.

“Money is not limitless and yet everyone must acknowledge that investment in education is crucial and it is key.

“There are, however, some fundamental reforms that the sector needs in order to ensure that it is not about the size of the funding but about the productivity of the funding.

“You cannot simply express a desire, it must be founded on reality and that means you must know what can be achieved within a given period,” she said.

According to her, a structural and policy change which allows public and private investments should be integrated into the university system.

“If you remember, the ASUU negotiation started in 2007 when I was the Minister of Education and we constituted a government negotiation team, led by the late Gamaliel Onosode,

“Even though that period was short, one of the major issues for me was for us to make sure that we were being evidenced based in the way we were solving the problem,

“We considered issues like the existing model in countries similar to us in emerging economies,’’ she said.

The former minister said the team also considered what could be done by the public and private sectors about university funding among others.

“Those are the kinds of evidence that we had and on the basis of which we hinged our negotiation at that time,

“It was a very short period and then we had to leave and the next government that took over had to continue.

“I do not know the basis of the final agreement they reached with ASUU, but if it was not anchored on analytical evidence, I am not surprised that there has been inability to implement it.”

Ezekwesili urged both the Federal Government and ASUU to return to the negotiating table and work on the basis of analysis and evidence to find lasting solution to the dispute.

FAAN BLAMES DELAY IN AIRPORT CERTIFICATION ON PAUCITY OF FUND
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/faan-blames-delay-in-airport.html


The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has blamed lack of funds for the delay in certification of the nation’s airports.
Managing Director of the authority, Engr. Saleh Dunoma, who disclosed this in an exclusive interview with EYES OF LAGOS noted, however, that with budgetary provision made in this regard, the issue of paucity of funds had been laid to rest.
Dunoma said with multiple assessments done on the nation’s airports by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Airports Council International (ACI) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), FAAN now has higher safety standards than what it was before the airport certification process.
He said, “The challenges at the beginning were resources. At the beginning, we thought we might not need many resources, but at the end of the day, after the assessment, we discovered that we have a lot to do.
“The only thing we needed to do was to make provisions in our budget that these are special fund to address the certification. Once we got the assessment and the funds provided, our engineers swung into action. The engineers came with the estimate of how some of the technical issues, some of the documentations and some of the new things we needed to provide to make sure that we close the gaps.
“So, with the provision in our budget, there was no issue again. Budget was provided and everything is going smoothly and that is why we are at this stage”.
Dunoma who added that he was looking at the certification from the level of achievement in terms of safety, pointed out that FAAN has, by way of going through the process of airport certification, achieved a lot of safety standards
Emphasising that certification is all about safety, the FAAN boss said that the Authority had since combined the two assessments done by ICAO, ACI and the one done by NCAA in order to work with the results and forge ahead.
Without the assessments by such reputable organizations, Dunoma said, the authority wouldn’t have known that there are some open items at the airports.
He, however, informed that with certification, everything was looked into, including documentation, communication lines, emergency contact telephone numbers and other necessary facilities and equipment at the airports.
His words: “Under normal circumstances, we would not bother. But with the certification, we must make sure that whoever is there is current. Certification is making sure that everything is current and checked on regular basis. It is not only getting the certificate but sustenance of the certificate is important.
“Yes, we have worked hard that we close the items, but we must sustain it. Also, what is important is the currency in terms of training of personnel. We must make sure that all personnel are properly trained. If you acquire equipment for example, we must make sure that people that will operate the machine are trained on that particular machine”.
On the readiness of airports for certification, Dunoma said as far as FAAN is concerned, the Authority is ready for the process.
He added that although most of the open items have been closed, there is also the need for them to go back to NCAA so that they can come and confirm the closure.
Speaking further on the items that needed to be closed, Dunoma said, “There are so many items. If I remember rightly, there are over 100 items that we need to close. There are some of them that have to do with procedures. Those ones are easy to close. There are some that have to do with documentation”.

"GOD IS WATCHING," BUHARI'S DAUGHTER TELLS THOSE WHO WANT HER FATHER DEAD
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/god-is-watching-buharis-daughter-tells.html


Eyes Of Lagos gathered, As written on her Instagram page "God is watching,"

The president's daughter Zahra Buhari Indimi, on Saturday told those who want to eliminate her dad, as she welcomes him back to Nigeria

THE VALIDITY OF ELECTRONIC CONTRACTS IN NIGERIA BY IDOWU ODUBANJO
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/the-validity-of-electronic-contracts-in.html

What is an Electronic Contract?
An electronic contract is piece of information, communications, or correspondences in an electronic document, creating obligations between two or more correspondents that are enforceable or otherwise recognisable at law.

Formation of Electronic Contract.
Traditionally, a contract may be made or entered orally or in writing or implied from the conduct of the parties. The advent of the electronic documents as additional means of entering into a contract other than a paper document, has not change the basic requirements for the formation of a contract of a valid and enforceable contract.

It has however, added to the variant of a written agreement, thereby giving the parties intending to enter into a written agreement or contract the option of having it on the traditional paper document or in a dematerialised format of an electronic document. Whichever means a contract is entered or formed, the law recognises five vital ingredients as the constituent of a valid and enforceable contract.
These are
1. Offer
2. Acceptance
3. Consideration
4. Capacity to contract and
5. Intention to create legal relationship.
See: College of Medicine v. Adegbite (1973) 3 SC. 149; Nimanteks Associates v. Marco Const. Co. Ltd. (1991) 2 NWLR (Pt. 174) 411 at 427, per Tobi JCA (as he then was).

Thus, before there can be said to be the formation of an electronic contract between the correspondents, it must be apparent or implicative that, there was an offer and an acceptance backed by consideration with the intention to create a legal relationship between the correspondents who possessed/possess the capacity to enter into such a contract.

The value of reliability placed on electronic correspondence in Nigeria is very low, as many users of electronic platform including some lawyers are either not aware that, electronic contracts can be implied or made from mere electronic correspondences without signatures or are wary of entering into a contract without a direct face to face communication. The latter may be due to the online fraudulent activities of internet fraudsters known as “yahoo boys” or due to ignorance of the fact that, transacting business on electronic platforms is cost effective and time saving compare to than traditional paper platforms.

The absence of a statutory legal framework on electronic transactions in Nigeria is enough to invoke doubts on the validity of the contract. Fortunately, however, the provisions of the Nigerian recent Evidence Act, 2011 on electronic evidence provides the necessary legal protection for the enforcement of electronic contract in Nigeria. Moreover, it is not the doubting or the believing of the validity of a contract that makes it valid or invalid in law, but the presence of the basic ingredients of a valid contract in the contract in issue, be it a paper or an electronic contract.

Formation of an electronic contract is not rocket science or an esoteric or complex transaction, as some perceive it, it only demand for more legal creativity on the part of the solicitor engaged to see to an enforceable electronic contract.

Our free legal advice to anyone or organisation about to accept an electronic offer or sign a contract-agreement on paper, is to seek for a good Lawyer to review the electronic offer or contract, before electronically accepting the offer or before appending your signature.
You may contact IDOWU ODUBANJO & ASSOCIATES for further illuminations on your paper or electronic contracts.

CONTACT :
IDOWU ODUBANJO & ASSOCIATES.
� 26 Ogunlana Drive,
Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria.
� +2348056113649, +2347035077254
�www.ioafirm.com
✉ info@ioafirm.com

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, TOP PRIORITY OF AMUWO ODOFIN LGA ENGR. BURAIMOH
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/environmental-sustainability-top.html

The Executive Chairman of Amuwo Odofin LGA, Comrade Engr Valentine Oluwaseyi Buraimoh has affirmed that, the regeneration of the environment and its sustainability remain the topnotch priority of his administration.

Speaking to newsmen in Festac Town, Lagos shortly after inspecting the ongoing clearing of weeds in some parts of Festac Town, Adosoba and Mile 2, noted that " I am impressed with the progress made so far on the environment.

"As Amuwo Odofin Local Government continue to grow and expand with its attendant pressure on the environment, it is expedient that we make efforts to improve and make it healthier for people to live in" .

The Local Government boss also canvassed for stakeholders support in protecting the environmental landscape of the local government stating that his visit to the office of Vissionscape, a waste management company for Lagos State has help him see the vision of the Governor and Government of Lagos State on waste management for a Mega city and as such he has partnered with the company for preliminary evacuation of waste in Amuwo Odofin LG which can been see across the LG especially at the Jakande low cost housing estate

I’VE BEEN TO LONDON TO SEE THE KING
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/ive-been-to-london-to-see-king.html

By Femi Adesina

Not a few tongues had wagged over the fact that President Muhammadu Buhari was outside the country on medical vacation for weeks on end, and no member of his media team was with him. Many times, we had been confronted by journalists on why we were sitting pretty in Nigeria, while our principal was confronted by severe health challenges in London.


How did I feel about the situation? I had always told the media, and others who cared to listen, that whoever is on a presidential entourage at any time is the prerogative of the President. In the first 20 months of this administration, the President had made scores of trips, both locally and internationally. There was none, and I repeat, none, in which the media team was excluded. We were always there to keep the world abreast with what the President was doing.

When President Buhari first needed to travel for holiday and medical attention in January this year, it was deemed a private trip, in which the media was not needed. On such journey, you naturally would need security details, your personal physician, protocol and domestic aides, and those were the ones that went. Media? It depended on the principal. What was essential was that the channels of communication be kept open.

When the fuss came that the media handlers of the President were transmitting at best third hand information to the public, it did not bother me as much as it did some people, particularly, journalists. The discretion to have anyone with him at a given time was that of the President, and there was nothing anybody could do about it. I was in direct contact with those who were around him, and that was the best in the circumstances.

When the rumour mill went into overdrive sometime in January that the President had passed on, the first person I called was his personal physician. He laughed, saying nothing of such happened. I was thus confident enough to debunk the malicious information.

Before he returned on March 10, in what turned out to be the first leg of his medical treatment, President Buhari had spoken with me personally on phone, the details of which I made available to the public. It was sufficient for me.

The President left again on May 7. I was with him at home till he left for the airport. Information dissemination followed the same pattern as on the first trip. The aides on hand told me whatever was necessary, and I communicated same, never for once making it appear that the information was firsthand. It was the best and the honest thing to do. You work for a straightforward man, it would be a disservice to him for you to begin to spin and bend information. Never!

Not once did I agitate to visit London to see the President. I was trusting enough to receive whatever information was passed to me, knowing the kind of man we serve. Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet believe.

A lot of people were using paracetamol for what they considered my headache. They continued to fret that I was not in London, but it didn’t bother me a bit. Ask my wife and children, they would tell you that I am never in unnecessary hurry. I don’t push things, but the lines always fall for me in pleasant places. I have learnt to take all things in my strides, and let the divine powers work out the rest. Some people will erroneously call it a laid back approach, but those who are discerning would see that I had always excelled in whatever I did, physical, professional, spiritual, domestic etc. No need to sing my own praises. Not unto us, but unto Him, be all the glory and praises.

And then, on Wednesday last week, ‘come came to become’ (apologies K.O Mbadiwe). I received a communication to proceed to London to see the President, along with other members of the presidential media team. To lead the delegation was Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, while others included myself, Mallam Garba Shehu, Lauretta Onochie, Bayo Omoboriowo, and the Nigerian Television Authority team of Adamu Sambo and Emmanuel Arinhi. Senior Special Assistant on International and Diaspora Matters, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, who was in London on another official matter, eventually joined us to see the President on Saturday.

Leaving the country through the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Friday morning, one was as conspicuous as a tiger in a teashop. All that knew me, and saw that I was headed for London, naturally said: “Please give our greetings to Baba o.” They just took it for granted that I was going to London to see the King, and not the Queen this time, as made popular by the pussycat in the nursery rhyme.

The trip aboard the British Airways Boeing 777-200/300 was pleasant and pleasurable. It was like a whole city in the sky. The Nigerians who saw me and my colleague, Mallam Garba Shehu, onboard, also jumped to the same right conclusion as those at the airport: “Please greet Baba for us o.”

On Saturday afternoon, we were ferried from our hotels at the appointed time. At Zero Hour, we were at the Abuja House, Nigerian High Commission, London.

As we strode into the living room, I saw with infinite pleasure, the great object of my mission. Standing tall and ramrod straight was President Muhammadu Buhari, with that ubiquitous smile in place. He was looking a lot better than he had ever looked in the past eight months. My heart leapt for joy, and sang praises to God. Was this not the man they said was on life support machine? Didn’t they say he could neither walk nor talk? But he was welcoming Alhaji Lai Muhammed, and calling him by name. I was next. I shook the hands of the man I had admired since his days as a military head of state, a man I am not ashamed to call my leader and President today, and any day.

Seated, the President had words for each member of the team, which showed that he had been following events back home very keenly. He commended the Minister of Information and Culture, saying, “Lai, you are all over the place. I see you virtually everyday. You have been working very hard.” Pointing to Abike Dabiri-Erewa, he said, “She is here in her constituency. But me, I am here reluctantly.” We all laughed, and Dabiri-Erewa jocularly issued what you could call a quit notice, saying she didn’t want the President in her constituency again.

How are you, Mr President?

“I am okay now. I feel I could go home, but doctors are in charge here, and I’ve learnt to obey my doctors. I’ve learnt to obey orders, rather than be the one giving the orders.”

If you have met the President personally, he is usually full of wisecracks, and this day was not different. He told us he had enough time to watch television, and commended the NTA particularly, and Nigerian media generally, for bringing him up to speed with what was happening back home.

He said he had been watching the protests by people who wanted him to return home post-haste, or resign. He mentioned one of the leaders of the protest by name, and laughed. I did not discern any malice in the laughter.

President Buhari told us he seldom got sick, something he had told Nigerians on March 10, at his first return. When we told him millions of people were praying for him at home, in Africa, and even beyond, I saw the glow in his eyes, and he said :”May God reward them,” after noting that what Nigeria did in The Gambia in January, which forced a sit-tight Yahya Jammeh to quit office, “fetched us a lot of goodwill and latitude.”

We talked about many issues, some of which are not due for public consumption yet. The President was obviously enjoying our company. Then the State Chief of Protocol, Ambassador Lawal Kazaure, popped up (as he always does) and indicated that the allotted time was over.

“Oh dear,” the President exclaimed, reluctant to see us go.

It was time for photographs, and we walked into the garden. The President was spry, as he joined us. Bayo Omoboriowo clicked away, and those were the pictures you have seen. The President even almost sprinted, while going back inside. Omoboriowo captured that rare moment.

And to the dining room we proceeded. We sat at that famous table, laden with different kinds of fruits; banana, apple, pear, water melon, and many others. It was a setting which a man blinded by bile, and suffused with hatred, had described as a previous fast breaking session at Aso Villa during a Ramadan season. Father, forgive him, for he knows not what he says.

We ate, heartily. Our appetites had been stimulated by the state in which we met our principal. Wife of the President, Mrs Aisha Buhari, was at hand to attend to us, urging us to eat as much as we wanted. Halima, daughter of the President, as well as Yusuf, his son, were also there.

It was a pleasure meeting all the presidential aides once again, and we greeted one another warmly: Yau and Lawal (trusted security details), Sunday (the personal cook of many decades), the ADC, SCOP, CSO, CPSO, the personal physician, Tunde Sabiu, Sarki Abbah, and many others. It was grand re-union.

Lunch over, the President bade each person goodbye, with a handshake. We said to him, “See you soon, sir.” But when Dabiri-Erewa uttered the same, the President laughed, and declared: “No, we will leave you here, as this is your constituency.”

The health status of our President, as earlier attested to by Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, during his visit, was a testimony to the healing powers of God. This was a man gravely ill, but restored miraculously. It can only be God. In spite of what haters, wailers, and filthy dreamers imagine, and which they spew out, God remains merciful and immutable. He has the final say. If I were a hater, I would repent now, in sackcloth and ashes.

Yes, I’ve been to London to see the King. The Lion King. But unlike the pussycat in the nursery rhyme, I didn’t frighten any mouse under the chair.

Mr Adesina is Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity.

NIGERIA TO START BEE EXPORT BY 2018
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/nigeria-to-start-bee-export-by-2018.html

Nigeria will start exporting bees to other countries next year, the National President, Federation of Bee keepers Association of Nigeria, Dr Bidemi Ojeleye, has said.


According to report gathered by Eyes Of Lagos, Ojeleye on Friday said that a European Union team had visited Nigeria for training and guidelines on the residue monitoring plans for bee export.

Ojeleye, who is also Director, Centre for Bee Research and Development, Ibadan, spoke on the sideline of this year’s “Honey Bee Day’’ in Abuja.

According to him, Nigeria is working towards being listed among the EU bee exporting countries.

“For a trade in bees within the European Union, the general conditions that apply to ‘other’ live animals apply as the conditions are laid down in the EU Council Directive,’’ he said.

Ojeleye said that Nigeria was blessed with clean organic honey which was globally ranked amongst the best in the world.

He said that the Federal Government has made available beekeeping equipment to interested youths at subsidised rates to popularise its production among young people.

According to him, the Federation of Beekeepers also hosted free training on bee production for interested youths across the country.

He said in addition to making honey, bees also pollinated all sorts of fruits, wild plants and vegetables.

“Bee products are used as raw materials for the production of medicine, cosmetics and lost wax casting.

“Beekeeping generates income without destroying the habitat, while bees do not compete with any other livestock for food,’’ he said.

Ojeleye said that the Federation coordinates all bees’ activities and organisations in Nigeria and enlightens the public on the benefits of bee keeping.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation estimates that of the 100 crop species that provide 90 per cent of food worldwide, 71 are pollinated by bees.

World Honey Bee Day, previously known as Honey Bee Awareness Day, was an initiative of beekeepers in the USA who petitioned the government in 2009 for an official day to honour honey bees and beekeeping.

FIRST-TIME SENATORS, REPS GROAN UNDER BITING BANK LOANS
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/first-time-senators-reps-groan-under.html

There are indications that most of the Senators serving for the first time in the 8th Senate are grappling to settle very high loan repayment figures posted to their salary accounts by banks.
In the House of Representatives where more than 70 per cent of the 360 members are first time lawmakers, it is the same predicament as a reasonable number of them also took loans.
Eyes Of Lagos gathered that the lawmakers had approached commercial banks in drove and obtained jumbo loans in expectation of high earnings at the National Assembly.
But their hopes were dashed following lean national revenue earnings and the policy of fiscal discipline, as well as the anti-corruption stance of the present federal government.
Reliable sources within the National Assembly and the banks who spoke to Eyes Of Lagos yesterday said the Senators and members of the House took loans far in excess of the current stream of their earnings.
The sources who spoke to our correspondents on condition of anonymity noted, however, that there is nothing unusual for the lawmakers to obtain such high amount of monies as loans which they even repay from ‘allowances’ or ‘largesse’ which were not prescribed by the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
It was learnt that in the 8th Senate, 72 of the Senators are first timers, with most them badly affected by the bad loans.
While securing the loans hoping to repay within a year, they had to approach the banks again to re-apply for a spread of their loan repayments for two to three years.
It was also gathered that the banks usually grant these to the lawmakers, with a tenor of two years knowing full well that, while they are to serve for tenure of four years, giving them grace of three years, with just one year left to the expiration of their term in office might be too risky in terms of repayment.
“It is not unusual for the Senators, especially the new ones (first timers), to approach the banks to obtain loans to offset monies they borrowed to campaign, purchase new houses, settle four to five years rents, buy exotic cars to match their new status and meet other relevant or irrelevant demands”, one of the sources at the National Assembly said.
Corroborating this, a source at the bank said, ‘’We approached them and sold information on what their predecessors used to borrow from us and they bought into it. Unfortunately for them, the usual ‘accidental discharges’ as we used to call them are no longer forthcoming since this ‘change’ government came on board. It is only their regular earnings which used to be about N45million per quarter for each Senator, N35 million per individual for members of the House which has since reduced to monthly payment that they are earning now. I can’t tell you the specific amount, but that jumbo amount is no longer paid to them’’.
Another source in one of the banks said, ‘’To let you know the rot pervading the system or earnings at the National Assembly before, the Auditor-General of the Federation disclosed last year that N10 billion was paid out in 2013 or so without vouchers.
‘’You see, certain National Assembly staff are always mandated to handle Senators’ vouchers and payment with strong warning to never under any circumstances disclose the content or let it out to anybody. The Senate constituted a committee to investigate the N10 billion paid to themselves without vouchers shortly after the Auditor-General of the Federation revealed that findings and the report of that committee has since been shrouded in secrecy.
‘’All this talk that the National Assembly has opened their books for public scrutiny is sheer hoax and untrue, but there is serious reduction in opaque transactions and earnings by the federal lawmakers’’.
In the House of Representatives, some of the new lawmakers could not access the facility due to pending election petition cases at the tribunal and were not able to meet up with the time lag for the loans when the cases were dispensed with.
A principal officer who spoke with Eyes Of Lagos confirmed that many lawmakers accessed different loan facilities, even as other members who returned to the House also benefited from loan facilities.
According to him, it is not totally correct that first time lawmakers rush into taking a loan with expectations of jumbo pay.
“It is true that many of us took loans, but it is not correct that majority of first time lawmakers took loans. This is because many of them had court cases and you know, nobody will grant you a loans request when you have a case in court. The case can eventually be decided against such a person”, he said.
But Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon Abdulrasaq Namdas denied that members are distressed and are under pressure to repay loans. “I am not aware of this, I am not aware that some lawmakers took loans and are now fidgeting to pay back”, he said.
Although Namdas did not establish whether his colleagues took loans from banks or not, he said whoever obtained a loan had done that as an individual.
“It is not only in the National Assembly that people take loans. People take loans everywhere, and it is a personal arrangement between the subscribers and their banks”, he added.
He further stated that banks would have perfected effective means of recovery before granting loan request. “Banks will give loan and put all measures in place for recovery, my colleagues are doing very fine and they are working hard to deliver their mandate”, Namdas stated.
While giving a sordid picture of financial recklessness during the former President Goodluck Jonathan administration on March 15, 2016, the AGF, Ukura, had said the management of the National Assembly allegedly disbursed N9,514,568,222.62 without raising payment vouchers.
The AGF released the shocking details in the nation’s 2014 audit report, which was submitted to the then Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, for consideration by both chambers of the National Assembly.
The presentation, he said, was in line with section 85(2) (4) of the 1999 constitution which states: “The public accounts of the Federation and of all offices and courts of the Federation shall be audited and reported on by the Auditor-General who shall submit his reports to the National Assembly; and for that purpose, the Auditor-General or any person authorized by him in that behalf shall have access to all books, records, returns and other documents relating to those accounts”.
Ukura stated that about N3.2trillion revenue was not remitted to the Federation Account, just as $235.6 million earned from gas was diverted to undisclosed escrow accounts.
In fulfillment of his mandate, the AGF returned a damning verdict of sleaze and mismanagement of funds in 2014 under the Jonathan administration.
Also, on October 9, 2015 the Legislative Studies (NILS), an outfit of the National Assembly released a set of documents, showing what constituted the earnings of the 109 Senators and 360 members of the Nigerian House of Representatives.
The figure showed that while a Nigerian Senator gets an annual basic salary of N2,026,400,00, a member of the House of Representatives goes home with N1,985,212, 50 annually.
Beyond that, a Senator also takes home a bouquet of allowances which hike their salary to N12, 902, 360.00 while their House of Representatives counterpart goes home with N9,525,985.50 annually. Thus, for the four-year tenure which the lawmaker stays in NASS, the Nigerian government spends a total of N1, 406,357,240.00 as basic salary on the 109 Senators and N3,428,994,780.00 on the 360 members of the House of Representatives.
The breakdown of the allowances show that they are meant for “Vehicle fuelling/maintenance, Constituency, Domestic Staff, Personal Assistant, Entertainment, Recess, Utilities, Newspaper/Periodicals, Houses Maintenance, Wardrobe, Estacode, Duty Tour, which attract more money available to the lawmakers than their basic salaries.
But beyond that, the lawmakers earn special amount in every four-year period on accommodation, vehicle loan, furniture, and severance allowance, making every Senator to pocket N24,090,000.00 and a House of Representatives member N23,822,00.00 within the same period.
Thus, for every four years that a lawmaker stays in the NASS, the federal government spends N2,625, 810,000.00 on accommodation, vehicle loans, furniture and severance gratuity on the 109 Senators and N8,575,920,000.00 on the 360 House of Representatives members.

BUHARI MUST RESUME OR RESIGN – FAYOSE
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/buhari-must-resume-or-resign-fayose.html

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose has condemned the attacks on the ‘Resume or Resign’, protesters, describing it as the height of dictatorship and demonstration of intolerance to opposing views by the All Progressives Congress (APC) government.

The governor, who declared support for the call for President Muhammadu Buhari to either “resume or resign” said; “Nigeria can no longer afford a diaspora president or a president that is seen once in 100 days. If they say the President is now well, he should return to Nigeria or is Nigeria now in the hands of the President’s doctors?”
Eyes Of Lagos source revealed that, Fayose lamented the “orchestrated attack” on the protesters at Wuse market, Abuja yesterday, adding that “By arranging hoodlums to attack Nigerians who were exercising their fundamental rights to protest against the government, the APC government has shown that it has lost support and trust of Nigerians.”
Fayose told journalists on Wednesday that any attempt to silence Nigerians, especially those opposed to the APC government will fail.
“This country belongs to all of us, it is not the property of a few or a cabal who believes they can cow and subdue Nigerians, we will continue to talk. The president must either resume or resign; this is a clear statement. Who is afraid of the truth? Who is running away from realities?”
He said it was now more obvious that the APC federal government do not have anything in stock other than destruction of the country.
The governor, who maintained that demanding for the health status of the President was the right of Nigerians, said it was funny that armed policemen were available to protect those who protested in support of the APC government, but the same police attacked the “Return or Resign”
protesters.
He said; “Nigerians will recall that during the BBOG protest in the Jonathan administration, protesters sat on the road for days, nobody molested them. During the January 2012 fuel hike protest (aka #OccupyLagos, #OccupyNigeria), people freely expressed themselves and those in government today participated actively in the protests, they funded these protests.
“Even President Muhammadu Buhari led protests in Abuja against PDP government. The President led protesters to the National Assembly to protest against the continued absence of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua from the country and went ahead to call for Yar’Adua’s impeachment. Then, no one was attacked by security men and hoodlums were not set after the protesters as was done in Abuja yesterday.
“It is therefore shameful that the same people who rode on the back of democratic principles to power are now standing against the rights of Nigerians to complain and the international community should pay special attention to the rule of brute force going on in the country.
“I salute the courage of this young people who have continued to say the truth that the president must resume or resign. If they are telling us the president is okay and fine, let him come home, let the doctors follow him here, we don’t want a president who is being introduced once in 100 days, the president we voted for must be accountable to us.
“Nigerians should vote against APC, never again should these people who I describe as power miss road control us again, thank you very much.”

VIDEO Premiere: Olamide – Wo!!
source : https://makesensemusic.com/video-premiere-olamide-wo/

The King Of The Street – Olamide, Is Out With The Video To His New Hit Tune “Wo!!”.

YBNL head honcho – Olamide is blazing hot with right now, just a few days after the audio release of his buzzing single – “Wo!!” he dishes out a befitting video for the street-hop single.

The video was shot in the ghetto and it features dance moves from various groups which makes it an interesting watch. It’s good to see Olamide taking his music to the streets once more, it’s been a hot minute he did that.

Watch Video And Enjoy The Ghetto Creative Street Video!


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

PROBE OBASANJO, YAR’ADUA, JONATHAN GOVTS OVER N11TRN ELECTRICITY FUND – SERAP
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/probe-obasanjo-yaradua-jonathan-govts.html

A civil society group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has petitioned the International Criminal Court (ICC) asking for an investigation of the allegations of systematic corruption in the electricity sector during the administrations of former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan.


According to the petition dated 16th August 2017, signed by the group’s Deputy Director, Timothy Adewale, and addressed to Mrs. Fatou Bensouda of the Prosecution Department at the ICC, SERAP is demanding to know whether the allegations of widespread corruption in the power sector between 1999 and 2015 amounted to crimes against humanity within the jurisdiction of the Court.

According to the report gathered by Eyes Of Lagos, The group maintained that since Nigeria is a state party to the Rome Statute which, in article 7, defines ‘crime against humanity’ to include; “inhumane acts causing great suffering or injury, committed in a widespread or systematic manner against a civilian population,” there was need to ascertain if the allegations measured up to the standards of crimes against humanity, ICC should prevail on the Nigerian government to surrender all suspected perpetrators for trial by the Court.

It stressed that crimes against humanity are not only physical violence; allegations of corruption in the electricity sector hold a comparable gravity, which the Prosecutor should examine and thoroughly investigate.

The petition reads in part: “Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) is sending you this petition to request that you use your good offices and leadership position to investigate whether the allegations of widespread, systematic and large-scale corruption in the electricity sector since the return of democracy in 1999 and under the governments of former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Jonathan in Nigeria amount to crimes against humanity within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, and to prevail on the Nigerian government to surrender all suspected perpetrators for trial by the ICC.

“Widespread, systemic and large-scale corruption in the electricity sector and the lack of transparency and accountability in the use of public funds to support the operations of Discos have resulted in regular blackouts and disproportionately affected the most disadvantaged and vulnerable sectors of the population who cannot readily afford expensive generators in order to have a reliable power supply.

“The situation is not likely to improve considering that the production of electricity is not proportionate with the rapidly growing population.

“SERAP also notes that allegations of corruption in the energy sector have resulted in the epileptic and interrupted supply of electricity and corresponding deprivation and denial of the citizens’ access to quality healthcare, adequate food, shelter, clothing, water, sanitation, medical care, schooling, and access to information.

“SERAP notes that lack of access to uninterrupted energy/electricity services has forced many citizens to use and collect frequently contaminated surface water for drinking and household uses; and denied the citizens the ability and services for boiling, purifying, disinfecting, and storing water, as well as for irrigation to increase the productivity of lands, thereby decreasing the availability of food supplies and undermining employment opportunities.

“SERAP believes that the staggering amounts of public funds alleged to have been stolen over the years in the electricity sector create just these consequences. Crimes against humanity are not only physical violence; allegations of corruption in the electricity sector old a comparable gravity, which the Prosecutor should examine and thoroughly investigate.

“The international community including the UN and EU are now considering establishing mechanisms to address the human rights problems caused by widespread and systemic large-scale corruption including in the electricity sector.

“SERAP believes that substantial grounds exist to warrant the intervention of the Prosecutor in this case. Pursuant to the Rome Statute, the Prosecutor has power to intervene in a situation under the jurisdiction of the Court if the Security Council or states parties refer a situation or if information is provided from other sources such as the information SERAP is providing in this case.”

20,000 BANK ACCOUNTS CONSOLIDATED UNDER TSA – AGF
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/20000-bank-accounts-consolidated-under.html

The federal government has so far consolidated over 20,000 bank accounts since the implementation of Treasury Single Account (TSA) in the country.
Eyes Of Lagos source revealed that, Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris who disclosed this, said by aggressively implementing the TSA across board, the federal government has also eliminated multiple banking arrangements that were hitherto used as fraud channels.
Speaking at a 2-day workshop for financial correspondents yesterday in Abuja, the AGF noted that the consolidation of accounts has further brought about transparency and effective tracking of government revenues.
Stiff implementation of the TSA policy, he said, has among other achievements led to the blocking of leakages and abuse that characterized the public finance management prior to its advent.
He said, “As part of our stewardship, TSA has enabled us to make tremendous gains to the federal government and to the Nigerian economy. We have successfully eliminated multiple banking arrangements, resulting in consolidation of over 20,000 bank accounts which were spread over Deposit Money banks across the country.
“TSA has taken us out of the era of indiscriminate borrowings by MDAs and saved government the charges associated with those borrowings which hitherto amounted to N4.7 billion monthly”.
Idris disclosed that his office is at the verge of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a private estate developer for the construction of mass housing on the large expanse of land housing in Orozo.
He said the housing facility will be allocated to staff of the Treasury on owner-occupier basis.
He added that his office has also concluded plans with Hewlett-Packard (HP) for the training and certification of its software engineers and prospective Nigerians at large.
Stating that capacity building is one of his cardinal goals, the Accountant General said in that regard, his team of management has successfully trained 2,537 staff of the Treasury in different grade levels between February and April this year.

We Won’t Exclude Varsities- FG
The federal government has insisted that universities will not be excluded from the Treasury Single Account (TSA) as the policy was not peculiar to universities alone.
This is just as it admitted that it failed to meet all the demands raised by the Academic Staff Union Of Universities (ASUU), hence the reason for the strike .
The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, disclosed this to State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo at the presidential villa.
According to him, among all the demands raised by ASUU, the demand to exit the TSA will not be honoured and therefore, clamour by ASUU to exit the policy cannot hold water.
Adamu said, “ASUU requested that they should be allowed to stay off TSA and I think government will not do this because there are some peculiar funds in the university like endowment funds which are monies kept and all the interest they generate, prices and so on are given.
“Government will exempt that one only but for universities, it is part of the peculiarities; they just must log on. I hope later on when I meet them today there will be total agreement”.
The minister said that ASUU clearly negated the constitutional provision of notifying government adequately before embarking on the strike.
He added: “It is very sad that I am here and ASUU is on strike. Late last year, we had a meeting because ASUU gave one week ultimatum and we were able to work out some agreement. I must confess that government has not fulfilled its part of the bargain, even though we are unhappy that ASUU went on this strike without following due process and giving us good notice. We realised that we promised something and we didn’t fulfill it.
“I will be meeting them later today or tomorrow and I am sure we will be able to reach some agreement so that the strike will be called off as soon as possible”.
On the earned allowances, he disclosed that N30billion had initially been paid to ASUU to cover the special allowances but the inability of the lecturers to give proper account of the initial disbursement stalled the release of the balance of N23billion since 2010.
His words: There were communication differences which stalled the earned allowances. They have been paid N30billion; the problem actually arose because they were not able to account for the N30billion and we said we will only give them the balance if they are able to account for it and the balance is N23billion. The total is N53billion and government has the money to pay.
“I am sure you are aware of other issues we agreed on. There is the issue of re-negotiation which is the only one they agreed government has done what it promised because we set up the re-negotiation team and negotiation is already ongoing.
“There is the issue of Earned Allowances and I think because of some miscommunication, what we promised could not be done, but I am assuring ASUU and the whole nation that this is going to be done.
“There is the issue of registration for Nigerian Universities Pension Commission. I think that there are few issues that need to be sorted out with the Nigerian Pension Commission. I believe there will be no problem with that”.
Also, Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, said FEC approved the contract for the rehabilitation of Ajaokuta- Itakpe rail line.
He said that it involved track laying, permanent way works and ancillary facilities area and completion of 12 railway stations in favour of Messr CCECC Nig Ltd in the sum of $122.62million.
He said the amount was inclusive of all taxes at the prevailing CBN exchange rate of one dollar to N305 with a completion period of 15 months.
According to him, Ajaokuta to Warri track is in good condition and when the new contract is completed, access to the seaport is achieved for the evacuation of goods.

Reps Decry Failure To Audit TSA Account After 2 Years
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives yesterday berated the Auditor General of the Federation (AGF), Anthony Ayine, over his failure to carry out performance audit of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) after two years of operation.
This is even as it threatened to issue arrest warrant on the Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Engr. Baru Maikanti, if he fails to appear before them in the next two weeks.
In his presentation at an interactive session between the House ad hoc committee investigating the TSA since inception in August 2015 to November 2016 and stakeholders on TSA, Ayine who acknowledged his shortcomings at auditing the TSA also said that it was technically wrong and an ‘omission’ on the part of the OAGF not to have audited the account.
He however disclosed that he had directed that a performance audit be carried out on the account after discovering that it had not been done since inception of the TSA.
He said, “We have not actually carried out performance audit directly. After my review, I asked why there was no audit of the TSA and was told it was an ongoing programme but I knew that there’s need to carry it out.
“Not carrying it out was an omission and it was wrong because circle of audit is for preceding year and we have had two for TSA now. Since I noticed that no performance audit was done, I gave the directive that it should be carried out three weeks ago”.
The AGF said the report of the audit would be ready between three and seven months, but the Abubakar Nuhu-led ad hoc committee insisted he makes it available by the first week of November.
On details of transfer of N4.2 trillion into TSA account in CBN, Ayine denied knowledge of the transfer, saying “not quite; I need to, as an auditor, have verifiable evidence before me to be categorical in my response. I need to have documents relating that”.
Meanwhile, the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Ahmed Idris, said the TSA has been positive to the economy, as it has blocked leakages as well as curb corruption in the system.
He said the platform has provided an opportinuty to monitor movement of money to and from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA).
“Now, what is done with allocations and disbursements to MDAs can now be monitored with a push of a button”, he said.
Idris also said the TSA has taken off the constant pressure on the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) that was always in deficit and had to be financed with N4bn overdrawn every month before the inception of TSA.
“With this, there is fund to carry out activities of MDAs because payments are no longer authorized until due diligence is carried out and verified on projects”, he added.

NIGERIA-CHINA COOPERATION ADVANCES TO NEW FRONTIER
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/nigeria-china-cooperation-advances-to.html

More than two years, since Chinese leader, President Xi Jinping summarized the phenomenal level, China-Africa have then attained, and urged for the relations to aspire to new and higher “heights”, Nigeria and China took “bold steps”, last week to nudge the bilateral relation between them to new heights, thereby scoring major success in extending the frontier of Sino-Africa Cooperation. As a work in progress, the China-Africa Cooperation by the range of issues it has covered and the intensity of its engagement, is considerably phenomenal but still at a primary stage of its development, with profound potentials and prospects in the distant future, if both sides continue to “take bold steps and look afar”.
Eyes Of Lagos source revealed that Last week in Abuja, between August 10th and 11th, the visit of Chinese senior official, the vice minister of the state council information office, Mr. Guo Weimin and his delegation to Abuja, added fresh momentum to the dynamism and vigor of the existing bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and China.
His wide ranging activities while in Nigeria and the enthusiasm with which the Nigerian side welcomed and engaged him, demonstrated the unique bond of bilateral cooperation and the far-reaching prospects of the continuous strengthening of the bilateral ties for both, the two countries and the wider Sino-African Co-operation.
The Chinese vice minister, Guo Weimin undertook his first assignment in Nigeria not in the posh prescient of the state house but in the far-flung community of Hulumi village, where he launched the satellite television project, as part of the ten cooperation plans that president Xi Jinping outlined at the historic second summit of the heads of state and government of the forum on China-Africa Cooperation, (FOCAC) which held in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2015.
In the ninth of the ten plans, president Xi has said that “we will implement China-Africa Cultural and People to People Plans”, from among which China will “provide satellite Television reception to 10,000 African villages”. In carrying the launch of the satellite Television project in Hulumi village in the federal capital territory of Abuja, the vice minister and his team fulfilled one of the major outcomes of the second Johannesburg summit of FOCAC and further underscored the reputation of the FOCAC process as exemplary framework and mechanism of international cooperation best known for timely delivery of results in its summit’s or conference decisions and outcomes. In Hulumi village itself, emotions overflowed as villagers thanked China for taken the measures that would connect them to the outside world.
From the Hulumi village, Mr. Guo Weimin and his delegation walked into the warm embrace of almost 50 media practitioners and think tanks who gathered for media dialogue between Nigeria and China, hosted by the chairman of Leadership group, publisher of the Abuja-based national daily newspaper, the leadership newspaper, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah. The Leadership group Chairman in his opening remarks at the dialogue, said that China-Nigeria relations has covered crucial mileage but has great potential and pointed that media cooperation between the two sides could play outstanding roles in extending the frontiers of the bilateral
cooperation. He recalled fondly China’s achievements, paying tributes to China’s commitment to her cooperation with Africa and urged the media to continuously explore ways to nurture the understanding between China and Nigeria. The opening comments of the host of the forum, opened the flood gates of commentaries by participants on the ways, bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and China can be strengthened.
There was unanimity among participants that China is reliable and consistent partner of Nigeria, and that such partnership based on equality and mutual respect for each other, have yielded lots of positive results.
The Chinese vice minister of the state council information office, said that the Chinese side is determined to expand media ties with Nigeria, with a view to strengthen the strategic partnership that already exist between the two countries. According to him, promoting media ties was one of the ten cooperation plans which president Xi Jinping outlined at the 2nd summit in Johannesburg in 2015, and has therefore come to Abuja to engage diverse stake holders on how to deepen cooperation in the very vital aspect of China-Nigeria cooperation in particular and China-Africa relation in general.
According to Mr. Guo Weimin, as China’s relationship with Africa formed the “cornerstone of the foreign policy” of Chinese government, “the purpose of my visit is to implement important agreements that were reached between the Chinese and Nigerian presidents on developing the strategic partnerships of China-Nigeria relation.”
He added that “mass media serves the most special and important part introducing the China-Nigeria cooperation, recording the China-Nigeria exchanges and spreading friendship. He further pointed out that the media of both countries have crucial roles to play in promoting people-to people relations between both countries and being a positive voice for developing nations in the struggle to bridge the information gap with the advanced developed countries.
According to him, “we will continue to tap into the rich content of China-Nigeria friendship cooperation to broadcast and spread the most touching stories to the world, to broadcast and report the lively cooperation results between our two countries.”
The deputy ambassador of the Chinese embassy in Nigeria, Mr. Li Jing has earlier recalled that Nigerian media has already benefited from one of the China-Africa ten cooperation plans, reached at the FOCAC summit in South Africa, where China offered to train 1,000 media professionals from Africa annually.
The media dialogue ended with a glowing tribute to ambassador of the Peoples Republic of China to Nigeria, Dr. Zhou Pingjian, whose several scholarly interventions in public discourse of the issues in the Nigeria-China bilateral cooperation have brought lots of clarity and has given the media ample and considerable impetus to report more factually and objectively on the relations between the two countries.
Despite that the exhaustive but the constructive media dialogue stretched far beyond its original schedule, the visiting Chinese vice minister and his delegation were on hand, the next day to sign the memorandum of understanding, (MoU) with the Nigeria minister of information and culture, Mr. Lai Mohammed in the area of media and cultural relation, a crucial milestone in the bilateral cooperation between the two countries. Nigeria’s minister of information and culture at the signing ceremony said that the signing of the MoU will further deepen the already excellent relationship between the two countries, and expressed the hope that some provisions of the MoU would encourage the News Agencies of Nigeria and China to reflect in their reporting the social, economic and cultural development in both countries. On his side, the Chinese vice minister, Mr. Guo Weimin said that the signing of the MOU marked a new beginning in the relationship between the two countries, particularly in the area of media and cultural relations, adding that staff training and programme exchanges will further solidify the cultural ties between the two countries, as he concluded his highly successful visit to Nigeria.
The new momentum in China-Nigeria cooperation and the wider China-Africa relations is coming in the heels of the crucial 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in the later part of this year. The highly anticipated national congress of the CPC, will consolidate and advance the progress made in deepening reforms and opening up policy, with China engaging more widely and intensely with the rest of the world. Already the China-Initiated Belt and Road process, a global system of inter-connectivity of infrastructure networks, people-to-people contacts and cultural engagements are taking shape as the emerging global architecture for more functional, cooperative and inclusive order and the dimension of Nigeria-China relations can make meaningful contributions to it, it grows in strength and vigour.
– Mr. Onunaiju, director, Centre for China Studies, (CCS), Abuja-Nigeria.

EIGHT LASTMA OFFICIALS ARRESTED FOR COLLECTING BRIBES
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/eight-lastma-officials-arrested-for.html


The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority has arrested eight of its officials for collecting bribe from motorists and other corrupt practices.


The officials, who are attached to the Agege-Pen Cinema Office of the Agency, were arrested last week. They are Adebeshin Adeola, Davies Idowu, Folashade Abolade, Shittu Lanre, Akinkotu Olusoga, Olowu Said, Olaoye Peter and Adebola Said.

The duo of Adeshina and Davies had earlier arrested two Lagos painted commercial buses with registration numbers FKJ 770 XT and KRD 558 XM driven by one Olatunji Mayowa and Donatus Eze respectively at Abule Egba area of the State for seat belt violation.

The actions of the drivers were in violations of the Lagos State Traffic laws, and the buses were subsequently apprehended and taken to the Agege-Pen Cinema Office of the Agency.

However, the matter took a new twist at the Agege Office when the apprehending officials in conjunction with the General Duty Officer demanded for the sum of N7,200 from each of the bus drivers before the release of the buses.

The drivers, knowing the position of LASTMA on corruption and having listened to various media programmes where official complaint numbers were given, alerted the Agency and marked currency were given to the complainants and collected by the officials in a successful sting operation organized and coordinated by the Provost Marshal of the Agency, Mr Femi Ajibosho.

The Provost Marshal arrived when Abolade was about collecting N7,200 from Donatus Eze, while the collected marked money of N7,200 of Olatunji Mayowa was found on her after search.

In the same vein and at the same location, the members of the patrol team of the Agency comprising of Shittu Lanre, Akinkotu Olusoga, Olowu Said, Olaoye Peter and Adebola Said also arrested a vehicle for traffic laws violation and asked Abolade to facilitate collection of bribe on their behalf from the alleged offender before the release of the vehicle.

All the traffic officials involved in this shameful act have been released on bail, but are to face the full weight of the Lagos State Public Service Rules and Regulations.

According to the reports gathered by Eyes Of Lagos, Speaking on the incident at Oshodi Office of the Agency, LASTMA General Manager, Mr Olawale Musa said the Agency has set a standard for itself to become one of the most disciplined, credible and efficient traffic management institution in the Sub-Saharan Africa.

He said: “LASTMA under my watch will not tolerate any act of indiscipline and corruption capable of dragging the revered image of the Agency and that of the State Government to the mud.

“To this end, all the officials involved in the shameful act will be made to appear before the Personnel Management Board (Discipline) to defend their action in accordance with the relevant sections of the Public Service Rules.”

Speaking further, Musa said the action of the officials were disgraceful and did not represent the training and operational manual of the Agency, adding that it also did not justify the huge motivation and investment in them by the Agency to perform excellently on the road.

He said the introduction of culture of civility and respect for motorists’ rights was part of the bid to curb corruption in the agency, with more emphasis on reducing rash decisions, extortion of motorists and rather concentrating on efficient traffic management and control.

However, the LASTMA boss said the new paradigm shift which is now responsible for sanity, orderliness and seamless traffic on Lagos roads does not preclude the Agency from sanctioning any motorist who runs foul of the law when occasion calls for it, in order to improve on the existing tempo and performance.

It would be recalled that the Agency recently dismissed 20 officials for various corrupt practices and 15 others received letters of warning for various acts considered inimical to the Agency and service of the Lagos State Government.

FINANCIAL INCLUSION CAMPAIGN TO REACH MILLIONS AS SCHOOLS RESUME
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/financial-inclusion-campaign-to-reach.html

In about a month from now, secondary and primary schools across Nigeria will resume for another session but with an additional subject that is targeted at ensuring that the young ones who are the future of the country.
This is due to a new curriculum that has been included in the Nigerian educational system through collaboration amongst financial stakeholders, the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC).
Though there are many educated and literate Nigerians, a high percentage of the population does not have the requisite skills to effectively manage their financial transactions and take advantage of the opportunities presented by the financial products and services to improve their well-being.
Besides, consumers of financial services have also been subjected to unethical practices from financial institutions which could be attributed to their low level of financial literacy arising from their lack of knowledge of their rights and obligations in their relationships with the financial institutions.
A study of financial literacy in Nigeria carried out by the research department of the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) in December 2012, revealed the existence of considerable gaps in the literacy level of average Nigerian adults, literacy was lowest among single respondents as well as increased literacy with income.
The study also revealed that literacy appeared lowest among students and unemployed, identified literacy gap to be more prominent in the domains of money management and financial exposure and experience as well as possession of educational qualifications influenced financial literacy in all the domains
To address this, the CBN recently in partnership with the NERDC had commenced the training of teachers ahead of the inclusion of financial education in the curriculum of primary and secondary schools in the 2017/2018 session which begins this September.
This is to ensure that financial education is ingrained in students from a young age as part of financial inclusion target of the country. Speaking at a workshop for the development of the teachers’ guide in Lagos yesterday, the Executive Secretary of the NERDC, Professor Ismail Junaidu, said the curriculum is essential in entrenching financial education in Nigerians at a young age.
Junaidu who noted that the problem of buffet execution which the country has is due to dearth of financial education said “if you teach them now and they grow up with that culture, they will be able to manage the resources to utilize very well and to explore various avenues of taping the resources.”
On her part, CBN Director, Consumer Protection Department, Hajiya Umman Dutse, noted that lack of consumer sophistication and education was one factor that contributed to the 2008/2009 financial crisis in the country.
This she said had informed the decision by the apex bank, regulators in the financial sector as well as financial institutions to include financial education in the school curriculum. “We developed in conjunction with stakeholders, a curriculum which recognizes school children and youths as a major target group in financial education.
“We are committed to seeing that the financial education curriculum is launched at the beginning of the 2017/2018 academic session. On funding of the next stage of implementation which is training the teachers, she said the financial sector stakeholders are looking at either training at geo-political level or on a state level basis.
Dutse, who did not specify how much, has been pooled for the project said financial institutions as well as regulators who have contributed for the project are still committed to putting in more if required.
“The CBN, financial regulators and all stakeholders are committed to this project so even if there is a shortfall of funding from what we have collected, and there was commitment by all. So if there is need we will go back to the same people to ask for more because we will be justified because they will see the efforts that has been put into this project and what we have come out with.”
She noted that an increased financial literacy will make the job of the consumer protection department of the apex bank easier saying “if the public are sufficiently educated most of these things are going to reduce because you will know what your rights are, you will know what to expect from the deposit money banks. So at the end of the day it is going to bring down the complaints that we receive from the customers once they are financially educated.”
An essential pillar of any consumer protection programme, consumer education through ‘financial literacy,’ defined as “the possession of knowledge and skills by individuals to manage financial resources effectively to enhance their economic well-being.”
According to the apex bank, it is only when majority of Nigerians are financially literate that they can participate in the formal financial system, by becoming aware of and taking advantage of its opportunities, get financially included and thereby contributing to the financial and economic development of Nigeria.
In March this year the CBN had promoted the Financial Literacy Day as part of activities to commemorate the Global Money Week (GMW), exemplified the need to deepen financial literacy and inclusion in the country. The financial literacy day saw most banks adopting schools where they tutor pupils in the act of financial education and how to cultivate the habit of saving.
The GMW is an annual global celebration initiated by Child and Youth Finance International (CYFI). It is aimed at inspiring children and youth to learn about money, saving, gaining employment and becoming entrepreneurs.
In its commemoration the CBN had partnered with Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN), a member of the world’s largest network of organisations dedicated to empowering students on financial literacy, teaching them to Learn, Earn and Save.
The CBN and JAN engaged top executives from 23 commercial banks and financial institutions who visited five schools in their catchment areas, in 12 states of the federation to teach financial literacy reaching out to over 80,000 students. With the new curriculum, the message of financial literacy is expected to reach millions of students across the country.

IBORI MAKES A COMEBACK WITH PDP CONVENTION C’TEE MEMBERSHIP

Former governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori was listed as member of the national convention planning committee for tomorrow’s special convention of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), EYES OF LAGOS findings have revealed.

Ibori, who was recently released after serving a four-year jail term in a British prison was listed as No 41 in the main organizing committee of the party.

Tomorrow’s non- elective national convention is meant to extend the tenure of the Makarfi-led NCC to enable them conduct the elective convention which is speculated to hold in November.
The convention is also billed to see to the amendment of the party’s constitution.

Ibori who has not attended any political meeting at the national headquarters since he returned to the country, was, however, absent at the inaugural meeting of the committee last Wednesday.

His successor and Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa is the chairman of the committee. Reacting to the development, former media aide to Ibori, Mr Tony Eluemunor, argued that Ibori’s nomination in the committee was normal and that he had not left the party.

The media aide stated that the former governor was equally invited to the last National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, even though he didn’t attend.

“It is a privilege given to every former PDP governor. Ibori is a former governor and he has not left PDP. So, there is nothing unusual in his name being included in the list. He was invited to the last NEC meeting but he did not attend,” he said.

Eluemunor, however, noted that he would not be able to confirm if the former governor will be at the convention.

Meanwhile, elder statesman and former federal commissioner for information, Chief Edwin Clarke, has warned that the Sen Ahmed Makarfi -led National Caretaker Committee (NCC) should not be allowed to exceed three months in office.

Clarke who recalled that he has warned that party in 2014 not to impose candidates urged the party to jettison a practice where governors, government functionaries and candidates provide logistics and convey delegates to Abuja and other voting locations.
Clarke also advocated the adoption of direct primaries ahead of the elective convention, just as he declared his support for zoning of the party’s 2019 presidential ticket to the North and the national chairmanship seat to the South.

He, however, insisted that all party members from those regions are free to contest those positions.
The former PDP chieftain who declared his resignation from partisan politics after the 2015 general election justified his warning to the party on the grounds that he remains a statesman and stakeholder in the Nigeria project, and has been contributing to the peace and development of the country.

He said, “I have observed the Constitution of PDP and the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and wish to state as follows. Senator Ahmed Markarfi’s Caretaker Committee should be given at most, another three months to allow new executives and other organs of the party to be elected. Any time longer than three months will not be in the best interest of the party and its members.

“If Presidential election is to take place in February 2019, the minimum time required by an elected executive will not be more than 12 months to settle down. If there are interested members of the Caretaker Committee for elective positions, such as President, Senator or Governor, such persons should not remain in office as members of the Caretaker Committee for more than three months.

“On the Zoning of Presidency and Chairmanship of the Party, Clarke, who endorsed the post-election and reconciliation committee led by deputy senate president, Sen Ike Ekweremadu Committee Report which zoned the presidency to the North, and the National Chairmanship to the South”.

He added: “Let all Presidential aspirants from the 19 states of the North be subjected to one Primary, whereas, all National Chairmanship candidates from the 17 States of the South be subjected also to one Primary to contest together, so as to produce the best candidate, to practicalize democracy.

“Nigeria’s Democracy, as a State Policy in Nigeria is expressed in Chapter 2, section 14 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and shall be stated based on the principles of Democracy and Social Justice.

“It is hereby accordingly declared that: (a). Sovereignty belongs to the people of Nigeria from whom Government, through this Constitution derives all its powers and authority.
“The participation by the people in their government shall be in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. Governors and other functionaries of government should not impose Candidates or delegates from their States.

“This was my warning in 2014, when I issued a press statement that PDP will destroy itself through the imposition of candidates, and that was what happened, when the then National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Muazu and then incumbent governors imposed unpopular candidates on the electorate.
“A situation where governors, government functionaries and candidates provide Logistics and convey delegates to Abuja and other voting locations should be jettisoned. I strongly recommend that direct primary election should be adopted where delegates would be made to vote at their localities, where no one will take advantage of and manipulate them.
“In order words, the recommendations of Prof Jerry Gana led- committee should be implemented”.
In a related development, chairman of the convention committee and Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has said the party is set to welcome high profile Nigerians defecting from other parties Okowa stated this while inspecting the Eagles Square, venue for the convention.

He said, “We just came to see what is on ground; I believe that our people will be safe because we have everything under control. we are not expecting any hitches at all.
“We are doing very well as a party and as a committee, in this kind of planning you will have some challenges here and there but there are solutions being proffered for everyone of it and we are confident that we are on the right track and it shall be well on Saturday”.
He assured that high profile Nigerians will join the party within the next three weeks, He said, “This is a new PDP and with the excitement we saw after the Supreme Court victory, we did see amongst Nigerians and not only PDP followers, I believe that a lot of people who thought that the party was going to implode by itself will realise that we are back alive and ready to offer what it takes to better the lives of Nigerians.

“Many of our members that left earlier due to one form of disagreement or the other will return back to their party because the National Caretaker Committee has has constituted a Reconciliation Committee as well as a Contact and Mobilization Committee to reach out to them.
“From the way things are going presently in this country, I believe Nigerians will realise that PDP is the only alternative that can bring Nigeria out of her present economic challenges”.
In a related development, national chairman of the party, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has assured members of the party that the issues relating to the South West zone of the party have been resolved.
He said, “In politics, there are always issues but what is important is that we sit down and resolve the issues in a civil manner.

“Yesterday, we had a long meeting with the leaders from the zone to resolve the issues and no matter what you are doing as a political party you must lose some members and also gain others. As a party, we will continue to work hard not to lose anybody, but will work much harder to bring in more members to the party”.

source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/ibori-makes-comeback-with-pdp.html

ASUU STRIKE LOOMS OVER CONTROVERSIAL 2009 AGREEMENT
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/ASUU-strike-looms-over-controversial.html

University teachers are set for another strike over the controversial 2009 agreement they reached with the Federal Government among other issues.



A meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of ASUU will hold today in Abuja ahead of the action.

Yesterday, all chapters of the union nationwide held a congress as directed by its national body to decide whether or not to go ahead with the planned strike.

The options given to them are: Whether it should be total and indefinite strike, one month strike, one week notice, and no strike at all.

This followed the directive sent to branches by ASUU National President Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi as he was mandated by the NEC meeting held at the Nasarawa State University (NSU).

Chairman ASUU-Lagos State University (LASU) Dr Isaac Akinloye Oyewunmi said yesterday that the chapter resolved in favour of “total and indefinite strike”.

In August last year, the union threatened strike over thengovernment’s failure to implement the 2009 agreement.

According to the reports gathered by Eyes Of Lagos, Coordinator of ASUU (Lagos Zone) Prof Olusoji Sowande, said the union was tired because efforts to get the agreement honoured were fruitless.

The union listed some of the unresolved issues as: Breach of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the 2009 FG/ASUU Agreement on financing of state universities; breach of the conditions of service; refusal to honour the Earned Academic Allowance (EAA) and re -negotiation of the agreement.

In January, ASUU staged a one-week warning strike.

Union officials said the Federal Government is owing universities over N880 billion in intervention fund.

Other issues according to ASUU oficials are: The Federal Government’s foot-dragging over ‘funds for the revitilisation of public universities, non-release of NUPEMCO operational licence, non-payment of earned academic allowances, payment of fractions/non-payment of salaries, retired professors and their salaries and university staff schools’.

The official said ASUU explored all channels to make the Federal Government see reasons but said: “It seems the Federal Government is more concerned with buying exotic vehicles for the National Assembly while public education and lecturers continue to suffer owing to dilapidated infrastructure.”

He said the union was angry at the failure of the Federal Government to release the operational licence for the union’s pension managers after collecting N1 billion since two years ago.

“Till date the government is owing the intervention funds to the tune of N880 billion. When we approached them for licensing of Nigerian Universities Pension Management Company (NUPEMCO), they asked us to go and bring registration fee, which is supposed to be N150million. Till date, we have paid government N1 billion and our money has been with them for two years and they are not saying anything.

None of this pension administrators can fulfill the University Miscellaneous Act which says university professors must retire with their full money. The money must have been invested and yielding interest for somebody. We are demanding our licence and funding of public universities.”

N30TRN REVENUE SCAM PROBE NOT A CHARADE – SENATE
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/n30trn-revenue-scam-probe-not-charade.html

The Senate said yesterday that it restricted the investigative hearing into how over 60 companies swindled the country with over N30 trillion revenue through non-remittances of moneys payable to the federation account to only the firms in order to avoid disclosing their trade secrets.
The Senate also assured Nigerians that the probe was aimed at recovering revenues lost by the government.
The Red Chamber was reacting to questions as to why the public investigative hearing is being shrouded in secrecy, thereby giving credence to speculation that the probe itself is fraught with negotiations between the investigation team and chief executive officers of the companies.
Senate committee chairman on Customs, Excise and Tariff, Hope Uzodima, said it was not true that the probe into the N30trillion scam is shrouded in secrecy because the press is constantly briefed at every stage of the investigation.
“In order not to breach the secrecy that has to do with their business modules, we agreed to their terms because our interest is to achieve results”, Uzodima added.
Continuing, Uzodima said: “It became very necessary for us to speak to you this afternoon because as you must have observed, we now decided to take the companies one after the other rather than the general group thing.
“The reason is that some of the companies approached the committee and expressed their willingness to support our investigation because the process of the investigation may require them revealing some of their trade secrets. Some of the companies that appeared before us today have also committed to our success by way of making some admissions here and there.
“We don’t want to create unnecessary panic in the market. Some of the companies are public quoted companies. So, our interest is to confront them with the infractions we identified that their companies are involved in and to resolve issues going forward to ensure government collects necessary revenues that have not been collected before this time and then block the areas of leakages in such a manner that our national interest will be protected.
“If there is anybody who is still in doubt whether there are recoverable revenues of government in the hands of these companies, by the admission of some of them, it means that the person should better wake up.
“We call on all Nigerians to support the Senate. We are all very serious men and women- professionals in different fields of endeavor- and when we have decided to come here to serve the country, we mean every word of it”.
Uzodima further oserved that what the Senate is doing by the investigation is to ensure that the country is better and that Nigerians can move from where they are now to where they expect the country to be.
“The media should support the Senate. This job seems to be a thankless one but for the interest of our country, it has become necessary that we make the sacrifice and that is what we are doing.
“Initially some of these agencies of government and some private companies were reluctant in attending or honouring Senate invitation. With the threat and the support of the Police, they have all responded. We have seen 11 of them today and we will continue until we have exhausted all the companies.


“This investigation is a mandate from plenary and is ongoing but we will not disclose everything now because there are things we will do or say that will mar the success of the investigation. We are not shrouding anything in secret” he added, stressing that the investigation is not a charade and should not be seen as such.

Source : Eyes Of Lagos

OBASEKI PLANS EXPORT PROCESSING CENTRES IN EDO
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/obaseki-plans-export-processing-centres.html

The governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has announced plans by his administration to set up Export Processing Zones in the state.
He made the announcement yesterday when members of the Edo State Exporters Cluster, paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House in Benin City.
Obaseki decried the dominance of import trade in the nation’s economy and said that considering the low prices of crude oil in the international market, more investments should be in the non-oil sector.
“We promised to create 200,000 jobs and the jobs will come from the private sector. We are investing in infrastructure, especially electricity and we plan to locate industrial parks where business clusters would thrive. Our goal is to be an enabler for businesses to thrive and not invest in business ventures,’’ he said.
The governor assured the group that his administration would give them land where products such as cassava and yam would be processed for export and commended the well packaged products made by the cluster members.
He added that the planned Edo Business Bureau would be situated close to the NEPC, and would provide business information as well as fast-track business transactions in the state.
Earlier, the Edo Sate coordinator of the group, Ms Josephine Peters, said their visit was to solicit the state government’s support in the promotion of export business.
Peters further said the association was established by the Benin Zonal Office of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, in 2014, to identify and encourage value addition to products from the non-oil sector in the state for export purposes.

OSINBAJO DENIES CALLING RESTRUCTURING ADVOCATES POLITICAL JOBBERS
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/osinbajo-denies-calling-restructuring.html

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, has expressed surprise at the news report quoting Chief Ayo Adebanjo as saying he described those agitating for restructuring as political jobbers.
According to a statement by his spokesman, LaoluAkande, at no time did the Acting President say that those asking for restructuring were political jobbers looking for appointments.
He said the video, audio tapes and full text of his speech at the National Security Summit organised last week by the Department of State Services, DSS are publicly available.
While noting that several newspapers and media outlets reported Prof. Osinbajo’s said speech last Wednesday, he stressed that not one of the publications made such a blatantly inaccurate claim that he said those asking for restructuring were political jobbers.
Besides, he argued that the debate on restructuring is an important one and the calls for restructuring cover a wide range of legitimate and constitutionally valid issues, adding that indeed all Nigerians have both a right and a duty to advance their arguments on the subject.
“The acting president himself has expressed support for state police based on the community policing model, advocated for devolution of powers to the states and fiscal federalism.

Glo giving customers free data on Friday
source : http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/glo-giving-customers-free-data-on-friday.html

After launching the milestone Free Data Day, telecoms giant Globacom will on Friday redeem its promiseas it declared the first day of free data, where eligible subscribers will get 200 MB free data to enjoy a free full day of free browsing, chatting, streaming, downloading, uploading, among others



The company will give Glo customers, who qualify for the package, free data for one full day.

To qualify, the subscriber has to meet a voice and/or data usage limit within seven days.

Subscribers must use 100MB plus N150 on voice calls or N250 on voice calls between Friday, 4 to Thursday

All the subscribers, who load and use prepaid data within the period and those who use their existing data plan will enjoy the free data day.

Customers will be notified when they have qualified for the free data day.

KANU TACKLES OSINBAJO, SAYS HIS VIEW ON BIAFRA AGITATION FAULTY, MISCONCEIVED
source: http://www.eyesoflagos.com/2017/08/kanu-tackles-osinbajo-says-his-view-on.html


Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, on Wednesday, tackled the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, for declaring the Biafran agitation as unconstitutional.


Kanu, in a world press conference he held through his team of lawyers in Abuja, maintained that Osinbajo’s view about Biafra was “patently misconceived and inherently faulty”, despite his rank as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
In a statement signed by his lawyer, Mr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Kanu, insisted that “extra judicial remarks” Osinbajo made before the Igbo Council of Traditional Rulers, in reference to Biafran agitation, was offensive to section 2 of the 1999 constitution, as amended.

The statement read in part: “We are presently drifting into the narrative that had hitherto kept our client in unlawful incarceration for 18 months, in clear breach of positive orders of court that directed for his unconditional release. Unhealthy interference by the Executive Arm in the matter before the Court, vide pronouncements capable of putting fears in the court is a case in point.

“This is evident in the recent extra judicial remarks by the Acting President, clearly contained in his presentation before the Igbo Council of Traditional Rulers, that the agitation for Biafra is unconstitutional as it offends section 2 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, 2011, and consequent threat of arrest and imprisonment of those that exercise their unquestionable and inalienable rights to self determination.
“This declaration is respectfully considered as not only provocative, and unacceptable, but a clear case of undue interference with judicial process, which have the capacity of distorting the mindset of the Judicial Officer seized of our client’s case.

“It is important to remind the Acting President that our client’s present political trial originated from his legitimate exercise of his constitutionally guaranteed rights to self determination as clearly provided for under extant laws, and international instruments/covenants.
“It is therefore reasonably expected that any of such extra judicial remarks, should not emanate from the revered office of the Acting President.
“With due reverence to the Acting President, and his rank as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, we deem it obligatory to state the correct position of the law as it relates to his faulty position.

“We observed most respectfully that the learned silk made this remark in direct response to Quit Notice threats and ultimatum handed down to Igbos living in the Northern part of the counter, by a faceless and uninformed group, going by the name of Arewa Youths Consultative Forum.

“But it most be noted very humbly that it is a mistake to equate the lawful and legitimate aspirations and agitations for Biafra with the lawful, illegal and illegitimate Quit Notice, and threat given to the Igbo People to leave the North by this group.

“We submit most humbly that the right to self determination, recognizable under various instruments which Nigeria is a State Party is clearly provided for under Article 20(1) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) ( Act Cap 10) Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990.
“This law provides thus: Article 20 (1) ‘All Peoples shall have right to existence. They shall have the unquestionable and inalienable rights to self determination. They shall freely determine their political status and shall pursue their economic and social development according to the policy they have freely chosen’.
“The above law has been in force in our jurisdiction since 1990 having been ratified vide Ratification and Enforcement Act, Laws of Federation. It is our respectful view that the declaration by the Acting President that Biafran agitation is unconstitutional, is with due respect patently misconceived and inherently faulty.
“It is on this note that we most respectfully call on the Acting President to be more circumspect in his further remarks as it relates to a substantive charge before the court. There is need for total restraint, from comments, pronouncements and declarations that have the effect of distorting the pendulum, one way or the other, particularly on this phantom criminal charge”.

Besides, Ejiofor who briefed newsmen alongside counsel to Kanu’s co-defendants, Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Benjamin Madubugwu, David Nwawuisi and Bright Chimezie, accused the federal government of deliberately stalling frustrating full-blown hearing on the treasonable felony charge against the defendants.
According to him, rather than to open its case on June 22, FG, served an amended five-count charge on the defendants, “in clear breach and violation of an order the court made on April 25, 2017, wherein his Lordship warned, that the court will not entertain further interlocutory application or process capable of delaying the trial”.

He alleged that FG joined the 5th defendant, Chimezie, in the case after a Federal High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State had on May 24, not only ordered the Department of State Service to release him forthwith, but equally directed that he should be paid N5million as damages for his illegal detention.

Consequently, Kanu and his co-defendants, demanded an immediate withdrawal of the amended five-count charge against them, saying they have not committed any offence that is known to law.

Wizkid’s ”Sweet Love” Played On Popular HBO Series ”Ballers”
source : https://makesensemusic.com/wizkids-sweet-love-played-popular-hbo-series-ballers/

Wizkidis balling and literally ”shitting’ on his haters. The 28 year old superstar’s track, ‘Sweet Love ‘ was featured on an episode of popular American HBO’s series, Ballers.The series is produced by wrestler turned movie star, Dwayne Johnson ” ( The rock ).

Nigerians took to Twitter to celebrate him. He joins music legend, 2face Idibiawhose African queen was used as one of the soundtracks for ”Phat Girls’.


cc : mynd44 , lalasticlala

More Trouble For Dammy Krane As Singer Arraigned For August 17 In New Case Update (Photo)
source :https://makesensemusic.com/trouble-dammy-krane-singer-arraigned-august-17-new-case-update-photo/

Here’s an update on the case of Nigerian singer, Dammy Krane, who was arrested for an alleged Identity and credit card fraud some months back!

Recall, we reported that his case court hearing was to be today,August 1st, but the Miami-Dade County Criminal Justice Online System on the Felony case indicates that his arraignment hearing has now been scheduled for August 17, 2017.

The HKN signed act, will now appear in court at 9:15am on August 17 at the Justice Building, Room 4-3 with Courtney Erik as his defense attorney and Migiel De La O as the judge.

According to online reports, In felony cases, after the arraignment, if the case does not settle or get dismissed the judge holds a preliminary hearing.

At this hearing, the judge will decide if there is enough evidence that the defendant committed the crime to make the defendant have to appear for a trial.

cc : mynd44 , lalasticlala

Watch How Davido Caused Commotion At The Airport (Video)
see video : https://makesensemusic.com/watch-davido-caused-commotion-airport-video/

Wizkidis balling and literally ”shitting’ on his haters. The 28 year old superstar’s track, ‘Sweet Love ‘ was featured on an episode of popular American HBO’s series, Ballers.The series is produced by wrestler turned movie star, Dwayne Johnson ” ( The rock ).

Nigerians took to Twitter to celebrate him. He joins music legend, 2face Idibiawhose African queen was used as one of the soundtracks for ”Phat Girls’.