By Bashir Rabe Mani

Alhaji Jelani Aliyu, the Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), says it has trained 300 unemployed youths across Nigeria in mechatronics and repair of heavy duty vehicles.

Jelani told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja that the gesture was aimed at further reducing the high unemployment rate in the country.

According to the DG, the youth are trained to understand brand new vehicles and know how to fix them.

So, they now have new jobs, so they are sustainable and more will be trained across the country.

Every day, we hear about unemployment. Every year, tens of thousands of youths graduate from universities and polytechnics.

They roam the streets, with no jobs and it is very easy for them to get into these vices that are harmful to the society.

Aliyu said that the only solution was to create jobs and curb the menace of unemployment and poverty.

He said:The only solution we believe and I believe everyone should have that commitment to create jobs and skills.

Gone are the days when paper qualification is useful and skills are needed.

We need young Nigerians to practically add value, practically understand problems and come up with solutions.

Meanwhile, the council has also established six zonal automotive training centres in Abakaliki, Gusau, Bauchi, Osogbo, Lokoja and Benin.

Now, we are also building such centres across Nigeria, Aliyu disclosed.

He said that hitherto, the council was hiring workshops for the training of the youth across the country.

The DG further said that the council had secured the approval of the Federal Executive Council to import equipment from Germany, adding that they had started arriving in the country.

They will go into these centres and we will train more of these youths as our major contribution towards taking Nigerians off the streets and giving them jobs, Aliyu added.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Idris Abdulrahma

Source: NAN News

By Bashir Rabe Mani

The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) says it will partner a UAE-based firm to produce solar-powered tractors.

The Director-General (DG) of the council, Mr Jelani Aliyu, disclosed this shortly after participating as a panelist at the Electric Vehicle Innovation Summit (EVIS), in Abu Dhabi, UAE, which was held from May 23 to May 25.

The summit brought together researchers, engineers, government officials, and electric vehicle companies and institutions from around the world.

They explored and discussed the technical, policy and market achievements and potentials in e-mobility.

The DG spoke on the current Nigerian achievements in e-mobility, and elaborated on the strong potentials in the sector in Nigeria and Africa.

Aliyu also had a talk with a number of executives, including the delegation of a firm that produces solar-powered agricultural tractors.

The discussion was with a view to collaborating with the company in the local production of tractors and make them available to Nigerian farmers.

This engagement was also in order to cost-effectively promote food production and sufficiency in the nation.

Aliyu later paid a courtesy visit to the Nigerian Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Mohammed Dansatta.

The Ambassador thanked him for the visit and acknowledged the good work of Aliyu in developing the automotive industry in Nigeria, while urging him to continue with his efforts. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Razak Owolabi

Source: NAN News

By Yunus Yusuf

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has refuted claim of diversion of international flights to neighbouring Ghana and Benin Republic due to on-going repairs at Murtala Muhammed International Airport Runway in Ikeja, Lagos.

Mrs Faithful Hope-Ivbaze, Acting General Manager, Corporate Affairs, FAAN, said this in a statement on Thursday in Lagos.

Hope-Ivbaze refuted publications trending on the social media platforms alleging that there were diversions of international flights to other countries.

The FAAN spokesperson however said that there was a planned rehabilitation of Runways 18R/36L (international runway) slated from June 4 to June 5, between 0600hrs-1300hrs UTC daily.

She explained that during the period, Runway 18L/36R (the domestic runway) would still be in use for all inbound and outbound flight operations as scheduled, while maintenance would be going on Runway 18R/36L.

She said FAAN management also reiterated to travelling passengers and the general public that inbound and outbound flights at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport would be operating unhindered. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Nick Nicholas/Julius Toba-Jegede

Source: NAN News

By Glory Abuh-Adejoh

The National Industrial Court, Abuja has ordered the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to reinstate its member of staff, Uzoma Ononogbo, who was involuntarily retired in March 2021.

Justice Ibrahim Galadima delivered the judgment on Thursday and also nullified the purported retirement for being unlawful and unconstitutional.

Galadima in addition declared Ononogbos retirement without first giving him the opportunity to be heard, as a violation of his fundamental right to fair hearing.

However, the court order for the claimants reinstatement did not direct for the payment of his salary for the period of the litigation, having not merited it.

The court went further to strictly caution the claimant to adhere to his duties as a public servant and henceforth, become a shining example for other staff members to emulate.

The claimant had submitted that he was never queried for any misconduct, except for when he was absent from work due to his wifes protracted ailment.

He said that he was suspended without pay for the three months he was absent to take care of his sick wife.

Ononogbo further averred that he was abruptly retired involuntarily on March 11, 2021 via a letter, without given the opportunity to know the allegations levelled against him to enable him to defend himself.

The NYSC had argued that the claimant had no regard for his duties and had breached several terms and conditions of his employment, especially with his frequent absenteeism from office.

It also submitted that when he was transferred to the garment factory, he only went to work three times in two years.

It argued that the claimant was always feigning one excuse or the other to be absent.

It further submitted that the claimant admitted that he was always absent from work without lawful permission and that he was once issued a query, which he refused to respond to date.

The defendant equally stated that the claimant was duly involuntarily retired on the strength of Public Service Rules, instead of an outright dismissal.

Responding in a closing argument, the claimant said that he was not given the opportunity to defend himself before the investigative or disciplinary committee that considered the allegations against him.

He further said that he was also not notified about the outcome of the investigation by the committee for his possible reaction.

He, therefore, urged the court to grant the reliefs he sought.

After evaluating the submissions by both parties, the court held that Ononogbo was not afforded the opportunity to defend himself over the allegations levelled against him before the decision to retire him involuntarily was taken by the defendant. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Sam Oditah

Source: NAN News

By Solomon Asowata

Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) has commenced a mobile metering exercise for its customers in Festac Town, Satellite Town, Agboju and other areas under its Festac District in Lagos.

The electricity distribution company said it aimed to use the two-week on-the-spot application to speed up the metering of its customers in those areas.

Mr Godwin Idemudia, General Manager, Corporate Communications, EKEDC, on Thursday said the exercise would be done under the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme.

He said the initiative was to support the existing online process of acquiring prepaid meters by customers under the MAP scheme.

Idemudia said, We have started in Festac and we will get to our other business districts in due course.

He urged EKEDC customers in Festac and its environs to visit the companys district office at 23 Road, S Close in Festac Town to take advantage of this opportunity.

Our customer service team and authorised MAP vendors MOJEC International Ltd., are on ground to attend to customers in their meter applications, he said.

Also, Dr Tinuade Sanda, Managing Director, EKEDC, described metering as a major concern to the DisCo because there was need to accurately measure the energy consumed by customers to reduce its losses.

As much as we have made our estimated billing process to be as accurate as possible, it pales when compared to owning a prepaid meter.

Hence, we are here with the MOJEC International Ltd. team who will be stationed here in Festac for two weeks and assist our dear customers in getting their meters installed within 72 hours of confirmation of payment.

This is against the usual 10 working days under the MAP scheme, Sanda said.

She also advised customers against patronising unauthorised entities for meters as Eko Disco had 10 MAP vendors approved by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), including MOJEC.

On her part, Ms Chantelle Abdul, Group Managing Director, MOJEC International Holdings, commended Eko Disco for a great partnership in metering electricity consumers.

She promised that her team would ensure the fulfilment of the EKEDC Mobile MAP objectives, especially the metering of customers within 72 hours after payment.

Abdul also emphasised to customers that MOJEC is against extortion by some meter installers, and encouraged them to report any installer that demands money for the installation of prepaid meters.

She advised customers against meter bypass which does not only affect the effort of EKEDC but also the entire electricity industry.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NERC has approved N63,061.32 as the cost of a Single Phase Meter while a Three Phase Meter costs N117,910.69, including Value Added Tax under the MAP scheme.

Implemented in 2018 by NERC, the scheme brought about the supply and installation of prepaid meters by other parties authorised by the regulatory body.

In addition to the expected aim of closing the metering gap, the scheme is to ensure the development of independent and competitive meter service in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).

It was, however, suspended following the introduction of the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP) by the Federal Government and Central Bank of Nigeria in October 2020.

The scheme was recently revived by NERC after the completion of the Phase Zero of the NMMP that saw Eko Disco metering over 70,000 customers in its network. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Vincent Obi/Julius Toba-Jegede

Source: NAN News

By Sumaila Ogbaje

A former Minister of Interior, retired Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, has call for urgent cleanup of weapons and drug among the Fulani youth as part of practical solutions to the ugly trend of kidnapping in the country.

Dambazau made the call in his paper, titled Dilemma of the Fulbe pastoralist, presented at the Pastoralists and Fulbe Security Conference, in Abuja.

The conference is with the theme: Exploring the contemporary challenges facing pastoralism and Fulbe with a view of proffering workable solution in curbing insecurity across the nation.

It was jointly organised by Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) and Northern Consensus Movement (NCM).

The former minister stressed the need for urgent practical solutions to kidnapping by the Fulbe youth that leads to daily loss of lives and destruction of properties.

According to him, one of the steps should be blocking of access to weapons and clean up all the weapons already in circulation within Fulbe pastoralist youth environment.

We must also clean up the stable, and by this, I mean, with the help of the NDLEA, the society must work on the drug abuse among the Fulbe pastoralist youth, he said.

He noted with concern that drug traffickers had targeted the Fulbe youth and there was high rate of drug abuse among them, which must be decisively dealt with.

According to him, in order to deter the criminals among the Fulbe pastoralist communities, it is important that the criminal justice system comes strong against all those arrested for such violent crimes.

He said that they should be prosecuted and if found guilty, be subjected to maximum punishment.

We must ensure justice and pursue human capital development that would improve the education and health of the Fulbe pastoralist to open more opportunities for him for self-development in the society.

To do this, access to quality education and healthcare facilities should be provided for the Fulbe pastoralists, in addition to skills acquisition, he said

Danbazau, who said the Fulbe pastoralist community had been isolated for long said that their integration into mainstream of society should be given priority.

He also called for the implementation of governments National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) approved in 2019, an attempt to modernize livestock rearing, would provide the foundation upon which the integration would be mounted.

Beyond the idea of the UN Great Green Wall in the Sahel to checkmate the southwards movement of the desert, states and Federal Governments, and the private sector, should raise special funds for establishing ranching communities.

Particularly in the vast lands in the northwest and north east, with all necessary facilities to enable the pastoralists settle down permanently.

After all, government has been subsidizing agriculture, especially for farmers, and the production of livestock should be part of the government efforts to increase revenue, he said.

Speaking on the dilemma of Fulbe pastoralist, the former minister believed that the conference was an attempt to interrogate the predicaments of the Fulbe pastoralists in relation to the insecurity in Nigeria.

It should be noted that contemporary challenges facing Fulbe pastoralists are multifaceted and complex.

According to him, the Fulbe ethnic group is known to pursue pastoralism not only as means of livelihood but also as a way of life, mostly as nomadic and semi-settled in the various forests spanning the country.

He said that the Fulbe pastoralist was in dilemma because his wealth of cattle had disappeared due to cattle rustling, conflicts, or the consequences of climate change that brought about desertification and drought.

He said that another dilemma was that the group remained in the forest hiding because of the new criminal trade of banditry and kidnapping for ransom, which many of its youth are involved.

While in the past he was easily identified by his stick with which he controlled the movement of his cattle, today he is identified with the AK47 and other light weapons he uses to attack rural communities and also ambush to kidnap passengers and motorists traveling on the highways.

The Fulbe pastoralist was known to be humble, kind, gentle, disciplined, honest, and selfless, but today he is perceived as a bandit, murderer, rapist, cattle rustler, and kidnapper, he said.

He, therefore, called for concerted effort to address the prevailing challenges facing the Fulbe pastoralist in the country.

He said that this was the only to ensure peace in the country and the entire region.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Muhammad Abubakar, said that President Muhammadu Buhari was very much concern about the challenges of livestock development in the country.

Abubakar said that the Federal Government was also much aware of the security and other challenges in the subsector and was willing to do everything to address them.

The minister said that Federal Government had approved a huge sum of money for the retracing and reclaiming of grazing reserve in the country.

He said that government was willing to checkmate the spate of insecurity in livestock sector.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng).

OYS/IAA

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Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

Source: NAN News

By Patricia Amogu

The Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN) and other stakeholders in the Energy sector have called for synergy and private sector collaborations to address bottlenecks around finance models for the sector.

The call was made by various stakeholders at the Stakeholders Engagement on Finance for Rural Electrification and the Renewable Energy Sector in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the meeting exploring sources of funding for rural electrification aimed at evaluating the issues and obstacles that have weighed on the growth of rural electrification and the decentralised renewable energy sector.

The President, REAN, Mr Segun Adaju, said that the convergence of stakeholders was to leverage on finance models that had been piloted and how the private sector could take over from there when subsidy was gone.

We are looking at how the private sector can commercialise the models that have been developed to provide electricity for rural dwellers.

The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has introduced a funding model that can be commercialised in providing electricity to rural dwellers and we are looking to discuss issues around financing and funding of more projects, he said.

Dr Sanusi Ohiare, Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund ,in his remarks identified funding and data as key issues around the sector stating that the sector was looking to collaborate with development financial institutions that are interested in data gathering.

Ohiare stated that REAN was partnering with private investors to bring in funding and also solve issues of financing for the private and give them comfort while projects are implemented.

Owing to the nature of rural Electrification, we partner with private investors to encourage projects .

We encourage private investors to bring in funding, thereby solving the financing bottle necks for the developers and also attract funds from the bank.

Banks can now co-fund for projects and reduce the risk involved in financing, we have done a lot of projects in the last five to six years and this has been very successful.

We are currently working on 51 projects including mini-grids, solar and hybrids, we have done a couple of solar home systems, we have done 12 projects under the first call and a lot is still ongoing with the model put in place, he added.

Also speaking, Mr Tinyan Ogiehor, Off-Grid team lead, Nigeria power sector Programme, USAID, stressed that sustainable business models had been put in place to provide financial and technical experts for private project developers .

We seek out various project developers and look for ways to provide varied levels of targeted support to these companies to support them in attracting foreign and private investors and also funding.

We give detailed technical capacity experts to give experts to enable them win funds, one of the things we do, which we recently did is to put together sustainable business models that can show how existing solar panels that show how these systems can stand the test of time before replacement, he added. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

Source: NAN News

By Lizzy Okoji

The Federal Government has repatriated another 166 stranded Nigerans from Libya who were victims of human trafficking.

Mr Kabiru Musa, Charge d Affairs of the Nigerian Mission in Libya said this in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

Musa said that the 166 evacuees departed Mitiga International Airport, Tripoli and were expected to arrive in Nigeria via the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

He said that the voluntary evacuation was carried out by the Federal Government in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration and the support of the Libyan authorities.

Today again, we have successfully evacuated another batch of stranded Nigerians in Libya, who will be reuniting with their families any moment from now by Gods grace.

The 166 Nigerian returnees departed Mitiga International Airport aboard a chattered BURAQ Air Flight UZ189MJI and expected to arrive at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos

This continuous evacuation is in line with the commitments of the Nigerian government of not allowing any of its citizen remain stranded abroad.

Libya is a transit country for those trying to cross over to other parts of the world through irregular routes, that is why we have so many stranded Nigerians here, he said.

Musa said that the Federal Government, through the Mission, was ready and committed to return any of its citizens who wanted to voluntarily return home.

He added that as usual, arrangements had been made to receive the people on arrival in Nigeria, and help them reintegrate into the society, (NAN) ()

Edited by Chinyere Bassey/Idris Abdulrahman

Source: NAN News

Olukayode Babalola

Hon. Ahmed Wadada, a former House of Representatives member, has said he withdrew from the All Progressive Congress (APC) Nasarawa West Senatorial District primary election because of the alleged illegal process adopted to conduct the primaries in the state.

Wadada, who holds the traditional title of Sarkin Yakin Keffi Emirate, made this known at a news conference held in Keffi Local Government area of the state on Wednesday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that until his sudden withdrawal, Wadada was a frontrunner for the APC ticket for Nasarawa West Senatorial Zone.

The primary election is still yet to hold due to controversy over alleged alterations of the original delegates list meant to be used to elect party candidates for various elective posts in 2023.

NAN also reports that even after his withdrawal, the party could still not hold the primary election for the two remaining aspirants: Labaran Magaji and Shehu Tukur on Saturday, May 28th.

Angry youths violently disrupted the electoral process over alleged alterations to the delegates list leading to suspension of the election.

Wadada said he thought it wise to intimate the media and by extension the public, especially his teeming supporters on reasons for his decision to withdraw.

He said his withdrawal was influenced by his belief in due process, fairness and strictly adherence to how party primaries should be conducted.

Wadada said these tenets are in line with the electoral act and guidelines of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

INEC accepted the original list because INEC monitored the exercise that brought about the emergence of the original list. We were to hold primaries based on the basis of that original list.

The state chapter of the party preparatory to the commencement of the primaries called the chairmen of various local government areas of the state and handed over that monitored, authenticated, legal and legitimate list.

We woke up the next morning, that was the day the primaries for the Governorship and state assembly were to commence, that another list was sent from the headquarters of the party.

That list sent by the headquarters was neither monitored by INEC nor were stakeholders or caucus of the state APC consulted.

That list came up because some people somewhere were scared and intimidated to the level of taking laws into their hands, thereby creating illegality, he said.

Wadada added that he was encouraged by some people to still participate in the primary electoral process but reject the view because the process was allegedly illegal.

I said how can I go for illegality. I am not a lawyer but I know what the electoral act says. Any list of delegates used in conducting any primary election and that list was not monitored by INEC, and not authenticated by INEC.

The electoral law says that exercise will be null and void. How then do I go into what I know will end in futility.

My desperation in life has never taken to any illegality. So I wrote to the party and withdrew my participation in the contest because I cannot be part of any illegality.

Despite my withdrawal from the contest, has the election taken place? No! That is because the doctored list we complained about, that informed my withdrawal from the contest was also re-doctored.

As progressive minded politicians, we shouldnt be seen involving in illegality, he said.

The former lawmaker, however, said that though he was still in the party, he would make a decision on his membership of the party within 48 hours.

Between now and the time, anything can still happen but the damage has already been done. How to undamage the damage, only God knows, he said.

NAN reports that Magaji and Tukur are the two other aspirants left to contest for the APC Nasarawa West Senatorial Zone ticket at the general election in 2023. (NAN) (nannews.ng)

Edited by Ismail AbdulAziz

Source: NAN News

ByLucy Ogalue

The Ministry of Transportation has activated a biometrical system that will help boost the productivity of staff of the ministry.

The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Magdalene Ajani, who inaugurated the system on Wednesday, urged the staff to ensure their best to render efficient service to the country.

According to Ajani,as from June 1, every staff is expected to clock in and out of the office using the system.

What we have just done is to commission adigital clocking system. We are just leveraging on technology.

For us, it is not about looking at the punitive measures but more to look at the positive contributions to productivity at work that this system is going to bring to bear for every one of us.

On a normal day, in the civil service we have what they call the time register where you have to sign in and sign out, but we are now using the digital register to take note of when we come into office.

This is important in measuring our productivity at the Ministry of Transportation and it will help us solve a lot of problems, particularly for the Human Resource Department.

You dont need to ask questions as to how many staff were present in the office in any department.

At the click of the mouse, the DHRM can see exactly what is going on, see the number of people who are even on sit in terms of when they came in and when they leave the office, Ajani said.

According to the permanent secretary, the system will also help in boosting security at the ministry.

She said beyond productivity, it is also useful when you look at the security aspect.You will know who was where, at what point in time and all.

This is in addition to other security devices and apparatus we have in the Ministry. But talking in house, who isinside the building, we can actually look at that from the system.

Although, you need it to check truancy, but more importantly we need it to look at the productivity of our staff.(NAN)

Edited by Ese E. Eniola Williams

Source: NAN News