By Polycarp Auta

The Police Command in Plateau has confirmed the killing of six persons by gunmen in Wereng community, Riyom Local Government Area of the state.

The Commands Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Ubah Ogaba, confirmed the incident in a statement on Friday in Jos.

According to Ogaba, the incident occurred on Thursday night at a drinking joint.

The command is aware of the unfortunate attack at a beer parlour in Wereng Village of Riyom where six persons lost their lives.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr Edward Egbuka, condemned the incident and had directed the Area Commander to relocate to the community.

More personnel have been deployed to ensure that normalcy is restored and to avert further breakdown of law and order in the village,he said

He said the command had commenced investigation to unravel the circumstances behind the attack and to also bring the perpetrators to book.

He called on residents of the community to be law abiding and provide any information that could lead to the arrest of the criminals to security agencies. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Yakubu Uba

Gov. Babagana Zulum of Borno has visited Damasak to access damages caused by insurgent attacks on the town and donated 12 operational vehicles to the soldiers.

A statement on Friday in Maiduguri by Malam Isa Gusau, the Special Adviser to the governor on Media and Strategy, said Zulum spent a night in Damasak where 18 lost their lives during the attack, to end speculation that the town had been taken over by the terrorists.

The governor held operational meeting with soldiers and other security forces after which he presented 12 security vehicles which include an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) and 11 patrol vehicles, to strengthen armed forces and volunteers made up of trained youths in the civilian JTF, hunters and vigilantes, helping in the fight against insurgents.

Damasak, headquarter of Mobbar Local Government Area in northern Borno, is located in the fringes of Lake Chad, and it shares border with communities in Niger Republic.

The town used to be producer and exporter of vegetables to target markets within Nigeria, Niger Republic and other neighbouring countries.

Boko Haram had occupied Damasak in 2014 as one of their caliphates, and the insurgents seem interested in the town, apparently for strategic access to raising funds through agriculture and for land routes to Niger Republic, Gusau said.

He also explained that the governors visit had made many thousand of residents who fled to border communities in neighbouring Niger Republic to return home.

Gusau said that the governor also directed the strengthening of agricultural activities in Damasak where he assessed a rice farm which his administration facilitated to enhance food security. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Nigerian Army says troops of Operation Lafiya Dole (OPLD) has eliminated 13 top commanders and scores of fighters of Islamic States West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in Borno.

The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Yerima in a statement on Friday, said that the feat was achieved by a well coordinated of operations of both air and land troops

Yerima said that several terrorists had met their waterloo in attempts to overrun Damasak and adjoining communities in Mobbar Local Government Area of Borno.

He disclosed that a senior ISWAP commander knowns as Bukar Fitchmeram (aka Abu Aisha) and scores of his fighters, who were on revenge mission at Damasak, fell to the fire power of Nigerian troops on Thursday.

He said that the terrorist were neutralised as they made a come-back, following the killing of 12 high value ISWAP commanders in Mobbar Local Government Area in a week-long air and ground operations by Nigerian troops.

According to him, in a well-coordinated ground bombardments and aerial strikes by the Nigerian military on various locations in the Northeast, the terrorists, who were denied any sanctuary or respite, desperately conducted two separate failed attacks on Gajiram and Damasak.

The deadly air strikes conducted on Tudun Wulgo, Zari and Tumbun Alhaji, Kusuma, Sigir in Ngala and Arijallamari, in Abadam, Marte and Ngala Local Government Areas, led to the killing of top ISWAP leaders.

The terrorist commanders that perished in the airstrikes included; Mohammad Fulloja , Ameer Mallam Bello, Baa kaka Tunkushe, Abu Al -Ansari, Ameer Abba Kaka, Abu Huzaifa, Ameer Modu Kwayem, while Goni Mustapha, who was the Chief Imam of the ISWAP escaped with bullet wounds.

Troops artillery bombardment and air strikes on April 6 also resulted to the elimination of two top ISWAP leaders including Abu-Rabi and Muhammed Likita as well as scores of their troops and body guards around the axis of Kusuma, Sigir in Ngala and Arijallamari in Abadam local government areas.

The terrorists storage facilities that housed weapons used to conduct several attacks was also targeted and destroyed in the air raid by the Air Component of Operation Lafita Dole.

On the night of Saturday, April 10, three other terrorist commanders including Ameer Umar, Abu Ubaida and Abu Salim were ambushed and killed by troops around Wulgo / Logomani axis close to Cameroon borders while attempting to attack locals and rustle their cows, he said.

Yerima further disclosed that the devastating air strikes and artillery bombardment on the ISWAP camps had pushed the surviving elements to conduct desperate attacks and looting missions for food and drugs for their wounded colleagues.

He said that the military bombardments conducted on April 11, also eliminated scores of ISWAP/Boko Haram terrorists on five guntrucks in Damasak.

According to him, some of the terrorists were hit close to the perimeter fencing, while others were neutralised while attempting to loot food items in a store belonging to the UN as well as drugs and ambulance.

He added that three soldiers and some civilians lost their lives while property were burnt in the town.

According to him, troops fighting spirit remains high in spite of the nefarious activities of some local informants who often tip the Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists on troops movements and positions. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Mateen Badru

The Police Operatives attached to Sagamu Road Division, Ikorodu in Lagos State have arrested, one Rasheed Isiaka, alleged to be terrorising residents of Ikorodu.

According to a statement signed by the State Police Commands Spokesperson, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the suspect was arrested on April 15 at about 12:10a.m., at Olowonisaye Street in Ikorodu, Lagos State.

Adejobi said in the statement the the suspect had been alleged to have perpetrated many crimes in Ikorodu area.

The spokesman said that Isiaka had been placed under surveillance due to the intelligence gathered on him before he was evetually arrested.

Items recovered from him after his arrest include: two locally-made pistols, one laptop, two suspected stolen Bajaj motorcycles, two knives and some assorted charms. he said.

Adejobi in the statement also stated that the same Sagamu Road Division operatives, on April 16 at about 5.45 a.m, arrested one Tobiloba Akeem at Itamaga, while he and his friend, now at large, refused to pay their transport fares.

Adejobi in the statement said that the suspect was arrested by one Insp. Atunramu Ojo attached to Oworonsoki Division of Lagos State.

The suspect was arrested for his aggressiveness and resistance to pay their transport fares to the driver of a Toyota Previa Bus with Reg. No. LSD 369 FU transporting the Inspector and the suspects.

The hot argument and gallantry act of the police Inspector attracted the Police Operatives on a routine patrol who eventually arrested the suspect with some dangerous weapons.

Items recovered from him after search, include one locally-made pistol, some live cartridges and assorted charms. he said.

The Commissioner of Police, in Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, commended the gallantry of the Police Inspector and the other operatives for the feats.

He directed that the suspects be transferred to the Commands Special Squad for thorough investigation and possible prosecution. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Aisha Cole/Edeki Igafe

The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, has said that the freight services on Warri-Itakpe Standards Guage Railway Line would create more jobs and promote the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

Amaechi made the disclosure on Friday during the inauguration of the Freight Service of Standard Guage Railway Line at Ujevwu Community, near Warri.

He said that the development and modernisation of the railway system had been a major focus of the Federal Government.

We are here today to flag-off commercial freight services on the standard guage route that was abandoned for over 30 years but rehabilitated by this administration and put into operation.

It has been one of the strategic aims of the present administration to ensure that all critical infrastructure abandoned by the previous administration, particularly those that would benefit the citizenry, are completed and commissioned.

It is universally acknowledged that a developing country with a large population such as Nigeria must develop a robust transport system such as modern and functional rail system.

Which is undeniably instrumental to creating much needed socio-economic transformation and industrial development.

The freight service will enhance more efficient, land-based and affordable mode for mass transit and freight services.

We also promised to embark on wealth creation projects through various interventions and projects execution that will provide direct and indirect employment opportunities to our citizens.

Only recently, precisely September 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari virtually commissioned the Warri-Itapke Standard Gauge passenger train service.

Reports available suggests that patronage on this route has increased by over 200 per cent in the last few months and its becoming a preferred means of transportation for communities along this route in Delta, Edo and Kogi States, Amaechi said.

The minister urged the people in Warri and neighbouring communities to cooperate and support the federal government and the oil companies to enable the freight service project flourish.

Amaechi said that the gesture would attract more federal government development to the area, adding that 90 per cent of the employees were from Delta.

In his address of welcome, the Chairman, Governing Board of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Alhaji Ibrahim Musa, said that the rail construction started in 1987.

He said it was designed for the transportation of Iron Ore from Itakpe to Ajaokuta and Aladja Steel Rolling Mills in Delta.

Musa said that the railway line was also designed to transport processed steel to the port in Warri, adding that it was initially planned to be completed within five years.

According to him, the project was, however, stalled for over 30 years due to paucity of funds.

He said that the railway network consists of existing 3, 505 kilometers of single track routes of the 1,067 mm narrow guage on the Western and Eastern lines.

Similarly, about 655 kilometers of standard guage of 143 mm lines on the Abuja Kaduna, Lagos to Ibadan and Warri to Itakpe lines.

The first 198 kilometers of rail line constructed in Nigeria by the colonial government was from Lagos to Ibadan in 1898-1901 and was 1,067 mm narrow guage classification.

The Lagos Calabar Coastal line and the Kano Maradi standard guage railway project are in view for financing and commencement.

The re-construction and upgrades of the Port Harcourt Maiduguri Narrow Guage Line has already been awarded to Messer China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).

It is a prelude to the eventual construction of the standard gauge under the Strategic Railway Modernisation plan, Musa said.

He said that when properly integrated, the rail line would provide efficient services for high density flows of passengers.

And cargo traffic over relatively lone distance including high volumes of containerised cargoes or bulk freight and so on, Musa said.

In his goodwill message, the Managing Director of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kyari, said that the project would have ripple effect of massive job creation across the nation as well as domestic gas supply for power generation.

Kyari was represented by the Managing Director, Nigerian Gas Company (NGC), Mr Seyi Omojowo.

The GMD said that the choice of exploring the rail option for the haulage of AKK line pipe was propelled by the desire to mitigate all identified projects and safety risks.

To as low as Reasonably Practicable (ALARP) while delivering the project in the right quality and time.

Moving pipe line through Nigerian roads was the only option before the return of railway infrastructure.

By this laudable achievement of resuming freight service via railway, NNPCs global goal on health Safety and Environment nicknamed Goal Zero incident and accident will be achieved, Kyari said.

Also, Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, represented by his Commissioner for Transportation, Ovie Oghoore, assured that the state government would protect the equipment. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Joan Nwagwu

Staff members of the News Agency of Nigeria were overjoyed on Friday when the management of the Agency honoured three members of the editorial department for outstanding performance.

Those honoured are: Cecilia Ologunagba, who emerged as the Best Reporter, Wale Sadiq as Best Editor and Donald Ugwu as Best Controller for the year 2020.

The Managing-Director of NAN, Mr Buki Ponle, while commending the awardees, said that in spite of COVID-19 pandemic they gave their best in their line of duty.

Ponle said that the award was to promote excellence, hard work and professionalism in the agency.

He commended the Rewards and Sanctions Committee, headed by Mr Kayode Olaitan, for a job well done and also following due diligence in its assignment.

He called on members of staff of the agency to put in their best at all times stressing that hard work, commitment and professionalism would always be recognised and rewarded.

On Ologunagbas selection, the managing director said that it was a thing of joy for him that she emerged the best reporter.

I am happy about her choice because she is also the agencys choice as the new correspondent to its New York office in the U.S.

The news of her choice received a louder ovation when her name came up as our correspondent in New York.

So, it means she has been consistent; it means with or without supervision she will perform; it means we still have stars in NAN.

Every one of us is a star, please dont burry your star, shine when the ovation is louder, he said.

Ponle said that the exercise was also a challenge to other departments in the agency saying that it was a wake-up call.

They are already awake, and, I am sure that they will want to wrestle the trophy because we are celebrating success of every department.

Success in one department is success to all; likewise, failure in one is failure to all, he said.

The Editor-in-Chief, Mr Silas Nwoha, also commended the awardees for their hard work and dedication to duty in spite of COVID-19 challenges.

Nwoha called on the editorial staff members to put in their best by ensuring that hard work and due diligence were maintained.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee, Olaitan, said that the committee was thorough in the selection of the awardees.

Olaitan said that the committee used different variables to consider the best reporter, editor and controller from the 36 states and FCT.

Reporters are scrutinised on the number of stories, quality, and, in some cases usage; meaning that a lower number of quality stories backed with multimedia contents and features can beat someone with higher number of routine stories.

One of the awardees, Ugwu, an Assistant-Editor-In-Chief, commended the management for the honour.

I am happy for the honour and commend the agency for the award and I also encourage others to put inmore efforts in carrying out their duty with diligence in the agency.

Also speaking, Ologunagba, a Chief Correspondent, thanked the agency for the honour.

She dedicated the award to the former Managing Director, the late Dame Oluremi Oyo, for her mentorship, adding that the award was a wakeup call that would spur her for greater attainment.

Cash award of N25, 000 was presented to the best reporter by the managing-director. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Isaiah Eka

Sen. Godswill Akpabio, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, has called for improved funding for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to enhance the infrastructural development of the region.

Akpabio made the call in his keynote address during the NDDC strategic capacity building workshop on Friday in Uyo.

He said the funding system was poor because budgetary provisions for the commission were staggered and did not come as and when due.

The minister who called for an amendment of the laws establishing the agency should the need arise, added that he was determined to leave the commission better than he met it.

The commission is broke because the funding system is poor. We must leave the NDDC better than we found it even if it means that the lawmakers have to tinker with the law.

The current funding patterns and budgeting processes must embrace good governance to achieve the best we can, while asking for more funds to carry out more sustainable projects and programmes, Akpabio said.

The minister said corruption, weak political and institutional governance, transparency and
lack of proper consultation and engagement with the communities and state governments among others, were challenges confronting the commission.

Corruption is one of the greatest problems of the Nigerian society and it also finds its ugly and devastating effects in all sectors of the polity, including the NDDC.

The level of corruption engulfed all the sectors including government, parastatals, ministries, government officials and community leaders even the youth leaders and the NDDC is not left out.

Weak political and institutional governance in the Niger Delta has led to the misuse of public resources, poor service delivery and poor enforcement of the law.

The consequence has been the lingering restiveness, breakdown of trust, abuse and misuse of power between officials and the communities, embezzlement and attendant violence, he said.

In his welcome address, the Interim Administrator/Chief Executive Officer of the NDDC, Mr Effiong Akwa, said the retreat was in furtherance of consultation with its stakeholders for speedy development of the region.

Akwa said that the NDDC was done with its unsavoury past, stressing that continuous consultation and collaboration for effective development were the focus of the commission.

He urged all stakeholders and the Niger Delta to join hands for the benefit of the people.

We are here today in furtherance of our ongoing consultations with internal and external stakeholders of the NDDC for speedy development of our beloved Niger Delta region.

The NDDC is born again. Contrary to its unsavoury pasts, the core of our new personae is continual consultations and collaboration with stakeholders to co-create commonalities for effective development of the Niger Delta.

I beckon on all stakeholders of the NDDC and the Niger Delta to come and let us reason together. Please come, let us work together to create a common way forward for the benefit of our people, Akwa said.

In his goodwill message, Sen. Peter Nwaoboshi, Chairman, Senate Committee on Niger Delta, called for cooperation among the executive and the legislature to enhance development of the region.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the retreat was: Collaborating, Planning and Re- strategising for a better Niger Delta Region. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Stanley Nwanosike

The House of Representatives Committee on Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has assured the corps of support in its ongoing infrastructural development and education expansion programmes.

The Chairman of the committee, Mr Mayowa Akinfolarin, said this on Friday after an on-the-spot inspection of facilities at the FRSC Academy in Udi near Enugu by the committee members as part of an oversight function.

Akinfolarin said that the committee would help to ensure that various bills to strengthen and facilitate the corps infrastructural and educational expansion projects were given due attention for accelerated growth of the organisation.

He said, we are quite impressed with the infrastructural development and transformation of this academy within a short time.

The committee members unanimously commend the FRSC management for prudent and judicious management of limited financial resources available.

During the inspection we clearly told the contractor handling the hostel project to ensure a standardised job, making sure details of the project were clearly executed to guaranty value for money.

The Corps Marshal of FRSC, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, commended the Federal Government, the National Assembly, especially the house committee on FRSC, for all the supports it had given the FRSC.

Oyeyemi said that the corps management had ensured that it currently had no abandoned project while it had recently opened 16 command offices and dozens of special ambulance emergency posts.

He said that the corps was also collaborating with sister security agencies to build synergy and human capacity building of its staff members.

We have been going about our projects and infrastructure development in the academy and our other establishments with prudence and judicious use of funds.

The judicious use of funds and achieving of results have made us win lots of goodwill and collaboration with various state governments in the country and even international bodies, he said.

During the oversight tour of the academy complex the committee members inspected a functional water works scheme, medical centre, academy library and a 450-student capacity hostel.

Others included: a fully air conditioned 500-capacity auditorium; a 500-capacity multi-purpose hall; driving simulation centre; 150-computer capacity ICT centre and two generating sets of 300KVA and 273KVA capacity.

The event also featured presentation on the Academy by its Commandant, Assistant Corps Marshal, Clement Oladele and another presentation on the FRSC Command and Staff College by its Commandant, Assistant Corps Marshal, Charles Akpabio. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Lizzy Okoji

Monrovia (Liberia), April 16, 2021 (NAN) Mrs Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former President of Liberia has called on Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Sidie Tunis to continue in his efforts of championing the cause of West African women.

Sirleaf made the call when she received Tunis, who led a delegation of the ECOWAS Parliament (ECOPARL) on a courtesy visit to her resident in Monrovia.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the visit follows the successful completion of the ECOWAS Parliament deocalised meeting of Empowerment of Women in the West-African Sub-region.

The meeting of the ECOPARL Joint Committee on Social Affairs, Gender and Women Empowerment, Education, Science and Culture, Health seeks to proffer solutions to issues affecting women in the sub-region.

Sirleaf, however, lauded all the efforts and initiative of Tunis in driving forward the cause of the West African women, to ensure their inclusion in all sectors especially increased representation in the ECOWAS Parliament.

I am pleased to see many women in this gathering and that brings me to say that except for Senegal, our countries have not done well in politics and, we need to do more.

We cannot do it unless you lead us. I will need to recognize the value and contributions of women to the peace, security and development.

So, I will call upon you as the head of the Parliament to be a champion for ensuring that as we go into elections in all of our countries, we have a minimum of 30 per cent representation of women, she said.

According to her, there is the need to get what has been the ECOWAS standard, trying to conform to International Standard by the year.

And, that is that we seek to have minimum 30 per cent and we are not asking for too much.

We like to see as women that we are equal in every way to men, we like to see that if we get that minimum then I think we will have so many women.
And, that we work very strongly through coalition and collaboration to help even push harder for the achievements of our development goals.
I want to thank all the Parliamentarians for all you have done to keep the fire burning, to keep pushing all of our countries to meet the goals aspirations of ECOWAS, Sirleef said.
According to her, as long as you continue to do that, you will get the support and I assure you that all the ECOWAS leaders will stand by you..
Sirleaf noted that ECOWAS today stood as one of the best performing regions in the continent in terms of its solidarity, in terms of its decisions to enforce those regulations for all, hence the need to work hard to sustain it.
She urged Parliamentarians to continue to work hard so that the West African continent remains an example to other regions of the continent.
Speaking Earlier, Tunis said Sirleafs position as first female President in Africa was a precedent set by the West African region which must be sustained.
Tunis also commended Liberia for being a model of women empowerment to other African Countries.
The Speaker said that the resolutions from the delocalized meeting which was a success would be forwarded to Sirleaf.
He said that the ECOPARL had been around for about a week now at the delocalized meeting with the theme empowerment of women in the ECOWAS Sub-region.
We believe that your election as the first female President in Africa and just few years down the line the election of her Excellency Joy Taylor as Vice President demonstrates the fact that Liberia is already a model in women empowerment.
You have already demonstrated it and throughout your tenure as President of Liberia you did everything possible to empower women and to promote women.
So, we believe that if we are having a meeting of such nature in Liberia our first point of call should be here.
We waited to finish the session to bring the resolution to you as soon as that is done you will receive it.
We have had a very fruitful meeting, the presentations from the experts were excellent and I must say we are very elated about that to chart a way forward to womens empowerment in the sub-region, Tunis said. (NAN)
LIZ/IAA

Source: NAN News

By Abubakar Ahmed

Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara on Friday visited the Gusau Central Market to assess the prices of foodstuff and other essential commodities.

The visit was part of the governors efforts to ensure reduction in foodstuff prices during the Ramadan fast.

This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Yusuf Idris, the Director-General on Media to the governor in Gusau on Friday.

Matawalle, who interacted with traders in the market, asked for the prices of various food items and other essential commodities.

The governor advised grain sellers in the market to consider reducing prices, considering the level of hardship being experienced by the people.

Matawalle said as Muslims, there is need to assist one another in order to make people carryout the obligatory fast with ease and that this could be achieved if the food items were affordable .

He reminded them that by doing this, the traders could also earn Allahs abundant rewards.

During the price assessment visit, Matawalle also purchased 10 bags of local rice for his personal consumption and urged people to patronise local products for the purpose of boosting the states economy and that of the nation at large.

He assured that his administration would continue to support traders with what was required to improve their businesses.

The governor appreciated the traders for quoting affordable prices on their commodities.

The governor was accompanied on the visit by the Commissioners for Commerce, Alhaji Sufiyanu Yuguda; and Environment and Solid Mineral Development, Dr Nura Isah, as well as some senior government officials.

He was received and conducted round by the market leaders. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Aderogba George

The National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA) on Friday reaffirmed the Federal Governments commitment to get every eligible Nigerian vaccinated against COVID-19.

Mr Bawa Abba, National Supervisor for Adamawa COVID-19 Vaccination, NPHCDA, spoke in Yola, Adamawa, on the sideline of a three-day Media Dialogue On Routine Immunisation, Post Polio Certification and COVID-19 Vaccination.

The meeting was organised by The Child Rights Information Bureau (CRIB) of the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture in collaboration with the UNICEF.

According to Abba, while the FG is putting efforts to make COVID-19 vaccines available and ensure that Nigerians get vaccinated, no fewer than two million Nigerians have so far been vaccinated accross states and the Federal Capital Territory with the Astrazeneca vaccine.

He, however, noted that the official server of the NPHCDA may put the figure at 1,051, 096, as at Thursday April 15, 2021 but that the current number of eligible vaccinated persons with the facility have crossed two million.

We have two sources of data. We have the call in-data which is data that we received at the facility level.

We have the one in the NPHCDA server. We are working on uploading the remaining data from the facility levels.

These are raw data from the field that has not been processed. The difference is currently being processed, he said.

He further disclosed that states that have covered 50 per cent of their populations have been directed to halt vaccination (stop) at the moment.

This is to ensure vaccine availability for those who are required to take the second dose of the Astrazeneca vaccine, also adding that, government was currently giving priority to intending pilgrims, he said.

According to him, without receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, an intending pilgrim will not be allowed to go for pilgrimage.

And if you are given a brand of vaccine that we dont have in Nigeria, it might really be a problem when you come to Nigeria.

Abba also noted that whenever the Johnson

By Funmilola Gboteku

Advocacy for Integrity and Economic Development (AIED), an NGO, on Friday urged the Federal Government to amicably resolve the dispute between the major players in the sugar industry, irrespective of the strong positions of parties involved.

Mr Seun John, AIED Director of Publicity, gave the charge in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

NAN reports that Dangote Sugar Plc, supported by Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, accused BUA International Limited of skirting the backward integration policy of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) by setting up a sugar refinery in Port Harcourt.

The NGO noted that the media space has been awash with bickering reports between major players in the sugar industry, laced with accusations of monopoly, sharp practices and insincerity among the big industry players.

The AIED official said that the conflict required the urgent attention of the federal government for amicable resolution in the interest of Nigerians and in preserving the gains of the Nigerian Sugar Master Plan (NSMP).

The NGO noted that the NSMP remained a flagship programme that had helped transform the near-dead sugar industry into a production powerhouse and set the importation dependant sector into a considerable employer of labour and national pride.

The federal government must provide the needed leadership to preserve the gains of this noble programme which has thrown to the dustbin of history the locust years of mere local processing of sugar at 30,000 metric tons.

The government can do this by ensuring that all industry players adhere strictly to the guidelines of the Backward Integration Programme (BIP) and most importantly, the sincerity of purpose, he said.

John said that only a holistic approach to resolving the issues raised by parties concerned could truly bring about the needed change, and such an approach must consider some areas.

He explained that MDAs in charge of national policy monitoring must ensure and verify compliance with the BIP and NSMP among industry players as against the current system of self-reporting system adopted by the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC).

The director said there must be correlation between establishing sugar refinery and cultivating sugar cane as it concerns the quota regulation of the BIP.

He noted that while refineries were essential, it does not help the value chain system the NSMP was supposed to promote, and as such, application of BIP into such endeavour endangers the holistic approach to self-sufficiency in the sugar industry.

The importance of the issues raised above can not be underestimated as it forms the basis of the rancour brewing in the industry.

He noted that allowing companies to self-report simply suggests that importers should self-report on the number of goods they brought into the country without proper confirmation and checks by officers of the Nigerian Customs.

We hope for the benefit of millions of Nigerians who now rely on the effective NSMP; the federal government will rise to save the day, John said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Pakistan on Friday blocked social media platforms amid fears that activists of a radical Islamist group might use the technology to stoke violent protests against last years depiction of the Prophet Muhammad in France.

Followers of far-right Tehreek-e-Labaik Pakistan (TLP), a group that supports the countrys controversial blasphemy laws, have blocked roads and chocked streets at deadly protests that started on Monday.

The protesters were demanding that the government fulfill an earlier promise to expel the French ambassador by April 20, over the publication of a cartoon depicting the prophet last year.

At least five people including two police officers have been killed in the protests, which have prompted the France embassy in Islamabad to urge French nationals to leave Pakistan temporarily.

Social media has been blocked for a few hours so that troublemakers cannot use it during Friday prayers congregations, an official told dpa.

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp and TikTok areinaccessible across the country, including the capital Islamabad.

Political parties, Islamist groups and militant organisations like Pakistani Taliban heavily rely on social media platforms to connect with their followers. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Felicia Imohimi

The Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA) has urged the Federal Government to institutionalise annual disease surveillance in order to curtail the spread of Avian influenza, also known as Bird Flu.

Dr Bala Muhammad, Chairman, FCT Chapter of the association, said this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja in view of the outbreak of avian influenza in parts of the country.

Muhammad suggested that such annual surveillance should be an avenue for the government to advice farmers to step up bio-security and other containment exercises to avoid losses.

The chairman, who identified avian influenza as a time bomb waiting to explode, said it was highly pathogenic and infectious disease of poultry with potential of public health consequences.

The organisms have enormous capability to infect birds and can mutate to affect humans, he said.

Muhammad, who further described bird flu as a zoonotic disease, emphasised that both government, farmers and other stakeholders should do everything humanly possible to eradicate it.

According to him, such concerted efforts will not only stem the huge economic losses but will as well avoid mutation and spread to man.

Muhammad decried that the outbreaks had become frequent simply because all stakeholders had lowered their guards.

The fragile poultry industry needs to be protected to guarantee its growth and contribution to the economy, he said.

The chairman noted that the only way to nip the outbreak in the bud was by active disease search, decontamination of affected farms, compensation of loses to encourage transparency and information sharing.

The moment there is an outbreak, we should not wait until the entire country is engulfed in the crisis.

We should try as much as possible to do some kind of ring assessment and activate the containment plan.

I appeal to government to call stakeholders meeting for review of the national containment plan, and the no vaccination policy.

Information is power, awareness campaigns on issues around outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian influenza will save the day.

Farmers are strongly advised to reinforce bio-security and other containment practices to avoid outbreaks and further transmission to man.

A stitch in time saves nine. Stakeholders must work with government officials to evolve an economically viable plan in stamping out avian influenza in Nigeria.

The industry needs to be protected to guarantee its growth and contribution to the economy.

Many have been gainfully employed by the sub-sector and it contributes greatly to the countrys GDP, he said.

The chairman appealed to government to encourage farmers to report any flu-like signs in their flock, birds and by taking compensation of affected farmers seriously.

Similarly, Mr Godwin Abonyi, the immediate past President of NVMA called on government to undertake massive intervention in the area of veterinary services.

According to him, through such efforts we will be able to curtail resurgence of Avian influenza.

Governments interventions should be massive because it is dangerous to have a flu that is zoonotic ravage the country in the face of COVID-19, he said.

NAN reports that as at March 24, seven states have been affected by the bird flu according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.

The states affected by the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) (H5N1) in poultry are Kano, Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Niger. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Oluwatope Lawanson

National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Bola Tinubu, has denied distributing bags of rice in some states in the northern part of the country.

Tinubu stated this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) and signed by his Media Aide, Mr Tunde Rahman, in Lagos.

NAN reports that a viral video of images depicting the face of the APC leader on bags of rice was recently being circulated on some social media platforms.

We have seen the images being circulated of bags of rice depicting Asiwajus face being distributed across parts of the North, Tinubu said.

The former governor of Lagos said he was not responsible for this initiative.

He, however, commended the efforts of the various groups for their benevolence.

I am not responsible for this initiative but l commend the efforts of the various volunteer groups responsible for this benign act of charity and love for one another, particularly in this Holy month of Ramadan. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Folasade Akpan

The 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) generated N1.31 trillion as Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in 2020 compared to N1.33 trillion recorded in 2019, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) says.

NBS made this known on Friday in Abuja in its Internally Generated Revenue At State Level for Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2020 published on its website.

According to the report, itindicates a negative growth of -1.93 per cent year on year.

It added that the Q4 2020 states and FCT IGR figure was N335.25 billion compared to N338.57 billion recorded in Q3 2020. This indicates a negative growth of -0.98 per cent quarter on quarter.

The NBS said thatLagos state recorded the highest IGR of N418.99 billion, closely followed by Rivers with N117.19 billion and the FCT with N92.05 billion.

Delta state recorded N59.732 billion, Kaduna N50.768 billion, Ogun N50.749 billion, Oyo N38.042 billion, Kano N31.819 billion, Akwa Ibom N30.696 billion, Anambra N28.009 billion, Edo N27.184 billion, Ondo N24.848 billion and Enugu N23.650 billion.

Others are Osun N19.668 billion, Kwara N19.604 billion, Plateau N19.122 billion, Zamfara N18.499 billion, Kogi N17.357 billion, Imo N17.081 billion, Cross River N16.183 billion, Abia N14.376 billion, Kebbi N13.778 billion and Ebonyi N13.591 billion.

Meanwhile Yobe recorded the least IGR of N7.779 billion, followed by Taraba N8.114 billion and Adamawa N8.329 billion, Gombe N8.537 billion, Jigawa N8.667 billion, Ekiti N8.716 billion.

Benue state recorded N10.463 billion, Niger N10.524 billion, Katsina N11.399 billion, Borno N11.578 billion, Sokoto N11.796 billion, Bayelsa N12.180 billion, Nasarrawa N12.476 billion, Bauchi N12.502 billion.

The NBS said that in compiling the report, states IGR data was computed by the NBS and the Joint Tax Board (JTB) from official records and submissions by the 36 State Boards of Internal Revenue.

The submissions are then validated and authenticated by the JTB which is chaired by the Federal Inland Revenue Service and has the NBS and the 36 State Boards of Internal Revenue as members. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Monday Ijeh

Mr Onyemuche Nnamani, the Commissioner Representing South East in the Police Service Commission (PSC) has called on youths in the region to take advantage of the police recruitment slated to commence soon.

Nnamani made the call while addressing newsmen on Thursday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Chairman of PSC, Alhaji Musiliu Smith, on Wednesday said recruitment into the Nigeria Police would soon commence.

Smith said the exercise would begin after the issues relating to the recruitment were resolved in the interest of both the commission and the Nigeria Police.

Nnamani, also a former Secretary to the Enugu State Government, said the move to commence recruitment into the Nigeria Police by the commission was a welcome development.

According to him, that will be the beginning of a deliberate move to stop marginalisation of the zone in the hierarchy of the force.

He commended the PSC chairman for making a case for the revival of the Police Detective College, Enugu.

Nnamani said the revival of the college would bring the institution to life and return the Nigeria Police to intelligence based policing.

He expressed dissatisfaction over the current state of the college, adding that the facility had become a haven for rodents because of decay following long period of abandonment.

It could be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 approved the recruitment of 10,000 youths into the Nigeria Police to address the inadequate manpower needs in the force. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuel Mogbede

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that President Muhammadu Buhari is now re-energised and recommitted to executing the partys lofty developmental objectives after his medical trip abroad.

Sen. John Akpanudoedehe, National Secretary of the partys Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja while welcoming the president back to the country.

He said the party was highly elated at the return of President Buhari.

Mr president is undoubtedly re-energised and recommitted to executing the lofty developmental objectives of the APC-led administration, he said.

He prayed for Buharis continued good health and wisdom to pilot the nations affairs and to achieve the APC-led government Next Level agenda to uplift Nigerians. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

The immunization agency said that as of April 15, 2021, just 1,051.096 shots had been administered in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), representing 52.2 percent

The COVISHIELD, a brand of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, is used in over 71 countries, including the UK, Canada, India and Brazil.

Due to limited vaccine availability, the Federal government had directed the states to halt vaccination once they used half of the doses allocated to them, because

Source: NAN News

By Grace Alegba

The Lagos State government said it would upgrade 56 roads and reconstruct drains, street lightings, Massey Children Hospital as part of the ongoing Action Area Plan to reconstruct/upgrade roads and other infrastructure in the state.

Mrs Aramide Adeyoye, the Special Adviser to the governor on Works and Infrastructure, said this at a stakeholders meeting on reconstruction/upgrading of Adeniji Adele road, Oke Polo/Tata streets on Lagos Island.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure.

Adeyoye said the infrastructure renewal/upgrade in the state began about 20 months ago, but that the Lagos Island Area North Action Plan, to upgrade infrastructure and tame flooding on the axis, started six months ago.

The programme that we have cuts across board, so it is not as if we are focused on one local government or one senatorial district.

It is my joy and privilege to announce to you that this is the time for Lagos Island; this is the time for Lagos Central, she said.

She said the reconstruction/upgrade of the 2.2km Adeniji Adele road and the 1.069km Tapa street were part of strategic roads being considered first because they provided access to the new Massey Children Hospital under construction.

We will try to regenerate this place, so that is why it is called the Lagos Area North Action Plan, and we will start with the roads, the hospitals and then the others.

The plans that we have for Lagos Island roads are grandiose but they start in one day, no government can finish it all; we will take it in steps and in layers, she said.

She said 17 roads, constructed about 17 years ago on the axis, all failed because the residents made drainage outfalls refuse disposal points, thereby compounding flooding and quick road degeneration.

Adeyoye said the degradation caused a lot of hardship for road users, hence the re-hiring of Julius Berger, who constructed the initial network of roads to handle the project.

She appealed to residents to stop blocking drains and canals to change the narrative of heavy flooding and bad roads on the Lagos Island.

She said most of the bad roads on Lagos Island were drainage-induced problems, adding that good roads needed free drains.

This project is ours and we must take ownership of it from the beginning, she said.

Adeyoye promised to ensure minimal demolition of houses on the Right of Way of the reconstruction/upgrading of Adeniji Adele road and Oke Polo/Tata streets project alignment.

She said interlocking stones with upgraded thickness would be used for the projects to ensure durability.

Giving a brief of the project, Mr Tokunbo Ajanaku, Project Director, Lagos State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure, said the network of roads was part of governments efforts to sustain the greatness of Lagos Island.

He explained the interconnectivity of Adeniji Adele road and Oke Polo/Tata streets to other roads on the axis.

Mr Rotimi Thomas, Permanent Secretary, Office of Infrastructure, said the three roads were strategic to the economic growth of the area.

Thomas said the project would create jobs, solve perennial flooding and gridlock on the axis and improve connectivity.

Mr Gbenga Osunlana, an official of Julius Berger, contractors to the project, promised that the firm would deliver a project that will be able to stand the test of time. (NAN)

Source: NAN News