By Christian Njoku

Rear Admiral Awwal Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), says welfare of personnel of the Nigerian Navy remains critical and his administration will take it seriously.

Gambo said this on Saturday at a familiarisation visit and project inspection in Calabar.

We must understand that the matter of welfare remains one of the most critical in military operations and my administration will take it seriously, he added.

According to him, the divisional system remained the fulcrum in which the Nigerian Navy welfare system revolves; officers must therefore do more to practice the tenets of divisional system for the benefit of the personnel.

I understand the huge challenge of transportation especially in the area of liberty buses and ferries.

There is a large pool of buses and ambulance that has been procured and awaiting distribution before I assumed command of the Nigerian Navy.

It is hoped that the transportation challenge shall be a thing of the past as more trucks and buses are expected soon as part of the Federal Governments intervention, Gambo said.

He observed that housing for the personnel had also been a challenge.

He said that in spite of the efforts of the previous administration to provide befitting accommodations for personnel, over 50 per cent of the personnel were still without appropriate housing especially in Calabar.

He noted the huge financial implication of building and the massive budgetary allocation required to tackle the problem.

There is need to seriously consider the new policy on accommodation as a panacea for a source of funding for accommodation in the Nigerian Navy, he said.

Gambo also used the opportunity to remind the officers of their responsibilities and urged them to maintain discipline and integrity.

He warned that he would not hesitate to relieve anyone of his appointment without notice if found wanting.

He disclosed that the Nigerian Navy would establish policies and measures to sanction personnel who collude with economic saboteurs, drug traffickers, bandits or armed robbers.

The CNS also said that personnel that exhibited high integrity and attributes that portrayed the service in good light would be rewarded handsomely.

I have observed a seemingly lackadaisical attitude among officers and ratings in the engineering branch of the Nigerian Navy in the area of maintenance and repairs of the Nigerian navy vehicles.

A new boost of energy is required from the Nigerian Navy engineering branch and I will ensure that our engineering personnel are given requisite training to enable them undertake maintenance of all naval platforms including the new ones expected, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that among the navy facilities visited by CNS in the state was the Navy Reference Hospital, Calabar.

He said that the hospital would continue to undergo transformation to make it a world class medical centre. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Georgina Adegbie

The Governor of Kogi, Yahaya Bello, on Saturday in Abuja said women deserve to be give recognition in various fields of endeavour.

Bello said this at the end of a novelty match at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium to mark the celebration of Womens International Day.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the event to mark the Day was I choose to challenge Gender Inequality in Football

Bello said women were being confronted by all sorts of challenges in the world.

Today, I saw our queens participating actively in the game of football to mark the day.

We are not saying equality, but equity.

The situation where our teams are winning medals and trophies and making us proud in Nigeria, in Africa and across the world and the commercial gains are not given to them is not acceptable.

They (women) should not be neglected, and I strongly advocate for equity as far as their remuneration and welfare package are concerned.

And this should not be only in football but in every sport across the country, he said.

The governor said Kogi as a state has been giving women their rightful place.

Our female desired to be given recognition. In Kogi, we decided to include women in the last exercise of elections across all the local government areas (LGAs).

Our women emerged as vice-chairman across all the 21 LGAs of Kogi.

We also ensure that three to four women are elected as councillors in each of the states LGAs.

Today, as we have women as council leaders in the 21 LGAs, we also ensure that youths are equally carried along, he said.

Bello added that the state government has recognised women and given them the space to be part of the government.

Youths and women are given opportunities to serve in our government.

The lady standing behind me is my Aide-de-Camp (ADC) and this is the first government to give a lady this opportunity.

Our Secretary to the State Government (SSG) is a woman and the Head of service also is a woman, he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that WACO Academy Queens Football Club from Abuja defeated the Yes Diamond Queens FC of Kuje 3-0 in the novelty match. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ahmed Kaigama

The Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Adamu, has urged the Conference of Speakers of the State Houses Assembly to support the call of traditional rulers for a role in the Nigerian Constitution.

Adamu spoke when the speakers paid him a courtesy visit on Saturday in Bauchi.

He said traditional leaders did not belong to any political party, pointing out that they enjoyed working with the executive and the legislative arms of government.

The emir commended the good working relationship between Bauchi State Government and the House of Assembly.

Adamu also praised Gov. Bala Mohammmed of Bauchi State for his developmental projects.

He urged the Conference of Speakers to come up with very robust ideas that would move the country forward.

Earlier, Alhaji Abubakar Sulaiman, the Conference Chairman, said members were in Bauchi to hold their first quarterly meeting.

We are here to solicit for your fatherly advice and prayers to enable us to succeed in driving the country to the greater height, Sulaiman said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

In a remarkably busy week, President Muhammadu Buhari opened his heart and arms to receive former political heavy weights running to the APC for refuge after a long sojourn in the cold.

The passing week also brought smiles to political juggernaut, Sen. Ahmed Bola Tinubu, when the presidency affirmed that there was no crack in the relationship between him and Buhari.

Tinubu, fondly called Jagaban by his admirers, is viewed by political analysts as having fallen out of favour with the presidency at a season the top politician is seen to be gearing up to run for Nigerias presidency in 2023.

Tinubu, who was also a former governor of Lagos State turned 69 this week.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Buhari on March 22, hosted former Gov. Gbenga Daniel of Ogun and a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Dimeji Bankole ,who recently defected to the ruling APC.

The Chairman of the Caretaker Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee of the APC, who is also Governor of Yobe, Mai Mala Buni, accompanied by the Governors of Jigawa, Badaru Abubakar and that of Kebbi, Atiku Bagudu, presented Daniel and Bankole to the president.

Daniel was governor from 2003 to 2011, while Bankole was speaker from 2007 to 2011. The two men served on the platform of the PDP, the current main opposition party.

Bankole, who appears to have been in political Siberia after his years as speaker, defected from the PDP to the African Democratic Party before now moving to the APC.

Speaking to State House correspondents after introducing the defectors, Buni said his team came to present the new APC members to the president, whom he said, had expressed his delight with the calibre of the defectors.

The president also hostedGov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State on March 22.

Ganduje told correspondents after his meeting with the president that the State Government had earmarked N9 billion for the construction of three-level interchange road projects to be named after Buhari.

The governor expressed his optimism that the road project, which he described as the first of its kind in Africa, would ease traffic congestion in the Kano metropolis.

Also on March 22, the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, presided over two feedback-focused virtual interactive sessions on the Economic Sustainability Plan scheme of the Buhari administration.

Beneficiaries of the Survival Fund from the Transportation and Education sectors, during the session praised the president and the vice-president for the success of what they described as an unprecedented, transparent, fair and impactful scheme.

The same day, the Presidential Communication Team, organised the quarterly media briefing of foreign correspondents.

The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Dr Zainab Ahmed, Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Iraborand the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, Prof. Bolaji Owasanoyewere in attendance as resource persons.

On March 23, the president met behind closed doors with Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue, who escaped attack by gunmen while on his farm.

Earlier on March 21, Buhari reacted to the incident, dispatching a team of investigators to Benue from the Police Headquarters in Abuja, directing the officers to uncover who or what was behind the attack on the governor.

The president also expressed his sympathy to Ortom and the people of Benue.

The Nigerian leader similarly, called on his Nigerien counterpart, President Mahamadou Issoufou on phone, to sympathise with him over a recent terrorist attack that resulted to the killing of 137 Nigeriens by Boko Haram and Islam in West Africa jihadists.

The president affirmed that Nigeria would continue to stand with its neighbours in the fight against terror.

Also on March 23, Buhari, represented by Osinbajo, opened the 2021 National Labour Advisory Council meeting.

He lauded workers and other social partners for their cooperation and understanding in the resolution of issues in the industry, saying that workers also showed understanding in their demands.

Osinbajo expressed the commitment of the Federal Government to the welfare of Nigerian workers.

The vice-president also participated at a virtual Chatham House interactive session with theme: Priorities for Nigerias Post-COVID Recovery.

Buhari on March 24, presided over the 39virtual meeting of the Federal Executive Council at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa.

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT), ministries of aviation, agriculture, power and finance made presentations at the meeting.

Those physically in attendance at the meeting include Osinbajo, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari and eight ministers.

At the end of the meeting, the council approved N82 billion for the execution of various projects within the FCT, including the rehabilitation of the Abuja Federal Secretariat.

The council also approved N922.8 million for the purchase of fertilizer to assist states affected by insurgency and the 2018 flood disaster as well as N3.2 billion for the procurement of four transformers to improve the quality of electricity supply nationwide.

It also approved N155.2 million for the production and delivery of one million serialized electricity meters at Oshodi in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Kaduna.

On March 24, the presidency dismissed as false and untrue media report indicating that there was a rift betweenBuhari and his political Tinubu.

The Presidents Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, made the clarification in a statement issued in Abuja.

The president and the Asiwaju have a strong commitment to APC towards bringing CHANGE and this is a commitment they have made to the Nigerian people.

Recent reports of a rift between the two leaders of our party are false and the handiwork of some mischiefmakers, the presidential aide said.

On March 18, Buhari received letters of credence from the High Commissioner of The Gambia, Mr Mohamadou Musa Njie, Ambassador of South Korea, Mr Kim Young-Chae and Ambassador of the Slovak Republic, Mr Tomas Felix.

Other envoys who submitted their letters of credence include the High Commissioner of Australia, Mr John Gerard Donnelly, High Commissioner of Bangladesh, Mr Md. Masudur Rahman and Ambassador of Guinea Bissau, Dr Jaao Ribeiro Butiam Co.

At the event, the Nigerian leader urged diplomats to work towards building stronger relations with focus on providing joint solutions to rising human and natural challenges.

Buhari also granted audience to members of the Fertiliser Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria at State House, Abuja.

The president announced that a new basic chemicals platform worth .3 billion that would produce ammonia and fertilisers in Nigeria would be ready for inauguration in the coming months.

According to him, the new plant will be built in partnership with the Kingdom of Morocco.

On March 26, Buhari hosted the global leader of the Tijjaniyya Islamic Religious Movement, Sheikh Muhammadul Mahy Niass, in Abuja, where he paid tribute to the martyrs of the civil war whose sacrifices ensured the unity of Nigeria.

Buhari thanked members of the movement for their fervent prayers for an end of the war and the reunification of Nigeria.

He recalled that in the 30 months of the civil war, Nigerians on both sides lost numerous lives. He prayed that never again shall Nigeria experience war.

Also on March 26, Osinbajo participated at the Nigeria Sustainable Development Goals Fintech Hackathon, organized by the Financial Centre for Sustainability Lagos, Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre, Access Bank and AfricaHacks.

Buhari ended the week March 27, with bilateral talks with the Chadian President, Field Marshal Idriss Deby Itno, at the Presidential Villa.

The Chadian leader, who arrived at the Presidential Villa at about 12.15 p.m., was welcomed by Buhari at the forecourt of the villa.

At the bilateral engagement, Buhari expressed worry on the steady shrinking of Lake Chad, saying that the development had adversely affected over 30 million people.

He said that the lake had become just about 10 per cent of its original size.

Deby, who spoke to State House correspondents at the end of his official engagement in Nigeria, expressed hope that the task of defeating Boko Haram insurgency would now be less cumbersome as Nigeria introduced new security measures and changes in the armed forces leadership. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Patience Aliyu/John Amieyeofori
Mrs Cecelia Gayya, the Director General of the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), says the institution is partnering with other organisations to tackle its challenges.

Gayya told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that some of the major challenges currently facing the college are inadequate funding as well as issues revolving around personnel development and sponsorship.

The major challenge has been in terms of personnel, because the staff that started ASCON had excellent training nationally and internationally.

Again, these days getting sponsorship the way we did before is becoming more and more difficult.

So one of our challenges is in consistently and constantly building the competencies of our facilitators to enable them deliver on our mandate.

We cannot give what we dont have, so that is our challenge that we need to put our eyes on so that our staff dont become outdated in terms of the kind of knowledge they bring to bear on their jobs, she said.

She also said the college been partnering with other organisations such as the African Management Development Institute and Ghana Institute of Management to tackle some of its challenges.

Gayya said the college also received funding from Japan in the training of 25 staff while two others were trained in South Africa.

One of the things we are doing is to engage in partnership with organisations; for example, we are in partnership with the Ghana Institute of Management.

For the purpose of staff exchange, we are also in partnership with the African Management Development Institute.

We have also gotten some sponsorship from Japan, we had 25 of our staff trained last year and we had two of them trained in South Africa for a period of about three months.

So those are some of the ways we are trying to overcome the challenge of funding.

We are also in partnership with the West Africa Management Development Institute which helped us to train some of our staff just last year.

Inspite of the institutions challenges, Gayya expressed the hope that ASCON will be revitalised in the three cardinal areas of facilities enhancement, staff development and revenue generation.

NAN reports that ASCON located in Topo, Badagry, was established in 1973 by the Federal Government as a management development institution.

Source: NAN News

By Gabriel Agbeja

The Chief Operating Officer of Ibom Air, Mr George Uriesi, on Saturday said the company would create four or five new domestic destinations before the end of 2021.

Uriesi, who said this in Abuja at theAbuja Jabamah Tourism Expo2021, added that such effort would improve connectivity within the country.

According to him, the move will bring the airline route network to nine domestic destinations and 15 routes from the current five destinations and seven routes.

Expanding our route footprint in 2021 is critical to Ibom Airs sustainable business success. We will also venture slowly into the region in the second half of 2021.

We carried our 500,000th passenger on Monday March 1.We will operate our 10,000th flight in April.The business has grown very fast and thus overall capacity has become an issue.

We will be introducing a new fleet of aircraft. We will make an order for higher capacity but highly efficient brand new aircraft shortly, which we intend to introduce into the market sooner than later,he said

Speaking, Mr Orman Esin, Commissioner Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Akwa Ibom, said the state was actually experiencing speedy socio-economic development.

Esin said such development was made possible by the visionary and pragmatic leadership of the Gov. Udom Emmanuel led administration.

According to him, the state prides itself with numerous natural resources, historical heritage cites and world class infrastructure which make it Nigerias choice destination and an investors haven.

Experience Akwa Ibom seeks to showcase and inform the world of the uncommon potentials strategically embedded in Akwa Ibom.

Experience Akwa Ibom will run you through this wonders ranging from the Victor Attah International Airport, Ibom Air, Ibom Specialty Hospital, Ibom E-Library, Ibom Power Plant, the 21 Story Smart Complex, International Worship Centre.

The confluence River, Mbo Forest Game Reserve, Women War Museum, The Bridge of No return, Slave dungeon, Mary Slessor Cairn, , Ibom Hotel and Golf Resort, Amalgamation house, Arts and Craft Market, Oron Museum, he said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Victor Okoye

Nigeria have qualified for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) scheduled for Cameroon, ahead of their Match Day 5 fixture, after Sierra Leones goalless draw with Lesotho on Saturday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Super Eagles, who played later in the day in Group L, qualified by virtue of the result of the earlier fixture.

Lesotho hosted Sierra Leone in the earlier fixture at the Setsoto Stadium in Maseru, drawing 0-0.

This meant table-toppers Nigeria with eight points have secured their 2021 AFCON ticket, while Benin Republic with seven points can also ensure qualification.

But this will be if they get a draw against visiting Nigeria.

Sierra Leone, with four points, occupied the third spot on the log.

They will be counting on the Super Eagles to do them the favour of beating the Squirrels in Port Novo.

Nigerias victory over Benin Republic will give the Leone Stars a slim hope of qualification heading into their penultimate round fixture.

The Leone Stars host the Squirrels at the National Stadium in Freetown, on Tuesday.

Bottom-placed Lesotho with three points are out of the race and will be playing for pride against the Super Eagles at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos, also on Tuesday.

GROUP L
Team P W D L Pts

1. Nigeria 42 2 0 8

2. Benin42 1 1 7

3. Sierra Leone 50 4 1 4

4. Lesotho 5 0 3 2 3
   (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Moses Omorogieva

Some football enthusiasts in Lagos have expressed their excitement for the lone goal scored by Super Eagles player, Paul Onuachu, against the Squirrels of Benin Republic in Day 5, Group L match in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier.

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after the match on Saturday, the football enthusiasts said the goal has made their weekend beautiful.

NAN reports that Onuachu headed home the lone goal in the 90th minute of the game after he substituted Leicester Citys Kelechi Iheanacho, which many enthusiasts believed was a wrong decision.

Nigeria has, however, qualified for the AFCON after a goalless game between Lesotho and Sierra Leone. Nigeria now has 11 unassailable points, a clear four points ahead of second-placed Benin.

The Super Eagles will confront the Crocodiles of Lesotho at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos, in what will be their first encounter in Nigerias commercial and economic capital in 10 years.

Mr Akosa Sani, businessman, said that the eagles may have taken the Benin Republic team for granted for the first half of the match, but was happy they got the three points.

For Mr Friday Chukwu, also a businessman, he was quite excited by the goal, stressing that he celebrated it as if it was the qualifying goal.

hukwu commended Coach Gernot Rohr for the foresight, noting that he was not happy when Iheanacho was replaced by the goal scorer.

Mr Segun Adejaye, an IT expert, said it would have been disastrous if the Super Eagles had failed to score, stressing that there were rooms for improvement for the team.

Adejaye, however, was not happy with the coaching crew substitutions, stressing that the players may be good but faulted the technical crew.

Mr Oluwasegun Thompson, a student, said although Nigeria won the match, he did not see any impact from the coach early enough in the game.

I am very happy over the lone goal. I am not disappointed with the team, they did well. Even if they had played a draw, I commend the coaching crew and the players, said Mr Rotimi Alegbe.

Mr Peter Amos said when the substitutions were carried out, he knew that something positive was coming at the end of the game.

NAN quoted Coach Rohr as saying before the match that his wards would approach the game with the intention of picking all three points.

We are keen to restore a winning mentality to the group ahead of very crucial matches that we have ahead.

It is important that we earn victories in the upcoming matches so that we get into our paces for the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. There will be tough games to come and we need to be rearing to go, Rohr said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Adeyemi Adeleye

A political pressure group, the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Grassroots Volunteers (BAT-GV), on Saturday staged a walk in commemoration of the 69th birthday of Bola Tinubu, APC national leader.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the walk, which took off from Awolowo Road, Falomo in Ikoyi, ended at Bourdillon house of Tinubu, also a former Lagos State governor.

The group dropped an endorsement letter for Tinubu to contest 2023 Presidential election.

Mr Dozie Nwankodu, BAT-GV National Coordinator, said that the event, tagged Bola Ahmed Tinubu Novelty Walk for Good Governance and National Development, was in appreciation of Tinubus leadership style and achievements in his state and the country over the years.

Nwankodu said that the walk brought members of the group from across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

We are embarking on a project tagged the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Novelty Walk for Good Governance and National Development in commemoration of his birthday that is going to come up in less than 48 hours from now.

The high points of our novelty walk is the presentation of letter of endorsement as well as the certificate of endorsement for Tinubu to contest for 2023 presidency.

So, some of our members across the 36 states of the federation and FCT are converging in Lagos to walk from Falomo down to his residence in solidarity with him, he said.

Nwankodu said that though an average of 100 volunteers were participating in the walk due to COVID- 19 protocol that banned large gathering, the group had about three million membership across the federation.

According to him, Tinubu exemplifies maximum ideas and achievements that have contributed to the overall good governance and development of Nigeria.

Therefore, it is payback time for him by Nigerians with the Office of the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria.

We joyfully march to Bourdillon, with solidarity songs and praises for our leader, and Nigerias next President, Nwankodu said.

Also, the Deputy National Coordinator of the group, Adaramola Richard, urged Nigerians to rally around Tinubu in order to consolidate on the gains of President Muhammadu Buharis administration.

Richard, who said that the group had been mobilising men and women across the federation for Tinubu, added that they would prevail on him to run for the office of President in 2023.

He said: We have looked at his achievements over the years. He is the only governor since 1999 that is still relevant till today.

We are mobilising support for Tinubu and ready to purchase the Expression of Interest Form for Tinubu anytime APC throws the gate open for interested aspirants to purchase Presidential Forms, he said.

Mr Matthew Oluwalambe, another official, said that Tinubu had done a lot in the development of the country and people, especially young people.

What we want to achieve is good governance in Nigeria and from Tinubu, we have confidence. We discovered that this is a man that loves Nigeria so much.

Now, is the right time for him to come out and lead this country as the president, Oluwalambe said.

Also speaking, Mr Akanni Shonde, the Lagos State Coordinator of group, said that the group had volunteered to mobilise for Tinubu because it knew that the former governor remained the right person to fix the nation and take it to higher heights.

NAN reports that the group presented a gift after the walk that was accompanied by pageantry, music and dancing for Tinubu, whose birthday comes up on March 29.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

By Ifeanyi Olannye

The Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ovie Omo-Agege, has expressed confidence that the All Progressive Congress (APC) would take over the six states of the South-South Region in 2023.

Omo-Agege made the remarks while fielding questions from newsmen at end of APC South-South Zone Town Hall Meeting on Constitution Review on Saturday in Asaba, Delta.

He expressed the belief that the party would take over the governance of the region after the 2023 general election.

The South-South region is growing to become a formidable base of our great party.

By the end of the 2023 general elections, it is our aspiration to have in our column, control of all the six states in the region.

This is possible and we intend to make it happen, Omo-Agege said.

He noted that APC was determined and has what it takes to make it happen.

The Senate deputy president pointed out that the party had won the governorship elections in some states in the region but was robbed due to one reason or the other.

We won in Bayelsa and Bayelsa was clearly ours but we were deprived, using the instrument of the court in the last minute.

We won in Edo but for obvious reasons, we were also deprived.

So, when people say the South-South has a PDP DNA, it is not true because as we speak right now, people are decamping from PDP into APC in droves.

As we proceed with the registration, initially we started with a 12 million membership target, we have gone ahead to 36 million members across the country.

So, if only our members alone vote for us, we will win elections here and the PDP here in Delta State knows that we are ready for them.

Its not going to be easy but we are ready and we are just going to put our house in order. (NAN)

Source: NAN News