Headquarters Nigerian Defence Academy

By Mohammed Tijjani

The Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Armed Force Selection Board (AFSB) for the 72 Regular Course is to begin on Sept. 12.

Brig.-Gen. Ayoola Aboaba, the Academy Registrar who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Kaduna, said that the process would end on Oct. 24.

Shortlisted candidates are to appear for interview before the Armed Forces Selection Board (AFSB) from Saturday,September 12to October 24 at the Nigerian Defence Academy, Ribadu Campus, Kaduna.

According to him, the candidates will appear in three batches.

Batch 1, which included Anambra, Bauchi, Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Kano, Kaduna, Nassarawa, Ondo and Plateau states, is to report forscreeningfrom Sept. 12.

Batch 2, Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Imo, Katsina, Kogi, Osun, Oyo, Rivers, Yobe and Zamfara states, is to report on Sept. 26.

Batch 3, Bayelsa, Borno, Cross River, Ebonyi, FCT, Jigawa , Kebbi, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Sokoto and Taraba States will report on Oct. 10.

Aboaba said that any candidate who failed to report on Sept. 12, 26, and Oct. 10 for batches 1, 2 and 3, respectively would not be allowed to attend the interview.

Any candidate in batches 2 and 3 who is seen around the NDA premises before Sept. 26 and Oct. 10 respectively , would be disqualified.

All candidates will be accommodated and fed throughout the duration of their stay for the AFSB and they must come along with their Bank Verification Number (BVN) and bank account number.

Other details and information would be contained in the portal, he said.

In another development, Aboaba said that the result of the NDA screening test which held on Aug. 15 had been released.

Candidates who sat for the Screening Test should log onto www.nda.edu.ng or www.ndaapplications.net to check for their names, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

CNPP

By Segun Giwa

The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), said it had observed the recourse to violence by some politicians in Ondo state ahead of the Oct. 10, governorship election and sued for peace.

Mr Rotimi Boboye, the Chairman of CNPP in the state, expressed the concern on Tuesday in Akure at a news conference.

Boboye accused members of one of the political parties in the state of resorting to violence, intimidation and subterfuge.

He, therefore, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to take steps to discourage violence before, during and after the election.

This dangerous development was manifested in the recent local government election largely boycotted by many political parties while a few of our members participated.

Rather than abate such violence have taken new dimensions with meetings of political parties being invaded by known thugs, cronies and agents.

These have also been followed with illegal arrests, dehumanising treatment and detention.

We see these as a dress rehearsal to show the preparedness of the warmongers to let loose violence on the electorate in our dear state, he said.

Boboye said the only way to avoid a repeat of past bitter experiences was to arrest the descent into anarchy that current trend portend.

Also, the Chairman of Zenith Labour Party, Mr Joseph Akinlaja, said his party was concerned about the spate of violence.

Akinlaja said that although his party did not participate in the recently concluded Local Government election, political thugs allegedly still attacked his members.

He called on agencies that would be involved in the forthcoming poll to display neutrality and show fairness to all political parties.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has sworn-inDr Tella Rahmon as a Resident Electoral Commissioner.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, speaking at the brief swearing-in ceremony in Abuja on Tuesday, saidRahmon would be deployed to Ekiti as state REC.

Yakubu advised the new REC to be firmand prudent in discharging his responsibilities andthe management of resource under his watch.

The only business that the commission knows is conducting elections. You are going to be responsible for managing resources and personnel in the state you are going to be deployed to.

You should be firm and always mindful of the fact that ours is an onerous responsibility and you must always be on the side of the Electoral Act, our guidelines and regulations, and above all the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The policy of the commission at the moment is to deploy RECs to their geopolitical zones but on no account will they serve in their states of origin, not even deployment to assist the sitting RECs in their states of origin.

You are hereby deployed to Ekiti as the REC, he said.

Yakubu, fielding questions from newsmen on the allegations against, Mr Mike Igini, INEC REC for Akwa-Ibom, said that the commission would not be distracted by baseless allegations.

He said that Igini had alreadyresponded to the allegation and he directed his lawyers to initiate legal actions against the person who made the allegation.

Let me also say this, we stand by our REC.We know the kind of job we are doing.

On the eve of elections all manner of people come with all manner of accusations to slander officials of the commission and essentially to divert our attention from the onerous task of conducting elections in the country.

We will not be distracted. We know all these shenanigans; people have been doing this for a long time. It will not distract us from doing what is right.

My assurance to the people of Edo and the people of Ondo and then the people of the 13 constituencies where we are going to conduct by-elections on Oct. 31, is that they should expect from INEC free, fair and credible elections, professional conduct.

We will not compromise our Oath of Office for any reason. Whoever the people vote for becomes their governor or representative. This is our assurance to Nigerians, he said.

Yakubu said that the commission was making good progress in its preparations for Edo and Ondo states governorship elections.

On activities of political actors in Edo, Yakubu said INEC was concerned and was leaving no stone unturned in speaking to the political actors.

In his remarks,Rahmon appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari and Yabubu for his consideration to serve as REC, saying I consider it a great privilege.

He pledged to follow laid down rules, INEC guidelines, the Electoral Act and the Constitution of the country in the discharge of his duties. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Electricity

By Joan Nwagwu

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to take decisive action on the plan by DISCOs to hike electricity tariff in the country.

Mr Ayuba Wabba, the NLC President on Tuesday in Abuja made the call in a statement titled: Increase in Electricity Tariff by Abuja DISCOs a taunting of the will of the Nigerian people gone too far.

Wabba said that the organised labour would mobilise Nigerian workers to resist the increase in electricity tariff by the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), effective from Sept. 1.

Wabba said that the NLC condemned the alleged deaf and dumb posture of the state electricity regulators the NERC.

We wish to state that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) seriously frowns at, completely condemns and totally rejects any plan to inflict further pain on Nigerians at this very time of great economic distress.

The new dribble by the Abuja DISCO is dead on arrival as it will be resisted by the Nigerian working class and people. The other DISCOs should not bother putting their ships of exploitation to sail.

It is important to put it on record that the NERC will be putting its name on the wrong side of history if it continues to play the ostrich while a group of portfolio investors make a blood meal of Nigerians.

Nigerian electricity consumers need the NERC to speak up and act in the defense of the rights of the Nigerian people, he said.

He noted that adamant desire by the DISCOs was to ram through an ill-conceived agenda to further impoverish Nigerians amid plummeting return on service delivery.

He said that the brazen decision was taken in spite of the fact that President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Assembly had ordered the DISCos to suspend the electricity tariff increase till further notice.

It appears that the adamant desire of DISCOs in Nigeria to ram through their ill-conceived agenda to further impoverish Nigerians through astronomical tariff increase amidst a plummeting return on service delivery has now been deregulated.

The DISCOs appear to have given themselves the ignoble tasks of taking turns to taunt the will of the Nigerian people.

Abuja DISCO has adorned the robe of the protagonist in this regard with its announcement of a new tariff plan for electricity consumers within its service area starting from Sept. 1, 2020.

This move is in spite of the resolution of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and even the direct orders of Mr President that the plans by DISCOs to hike electricity tariff should be suspended until further notice.

We are not aware of any order by the government or the elected representatives of the Nigerian people de-freezing the order to suspend any plans to inflict more pocket and psychological trauma on Nigerians by way of reckless and insensitive hike in electricity tariff, he said.

Wabba however, noted that since the unbundling of the former Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to yield the DISCOs and GENCOs, electricity tariffs through the Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO) had been increased a number of times without accompanying improvement in services.

He said that each hike in electricity tariff in Nigeria was trailed by huge leap in hours of darkness, de-metering of more Nigerians, exponential rise in incidences of estimated billing.

This has also increased the burden on citizens for the procurement of equipment and facilities for public electricity supply amidst other devious methods by DISCOs to cheat, exploit and despoil poor Nigerians, he said.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq

By Collins Yakubu-Hammer

The Federal Government has inaugurated the National Humanitarian Coordination Technical Working Group (TWG) to improve Civil Security Cooperation (CiSEC) framework and support the countrys Humanitarian coordination efforts.

Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, inaugurated the working group in Abuja on Tuesday.

She said that the TMG would provide the National Humanitarian Coordination Committee (NHCC) with the relevant technical support.

Farouq explained that the CiSEC Workshop, held in Maiduguri in November 2019, brought stakeholders together and deliberated on ways and means to ensure seamless delivery of humanitarian actions.

At the end of the workshop, the participants unanimously approved a communique.

Today, we begin the journey of one of the most important components of the CiSEC Framework, that is, the TWG, of which you have been invited to be members.

The TWG, is a multi-sectoral committee that will propose a national vision for humanitarian action.

It will also ensure an evidence-based approach to the implementation of any recommendations related to operationalisation of the CiSEC framework and guidelines.

It is important you understand that your committee will not only cater for the North East but Nigeria as a whole, she said.

The minister highlighted the functions of the TWG as;, dispensing its functions as a technical body to the NHCC on all matters relating to CiSEC framework and its implementation.

Propose a national vision for humanitarian action, propose policies that enhance coordination and seamless delivery of humanitarian aid to affected communities in the country.

Ensure the implementation of any NHCC recommendations related to operationalisation of the CiSEC framework and guidelines and many others.

It is my sincere appeal that you will live up to the high expectation of the NHCC, the general public and our humanitarian and security partners, Farouq said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report that members of the TWG included, Civil Society Organisations, Security Agencies, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.

Others were office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) National Security Adviser, Development Partners, International Non Governmental Organisations, among others.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Police IG Mohammed Adamu

By Aminu Garko

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Alhaji Mohammed Adamu, has urged traditional rulers to support the fight against armed robbery, banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling.

Adamu, who was represented by Alhaji Adamu Usman, Commissioner of Police in Niger, at a meeting with traditional rulers from Kontagora Emirate, told the monarchs that they were very critical to the success of the community policing policy.

The monarchs, led by the Emir of Kontagora, Alhaji Saidu Namaske, were in Minna to thank the Nigeria Police Force over successes recorded in the ongoing fight against crime in Niger.

The IGP, in a message to them, said that the Police Force would continue to partner with stakeholders to tackle security challenges in Niger and the entire country.

He called for reliable and credible information on the movement of suspected criminals in the society to enable security agencies rid the country of bad elements.

The IGP said that more security men were being deployed to rural areas to flush out bandits that were terrorising rural communities.

Speaking earlier, Namaske said that people of Kontagora emirate were grateful to the Police Force for introducing measures that had reduced armed robbery, banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling.

Residents of Rijau, Magama, Wushishi, Kontagora, Mashegu and Mariga Local Government Areas can now go about their normal activities without fear.

The Police Command in Niger has restored sanity through the establishment of Special Police camps in rural areas.

Most of the bandits come from Zamfara, Katsina and Kaduna states. We are happy that sanity is being restored, he said.

The royal father urged the Police and other law enforcement agencies to sustain the momentum, and pledged their support to their efforts.

We will continue to support the Police with required intelligence that can lead to the arrest of bad elements in the society. It is a responsibility we will never toy with, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Mr Joe Ajaero

By Esenvosa Izah

The Nigeria Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) says the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)s directive authorising banks to ring-fence collection accounts of electricity distribution companies (DisCos) in Nigeria is counter productive.

ItsGeneral Secretary,Mr Joe Ajaero, said on Tuesday in Lagos that the directive wouldresult to operational and over head cost challenges.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that CBN on Aug. 21, had issued a circular authorising banks to ring-fence collection accounts of electricity distribution companies (DisCos) in Nigeria.

The apex bank instructed that all the collections and remittances of the DisCos to both NBET and TCN, would now be the responsibility of banks providing guarantees to DisCos.

Ajaero said: CBN is not a regulatory body for the power sector and has very minute knowledge about its operations and cannot be in a position to issue directives in a sector where it lacks expertise.

Since the privatisation of the Nigerian power sector on Nov. 1, 2013, not much has been done toward ensuring that electricity consumers are issued prepaid meters.

This is to properly account and justify payments being made for energy consumers,rather than the estimated billing system which has further placed huge financial burden on Nigerians.

He said also that the CBNs directive would not guarantee jobs security.

According to him, it will throw thousands of electricity workers into the labour market, thus increasing hardship and hunger on family members of those affected.

The directive will further increase the unemployment index which the current administration is working assiduously to prune down.

The CBN directive is a subtle attempt to take over jobs in the power sector which will be resisted.

You cannot work in the financial sector of the economy and collect your pay from the power sector; enough of this usurpation, he said.

Ajaero urged the Federal Government to concentrate on metering every electricity consumer in the country, instead of asking them to keep paying for electricity not consumed. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo

By Chijioke Okoronkwo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, met with Gov. Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa over humanitarian and security situation in the North-East.

Also at the meeting were Hajia Sadiya Umar-Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, Comptroller General, Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) among others.

Fintiri told State House correspondents afterward that the meeting was successful and fruitful.

These are strategies we need to keep for ourselves so that we move the country and the North-East forward.

I think it is too early to divulge the information at the moment.

He said that a key humanitarian issue in the region was the movement of food and other aids to the badly affected areas.

According to him, the military has been doing well of late while the communities are opening up.

The governor said that serious efforts were being made to address the issue of the flooding in the region.

The flooding does not affect the North-East generally; but my state is one of those that have been identified by NEMA to have flooding this year.

And personally, I have been making efforts in addressing the flooding challenge in my state.

On the issue of shelter for Internally Displaced Persons(IDPs), he said that the IDP camps in the region were well taken care of.

He said that more houses were being built for IDPs in Borno.

They are building more houses in all the local governments in that state for them to relocate IDPs camps to their various local governments of origin.

That is also happening in Adamawa; we are addressing them headlong and we are moving forward in ensuring that our citizens are well taken care of and they are settled properly the way it should be in their communities.

On COVID-19, Fintiri said that the curve had been flattened in the whole North-East, adding that efforts would be stepped up to ensure that the protocols were kept.

On her part, Umar-Farouk said that it was only Borno that still had a high concentration of IDPs.

In Adamawa, there are one or two IDP camps and they originated from Borno State.

In Yobe, we do not have official IDP camps; they are all back in their communities.

So, what we are really working on now is Borno where we have high concentration of these IDPs; and the government is doing everything possible to support, assist and to ensure that they are being catered for, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Housing project

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) through its Satellite Towns Development Department (STDD) has concluded plans to roll out 30,000 housing units for its staff members and the FCDA in Karshi.

The FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, made the disclosure at the assessment tour of the project at Karshi in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) on Tuesday in Abuja.

Aliyu reiterated the FCTA committed to provide affordable housing as mandated by President Muhammadu Buhari, to ensure that indigenous people and residents of the FCT across the six area councils had affordable housing.

The minister assured that the developers were committed to the early realisation of the project.

First, the Karshi tour is to assess the affordable housing project designed for the staff of the FCTA and Federal Capital Development Authority.

So, it happens that we have a site in Karshi and we came to inspect it and to look at some possible encroachment.

Practically, we are ready to tradeoff and do the needful. We have assessed the whole place to ensure that all the infrastructures are already in place and to ensure that the houses are truly affordable and structures are qualitative.

We came out today with our development partners, the Family Homes. We have over 30, 000 staff waiting already and we are set to proceed.

As for the takeoff, it is as soon as now, but the COVID-19 pandemic which is not peculiar to us but a global pandemic really slowed down the pace of development.

By and large, it is never too late. The developers are also giving us a time frame to expedite action on the project. And quality and affordability as the name implies matter to us.

The population of FCT staff without credible house is alarming, so if we want adequate concentration for our staff, then we have to provide them with good accommodation.

These housing facilities will encourage them to do more, give them sense of ownership in the territory. This will boost their standard of living, she said.

Earlier, the Director of Housing, FCT Satellite Towns Development Development, Usman Bala, maintained that the project would be completed within 24 months.

Bala added that modalities were in place to ensure that staff of the administration were beneficiaries of the scheme.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

National Pension Commission (PenCom) and National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) sign Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to revise regulation on Retiree Life Annuity and guidelines on Group life Insurance policy.

By Rukayat Adeyemi

The National Pension Commission (PenCom) and the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to revise regulation on Retiree Life Annuity and guidelines on Group life Insurance policy.

Mr Peter Aghahowa, Head, Corporate Communications Department, PenCom said in a statement that the regulation was for employees and Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) retiree pack.

Aghahowa explained that the revised regulations and guidelines provide clarity on the Provisions of the Pension Reform Act (PRA) of 2014 in areas relating to Retiree Life Annuity.

He said that they focus on guiding stakeholders to make informed decision, ensure safety of Retiree Life Annuity funds and assets, address concerns of mis-selling and de-marketing by pension and insurance operators .

According to him, the guidelines will also bring stability into the financial sector of the economy.

Todays landmark event is the outcome of the collaborative efforts of PenCom and NAICOM, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)

By Jessica Dogo

Prof. Umar Danbatta, Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), says active GSM subscribers in the country have increased from 184 million in December 2019 to 199.3 million in May 2020.

Danbatta made the disclosure at the virtual launch/award ceremony of the COVID-19 Research Grant presented to three startups, by the NCC, on Tuesday Abuja.

He further explained that internet subscription in the same period increased from 126 million to 147.1 million, while broadband subscription also increased from 72 million to 80.2 million, achieving a 42.02 per cent penetration in the country.

Danbatta explained that the startups participated in a 3-month virtual hackathon with the theme Virtual Hackathon: Adaptable Digital Solutions for Addressing the Present and Future Impact of Pandemic and Epidemic Diseases from Technology Hubs, Startups and Innovation Digital SMEs in Nigeria.

These may have given impetus to the possibility of holding virtual meetings and conferences on video technologies that are now providing social distancing solutions.

So, in whichever way we look at it, telecommunication has much more greater role to play than many other sectors of economy and the society.

Therefore, the challenge is for us to find a way to accentuate our local content solution, which is a blessing to us. We are pleased with the responses that we received on this initiative, he said.

Danbatta said that the NCC, has in the past two years managed similar ICT-based innovations and research competitions among tertiary institutions in the country, with potentials of improving local content solutions in the industry.

We should be bold enough as a country in adopting indigenous solutions. We must adopt and consume them. There should be less attention on imported goods.

It is evident that the entire globe is challenged about how best to tackle this pandemic. Telecommunications and ICTs have taken the centre stage in the provision or advancement of solutions.

We will all witness what digital solutions that todays winners are going to bring to the table. Each of the Startups, or tech-hubs with promising innovative digital solutions against the pandemic will receive a grant of N3 million.

We have encouraged ICT innovations among the Nigerian youths whom we have regularly sponsored to various competitions organised by the International Telecommunications Union, Danbatta said.

Dr Isa Pantami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, who presented a N9 million COVID-19 research grants to the three promising startups, stressed that there was the need to adopt indigenous solutions to challenges in the country.

Pantami also encouraged individuals to consume what the country produced and pay less attention to imported goods.

We need to produce what we need and consume what we produce, any country that remains a consumer nation will find it difficult to succeed, he said.

Dr Henry Nkemadu,NCC Director, Research and Development, said that there was the need to harness the potentials of technologies in order to address societal challenges and meet up to standard.

Nkemadu explained that the Hackathon was designed to engage the startups to compete in a healthy manner to improve innovations.

He noted that 298 submissions were received from startups of, which 56 qualified for the final stage of the evaluation process based on the selection criteria and later came up with three winners.

It is a national aspiration to spice some of these technologies with local content as a way of improving availability of local manpower and advancing ICT skills.

Technology has provided solutions to the challenge of weak public systems by providing solutions to the most challenges in education, health, financial and agricultural sectors, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that each of the Startups, or tech-hubs with promising innovative digital solutions against the pandemic will receive a grant of N3 million

The three winners included-Messers Primed E-Health, Messers Cyberfleet Intergrated Limited and Messers Elizade University. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met behind closed door with Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, at the State House, Abuja.

Speaking to State House correspondents at the end of the meeting, Gbajabiamila stated that he was in the villa to seek the blessing of the president over his planned trip to Ghana on Wednesday over the closure of shops owned by Nigerians in that country.

Gbajabiamila had last week said the closure of Nigerian shops in Ghana contravened Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) trade protocols.

The Speaker said, while in Ghana, he would engage with the Speaker of the parliament in Ghana with a view to finding solutions to the challenges facing Nigerian traders in that country.

He said: One of the issues we discussed today, Im leaving for Ghana tomorrow to meet with the Speaker of the parliament in Ghana to look at the issues on ground, as it affects our citizens, and to try and calm things down and see if theres a way forward.

Ill meet with the Speaker tomorrow (Wednesday), I informed the President and hes aware of every single step that we are taking, all the way and we hope that well come to an amicable settlement one way or the other.

Its called Legislative Diplomacy, if you remember very well, during the days when I was Leader of the House, I lead the delegation to South Africa during the crisis there with Nigerians and we were able to accomplish quite a bit, to simmer things down at that time.

On demands Nigeria is taking to Ghana, the Speaker said: No demands, we just going to discuss in the spirit of African Parliaments and well be looking at issues from time to time as they affect African countries and this is one of them.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria and Ghana have traded words over the closure of the shops owned by Nigerians in Ghana

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, had summoned the Ghanas Charge d Affaires to Nigeria, Ms Iva Denoo, to deliberate on the closure of the shops.

Onyeama had also met with representatives of Nigerian Traders in Ghana, led by Jasper Emenike, the National President of Progressive Ambassadors of Nigeria (PAN) and the organisations National Director, Hon. Ruth Ango over the issue.

NAN reports that Ghanaian government had also proposed a meeting between President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana and his Nigerian counterpart, President Buhari, over the bilateral misunderstanding.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Coronavirus

By Abujah Racheal

Dr Sani Aliyu, Coordinator, Presidential Task Force (PTF), has said that Plateau is now tthe Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) hot centre as more cases are been confirmed in the state.

Aliyu, who spoke at the PTF daily briefing on Monday in Abuja, said that the state was leading in confirmed cases because it was testing more.

He advised other states to conduct more tests like Lagos and Plateau to be able to get the positive cases and treat them fast.

We are seeing a gradual shift in the areas of high infection burden, with Plateau reporting the highest number of confirmed cases.

Of course, this can be related to increased testing by citizens of the state.

However, we also need to look at the flip side that there are a number of highly undetected cases lying around which we need to discover and deal with early, he said.

On the planned resumption of international flights, he said that incoming passengers would be required to be certified COVID-19 negative very close to departure date.

He said that they would also be required to undergo another COVID-19 test eight days after arrival in Nigeria.

Aliyu said that the other requirements included registration on the Nigeria International Travel Portal where payment for the second test would be made, and filling of health declaration form online.

The coordinator warned that any passenger who would fail to comply with a second COVID-19 test in Nigeria would risk ban for six months.

He added that the person would be blacklisted by the Nigeria Immigrated Service and security agencies, and face some other punishments.

Source: NAN News

COVID-19 updates by NCDC

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has reported 143 new cases of COVID-19 in the country, bringing the nations total infections to 54,008.

The NCDC made this known on its official twitter handle on Monday.

The health Agency said that 143 cases were confirmed from 17 states and the Federal Capital Territory(FCT), taking the number of confirmed cases to 54,008 in the country.

It revealed that Plateau again had the highest number of infections of 35, while Kaduna had 21 with Lagos and FCT recording 19 and 13 cases respectively.

Others were Ebonyi (9), Adamawa (7), Enugu (7), Katsina (7), Edo (6), Kwara (5), Osun (3), Anambra (2), Kano (2), Niger (2), Ogun (2), Benue (1), Borno (1) and Sokoto (1).

The NCDC said that a multi-sectoral national Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), activated at Level 3, had continued to coordinate the national response activities across the country.

It stated that no fatality was recorded as at Monday.

The health agency said that till date, 54,008 cases had been confirmed, 41,638 cases discharged and 1,013 deaths recorded in 36 states and FCT.

It said even younger persons were at risk of COVID-19, especially those with underlying health conditions.

Lets continue to take responsibility; wear a face mask in public, practice hand/respiratory hygiene and maintain physical distance, it said.

Source: NAN News

Independent Assessment Committee members and the CGI

By Ibironke Ariyo
The Federal Government Independent Assessment Committee visited the Headquarters of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to access the performance of the service.

The NIS spokesperson, Mr Sunday James disclosed this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

James said that the visit which was an initiative of the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), was part of preparations for the ministerial performance retreat.

He added that the team which had Mr Rajeem Aremu and Mrs Ukaigwu Lilian as members, was taken round the headquarters of the service for visual assessment of the various tools deployed for monitoring and control of human mobility into Nigeria.

The following facilities were assessed: NIS Command and Control Centre, INTERPOL i-24/7 facility, MIDAS automation for passenger clearance at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Automated Visa on Arrival (VoA), Temporary Work Permit (TWP) facilities and Implementation tools for Border Management Strategy 2019 2023, he said.

The Comptroller-General, NIS, Mr Muhammad Babandede, while addressing the committee, emphasized the importance of the forensic tool and the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS).

He said that the adequate deployment of APIS would help in reducing reported cases of lost and stolen documents, forgery and cases related to identity theft.

This he said, would also aid the tracking of reported cases before re-issue or replacement.

While the APIS provides information to the receiving country before the embarkation of passenger from the country of origin or transit, i-24/7 helps in tracking lost and stolen document STLD.

The forensic tool is used to query real-time passport and visa issuance with the aim of ascertaining the officer that issued the station and the documents supplied for the process and whether it was approved or rejected.

Migration Information Data Analysis System (MIDAS) deployed to airports also serves the purpose of data collection by capturing the fingerprints and facial of the passengers being cleared.

The Command and Control Centre at the NIS Headquarters provides real-time on-the-spot view of control posts connected to it.

This means, all activities of officers at control posts can be viewed real-time from the Service Headquarters when connected, the CGI noted.

NAN reports that the independent assessment includes verification by visual observation of some of the performances of MDAs.

The aim of the exercise is to obtain evidence on what ministries have accomplished or is in progress.

Source: NAN News

NLC President, Ayuba Wabba

By Joan Nwagwu

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the Federal Government to desist from further contemplation, discussions and arrangements to concession major airports in the country.

Mr Ayuba Wabba, the NLC President said this in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

Wabba said that organised labour condemned the plans by government to concession Nigerias major airports.

It was with great alarm that we learnt of the renewed efforts by the Federal Government to concession Nigerias major airports.

The airports are the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos and the Port Harcourt International Airport to private sector interests.

Nigerians may recall that the current concession drive of the present government did not start today. It has been part of the neo-liberal predilection of successive governments in Nigeria.

It stretched from the military era up till the current democratic dispensation to deregulate, concession, and privatise critical national assets to their cronies and friends, he said.

Wabba said the organised labour had identified this approach to governance as reactionary, predatory and self-serving.

We rejected concession of our core national assets yesterday. We are rejecting it today!, he said.

Wabba said that the unwholesome and unpatriotic attitude of giving away the countrys prized national property to private sector operatives was not only unjust and immoral but also in ultra-violations.

The NLC president said that this violates Chapter 2, Section 16 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the Fundamental Objectives and the Directive Principles of State Policy.

The policy states that the Nigerian government must manage and operate the major sectors of the economy and ensure that our economy is not operated to permit the concentration of wealth or the means of production and exchange in the hands of few individuals or of a group.

It is important to note that when our airports, especially the ones earmarked for concession were in states of eye sore and dilapidation, private capital did not invest towards their rehabilitation.

It would be a grand insult to the collective intelligence of the Nigerian public for the Federal Government to invest a lot of public funds into the reconstruction and rehabilitation of our airports and then hand them over to private sector players for profit maximisation and at the expense of the tax paying public.

This is unjust. It is immoral. This cannot stand, he said.

Wabba therefore said that apart from the haemorrhage to government revenue that the concession portends, Nigerian workers were concerned over the security of their jobs.

Our experience in the past had been that of massive layoff of workers once private sector players get the concession on national assets.

He noted that the reason was to overt profit maximisation, saying that as very few workers would be engaged as slaves to do the work that many workers would ordinarily be required to do. Organised Labour would resist this.

As far as we are concerned, there is no compelling reason for the Federal Government to gift away our national airports to private companies to manage. We are sure that no responsible government wants to be seen in this light.

The failures of private sector intervention in our public electric and telephone services speak volumes of the inherent danger in using public assets to service private interests or massage the ego of those in the corridors of power.

The truth remains that once public workers are properly motivated, trained, capacitated and given the enabling work environment; there are no limits to what they can achieve, he said.

He further called on government to be committed to allowing the professionals do their job without undue interference and to ensure optimum maintenance standards.

He advised government to enforce rules in the public procurement process, adding that the workers were more than capable to maintain and manage our national assets.

Organised labour in Nigeria warns the Federal Government to desist from further contemplation, discussions and arrangements to concession our international airports.

We call for social dialogue between government and labour on this.

Organised labour and the entire Nigerian working class will resist any attempt to unilaterally concession any of our public airports.

Thus undermining the directive principles and fundamental objectives of our national constitution which is actually the fulcrum upon which our collective identity and aspiration rests.

We will not give up or surrender our public assets to a few well-connected Nigerians, regardless of how powerful they think they are, Wabba said.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Access bank urges Nigerians to embrace digital banking to prevent COVID-19 spike

By Lucy Osuizigbo-Okechukwu

Access Bank Plc on Tuesday urged Nigerians to embrace digital channels for theirmonetary transactions to ensure safety and reduce cases of COVID-19 in the country.

Mr Victor Etuokwu, the Executive Director, Retail Banking Division made the call at the opening of a new branch office in Awka, Anambra.

Etuokwu, who was represented by Mr Charles Oguibe, South East Regional Sales Director, said that digital financial services served as a preventive measure in the light of the global pandemic.

We believe in the safety of our customers, especially during this pandemic and so we encourage everyone to transact digitally via our USSD code *901#, mobile applications or the ATM.

Customers can bank from anywhere byutilising digital channels to easily access their bank accounts, make payments, transfer funds, process salaries and carry out other banking transactions without visiting branches.

This is part of efforts to ensure physical distancing which will help to curtail the spread of COVID-19.

The opening of this new branch in Awka is to get closer to our customers, provide comfortable and conducive environment where customers can feel safeand transact with ease, he said.

The Igwe of Awka Kingdom, Dr Gibson Nwosu said that banking promotes rural development, enhance rural productive activities and improves economic status of small-scale businesses.

Nwosu, who was represented by the traditional Prime Minister of Awka Kingdom, High Chief Benjamin Okoye urged the bank to continue to contribute to the development of the host community.

Mr Jude Emecheta, the Managing Director, Anambra State Signage and Advertising Agencyurged the bank to initiate loan products to help business owners affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transport

By Lucy Ogalue

Dr Magdalene Ajani, newly posted Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transportation has assumed office in Abuja.

This was contained in a statement signed by Mr Eric Ojiekwe the Director of Press and Public Relations of the ministry on Tuesday, in Abuja.

Ojiekwe said that Ajani took over from Acting Permanent Secretary, Dr Husseini Adamu at a ceremony in Abuja.

He quoted her as saying that good service delivery was critical to Nigerias socio-economic development, calling for efficient and effective service delivery in the transportation sector.

The Ministry has a critical role to play, as a service provider we either provide or fail to provide, Ajani said.

She, however, enjoined all staffto operate towards realisation of the ministrys mandate and urged Directors of the ministry to gear up for hard work.

It is time to think outside the box, do things differently and achieve better results, Ajani said.

She also emphasised the need for all staff in the Ministry to be computer literate.

Earlier, Adamu said Ajanis assumption of office would provide the direction needed to move the ministry forward.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN),reports that Ajaniwas the Permanent Secretary, Service Policies and Strategy, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation before the new posting.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

COVID-19

Russian authorities announced on Tuesday that the countrys COVID-19 caseload had exceeded one million, the worlds fourth largest, according to international statistics.

Russia has regularly reported a daily rise of several thousand cases in recent weeks.

Tuesdays caseload rose by more than 4,700 from the previous day to reach 1,000,048, according to official statistics.

While Russia has one of the worlds highest caseloads, its recorded death toll has been relatively small, with about 17,300 deaths reported as of Tuesday.

Russia only includes deaths directly linked to the disease in that statistic.

Patients who tested positive but died from other factors have not been included in the death toll.

Russian Health Minister Mikhail Murashko said this week that the country would begin large-scale provision of its COVID-19 vaccine in September.

Russia was the first country to introduce a vaccine for the novel COVID-19 that it says can be used by the general public.

Medics around the world have expressed skepticism over the vaccine, which they say has not yet undergone necessary testing procedures.

About 40,000 volunteers are in a phase 3 trial of the vaccine, state media have reported.

The vaccine has been named Sputnik, in honour of the first man-made satellite to achieve orbit, a feat accomplished in the late 1950s by Russias predecessor state, the Soviet Union, in the space race with rival superpower the U.S.

Endorsing the vaccine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said that one of his daughters has used it successfully, without any side effect worse than a slight, temporary fever. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

school Children

By Victor Adeoti

The Osun Government says Sept. 21 has been tentatively fixed for the reopening of schools shut down due to coronavirus pandemic in the state.

The Commissioner for Information and Civic, Mrs Funke Egbemode made this known in a statement in Osogbo on Tuesday.

Egbemode said stakeholders were expected to continue to put protocols in place toward the reopening of schools.

This should be in accordance with the guidelines set by the Federal Ministry of Education, she said.

The commissioner also said that all schools in the state were to resume in phases with effect from Sept. 21, for an abridged third term of the 2019/2020 academic session.

Having conducted an assessment of schools within the state to ascertain the level of preparations for reopening, the government has scheduled schools to resume from the COVID-19 break on Sept. 21 for an abridged third term of the 2019/2020 academic session, which is expected to end on October 30, 2020.

To make up for lost grounds caused by the COVID-19 induced lockdown, a new academic session (2020/2021 session) is scheduled to commence on Nov. 9.

Because of the Yuletide, schools will be expected to take a brief recess from Dec. 24, to resume on Jan. 4, 2021, for the concluding part of the first term of the new session which is scheduled to end Jan. 22, 2021.

The resumption date for the second term is set for Feb. 1, and scheduled to end April 9, 2021.

The third term of that session commences on April 26, and runs till July 23, she said.

Egbemode explained that the announced schedule applies only to primary and secondary schools, adding that tertiary institutions were also expected to reopen on Sept. 21, but required to plan their schedules.

She said stakeholders were to continue to fine tune their preparations in the coming days toward ensuring a seamless enforcement of the announced schedule.(NAN)

Source: NAN News