By Ismaila Chafe

The Ministries of Petroleum Resources, Foreign Affairs, and Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development are expected to make presentations at the 43rd virtual meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting is being presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.

Those in attendance of the meeting include Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari.

Other Ministers physically attending the meeting are those of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Finance, Zainab Ahmed, Justice, Abubakar Malami and Foreign Affairs, Geoffery Onyeama.

Others are the Ministers of the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello, Minister of State Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, and Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouk.

The Head of Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan and other cabinet members are participating in the weekly cabinet meeting from their respective offices in Abuja, online. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Taiye Agbaje

The arraignment of staff members of the Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGFZA) for alleged forgery and falsification of documents, was on Wednesday stalled because of the ongoing strike by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a Wuse Zone 2 Magistrate Court, Abuja, on March 16, gave the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, three weeks to produce two staff of OGFZA; Mr Wasiu Sule, the Head of Legal Services and Secretary to OGFZAs Board and Mr Alenju Ngofa, who is the Human Resource Head of the organisation, for arraignment.

The Magistrate, Mabel Segun-Bello, gave the order after counsel to the nominal complainant, Nkereuwem Akpan, informed the court that the accused persons had evaded service of court processes on them despite several attempts.

NAN reports that while the complainant is Mr Olufunmilayo David Omosule, the 1st and 2nd defendants are Sule and Ngofa respectively.

The magistrate also gave the police commissioner the go-ahead to investigate the defendants on allegations levelled against them.

Segun-Bello then adjourned the matter until April 26 for hearing.

OGFZA and Omosule had been locked in legal battle over the legality or otherwise of the plaintiffs suspension, following his petition against some management staff of the agency on alleged corruption.

Omosule alleged that the defendants wilfully and maliciously distorted his records to appear as though he does not possess any requisite qualification to be employed at OGFZA or any qualification at all to be considered for promotion.

He said their action was tantamount to forgery and falsification of documents contrary to Section 363 and 364 of the Penal Code, which is detrimental and injurious to his person.

The agency had via a letter dated April 18, 2011, suspended Omosule as the manager of its Abuja office, on the grounds that he refused to comply with its letter dated Dec. 3, 2010, which had directed him to present the originals of his credentials for verification.

Omosule, however, refuted the claim of the authority, stating that he made available to the organisation, Certified True Copies (CTCs) of his educational certificates /credentials, including GCE O Level certificates and degree certificates as instructed.

Omosule had claimed that the originals of his credentials were misplaced in untraceable circumstances as at 2010 when the report to submit originals was made.

The claimant also averred that the CTCs of his certificates submitted to the agency were certified by the issuing institutions, which included West African Examination Council and the University of Ado-Ekiti, then Ondo State University, Ado-Ekiti respectively.

The claimant is therefore seeking the court s declaration that he was still a staff of the organisation and entitled to all the rights, privileges and benefits due to him by reason of his employment.

He is praying the court for an order directing the defendant to reinstate him to the position of a director, on grade level 17, a position he claimed his contemporaries were currently.

Omosule is equally seeking for the order of the court to direct the agency to pay all his outstanding salaries, benefits and entitlement since 2011.

In addition, he is asking the court to order the organisation to pay him the of N50 million as exemplary and general damages.

NAN reports that a verdict of the Federal High Court in Nigerias capital, Abuja, had in January 2014, held that financial autonomy for the judiciary is a constitutional provision that must be complied with by the executive branch of government.NAN reports that on May 23, President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law the Executive Order to grant financial autonomy to the legislature and the judiciary across the 36 states of the country.

The order also mandates the accountant-general of the federation to deduct from source amount due to state legislatures and judiciaries from the monthly allocation to each state for states that refuse to grant such autonomy.

The Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, the Executive Order No. 10 of 2020, made it mandatory that all states of the federation should include the allocations of both the legislature and the judiciary in the first-line charge of their budgets.

According to the AGF, a Presidential Implementation Committee was constituted to fashion out strategies and modalities for the implementation of financial autonomy for the State Legislature and State Judiciary in compliance with section 121(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended).

NAN reports that the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) said they will start implementing financial autonomy for the judiciary latest by May ending, a pledge that indicates that an end to the ongoing strike that has crippled the nations judiciary may be in sight.

The governors also called on striking members of the JUSUN to call off their two weeks old strike.

The chairman of the NGF, Gov. Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti, gave this assurance in an interview with journalists after meeting with stakeholders from the state judiciary and legislature at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

He said the modalities for the implementation were worked out at the meeting held at the Presidential Villa.

According to him, the meeting, chaired by the Chief of Staff to President Buhari, Ibrahim Gambari, was attended by the Solicitor-General of the Federation, the representatives of the judiciary, the representatives of the Conference of Speakers, and House of Representatives.

The first line charge status, which is being respected by the federal government in respect of the federal judiciary, entitles the state judiciaries to get funds due to them directly from the federation account.

The governors rushed to court in 2020 to challenge an executive order signed by President Buhari for the enforcement of the first line charge status of both the state judiciary and legislature.

They argued that executive order which directs the accountant-general of the federation to deduct funds meant for the state judiciaries and legislatures in the federation account and pay it to them was unconstitutional. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Lizzy Okoji

The ECOWAS Court of Justice has ordered the Government of Cote dIvoire to immediately release its citizen, Kodjo Claude, who had been in pre-trial detention since June 2018.

The court handed down the judgment after finding the government guilty of violation of his rights to liberty and presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Delivering the judgment, the Judge Rapporteur, Justice Dupe Atoki, said that by detaining Claude beyond 18months was in violation of its obligations under the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.

She explained that the act which, was allowed by Article 166 (2) and 3 of the countrys Criminal Code Procedure which was the basis for his detention, the Republic of Cote dIvoire was in violation of the African Charter.

The court also awarded payment of 14 million CFA francs in favour of Claude as moral damages for the arbitrary deprivation of his liberty, ordering the government to submit to the court within a month, measures taken to implement the orders of the court.

In awarding the damage, the court said it was mindful of the fact that the applicant did not give details of the damage he claimed and havennot provided evidence of his profession and earnings.

According to her, one of the fundamental principles of the right tofair hearing is the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

She said that Article 7 (1) (b) of the African Charter which relates to this right and provided that;

The court held that in a criminal matter, in so far as a competent court had not pronounced on the guilt of a suspect, a presumption of innocence was attributed to that individual.

The court also noted that the public prosecutor had the burden of proving the guilt of the accused in order for the accused to be convicted of the crime he was charged with.

It added that the prosecution must in all cases, proved that the accused was guilty, a principle which remained so sacred to the right of the accused that if reasonable doubt remained, the accused must be acquitted.

The court also urged the government to review Article 605 of its Criminal Code Procedure which it relied on for the continued detention of Claude despite the order of the Investigating Chamber of the Court of Appeal for his release.

Atoki reaffirmed in the judgment that ECOWAS Court lacked jurisdiction to examine the laws of the Member States and does not act as an appellate Court in regards to decisions of Member states.

She, however, noted that where human rights violations were raised in the laws or judgment of a court of a Member State, it would exercise jurisdiction over same.

In the initiating application in suit ECW/CCJ/APP/01/21 filed by Souleymane Diallo, Counsel to Claude, the applicant alleged that the Ivoirian government violated his rights.

This, he explained, was done by keeping him in preventive detention beyond the accumulative legal limit of 18 months as specified in Articles 166, paragraphs 2 and 3 of the Ivoirian Criminal Code Procedure.

Diallo stated that the Ivoirian government failed to implement decision no 64/20 of Jan. 29, 2020 of its Court of Appeal that ordered Claudes statutory release under the supervision of the prosecutor general.

Among the reliefs sought, was an order for his immediate release and payment of one billion CFA francs as compensation for prejudice suffered.

The Government of Cote dIvoire represented by Cyprien Essis denied that the right to liberty of the applicant was violated on the ground that the detention was done in accordance with Article 605 of the Criminal Code Procedure.

Essis noted that the above section allowed for the suspension of time limit for detention as provided in Article 166.

He submitted that Claude was kept in preventive detention following his arrest for complicity in fraudulent crime and that though the appeal court granted his release, there was another appeal pending at the Court of Cassation awaiting decision.

Other members of the panel were Justices Gberi-Be Ouattara (presiding), and Januaria Costa (member). (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ekemini Ladejobi

Flutterwave, a Nigerian fintech firm, @theflutterwave, has been named a Pioneer on TIMEs 2021 list of the 100 Most Influential Companies in the World.

In a list, which includes big wigs like Apple, Twitter and Stripe, the firm makes history as the only African company to make it this year.

The list was divided into 5 categories; Pioneers, Leaders, Innovators, Disruptors and Titans.

TIME reports that the fintech company was chosen for its efforts in recharging retailers after the pandemic slowed travel in Nigeria.

Flutterwave co-founder and CEO, Olugbenga Agboola, explained that the digital payment provider launched a free promotion called keeping the lights on.

When pandemic lockdowns hit brick-and-mortar businesses in Africa, the digital-payment service was able to rapidly set up digital storefronts for 20,000 customers, throwing them a lifeline.

Agboola, compares the infrastructure of digital transactions across nations and platforms,you dont want to think about it, you just want it to work.

Agboola called the free campaign keeping the lights on.

It would be recalled that Flutterwave hit tech-unicorn status in March when it secured 170 million dollars in Series C funding from global investors, valuing the company at more than one billion dollars.

TIME gathered nominations from its global network of editors and correspondents, as well as industry experts, to compile the list.

Health care, entertainment, transportation, technology, and a variety of other industries are among those represented.

The relevance, impact, innovation, leadership, ambition, and success of each company were then evaluated.

Other companies listed under Pioneers include Rihannas SAVAGE X FENTY, Bumble, Beyond Meat, Hello Sunshine, Strava, Klutch Sports Group. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Funmilayo Adeyemi

The Federal Government has inaugurated a homegrown Plagiarism Detection Software Code called EagleScan to enhance the integrity of higher institutions.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the inauguration of the software in Abuja on Tuesday, said that plagiarism was a form of corruption.

Osinbajo said that the initiative was part of the core mandates of President Muhammadu Buharis administration that announced the zero tolerance for plagiarism.

According to him, the Federal Government is fully committed to support all initiatives that will continue to build and enhance the integrity of higher institutions.

Let me also say that the government will give all that is needed to ensure that anti plagiarism measures are instituted across the country, Osinbajo added.

Speaking, the Minister of Education, Mr Adamu Adamu, while lauding the indigenous anti plagiarism software, said it would facilitate the desired quality expected in institutions of higher learning.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, emphasised the need to institutionalise an anti-plagiarismpolicy in all higher institutions.

Rasheed said that doing this would encompass various aspects of Plagiarism.

Having the software is one aspect of the battle against plagiarism, universities must take concrete steps to institutionalise anti plagiarism policy that forbids all aspects of the intellectual theft.

For so long the issues of Plagiarism amongst others such as copyrights as well as abuses of infringements have robbed our universities the much desired integrity, he said.

Similarly, the Chairman of the occasion and the Deputy Chairman, Senate Committee on Higher Education, Prof. Sandy Onor, said the software would address the challenges of academic research authentication and validation.

The EagleScan Plagiarism DetectionSoftware integrates global open source and closed source repositories, local Open Education Repositories and allows users to validate titles abstracts and generate originality report, he said.

The Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) Prof. Elias Bogoro, promised that the Fund on plagiarism would be committed to work with the Committee of Vice Chancellors to fight plagiarism.

Bogoro said that the fund was not only committed to the initiative but had effectively proceeded to make funding commitment towards the project.

TETFund recently realised the need for software on anti plagiarism for the National Research Fund.

We are also working on a software to package the impact of research but in respect of Plagiarism, we are happy to work with the Committee of Vice Chancellors to fight plagiarism.

We are convinced of deepened content of academic engagement particularly research, the idea of operations must stop hence, the establishment of the Research

By Kingsley Okoye

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has announced that the second phase roll-out of the Digital Switch Over (DSO) would begin on April 29 in Lagos state.

The minister made the disclosure in Abuja, on Tuesday, at an interactive session with the Senate Committee on Information and National Orientation and the 13-Member Ministerial Task Force on the DSO project.

The minister said: We are kickstarting the new roll out in Lagos State on April 29, while Kano on June 3, Rivers on July 8. We will then follow up with Yobe on July 15 and Gombe on Aug 12.

To date, we have rolled out the DSO in five states and Abuja.

He added that the DSO had gone live in the Federal Capital Territory, Kwara, Kaduna Enugu and Osun states.

Mohammed said the ministry considered the DSO as one of its priority projects, given its potential to create jobs, bring governance closer to the people, through better access to information, provide quality programming to Nigerias estimated 24 million television households, with high fidelity pictures and sound.

Without mincing words, let me say straight away that for us, the DSO is about stimulating local content and empowering platform owners, he said.

He said the manufacturing of Set Top Boxes or decoders alone, was capable of creating 50,000 jobs, while television production could create an additional 200,000 jobs .

Film production can generate 350 to 400,000 jobs, distribution, which entails supplying the market with Set Top Boxes, TVs and dongles for the Internet, will require at least 100,000 wholesalers.

Advertising can create a further 50,000 jobs, the minister said.

He said the ministry had taken some steps to create the enabling environment for the DSO to succeed, for local content to thrive, for indigenous producers to be more engaged and for the local advertising market to grow.

Mohammed also revealed that the federal government had carried out an unprecedented reform of the broadcasting industry, given the nexus between the reforms and success of the DSO.

The amendments were necessitated by the need to boost the local content in Nigeria, curb anti competitive and monopolistic tendencies and boost advertising revenues.

We have amended the code to curb monopoly and exclusivity of programme content in order to create room for the industry to grow.

For example, the pay TV sector of the broadcast Industry had been controlled by foreign interests, while indigenous efforts to compete have been frustrated or weakened by the established control of the big monopolies.

It will interest you to know that to date, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has licensed over 30 Nigerian pay TV companies, but only one, is currently struggling to break through; this is not acceptable, he said.

The minister added that the monopolies excluded many Nigerians from enjoying, or having access to premium content, especially in the area of sports and movies.

With the amendment to the code, anyone owning any sports rights must make such available to other parties in Nigeria, who may be interested in acquiring these rights.

We have amended the Code to stimulate growth in the advertising industry. Agencies and advertisers now have to offset all outstanding invoices within 60 days related to advert placement and the barring of carriage of adverts of defaulters.

This will significantly address the diversion of advert revenue to the wrong hands, address lack of accountability in the industry, and ensure significant empowerment in terms of funding for content producers and channel owners in the Nigerian media industry.

Also, under the new amendment, for a programme to qualify as local content, it must be authored, directed and produced by a Nigerian.

In addition, at least 75 per cent of the leading actors and major supporting cast must be Nigerians, a minimum of 75 per cent of its programme expenses and 75 per cent of post-production expenses paid for services provided by Nigerians or Nigerian companies.

This initiative will considerably develop the skills, expertise and industry of the local content market. This is a redefinition of the old regulation that 60 percent of all programmed aired during prime time must be local content.

As part of efforts to make the DSO proposition viable. I have directed GoTV and StarTimes to stop self carriage by the end of June 2021, and migrate to either Integrated Television Service (ITS) or Pinnacle Communication, which are the approved signal distributors in the country.

To stimulate growth and investment in the advertising sector, the code was further amended to the effect that all television and radio advertisements airing on all broadcast platforms, pertaining to products and services manufactured, grown, processed, developed, created and originating from Nigeria, shall be wholly produced in Nigeria.

According to him, bills to amend the National Broadcasting Commission Act and the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) Act had been proposed to concretise reforms in the broadcasting and advertising sectors.

He, therefore, appealed to the Senators to fast-track deliberations on the bills seeking to amend the Acts. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Gabriel Agbeja

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted three days of sunshine and cloudiness from Wednesday to Friday in parts of the country.

NiMets Weather Outlook released on Tuesday in Abuja also predicted sunny skies over Northern region with patches of clouds over parts of Sokoto, Zamfara, Kaduna, Gombe, Bauchi, Kano and Katsina States during the morning hours of Wednesday.

According to the forecast, there are prospects of isolated thunderstorms over parts of Sokoto, Kebbi, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa and Taraba States during the afternoon and evening hours.

The North Central cities are expected to be cloudy with intervals of sunshine except over Niger and Kwara States where there are chances of thunderstorms during the morning hours.

Later in the day, there are chances of isolated thunderstorms over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Benue, Kwara and Kogi States.

Cloudy skies should prevail over the Inland cities of the South with chances of isolated thunderstorms over parts of Ogun and Ondo States during the morning hours, it predicted.

The agency forecast isolated thunderstorms over parts of Imo, Oyo, Enugu, Ogun and Abia States during the afternoon and evening hours.

It also envisaged chances of isolated thunderstorms over the coastal region especially Lagos, Delta, Cross River and Akwa Ibom States during the morning hours.

It anticipated chances of isolated thunderstorms over parts of Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Lagos, Delta and Bayelsa later in the day.

According to NiMet, cloudy skies with intervals of sunshine are expected over the Northern cities in the morning hours of Thursday with chances of isolated thunderstorms over Southern part of Taraba.

It also predicted chances of isolated thunderstorms over parts of Adamawa and Taraba States during the afternoon and evening hours.

The agency forecast cloudy skies with intervals of sunshine over the North Central region during the morning hours with chances of thunderstorms over parts of Plateau, Kwara, Kogi and Nasarawa States during the morning hours.

However, there are chances of thunderstorms over Benue, Plateau, and Federal Capital Territory during the afternoon and evening hours.

Cloudy skies are expected over the Inland cities of the South with chances of isolated thunderstorms over parts of Ogun, Oyo, Edo, Imo, and Ebonyi States during the afternoon and evening hours.

The coastal cities of the South are expected to be cloudy with chances of isolated thunderstorms over Rivers, Cross River, Delta, Akwa Ibom and Bayelsa States in the morning hours, it stated.

It predicted chances of thunderstorms over parts of Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Bayelsa States during the afternoon and evening hours.

According to the agency, sunny skies with patches of cloud are envisaged over the Northern region during the morning hours of Friday.

Prospects of thunderstorms over Sokoto, Adamawa, Kaduna, Kebbi, and Taraba States during the afternoon and evening hours were also predicted during the period in focus.

NiMet forecast cloudy skies with intervals of sunshine over the North Central region with prospects of thunderstorms over parts of Nasarawa, Plateau, Benue, Kogi States and the Federal Capital Territory during the afternoon and evening hours.

The Inland and Coastal cities of the South are expected to be cloudy in the morning hours.

Later in the day, isolated thunderstorms are expected over parts of Ondo, Edo, Osun, Imo, Anambra, Cross River, Rivers and Bayelsa States during the afternoon and evening hours, it stated. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Nicholas Obisike

Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State on Tuesday, urged all illustrious sons and daughters of the state to think home in their investment decisions.

Ugwuanyi made this call when heformally declared open Easton Hill Continental Hotel, Independence Layout, Enugu built by a businessman, Chief Mike Onu from Nkanu West Local Government Area open in Enugu.

The governorreiterated his administrations commitment to expanding the frontiers of favourable investments in the state, through sustained improvement inbusiness enabling environment.

Ugwuanyi said the state had adequate stock of developing and arable land and robust physical infrastructure.

We also have willing youthful workforce, safe and secure environment, favourable policies, regulatory framework and friendly tax regime.

Most importantly, we parade impressive Ease of Doing Business Credentials, he said.

Ugwuanyi maintained that such decisions would promote a harmonious working relationship with the state government and expand the economic opportunities of the people of the state.

This is another, in a series of new businesses, that I have had the privilege to commission in recent time.

It is usually heart warming for me to see the establishment of Small and Medium Enterprises in Enugu state.

These businesses bring huge economic benefits including job creation, wealth creation and improvement in the Internally Generated Revenue of the state.

Also, it mitigates youths restiveness as well as its associated criminality and insecurity among others, Ugwuanyi said.

He acknowledged Onu as a consummate and resilient businessman, who had been able to hold his own in the hospitality industry.

Ugwuanyi also congratulated him for successfully increasing the tally of his business outfits, beseeching God Almighty to bless the great endeavour.

In his remarks, Onu said he built the hotel to create job and improve the internally generated revenue of the state. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ekemini Ladejobi

Music star Tiwa Savage has shut down pregnancy rumours after sharing pictures from her hot summer body on social media.

Tiwa was rumoured to be pregnant with another baby for one of Davidos huncho, but has come out now to dispel the rumours.

The rumour was believed to have started after Tiwas Instagram live performance for the movie Coming To America 2 after party.

The single mother of one, recently on her instagram, posted pictures of her hot summer body with the caption Pregnancy where??? to further dispel the rumours.

Tiwa, who the New York Times described as the Queen of Afrobeats, made an American album debut, with the release Celia, in Aug. 28, 2020 but her fourth full-length album in Nigeria.

Tiwa has this natural tone in her voice that makes you feel like youre listening to a friend. It feels comfortable and feels wholesome and homey. And she sounds kind when she sings.

My favorite singers have softness to their voice that doesnt, you know, smash you in the face.

It just sits with you and talks to you in a kind and soft way. Thats how I hear her voice, The New York Times said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ahmed Kaigama

The Bauchi state government, on Tuesday, approved N1 billion loan for the states fertilizer blending plant for the production of fertilizer for the 2021 planting season.

Gov. Bala Mohammmed made the announcement in Bauchi during his project inspection tour to the fertilizer plant.

Mohammed explained that the state was involved in an obnoxious fertilizer distribution system in the past where fertilizer distribution was based on party support or for seeking votes.

He said this practice had caused the states fertilizer blending plant, a debt of N700 million which halted the production of fertilizer in the state.

The governor, however, explained that with the present administrations determination to revamp agriculture in the state, it had cleared the debt, hence the provision of the loan in order for the take off of fertilizer production again.

We inherited a debt of N700 million. We have paid that debt and we are not going to continue with old practice because it would not take us anywhere.

There is no free breakfast anywhere, considering the fact that all the money we are getting from the federation account, 99 per cent is going into payment of salaries and pension for civil servants and some of us that constitute only one per cent of the population.

We have to take care of the 99 per cent population of Bauchi state, who are mostly farmers and traders and the only way to ensure food security is to provide fertilizer at an affordable rate.

Thats why we are going a step further to give N1billion loan to the fertilizer blending plant to start producing fertilizers and they have given us the assurance that before the beginning of rainy season, we are going to have fertilizers at affordable rate, Mohammmed said.

Mohammed further charged all the stakeholders to ensure that the fertilizers were distributed with equity and without bias.

I hope the commissioner would establish a system whereby you will distribute these fertilizers and become affordable at all the nooks and crannies of Bauchi state.

If you fail us, you are a failure. I have taken my own charge and I have discharged my responsibility, it is left to you to discharge yours, the governor said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News