By Abdul Hassan

Alhaji Musa Saidu, a chieftain of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) says the North must support Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to become Nigerias president in 2023, as a payback for his numerous support for President Muhammadu Buhari.

Saidu, also the National Coordinator, Arewa Initiative for Peaceful Coexistence in Southern Nigeria (AIPCSN), said this when he spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Port Harcourt.

He also lend his support to the clamour for power shift from the North to South in 2023.

The issue of power shift started during the military regime, there was a general agreement for power shift from North to South and that was how former President Olusegun Obasanjo emerged as the president in 1999.

Late President Umaru YarAdua who succeeded Obasanjo spent only two years and few months in office and former President Goodluck Jonathan who was the Vice President replaced him.

I think so many things happened afterwards which led to the killing of zoning in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

So in PDP there is no zoning arrangement currently, that means anybody from any part of the country can contest, but in APC if the power must shift it must go to South West and to Tinubu, he said.

He added: But President Muhammadu Buhari came on board on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) without any zoning arrangement.

Buhari got massive support from the North and the South West especially from political bigwigs like Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the former Lagos state governor and a National Leader of the APC.

The South East outrightly rejected the arrangement, they didnt support the APC because they had nothing to do with the party.

The South South too failed to support the APC, leaving only the North and the South West, the scenario repeated itself in 2015 and Tinubu also played a prominent role in APCs victory at the poll.

Saidu, also a human rights activist, said that the ACF met after the election and recognised the contributions of Tinubu towards Buharis reelection.

After the election, the ACF which am a member after accessing the situation agreed to payback the South West and Tinubu in particular in future elections.

In fact it was agreed that Tinubu should be supported after Buhari to win the APC ticket and succeed him in office in 2023.

It was agreed that Tinubu be supported in line with the Northern tradition of paying back those supported us in our hours of need, he said.

Saidu expressed optimism that the APC would win the 2023 Presidential Poll with the former governor of Lagos State as its candidate.

If actually we are having power shift in 2023 then it should go to South West and Tinubu because he has demonstrated love for the North.

In fact Tinubu has the best credential to fly the APC ticket in 2023, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Femi Ogunshola

The House of Representatives has directed the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to suspend the implementation of the Hajj Saving Scheme.

This followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance by Rep. Aminu Ashiru-Mani (APC-Katsina) at the plenary on Thursday in Abuja.

The house mandated its Committee on Pilgrims Affairs to investigate the Hajj saving scheme.

It also mandated the committee to review the entire agreement between NAHCON and JAIZ Bank, its partner on the scheme, and report back within two weeks.

Ashiru-Mani had said that the scheme was established in 2006 for intending Muslim pilgrims to save toward performing the Hajj.

According to him, within two years of NAHCONs partnership with JAIZ Bank to assist intending pilgrims to save under the scheme, the customer base has hit over 4000 with no billion naira savings in the account.

He alleged lack of transparency and accountability in the savings scheme.

According to him, if the development is not tackled,it will lead to corruption in the system and disregard for the extant law.

The Deputy Speaker of the house, Ahmed Wase, in his contribution, explained that for more than two years, intending pilgrims had been contributing to the scheme, but unable to perform the Hajj due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

He further alleged that against the act establishing the commission, it was dipping its hand into the fund. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Kingsley Okoye

The Senate has urged the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs to liaise with the Ghanaian Government to strengthen bilateral relations between both countries to prevent the maltreatment of Nigerians entering Ghana.

This is contained in the recommendations of the Senate after it considered a report by the Joint Committee on Health (Secondary and Tertiary); Primary Health and Communicable Diseases; and Foreign Affairs at plenary on Wednesday.

The report was based on a Motion for the Urgent Need to Conduct Investigation on the Allegation of Fake COVID-19 Test Results Being Used to Defraud Nigerians in Ghana, and the Obtainment of Fake COVID-19 Vaccination Cards.

The Chairman of the Joint Committee, Sen. Yahaya Oloriegbe, presented the report to the Senate.

In his presentation, he recalled that the investigation was necessitated by allegations that the Ghanaian authorities diagnosed Nigerians who travelled to their country of testing positive for COVID-19 even after testing negative in Nigeria.

He said it was alleged further that Nigerian travellers to the country were committed to isolation for two weeks at N70,000 equivalent daily, an amount running into millions of naira.

According to him, investigations revealed that Nigerians were possibly exploited at the Ghana International Airport going by explanations by the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19.

He said Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and the Chairman of Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, told the investigative panel earlier, that Ghana conducted Rapid-Ag testing on arrival at the airport.

This, he said, had less sensitivity and specificity compared to the PCR test done in Nigeria.

For this reason, it is expected that the Rapid-Ag Test will correctly classify Positive PCR tests but may fail to correctly classify all negative PCR test results.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs would need to establish and report back whether the reported case is an isolated event or systemic error or a fraud, Oloriegbe said.

On the allegations of fake COVID-19 vaccination cards and test results, he said that the SGF had stated that for the purpose of international (outbound) travels, COVID-19 PCR tests were conducted by accredited laboratories.

He added that this was verifiable on the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) platform through a QR Code.

The Joint Committee Chairman disclosed that the NCDC verification portal which hosts all validated PCR tests for outbound passengers, would be made visible to airlines so that certification can be done for airline staff.

Oloriegbe further said that the PSC utilised the services of security operatives to deal with passengers who blatantly refused to comply with travel protocols for both in-bound and out-bound passengers.

He, however, decriedthat in spite of those measures, some high-ranking officials or those connected sometimes threatened the staff on duty and found a way to escape.

Sen. Oloriegbe said that the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, which appeared before the panel, sought the support of the National Assembly.

He said that the intention was to ensure that all high-profile persons who failed to comply with existing protocols were prosecuted, accordingly.

The Senate, in its resolutions, therefore, urged the Federal Ministry of Health and the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) to develop an exit protocol for all outbound passengers.

According to the Senate, this will enable the authentication of the vaccination cards and also ensure that for PCR tests certificates are conducted at the airport.

It also called on the Health Ministry through its Port Health Services Department to link PCR results platforms with the airline platforms to ensure effective coordination and detection of any fake PCR test result.

The Senate also urged the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs to liaise with the Ghanaian Government to strengthen bilateral relations that would prevent a re-occurrence of any ill-treatment of Nigerians entering Ghana.

The federal lawmakers also urged the Presidential Committee on COVID-19 to continuously update its travel protocol as the epidemiology of the disease changed and to also promptly brief Nigerians on the changes.

Source: NAN News

By Clara Egbogota

The Delta Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, has called for a national emergency on road transport to address incessant road crashes and prevent commuters from avoidable deaths in the country.

Okowa said this on Wednesday at the 2021 Road Marshal Assistant Drivers Basic Course Passing Out Parade (POP) held at the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Marshal Inspectorate Training School, Owa-Alero, Delta.

He said his administration was proud to have made contributions to road safety and called for a national emergency to reduce road crashes in the country.

Okowa said that latest figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed a decline in the number of road accidents in the second quarter of 2021.

He, however, said that the number of road crashes on our roads was still a matter of serious concern.

According to the NBS, road accidents fell marginally from 3,301 in the first quarter of 2021 to 3,185 in the second quarter, representing a decrease of 3.51 percent.

The report also indicated that commercial vehicles accounted for 64.92 per cent of the total vehicles involved.

From all indications, speed violation, wrongful overtaking, and dangerous overtaking are some of the major causes of road accidents in the country.

It is my considered view that the issue of road safety should be treated as a national emergency. There are just too many people dying from avoidable road accidents.

I believe that as a first step to drastically reduce the number of accidents on our roads, public enlightenment is crucial.

I dare say that most drivers on our roads, commercial and private, are not conversant with road signs and safe driving habits.

It is going to take more than sanctions to curb the indiscipline and recklessness on our roads and our approach should be proactive, he said.

Okowa said using handphones while driving, failure to observe road signs/streetlights, poorly maintained vehicles, speeding, and driving while intoxicated were some of the bad habits among drivers that causes road crashes.

The FRSC must, as a matter of exigency, educate Nigerians continually and continuously on the meaning of road signs, the importance of observing them, and the need for them to regularly service and maintain their vehicles.

For it to be effective, the enlightenment campaign should not be done on ad-hoc basis; it should be part and parcel of the daily activities of the agency.

This is the only way to ensure that our people imbibe the culture of safe driving and nobody who has not been properly taught, tested, and found worthy of driving should be entrusted with a Driving Licence.

The process for obtaining one must be strict and rigorous, and enforced without fear or favour, Okowa said.

He congratulated the first set of Corps Marshals trained in the facility.

Exactly 11 months today, this Marshal Inspectorate training school was commissioned by the Vice-President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

It is a thing of joy for me that in less than a year, we are already reaping the fruits of this investment by the state government in partnership with the FRSC, Okowa added.

Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, Corp Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, applauded Gov. Okowa for providing the training school and other support services.

According to him, the school has helped the FRSC in the training of its professionals.

The school has produced 600 drivers that would be deployed across the country to assist in stimulating operational efficiency.

Drivers were given six months regimental training which will go a long way in reducing carnage on the nations highways, Oyeyemi said.

He added that the training would enable the drivers become instructors. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Chiazo Ogbolu

The shipping arm of the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG), Nigeria Ship Management Ltd. (NSML), on Wednesday said that only Nigerian seafarers pay tax globally.

The Fleet Manager, NSML, Capt. Hambali Yusuf, made this known at an annual conference organised by the Shipping Correspondents Association of Nigeria (SCAN) in Lagos.

The conference was themed, NLNG Vessels Movement and Challenges.

Yusuf noted that seafarers in India were exempted from tax payment unlike their counterparts in Nigeria.

He lamented that Nigeria was losing many seafarers to foreigners due to the tax issue.

In India, if you are not in the country for seven months, you wont pay any tax.

But in Nigeria, if you are not around for a whole year, you are still going to pay tax and you know the tax is graded depending on ones level.

And so, a seafarer that sees where to go and be paid without tax deduction will gladly move to that place, he said

He stressed the need for advocacy with the government for the issue to be sorted out for economic growth and development.

Yusuf added that seafarers pensions were deducted in dollars in Nigeria but paid back to them in naira.

Speaking on dry dock, Yusuf explained that the facilities in the country could not handle the companys size of ships.

Our ships are 283 metres length and 45 metres in width and there is no place in Nigeria now that can accommodate that size of ship.

We would have loved to dry dock in Nigeria because it will be easier for us than to move hundreds of nautical miles away. This will also cost us some money, he said.

He noted that to ensure that the sector and the nation attract investment, there was a need to declare Nigeria as a maritime nation and in doing so, government should give waivers.

Mr Henry Agbodjan, Human Resources Manger, NSML, said that Nigeria needed to be on the International Maritime Organisation whitelist for seafarers certificates to be acceptable.

According to him, to ensure that such happens, there should be a deliberate effort by government through the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to address the issue.

Mr Abdulkadir Ahmed, Managing Director, NSML, said that the NSML crew (officers and ratings) were trained up to international standards.

Ahmed said that the ratings were 100 per cent Nigerians while the NSML operates a multicultural fleet of officers comprising Nigerians, Britons, Croatians, Malaysians, Indians, Filipinos.

The NSML is, unarguably, the largest employer of qualified seafarers in Nigeria with over 700 shipboard personnel (officers and ratings) on its books, he said.

He listed some of the challenges faced as stringent global maritime regulations, emerging global maritime technology trends, piracy and security challenges at the Gulf of Guinea, the future of maritime skill sets and others.

Ahmed tasked the media on timely dissemination of accurate, factual and appropriate information.

Earlier, Mr Eugene Agha, President of SCAN, said that gas is not only the future of global energy exploration and usage but also Nigerias huge source of revenue and employment.

Agha noted that the changing trends in the global energy sector demanded a corresponding improvement and updating of the knowledge and skills of the media practitioners.

This will help them to continually avail stakeholders of the opportunities and risks inherent in this sector, which can attract more enabling legislation to reposition the sector.

It will also tackle challenges and pull healthier competition and more gains, he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Jacinta Nwachukwu

The Federal Government says it has concluded plans to give interest-free loan to 98,000 beneficiaries of its Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) 2.0 nationwide.

Sadiya Umar-Farouq, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development disclosed this in a statement by Nneka Anibeze, her Special Assistant on Media in Abuja on Wednesday.

Umar-Farouq said that this decision was reached following the finalverification ofPhase 1 applicants, who qualified and were selected to benefit from small loans ranging from N50,000 to N300,000.

She further said that all the beneficiaries of GEEP 2.0 would receive congratulatory and sensitisation text messages in the coming days informing them of their qualification.

According to Umar-Farouq, the money given to the beneficiaries of the empowerment programme is a loan and not a grant and must be repaid within nine months.

The GEEP 2.0 is a loan scheme designed by the Federal Government to provide financial inclusion and give credit access to the poor and vulnerable individuals including persons with disabilities.

It also covers persons at the bottom of the economic pyramid, who are engaged in small scale commercial activities under its three flagship schemes.

These three flagship schemes are MarketMoni, TraderMoni and FarmerMoni.

Tradermoni targets uplifting under-privileged and marginalised youths aged between 18 and 40 years in Nigeria by providing them with loans of N50,000.

MarketMoni targets under-privileged and marginalised women aged between 18 and 55 years like widows, divorcees among other vulnerable groups and they get interest-free loans of N50,000 payable within six to nine months.

While FarmerMoni is for Nigerian farmers aged between 18 and 55 years in rural areas that operate in the agricultural space, she explained.

The minister said that these farmers were provided withloans of N300,000 for farm inputs, adding that the scheme had 12 months including three months moratorium and nine months repayment period.

All qualified beneficiaries will soon receive their disbursement alerts. We wish to remind all qualified beneficiaries that this is a loan payable without interest.

It is not a grant or a government windfall. It is a soft interest-free loan that must be paid back within nine months, she said.

Umar-Farouq said that the Ministry was planning a roll out of the programme nationwide after which an enumeration exercise to capture beneficiaries bio-data would take place.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Naomi Sharang

The Senate has summoned Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr Sunday Dare, over vandalisation of Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, by hoodlums on March 29, after the Super Eagles failed to qualify for the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

The upper chamber equally invited the President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick, and other agencies involved in the maintenance of the stadium.

The resolutions were sequel to a Point of Order raised by Sen. Michael Nnachi (PDP-Ebonyi) during Wednesdays plenary.

The senate also mandated its Committee on Sports and Youth Development to investigate the remote and immediate causes of the failure of the national team to qualify for the World Cup in spite of the numerous government support.

Violent reaction by irate fans reportedly took place in the aftermath of the Nigeria vs Ghana qualifier leading to vandalisation of facilities at the stadium and the unfortunate death of Zambian CAF official, Joseph Kabungo.

The national stadium was packed with highly expectant Nigerian fans throughout the controversial match and the alleged violent reaction of those fans to the outcome of this match has become a subject of local and international media criticism.

A lot of valuable facilities at the stadium were destroyed but the extent of destruction is yet to be determined by the relevant government authority.

There is no gainsaying that the destruction will cause the government of Nigeria several millions of naira to either replace or effect repairs.

Apart from several unidentified football fans who were injured as a result of this incident, the death of Dr Joseph is a huge loss to the global football community, he said.

Supporting the motion, Sen. Abba Moro (PDP-Benue) said it was a very sad day for Nigeria.

It is sad that Nigerians vented their anger and frustration on the physical stadium.

There is an urgent need for this senate, if possible, to intervene to see that our stadia across Nigeria are properly structured and made in such a way that future occurrences or fans invading the pitch or destroying the stadium will be prevented, he said.

Source: NAN News

By Babatunde Ogunrinde

No fewer than 60 athletes from Oyo State are expected to participate in the maiden National Para-sports games, scheduled for Abuja between April 9 and April 18.

Chairman of Oyo State Sports Council, Gbenga Adewusi, made this known in a statement issued on Wednesday.

Adewusi stated that the event, organised by Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, would give Para athletes the opportunity to exhibit their talents in various sports.

According to him, the event will also serve as an avenue for scouts to shop for talents that could be groomed for Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Adewusl also said that the countrys Para-sports had produced the highest number of medals for the country since Nigeria started participating in the games.

He added that Para-sports had contributed immensely to reduction of young people with special needs roaming the streets.

The sports council chairman listed para-table tennis, para-swimming, wheel chair basketball, powerlifting, deaf sports, para-athletics and para-canoe as the events in which the team would participate at the games. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

This is contained in a statement he personally signed and made available to newmen in Abuja on Tuesday.

The minister implored the supporters who allegedly defected to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to have a rethink and return to their natural habitat.

He said notwithstanding the fact that the supporters were genuinely aggrieved because of the way and manner they had been treated in the state, leaving the party was not the solution.

Mohammed said that the supporters were badly treated in spite of their immeasurable contributions to the massive victory of the party in the state in 2019, which led to the emergence of the governor.

We have taken the grievances of our supporters to the highest level of our party, and we have cause to believe that everything will be done toaddress the grievances and unite the party ahead of the 2023 elections, he said.

Mohammed said for his partas a founding member of the APC, someone who had toiledendlessly to build the party and worked withstakeholders to deliver Kwara State to the APC, leaving the party isnot an option.

I am a bonafide member of the APC and I have no intention of leaving the party.

All through my political career, I have always remained loyal to anyparty in which I have found myself.

That is not about to change now. I want to use this opportunity to once again call on the leadership ofour party to urgently and decisively address the issues that have forced some members of our party in Kwara to contemplate leaving theparty, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Lucky Irabor, says that journalists and the Armed Forces of Nigeria are partners in progress in ensuring enduring peace and tranquility in the country.

Irabor said this at the opening of a 3-Day Conference on Enhancing Journalists-Military Cooperation to Checking Insecurity in Nigeria organised by Zacklair Investment Limited on Tuesday in Abuja.

Represented by the Chief of Defence Civil-Military Cooperation, Rear Adm. Adeseye Ayobanjo, the COAS said that journalists had steadfastly executed the duties of informing, educating and enlightening the public.

Irabor said that the journalists update the public daily on occurrences and activities happening around them and beyond.

He added that Section 217 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria as amended, entrusted the military with the responsibility of defending the country from external aggression.

According to him, the military are also empowered constitutionally to maintain its territorial integrity and securing its borders from violation on land, sea or air.

It can be deduced that journalists work on the minds and soul of the populace using their medium and platforms to condition the minds of people and set agenda to enable people make informed decisions on day-to-day issues.

Irabor said the military on the other hand, had the responsibility of ensuring that the physical space was not threatened or violated by any injurious force or actions.

These actions, he said are perpetuated by enemies of the state that could lead to disruption of peace and orderliness in the society.

He said that journalists and members of the armed forces remained partners in progress that needed each other to actualise the mandates of their professional callings.

For instance, notwithstanding military monopoly in the use of the weapons of violence, it cannot win the war in the hearts and minds of the people by kinetic means.

On the other hand, in spite of journalists ability to use the power of the pen and media to articulate and disseminate opinions and issues, they need a safe space and conducive environment.

This is facilitated by the military and other security agencies for human activities to thrive.

This marriage of necessity between the military and journalists has come to stay because there cannot be any form of development in the absence of enduring peace and transquility.

That said, the marriage is not altogether without conflict, he said.

The defence chief said the conference was timely in view of the myriads of contemporary security challenges bedeviling the country vis a vis the various military operations being conducted to stem the tide of criminalities in various parts of the country.

He said that patriotism would help both military and journalists to set aside professional differences and peculiarities to project the country favourably in the eyes of both national and global communities.

Being patriotic entails that we will not remain unconcerned in contributing our quota towards addressing and proffering solutions to security problems in the country.

Patriotism is also key in advancing the whole-of- the-society approach, which harps on the need for all hands to be on deck to defeat the enemies of the state.

As we all know, security is everyones business, he said.

The former Defence Spokesman, retired Maj.-Gen. Christopher Olukolade, said that collaboration between the Nigerian military and the media was a major pillar in the civil military relations as well as the security of the nation.

Olukolade said the need for better relationship between the media and the military were significantly indispensable as they tried to seek solution to security issues in the country.

The former Defence spokesman said the forum would provide opportunity to promote understanding between the critical stakeholders in sharing ideas and bridge whatever communication gap that had existed between them.

Also, the former Director, Army Public Relations, retired Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, called for enhanced cooperation between the military and the media with a view to promote national security.

Usman, who delivered a paper titled, Enhancing Military-Journalist Cooperation to Checking Insecurity, said the existing mistrust between the two should not hamper the needed cooperation between them.

He also identified conflict of interest as a major obstacle to achieving the needed collaboration between the military and journalists, saying that journalists must not compromise military operations while doing their job.

The President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Chris Isiguzo, said there was need for military and the media to work together to mitigate situations that would threaten peace and stability in the society.

Isiguzo said the media had the responsibility of setting an agenda in managing conflict like the strategies for reducing conflict, adding that every situation of conflict had typical cycle or pre-conflict stage, the conflict stage and post conflict stage.

He said the interventions at each stage of the cycle might not be the same or could be a mixture, saying the intention should be to forestall conflicts or alleviate consequences.

According to him, the media, no doubt, still remain one of the most reliable institutions, especially in the context of conflict resolution and development.

He however, urged journalists to be conflict managers, long before conflicts and their attendant consequences manifests. (NAN)

Source: NAN News