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Monday, 11 April 2016

Recover $200bn loot, shelve $2bn loan plan, Falana tells FG

Ade Adesomoju, Abuja

A human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has advised the Federal Government to shelve its plan to obtain $2bn loan from China.

He said instead of “plunging the nation into more indebtedness” the Federal Government should intensify efforts to recover some funds totalling about $200bn which were either not remitted to the Federation Account or stolen from the nation’s treasury.

Falana gave this advice in a letter dated April 8, 2016, addressed to the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, threatening to sue the Federal Government if his request was not taken seriously.

He said, “In the light of the foregoing, we are compelled to call on the Federal Government to muster the political will and courage to recover the aforesaid withheld or stolen wealth of not less than $200bn belonging to the Nigerian people.

former President Goodluck Jonathan — Former President Goodluck Jonathan

Adelani Adepegba, Abuja

The General Overseer, Latter Rain Assembly, Lagos, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has lampooned politicians and political parties for using the abduction of 219 Chibok schoolgirls to score cheap political points.

He noted that the nation had not given the issue the necessary thoughtfulness and seriousness it deserved, stressing that those who are in a position to act have not taken sufficient action towards addressing it or even towards calming the anxiety of the waiting Chibok parents.

The cleric said this in a sermon on Sunday during the thanksgiving service to mark the global action week in commemoration of the second anniversary of the abduction of the schoolgirls organised by the BringBackOurGirls coalition at the Unity Fountain, Abuja.

Bakare stated that the girls would have been rescued if they were children of the political and religious elite and appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to prioritise their rescue in the midst of the numerous challenges before him. He stressed that the girls had become the symbols of the soul of the nation.

Ozioma Ubabukoh

The country’s education sector is set to receive a boost with the introduction of the 2016 version of Cinfores BrainFriend, known as BrainFriend Platinum, an e-learning and exam preparatory software.

The company said that software would not only set the stage to revolutionise the ailing education sector in e-learning, but was in line with meeting the Sustainable Development Goals of giving access to and enhancing qualitative education.

The Managing Director and Co-Founder of Cinfores Limited, Mr. Ibifuro Asawo, said that Cinfores had championed change in the education sector through its products and services in e-learning, schools/campus administration, scholarships management, among others.

“Consequently, its various stakeholders’ engagements with students, teachers, school administrators, at both the federal and state levels as regards BrainFriend, has been reassuring and impressive,” he said.

Gov.-Abdulfatah-Ahmed — Governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatah-Ahmed

Success Nwogu, Ilorin

The Kwara State Commissioner of Water Resources, Mr. Abdulrazaq Akorede, has said that the state government will spend N1bn out of the proposed N20bn bond on the Ilorin water reticulation project.

He stated that Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed had declared a state of emergency on water supply in the state, adding that presently, more than 25 communities were benefiting from water supply from tankers on daily basis.

Akorede spoke to journalists in Ilorin on Friday after a tour of some water projects.

There has been acute water shortage, especially in the Ilorin metropolis for some time.

The commissioner also said the government would enact a law that would regulate borehole drilling in the state.

Akorede urged indigenous drillers to maintain high standards and professionalism, adding that they must take cognizance of avoidable hazards in borehole drilling.

He stated that the essence of the expected law was to reduce hazards and streamline borehole drilling in the state.

Akinpelu Dada with agency report

The Federal Government may use money set aside for funding joint venture projects with foreign and local oil firms to make up any shortfall in the 2016 budget if its revenue projections are not met, the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has said.

The nation has been trying to boost tax revenues and the non-oil income to fund a record N6.06tn 2016 budget aimed at reviving Africa’s biggest economy hit by the slump in oil prices.

“The Plan B is around the cash calls,” Adeosun told Reuters and the Financial Times in an interview in Lagos when asked how the budget would be funded if revenue projections fell short.

We almost broke up in 2005 –Midnight Crew

Ademola Olonilua

This year marks the 15th year that ace gospel group, Midnight Crew, was formed. In a celebratory mood, the group takes a trip down memory lane and remembers how they almost broke up about four years after it was formed unknown to them that God had a lot in stock for them.

The spokesperson for the group, Mike Abdul, shared the story of how the group was almost disbanded.

Idris Adesina
Ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil, Nigeria have retained their lead on the continent in the April Olympic rankings of the International Table Tennis Federation released on Sunday.
Nigeria’s men’s team are ranked 26th in the world ahead of their rivals, Egypt, who are ranked 32. The team which is ranked highest in May will represent Africa in the team events of the Games.
The Nigeria team, led by veteran Segun Toriola, garnered 206 points but dropped a spot from the 25th position, which they occupied in March. Nigeria’s men team went ahead of the Egyptians after their performance at the 2016 ITTF Perfect Team World Cup in February. The Egyptians currently have 194 points.

Frozen fish scarcity looms over CBN forex restriction

April 7, 2016

Maureen Ihua-Maduenyi

Frozen fish and other seafood may soon become scarce in markets across the country as a result of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s foreign exchange restrictions for the importers of the items.

Investigations by our correspondent revealed that there had been no importation of the items since February and over 80 per cent of cold rooms, especially in Lagos, had been shut, while about 75 per cent of workers in the sector had been laid off.

It was also learnt that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture had issued permits to importers to bring into the country about 520, 000 metric tonnes of fish this year.

An importer, who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said the CBN listed fish and other seafood among items not valid for forex from the official interbank market, and requested that importers should raise funds from alternative sources.

The source said the CBN was refusing to sign the ‘Form M’ that would enable the importation of the items.

Acting Chief Executive, NERC, Dr. Tony Akah

Okechukwu Nnodim, Abuja

The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission on Wednesday begged Nigerians to exercise patience with the power generation and distribution companies with respect to the drop in electricity supply and the attendant blackouts being experienced nationwide.

According to NERC, the drop in power supply is due to vandalism of critical installations and heavy downpour witnessed in parts of the country recently, adding that the Federal Government was working hard to repair the vandalised gas pipelines.

The commission was, however, not specific as to when power generation

Adelani Adepegba, Abuja

The Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, has said the Force will henceforth carry out urine tests on all policemen for signs of drug abuse before they are issued lethal weapons or posted to their operational points.

Apart from denying access to firearms or retrieving guns from officers who failed such drug tests, Arase stated that the police would provide appropriate help to wean them from drugs or other emotional or psychological issues that may trigger fatal outcomes in their line of duty.

The IG said this on Wednesday in Abuja during the inauguration of drug testing and campaign against sudden death among police officers organised in collaboration with Hypertension and Diabetes Awareness Foundation.

Acting Director, Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Rabe Abubakar

Fidelis Soriwei, Abuja

The Defence authorities have said that not less than 800 members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect had surrendered to the military in the last three weeks.

The Acting Director, Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Rabe Abubakar, confirmed to our correspondent in Abuja on Wednesday that 800 of the insurgents surrendered to the troops of the Nigerian Army in the last three weeks.

He said, “I can confirm that about 800 of the Boko Haram members have surrendered to the military.”

Abubakar spoke barely 24 hours after the Defence Headquarters announced the establishment of a rehabilitation camp for repentant Boko Haram members.

The Nigeria Labour Congress says it will declare a one-day national warning strike over the refusal of the Federal Government to reduce the electricity tariff.

NLC President Ayuba Wabba said this while addressing newsmen during the Central Working Committee meeting of the congress on Wednesday in Abuja.

On January 29, the NLC led the picketing of electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) nationwide, the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, and the National Assembly.

The action, aimed at getting the Federal Government to reverse the 45 per cent tariff hike did not yield the desired result.

Wabba insisted that the tariff increase was “illegal, unfair, unjustifiable and an exploitation of the already exploited Nigerians.

FG bars officials from flying first class

Akinpelu Dada and Ifeanyi Onuba

The Federal Government on Thursday banned its top officials from flying first class whenever they embark on officials trips in a bid to reduce the amount being spent on overhead.

It said henceforth, all top officials like ministers, permanent secretaries, chairmen of committees, as well as chairmen and chief executive officers of its parastatals and agencies would have to travel on business class.

The development was confirmed in a statement issued by the Media Adviser to the Minister of Finance, Mr. Festus Akanbi.