President Muhammadu Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed deep sadness over the demise of Sheikh Ahmed Tidiane Niass, Grand Khalifa (leader) of Tijjaniyya Islamic movement in Africa.

The Presidents spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, in a statement in Abuja on Monday, said Buharis condolence message was addressed to President Macky Sall, government and people of Senegal as well as millions of members of the sect in Nigeria.

President Buhari said: It is really sad news for all of us to learn that our beloved Khalifa, Sheikh Ahmed Niass, has passed away in Senegal.

Sheikh Ahmed Niass, who took over from his father, Sheikh Ibrahim Niass, did not at all disappoint the large followers of his greatly adored father.

He will be remembered for his impeccable service to Islam and passion towards the sects followers, which has a large body in Nigeria.

The Nigerian leader recalled that June, 2018, Sheikh Ahmed Niass visited the State House, Abuja, accompanied by some eminent Nigerians including President of BUA Group of Companies, Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu.

President Buhari, on behalf of government and people of Nigeria, prayed for the eternal repose of his departed soul.

Source: NAN News

President Muhammadu Buhari has written a personal letter to the family of the late publisher and businessman, Ismaila Isa Funtua, describing his demise as major national loss.

Malam Garba Shehu, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Monday.

In the letter, written in Hausa language, the president told the bereaved wife, Hajiya Hauwa, the children and the entire family members that the loss of Funtua was not theirs alone, but that of the entire country.

He said: Malam Ismaila was of great assistance to me and my administration. He helped in many ways to strengthen the government and the country before his ultimate demise.

The president recalled that Funtua, in his active politics, served as a minister.

He was also a businessman and contractor who built several government buildings in Abuja.

He was a director of Funtua Textile Mills for 30 years and chaired the Zamfara Textile Company. He was also a life executive member of the board of the International Press Institute (IPI).

Nigerians of all shades and backgrounds have nothing but kind words for him.

The late Ismaila was reputed throughout his life for his kindness, generosity and support for public causes, the big and the not-so-big, he remarked.

Buhari urged all those left behind by the deceased not to allow division in their ranks.

He prayed Allah to forgive the departed and grant him Aljannatul-Firdaus (paradise).

Source: NAN News

Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano state.

The government also fixed August 10 for the reopening of schools for the exit students in the state.

The Commissioner for Education, Muhammad Said, made the disclosure at a news conference on Monday in Kano.

Said disclosed that Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje had directed the Ministry of Environment to decontaminate the schools to make it safe for students and teachers as well as create conducive learning environment.

He said that the governor also directed the Ministry of Health to commence free distribution of face masks, sanitiser, hand-washing facilities and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the schools.

The commissioner added that the state government would also offered free COVID-19 test to students and teachers in public and private schools.

Said explained that the 528 schools comprised of 199 public and 328 private institution are to go through fumigation.

The Commissioner noted that the one-week grace starting from Monday Aug. 3, was to enable principals and proprietors to make necessary preparations and evolve adequate measures against COVID-19 pandemic in schools.

He said: Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje has approved Aug. 10, as resumption date for the SS III students expected to write WAEC examination scheduled to commence from Aug. 17.

The Ministry of Education directed principals to make arrangements to received SS III boarding students on Aug. 9 while day students are to resume on Aug. 10.

Accordingly, the ministry warned that no school is allowed to reopen before Aug. 10; principals are to ensure maximum compliance with COVID-19 guidelines.

They should reduce hours of work/revision to four-hours per shift; strict adherence to social distancing, in classes, laboratories, libraries and hostels.

Consistency of temperature monitoring and provision of emergency isolation rooms for identified suspected cases before handing of the affected case to the health authorities.

Said said that proprietors of private schools were directed to report to the Kano State Private and Voluntary Institution Management Board, to obtain permission on clean bill of health.

While principals of public schools are to report to the Kano State Senior Secondary Schools Management Board for scrutiny and approval.

According to him, 11, 046 registered candidates are expected to sit for the WAEC examination in 528 designated centres in the state.

Resumption dates for other examinations and rest of the classes including SS I; SS II and JSS I-III as well as primary schools will be announced in due course.

The ministry is encouraging schools to continue the e-learning education programme using the Google classrooms, radio, televisions and other platforms until normalcy return to the academic environment, he said.

While commending Gov. Ganduje for his support and commitment to the free compulsory education initiative, Said thanked partners, stakeholders and development organisations for their supports.

Source: NAN News

Sadiya Umar Farouk

Federal Government expended about N523.3 million on school feeding programme during the lockdown against the coronavirus pandemic.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (MHADMSD), Sadiya Farouq, announced this at the Presidential Taskforce briefing on COVID-19 on Monday in Abuja.

Farouk made the revelation against the rumours and speculations going around one of our key interventions of the government the Home Grown School Feeding Programme.

She said that the programmed was modified and implemented in three states following a March 29th, Presidential directive.

It is critical at this juncture to provide details that will help puncture the tissue of lies being peddled in the public space.

The provision of Take Home Rations, under the modified Home Grown School Feeding programme, was not a sole initiative of the MHADMSD.

The ministry, in obeying the Presidential directive, went into consultations with state governments through the state Governors Forum, following which it was resolved that take-home rations, remained the most viable option for feeding children during the lockdown.

So, it was a joint resolution of the ministry and the state governments to give out take-home rations.

The stakeholders also resolved that we would start with the FCT, Lagos and Ogun states, as pilot cases, the minister said.

According to her, each takes home ration was valued at N4,200 and that the figure was arrived at with proper consultation.

The minister said that the figure generated from statistics provided by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the Central bank of Nigeria (CBN)

According to statistics from the NBS and CBN, a typical household in Nigeria has 5.6 to six members in its household, with three to four dependents.

So, each household is assumed to have three children.

Based on the original design of the Home Grown School Feeding programme, long before it was domiciled in the ministry, every child on the programme receives a meal a day.

The meal costs N70 per child.

When you take 20 school days per month, it means a child eats food worth N1,400 per month.

Three children would then eat food worth N4,200 per month and that was how we arrived at the cost of the take-home ration.

The agreement was that the federal government will provide the funding while the states will implement.

To ensure transparency in the process, we partnered with the World Food Programme (WFP) as technical partners.

She said that her ministry invited government agencies like the EFCC, CCB, ICPC, DSS and some NGOs to monitor the process.

TrackaNG monitored and gave daily updates validating the programme.

In the FCT, 29,609 households were impacted, 37,589 households in Lagos and 60,391 in Ogun, making a total of 124,589 households impacted between May 14, and July 6.

If 124,589 households received take-home rations valued at N4,200, the amount will be N523,273,800.

Source: NAN News

INEC

By Abujah Racheal

Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are currently working out the guidelines and protocols for the forthcoming elections in Nigeria.

Mr Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman PTF on COVID-19, made this known on Monday in Abuja.

Mustaphasaid: The national response will continue to guide the adoption of the sectors specific guidelines and protocols.

This is just as the PTF is currently concluding discussions with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the appropriate guidelines to be adopted for elections in some parts of the country.

The elections will begin with the Aug. 8 by-election in Nasarawa State, to be followed by Edo and Ondo State elections in September and October respectively.

I, therefore, wish to use this opportunity to implore parties leaders, aspirants, members and their supporters to remain mindful of the virulent nature of COVID-19 during electioneering and other election processes.

We need to remain alive to enjoy the benefits of our democracy.

He also stated that the PTF would continue to push forward with the community engagement, risk communication and support to the states.

There is an ongoing surveillance in the high-burden local government areas, just as we ramp up our precision efforts.

Similarly, the Federal Government is supporting the states to firm up their Incidence Action Plans, preparatory to their accessing the World Bank facility for the fight against COVID-19,Mustaphasaid.

Meanwhile, the SGF said that the PTF would submit its Sixth Interim Report to President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to him, subject to the Presidents approval, the report would be presented with the way forward to Nigerians at the next briefing on Aug. 6.

Source: NAN News

The online meeting on Monday between the three Nile basin countries is the second of a new round of talks brokered by the African Union to resolve the years-long dispute about the hydroelectric Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.

Egypt, the Arab worlds most populous country, fears that the dam will reduce its water supply and is seeking a legally binding deal that would guarantee appropriate flows of water and a legal mechanism for resolving disputes before the dam starts operating.

Ethiopia wants the dam to boost its power exports, whereas Egypt relies almost exclusively on the Nile for farming, industry and domestic water use.

During Mondays meeting, Egypts Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Mohamed Abdel Aty expressed his countrys rejection of Ethiopias unilateral measure of starting the filling of the dam without consultation and coordination with Egypt and Sudan, which both lie downstream, according a statement issued by his spokesperson.

The minister said the move gives negative indications that Ethiopia does not want to reach a fair agreement and runs counter to a previous agreement of principles.

The three countries agreed that the legal and technical committees will discuss the contentious issues during the next two days. The results will be presented at a ministerial meeting on Thursday.

Tens of thousands of Ethiopians celebrated the first filling of the dam on Sunday, flooding the streets of the capital Addis Ababa in support of the project.

In July, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said the country had completed the first filling of the dam thanks to seasonal rainfall. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Malam Garba Shehu

By Ismaila Chafe

Presidency has frowned at the plan protest by the TUC over the alleged President Buharis inaction over the corruption uncovered at some Federal Governments commissions.

Presidency has frowned at the reported plan by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to embark on a nationwide protest over the alleged President Buharis inaction over the high-level of corruption uncovered at some Federal Governments commissions.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that both the Executive and Legislative arms are currently investigating alleged cases of misconduct at the Niger Delta Development Agency (NDDC), the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) and the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).

Malam Garba Shehu, the Presidents Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity in a statement in Abuja on Monday, however, described the planned protests against the affected commissions by TUC as ill advised and totally uncalled for.

This is so, according to the presidential aide, in view of the fact that there are ongoing investigations in the cases by both the Executive and Legislative arms of government.

He said that these processes must be allowed to run their full courses.

It is against the norm in a democratic society as well as the natural laws of justice to seek action, meaning punishment against offenders before proper investigation, trial and conviction.

The President has made it clear that the allegations that have surfaced clearly constitute a breach of trust and as the investigations take hold and close out, all those found wanting will face the wrath of the law.

The TUC, as an enlightened group of labour unionists, should indeed voice their indignation whenever such acts are being unearthed.

However, the expectation will be for it to also raise the bar higher, in terms of the debate concerning the impact of such allegations on our ability, to create and retain employment, attract investment, improve the living conditions of its members and citizens, and how a preponderance of these heinous crimes decimates any gains being made in other spheres.

The world is confronted with a global public health crisis, decline in economic growth, and expanding areas of conflict by non-state actors, he said.

According to him, all these ills in their singular or combined form are consuming every nation, and Nigeria is no exception.

He, therefore, maintained that, we must hold the line and lock arms that way we rid ourselves of these existential issues whilst we grapple with those that are our own homegrown problems.

This administration is committed to doing just that, and organisations like the TUC should be extending a hand in supporting such a fight that is in our collective interest, he said.

Source: NAN News

The study tested 540 dogs and 277 cats living in households in northern Italy, particularly in Lombardy, where someone was infected with the virus or in areas where there were many cases.

The study, which has not been peer-reviewed yet, found coronavirus antibodies in 3.4 per cent of dogs and 3.9 per cent of cats, indicating they were infected with the virus.

Swab tests for active virus infections were negative in all animals, as the virus shedding period ended after two weeks.

The tests were conducted between March and May of this year.

Thomas Mettenleiter, leader of the German Federal Research Institute for Animal Health (FLI), said the results showed that the virus could be transmitted between humans and animals.

This confirms what we already know, Mettenleiter said, adding that the large scale of the study was unprecedented as it was difficult to get samples.

According to Mettenleiter, most animals in the study came from households affected by the coronavirus, indicating that infection is generally transmitted from humans to animals.

He added that this confirmed the FLIs assumption that cats and dogs dont play a significant role in the spread of COVID-19, and that healthy people needed not limit their contact with their pets.

People, who are infected with the virus, however, should limit their contact with their pets, although there are no indications so far that animals can die of the coronavirus, according to Mettenleiter. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Death toll from poisoning linked to toxic liquor in Indias Punjab State rose to 105 on Monday

The death toll from poisoning linked to toxic liquor in Indias northern state of Punjab rose to 105 on Monday even as police carried out a crackdown on the illicit alcohol trade in the region.

Poor farmers and workers fell ill after drinking the alcohol across three districts, and the first deaths were reported last Wednesday.

The toll soared from 21 on Friday after families reported deaths to administration officials over the weekend, in what has become the countrys worst bootleg alcohol incident this year.

Eighty people died in the Tarn Taran district over the past five days, senior official Kulwant Singh said.

Twenty-five deaths were confirmed in nearby Amritsar and Batala, state police said.

In a crackdown, police conducted dozens of raids across villages to arrest 30 bootleggers and smashed illegal distilleries while seizing thousands of litres of tainted liquor.

Initial investigations revealed the liquor contained methanol, which can cause blindness and death when consumed in large amounts.

The Punjab government has suspended seven excise officials and six police officials even as opposition parties accused ruling party leaders of patronising (the) spurious liquor trade.

An average of 1,000 people die in India each year after consuming illegally distilled alcohol, government data shows.

The liquor is usually made with poor-quality ingredients and sometimes mixed with industrial alcohol and toxic substances.

A total of 151 people, mostly tea-plantation workers, died after drinking toxic alcohol last year in one of the worst cases of liquor poisoning in India in recent years. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

German Chancellor, Angela Merkel

Politicians from both sides of the political spectrum are reassessing Germanys approach to protests during the pandemic.

This is coming after thousands of people gathered in Berlin at the weekend at an event flouting hygiene measures.

The freedom to assemble is a particularly important legal right, Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht told the Monday edition of the Sueddeutsche Zeitung newspaper.

However, she said that rules must be followed in order to limit coronavirus infections and so as not to endanger others.

I have no understanding for demonstrators who arrogantly defy this, Lambrecht, a member of the centre-left Social Democrats, was quoted as saying.

Armin Schuster, an expert for interior affairs in Chancellor Angela Merkels Christian Democrats (CDU), suggested banning mass demonstrations like the rally seen in Berlin altogether.

Police said up to 17,000 people took part in a march against coronavirus restrictions in the capital on Saturday, with a subsequent rally attracting a crowd of some 20,000.

Because many participants were not keeping the required distance from one another or wearing masks, police broke up the event in the early evening.

Schuster said it would be appropriate to permit (such demonstrations) only under far stricter constraints or not at all, in comments to the Rheinische Post newspaper.

His CDU colleague, Thorsten Frei, who is deputy head of the conservative partys group in parliament, stressed that demonstrations should only be restricted in exceptional cases.

But when the demonstrations themselves become a high risk, the state cannot stand by and watch, he told the newspaper Die Welt.

Source: NAN News

President Donald Trump

By Harrison Arubu

U.S. President Donald Trump has flayed an appellate court ruling that overturned the death sentence given to the 2013 Boston Marathon bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

In a tweet on Sunday, Trump said that hardly had anyone deserved the death penalty than Tsarnaev.

He said the government must push for the death penalty, adding that the country could not let the ruling stand.

Rarely has anybody deserved the death penalty more than the Boston Bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

The court agreed that this was one of the worst domestic terrorist attacks since the 9/11 atrocities.

Yet the appellate court tossed out the death sentence. So many lives lost and ruined.

The Federal Government must again seek the death penalty in a do-over of that chapter of the original trial.

Our country cannot let the appellate decision stand. Also, it is ridiculous that this process is taking so long!, the tweet read.

Three people died and hundreds of others were injured after Tsarnaev, 27, and his older brother, Tamerlan, detonated homemade bombs along the marathons route on April 15, 2013.

Tsarnaev was handed the death penalty in 2015 but he appealed the ruling in 2019 on the ground that the juniors were biased.

In its ruling on July 31, the First U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with him, and ordered a retrial of the case.

It said the trial judge should have excluded jurors, who had already concluded that Tsarnaev was guilty.

Prosecutors are now left with two options: to comply with the appellate court ruling or challenge it at the Supreme Court.

Source: NAN News

The Caixin/Markit Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) came in at 52.8 for July, compared to 51.2 in June.

A reading above 50 indicates expansion, while one below shows contraction.

The survey indicates the quickest monthly expansion of manufacturing output and new orders since January 2011.

Meanwhile, new business from overseas fell at the slowest rate in six months.

The index beat analysts expectations and comes as China has largely contained the coronavirus crisis and most companies have resumed operations.

Nevertheless, employment dropped for the seventh consecutive month.

While some companies hired more workers to meet production needs, others laid off employees to cut costs, the survey showed.

To increase employment, manufacturers will need more time and confidence, said Wang Zhe, senior economist at Caixin Insight Group.

Official manufacturing data released last week also indicated a recovery.

The official manufacturing PMI came in at 51.1 in July compared to 50.9 in June.

Chinas economy grew by 3.2 per cent in the second quarter of the year, according to official data, after contracting 6.8 per cent in the first quarter due to the coronavirus outbreak. (dpa/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Douye Diri Bayelsa State Governor

By Nathan Nwakamma

Bayelsa Government says it adopted safety measures in schools to enable final year students to participate in external examinations as directed by the Federal Government.

Messrs Freston Akpor and Walter Liverpool, Permanent Secretaries of Ministries of Information and Education, respectively assured that the government was doing its best to protect students and teachers.

They said that government was already fumigating schools across the state as well as providing hand washing facilities and urged parents and communities to complement the efforts of the government.

Akpor, who is a member of the Bayelsa COVID-19 Task Force, said that Gov. Douye Diri of the state who chairs the Task Force had approved the deployment of health professionals to schools while temporary isolation facilities would be put in place in schools.

The government of Bayelsa has been working to get our schools ready and safe for our children and that is why we have scheduled a train the trainers programme to acquaint schools with COVID-19 safety protocols.

The essence is to build capacity of our people and update them with the guidelines from the Federal Government on the reopening of schools that is why we are taking our time and shifted the resumption for final year students to Aug. 5.

Government is providing face masks, infrared thermometers and access to water for schools without water supply, alternative arrangements are in place and we are poised to check the spread of the coronavirus.

In view of the questionable and low quality of hand sanitisers, we are emphasising frequent hand washing with soap and water and we appeal to members of the public as well as parents and guardians to complement the efforts government is making.

Parents should for example provide additional face masks for their wards so that for instance when they wash the ones provided in schools, they can have a spare one, Akpor said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state government has scheduled a COVID-19 prevention training programme for private and public schools to ensure safety protocols are complied with when schools resume on Aug 5.

Source: NAN News

A 300 Level student of the Faculty of Law, University of Ilorin, Miss Famuyiwa Olushola, has won the maiden edition of the International Bar Association (IBA) Vlogging Competition.

According to the University of Ilorin Bulletin issued on Monday, Olushola award letter, written by Anna Toth, the Divisions Administrative Assistant at IBA headquarters in London, United Kingdom, informed her of being selected as the winner of the IBA Vlogging Competition in the law student category.

The publication said that the; IBA introduced the first ever vlogging competition for young lawyers and law students, looking for their input, thoughts and opinions on COVID-19 and the law.

It received many impressive videos from all over the world which were all assessed based on topic, quality and professionalism.

The award letter, dated July 28, 2020, outlined the details of the award to include two years free student membership with the IBA, waived registration for either the Law Student Conference or a Young Lawyer Training Day, taking place in 2021.

Others include round trip economy airfare to attend the selected event and accommodation at conference hotel for the selected event.

In her reaction, Famuyiwa, expressed happiness over the award, describing it as a great impetus for her to work harder towards making a great career in the legal profession after her graduation and call to Bar.

Source: NAN News

Nollywood actress,Victoria Inyama,

By Priscilla Osaje

A Veteran Nollywood actress,Victoria Inyama, has urged Nigerian ladies to dress in a decent manner to avoid getting raped.

Inyama, who condemned the high rate of raping across the country since the COVID-19 pandemic began, took to her Instagram page @iyamu.victoria to advise Nigerian ladies on the dangers of indecent dressing in a video clip.

She said that ladies should endeavour to dress appropriately so that they would not trigger the perpetrators of rape crimes.

Appropriate dressing and comportment. l beg my ladies (minus the minors or aged victims) to please.. dress in appropriate clothing, to reduce the trigger for the perpetrators

A lot of these perpetrators have underlying mental health issues and being around them in certain clothing is a trigger..sadly, the victim still gets to be shamed and ridiculed.

So, it will be wise to safeguard yourself.

Yes, its not about the dressing as some will say, compare with Europe and America, but remember they take rape cases seriously unlike in NigeriaThink about it, she wrote.

Inyama is a popular Nigerian actress known for the TV Series Ripples.

The renowned actress joined Nollywood in 1990 after she was introduced to the Nigerian Movie Industry by a veteran Nollywood actor, Alex Usifo.

She rose to limelight in the movie industry after her brilliant role in TV Series Ripples aired on NTA in the 1990s, a movie produced by Zeb Ejiro.

She has since starred in several movies, some of which include:Lost Passion, Glamour Boys, Silent Night, Danger Zone, Love From Above, Iyanga, Ofeke, Holland, Heat, Mothers Cry, among others.

Inyama is a creative, skillful and highly talented Nollywood actress, gifted in the interpretation of roles in movies.

She could as well accept any character assigned to her by movie producers in Nigeria.

The actress, who once vanished from the movie scene, attributed her absence to marital responsibilities.

She, however, made a comeback with a movie Talking Dolls in 2017.

The movie was adjudged the best at the time and had the cast of top Nollywood stars like Mofe Ducan, Daniel K Daniel, Tamara Kimboye, Bellinda Effah and others.

Talking Dolls was a movie that addresses societal issues like sex abuse and its attendant problems and was cast in London.

Inyamas immense contributions to the growth of entertainment industry has made her outstanding, coupled with the numerous movies she acted before relocating to London.

Source: NAN News

By Stanley Nwanosike

Enugu State Government has tasked commercial tricycle operators, to adhere to COVID-19 Protocols to ensure health safety of their passengers.

The states Commissioner for Transport, Chief Matthias Ekweremadu, gave the advice in Enugu while inaugurating the newly-elected executive members of Association of Tricycle Riders Transport Union (ATRTU), Enugu State Chapter.

Ekweremadu, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Mr Ogbonna Idike, said that the union members were critical stakeholders in the governments fight against the pandemic in the state.

The spread and impact of COVID-19 is still taking its toll on the state, Nigeria and the world; we must abide and enforce the COVID-19 Containment Protocols with all seriousness and obedience it deserves.

The government directive of 50 per cent passengers, compulsory wearing of face mask by all occupants of your tricycles and hand sanitizing/washing devices should be intensified, he said.

The commissioner urged them to impress it on their members to get riders biometric registration and permit to ensure harmony with the ministry.

On the newly elected executive, Ekweremadu called on them to maintain peace and harmony within the union as well as be in total obedienceto the state government rules and guidelines.

I must commend the union for a peaceful and hitch-free election. The peace and unity I see among you today must be stepped down to your various branches and units as well as your relationship with the ministry, he added.

Speaking, Chief Emeka Madu, Chairman, House Committee on Capital Territory in Enugu State House of Assembly, lauded Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for creating an enabling environment for the riders in the state.

Madu, who is also a patron of ATRTU, also applauded the electoral committee for organizing a hitch-free election as well as ATRTU members for the overwhelming support to state government policies and programmes.

Chief Victor Onyia, a patron of ATRTU, called on those elected into the executive to continue on the foot step of peace and progress of the union.

There is more benefit if a union continue to stand as one both collectively and for individuals, Onyia said.

In his acceptance speech after the swearing-in and inauguration, the newly re-elected state Chairman of ATRTU, Mr Benjamin Ikah, assured commercial tricycle operators of the protection of their rights.

My executive will ensure that none of our members will suffer injustice; while we will continue to work harmoniously with the ministry and state government.

I am also appealing to the state government to extend the working hours of commercial tricycle operator to at least an hour more in the evening, he appealed.

In the election, Ikah defeated Comrade Uchenna Chikezie by 43 16 votes; with two invalid votes from a 61-member-delegate from branches of ATRTU in the state.

Other members elected unopposed included; Mr Augutine Ubaka Vice Chairman; Mr Pius Ezugwu Secretary; Mr Charles Odo Assistant Secretary and Mr Linus Ogbu Treasurer.

The rest are; Mr Ernest Udeh Financial Secretary;Kingsley Ezugwu Publicity Secretary; Mr Yusuf Abubakar Provost 1 and Mr Samuel Okeke Provost 2. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Kemi Akintokun

Umpire and Referees Association of the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) has presented a cheque of N250,000 to the family of the late Umpire Saidi Raji.

Raji died in February.

The Chairman of the association,Olufemi George,who presented the cheque to thedeceasedsfamily, said the late Umpire was a passionate and committed member of the association when he was alive.

Saidi Raji was one of us before he passed on to glory; he played his part when he was alive. He was a committed and intelligent umpire.

While he was alive, we took a bold decision as an association to put up a group life insurance cover with ARM Insurance.

He was one of the front runner, who came to me to appreciate the policy, promising that he would encourage others to partake, not knowing that he would be the first beneficiary.

Today, his family are here to receive the benefit, he said.

According to George, the insurance benefit is the first of its kind in the association.

I urge NTTF to ensure that ping pong players and coaches players get insured, he said.

Responding, wife of the deceased, Ganiyat Erinmilokun, while receiving the cheque alongside her son, Abdulwaris Raji , thanked the association for the kind gesture of presenting an insurance benefit to her.

The late Raji, who died of cancer on Feb. 7, joined the association in 2008.

Late Saidi marriage to his wife, a former national table tennis player, was blessed with three sons.

Source: NAN News

By Kevin Okunzuwa

Edo Government says the ongoing Modular Refinery project at Ologbo in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of the state, will drive the states industrial revolution quest.

Mr Crusoe Osagie, Special Adviser to Gov. Godwin Obaseki on Media and Communication Strategy, made this known in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin on Sunday.

He said the Edo Modular and Refinery Company Ltd. and AIPCC Energy, were on the verge of completing the 5,500bpd Edo Modular Refinery, now at 70 per cent completion stage.

This is a key legacy project by the Gov. Godwin Obaseki-led administration to recalibrate the states industrial base, birthed through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The project, sited at Ologbo in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area, would produce from its feedstock 50 per cent of diesel (500,000 litres), 25 per cent of naphtha (300,000 litres) and 20 per cent of fuel oil (200,000) litres.

The crude is to be sourced from the Nigerian Petroleum Development Companys (NPDC) facility oil mining lease (OML) 111, near Benin City.

The Chinese consortium handling the construction of the modular refinery is made up of Peiyang Chemical Equipment Company of China (PCC), Sinopec International Petroleum Service Corporation (SIPS) and African Infrastructure Partners (AIP), he said.

Osagie said the modular refinery project was among the growing list of ongoing legacy projects through MoU with local and international private investors, which included the 55MW CCTEC Ossiomo Power Plant, which had been completed and ready for use.

The Benin Enterprise and Industrial Park, which development is ongoing and the Benin River Port, for which preliminary works are ongoing, he said.

He said the governor was committed to resetting the economy of the state for prosperity and industrial growth.

According to him, the local content component of the refinery project ensures that Edo citizens are trained in welding, refinery operation and fabrication works to enable them participate in the construction of the refinery as well as its operation, post-commissioning.

The refinery is at 70 per cent completion and we are very sure that it will soon be ready for commissioning, Osagie said.

He added that the actualisation of the project was premised on the governors smart thinking and financial savviness from which he mobilised funds and resources to initiate and execute the project.

Recall that the Edo State EXCO approved the release of N700 million as redeemable preference shares (investment) in the Edo Refinery and Petrochemical Company Ltd.

The venture is expected to create legitimate employment opportunities, thereby reducing poverty, provide job opportunities for teeming youths in the communities.

To facilitate the establishment of a fabrication yard as proposed by the promoters and create basis for expertise, professionalism and further training in the oil and gas industry.

The take-off of the Edo Refinery and Petrochemicals Company benefits from a series of groundwork by the Obaseki-led administration that led to the setting up of Edo Investment Scheme Ltd.

A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to hold N2 billion investment funds in which the Ministry of Finance Incorporation (MOFI) and the Edo State Oil and Gas Producing Areas Development Commission (EDSOGPADEC) are to hold shares of 20 percent and 80 per cent respectively, he said.

Osagie noted that the project would facilitate the states investment in various initiatives across the oil and gas sector, petroleum exploration, drilling and filling stations, sales and supply of gas, agro-allied products, petroleum and petrochemical products and other related businesses.

Source: NAN News

Gov. Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti State

By Taiye Olayemi

Wale Ojo-Lanre, Senior Special Assistant on Tourism Development to Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, has urged intending investors to visit the state as it remains conducive for investment.

Ojo-Lanre made the call while hosting Ayo Olumoko, Vice-President, South West, Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), who led the newly elected members of the Executive Council of FTAN, Ekiti Chapter on a courtesy call in Ado Ekiti.

He said that Ekiti Government was ready and willing to reinforce, assist, support, cooperate and collaborate with FTAN at making sure that the state reaped bountifully and participate judiciously in the global tourism economy.

Ojo-Lanre noted that Gov. Fayemi had planted his name in the tourism history of Ekiti as the most tourism-friendly governor.

He added that throughout his two terms, he had placed Ekiti tourism in the front burner of global relevance and reference.

Fayemi has created a conducive environment for tourism activities and investment to blossom and thrive.

Fayemi has within the last 12 months, resuscitated the hitherto moribund Ekiti State Council for Arts and Culture and recreated Ekiti State Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism.

He also appointed a newCommissioner, initiating the legal framework on tourism and also appointed a Senior Special Assistant on tourism development.

All these are testimonies of his vision at ensuring that tourism economy grows and blossoms in Ekiti, Ojo-Lanre said in a statement made available to newsmen in Lagos on Sunday.

The senior special assistant said thatFayemi, being a cosmopolitan person believed that tourism was better driven by the private sector.

He noted that the governor was doing everything humanly possible at ensuring a conducive atmosphere for the private sector to reap the dividends of tourism in Ekiti.

Ojo-Lanre said because of these and other factors, the state government heartily welcomed the birth and berth of FTAN in the state as it would spearhead the growth of a solid tourism economy in the state.

He applauded Olumoko for his proactive strides and tenacity of purpose since his election as FTAN vice-president.

In his response, Olumoko commended Gov. Fayemi whom he described as a purpose-driven governor with a heart and soul of getting the best for his people.

He said, Of all the states in the South-West, Fayemi has distinguished himself as a tourism-friendly governor who understoodthe import and essence of a fully developed tourism economy.

I am glad also that Ekitiis having one of the best set of first-grade EXCO members from the academia, practitioners, security and stakeholders.

I am also confident that with these seasoned and experienced men and women in the industry, Ekiti is set to make a statement in the comity of tourism states, he said.

Olumoko presented the Executive Council of FTAN in Ekiti chapter as: Dr Oluwole Ajayi, Tourism Management, Special Adviser; Dr Abioye Adedipe, Tourism and Hospitality, Coordinator; Mr Jide Fajuyi, Secretary; Mr DeoluOyebode, Mobilisation, Communication and Marketing.

Others were: Kolapo Temitope, Assistant MCM; and Busayo Owajoba, State Treasurer.

He noted that these were those who would run the affairs of the association in Ekiti.

He canvassed for a symbiotic relationship between FTAN and the Ekiti State Tourism Development, saying that with a synergy of purpose between the two, tourism business in Ekiti would gain some improvements.

Olumoko noted that FTAN was the only recognised umbrella platform for all tourism and hospitality associations and operators in Nigeria.

Source: NAN News

Gov. Sheyi Makinde

By David Adeoye

Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State says the state will ensure the repatriation of all its indigenes found to have been trafficked to Lebanon.

Mr Taiwo Adisa, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, in a statement in Ibadan said the state would not stand by and be watching its indigenes suffer dehumanization, under any guise, in any part of the world.

Makinde stated this while receiving a brief on the plight of the state indigenes trafficked to Lebanon from the Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Matters, Mrs Bolanle Sarumi-Aliyu.

We will pay for the repatriation of all Oyo State indigenes who have been confirmed to have been trafficked to Lebanon. Please, put all the necessary plans in place to bring them back.

I understand that some well-meaning individuals and groups have made some donations to some of the victims. Let them use such donations as pocket money.

This state will pay for their flights and the fees requested to conduct COVID-19 tests on each of them, he said.

Earlier, Sarumi-Aliyu informed the governor that a number of Oyo State indigenes had been discovered to be illegal migrants who were trafficked into modern-day slavery in Lebanon.

She said that while 40 of such victims had been screened and ready for the journey back home, more were still being discovered.

The governors aide added that her office had been working closely with the Lebanese authorities to identify those indigenes stranded in Lebanon, adding that the 40 victims already screened would be returning home on Aug.12.

Since the government found out that we have some victims of human trafficking, who are stranded in Lebanon, we have stepped in.

On July 11, we received 11 victims and they are going through rehabilitation with the social workers in the Ministry of Women Affairs.

The state has given commitment that they will all be empowered. The same thing will happen to those we are expecting from the flight from Lebanon this August, once they have been cleared. Sarumi-Aliyu stated.

Source: NAN News