Customs FOU Ikeja generates N17bn from importers, contraband in 6 months

By Chiazo Ogbolu

The Federal Operations Unit (FOU), Zone A of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has raised Debit Notes on imports worth N17 billion between January and June 2020.

The Acting Customs Area Controller of the unit, Usman Yahaya, made this known in a statement.

According to Yahaya, N15.6 billion was generated from contraband seized from smugglers while N1.4 billion were raised from wrong classification, transfer of value and false declaration of cargoes.

He added that contraband intercepted by the unit were from smugglers terrorising the South Western states of the country and it include used vehicles, pharmaceuticals, textiles, foreign parboiled rice, tomato paste, second hand clothing, among others.

He noted that the Debit Notes were raised on importers who under-declared their cargoes for lesser Customs duty.

The total Duty Paid Value of N15.6 billion were premised on seized contraband while the N1.3 billion were revenue from the unit interventions arising from wrong classifications, transfer of value and false declarations by importers.

So, a total of N17 billion was recovered for the Federal Government in the period under review, Yahaya said.

He noted that the unit also intercepted a truck load of banned textile materials worth N565 million imported from Benin Republic.

He said that 18,760 bags of foreign parboiled rice were smuggled into the country from Benin Republic and 64 units of exotic vehicles were intercepted and detained for duty evasion and under payment.

From Jan. 7, 64 exotic vehicles including two bullet proofs cars, 18,760 bags of 50kg of foreign parboiled rice valued at N469million; 1,338kg of Indian hemp worth N201million and 147 sacks (9,504kg) of Pangolin scales worth N10.4billion.

Others are 3,059 cartons of tomato paste, 10,653 cartons of frozen poultry products, 5,423 kegs of 25 litres each of vegetable oil, 56,472 bundles of Printed Textiles valued at N565million, 66 packs of Tramadol, 872 bales of Second hand clothing worth N61million and 11,077 cartons of frozen products worth N177 million.

Also intercepted are 5,423 kegs of vegetable oil valued at N87 million, 7,549 jerry cans of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) valued at N27million, five containers of pharmaceutical valued at N2.9 billion, 64 units of motorcycles used for smuggling valued at N565million, among others, Yahaya said.

He, however, warned smugglers to embrace legitimate business as the unit was ready to send them out of illegitimate business.

He also disclosed that the seizure was borne out of intelligence and hard work of eagle-eye officers of the unit.

My message to smugglers is that they should stop smuggling and embrace legitimate business because the unit is ready to run them out of business and we are always a step ahead of them through intelligence gathering and steadfastness.

We will not get tired until the service suppressed smuggling finally from the South-West, Yahaya said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Communities in Bayelsa inaugurate N141.65m projects

By Nathan Nwakamma

The Dodo River Communities Development Association in Ekeremor Local Government area of Bayelsa has inaugurated projects worth over N141.65 million funded by the NNPC/Chevron Joint Venture.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the beneficiary communities are Amatu I, Amatu II, Biabiri I, Bilabiri II and Bisangbene.

The projects include Dodo River Secretariat in Yenagoa, building and furnishing of Bilabiri I Primary School, water treatment projects, concrete roads and twin-engine speed boats.

Others include communication systems, provision of plastic chairs and tables and canopies for the communities, amongst others.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of Dodo House, a secretariat for the communities, Mr Okebia Keku, the Permanent Secretary in Bayelsa Ministry of Mineral Resources, applauded the association for the prudent use of the funds.

He said that the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU), the development template which the government was overseeing, had given communities greater participation in the selection and execution of development projects.

Earlier, Mr Berry Negerese, the Chairman of the association, had explained that the projects were executed with funds provided between 2016 and 2019, adding that paucity of funds delayed the Dodo secretariat building project.

He said that the introduction of the GMoU approach by Chevron had enhanced the capacities of Niger Delta communities in development activities as they now handle projects funded by oil firms in a transparent manner.

Negerese appealed to Chevron and other development partners to assist the association with funds to furnish the secretariat to enable them put it to optimal use.

He urged the oil firm to extend community employment opportunities to Dodo River communities it its Agbami offshore oilfields.

King Joel Ibane, the Monarch of Iduwini Kingdom in Ekeremor, applauded Chevron for the gesture and appealed to the oil firm to sustain its development activities in its host communities.

Mrs Uju Obiora, the Senior Programmes Manager, Participatory Partnership for Community Development, the associations mentoring organisation, applauded the transparent governance structure adopted.

The in-coming chairman of the association, Mr Francis Amanmogiran, urged Dodo River communities to close ranks and seek more development funds from donors to complement their sole source of funding from Chevron. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Mrs Funmi Ogbue

By Edith Ike-Eboh

The Women in Energy Network (WEIN) says that the long delay in the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) into law has created lingering uncertainty in the oil and gas sector.

The network disclosed this in a statement by its president, Mrs Funmi Ogbue, in Abuja on Monday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resource, Chief Timipre Sylva, says the PIB currently with the Executive will be sent to the National Assembly in two weeks time.

She said that the delay had cost the country huge sums in revenue due to lost investments.

The existing oil and gas sector regulatory framework is amorphous and ineffective because of too many overlaps in responsibilities and accountability.

The expedient passage of and purposeful implementation of the PIB is critical to addressing most of the loopholes in the management and governance of the sector.

The PIB when passed into law will improve governance of the sector by strengthening institutions in the areas of clarity of structures, roles, accountability, transparency, and overall efficiency and effectiveness.

The PIB will ensure that the focus of legislating the sector shifts from the present to the future, she said.

She further recommended that the National Assembly should endeavour to engage in both law-making and oversight of the relevant agencies.

Ogbue added that they should deliberate on policies aimed at ameliorating the possible impact of the new developments, such as deregulation of the downstream sector on women in particular.

The National Assembly should review all ongoing social investment programmes with a view to ensuring that they have sufficient focus on supporting and empowering poor women.

WIEN will be willing to support the NASS in this review and also in proffering practical strategies and programmes that can improve these programmes and others that can improve the lives and livelihoods of poor women, she said.

Ogbue noted that WIEN called for greater transparency, better efficiency, and a level playing field in the oil and gas industry.

She further demanded for more female involvement in the governance of the MDAs in the energy industry by having greater participation at board levels. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

FRSC official on Duty

By Christian Ogbonna

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Bayelsa Command, on Monday warned drivers of private cars and commercial buses in the state not to violate its two passengers per seat regulation in their own interests.

The Sector Commander, Mr Robert Ogom, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa that the regulation was put in place in other to ensure social distancing.

He added that this was necessary to contain the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic in the state.

Ogom said that the command would not hesitate to prosecute any driver as well as tricycle operators that might violate the regulation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bayelsa had recorded 313 confirmed infections and 18 fatalities from coronavirus pandemic.

The sector commander said that the corps members in the state were committed to ensuring safer roads for the people.

He urged the residents of the state to always obey the traffic rules and regulations, as well as the COVID-19 guidelines.

Yes, we have a taskforce that we are working with and any offender arrested is taken directly to the mobile court. So, we must learn to stay safe.

I enjoin all drivers to strictly adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines; make sure you wear your face masks and maintain two passengers per seat in your vehicles.

We have arrested several offenders who violated the road safety regulations and COVID-19 guidelines.

Generally, overloading is also an offence as far as the FRSC is concerned.

Let us support the efforts of the Federal and the state governments in the fight against coronavirus disease.

Let us maintain the common measures put in place by the government and healthcare workers to stop the spread of the pandemic, the Sector Commander advised. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

SEC Nigeria

By Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

The total unclaimed dividend figure in the Nigerian capital market stood at N158.44 billion as of December 2019, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

Data obtained exclusively by NAN from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) show that the figure is still on the increase in spite of e-dividend registration introduced by SEC in 2015.

NAN reports that dividend is the distribution of a portion of the companys earnings, decided and managed by the companys board of directors, and paid to a class of its shareholders.

Unclaimed dividend is recorded when a shareholder fails to claim an already paid dividend after six months.

NAN reports that breakdown of the components shows that unclaimed dividends with companies (15 months and above) stood at N119.01 billion.

The ones with registrars amounted to N14.64 billion and unclaimed dividend less than 15 months old stood at N24.77 billion.

Speaking with NAN on reasons for increase on unclaimed dividend, Mr Okey Umeano, SEC Head, Office of the Chief Economist, attributed it to large number of unclaimed shares.

Umeano said the quantum of unclaimed dividend would always be on the increase as long as there were unclaimed shares.

The main issue why unclaimed dividend is rising is because we have a large number of unclaimed shares, he said.

According to him, many investors during the banking consolidation bought shares with different names as well as other peoples names which they were yet to rectify.

Umeano explained that as companies declare dividend, those accounts would equally be paid, leading to increase in unclaimed dividend figure.

He said that the commission introduced a forbearance window for multiple accounts to enable investors that bought shares with different names to regularise their accounts in order to reduce the quantum of unclaimed dividends.

SEC gave a window for people to come and rectify the multiple subscription thing.

Many people have still not been able to claim their own because some of them have forgotten the names they used.

Some have not been able to prove to their stockbrokers that they are the owners of the shares.

So, we still have a large chunk of those shares, and anytime dividends are paid, those shares are not claimed and those people dont get their dividends, Umeano said.

He said that over N100 billion out of the unclaimed dividend figures were from those unclaimed shares.

Until we bring down that number of unclaimed shares, this unclaimed dividend problem will continue, Umeano said.

On the way forward, he said the commission would continue to put pressure on all the people involved in order to curb the problem of unclaimed dividends.

Umeano called on investors to go and prove ownership of their shares, noting that SEC was not prosecuting anybody.

SEC has given them amnesty to go and claim their shares and as people are claiming those shares, unclaimed dividends number will go down, he said.

Mr Adebayo Adeleke, an investor and Managing Director, Lancelot Ventures Limited, said more efforts were on to ensure that source documents for share transactions contain bank details of investors.

Adeleke said the hike in unclaimed dividends might be due to the recent listings of highly capitalised stocks such as MTNN, Airtel Africa , BUA Cement, among others, which may have pushed the figures upward.

He said companies should be encouraged to publish the list of unclaimed dividends in national dailies, especially those years that were close to being statute barred.

Adeleke stressed the need for more enlightenment for shareholders to embrace e-dividend payment platform. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

FRSC

By Ige Adekunle

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ogun, has warned its personnel to desist from collecting bribe from motorists in the state.

The Ogun Sector Commander of FRSC, Mr Ahmed Umar, gave this warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ota, Ogun on Monday.

Umar said that any FRSC personnel caught with such act would face the maximum punishment of termination of appointment.

According to him, some of the bad eggs among the corps will soon be fished out for termination of their appointments.

He said that the corps management was always talking to its officials to desist from extorting money or taking bribe from motorists.

The Sector Commander also warned motorists to desist from tempting FRSC officials with the offer of money in order to have their way. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu

By Funmilayo Adeyemi

The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, has inaugurated the governing councils of 13 federal universities in the country.

Adamu, during the inauguration in Abuja on Monday, charged the chairmen and members of the various councils to foster harmonious relationships while carrying out their duties in the next four years.

He urged council members and chairmen to respect the rule of law in the discharge of their duties while also respecting the rules of federal character in the appointment of their officers.

The Minister also tasked the governing boards to block loopholes and come up with ideas that would shore up the Internally Generated Revenue of the universities.

According to him, the major areas of challenge are inadequate funding as well as judicious use of available resources.

So, let me advise you to come up with new creative ways to improve funding in your institutions.

You will have to block the loopholes where the IGR slides away, he said.

Adamu said that visitation panels would be visiting the universities in the next weeks while calling on the new council members to effectively cooperate with the panel so as to lay a good foundation.

He added that the effort of the government was to improve Nigerian universities in the next four years, hence the appointment of tested and proven officers.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, said the inauguration of the council members marks the beginning of a new phase in the introduction of the first 12 specialised universities.

Rasheed said the NUC was also inspired by the Map of 2018-2020 and has been committed to revitalising Nigerias university education.

He said the steps included immediate fostering of skills development and entrepreneurship as well as addressing inadequacies in facilities.

Responding, the representative of the newly appointed chairmen, Prof. Funmilayo Togonu-Bickersteth, said the council members look forward to cooperation from the Minister and NUC, especially in the provision of useful information.

She pledged the best of the council members towards the advancement of the nation and mankind.

Among the newly appointed Council Chairmen is Prof. Nimmi Briggs to Chair the governing council of Ndufo Alike University in Ebonyi.

The universities with new Governing Council Members are Federal University, Lokoja; Federal University, Lafia, Nasarawa State; Federal University Kashere, Gombe; and Federal University, Wukari, Taraba.

Others are Federal University, Dutsinma, Katsina State; Federal University, Jigawa; Ndufo Alike University, Ebonyi, Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State; and Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa.

The rest are Federal University, Birnin Kebbi; Federal University, Gusau, Zamfara; Federal University, Gashua, Yobe; and Federal University of Health Sciences.

Source: NAN News

Fake DSS personnel bags 12 years imprisonment

By Olawale Akinremi

A Federal High Court in Ibadan on Monday sentenced one Ademola Lawal to a total of 12 years in jail for impersonating a personnel of the Department of State Services(DSS) and N1.85 million fraud.

Delivering judgment, Justice Patricia Ajoku convicted and sentenced Lawal based on the evidence before her and the fact that the convict pleaded guilty to the charges preferred against him.

Ajoku, who noted that the court took awareness of the fact that the convict pleaded guilty, said:

It is my belief that the convict is remorseful of his action now and has demonstrated that he is willing to change and contribute positively to the society.

Nevertheless, Lawal is sentenced to two years in prison for each of the six offences to serve as deterrent to others.

However, sentences shall run concurrently.

In addition, Lawal shall pay the monies he fraudulently obtained from his victims which shall be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria, the judge said.

The defence counsel, Mr Musbau Olapade, had shortly before sentencing, prayed the court to temper justice with mercy in sentencing his client.

Olapade said that the convict was a first time offender and had learnt his lesson in a bitter way.

At the trial, counsel to the DSS, Mr T.A. Nurudeen, had told the court that the convict was arraigned on a six-count charge bordering on impersonation and threat.

Nurudeen said that the convict committed the crime between 2015 and 2019 before he was eventually apprehended.

According to the prosecutor, Lawal separately obtained N1.5 million from a director of FCMB, N200,000 from one Bako Danbata and N150,000 from one Ibrahim Bunkutu.

Nurudeen said that the convict, who posed as a personnel of the DSS, told his victims that he was in a position to help them out of their problems with the agency.

He also said that Lawal intimidated and threatened two foreigners legitimately working at Tincan Island port in Lagos State through the internet.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 1 (A) and (B) as well as 108 (2) of Advanced Fee Fraud and Cyber Crime Prohibition Act Cap, 2015. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

5G

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to ban Huawei from Britains 5G community in a landmark resolution that can anger Beijing.

Johnson, however, win applause from President Donald Trump as the U.S. grapples with Chinas rising financial and technological clout.

The U.S. has pushed Johnson to reverse his January decision to grant Huawei a limited role in 5G, while London has been dismayed by a crackdown in Hong Kong and by the perception that China did not tell the whole truth over coronavirus.

Britains National Security Council (NSC), chaired by Johnson, will meet on Tuesday to discuss Huawei.

Media Secretary Oliver Dowden will announce a decision to the House of Commons later in the day.

The immediate excuse for the about turn in British policy is the impact of new U.S. sanctions on chip technology, which London says affects Huaweis ability to remain a reliable supplier in the future.

It is unclear how far Johnson will go on Tuesday.

Operators already had to cap Huaweis role in 5G at 35 per cent by 2023.

Reducing it to zero over an additional two to four years is now being discussed, although some telecoms firms have warned that going too fast could delay key technology and disrupt services. (Reuters/NAN)

Source: NAN News

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu

By Olayinka Olawale

The Lagos State Government ( LASG) says it will train no fewer than 450 young entrepreneurs on the use of coconut waste in arts and craft.

The State Acting Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms Abisola Olusanya, said that the trainining would be organised under the state governments waste -to-wealth initiative.

Olusanya said on Sunday in Lagos that the initiative was in line with the state governments developmental T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda of making Lagos a 21st Century economy.

She said that the initiative would also contribute to the tourism potential of the state.

The objectives of achieving the goals of sustainable development and waste management are outstanding global challenges, she said.

The commissioner said that finding innovative solutions for effective management of waste remained difficult as the breakdown of waste requires special processes that involve time, energy and expenses.

Most people see coconut shells as waste and as such dispose them carelessly while others in the rural areas use them as firewood.

The shells, however, can be recycled into artistic products such as jewellery, cutlery, indoor and outdoor decorative items and many more, the commissioner said.

According to her, coconuts have the potential to produce electricity, heat, fiberboards, organic fertilizer, animal feeds, fuel additives for cleaner emissions, eco-friendly cutlery, health drinks, and many more.

The state government through the Lagos State Coconut Development Authority (LASCODA) is commencing a five-week training on the use of coconut waste in arts and craft.

It is a waste -to-wealth initiative in line with the T.H.E.M.E.S agenda of the Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led administration. The coconut tree, also known as the tree of life, is said to have no single part of it wasted.

This training will put this fact to use, while it will also be empowering the participants so that they can begin to immediately earn a living from skills they will be taught, she said.

Olusanya said that the training would hold in five batches of five days each, with 18 trainees per batch, beginning from July 13 to Aug.14, 2020.

She said that the participants would be taught how to make various artistic items and go through practicals, marketing and credit acquisitions.

The commissioner said that the training would serve as a waste -to -wealth opportunity and a worthwhile venture for selected young entrepreneurs.

She said that the training would fully entail theoretical concepts and detailed practical sessions.

When concluded, it will optimise the use of coconut shells which constitute a major waste product in coconut processing.

Coconut is abundant in our country, Nigeria, and consumed by most people but we are not aware of its great potential for creating wealth.

The coconut shells which most people see as waste and dispose them improperly can be recycled into artistic products.

This also helps in sustaining the environment. As we are acquiring skills, we are also learning to sustain our environment.

Sustainability of the environment is our goal and to achieve this, we are converting waste into valuable items for our use, the commissioner said.

Olusanya said that the training was part of the Ministry of Agricultures contributions to the development of the tourism sector in the state as the production of some of the artistic products from coconut shells would reflect the rich cultural heritage of the people.

She encouraged other sectors where waste can be recycled to embrace the waste to wealth initiative as it could bring back discarded waste products into economic use and lead to the reduction of pressure induced by waste on the environment.

The commissioner also said that it would also create opportunities for income and employment generation in a relatively new area, thereby enhancing economic activities. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Controller General, Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) Mr Jaafaru Ahmed

By Stanley Nwanosike

The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) has empowered three of its freed inmates with vocational training and tools to enable them make a difference in the society.

The inmates are: Mr Uche Utobo, who learnt tailoring; Mr Ifeanyi Aguwagu,who learnt welding works and Mr Sunday James, that learnt carpentry.

Mr Joseph Emelue, the Controller of Correctional Service in Enugu State, presenting the inmates and their tools to newsmen in Enugu on Sunday said that the gesture was a routine of the NCoS.

Emelue said that the training was to ensure that freed inmates contribute meaningfully to the society and national development after their release.

He said: The NCoS is always positive about these exceptionally freed inmates that had been trained, re-oriented and empowered with occupational tools to face the world.

Our service is that of rehabilitation whereby ex-offenders are actually reformed and equipped with skills to be able to live a law abiding live and be self-sustaining as they are discharged. That is what we are seeing here today.

The controller, who did not disclose the cost of training and empowering the ex-inmates, noted that it would be difficult to quantify the amounts spent since we are training them as our own children.

Our happiness is that these ones have turned out exceptionally and are ready to contribute to their immediate communities and the society at large.

Emelue, however, told the serving inmates that custodial centres are not punitive places but places meant to give them a new and a better orientation and equip them for a life after serving their terms.

Nobody comes to the correctional service to die; so the best option is for serving inmates to conform to the opportunities provided by the Federal Government and NCoS and utilise them for their own good.

All we need from the serving inmates is their ability to be willing to learn and add something new, beneficial and viable to their lives.

We are always here and willing to inculcate the best orientation and lifestyle in them, he added.

Responding, one of the freed and empowered inmates, Mr Uche Utobo, appreciated the Federal Government and the NCoS for the opportunities of training and equipping them with tools.

Utobo, who spoke on behalf of the other freed and empowered inmates, assured the NCoS that they would make a positive difference and mark within the society.

The highpoint of the event was the presentation of tailoring machine and associated tools; wielding machine and associated tools and carpentry machines and associated tools to the ex-inmates according to the occupation they learnt.

Source: NAN News

Gov. Sheyi Makinde

Sixty-seven COVID-19 patients were on Saturday discharged from the Oyo State Isolation Centre after receiving their second negative test results.

Gov. Seyi Makinde, who announced this through his official Twitter handle on Sunday, said the figure raised the number of discharged cases in the state to 992.

He, however, stated that 17 new cases were recorded on Saturday, when their tests came back positive.

According to the governor, the cases are from Ibadan North Local Government Area (LGA) with six, Ibadan Southwest LGA with four, while Lagelu and Oluyole LGAs have three and two cases respectively.

Akinyele LGA and Ogbomosho North LGA recorded one case each. So, the total number of confirmed cases in Oyo State as at today is 1,706, Makinde tweeted.

The governor added that one COVID-19-related death was also recorded on Saturday, bringing the number of deaths in Oyo State to 21.

He implored residents of the state to keep following the guidelines of the COVID-19 Task Force to ensure a slow down in the spread of the virus in the state.

Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, wear face masks in public places and maintain proper social distancing.

Also call the Emergency Operations Centre on 08095394000, 08095863000, 08078288999 and 08078288800 or visit a community-based testing centre, if you have any COVID-19 symptom.

The symptoms are cough, fever, tiredness, body ache, loss of smell/taste and shortness of breath. the governor tweeted.

Source: NAN News

A well equipped hospital

By Tosin Kolade
United Purpose, an international NGO, has donated 500 hand washing facilities to Primary Healthcare Centres in Benue and Cross River states, to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that United Purpose was implementing the Rural Sanitation and Hygiene Promotion in Nigeria (RUSHPIN) programme in the two states, with the benefitting 41 Local Government Areas getting a 3-month supply of soap.

At the distribution of the items on Saturday in Abuja, the Programme Manager for RUSHPIN, Mr Nanpet Chuktu, said an assessment of healthcare facilities carried out by the organisation in rural parts of the two states showed that primary healthcare facilities were in dire need of hygiene facilities.

According to him, this was necessary to enable healthcare workers and hospital visitors conveniently practice frequent and proper hand washing to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

He said that the products would help reduce the rate of healthcare worker infections and transmission of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, as they were first responders to those in need of medical attention at the community level.

Hand washing is not just about fighting coronavirus, today we urge the state governments to invest in more sustainable sanitation and hygiene infrastructure for health centers and schools across the state as this is essential for good health.

These Healthcare centers to receive these facilities were identified through an assessment of health facilities carried out by the RUSHPIN Programme to determine the facilities in dire need of this intervention.

Our frontline workers are the health care workers when there is a pandemic, a lot of workers will step behind, but our healthcare workers will be our front line of defense, he said.

Chuktu said that its donor, Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC), was supporting to ensure that about 500 Primary health Care centers were equipped with handwashing stations.

The programme manager called for behavioural change through information dissemination as a first line of defense, adding that Nigerians ought to safeguard themselves with washing of hands at all times.

Dr Beta Edu, Commissioner for Health, Cross River state, said lauded the organisation for the donation towards encouraging hand washing practice.

According to her, for every disease that comes up, one of the cheapest, most effective ways to overcome it is to wash hands with soap.

We will continue to emphasise this because we know the benefits associated with it and how it can save us from undue pressures and costs. We are grateful, as a state and a people that we have partners that can stand up to the occasion whenever the need arises.

WSSCC has been very supportive of United Purpose and Cross River State and we cannot thank them enough for the progress we have made as a state in the WASH programme, she said.

Mr Ishola Abdulrazak, Benue State Coordinator, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, said there was need for stakeholders to commit both time and resources towards hygiene promotion.

Community and PHC is the key to the fight against COVID-19. United Purposes contribution to PHCs demonstrates their commitment to hygiene promotion.

There is a great need for every stakeholder to commit both time and resources towards hygiene promotion, and they have led the way, he said.

NAN reports that the RUSHPIN Programme was an initiative of the Government of Nigeria, implemented with funding support from the Global Sanitation Fund (GSF)/Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC).

United Purpose (UP), an International NGO headquartered in the UK, is the Executing Agency for the RUSHPIN programme.

RUSHPIN uses the Community-Led Total Sanitation approach, to empower communities to collectively change their sanitation and hygiene behaviour, ensuring that every community member uses a toilet and practices good hygiene.

Source: NAN News

By Ibrahim G. Ahmad

The Nigeria Army under the Operation Sahel Sanity recovered 711 cows and 592 sheep between July 6 and July 11 in three northwest states, an official said on Sunday.

The Acting Director of Defence Media Operations, Brig.-Gen. Benard Onyeuko, made this known at a press briefing at the Special Army Super Camp in Faskari, Katsina.

Onyeuko noted that the Chief of Army Staff flagged-off the campaign on July 6 to root out armed bandits, cattle rustlers, kidnappers and other criminal elements from Morth West.

He said that the cows and sheep were recovered in Sokoto, Zamfara and Katsina states.

He said that on July 7, following intelligence reports, the army mobilised troops to Magira, Makwaruwa, Garin Damo, Kasale Made, Dadin Kowa, Gangara and Shadama in Sabon Birni and Isa LGAs of Sokoto State, and pursued armed bandits who exchanged fire with them.

He said that army troops intercepted the bandits with a large number of rustled cattle from Jangemi Village forest to Kwaren Ganuwa, adding that the bandits fled toward Munhaye Forest.

According to him, the troops recovered 250 cows and 150 rams from them.

Similarly on July 8, the troops arrested one Malam Halilu Ibrahim, a suspected bandit informant and seller of rustled cattle, who was about to display some stolen cows for sale, according to Onyeuko.

The official told journalists that the suspect confessed that the cattle belonged to a notorious bandit leader.

He added that a total of 18 cows were recovered from him and duly handed over to their owners.

He also said that on July 9, following a tip-off on the activities of armed bandits and cattle rustlers in Ruwan Dawa in Maradun area in Zamfara, the troops recovered 14 cows.

The official called on members of the public to continue to support the army and other security agencies with intelligence information to facilitate their operations.

Source: NAN News

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Cybercrime Unit and the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB), Abuja have arrested three suspects over advance fee fraud, money laundering and romance scam.

The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Mr Frank Mba disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

He said the suspects were arrested in Uromi, Edo following investigations into suspected fraudulent online procurement and supply of COVID-19 protective mask, received through the INTERPOL NCB Wiesbaden, Germany.

The FPRO said investigations had revealed that one of the suspect, 30 was an internet fraudster and a member of a Turkey-based online scamming syndicate.

He said the suspect supplies foreign and local bank accounts to receive fraudulent funds and use same as conduit to other feeder accounts.

Mba said a building worth N20 million, a Toyota RAV-4 2015 model worth N6.5 million, and a Toyota Matrix 2002 model valued at N2 million procured with the proceeds of the crime were recovered from the suspect.

He said the second suspect, 32, returned to Nigeria from Italy in February, but maintained close contacts and illicit dealings with his Italian associates.

The FPRO said investigations had revealed that he had made over N120 million from internet fraud and other cybercrime dealings.

He said investigation had also shown that he received the sum of 52, 000 EUROs recently from his criminal associates in Italy as commission for his active involvement in an international cybercrime deal.

Mba said the suspect also own a filling station established with the proceeds of the crime.

The FPRO said the third suspect, 36, an expert in internet fraud, identity theft and impersonation, falsely claimed to be a British citizen.

He also poses to be one Kelly Galk on online dating apps which he uses to carry out romance scams and to defraud unsuspecting members of the public, locally and internationally.

Investigation has revealed that he has made millions of Naira from his illicit cybercrime transactions since he joined the syndicate, he said.

In a related development, Mba said that Police operatives had successfully rescued an American citizen, confined in a Lagos hotel where she was held against her wish for over a year.

He said the victim who hailed from Washington DC, USA and a retired civil servant in the US, had arrived Nigeria on Feb. 13, 2019.

The FPRO said the victim was on a visit to a 34-year-old man and a native of Ikeduru LGA of Imo whom she met on Facebook.

He said the victim was rescued by Police operatives attached to the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Ogun Annex following information received from a patriotic and civic minded Nigerian.

The rescue of the American lady is coming on the heels of a similar case of abducted Philippino lady who was lured to Nigeria by her supposed lover whom she equally met on Facebook.

Investigations reveal that the suspect is a graduate of Business Administration and Management and an internet fraudster who has defrauded many unsuspecting members of the public both locally and internationally.

The suspect, deliberately lured the victim into the country under the pretext of love and deceitfully married her on May 15, 2019.

He subsequently held her captive in a hotel, extorted from her, monies amounting to a total of 48,000 US dollars, he said.

Mba said the suspect also forcefully collected and took control of her credit and debit cards as well as the operation of her bank accounts including the receipt of her monthly retirement benefits and allowances.

He said the suspect also used the victim as a front to defraud her associates and other foreign personalities and companies.

Mba said all the suspects would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigation for prosecution in line with the Cybercrime Prevention/Prohibition Act, 2015.

Source: NAN News

SDGs

The Federal Government will present its 2nd Voluntary National Review (VNR) on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to the United Nations High Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Monday.

President Muhammadu Buhariwould be presenting the report at the 2nd Panel session of the forum, which would be holding online for the first time this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mrs Janet Mcdickson, Head Communications SSAP-SDGs, who made this known in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, said Buhari would be represented by Mrs Adegoke Orelope-Adefulire, his Senior Special Assistant on SDGs.

The statement noted that Nigerias 2020 Voluntary National Review (VNR) on SDGs would focus on the key issues of poverty (SDG-1), an inclusive economy (SDG-8), health and wellbeing (SDG-3).

Others are Education (SDG-4), Gender equality (SDG-5), and the enabling environment of peace and security (SDG-16), and partnerships (SDG-17).

It further said this focus was based on Nigerias current development priorities and the development objectives of the Buharis administration.

This VNR is being developed while facing huge challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic testing Nigerias public health systems, and of the collapse in oil prices, for an economy still getting 86 per cent of public revenue from oil and gas.

Nigeria is one of the 47 VNR reporting countries this year. The list also includes 26 first time presenters, 20 second time presenters and 1 third time presenter.

The reviews of progress at the national and sub-national levels are inclusive, country-led and country-driven, the statement said.

It stated that Nigeria was also among the 44 countries of the UN that presented its VNR in 2017 on the implementation of the 2030 agenda and the SDGs at HLPF.

It added that as stipulated in paragraph 84 of the 2030 Agenda, regular reviews by the HLPF were to be voluntary, state-led, undertaken by both developed and developing countries.

It stressed that the review should provide a platform for partnerships, including through the participation of major groups and other relevant stakeholders.

The VNRs aim to facilitate the sharing of experiences, including successes, challenges and lessons learned, with a view to accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

The VNRs also sought to strengthen policies and institutions of governments and to mobilise multi-stakeholder support and partnerships for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, it said.

The statement noted that the HLPF was the main United Nations platform on sustainable development and it had a central role in the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs at the global level.

It explained that during the meeting, the forum received and considers Voluntary National Review Reports from selected countries.

The statement revealed that this year, the meeting of the HLPF on Sustainable Development convened under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council, is to be held from July 7 to July 16.

According to it, this includes a 3-day ministerial meeting of the forum from July 14 July 16.

The theme is Accelerated action and transformative pathways: realising the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development.

Source: NAN News

Air Peace plane

By Lizzy Okoji

Agreement

The Federal Government says it will review its Air agreements with various countries as a result of the unacceptable treatment of Nigerian carriers, especially as COVID-19 lasted.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Geoffrey Onyeama, made this known via his verified twitter handle on Sunday following the denial of landing rights to Air Peace at Londons Heathrow Airport.

Onyeama, however, urged aggrieved Nigerians not to protest, but be grateful to Air Peace for providing alternative arrangements to ensure their successful evacuation in spite of the challenges.

Having been allowed to carry out one very successful evacuation of Nigerians from London at very low fares.

Air Peace in coordination with the Nigerian Government and full knowledge of the UK authorities scheduled two additional flights.

All the arrangements were made including payments, only for the UK authorities to withdraw landing rights close to departure despite strong representations by the Nigerian Government.

Including pointing out the hardship that would be caused to hundreds of Nigerian evacuees, he said.

Onyeama said Air Peace could have just refunded the passengers, but exceptionally, patriotically and altruistically agreed to find an alternative carrier acceptable to the UK authorities.

This, according to the minister, Air Peace did to carry out the evacuation a day later than scheduled, but for much higher fares.

He said these higher fares could legitimately have been passed on to the evacuees, but Air Peace bore this huge cost itself.

This is to let the aggrieved evacuees know that the objects of their grievance should neither be Air Peace nor the Nigerian Government.

They should rather be eternally grateful to Air Peace.

The Nigerian Government will review its Air agreements with various countries as a result of the unacceptable treatment of Nigerian carriers during this pandemic, Onyeama said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the evacuation of stranded Nigerians was rescheduled from July 13 to July 14, with the departure airport changed from Heathrow to Gatwick Airport, London.

This, however, generated an outcry from some stranded Nigerians who blamed Air Peace Airline and the Federal Government for the inconveniences.

Source: NAN News

COVID-19

By Oluwafunke Ishola

The Lagos State Government says it has recorded three new COVID-19 related deaths, raising the number of COVID-19 related deaths in the state to 185.

The states Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, made the disclosure through his Twitter account on Sunday while giving the states COVID-19 update for July 10.

He, however, did not give additional information on the sex, age, nationality or medical conditions of the deceased.
Abayomi added that out of the 1,147 COVID-19 tests conducted in the state on July 10, 165 were confirmed positive.

The new cases had brought the total number of confirmed COVID-19 infections in the state to 12,056, he said.

The commissioner disclosed that 47,684 COVID-19 tests had been conducted so far in the state since the outbreak of the epidemic.

A total of 1,841 of the confirmed cases have since been discharged from COVID-19 care centres following their full recovery.

We still have 332 of the patients currently under isolation in public and private care centres, he said.

Abayomi said that 7,634 of the confirmed cases monitored in communities by COVID-19 state response team have either fully recovered or positively responding to treatments.

He, however, said that 2,064 active cases in communities were yet to turn up for admission in COVID-19 care centres.

Abayomi stressed that COVID-19 was real, thus advised residents on wearing of facemasks, regular hand washing and ensuring physical distancing to reduce the risk of infection.

He advised residents to call the states 0800CORONA hotline for any COVID-19 related issues. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Cash transfer: FG disburses N349.5m to beneficiaries in Kaduna

By Philip Yatai

The Federal Government has concluded the disbursement of N349.5 million to 34,946 poor and vulnerable households in Kaduna State.

The Head of Cash Transfer Unit in the State, Hajiya Hauwa Abdulrazaq, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna on Sunday.

Abdulrazaq explained that the disbursement was under the federal governments Conditional Cash Transfer, a Households Uplifting Programme targeting poorest of the poor households in the country.

She said that the beneficiaries, drawn from nine Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state received N10,000 each, being payment for the months of May and June at N5,000 per month.

She identified the benefitting LGAs as Kajuru, Birnin Gwari, Kauru, Lere, Sanga, Kachia, Kubau, Ikara and Chikun.

She said that 4,470 poor and vulnerable households benefited in Kajuru; 8,032 in Birnin Gwari; 1,963 in Kauru; 1,406 in Sanga, while 4,380 benefited in Lere.

She added that a total of 2,021 poor and vulnerable households benefited in Kachia; 5,478 in Ikara; 2,784 in Chikun, and 4,412 in Kubau.

We began the disbursement on July 1 and ended the exercise on July 10.

The households uplifting programme is one of the national social investment programmes which implementation began in September 2016, she said.

NAN recalls that the programme began in 2017 in Kaduna state with about 10,000 beneficiaries, but expanded to 22,380 in April 2020.

A total of 12,566 new beneficiaries were added in May, which amounted to the current 34,956 beneficiaries in the state.

The state government had also commenced the process of capturing poor and vulnerable households into the social register in the remaining 14 LGAs, from which beneficiaries of the cash transfer would be extracted. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

NIDCOM DG Abike Dabiri- Erewa

By Maureen Okon

Two hundred and forty-seven Nigerians who were stranded in Malaysia and Thailand have arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Mr Gabriel Odu the Head of Media and Public Relations Unit of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Odu said that the returnees arrived at the airport at about 11p.m. on Saturday, adding that they were transported into the country by a chartered Air peace flight APK-7813.

Some of them disembarked in Abuja while others proceeded to Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

All evacuees tested negative for COVID-19 and are now on a 14-day self-isolation as mandated by NCDC , @Fmohnigeria and PTF on #COVID-19, Odu said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News