By Naomi Sharang

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has cautioned Multichoice Nigeria not to dare Nigeria by going ahead to hike the tariff on its products while the matter is being investigated.

He gave the warning on Tuesday in Abuja while inaugurating a seven-member Ad hoc Committee of the Senate headed by the Senate Deputy Chief Whip, Sen. Sabi Abdullahi, investigate circumstances around the proposed hike.

Lawan urged the Pay-TV to stay action by not increasing the tariff.

No increase. And that is to say dont dare our country. No increase in tariffs, Lawan cautioned.

He cautioned that no foreign operators in the country should take Nigeria for granted.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the committee had been set up by the Senate on Wednesday, March 30, against the backdrop of an announcement of tariff hike by the Multichoice Pay Tv service provider, DSTV.

It was however officially inaugurated on Tuesday, April 12.

Lawan said, No operator should take us for granted. We mean business. We want you to be here. Nigeria always provides the climate for you to do your businesses, but dont abuse the laws of our country.

Our consumers here are people who are innocent and we are prepared to protect them.

When the legitimate interests of our people are threatened, we are supposed to ensure that we protect them.

It has been the practice of many companies, especially foreign companies, operating in Nigeria to treat the Nigerian consumers of their products in a different way and manner that is not consistent with global best practices.

He urged members of the committee to handle the issue very dispassionately with a very clear mind.

The Consumer Protection Council and other agencies of government and even non-governmental organisations and civil society organisations are supposed to attend this kind of investigation.

We need to know what roles actually such government institutions established for the purposes of protecting Nigerian consumers perform. What are their problems if they are not doing well.

Earlier, Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Abdullahi, said investigation into the activities of the Pay-Tv service providers was long overdue as their activities, over time had ripped Nigerians off their hard-earned incomes.

It is mind boggling that barely two years after a price hike by Multichoice, which was followed by a big uproar by Nigerians, comes another unexpected increment without proper consultation with critical stakeholders.

This incessant hike in tariff without recourse to constituted authorities is a thing of great concern that calls for questioning.

This investigation is an opportunity to right the wrongs and bring these service providers to operate within the confines of the law as obtainable outside the shores of the country, he said.

Source: NAN News

By Lucy Ogalue

The African Urban Cycling Organisation (AUCO), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), is soliciting the support of the Ministry of Transportation to promote cycling in the country.

The President of AUCO, Mr Emmanuel John, made the call when he led a team to visit the Minister of State for Transport, Sen. Gbemisola Saraki in Abuja on Tuesday.

John appealed to the ministry to assist in funding its cycling activities and to also constitute a committee that would review the National Cycling Policy and Strategy (NCPS).

Our vision is to make cycling the everyday means of commute for African urban dwellers.

We aim to lead the research in capacity building, networking and advocacy for cycling as a reliable means of Transport in Africa and for people living in Africa.

We are here to seek your support and collaboration to help in funding our activities and for you to constitute a committee for the NCPS,John said.

According to John, the visit is to among other things discuss the need to support and mainstream cycling and non-motorised transport activities and programmes.

He said it was also to discuss cycling activities for 2022 and beyond that required engagements with relevant transport related authorities.

John said some of the policy measures was to build capacity of policy makers, study and enhance the curriculum of Transport courses and establish institutios to manage cycling among other things.

Responding, the minister of state, Saraki, said there was the need to set up a committee to review the NCPS document.

Saraki, represented by Mrs Perpetual Akoji, the Assistant Director, Road Transport Administration ( RTA), urged the team not to relent in their efforts following the advantages of cycling.

We all know the benefits of cycling. It is a good course you are undertaking so do not be discouraged no matter the time it takes to achieve your goal.

Your effort is already yielding results and it is being appreciated .We have seen/heard your request.

Policy implementation is very important. We dont have roads designed for cycling but we are discussing with the ministry of works to make the roads conducive for cycling, she said.

While reiterating the importance of awareness, Saraki noted that some roads within the FCT were designed for cycling but was not being used because the people were not aware of it.

She said: we are happy with what you are doing and the secretariat will look at your request, do recommendations and seek approvals to support your efforts.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was attended by delegates and staff of the ministry. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the brutal terrorist attacks in Kanam and Wase Local Government Areas of Plateau, describing the killings as heinous.

In a statement by his spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, on Tuesday in Abuja, the president said the perpetrators should not be allowed to escape justice.

They should not be spared or forgiven, he further directed.

He ordered law enforcement agencies to work strenuously with the government of the state, to bring the situation under control and take steps to bring the culprits to justice quickly.

Buhari expressed condolences over the terrorist incident, saying that as a matter of priority, peace must return at all costs to the state and the entire country.

I urge all our citizens, the people of Plateau State in particular, to expose the perpetrators of such incidents, their sponsors and those who encourage such criminals who carry out these dastardly acts of murder, so that the law will take its course.

They must not be forgiven, the president said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

Production

By Solomon Asowata

Lagos, April 12, 2022 (NAN) The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) said Nigerias crude oil production declined to an average of 1.354 million barrels per day in March.

OPEC made this known in its Oil Market Report for April which was obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos.

The report said the figure showed a decrease of 24, 000 barrels per day when compared to the 1.378m bpd produced averagely in the month of February.

According to secondary sources, total OPEC-13 crude oil production averaged 28.56m bpd in March, higher by 57 tb/d month-on-month.

Crude oil output increased mainly in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates while production in Libya, Nigeria and Congo declined, it said.

The report noted that following a contraction of 1.8 per cent year-on-year in 2020, Nigerias economy expanded by 3.6 per cent in 2021.

It said this economic recovery was most likely to continue over the course of 2022 with support from improvements in the hydrocarbons sector and energy prices.

The report said, Recent official data suggested that the annual inflation rate edged up slightly to 15.7 per cent in February 2022 from 15.6 per cent in January, although food inflation remained elevated.

Indeed, higher food costs related to geopolitical tensions could further fuel inflation.

In March, the overall business improvement softened as Stanbic IBTC Bank Nigerias Purchasing Managers Index suggested, indeed it dropped to 54.1 from 57.3 in February.

Yet, the overall prospects for Nigerias short-term economic outlook remain positive, despite concerns over inflationary pressures amid disruptions to global trade flows and supply shortages.

Source: NAN News

By Muhyideen Jimoh

The FCT Football Association (FA) has promised to support Naija Ratels FC of Abuja as they prepare for the Nigeria Women Football League (NWFL) Premiership Super six.

Ngozi Eze, Chairperson of the FCT FA women football committee told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the FA was proud of the Abuja based club for qualifying for the NWFL Super six.

Eze said the FA had presented a meritorious award to the proprietor of Naija Ratels FC, Paul Edeh for his support for women football in the FCT.

We have not had the opportunity of any female club represent us in FCT in recent times, until Naija Ratels came and declared interest to settle and operate from Abuja.

When the club came, they started from pro-league, from there, they qualified to play the Premier League of Nigeria Women football.

The proprietor of the club had faced up and down challenges in the League, yet he stood strong and focused, so the award is to encourage him more, she said.

The chairperson said the club had all it takes to win the NWFL title and represent the country at the continents CAF champions women League.

Paul Edeh the proprietor of the club told NAN that although the Super six will be very difficult, the club will approach each match at a time with the ultimate aim of winning.

He assured of his commitment to continue to support women football in the FCT and the country.

NAN reports that the NWFL Super Six will hold at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin, Edo from May 2 to May 8.

The top six NWFL Premiership clubs: Edo Queens, Nasarawa Amazons, Naija Ratels (Group A) and Bayelsa Queens, Rivers Angels and Delta Queens (Group B) will slug it out to be crowned champions of the league.

The eventual winner based on points amassed will be crowned league champions and will represent Nigeria at the WAFU Zone B qualifiers for the CAF Womens Champions League later in the year.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Folasade Akpan

The Director-General, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC),
Maj.-Gen. Shuaibu Ibrahim, has urged staff of the corps to embrace innovations that are in tune
with global best practices.

He made the appeal on Tuesday in Abuja, while declaring open a training for Service Innovation Pipeline Officers.

The director-general was represented by the Director, Human Resources Management, Hajiya Habiba Bappah.

Ibrahim said that service innovation had fully taken off in the NYSC and that management was desirous of achieving further breakthroughs by its singular efforts as one of the drivers of service innovation initiative of the Federal Government.

According to him, innovation and creativity require painstaking efforts for better understanding of the procedures in every human endeavour.

He added that this is with a view to turning new ideas into concrete and measurable realities.

It is therefore apt to state that the success of every organisation depends among other things on the efficacy of its modus operandi, innovation and strategies for the sustenance of its relevance.

Ibrahim said that judging from his administrations scorecard, the corps had made significant progress in initiating and implementing numerous innovative programmes that were yielding positive results.

He said that the scheme had to ensure quality service and achieve higher customer satisfaction.

He added that the scheme also had to take into cognisance government policy of cutting down cost of governance without jeopardising the operational standards.

Ibrahim said that the training was important as it was aimed at providing skilled manpower in areas of creative thinking and innovation technology, capable of adding value to the operations of the scheme.

There is no gainsaying that this training will revolutionise our ways of thinking and provoke creative mindsets capable of making the scheme relevant and dynamic.

He encouraged the participants to use the training to acquire deeper comprehension of the skills, ideas and knowledge gained from it for improved performance.

The corps Head of Reforms Unit, Mr Abdullahi Baba, said that service innovation was a prerogative of the Federal Government.

He added that it was being manifested through the instrumentality of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation in the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP 2017-2020).

The initiative is in line with governments commitment to encourage and fast track innovation development in public service.

It is aimed at institutionalisation of innovation culture in public service with a view to increasing revenue and cutting cost of governance.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two-day training which has Service Innovation and Critical Thinking as its theme is being carried out for pipeline officers in the 36 state secretariats and the FCT. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Naomi Sharang

Sen. Abdullahi Adamu (APC- Nasarawa) has formally resigned his position at the Senate to enable him concentrate on his job as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

This is contained in a letter to Senate President Ahmad Lawan, read at Tuesdays plenary.

Adamu said he was leaving due to his election as APC National Chairman.

Letter of Resignation from the 9th Senate.

And with utmost respect and appreciation, I inform you that consequent upon my victory as National Chairman at the just concluded convention of our great party, the APC, on March 26, I hereby formally resign as a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing Nasarawa West Senatorial District with effect from April 1.

I feel a sense of duty and obligation to convey through this letter, my appreciation for the cooperation and guidance I received from you as Chairman of the National Assembly throughout my official and private association with you.
As I leave the Senate, I cannot easily forget the change and style of leadership that you brought since becoming the Senate President of the 9th Senate, he said.
Adamu added:Your ability to forge the deep-rooted, bi-partisan approach on all issues over which you chaired deliberations, speaks volumes of your chemistry as a leader.
Since your assumption of your chairmanship of the national assembly, you have worked so hard for the assembly to be seen to work with the government and not against it.
Indeed, you have strongly proved that the three arms of government are truly arms of the same national government.
You have steered the national assembly to do the bidding of our great party without prejudice to the other parties irrespective of the size of their representation.
Similarly, Sen. Abubakar Kyari (APC-Borno) also resigned from the Senate, following his emergence as APC Deputy National Chairman, North).

Im writing formally to inform you of my resignation from the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as Senator representing Borno North Senatorial District.
This is as a result of my victory at the convention of our party, the APC on March 26 where I emerged as Deputy National Chairman, North.
Im humbled by the fact that my constituents have repeatedly reposed their trust in me to be their voice; to advocate for their economic, social and political rights.
I will never forget my distinguished colleagues and the staff of the Senate Committees, chamber and the national assembly I have met, the relationships I build and development over the seven years of my stay as a senator.
Im deeply appreciative of the Senate under your sound leadership and for the opportunity given to me to serve as the Chairman Senate Committtee on FCT, he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adamu was the Chairman, Senate Committtee on Agriculture and Rural Development, while Kyari was Chairman, Senate Committtee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT).(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Usman Aliyu

Mr Chris Kaka, National Programme Coordinator, Trade Network Initiative (TNI) on Tuesday asserted that 65 per cent of pesticides used by farmers in Nigeria were dangerous to human health, animals and the environment.

He said they contained active ingredients belonging to the group of Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHPs), at the opening of a two-day Training and Strategic Planning Meeting on Pesticide Use and Regulation in Nigeria themed: Making the Advocacy Work in Abuja.

The event which was convened by Alliance for Action on Pesticides in Nigeria (AAPN), saw the coordinator noting that 40 per cent of all the pesticide products registered in the country had since been withdrawn from the European market or heavily restricted due to their hazardous contents.

This 40 per cent, he said represented 57 active ingredients in 402 products still in use in the country.

Kaka regretted that no serious regulation was in place to check the arbitrary use of these products among farmers.

This, he said informed the formation of the alliance so as to bring stakeholders together to share knowledge and engage government on how to address the challenge.

The coalition sought to increase awareness on pesticide hazards, demands for improved regulation of the pesticides and promoting the introduction of more sustainable farm methods and food systems.

In order to strengthen its advocacy, AAPN sought to come together to organise a training to improve its members knowledge about pesticide use and regulation, to share experiences from their individual work and to build synergy and explore new avenues for advocacy.

Many farmers are not even aware of this danger and we believe there is need for awareness to be created around this, he said.

In her presentation, Ms Silke Bollmohr, an eco-toxicologist stressed the need to always ensure less toxicant pesticides are brought to agriculture.

Bollmohr, who is a trainer in Risk Assessment of Pesticides, enumerated the effects of hazardous pesticides on human life, soil and water quality.

Nigerians, she explained, were more exposed to these hazards because communities and residents are closer to farms than in the western world.

She urged farmers to always check information label, saying that the labels contain vital information of chemical compositions of pesticides.

She also cautioned farmers against the use of same herbicides, fungicides and insecticides over a long period, advising them on use of biopesticides in between.

Source: NAN News

By Hajara Leman

The Education Endowment Fund (EEF) of the North East Development Commission (NEDC) says it will equip 224 schools across the 112 Local Government Areas in the North East.

Mr Khalifa Lawal, Secretary of EEF disclosed this in Gombe on Monday at the inauguration of a one-week teachers training workshop, organised by the Commission, in collaboration with Zahabih Education Consultancy Service.

Lawal said that EEF, was created by NEDC to address the challenges, as well as to develop the education sector in the region.

We have identified one primary and one junior secondary school each from the 112 LGAs in the region.

We will construct three classes in each of those schools and provide instructional materials to support the schools in the the teaching and learning outcomes.

This is going to be on annual basis, if we do the project in one school this year, we will identify other schools and execute the project there, until we go round all our schools in the North East, he said.

He said the Fund was also set to unveil a scholarship scheme for undergraduate and post graduates students.

Lawal said that in Gombe State alone, 440 persons would benefit from the scheme; and called on teachers to avail themselves of the opportunity by applying.

He said: We also have special training for teachers who are medical personnel, this is because we discovered that most of them have not been trained apart from the initial training they received in school.

We find it necessary to make sure we give them further education in order to acquire the necessary skills needed to attend to citizens health needs.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the EEF also targets communities and schools for sports competitions, and winners are also awarded scholarships to develop their talents. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Joan Nwagwu

The Federal Government has restated its commitment to the renegotiation of the conditions of service of all workers in public universities across the country.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige said this when he received members of the government side of the 2009 Federal Government/University based unions agreement re-negotiation committee led by its Chairman, Prof. Nimi Briggs, on Monday in Abuja.

Ngige said this in a statement signed by Patience Onuobia, the Acting Head, Press and Public Relations, in the ministry.

The minister was speaking against the backdrop of the ongoing strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

He said that as the conciliator, he has been pushing to see that everything contained in the 2020 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the government and the union was done, including the implementation of the renegotiated positions.

He recalled that the renegotiation commenced in 2017 when the Federal Government inaugurated. a committee headed by Wale Babalakin SAN who was later replaced by Prof. Munzali Jibril, but COVID-19 struck in 2020.

The minister said that in the December 2020 agreement, he gave the government side a timeline to return to the university unions who are their employees to sort everything out.

I started pushing to see that things were done. What the Munzali committee came up with is a proposal. Both Munzali and ASUU did not sign. At our last meeting in February before ASUU proceeded on strike, we said everyone should go back to his principal.

I asked Education several times what they had done with the document. We later got information on areas of disagreement. There is nothing wrong with that. It is bound to happen. I told ASUU to put up a committee, they said Munzali committee had expired.

As a conciliator, I have to make use of the labour instruments at my disposal. The bosses in the Federal Ministry of Education do not feel the strike. There are things that are above me. I am not Minister of Education.

I cannot go to the Education Minister and dictate to him how to run his place. But I told ASUU that you should be bombarding them at the Federal Ministry of Education for this to be moved forward. There are many ways to do so, he said.

According to him, if you go to the labour act there is something called picketing. You can picket, strike is an ultimate thing.

Picketing means that you can stay at the corridor, clapping or singing. Workers are permitted to do so. But everytime there is a disagreement, it is strike.

It is the children and some of us parents that have our children in public schools. I have my children in public universities, including those on my foundations scholarship and sponsorship.

So, I am a parent. I feel it. I didnt send my children to Igbinedion or Afe Babalola or Cambridge, he said.

He said the Nigerian university system produced him and he remains proud of it.

Why wont I support if ASUU and their unions now want a renegotiation of their conditions of service, which is the main thing in the proposal by previous Munzali committee.

Also speaking, Prof. Briggs, who is also the Pro Chancellor of Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndifu Alike, Ebonyi State, said the renegotiation committee was consulting all stakeholders with a view to finding a lasting solution to issues in dispute. (NAN)

Source: NAN News