By Funmilayo Adeyemi

The United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) has reiterated the need for more investment in teachers, both in time and financial resources, to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

UNICEFs Education Manager, Mrs Manar Ahmed, said this during a presentation on: Scaling Foundational Literacy and Numeracy in Nigeria, in Kano on Friday.

The event, which is a two-day Media Dialogue on SDGs, was aimed at promoting, protecting, advocating and collaborating with stakeholders for the realisation of children rights in the country.

Ahmed said that tackling teachers training was not enough but also ensuring action plans for improving teaching and learning under the right environment.

According to her, Nigeria is not lacking the right policy but the countrys staggering learning crisis is one of the lowest globally.

In sub Saharan Africa, 87 per cent of children are in learning poverty as they do not have basic literacy by age 10.

Goal four of the SDGs is to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education that promote lifelong learning and all children by age 10 must know how to read and solve numeracy.

It is not that Nigeria lacks the right policy but Nigeria is facing staggering crisis with learning outcomes being one of the lowest.

So,70 per cent of the children in school are not achieving basic foundational skills, she said.

She added that 27 per cent of teaching staff in Nigeria were unqualified as qualified teachers were in short supply.

She said there was the need to learn to read in order to read to learn to achieve the SDGs by 2030.

We need to do more in structural approach of learning, community engagement in ensuring accountability.

Structural approach is best for training of teachers, so on-the-job training as well as creating the right environment is important, she said.

She, therefore, commended the country for her role in making huge change since 2017 when the national assessment of learning outcomes was carried out.

She said more needed to be done to achieve the 17 goals of the SDGs by 2030 as government allocation to education must be increased.

Also, Dr Uche Anunne, Editorial Training Coordinator, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said that strong institutions were required to ensure the quality of teachers in the country.

Anunne said that most SDGs had impact on the child rights, saying that all hands must be on deck to get things right by 2030.

Source: NAN News

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emiefele and Mr Temitope Ogunsemo, the founder of Krystal Digital Solutions L.td., have been listed in the Forbes Africa Undiscovered Series for Nigeria.

This is contained in a Forbes Report on Nigeria made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.

The report said the undiscovered series was part of an exclusive list of Nigerians who have been crucial in rebuilding and contributing to the Nigerian growth story at this time.

It explained that each year, Forbes Africa looks for resilient game-changers, self-starters, innovators, entrepreneurs, and disruptors who have been leading ideas and industries while purposefully contributing to nation-building and positively impacting the lives around them.

The report also said that the 2022 list was a selection of Nigerias brightest achievers spanning real estate, oil and gas, corporate leaders, technology innovators, business people, media professionals, policy shapers, and advocates.

Alongside Ogunsemo, public and private sector leaders from business technology, education, the arts, and health sectors were also listed.

Some of these names include Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cosgrove; Umar Abdullahi, Founder and CEO of Flutterwave, Olugbenga Agboola; GMD/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, Ebenezer Onyeagwu; amongst others.

Ogunsemo was recognised in the field of information technology for his tenacious leadership and remarkable contribution to Nigerias educational sector with the MySkool Portal app.

Ogunsemo has over the years shown his undiluted commitment to making the dreams of vulnerable persons a reality through access to quality education, empowerment, and mentoring.

Krystal Digital is empowering Nigerias population of over 200 million people, providing them with the resources, education, training, and access they need to succeed.

Speaking on making the coveted list, Ogunsemo said, Im very honoured to have been listed on the Forbes Africa Undiscovered Series.

Its a big win for not just me but for the amazing team at Krystal Digital Solutions Limited.

Its been a turbulent year for businesses and startups but through it all, we have trudged on with passion and grit. And this award has proved that although it has not been easy, it was worth it. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

UN food agency on Friday said World food prices jumped nearly 13 per cent in March to a new record high as the war in Ukraine caused turmoil in markets for staple grains and edible oils.

The Food and Agriculture Organisations (FAO) food price index, which tracks the most globally traded food commodities, averaged 159.3 points in March versus an upwardly revised 141.4 for February.

The February figure was previously put at 140.7, which was a record at the time.

Russia and Ukraine are major exporters of wheat, corn, barley and sunflower oil via the Black Sea, and Moscows six-week-old invasion of its neighbour has stalled Ukrainian exports.

FAO last month said food and feed prices could rise by up to 20 per cent as a result of the conflict in Ukraine, raising the risk of increased malnutrition.

It said the agencys cereal price index climbed 17 per cent in March to a record level while its vegetable oil index surged 23%, also registering its highest reading yet.

Disruption to supplies of crops from the Black Sea region has exacerbated price rises in food commodities, which were already running at 10-year highs in the FAOs index before the war in Ukraine due to global harvest issues.

Sugar and dairy prices also rose sharply in March, the FAO said.

In separate cereal supply and demand estimates on Friday, the FAO cut its projection of world wheat production this year to 784 million tonnes, from 790 million in March, as it factored in the possibility that at least 20 per cent of Ukraines winter crop area would not be harvested.

The revised global wheat output estimate was nonetheless 1 per cent above the previous years level, it said.

The agency lowered its projection of global cereals trade in the 2021/22 marketing year as increased exports from Argentina, India, the European Union and the United States were expected to only offset some of the disruption to Black Sea exports.

Total cereal trade in 2021/22 was revised down by 14.6 million tonnes from the previous monthly outlook to 469 million tonnes, now 2 per cent below the 2020/21 level.

FAO added that the projected world cereal stocks at the end of 2021/22 were revised up by 15 million tonnes to nearly 851 million tonnes, mainly because of expectations that export disruption will lead to bigger stockpiles in Ukraine and Russia.

Source: NAN News

By Bosede Olufunmi

The Federal Government said on Thursday that it has so far completed 2,465 housing units across the country under the National Housing Programme.

The acting Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, Mr Chukwunwike Uzo, made the disclosure in Kano at the commissioning of 76 housing units contributed under the programme at Gama-Kwari, off Jaba-Panisau Road, Fagge, in Kano.

According to him, For the benefit of Nigerians on this initiative, over 1,200 building contractors have been engaged under phases I, II and III of the programme since inception in 2016.

He said that during this period, the ministry had undertaken the construction of over 6,000 housing units in 45 sites, out of which 2,465 units have been completed in 35 states and the FCT, he said.

Uzo further said that over 14,500 and 50,140 direct and indirect jobs respectively have been created during the period under review.

He said that the houses constructed comprised of one bedroom, two and three bedroom semi-detached bungalows.

The philosophy behind the National Housing Programme, is the provision of pilot scheme that is affordable, accessible and acceptable as contained in the national housing policy.

In his remarks, the Director, Public Building and Housing in the ministry, Mr Solomon Labafilo, commended Kano State government for its support in providing lands for the projects.

Labafilo said that the houses were allocated to Nigerians on first come, first served bases through a ministry portal.

While we welcome those who can afford to pay outright, it is not a condition for eligibility and we have offered flexible payments options like mortgages and rents to own, which we encourage applicants to pursue, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

Former President Goodluck Jonathan says African countries must be deliberate in fostering the culture of inclusion.

He has advised them to have the same approach in the enthronement of equal rights and justice in the continent.

Jonathan said these on Thursday while delivering a keynote address titled Building an Inclusive Society for the Next Generation in Abuja.

He delivered the address at the first year memorial and launching of Innocent Chukwuemeka Chukwuma Empowerment Foundation (ICCEF).

Jonathan said that democracy is a political philosophy that offers the broadest platform for inclusive participation.

According to him, it is anchored on the essential virtue of human liberty which encompasses political, economic and social rights.

He said that those rights were the premise upon which democracys promise of peace, equality and justice as well its capacity to improve the welfare and social condition of the citizens, were framed.

Jonathan said that democracy becomes meaningful when citizens are happy and saved from political and social threats like hunger, poverty, discrimination and persecution.

There is no gainsaying the fact that attainment of basic human needs and fulfilment of democratic promises of peace and security and the flourishing of human rights are the basic background upon which democracy grows.

One major ingredient to building an inclusive society is to ensure that we strengthen our institutions and be deliberate about the enforcement of economic rights in a way and manner that guarantees peace and social security of citizens.

The empowerment of citizens in this regard will raise an army of conscious, patriotic and active citizens who can overcome the temptation of vote trading and other corrupt practises in our electoral system.

We must therefore adopt measures that will completely eliminate the ugly incidence of merchandisation of the electoral process, he said.

To achieve that in a sustainable manner, Jonathan said that a strong social contract needed to be established between the government and the governed.

This is as a means of guaranteeing the basic social economic rights of decent existence such as healthcare, education, housing and transportation.

He also said there was need to build institutions that were accountable to the people; as well enable the people to add measurable value to society.

Jonathan said that the people should be able to draw strength and growth from the value they help create.

The former president said that the 21st century provided unprecedented opportunities and threats for inclusive development.

He said that the key to being able to maximize the opportunities and mitigating the threats was an empowered citizenry.

The ex-president said that to empower the citizens sustainably was to arm them with necessary skills to be relevant in todays world.

Jonathan said there was also need to manage the society for the future generation, starting from home.

He said that any governance structure or leadership model that does not incorporate the management of society to protect the interest of the future generation would lead the society to a dead end.

On politics and nation-building, Jonathan said there was need for Africans to change their political behaviour and culture.

He said that the kind of politics being played in most African countries was such that would not help the quest for growth and development.

The ex-president advised Nigerian politicians and leaders in general to act in a manner that would inspire hope and patriotism in the country.

Jonathan also advised them to encourage younger generations to believe in the Nigeria project and put the country first in all that they do.

We must conduct ourselves in a way that will encourage youth and children to have confidence in their leaders and be convinced that Nigeria belongs to them.

That way, they will consolidate their stake in their country, believing that their country will protect them just like a father in the family unit will protect the interest of his children.

There should be a deliberate mentoring plan and schemes that would ensure transition of power and values from one generation to the next.

He said that a society that could not provide basic needs for its citizens could hardly inspire in them the kind of patriotism and zeal that would motivate the people to invest every ounce of their energy towards building their nation.

Jonathan commended the organisers of the event for the laudable initiative.

He described Chukwuma as a great man, a compatriot who served Nigeria, Africa and the entire humanity with relentless passion and commitment.

Jonathan said that Chukwuma dedicated over three decades of his life to causes that promote social justice, security, democracy, good governance and the general good of humanity.

Whether as a human rights activist, social critic or boardroom executive, Innocent remained consistent to his creed.

His was a passion for justice, transparency and peace as the defining element of a good society.

They are the virtues he went ahead to display and exemplify in his everyday life.

I am glad that CCEF is being launched today to drive his vision for a just and inclusive society where citizens, especially the young and women, could thrive economically and politically, without let or hindrance. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

The Hijrah Council of Nigeria has admonished Nigerian traders to be just in their dealings with fellow Nigerians by making sure they do not inflate prices of goods and services.

The appeal is contained in a communique signed by Prof. Badamas Yusuf, the National President of the council, after a meeting, on Thursday in Offa, Offa Local Government Area of Kwara.

The communique also stated that the meeting discussed and agreed on several positive issues that would benefit Muslims.

Sheikh Muyideen Salman, the Chief Imam and Spokesman of Offa Community, called for unity and solidarity among Muslims of the world, while imploring them to find areas of differences and resolved them amicably.

According to him, the only way to show the beauty of Islam is for the Muslims to work in unity and solidarity.

Muslims, all over the world, should know that our religion is a peaceful religion; it is a beautiful one.

So, whatever dispositions we would be portraying to the outside world, the beauty of Islam should be the foremost thing we will be portraying to them.

Let them see the beauty of Islam in us, so that others would be moved to practice it, he said.

Salman urged the faithful against discrimination and bigotry, adding that there is need to manage the areas of differences among Muslims in order to solve misconceptions and misunderstandings.

He said that differences could be resolved amicably, while reminding that Islam is the religion that is fully garnished with understanding.

The cleric also appealed to influential Muslims to assist Islam with whatever Allah has blessed them, saying that the rich should spend their money for Allahs cause.

He also advised contestants in the upcoming 2023 general elections to be God-fearing in their campaign and not resort to do-or-die race.

Besides, he warned the candidates and political parties against turning their followers into ruffians and miscreants all in the name of getting power.

Salman also admonished them not to bastardise the lives of Nigerian youths in order to meet their own goals. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari has received the report on New Revenue Formula from the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) in the State House, Abuja, on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the report was presented to the president by the leadership of RMAFC, led by Mr Elias Mbam.

Receiving the report, Buhari said he would await the final outcome of the constitutional review process before presenting the report of the review of the vertical revenue allocation formula to the National Assembly as a Bill for enactment.

Ordinarily, I would have gone ahead to table this report before the National Assembly as a Bill for enactment.

However, since the review of the vertical revenue allocation formula is a function of the roles and responsibilities of the different tiers of government, I will await the final outcome of the constitutional review process, especially as some of the proposed amendments would have a bearing on the recommendations contained herein, he said.

The president listed some of the proposed amendments in the report as follows:

Establishing local government as a tier of government and the associated abrogation of the state/local government account; moving airports; fingerprints, identification and criminal records from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent legislative list;

Empowering the RMAFC to enforce compliance with remittance of accruals into and disbursement of revenue from the Federation Account as well as streamlining the procedure for reviewing the revenue allocation formula.

Buhari assured members of the commission that the Federal Government would immediately subject the report to its internal review and approval processes, while awaiting finalisation of the efforts by the National Assembly.

According to the president, this strategy, rather than issuing an Executive Modification order, as was done in 1992, is more in line with entrenching democratic tenets.

He commended the RMAFC for a job painstakingly done, pledging his unwavering commitment and support to them in carrying out their constitutional mandates.

He also thanked Nigerians, especially the State and Local Governments, for making their inputs through the broad stakeholder engagement processes that produced the report.

I am aware that the present revenue allocation formula has not been reviewed since the last exercise carried out in 1992.

Considering the changing dynamics of our political-economy, such as Privatisation, Deregulation, funding arrangement of Primary Education, Primary Health Care and the growing clamour for decentralisation, among others, it is necessary that we take another look at our Revenue Sharing Formula, especially the vertical aspects that relate to the tiers of government.

This becomes more compelling as we need to reduce our infrastructural deficit, make more resources available for tackling insecurity, confront climate change and its associated global warming and make life more meaningful for our rapid growing population, he said.

According to the president, as an advocate for grassroots development, he has always remained committed to ensuring that all tiers of government are treated fairly, equally and justly in the sharing of national resources.

I want to let you all know that I have keenly followed most of the discussions held in the geo-political consultative process and one thing that struck me clearly was the agreement that a review of our vertical revenue formula cannot and should not be an emotional or sentimental discussion and it cannot be done arbitrarily.

All over the world, revenue and resource allocation have always been a function of the level of responsibilities attached to the different components or tiers of government.

I am, therefore, happy to note that the discussions were held along these lines and rested squarely on roles and responsibilities as spelt out in the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

However, I also note that in reaching the final decisions at most of these engagements, not much emphasis was placed on the fact that the Second Schedule of the Nigerian constitution contains 68 items on the Exclusive Legislative List and the remaining 30 items on the Concurrent List requiring both the Federal and State Governments to address.

Buhari, therefore, declared that for the nation to have a lasting review of the present revenue allocation formula, there must first be an agreement on the responsibilities to be carried out by all the tiers of government.

According to him, the proposal seeks a 3.33% reduction in the current Federal Government allocation and on the other hand an increase of 3.07% and .44% for the States and Local Governments.

He added that with regards to the Special Funds, the report by the RMAFC proposed an increase of .2% for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and a decrease of .38% for Development of Natural Resources.

The president recounted that the federal government also made its input into the process of reviewing the vertical revenue allocation formula based on existing constitutional provisions for roles and responsibilities for the different tiers of government.

We must note the increasing visibility in Sub-national level responsibilities due to weaknesses at that level, for example: Primary Health Care; Basic Primary Education; Levels of insecurity; and increased remittances to State and Local Governments through the Value Added Tax sharing formula, where the Federal Government has only 15% and the States and Local Government share 50% and 35% respectively, he said.

In his remarks, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, said the RMAFC followed due process in undertaking the exercise, and sought the opinion of the federal government before finalising the report.

While giving a synopsis of the report, Mustapha said that it was in four volumes, including a summary in the main report.

Volume 1 contains the various memoranda submitted by the Federal and State Governments as well as the FCT.

Volume 2 details the presentation from the academia, civil society, professional bodies, traditional rulers, individuals, as well as women and youth councils.

To complete the inclusiveness of the stakeholder participatory processes adopted, Volume 3 is a research that captures the body of knowledge that supported the review.

Volume 4 is a further distillation of submissions by the State and Local Governments as well as NGOs and Area Councils of the FCT, he said.

Also speaking, Mbam said the leading philosophy behind the proposed review was guided by the need for distributive justice, equity and fairness as enshrined in relevant Sections of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

He said that the principles took into cognisance the indivisibility of the country, public opinion and weighted constitutional responsibilities and functions of the three levels of government.

He announced that the proposed vertical revenue allocation formula advised 45.17 per cent for the federal government, 29.79 per cent for state governments and 21.04 per cent for the local governments.

Under Special Funds, he said, the Report by the Commission recommended 1.0 per cent for Ecology, 0.5 per cent for Stabilisation, 1.3 per cent for Development of Natural Resources and 1.2 per cent for the FCT.

In arriving at the new vertical revenue allocation formula, Mbam told the president the commission had wide consultation with major stakeholders, public hearing in all the geo-political zones and administered questionnaires.

He said the commission also studied some other federations with similar fiscal arrangements like Nigeria to draw useful lessons from their experiences.

He revealed that the commission also visited all the 36 states and the FCT, the 774 local government areas to sensitise and obtain inputs from stakeholders.

He added that literature reviews were conducted on revenue allocation formula in Nigeria dating back to pre-independence period while the commission received memoranda from the public sectors, individuals and private institutions across the country.

While explaining the major reasons for the exercise, Mbam stated that since the last review was conducted in 1992, 29 years ago, the political structure of the country had changed with the creation of six additional states in 1996, which brought the number of states to 36.

Correspondingly, he said, the number of local government councils also increased from 589 to 774.

There have been considerable changes arising from the policy reforms that altered the relative share of responsibilities of the various tiers of government such as deregulation, privatisation and the lingering controversies over funding of primary education, primary healthcare, he said.

The chairman noted that while Section 32(b), Part 1 of Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) empowered the commission to review from time to time the revenue allocation formulae.

Mbam added that inadequate and decaying infrastructure, as well as heightened widespread internal security challenges across the country also necessitated the exercise, among others. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Mujidat Oyewole

The Federal High Court sitting in Ilorin on Thursday sentenced three persons charged for offences bordering on cybercrime.

The Ilorin Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) secured the conviction.

The convicts are Umar Olanrewaju also known as Sugar Baby, Hassan Olaitan, auto repairer, and one Tope Ayodele.

The presiding Judge, Justice Muhammed Sani, agreed with the submission of the prosecuting counsels that the commission had established a prima facie case against the defendants.

The court, thereafter, pronounced them guilty and sentenced Olanrewaju and Olaitain to six months imprisonment with option of fine of N100,000 each.

He also ordered the convicts to forfeit their iPhone 7 which they used to perpetrate their various crimes and the sum of money benefited from the act to the Federal Government.

The defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges.

Following their guilty pleas, Sesan Ola and Andrew Akoja, who prosecuted the cases on behalf of the EFCC, reviewed the facts of the cases.

In a related development, Justice Mahmud AbdulGafar of the State High Court, also sentenced Tope Ayodele to three months imprisonment for offences bordering on cybercrime.

The three months should be observed at the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Centre, which should be suspended.

The judge ordered that one itel phone which the convict used to perpetrate the crime be forfeited to the Federal Government. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Peter Uwumarogie

Mr Mohammed Ahmed, the General Manager, Gombe State Environmental Protection Agency (GOSEPA), has assured cleaners that no worker would be sacked in spite of signing a new contract with another contractor.

Ahmed gave the assurance while fielding questions from journalists in Gombe on Thursday, following a protest over alleged replacement of casual workers that clean drains and streets in the metropolis.

The GOSEPA boss said it was regrettable that the protest was caused by misinformation, and assured that no worker would be sacked in spite of the new contract.

He said the state government was concerned about the wellbeing and welfare of the casual workers, hence, any decision would be to their best interest.

He said that after the contract with the private environmental vendor, INEX Cleaners, expired, the government decided to advertise to get other companies because of the huge money being expended on INEX.

Five companies submitted quotations following the advertisement, and the state government signed a new contract with two different environmental vendors based on their favourable financial quotations.

The government carried out investigation which shows that Gombe government is paying higher than most states to clean its environment.

According to the contract signed by the previous administration, the state pays INEX N930, 000 to clean one kilometre (km), while other states pay N465, 000 per km,, he said.

The general manger explained that the casual workers were paid N12,000 each per km and 10 workers were engaged per km which amounted to N120,000 out of the N930, 000 the state government was paying the company.

He said that the state government signed a new contract with the vendor that quoted N450, 000 per km on the condition that all previous workers would be retained and their salaries raised to N15,000.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the casual workers with INEX cleaners came out to protest their alleged disengagement and replacement.

The workers who protested in front of Government House chanted solidarity songs and begged Gov. Inuwa Yahaya to wade into the matter with a view to assuring them of their job security.

Some of the protesters told NAN that some persons in GOSEPA wanted to disobey the governors directive which asked the new contractor to retain them, saying; and we know the governor is not against us. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

Defence, on Thursday, concluded cross-examination of the second prosecution witness in the trial of a musician, Azeez Fashola (a.k.a Naira Marley) facing cybercrime charges.

The second prosecution witness, Mr Augustine Anosike, is a forensic analyst, who began evidence in 2021.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is prosecuting the defendant.

Fashola, who sang the popular song: Am I a yahoo boy, was arraigned on May 20, 2019, before Justice Nicholas Oweibo, but he pleaded not guilty.

The court granted him bail in the sum of two million naira, with two sureties in like sum.

On Thursday, defence concluded cross-examination of the second prosecution witness, who ended evidence on Oct. 27, 2021.

During the cross-examination, defence counsel, Mr Olalekan Ojo (SAN), asked the witness what he understood by to authorise a text or WhatsApp message.

In response, the witness told the court that in his opinion, authorship referred to the producer or maker of the text.

On whether he confirms if the messages extracted from Fasholas phone were products of human activities, he said, I cannot tell because I am not in possession of the gadgets that transferred the messages.

According to him, since the gadgets used for sending and receiving messages belonged to a human, that human is supposed to know how the messages emerged.

Defence counsel also asked the witness if he indicated in his report that the name Azeez Fashola was the sender of any of the messages.

The witness attempted to state that the defendant had other names saved in his phone, but defence counsel asked him to answer the question directly.

In response, the witness replied, I cannot remember.

When defence counsel asked that Exhibit F be shown to the witness as it contained details of his analysis which he had told the court was material to the case, the witness replied My lord, I am not sure.

Defence counsel then said, My lord, we are not comfortable with the reply: I am not sure.

Ojo again reminded the witness that he had told the court that everything contained in Exhibit F was deemed relevant, adding that his reply before the court showed an attempt to be evasive.

Later, the witness replied: In my report, I did not indicate such, but the general principle is that the owner of a phone is the sender of a message except he gave the phone to another person.

Following his response, defence suggested to the witness that in Exhibit F, his extraction did not show the number of people who had used the phone other than the owner.

The witness replied, Yes.

The witness also testified that ownership of a phone was not the same thing as usage of that phone.

He, however, told the court that he was not sure if a SIM card number could be shared or used by different persons.

When asked if from Exhibit A, there was any indication that the suspect had other names, the witness replied, There is no column for other names; it is not indicated.

On whether his analysis on Exhibit F showed or linked the messages to fall within Nigerias territory, the witness replied:The configuration of a phone depends on whether the location can be detected.

If GPS is on, it can be detected, but if GPS is not enabled, then only the owner has knowledge of where he is sending or receving messages from.

Defence then said to the witness, I suggest to you that it is the sender of the messages in this case that can know the truth or otherwise of this case,

The witness replied, Yes, my lord.

The court has adjourned the case until June 1 for re-examination of the witness and continuation of trial.

According to the EFCC, the defendant committed the offences on different dates between Nov. 26, 2018, and Dec.11, 2018, as well as on May 10, 2019.

The commission alleged that Fashola and his accomplices conspired to use different Access Bank ATM cards to defraud their victims.

It alleged that the defendant used a bank credit card issued to another person, in a bid to obtain fraudulent financial gains.

The EFCC also said that the defendant possessed counterfeit credit cards belonging to different people, with intent to defraud which amounted to theft.

The alleged offences contravene the provisions of Sections 1 23 (1) (b), 27 (1) and 33(9) of Cyber Crime (Prohibition) Prevention Act, 2015. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Abdul Hassan

Alhaji Musa Saidu, a chieftain of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) says the North must support Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to become Nigerias president in 2023, as a payback for his numerous support for President Muhammadu Buhari.

Saidu, also the National Coordinator, Arewa Initiative for Peaceful Coexistence in Southern Nigeria (AIPCSN), said this when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Port Harcourt.

He also lend his support to the clamour for power shift from the North to South in 2023.

The issue of power shift started during the military regime, there was a general agreement for power shift from North to South and that was how former President Olusegun Obasanjo emerged as the president in 1999.

Late President Umaru YarAdua who succeeded Obasanjo spent only two years and few months in office and former President Goodluck Jonathan who was the Vice President replaced him.

I think so many things happened afterwards which led to the killing of zoning in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

So in PDP there is no zoning arrangement currently, that means anybody from any part of the country can contest, but in APC if the power must shift it must go to South West and to Tinubu, he said.

He added: But President Muhammadu Buhari came on board on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) without any zoning arrangement.

Buhari got massive support from the North and the South West especially from political bigwigs like Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the former Lagos state governor and a National Leader of the APC.

The South East outrightly rejected the arrangement, they didnt support the APC because they had nothing to do with the party.

The South South too failed to support the APC, leaving only the North and the South West, the scenario repeated itself in 2015 and Tinubu also played a prominent role in APCs victory at the poll.

Saidu, also a human rights activist, said that the ACF met after the election and recognised the contributions of Tinubu towards Buharis reelection.

After the election, the ACF which am a member after accessing the situation agreed to payback the South West and Tinubu in particular in future elections.

In fact it was agreed that Tinubu should be supported after Buhari to win the APC ticket and succeed him in office in 2023.

It was agreed that Tinubu be supported in line with the Northern tradition of paying back those supported us in our hours of need, he said.

Saidu expressed optimism that the APC would win the 2023 Presidential Poll with the former governor of Lagos State as its candidate.

If actually we are having power shift in 2023 then it should go to South West and Tinubu because he has demonstrated love for the North.

In fact Tinubu has the best credential to fly the APC ticket in 2023, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Femi Ogunshola

The House of Representatives has directed the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to suspend the implementation of the Hajj Saving Scheme.

This followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by Rep. Aminu Ashiru-Mani (APC-Katsina) at the plenary on Thursday in Abuja.

The house mandated its Committee on Pilgrims Affairs to investigate the Hajj saving scheme.

It also mandated the committee to review the entire agreement between NAHCON and JAIZ Bank, its partner on the scheme, and report back within two weeks.

Ashiru-Mani had said that the scheme was established in 2006 for intending Muslim pilgrims to save toward performing the Hajj.

According to him, within two years of NAHCONs partnership with JAIZ Bank to assist intending pilgrims to save under the scheme, the customer base has hit over 4000 with no billion naira savings in the account.

He alleged lack of transparency and accountability in the savings scheme.

According to him, if the development is not tackled,it will lead to corruption in the system and disregard for the extant law.

The Deputy Speaker of the house, Ahmed Wase, in his contribution, explained that for more than two years, intending pilgrims had been contributing to the scheme, but unable to perform the Hajj due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

He further alleged that against the act establishing the commission, it was dipping its hand into the fund. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Kingsley Okoye

The Senate has urged the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs to liaise with the Ghanaian Government to strengthen bilateral relations between both countries to prevent the maltreatment of Nigerians entering Ghana.

This is contained in the recommendations of the Senate after it considered a report by the Joint Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary); Primary Health and Communicable Diseases; and Foreign Affairs at plenary on Wednesday.

The report was based on a Motion for the Urgent Need to Conduct Investigation on the Allegation of Fake COVID-19 Test Results Being Used to Defraud Nigerians in Ghana, and the Obtainment of Fake COVID-19 Vaccination Cards.

The Chairman of the Joint Committee, Sen. Yahaya Oloriegbe, presented the report to the Senate.

In his presentation, he recalled that the investigation was necessitated by allegations that the Ghanaian authorities diagnosed Nigerians who travelled to their country of testing positive for COVID-19 even after testing negative in Nigeria.

He said it was alleged further that Nigerian travellers to the country were committed to isolation for two weeks at N70,000 equivalent daily, an amount running into millions of naira.

According to him, investigations revealed that Nigerians were possibly exploited at the Ghana International Airport going by explanations by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19.

He said Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and the Chairman of Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, told the investigative panel earlier, that Ghana conducted Rapid-Ag testing on arrival at the airport.

This, he said, had less sensitivity and specificity compared to the PCR test done in Nigeria.

For this reason, it is expected that the Rapid-Ag Test will correctly classify Positive PCR tests but may fail to correctly classify all negative PCR test results.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs would need to establish and report back whether the reported case is an isolated event or systemic error or a fraud, Oloriegbe said.

On the allegations of fake COVID-19 vaccination cards and test results, he said that the SGF had stated that for the purpose of international (outbound) travels, COVID-19 PCR tests were conducted by accredited laboratories.

He added that this was verifiable on the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) platform through a QR Code.

The Joint Committee Chairman disclosed that the NCDC verification portal which hosts all validated PCR tests for outbound passengers, would be made visible to airlines so that certification can be done for airline staff.

Oloriegbe further said that the PSC utilised the services of security operatives to deal with passengers who blatantly refused to comply with travel protocols for both in-bound and out-bound passengers.

He, however, decriedthat in spite of those measures, some high-ranking officials or those connected sometimes threatened the staff on duty and found a way to escape.

Sen. Oloriegbe said that the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, which appeared before the panel, sought the support of the National Assembly.

He said that the intention was to ensure that all high-profile persons who failed to comply with existing protocols were prosecuted, accordingly.

The Senate, in its resolutions, therefore, urged the Federal Ministry of Health and the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) to develop an exit protocol for all outbound passengers.

According to the Senate, this will enable the authentication of the vaccination cards and also ensure that for PCR tests certificates are conducted at the airport.

It also called on the Health Ministry through its Port Health Services Department to link PCR results platforms with the airline platforms to ensure effective coordination and detection of any fake PCR test result.

The Senate also urged the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs to liaise with the Ghanaian Government to strengthen bilateral relations that would prevent a re-occurrence of any ill-treatment of Nigerians entering Ghana.

The federal lawmakers also urged the Presidential Committee on COVID-19 to continuously update its travel protocol as the epidemiology of the disease changed and to also promptly brief Nigerians on the changes.

Source: NAN News

By Clara Egbogota

The Delta Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has called for a national emergency on road transport to address incessant road crashes and prevent commuters from avoidable deaths in the country.

Okowa said this on Wednesday at the 2021 Road Marshal Assistant Drivers Basic Course Passing Out Parade (POP) held at the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Marshal Inspectorate Training School, Owa-Alero, Delta.

He said his administration was proud to have made contributions to road safety and called for a national emergency to reduce road crashes in the country.

Okowa said that latest figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed a decline in the number of road accidents in the second quarter of 2021.

He, however, said that the number of road crashes on our roads was still a matter of serious concern.

According to the NBS, road accidents fell marginally from 3,301 in the first quarter of 2021 to 3,185 in the second quarter, representing a decrease of 3.51 percent.

The report also indicated that commercial vehicles accounted for 64.92 per cent of the total vehicles involved.

From all indications, speed violation, wrongful overtaking, and dangerous overtaking are some of the major causes of road accidents in the country.

It is my considered view that the issue of road safety should be treated as a national emergency. There are just too many people dying from avoidable road accidents.

I believe that as a first step to drastically reduce the number of accidents on our roads, public enlightenment is crucial.

I dare say that most drivers on our roads, commercial and private, are not conversant with road signs and safe driving habits.

It is going to take more than sanctions to curb the indiscipline and recklessness on our roads and our approach should be proactive, he said.

Okowa said using handphones while driving, failure to observe road signs/streetlights, poorly maintained vehicles, speeding, and driving while intoxicated were some of the bad habits among drivers that causes road crashes.

The FRSC must, as a matter of exigency, educate Nigerians continually and continuously on the meaning of road signs, the importance of observing them, and the need for them to regularly service and maintain their vehicles.

For it to be effective, the enlightenment campaign should not be done on ad-hoc basis; it should be part and parcel of the daily activities of the agency.

This is the only way to ensure that our people imbibe the culture of safe driving and nobody who has not been properly taught, tested, and found worthy of driving should be entrusted with a Driving Licence.

The process for obtaining one must be strict and rigorous, and enforced without fear or favour, Okowa said.

He congratulated the first set of Corps Marshals trained in the facility.

Exactly 11 months today, this Marshal Inspectorate training school was commissioned by the Vice-President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

It is a thing of joy for me that in less than a year, we are already reaping the fruits of this investment by the state government in partnership with the FRSC, Okowa added.

Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, Corp Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, applauded Gov. Okowa for providing the training school and other support services.

According to him, the school has helped the FRSC in the training of its professionals.

The school has produced 600 drivers that would be deployed across the country to assist in stimulating operational efficiency.

Drivers were given six months regimental training which will go a long way in reducing carnage on the nations highways, Oyeyemi said.

He added that the training would enable the drivers become instructors. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Chiazo Ogbolu

The shipping arm of the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG), Nigeria Ship Management Ltd. (NSML), on Wednesday said that only Nigerian seafarers pay tax globally.

The Fleet Manager, NSML, Capt. Hambali Yusuf, made this known at an annual conference organised by the Shipping Correspondents Association of Nigeria (SCAN) in Lagos.

The conference was themed, NLNG Vessels Movement and Challenges.

Yusuf noted that seafarers in India were exempted from tax payment unlike their counterparts in Nigeria.

He lamented that Nigeria was losing many seafarers to foreigners due to the tax issue.

In India, if you are not in the country for seven months, you wont pay any tax.

But in Nigeria, if you are not around for a whole year, you are still going to pay tax and you know the tax is graded depending on ones level.

And so, a seafarer that sees where to go and be paid without tax deduction will gladly move to that place, he said

He stressed the need for advocacy with the government for the issue to be sorted out for economic growth and development.

Yusuf added that seafarers pensions were deducted in dollars in Nigeria but paid back to them in naira.

Speaking on dry dock, Yusuf explained that the facilities in the country could not handle the companys size of ships.

Our ships are 283 metres length and 45 metres in width and there is no place in Nigeria now that can accommodate that size of ship.

We would have loved to dry dock in Nigeria because it will be easier for us than to move hundreds of nautical miles away. This will also cost us some money, he said.

He noted that to ensure that the sector and the nation attract investment, there was a need to declare Nigeria as a maritime nation and in doing so, government should give waivers.

Mr Henry Agbodjan, Human Resources Manger, NSML, said that Nigeria needed to be on the International Maritime Organisation whitelist for seafarers certificates to be acceptable.

According to him, to ensure that such happens, there should be a deliberate effort by government through the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to address the issue.

Mr Abdulkadir Ahmed, Managing Director, NSML, said that the NSML crew (officers and ratings) were trained up to international standards.

Ahmed said that the ratings were 100 per cent Nigerians while the NSML operates a multicultural fleet of officers comprising Nigerians, Britons, Croatians, Malaysians, Indians, Filipinos.

The NSML is, unarguably, the largest employer of qualified seafarers in Nigeria with over 700 shipboard personnel (officers and ratings) on its books, he said.

He listed some of the challenges faced as stringent global maritime regulations, emerging global maritime technology trends, piracy and security challenges at the Gulf of Guinea, the future of maritime skill sets and others.

Ahmed tasked the media on timely dissemination of accurate, factual and appropriate information.

Earlier, Mr Eugene Agha, President of SCAN, said that gas is not only the future of global energy exploration and usage but also Nigerias huge source of revenue and employment.

Agha noted that the changing trends in the global energy sector demanded a corresponding improvement and updating of the knowledge and skills of the media practitioners.

This will help them to continually avail stakeholders of the opportunities and risks inherent in this sector, which can attract more enabling legislation to reposition the sector.

It will also tackle challenges and pull healthier competition and more gains, he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Jacinta Nwachukwu

The Federal Government says it has concluded plans to give interest-free loan to 98,000 beneficiaries of its Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) 2.0 nationwide.

Sadiya Umar-Farouq, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development disclosed this in a statement by Nneka Anibeze, her Special Assistant on Media in Abuja on Wednesday.

Umar-Farouq said that this decision was reached following the finalverification ofPhase 1 applicants, who qualified and were selected to benefit from small loans ranging from N50,000 to N300,000.

She further said that all the beneficiaries of GEEP 2.0 would receive congratulatory and sensitisation text messages in the coming days informing them of their qualification.

According to Umar-Farouq, the money given to the beneficiaries of the empowerment programme is a loan and not a grant and must be repaid within nine months.

The GEEP 2.0 is a loan scheme designed by the Federal Government to provide financial inclusion and give credit access to the poor and vulnerable individuals including persons with disabilities.

It also covers persons at the bottom of the economic pyramid, who are engaged in small scale commercial activities under its three flagship schemes.

These three flagship schemes are MarketMoni, TraderMoni and FarmerMoni.

Tradermoni targets uplifting under-privileged and marginalised youths aged between 18 and 40 years in Nigeria by providing them with loans of N50,000.

MarketMoni targets under-privileged and marginalised women aged between 18 and 55 years like widows, divorcees among other vulnerable groups and they get interest-free loans of N50,000 payable within six to nine months.

While FarmerMoni is for Nigerian farmers aged between 18 and 55 years in rural areas that operate in the agricultural space, she explained.

The minister said that these farmers were provided withloans of N300,000 for farm inputs, adding that the scheme had 12 months including three months moratorium and nine months repayment period.

All qualified beneficiaries will soon receive their disbursement alerts. We wish to remind all qualified beneficiaries that this is a loan payable without interest.

It is not a grant or a government windfall. It is a soft interest-free loan that must be paid back within nine months, she said.

Umar-Farouq said that the Ministry was planning a roll out of the programme nationwide after which an enumeration exercise to capture beneficiaries bio-data would take place.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Naomi Sharang

The Senate has summoned Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, over vandalisation of Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, by hoodlums on March 29, after the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

The upper chamber equally invited the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, and other agencies involved in the maintenance of the stadium.

The resolutions were sequel to a Point of Order raised by Sen. Michael Nnachi (PDP-Ebonyi) during Wednesdays plenary.

The senate also mandated its Committee on Sports and Youth Development to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the failure of the national team to qualify for the World Cup in spite of the numerous government support.

Violent reaction by irate fans reportedly took place in the aftermath of the Nigeria vs Ghana qualifier leading to vandalisation of facilities at the stadium and the unfortunate death of Zambian CAF official, Joseph Kabungo.

The national stadium was packed with highly expectant Nigerian fans throughout the controversial match and the alleged violent reaction of those fans to the outcome of this match has become a subject of local and international media criticism.

A lot of valuable facilities at the stadium were destroyed but the extent of destruction is yet to be determined by the relevant government authority.

There is no gainsaying that the destruction will cause the government of Nigeria several millions of naira to either replace or effect repairs.

Apart from several unidentified football fans who were injured as a result of this incident, the death of Dr Joseph is a huge loss to the global football community, he said.

Supporting the motion, Sen. Abba Moro (PDP-Benue) said it was a very sad day for Nigeria.

It is sad that Nigerians vented their anger and frustration on the physical stadium.

There is an urgent need for this senate, if possible, to intervene to see that our stadia across Nigeria are properly structured and made in such a way that future occurrences or fans invading the pitch or destroying the stadium will be prevented, he said.

Source: NAN News

By Babatunde Ogunrinde

No fewer than 60 athletes from Oyo State are expected to participate in the maiden National Para-sports games, scheduled for Abuja between April 9 and April 18.

Chairman of Oyo State Sports Council, Gbenga Adewusi, made this known in a statement issued on Wednesday.

Adewusi stated that the event, organised by Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, would give Para athletes the opportunity to exhibit their talents in various sports.

According to him, the event will also serve as an avenue for scouts to shop for talents that could be groomed for Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Adewusl also said that the countrys Para-sports had produced the highest number of medals for the country since Nigeria started participating in the games.

He added that Para-sports had contributed immensely to reduction of young people with special needs roaming the streets.

The sports council chairman listed para-table tennis, para-swimming, wheel chair basketball, powerlifting, deaf sports, para-athletics and para-canoe as the events in which the team would participate at the games. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

This is contained in a statement he personally signed and made available to newmen in Abuja on Tuesday.

The minister implored the supporters who allegedly defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to have a rethink and return to their natural habitat.

He said notwithstanding the fact that the supporters were genuinely aggrieved because of the way and manner they had been treated in the state, leaving the party was not the solution.

Mohammed said that the supporters were badly treated in spite of their immeasurable contributions to the massive victory of the party in the state in 2019, which led to the emergence of the governor.

We have taken the grievances of our supporters to the highest level of our party, and we have cause to believe that everything will be done toaddress the grievances and unite the party ahead of the 2023 elections, he said.

Mohammed said for his partas a founding member of the APC, someone who had toiledendlessly to build the party and worked withstakeholders to deliver Kwara State to the APC, leaving the party isnot an option.

I am a bonafide member of the APC and I have no intention of leaving the party.

All through my political career, I have always remained loyal to anyparty in which I have found myself.

That is not about to change now. I want to use this opportunity to once again call on the leadership ofour party to urgently and decisively address the issues that have forced some members of our party in Kwara to contemplate leaving theparty, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Lucky Irabor, says that journalists and the Armed Forces of Nigeria are partners in progress in ensuring enduring peace and tranquility in the country.

Irabor said this at the opening of a 3-Day Conference on Enhancing Journalists-Military Cooperation to Checking Insecurity in Nigeria organised by Zacklair Investment Limited on Tuesday in Abuja.

Represented by the Chief of Defence Civil-Military Cooperation, Rear Adm. Adeseye Ayobanjo, the COAS said that journalists had steadfastly executed the duties of informing, educating and enlightening the public.

Irabor said that the journalists update the public daily on occurrences and activities happening around them and beyond.

He added that Section 217 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended, entrusted the military with the responsibility of defending the country from external aggression.

According to him, the military are also empowered constitutionally to maintain its territorial integrity and securing its borders from violation on land, sea or air.

It can be deduced that journalists work on the minds and soul of the populace using their medium and platforms to condition the minds of people and set agenda to enable people make informed decisions on day-to-day issues.

Irabor said the military on the other hand, had the responsibility of ensuring that the physical space was not threatened or violated by any injurious force or actions.

These actions, he said are perpetuated by enemies of the state that could lead to disruption of peace and orderliness in the society.

He said that journalists and members of the armed forces remained partners in progress that needed each other to actualise the mandates of their professional callings.

For instance, notwithstanding military monopoly in the use of the weapons of violence, it cannot win the war in the hearts and minds of the people by kinetic means.

On the other hand, in spite of journalists ability to use the power of the pen and media to articulate and disseminate opinions and issues, they need a safe space and conducive environment.

This is facilitated by the military and other security agencies for human activities to thrive.

This marriage of necessity between the military and journalists has come to stay because there cannot be any form of development in the absence of enduring peace and transquility.

That said, the marriage is not altogether without conflict, he said.

The defence chief said the conference was timely in view of the myriads of contemporary security challenges bedeviling the country vis a vis the various military operations being conducted to stem the tide of criminalities in various parts of the country.

He said that patriotism would help both military and journalists to set aside professional differences and peculiarities to project the country favourably in the eyes of both national and global communities.

Being patriotic entails that we will not remain unconcerned in contributing our quota towards addressing and proffering solutions to security problems in the country.

Patriotism is also key in advancing the whole-of- the-society approach, which harps on the need for all hands to be on deck to defeat the enemies of the state.

As we all know, security is everyones business, he said.

The former Defence Spokesman, retired Maj.-Gen. Christopher Olukolade, said that collaboration between the Nigerian military and the media was a major pillar in the civil military relations as well as the security of the nation.

Olukolade said the need for better relationship between the media and the military were significantly indispensable as they tried to seek solution to security issues in the country.

The former Defence spokesman said the forum would provide opportunity to promote understanding between the critical stakeholders in sharing ideas and bridge whatever communication gap that had existed between them.

Also, the former Director, Army Public Relations, retired Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, called for enhanced cooperation between the military and the media with a view to promote national security.

Usman, who delivered a paper titled, Enhancing Military-Journalist Cooperation to Checking Insecurity, said the existing mistrust between the two should not hamper the needed cooperation between them.

He also identified conflict of interest as a major obstacle to achieving the needed collaboration between the military and journalists, saying that journalists must not compromise military operations while doing their job.

The President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Chris Isiguzo, said there was need for military and the media to work together to mitigate situations that would threaten peace and stability in the society.

Isiguzo said the media had the responsibility of setting an agenda in managing conflict like the strategies for reducing conflict, adding that every situation of conflict had typical cycle or pre-conflict stage, the conflict stage and post conflict stage.

He said the interventions at each stage of the cycle might not be the same or could be a mixture, saying the intention should be to forestall conflicts or alleviate consequences.

According to him, the media, no doubt, still remain one of the most reliable institutions, especially in the context of conflict resolution and development.

He however, urged journalists to be conflict managers, long before conflicts and their attendant consequences manifests. (NAN)

Source: NAN News