Israeli forces killed 55 Palestinians on the Gaza border in the conflicts bloodiest day in years on Monday as clashes and protests coincided with the deeply controversial opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem.

The clashes, which left more than 2,400 Palestinians wounded, erupted before a White House delegation and Israeli officials opened the embassy at an inauguration ceremony in Jerusalem and continued throughout the day.

It was the bloodiest day in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since a 2014 Gaza war.

The dead included eight children under the age of 16, according to the Palestinian envoy to the United Nations. The Gazan health ministry provided the overall death and injury toll.

Tens of thousands had gathered near the border in protest while smaller numbers of stone-throwing Palestinians approached the fence and sought to break through, with Israeli snipers positioned on the other side.

The embassy inauguration nonetheless went on as planned, attended by a Washington delegation that included US President Donald Trumps daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner, both White House aides.

Ivanka Trump helped declare the new embassy open and a plaque and seal were unveiled before the 800 guests at the ceremony.

Trump addressed the ceremony by video.

Our greatest hope is for peace, he said despite the Palestinian anger the move has provoked.

The United States remains fully committed to facilitating a lasting peace agreement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Trump in his address that by recognising history you have made history.

Protests and clashes

Source: NAN

President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that Nigerias agricultural revolution is real and on course and assured Nigerians that government will sustain the positive momentum in the sector by implementing the right policies.

He gave the assurance an event to mark the commencement of the rehabilitation and expansion of the 6,000-hectare Hadejia Valley irrigation project in Jigawa on Monday.

Buhari, who is in the state on a two-day working visit, promised that government would provide the needed financial resources to prosecute peoples oriented projects.

He was happy that the economic diversification and inclusive growth programmes of the government were already yielding positive results, particularly in key food-producing states.

The President further applauded the World Banks assistance to the project, which when completed would increase water availability for all-season farming in Jigawa and beyond.

On his part, the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, said works on the first phase of the project which started in the early eighties during the administration of President Shehu Shagari and received some funding under the Petroleum Special Trust Fund had suffered frequent abandonment due to lack of funds.

Adamu, however, revealed that with some funds allocated under the US$495 million World Bank-assisted Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING) project in five different irrigation locations in the country, the project would be completed by 2021.

By the time the project is finished in three years, there would be about 6,000 hectares of farmland and the Jigawa State Government also plans to key into the project that will benefit over 25,000 farmers, the Minister explained.

Buhari had earlier inaugurated the 42-kilometre Tasheguwa-Guri Road and the 32-kilometre Abunabo-Kadira-Guri road constructed by the state government .

He also inaugurated the 250,000 solar-powered water supply scheme in the state.

Source: NAN

The lingering nationwide strike embarked upon by health workers may suffered a set-back following resolve by doctors to render services and kick against the demands of the health workers.

The National Chairman of JOHESU, Mr Biobebelemoye Josiah, has therefore alerted of efforts by the doctors to frustrate ongoing talks to end the four-week-old strike.

Josiah raised the alarm when he fielded questions from newsmen in Abuja, and also accused the Ministry of Health of collaborating with the doctors in suppressing JOHESUs legitimate demands from the government.

JOHESU had on April 17 embarked on industrial action to press home its demands bordering on improved healthcare facilities and welfare.

The strike by the union has so far crippled healthcare delivery in public health institutions across the country but the doctors render service.

Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, had confirmed that negotiations were on with JOHESU to end the strike.

Negotiations are still on with JOHESU and the Minister of Labour is leading the negotiation, and we expect that we will conclude on all issues very soon.

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) had in a statement threatened to withdraw their services across health institutions in the country if the federal government acceded to the demands of JOHESU and other health workers.

The NMA wishes to draw the attention of the Federal Government to our correspondence of April 21, 2014, on the above, in which we reminded Government of the collective bargaining agreement we had with the Federal Government of Nigeria in January 2014.

The doctors drew the attention of government to the concluding part of their letter no. NMA/PRE/SG/03/0751 of 21st March 2014.

It states: In view of the above, the NMA painfully wishes to inform the Federal Government of Nigeria that any award to the non-medically qualified health professionals that violates the January and July agreements of 2014 shall result in the resumption of the suspended withdrawal of service of 2014. Please take this as a notice.

The above reminder is predicated on the extension of the ongoing strike action embarked upon by the amorphous body called `JOHESU.

The basis of the strike is callous and ill motivated for pay parity between her members and doctors with the resultant erosion of relativity and further hierarchical distortion in the health sector vis--vis her clandestine romance with some top government officials.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Nigerian Medical Association wishes to restate her positions on the various demands of JOHESU:

We oppose vehemently, any adjustment in CONHESS SALARY SCALE with resultant pay parity between doctors and healthcare professionals allied to medicine, and hereby reaffirm that relativity is sacrosanct, the statement read in part.

The president of JOHESU, however, alleged that the two ministers of health were not serious in ending the strike in view of their position in support of the demands of the doctors at the detriment of JOHESU.

He said: This very agreement was entered into and then a memo was made to Mr President as they claimed even though they gave us a copy later.

When they made this memo it was in December and the ministry of health defended her budget in February, but did not deem it to include that the amount it worked for the payment or settlement of this very issue.

This goes a long way to show that there was dishonesty, insincerity from the beginning on the part of the ministry (Federal Ministry of Health) because most probably the minister is a doctor; minister of state (Health) is a doctor and minister of labour who is supposed to be the chief negotiator, is also a medical doctor. (NAN)

Source: NAN

President Muhammadu Buhari congratulated the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, on his victory in the governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State.

The President extended his goodwill message to the minister in a series of tweets on his personal Twitter handle on Sunday.

He was also optimistic that having won the partys ticket, the former governor would leverage his track record as a reformist who has a passion for education, health and welfare, to reclaim the governorship seat when the state goes to poll on July 14.

President Buhari further applauded other aspirants who took part in the keenly-contested primary.

He urged them to uphold the values and philosophy of the ruling party by coming together to support Dr Fayemi in the forthcoming election, in a bid to ensure the APC emerge victoriously.

The President noted that the ruling party values internal democracy, describing the success of the primary election as another testament to the APCs democratic credentials.

He also assured members of the party and Nigeria that the party would continue to work hard to lead the country to the next level of its development journey.

Congratulations to @kfayemi on winning the APC ticket to contest the July 14, 2018 governorship elections in Ekiti State. I have no doubt that Dr Fayemis track record as a reformistwith a passion for education, health and welfarewill stand him in good stead in the elections.

Congratulations to on winning the APC ticket to contest the July 14, 2018 governorship elections in Ekiti State. I have no doubt that Dr Fayemis track record as a reformistwith a passion for education, health and welfarewill stand him in good stead in the elections.

Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari)

I would also like to commend all the participants in the keenly-contested Primary. I would like them to uphold the values and philosophy of the APC by joining hands to support Dr. Fayemi in the forthcoming elections.

He said that APC has taken internal democracy seriously, and the success of the Ekiti Primary, with more than 30 aspirants, further validates our partys democratic credentials.

Let me assure that we will continue to work hard to lead Nigeria to the next level of its development journey.

He was also optimistic that having won the partys ticket, the former governor would leverage his track record as a reformist who has a passion for education, health and welfare, to reclaim the governorship seat when the state goes to poll on July 14.

President Buhari further applauded other aspirants who took part in the keenly-contested primary.

He urged them to uphold the values and philosophy of the ruling party by coming together to support Dr Fayemi in the forthcoming election, in a bid to ensure the APC emerge victoriously.

Fayemi Reaches Out To Oni, Aluko, Bamisile, 12 Other Co-contestants

Kayode Fayemi 2018 (@VoteFayemi)

The President noted that the ruling party values internal democracy, describing the success of the primary election as another testament to the APCs democratic credentials.

He also assured members of the party and Nigeria that the party would continue to work hard to lead the country to the next level of its development journey.

Also in his reaction, outgoing Ekiti governor, Mr. Peter Ayodele Fayose, expressed happiness that APC has chosen a candidate that the people would reject.

In his tweet, he said: I thank the APC for giving Ekiti people a candidate they love to vote against at all times. Fayemi should not celebrate this pyrrhic victory yet because it is nothing but a flame that will be quenched on July 14. He should expect to suffer worse defeat compared to that of 2014.

I thank the APC for giving Ekiti people a candidate they love to vote against at all times. Fayemi should not celebrate this pyrrhic victory yet because it is nothing but a flame that will be quenched on July 14. He should expect to suffer worse defeat compared to that of 2014.

Peter Ayodele Fayose (@GovAyoFayose)

Source: NAN

The police in the early hours of Monday sealed the complex of Kano state House of Assembly apparently to prevent the impeachment of the speaker.

Reports say that the armed policemen were deployed to the House at about 2 am to prevent members from gaining access into the Assembly Complex.

The deployment of the armed policemen may be connected to the current move to remove Speaker of the House, Mr. Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, and principal officers by some lawmakers.

The speaker had ordered for suspension of all activities in the House until after Eid-El-Fitr festivity.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Magaji Musa Majia, confirmed deployment of police to the Assembly.

Majia stated that the deployment of the police personnel was to maintain peace in the complex.

We deployed our men to the Assembly to ensure that nobody disrupts the peace.

We need peace in the state and therefore we will not allow anybody to tamper with existing peace and harmony being enjoyed by the people in the state.

Ata who was sworn-in ten months ago after the previous Speaker resigned following allegations of corruption, has been accused of incompetence and failure to carry everyone along.

At least 21 members have signed the impeachment notice while six other signatures are needed to remove the Speaker.

Meanwhile, the embattled Speaker has confirmed the plans by the House to impeach him, noting that he has accepted his faith.

He also denied allegations of incompetence.

Source: NAN

Former military Head of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd), said on Monday that his regime never experienced anything such as corruption for the nine years it was in power.

Gowon, whose government ruled from 1966 to 1975, made the statement at the 8th Commonwealth Regional Conference for Heads of Anti-corruption Agencies in Africa hosted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja.

The former leader said although some of his ministers were being accused of corruption, the regime made sure that it did not happen.

During our time, I can assure you we did not know anything of the sort such as corruption.

Yes, some of my ministers were being accused of corruption, but I can assure you it was something that we tried to make sure it did not happen especially in the public service.

When I left office in 1975, apart from my salary, it was those staff who were with me during the OAU meeting (Kampala, Uganda) that contributed their estacode to make sure that at least I had something to live on after I had been asked to leave office.

And I said I wish I had done something to provide for the future, and I think it is that experience that probably made those that came after I left office to make sure they provided for the future.

Gowon said he was saddened by reports in the media suggesting that all the countrys former Heads of States or Presidents were corrupt, noting that such allegations were denigrating the office.

The former military leader, therefore, urged Nigerians to make sure that those elected or appointed into public office were made to be honest, transparent and accountable.

He also challenged participants at the conference to come up with effective measures not only to prevent looting of public funds but also recovery of stolen money, and its use for the people.

Earlier, Nobel laureate, Prof, Wole Soyinka, said Nigeria had been bled dry by corrupt leadership over the years, and challenged the anti-graft agencies on the prosecution of past and current corrupt leaders.

I took the trouble yesterday to visit the new headquarters of the EFCC; I wanted to see what would be the mode of hospitality for some of our leaders who will surely sooner or later pas through the doors of that beautiful building not far from here.

Until we make sure that some of our leaders pass through those doors, this struggle against corruption in this country will not be won.

I spoke to Magu (EFCC Acting Chairman), that I want to see the presidential wing in this place. I said, `I am a human rights person and I want to make sure you treat them right when they come here.

But he said sorry, it is an egalitarian institution. And I said ok, I will take that message back to them, that they should get ready to go down a little bit in status when justice catches up with them.

Soyinka said EFCCs major responsibility for now was to help the nation to recover the rest of the loot still hidden across the continent, fill up its detention room with corrupt leaders.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, called for more political will by governments in the continent in the fight against corruption.

Onnoghen advised that the masses should be carried along in the process, because anti-graft agencies could only effectively wage the fight with information from the people.

On behalf of the judiciary, the CJN assured the countrys anti-corruption agencies of the judicial support to sustain their efforts in reducing corruption to its barest minimum.

In his address of welcome, Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Ibrahim Magu, said Nigeria was lucky to have the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari which he said is committed to the anti-graft war.

Magu said there had never been a more focused and committed team in the ant-corruption anywhere in Africa than the current leadership in Nigeria.

Source: NAN

President Muhammadu Buhari who is currently on a two-day official visit to Jigawa on Monday flagged off the project for the rehabilitation of Hadejia Valley Irrigation Scheme (HVIS) in Auyo Local Government Area of Jigawa.

The project will be executed under the Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING) that is supported by World Bank.

The Federal Government is collaborating with the World Bank for the implementation of the Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING) project.

The TRIMING project is a federal governments special intervention for sustainable development of irrigated agriculture in Nigeria, being a major tool for reducing poverty and promoting shared prosperity.

The project was awarded to CGC-YSEJ Joint Ventures in 2018 to implement the rehabilitation of exiting gravity Irrigation area of about 5,346 hectares and expansion of about 778 hectares, including rehabilitation of barrage.

The contract is in the sum of N9.4 billion with a completion period of three years.

The project would entail the rehabilitation of Hadejia Barrage and Head works with 26.2 km embankment and storage capacity of 11.4 million cubic meter.

It will also include the rehabilitation of feeder canal and North Main Canal of about 30 km total length and the expansion of South Main Canal of 32.8 km total length with 25 sectors.

The project was first awarded in the early 1980s, but was abandoned due to poor funding.

Source: NAN

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, on Monday declared open in Abuja the 8th Commonwealth Conference of Heads of Anti-corruption Agencies in Africa.

The conference has as its theme: Partnership Towards Assets Recovery and Return. Abuja.

It was attended by Sec. Gen. Commonwealth, Baroness Patricia, Former President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki, former Nigerian leaders, Gen. Yakubu Gowon and Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar, Ag. Chairman EFCC, Ibrahim Magu and other members of the African commonwealth delegation.

Photos by Novo Isioro.

Source: NAN

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of T.W Records, Mrs Faridah Wada, has called on Nigerian youths to shun violence and acquire skills that will make them self-reliant.

Farida made the call at the grand opening ceremony of TW Records Studio for music and entertainment on Monday in Abuja.

She said that the studio was built out of passion for music and entertainment to bring creativity, imagination and new dimension for opportunities.

At TW Records, we have learned that imagination is more important than knowledge because knowledge is limited while imagination encircles the world.

Any person who never made mistake never tried anything new, I encourage the youths to acquire basic skills to keep them self-reliant.

We make bold to tell our artist that everybody is a genius and all that is valuable in human society depends on opportunity for development, she said.

The CEO said the studio would present job opportunities to develop crafts, dreams and aspirations for the teeming youths in the country.

She challenged the youths to strive toward a better society by imbibing skills that would make them assets to the society.

On his part, former Gov. of Kogi state, Captain Idris Wada, particularly implored the youths in the country to embrace talents like music, drama and other aspects of entertainment to make them engaged in the society.

Wada advised the youths to strive toward taking over leadership, saying that such was only possible if they worked very hard and became productive.

If you want to succeed and be a leader, you must be focused, disciplined hardworking, tolerant and dedicated towards your goals.

In every difficulty, there are opportunities and I urge the youths to learn skills like drama, music and entertainment to develop themselves and be useful to the society.

TW studio is equipped with state of the art facility and will offer youths the opportunity to showcase their talents in the entertainment industry, Wada said.

He, however, appealed to the government to initiate an agenda that would address the challenges facing young people to give them a sense of belonging that would contribute to societal growth.

The occasion featured comedy, red carpet and stage performance by music artists.

Dignitaries at the occasion include, former Senate president Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Mr Hosa Wells, Sen. Uche Ekwunife and Amb. Ifeanyi Ifedi.

Source: NAN

The United States officially opened its deeply controversial Jerusalem embassy on Monday in a ceremony preceded by violent clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces along the Gaza strips border.

Reports said 37 Palestinians were mowed down by Israeli firepower and hundreds more were injured, in what has been called the bloodiest day in years.

Tens of thousands had gathered near the border in protest while smaller numbers of stone-throwing Palestinians approached the fence and sought to break through, with Israeli snipers positioned on the other side.

The protests did not stop the embassy opening ceremony, that included a video address by President Donald Trump.

Trump told the ceremony that the United States remained committed to reaching a lasting Middle East peace though the move of its embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem has provoked outrage.

A plaque and seal was unveiled at the ceremony officially opening the embassy.

US ambassador to Israel David Friedman also spoke at the ceremony in Jerusalem and Trump was given a standing ovation when he mentioned him.

Friedman referred to the embassys location as Jerusalem, Israel drawing wild applause.

US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan led the Washington delegation at the inauguration that also included Trumps daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner, both White House aides, as well as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.

Some 800 guests attended the ceremony.

Jerusalems status is perhaps the thorniest issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel considers the entire city its capital, while the Palestinians see east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

Source: NAN