Global Naija Info

Alhaji Aminu Abdukadir Chairman IPMAN and IGP Ibrahim Idris during the courtesy visit The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) led by the BOT chairman, Alhaji Aminu Abdulkadir has called on the acting Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris to assist in checking the activities of pipeline and oil installations vandals, illegal bunkering and diversion of petroleum products. The oil marketers made this request during a courtesy visit to Idris and his management team at the police force headquarters Abuja. In his remarks, the BOT chairman of IPMAN Alhaji Aminu Abdukadir congratulated Idris on his appointment and said they were privileged to meet with the IGP and his management team. He lauded the IGP’s appointment and promised that IPMAN will continue to partner with the Nigeria Police Force. He further informed the IGP that recently, the association had internal crisis which were later resolved through the intervention of the Ministry of Petroleum Resour...

Angola President, José Eduardo dos Santos Yellow Fever has killed 400 people in Angola and Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC, as the World Health Organisation, WHO, begins mass vaccination to arrest the outbreak of the disease in the two countries. The WHO is carrying out one of the largest emergency vaccination campaigns ever attempted in Africa in Angola and the DRC in conjunction with other partners in a bid to arrest the outbreak of the disease that has killed more than 400 people and sickened thousands more. Working with Ministries of Health in the two countries, WHO is coordinating 56 global partners to vaccinate more than 14 million people against yellow fever in more than 8,000 locations. The yellow fever outbreak has found its way to dense, urban areas and hard-to-reach border regions, making planning for the vaccination campaign especially complex. A release from WHO said emergency yellow fever vaccination campaigns have already reached more than 13 million people in...

President Jacob Zuma of South Africa The South African National Defence Force says 11 of its personnel died in a bus crash on Friday. “A total of nine (09) members were declared dead at the scene of the accident. One member passed away en route to the hospital and another one passed away upon arrival at the hospital‚” the SANDF said. “There are thirty-one (31) members who have suffered various injuries with three (03) in a critical condition.” All members are from the Department of Defence’s Mobilisation Centre in De Brug‚ Bloemfontein. The military said the accident happened near Clarens in the Free State. A total of 42 SANDF members were being transported in the bus at the time of the accident. “The cause of the bus accident is at this moment not known and will form part of the investigations. Names of the deceased will be communicated once their next-of-kin have been informed‚” the SANDF said. The Minister of Defence and Military Veterans‚ Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula‚ as well a...

Calabar Light Rail The multi-billion Naira Calabar Light rail project, the first in Nigeria, would soon be inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari. The 12-car monorail system, when fully operational, would use an Intamin P8 electric powered passenger shuttle train to convey passengers from Tinapa Resort, across Lake Tinapa to Calabar International Conference Centre (CICC). The light rail project has three stations, Tinapa, Tinapa Lakeside Hotel and the Calabar International Conference Centre. The monorail would also allow access to Studio Tinapa, Tinapa Shopping Centre and Tinapa waterpark as well as provide a quick alternative access to Summit Hills. Built by Ponet TFZE, the train with a cruising speed of about 40 kilometres per hour, has 12 cars, including 10 passenger and two equipment cars. Each car is primed for seven to eight passengers all seated, while the train’s length, width and height are approximately 38, 1.95 and 2.2 metres, respectively. When fully operational,...

Davido Entertainment artiste and Aiye crooner David Adeleke popularly known as Davido has been involved in a clash with the organisers of a show for which he was billed to perform. The 23-year old who was advertised to be among the artistes to perform at the Festival of India, which took place in Lagos last Saturday, was conspicuously absent. This did not go down well with some guests who obviously wanted to see him in action, Punch reports The organisers confirmed that Davido was indeed invited, and the chief organiser, Rosiji, also confirmed this. The concert organizer says Davido was paid the sum of N7 million to perform but informed them on Friday on night, just a day to the event that he was indisposed. Yesterday, the show’s organisers reached out to his lawyers in hopes of getting a refund for the fee said to have been paid. So far, Davido or his managers are yet to respond to queries by journalists. Download

USA flag The little girl was abused so badly she had a black eye, dried blood in the corner of her mouth and deep purple bruises all over her body. But it’s what she said when asked her name that’s truly startling. “Idiot.” The girl is only 4. She lived with her mother, Jennifer Denen, and Denen’s live-in boyfriend, Clarence Reed, in a home in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Police say she was called an “idiot” so often and for so long that it was the word that sprung to her young mind when a social worker asked her name. Hot Springs police arrested the mother and her boyfriend last week after social workers reported the abuse. They said the 30-year-old mother knew the beating her boyfriend was doling out to the child on a regular basis but never sought medical treatment. The girl’s injuries included bruises on her buttocks, her lower back, her leg, police said. She had a blackened eye, a swollen cheek and a bruise on her forehead. She also had scars on her back that had started to hea...

Paul Manaforth The Republican Candidate Donald Trump’s presidential campaign chairman, Paul Manafort has resigned on Friday, days after he was effectively demoted in a shake-up of the campaign’s leadership. “This morning Paul Manafort offered, and I accepted, his resignation from the campaign,” Trump said in a statement. “I am very appreciative for his great work in helping to get us where we are today, and in particular his work guiding us through the delegate and convention process. Paul is a true professional and I wish him the greatest success,” Trump said. On Wednesday, Trump overhauled his presidential campaign team, hiring the head of a conservative news website to bolster his combative image and to try to reverse poor opinion poll numbers in the race against Democratic rival Hillary Clinton for the Nov. 8 election. The move, his second staff revamp in less than two months, essentially served as demotion for Manafort, who was brought on in June in an attempt to bring a mo...

The Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) on Friday appealed to operators of firms to perform their civic responsibility by paying taxes to avoid their firms being sealed. Executive Chairman of the service, Mr. Olufolarin Ogunsanwo, in Lagos, said that the agency’s tax law teams had begun the sealing of defaulting firms. Ogunsanwo said that the service suspended the exercise some time ago to enable corporate organizations to comply willingly but that some were yet to comply in spite of several notices. “The service has resumed the sealing of corporate firms and it is committed to continue the exercise until full compliance to tax payment and remittance is achieved. “The enforcement team has so far sealed about 30 organisations, including hotels this week, for evading tax to the tune of N102.60 million. “Many companies operate in the state without remitting the tax to the state government,” he said. He urged firms to regularly pay their taxes to enable the state government ...

A Wuse Zone 2 Chief Magistrates’ Court, Abuja, on Friday remanded a businessman, Abba Abubakar, in prison custody for alleged N3.8 million fraud. Abubakar of Cioto Str., Maitama, Abuja, was arraigned on a two-count charge of criminal breach of trust and cheating. The Chief Magistrate, Usman Shuaibu, ordered that the defendant be remanded till Aug. 24. Prosecutor Gabriel Peter had told the court that Eneh Ujah of Loach Farms Limited reported the matter to the Inspector General of Police through a written petition on July 1. He said that on June 14, Abubakar demanded two trucks of fertiliser from Loach Farms Limited, with a local purchase order. The prosecutor said that based on personal recognition as a good customer, the said fertiliser worth six million naira, was supplied to the defendant. Peter said the defendant deposited N2.2 million to the complainant with an outstanding balance of N3.8 million. He said that the defendant issued a Diamond Bank cheque, which he knew was do...

President Buhari, Yakubu Dogara For the second time within a month, President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday held a closed-door meeting with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, at the Presidential Villa. Also at the Presidential Villa this afternoon to see the president was the Senior Pastor of Latter Rain Assembly, Tunde Bakare. Details of the meeting were unknown as the visitors declined to state the reason behind the visit. Pastor Bakare arrived the Villa at about 2.45pm local time and went straight to the President’s office for a meeting. Analysts say Friday’s visit to the Presidential Villa by Dogara who is on vacation may not be unconnected with the rift in the National Assembly and how to improve on the relationship between the Executive and Legislative arms of government, following allegations of padding of the 2016 budget. The Speaker told State House correspondents after the meeting that he only came to see President Buhari and refused to say mor...

Photographers from all parts of Lagos State on Friday joined their counterparts the world over to celebrate the 4th World Photography Day at the National Theatre, Iganmu. They displayed their cameras ranging from the sophisticated ones to toys as well as some of their albums for the public. Yemi Royal-Akala, a professional photographer and the convener of the 4th World Photography Day said that the theme of the day was, “Border Line”. According to him, “The annual event is meant to celebrate photography as a paid job and not just a picture-taking scheme. “And this year’s theme celebrates the ability of photographers to capture the reality of societies all over the globe. “We are delighted to be part of the World International Photography Day because it opens up a common platform where professionals and amateurs meet to strengthen the profession,” he said. He called for the restructuring photography so that it would enhance the profession and boost the welfare of practitioners. ...

The Kaduna State Committee on Prisons Decongestion on Friday said it had set free 15 inmates from the Kaduna Central Prison. The committee’s chairperson, Amina Dyeris-Sijuwade, who is also the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, said in a statement that the gesture was part of the ongoing prison decongestion exercise. According to the statement, signed by her Media Assistant, Barau Emmanuel, most of the freed inmates, including a female, were first-time offenders held for non-capital offences. “The committee also reviewed the bail conditions of several inmates that were deemed excessive,’’ the statement said. The statement also said that those pardoned were counselled on the need to desist from acts that could take them back to jail. “They were also encouraged to start meaningful ventures or vocations and those who could return to school were urged to do so to help themselves and the society,” it added.

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has disclosed that the state government will sue the police and the Department of State Services, DSS, for sealing up the Sharks Stadium, initial venue of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Convention of August 17, 2016. The governor said the people of the state allowed the security agencies to take over state facilities because of the visitors from other states. Speaking at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Friday while inaugurating the Peace and Security Committee of the State, Governor Wike said that the government will seek judicial interpretation to determine if the Federal Government was right to take laws into its hands. The governor stated that the security agencies should not think that the illegal invasion of Sharks Stadium and other government property was a dress rehearsal for the rigging of the forthcoming rerun elections in the state. He said: “I...

The Management of Ikeja Electric (IE) Plc on Friday debunked a media report that an electricity spark from its wires caused the fire incident on Shogbamu Street in Bariga area of Lagos State. The Head, IE’s Corporate Communications Unit, Mr. Felix Ofulue, told the said that its investigation revealed that the fire started in an electronics shop. Ofulue said that a media report on Tuesday alleged that two persons were electrocuted when a power line fell from an electric pole and resulted in a fire incident on Shogbamu Street, Bariga area of Lagos. According to Ofulue, there is no evidence of felled power lines or snapped power cables at the scene of the incident as erroneously reported by the publication. He said its investigations also revealed that no member of the public was electrocuted or suffered any major physical injury as a result of the fire outbreak. The IE official said that the relevant agency was already investigating the actual cause of the fire and would publish th...

Governor Nasiru El-Rufai An International Centre for Inter-Faith Peace and Harmony has opened in Kaduna, where more than 20,000 people have died in various conflicts over the last three decades. The centre is an initiative of the Jama’atu Nasril Islam and Christian Council of Nigeria. Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State said on Friday while inaugurating the centre, that Nigerians must explore all avenues to bring about lasting peace in the country. He noted that Kaduna state, which used to be a home for all irrespective of religious and ethnic differences, had over the years become a theatre or religious and ethnic conflict. “Kaduna was home to people from different religious and ethnic background, but since the beginning of the 1980s, it has witnessed 12 rounds of bloody violence that killed over 20,000 people and destroyed properties worth millions. “Kaduna is now divided along religious lines, with the Muslims living in the northern part of the River Kaduna, while the Christ...

Jibrin and Dogara: Allies Torn apart by budget padding scandal Tony Ogunlowo As the budget padding controversy rages on members of the public wonder what’s next. When it comes to pilfering public funds Nigerian politicians ought to be awarded a Nobel Prize for the ingenious ways they devise to keep their fingers in the till. They will always find a way to circumvent whatever security firewalls are put in place. Gone are the days when politicians used to be content with a ten percent commission from contracts awarded to friends and families. Now its widespread looting as seen in the days of the tenure of ex-President Goodluck. Then it was as if certain politicians had a key to the back door to the Treasury and helped themselves to whatever they wanted. When President Buhari was sworn in last year he embarked upon a campaign to rid the country of corruption. He was wrong. Under his watch the sneaky politicians had devised a new way to steal money and without a doubt it’s been goi...

The Police Service Commission (PSC) on Friday said it shortlisted 110,469 applicants out of the 338, 250 applicants invited for the just concluded screening at the states and FCT Police Commands. The Chairman of the commission, Mr Mike Okiro, who disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja on Friday, said the aptitude tests for the successful candidates would begin on Aug. 22 across the 36 states and FCT. He said that out of the 110, 469 applicants, 22, 454 were shortlisted for Cadet ASPs, 24,456 for Cadet Inspectors and 63,559 for Police Constables. Okiro said that aptitude test for cadet ASPs for both general duty and specialists will begin on Aug. 22 while that of Cadet Inspectors for both general duty and specialists will hold on Aug. 23. He said that the test for police constables for both cadres would take place on Aug. 24. According to him, document and physical screening of specialists is scheduled for Aug. 29 after they will have taken the aptitude tests. Okiro said th...

Abiodun Komolafe Abiodun KOMOLAFE, “I hope that my achievements in life shall be these – that I will have fought for what was right and fair, that I will have risked for that which mattered, and that I will have given help to those who were in need that I will have left the earth a better place for what I’ve done and who I’ve been.” – C. Hoppe Everything in life starts with a promise! To us in Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola represents a new generation of leadership who believes he is accountable to the people he’s elected by providence to govern. Mentally sharpened people-focused, he saw an opportunity not only to provide leadership that inspired trust but also the need to leave an extraordinary legacy that would no doubt outlast this generation. With his patriotic, imaginative and unselfish arrest of the socio-economic root cause of infrastructure poverty which had limited the state’s ability to create wealth, it is obvious that a revolution, which will, in the not too distant futur...

Murtala Mani, Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Police. The Akwa Ibom Police Command has arrested three suspected pipeline vandals in Eket Local Government Area of the state. The suspects, Nelson Semiyefa from Bayelsa; Victor William and Nseobong Dickson, both from Akwa Ibom, however, denied being vandals and criminals while speaking with newsmen. Briefing newsmen on the arrest, the State Police Commissioner, Murtala Mani, said that the suspects were found with improvised explosive devices (IEDs) capable of destroying high-pressure oil pipelines. Mani, who was represented by the Public Relations Officer of the command, ASP Cordelia Nwawe, also disclosed that the suspects were arrested in a hotel in Ikot Udoma village in Eket council area. He said that the IEDs comprised two high power pipe bombs measured at 60/8.5cm and 44/5.5 cm, respectively. He said that the third IED was one long single high power propel launcher bomb measured at 78/4.5cm capable of destroying high-pressure o...

Osun Osogbo Festival Osogbo, the Osun capital is agog for the grand finale of the annual Osun Osogbo festival. NAN correspondent monitoring events in Osogbo reports on Friday that various socio- economic and traditional activities are at their peak to usher in a hitch-free festival recognised by UNESCO. Decorations adorn the length and breadth of the Osun-Osogbo grove with traditional worshipers offering prayers for a successful and hitch-free festival. Several tourists, who had thronged the ancient town to witness the annual festival, were seen at the stream and within the grove taking pictures in front and beside the statues and structures, symbolic of the Osun goddess. Others were seen filling plastic bottles and kegs with water from the Osun stream. Security personnel, comprising of officers and men of the Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Federal Road Safety Commission were also present to ensure security at the event. They were complemented by members...

The Late Andre Aderemi Parents of Andre Aderemi, a Nigerian teenager who was brutally macheted 20 times after being pursued by three others carrying machetes, at Monks Hills estate, Selsdon, Croydon, have pleaded for an end to the cycle of violence on the capital’s streets. The 19-year old boy later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital and died. The stabbings may be gang related because many of those he fraternised with have been killed in a similar fashion. Andre was friends with Myron Isaac Yarde, a 17-year-old rapper who was fatally stabbed in New Cross in April, Aderemi was an ex-pupil at John Ruskin College in Croydon, and an amateur rapper said to be friends with two other young musicians stabbed to death in south London in the past three months. The road where the teenager was murdered He is also said to have performed with 16-year-old Leoandro Osemeke, known as Showkey, stabbed to death outside a party in Peckham on August 5. An eye witness, Rebecca Shaw, 18, s...

Rainstorm Two children were feared dead in a building collapse, a sequel to torrential rain in Kirikasamma Local Government Area of Jigawa. The incident occurred on Thursday at Karigidi village in the local council of the state. An eye witness, Muhammad Umar, said that the deceased were sleeping together with other members of their family when the room collapsed due to the intensity of the rain. Umar said that corpses of the children were recovered under the rubbles, while their father, mother and one other child escaped unhurt. He added that the rain accompanied by windstorm destroyed houses and farmlands in the area. Also commenting, the council’s Chairman, Alhaji Muhammad Kani, who sympathised with the bereaved family, described the death as a `great loss. ` Kani donated N10, 000 and roofing sheets to the family to assuage their sufferings. He also called on the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to assist the victims to enable them to rehabilitate houses damaged by ...

The gavel of justice A 24-year-old man, Anyanwu Martins, who allegedly defiled a 14-year-old girl, was on Friday arraigned before an Apapa Senior Magistrates’ Court, Lagos. Martins, who reside at Ajose Quarters, Agemoro, Badagry, Lagos, pleaded not guilty to a charge bordering on defilement. The Prosecutor, Sgt. Olusegun Kokoye told the court that the accused committed the offence on Aug. 8 at his residence. Kokoye said the accused lured the girl into his apartment by pretending he wanted to send her on errand and had carnal knowledge of her without her consent. The prosecutor said that when the girl tried to run, the accused forcefully dragged her back into the room, removed her pant and forcefully had sexual intercourse with her. “When the pain was too much for the girl she started crying out loud and a neighbour who was passing by the room at the time heard her voice. “The man immediately barged into the room and to his surprise he caught the accused having sex with the gir...

A medical doctor has died of Lassa fever at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH), Nnewi, the management has confirmed. The Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof. Anthony Igwegbe, on Friday in Awka, said that it was the first recorded case of Lassa fever handled by the hospital. Igwebe said the doctor was brought in from Asaba, Delta. “Yes, I can confirm to you that a medical doctor who was brought in here from Asaba died from suspected Lassa fever case. “When he was brought as a suspected case, we took the samples to test and it turned out to be positive of Lassa fever. “All stakeholders that attended to him did so under the universal precaution as recommended by WHO when you have such cases, said the CMD. Igwegbe said it was the only case of Lassa fever being handled in the hospital and assured of continued precautionary measures. “We are continuing our surveillance and taking necessary precaution when the body was in the morgue it was kept in a safe place and ...

Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, Chairman, NURTW, Lagos State. Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, the Chairman, NURTW in Lagos State, has warned residents to desist from patronising non-registered commercial bus and taxi operators. He also warned that passengers should not board commercial buses and taxis at unapproved places. Agbede gave the warnings in Lagos on Friday against the backdrop of incessant cases of kidnapping and general insecurity in the state. “Many commuters these days prefer kabukabu (illegal operators) than to go to parks. “Passengers may think there is wisdom in what they are doing. This is not safe although it may appear cheaper. “Everyone should prioritise safety above costs,” he said. Agbede said that the union had directed all its units and branches to use bomb detectors to check luggage and passengers before embarking on journeys. He said that the union would not hesitate to sanction any unit or branch that failed to take precautionary measures against such unfortunate i...

An Ojaoba Panel of Sharia Court of Arbitration in Ibadan on Friday heard that Abdulrasheed Yusuf, gives his wife, Sidikat, N10 per meal as upkeep allowance for family of six. Sidikat had asked the court to dissolve her 18-year-old marriage to Yusuf for alleged infidelity and starvation. “He was giving me N10 as feeding allowance either as breakfast or lunch because he said he just lost his job. “Even when he got another job, Yusuf did not change and in fact, the situation worsened as we continued to depend on concoction. “Yusuf, most of the times fed on bread and egg with sardine while the children and I took gari or eba. “My lord, right from the beginning of my stay with Yusuf as his wife, I started experiencing different kinds of bad treatment of which starvation was number one. “Worst still, Yusuf started having sexual intercourse with my younger sister who came to assist me when I was sick and in fact impregnated her. “My lord, I still managed to endure with him for 10 year...

Transformer Explosion The FCT High Court has been urged to order the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) Plc to pay adequate compensation to victims of the company’s 750 KVA transformer explosion in Lugbe. The Registered Trustees of Downtrodden Peoples Employment Foundation Worldwide, Messrs Stephen Gbaera, Ijeoma Onwuannum, Omowumi Adams, Olagoke Ajewole and Oyewole Pelumi, are the plaintiffs. The plea is contained in a writ of summons filed on Aug. 11 by the plaintiffs’ counsel, Mr Hassan Omolowo, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja. The other defendants listed in the suit are Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors, Rural Electrification Agency, Nigerian Electricity Regulation Commission and the Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency. The rest are Consumer Protection Council, Minister of Power as well as the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF). The suit had listed Olelewe James, Moses Joseph and Ayiyeli J...

The gavel of justice An Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, on Friday ordered the remand of an unemployed man, Tajudeen Ganiyu, who allegedly stole electronics valued at N29,000. The Magistrate, Mrs M.O. Oshinbajo, ordered that Ganiyu, 20, be remanded in Kirikiri Prisons after he admitted stealing the properties. The accused, who reside at No. 16 Paul Str., Abule Egba, Lagos, is facing a count charge of stealing. Earlier, the Prosecutor, Sgt. Yomi Egunjobi, told the court that the accused committed the offence on Aug. 13 at about 1.30pm., at Ayanwale Str., Ijaiye Ojokoro. Egunjobi said that Ganiyu stole an LG speaker, DVD player and a bag all valued at N29, 000 property of one Eze Sunday. “Ganiyu broke into the complainant house and stole the said properties. “The accused was caught while trying to run away with the stolen items,” he said. The prosecutor said that the offence contravened Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. Section 285 provides three years im...

An official of Kano Electricity Distribution Company [KERDCO], Usaini Usman, has been electrocuted while disconnecting an electricity cable in Kano. The deceased, aged 37, died on Thursday afternoon when his head got in contact with a high tension power line at the Federal College of Education, Kano. Alhaji Mustapha Rilwan, Kano State Director, Fire Service, confirmed the incident in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano on Friday. He said that a good Samaritan called the fire service and an was dispatched to the scene, at about 2:33 pm. Rilwan said the deceased was conveyed to Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital where he was confirmed dead.

Ghanaian President, John Dramani Mahama Ghana’s President, John Mahama, says a maritime boundary dispute with Ivory Coast had affected the development of the new TEN oil field. Mahama said late Thursday that Ghana was nonetheless committed to a peaceful resolution of the dispute. He was speaking shortly after an opening ceremony for Ghana’s second commercial crude oil field in the western city of Takoradi. “The maritime boundary dispute had impacted TEN development activities in the disputed area as the provisional measures order from the international tribunal included an order prohibiting new oil wells in the field. “We remain committed to a peaceful resolution of this dispute, and we look forward to the final resolution of this matter sometime next year,” Mahama said.

Adamu Adamu, Minister of Education Mr Jimoh Abdulrasaq, Ilorin based legal practitioner, has called on the Federal Government to place teachers in public schools on a special salary structure to improve the quality of their service. Abdulrasaq disclosed in Ilorin on Friday that the education system in the country was parlous and needed to be improved. He said conscious efforts should be put in place to revive the system using public schools as the engine to drive the revival in the delivery of quality education to the masses of the country. Abdulrasaq noted that the rot was mainly due to the neglect of the teachers who are the drivers of the system in terms of remuneration. He said placing teachers on special salary structure would motivate them to put more into the job that would lead to improvement of the education sector for better educated Nigerian children. According to him, when better remunerated, the teachers will concentrate on the job of delivering quality education to...

Dr Ibe Kachikwu, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, says Nigeria recorded 1,600 cases of pipeline vandalism since January. Kachikwu disclosed this at the 2016 Annual Conference of the National Association of Energy Correspondents, with the theme: “Low Oil Price: Impact and the Way Forward.” The conference was held in Lagos on Thursday. The minister also revealed that the country recorded over 3,000 pipeline vandalism cases from 2010 to 2015 and added that the impact of attacks on oil and gas pipelines was that there was no money to fund the 2016 budget. He said militancy in the Niger Delta had destabilised the country’s oil industry and that Nigeria needed to increase its production by 1.1 million barrels per day to meet its target. The minister said declining price of oil in the international market had negatively impacted the country’s revenue leading to economic recession. He said proactive steps were req...

John Kerry The U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, is expected in Nigeria on Aug. 23 to discuss U.S. cooperation with Nigeria over Boko Haram, economy and human rights issues. A statement issued by the Information Office of the Embassy of the U.S. on Friday in Abuja, said Kerry would hold meetings with President Muhammadu Buhari and Northern Governors. According to it, the Secretary will travel to Sokoto and Abuja on Aug. 23 to 24. “Kerry will meet with President Muhammadu Buhari to discuss counter terrorism efforts, the Nigerian economy, the fight against corruption and human rights issues. “In Sokoto, he will deliver a speech on the importance of resilient communities and religious tolerance in countering violent extremism. “In Abuja, the Secretary will meet with a group of adolescent girls working to change community perceptions that devalue the role of girls in society. “He will also meet with northern governors and religious leaders,” the statement said. It added that Ke...

Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which brought Nigeria to its present situation after 16 years of locust, lacks the moral basis and the credibility to comment on the country’s economy. The All Progressives Congress, APC, in a statement issued on Friday by its National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, said the PDP also has no right to condemn a government that is working hard to clear the mess left behind by the disgraced former ruling party. Odigie-Oyegun said it is stomach-churning and downright immoral for the ruinous PDP, which has yet to show remorse or exhibit any form of penitence for presiding over the mindless looting of the nation’s treasury, to now put itself up as the saviour of Nigerians. Noting that even among thieves, there must be honour, the Chairman said Nigerians, who are now bearing the brunt of the economy that was mindlessly mismanaged by the PDP, cannot forget in a hurr...

Usain Bolt: I’m the greatest The unbeatable Usain Bolt once again proved utterly incomparable on the Olympic track on Thursday, powering his way to a third straight 200 meters gold and remaining on course for an extraordinary “triple-triple” of sprint titles. The Jamaican simply laid waste to the best of the rest in the sprinting world to win his eighth track gold medal in what he has said will be his last individual race at the Olympics before his retirement next year. Bolt’s time of 19.78 seconds was the slowest of his four straight world championship and three Olympic triumphs over 200 meters but it certainly did not dampen the celebrations. He struck his signature lightning bolt pose to a huge cheer from the crowd and draped Brazilian and Jamaican flags over his shoulders as he performed his lap of honor to chants of “Usain Bolt! Usain Bolt! Usain Bolt!”. “I don’t need to prove anything else. What else can I do to prove to the world I am the greatest?” Bolt told reporters. “...

Reuben Abati Reuben Abati Life is all about memories. It is the only thing we are left with when flesh and spirit depart the earthly plane, and we can do no more than remember the life of the departed, through memories of times and moments shared, and their deeds in their lifetime. I received a phone call and a whatsapp message announcing the death of Justin Abuah, popularly known to all and sundry as O.J. Abuah, and the world seemed as if it had stood still for a few minutes. He was one of my media officers when I served as President Goodluck Jonathan’s Special Adviser, Media and Publicity and as official spokesperson; after the retirement of another dependable officer, Musa Aduwak, he replaced Aduwak as Director of Information in the department. I left him behind in the Villa in 2015, hale and hearty, an asset to the department, an efficient, service-oriented, disciplined, and devoted civil servant who could be relied upon at all times for high quality delivery. And now they say h...