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NCC The Association of Licenced Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) on Thursday informed consumers to expect poor data services, without the review of the Data Tariff Floor. The Chairman of ALTON, Mr Gbenga Adebayo said in a statement in Lagos, that there was the need for an upward review, so as to offer better data services to subscribers. Adebayo said that the operators fully understood the public sentiments that greeted the announcement of a minimum data tariff being introduced by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). He said that the NCC intervened to set the data tariff floor in view of its statutory responsibility to promote healthy competition, by periodically reviewing voice and data tariffs in the industry. According to him, the commission’s intervention is to ensure the sustainability of the Nigerian telecommunications industry. He also said that the regulatory body had extensive consultation with the industry prior to the finalisation of the data t

President Muhammadu Buhari President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated the essence of the unity of Nigeria, urging those contemplating its break-up to have a rethink. The President said this at a meeting with the Council of South-East Traditional Rulers at the State House, Abuja, on Thursday. In a statement issued by Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, the President warned that the question of having another country out of Nigeria was misplaced. “The question of having another country out of Nigeria is going to be very difficult. “From 1914, we have more than 200 cultures living with one another. God had endowed this country with natural resources and talented people. “We should concentrate on these and be very productive,” he said. Addressing specific issues raised by the traditional rulers, the President assured that the South-East would also benefit from the new railway architecture being put in place by his administration. On t

Buhari and Soyinka Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka on Thursday lamented that Nigeria is sinking under the government of President Muhammadu Buhari as he has failed to deliver on his promises. Soyinka, who spoke in Johannesburg, South Africa, according to Punch, which quoted AFP, said he was not surprised that Buhari had lost popularity just 18 months into office, given the high expectations that weighed on his government. The former military ruler won the 2015 election on an agenda of “change”, vowing to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency, fight graft, fix broken infrastructure and heal the economy. But since his election, the economy has officially gone into recession and global energy prices have plummeted. A relentless rebel campaign to sabotage the production of oil, the country’s main export, has added to the woes. “There’s nothing surprising to me about his losing popularity, it should be expected,” said Soyinka, who was a fierce critic of Buhari’s earlier term as head of

L-R: ACP Imohim Edgal, Steve Ayorinde and Prince Anofiu Elegushi at the briefing on okada riders. Kazeem Ugbodaga The Lagos State Government says it is beginning full enforcement on okada riders from plying the restricted 475 roads across the state, saying it was not going to be business as usual. In recent time, okada riders have taken over the state’s highway in flagrant disregard to the Road Traffic Law restricting them from plying major highways in the state. At a joint press conference on Thursday in Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, addressed by the state government and the police, Acting Commissioner for Transportation, Prince Anofiu Elegushi warned that government would no longer tolerate okada riders on restricted roads, highways and bridges. “We will not condone okada riding against traffic, especially those who ply their trade along Lagos- Abeokuta Expressway and Ojota-Ikorodu Town and who use BRT restricted/reserve lane. All these are not in sync with the Law. There is

Kennedy Uzoka, Group MD/CEO of UBA Nigeria’s United Bank for Africa (UBA) has secured a $150 million loan deal with the African Development Bank (AfDB) to support infrastructure projects in Africa’s top economy, the bank said on Thursday. UBA said the credit line would also be used to support small and medium scale enterprises and businesses owned by women. Nigeria is in its deepest recession in 25 years, brought on by low oil prices, which has seen foreign investors flee its financial markets, caused chronic dollar shortages and created risk aversion among local funds. “The line of credit comes at an opportune time and would boost efforts at reducing the huge power sector financing deficit … and complement our support to medium and small scale enterprises,” said Kennedy Uzoka, UBA’s chief executive. The AfDB has provided liquidity to UBA in the past for trade finance and other lending activities, he said. Nigeria’s economic slowdown coupled with the currency crisis has impacte

Naira A Bureau De Change operator, Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe, has identified speculation, hoarding and increasing zero confidence of foreign investors among others as the reason for the continued spike in the exchange rate. Gwadabe, President, Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), made the assertion on Thursday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. The ABCON chief also said that the existence of a Non-Derivable Forward (NDF) market in London that enjoyed the patronage of Nigerian companies and foreign investors contributed to dollar liquidity challenge. According to him, the NDF market rate hovers around N430 to a dollar. “The existence of that market is a challenge to liquidity inflow to our own market,” Gwadabe said. The financial expert explained that Diaspora remittances had recently declined as most of the newly registered International Money Transfers Operators (IMTSO) had yet to send inflows. Gwadabe called for a robust and s

Lagos State University The Governing Council of the Lagos State University (LASU) has approved the promotion of 17 lecturers in the institution as recommended by the Appointments and Promotions Academic Committee. The official bulletin of the university on Thursday in Lagos said the approval was given by the appointments and promotions committee. ‎The bulletin said that a lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dr. Patrick Adebuyi, was promoted from senior lecturer to associate professor. ‎It said that seven other lecturers were promoted from lecturer two to lecturer one, while nine lecturers were promoted from assistant lecturer to lecturer two.‎ ‎ The bulletin stated that only three months promotion arrears would be paid to the promoted lecturers the promotion.

A 35-year-old man, Jamilu Adamu, was on Wednesday electrocuted at Kawon Maigari, Hotoro Area of Kano, Kano State while trying to vandalize a fenced-electricity transformer. The Public Relations Officer of Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO), Mohammed Kandi, confirmed this in a statement he released to newsmen on Thursday in Kano. KEDCO spokesman said that the deceased was found dead with some tools that include: Sizes 17 and 20 rings and flat spanner by his side. The statement also quoted Mr. Aminu Abubakar, Head of Health Safety and Environment (HSE) of KEDCO as saying that the vandal’s corpse had been evacuated by the police. “At the time the police evacuated the corpse, one of the HV bushings of the transformer had been loosened from the base. “This is an indication that the intention of the deceased was to vandalize the transformer by removing the bushings, and possibly the armoured cable,” he said in the statement. Abubakar said in the statement that the deceased

A Senior ExxonMobil staff in Eket has been killed by a blast in the early hours of Tuesday, Nov. 24. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the deceased was identified as one Mr. G. Okorocha, the Chief Engineer (Aviation Department), who was in charge of servicing of aeroplanes and helicopters in the company. An official of the company told NAN that Okorocha was killed by a blast from a burst tyre in the aviation wing of the company along Eket Oron road, in Eket Local Government Area of the state. The official said that the deceased was inflating a spare tyre of his car with an apparatus meant for the inflation of helicopter tyres, which is against ExxonMobil safety rules and regulation. The official said that the late Okorocha had just finished servicing a helicopter of the company at about 4:15 a.m. before the tragic incident. The source revealed that as he was inflating the spare tyre, the pressure from the company’s apparatus caused a blast that detached the rim of the

L-R: Lagos State Police Commissioner, Mr. Fatai Owoseni; with Commander, Rapid Response Squad (RRS), ACP Tunji Disu; Permanent Secretary, Lands Bureau, Lagos State Governor’s Office, Mr. Bode Agoro and Executive Secretary, Lands Bureau, Mr. Kayode Ogunnubi during the arrest of Operators of an illegal Oil Depot in Oregun, Onigbongbo LCDA, on Thursday. The Lagos State Police Command on Thursday uncovered an illegal oil depot located underneath the Oregun-Opebi Link Bridge in Onigbongbo Local Government Area of the State, arresting eight suspects in the process. The illegal oil depot was uncovered during a joint raid by men of the Lagos Police Command and the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), led by the Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr. Fatai Owoseni and the RRS Commander, Mr. Olatunji Disu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police. Owoseni, who briefed journalists shortly after inspecting the area, alongside officials of the State Lands Bureau, said the suspects had been engaging in adulteration

Prof Wole Soyinka Nigerian Nobel prize-winning author Wole Soyinka said Thursday he has fulfilled his pledge to throw away his US residency green card and leave the country if Donald Trump won the presidential election. Shortly before the vote, Soyinka had vowed to give up his permanent US residency over a Trump victory to protest against the Republican billionaire’s campaign promises to get tough on immigration. “I have already done it, I have disengaged (from the United States). I have done what I said I would do,” the 82-year-old said on the sidelines of an education conference at the University of Johannesburg. “I had a horror of what is to come with Trump… I threw away the (green) card, and I have relocated, and I’m back to where I have always been” (Nigeria). The prolific playwright, novelist and poet won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986 and has been a regular teacher at US universities including Harvard, Cornell and Yale. At the same time, he said he would not disc

Mr. Babatope Akinyele, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be neutral in the conduct of Saturday Ifako/Ijaiye Federal Constituency by-election in Lagos state. Akinyele gave the advice on Thursday in Ifako/Ijaiye while speaking with newsmen on the sideline of the stakeholders’ forum organized by INEC on the forthcoming exercise. He expressed delight on the preparedness of the commission for the election. “I believe INEC is ready. With what I see on ground, INEC is ready for this election and I don’t see anything otherwise,” he said. The candidate, who urged voters to come out en masse to vote for PDP, promised to bring ‘’real transformation’’ to the area if voted. He said that he would influence real change to the area in terms of road infrastructure, quality representation and empowerment. “I know what the people need. I know the basic things people expect from the government and these will be my pri

An agreement between oil producer club OPEC and Russia to produce less to drain a global glut sent prices soaring in record trading volumes on Thursday. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) agreed on Wednesday its first oil output reduction since 2008 after de-facto leader Saudi Arabia accepted “a big hit” and dropped a demand that arch-rival Iran also slash output. The deal also included the group’s first coordinated action with non-OPEC member Russia in 15 years. On Thursday Azerbaijan said it was also willing to engage in talks on cuts. “OPEC has agreed to a historic production cut,” analysts at AB Bernstein said. “The cut of 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) was at the upper end of expectations (0.7-1.2 million bpd). An additional cut of 0.6 million bpd from non-OPEC countries could significantly add to what has been announced by OPEC.” The price for Brent sweet crude futures, the international benchmark for oil prices, jumped as high as 52.54 dollar

Mr. Babatope Akinyele, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be neutral in the conduct of Saturday Ifako/Ijaiye Federal Constituency by-election in Lagos state. Akinyele gave the advice on Thursday in Ifako/Ijaiye while speaking with newsmen on the sideline of the stakeholders’ forum organized by INEC on the forthcoming exercise. He expressed delight on the preparedness of the commission for the election. “I believe INEC is ready. With what I see on ground, INEC is ready for this election and I don’t see anything otherwise,” he said. The candidate, who urged voters to come out en masse to vote for PDP, promised to bring ‘’real transformation’’ to the area if voted. He said that he would influence real change to the area in terms of road infrastructure, quality representation and empowerment. “I know what the people need. I know the basic things people expect from the government and these will be my pri

The gavel of justice Eight elderly men, who allegedly stole complete documents of a landed property valued at N400 million, were on Thursday docked before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos. The accused are Amisu Alao, 74; Afolabi Dosunmu, 65; Adams Adebayo, 50; Saliu Shanu, 52; Oseni Olukola, 49; Agbaiaka Samusideen, 58; Akintunde Rasaq, 58, and Segun Egbayelo, 70. They are standing trial on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, stealing, threat to life and breach of the peace. The prosecutor, Cpl. Friday Mameh, told the court that the accused committed the alleged offences sometimes in 2013 at No. 3 Expressway Sand Depot, Tin Can Island, Apapa, Lagos. He said that the accused stole a land document valued at N400 million, belonging to one Mr Owoseni Agbayelo. Mameh, said that the accused sent messages to the complainant in which they threatened to kill him. He added that the accused acted in a manner likely to cause a breach of the peace by using the stolen docume

ABSUTH-workers-strike Workers of Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH) have threatened to embark on an indefinite strike by Monday, Dec. 5. The aggrieved workers said their decision followed the expiration of the final three-day notice they gave the State Government. Mr Samuel Kalu, Secretary, Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Allied Institutions (SOUTH RIAI), ABSUTH Chapter, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Aba. Kalu said that the planned strike was occasioned by the state government’s insensitivity to the sufferings of workers in the institution who have been working although they were owed seven months salaries. According to him, the association in its agitation to press home members’ demands sent several letters of complaint which were not responded to, which warranted series of warning strike letters which the government also ignored. “We do not want to go on strike but the sta

Nigeria-police The Kwara Police Command has arrested six suspected killers of a female rice farmer, Mrs. Florence Ede. The Commissioner of Police in the state, Olusola Amore, announced this while briefing newsmen on Thursday in Ilorin. Amore said the suspects are: Kofi Kawku, Ali Dauda, Gomina Umaru, Ali Sabi, Abubarka Basira and Ayuba Adamu. He said they were arrested on Nov. 23 for allegedly matcheting the victim to death inside her farm at Yashikira in Baruten Local Government Area of the state. He said that the suspects being labourers employed by the deceased, conspired and killed her and carted away 11 bags of rice. The commissioner said the suspects were later arrested by the police, while the stolen rice belonging to the victim and the Golf car used in carrying the commodity were recovered. He also announced that the command had arrested some alleged cultists namely, Ibrahim Imam, Salisudeen Imam and Saheed Mubaraq. “The suspects confessed to being members of Eiye and

Kazeem Ugbodaga The Lagos State Government on Thursday said it will formally flag off its Rent-To-Own and Rental Housing policies on 8 December, 2016. Commissioner for Housing, Prince Gbolahan Lawal disclosed this at a news conference in Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, saying that the current administration came up with the Rent-To-Own policy and Rental Housing policy in order to increase the number of Lagosians that had their feet on home ownership ladder. He said 12 housing estates had been dedicated for the implementation of the Rent-To-Own policy, which included: Sir Michael Otedola Estate, Odoragunshin, Epe; CHOIS City, Agbowa Odo-Onosa, Agbowa; Alhaja Adetoun Mustapha Estate, Ojokoro; Hon. Olaitan Mustapha Estate, Ojokoro; Egan-Igando Housing Estate, Alimosho; Igando Gardens, Igando – Alimosho; Oba Adeboruwa Estate, Igbogbo – Ikorodu; Igbogbo IIB Housing Estate, Igbogbo – Ikorodu; Iponri Estate, Iponri – Surulere; Sangotedo Estate, Sangotedo – Eti-Osa and Ajara Estate, Badagr

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State Kaduna State House of Assembly on Thursday passed into law, the state’s Budget of N214.9 billion for 2017. The figure is N1 billion less than the budget proposal forwarded by Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa’i to the assembly on Oct. 12, for approval. The Speaker of the assembly, Alhaji Aminu Shagali, who read the content of the budget clause by clause, said N83.46 billion was approved for recurrent and N131.45 for capital expenditure. He said the budget would cover from now till Dec. 31, 2017. The Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed, later told newsmen that the N1 billion cut from the original proposal was from the expected revenue of two agencies. He said that revenue projection of the state Geographic Information System and Internal Revenue Service was reduced by N500 million for each of the agencies, “in view of current economic realities.” He assured that the assembly would monitor the implementation to ensure that

FRSC -checking-vehicles Mr Clement Oladele, Ogun Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has said that the introduction of speed limiting device would reduce road crashes in the country by 35 per cent, if diligently implemented. Oladele said this at the inauguration of FRSC’s 2016 Ember Month with the theme “Crashes the crash: Speed kills’’ on Thursday in Ota. The campaign was co-sponsored by the FRSC and Shell Nigeria Gas. He identified speed as a major factor contributing to road crashes in the country. “When speed is high, it will be difficult to control the vehicle, and this has contributed to over 65 per cent of crashes that occur, especially by commercial vehicles in the country,’’ he said. Oladele advised drivers to ensure install the device in their vehicles in order to reduce road crashes. He reiterated that full enforcement of the policy on the device would commerce in Feb. 1, 2017. Oladele said that FRSC had line up programmes to check the conduct of dri

HIV/AIDS No fewer than 5,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in 27 camps in Borno are currently living with HIV/AIDS. Mr. Hassan Mustapha, the Coordinator on HIV/AIDS in Borno, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Maiduguri on Thursday. He said that most of the patients were women who were rescued from captivity in Boko Haram camps. The coordinator, however, said that some of those affected were not effectively accessing antiretroviral therapy because of stigmatization. He lamented that many of them had died of the scourge because they were not properly counselled and sensitized on the need to enroll under the HIV/AIDS control programme. “We have more than 1,000 patients in Bama camp and 3,000 in Gwoza camp while over 1,000 others are taking refuge in the host communities. “We have heard of many supporting NGOs in Borno but none of them has approached us to offer assistance to the IDPs living with the virus. “The IDPs living with such ailment

bore-hole-water Mr Cemal Yigit, President, Association of Turkish People in Nigeria (ATPEN) said the Nigerian Turkish International College (NTIC) Foundation, an NGO has drilled over 1, 000 boreholes for communities across Nigeria. Yigit stated this on Thursday in Abuja. He said that communities in Yobe and Ogun states were among the beneficiaries of the boreholes. Yigit said that the foundation had in the past two years, expended about a million dollars annually for humanitarian services as part of its social responsibilities in Nigeria. “As an association, we are not directly involved in humanitarian services but our members, for example the NTIC Foundation do a lot of humanitarian services. “The NTIC Foundation is a charity organisation involved in the campaign for humanitarian aids to IDP camps and students of public schools. “The various campaigns for humanitarian aids for public schools by the foundation have over the years been done in collaboration with the Federal Mini

Governor Jibrilla Bindow of Adamawa State The National Commission For Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCRMI) is to established an office in Yola, the Adamawa capital, a Federal Commissioner, Hajiya Sadiya Umar, has said. Umar spoke on Thursday in Yola during a courtesy call on Gov. Muhammadu Bindow at Government House. Umar said that the office would ensure the physical presence of the commission in the state for effective delivery of its mandate. “Although the presence of the commission has not been significant, henceforth, under my leadership we will make our presence felt, thereby establishing our physical presence in the state, by having a functional office here in Yola, ” Umar said. The commissioner lauded the government for the significant progress recorded in addressing the humanitarian crisis caused by the insurgency in the state. “I bring to you and good people of Adamawa special greetings from President Muhammadu Buhari. “Mr President is very muc

Kemi Adeosun, Nigeria’s Finance Minister The Federal Government is set to recover about N450 billion operating surpluses that were not returned by 33 agencies from 2010 to 2015. The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, made the announcement on Thursday in Abuja at a news conference. She said that an audit had been carried out on the agencies in compliance with the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA), 2007. The minister that a recovery committee headed by the Accountant-General of the Federation had been set up to recover the money from the agencies. Adeosun noted, however, that some of the agencies had started returning various sums, saying that N640 million had been received from the Nigeria Shippers Council. “The total independent revenue generated between January and October 2016 was N272.03 billion but there is a projected increase to N811.03 billion as we recover amounts owed.” She said that the audit revealed that there was a lot of non-remittances and under-remittances o

med-lab An expert, Mr Solomon Chollom, has disclosed that 90 per cent of the medical laboratories in Plateau were not equipped to play their role in the healthcare delivery chain. Chollom, Chairman, Association of Medical Laboratory Scientist of Nigeria (AMLSN), National Veterinary Research Institute, Jos chapter, who spoke on Thursday in Jos, regretted that the development was “a major drawback to quality healthcare”. His position was contained in a paper entitled: “Emerging and re-emerging infectious disease in Nigeria,’’ delivered at a public lecture organised in honour of late Raphael Shonekan, the first medical laboratory scientist of the institute. He said that “only 10 per cent” of laboratories were well endowed while the rest, especially medical laboratories in local government health centres and cottage hospitals were “very under-equipped”. Chollom described a medical laboratory as “the loud voice that speaks on health”. “The laboratory remains the voice that speaks; w

sex-education Some parents in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have recommended sex education for children between the ages of five and 10 years to ensure they learn from the right sources. A cross section of parents on Thursday said children these days were fast learners and could learn the wrong things if not exposed to sex education at a tender age. Mr Emmanuel Leramoh, a public servant with Supreme Court, said he would start teaching his daughter who is presently three years sex education at the age of nine. Leramoh said at the age of nine, his daughter would have started developing some features as a girl. “It is better to teach her at the age of nine when she would have started developing as a woman. “Although there are some things that I need to start telling her even before she gets to that age, but the actual time to fully educate her is when she clocks nine years,” he said. Mrs Harriet Osenyi, a textile dealer, said that learning and teaching was a continuous proc

Kaduna State House of Assembly on Thursday passed into law, the state’s Budget of N214.9 billion for 2017. The figure is N1 billion less than the budget proposal forwarded by Gov. Nasir El-Rufai to the assembly on Oct. 12, for approval. The Speaker of the assembly, Alhaji Aminu Shagali, who read the content of the budget clause by clause, said N83.46 billion was approved for recurrent and N131.45 for capital expenditure. He said the budget would cover from now till Dec. 31, 2017. The Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed, later told newsmen that the N1 billion cut from the original proposal was from the expected revenue of two agencies. He said that revenue projection of the state Geographic Information System and Internal Revenue Service was reduced by N500 million for each of the agencies, “in view of current economic realities.” He assured that the assembly would monitor the implementation to ensure that it serve the people better.

FILE PHOTO: A worker stands behind tools used for FGM in Africa The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on Thursday said that Osun still recorded highest prevalence of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Nigeria with over 76.3 per cent. Mrs Damilola Obinna, a Gender Analyst with UNFPA, said in Lagos that FGM was high in the South-West in spite of the geo-political zone’s high literacy and awareness rate. Obinna said that the statistics was arrived at after a survey was carried out by UNFPA in collaboration with UNICEF in 2015. “After data collation and analysis, we discovered that Osun had 76.3 per cent prevalence rate, Ekiti had 71.2, Oyo, 69.7; Ebonyi, 55.6; Imo, 48.8; and Lagos, 44.8. “There is no single benefit in the practice of female genital mutilation; yet, the practice is high even among the educated. “Aside from the immediate risks of FGM which includes haemorrhage, infections, and death, survivors of FGM are liable to present later in their lives recurring urinary

SON The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) in Osun on Thursday sealed a cement factory over alleged involvement in the production of substandard products. The factory, located on Ogo-Oluwa area of the town, was sealed by a team of SON officials and policemen. The state coordinator of SON, Mr Sunday Badewole,said during the exercise that his men had been on the trail of the producer of the substandard cements before his arrest along with others. Badewole alleged that the producer refused to write the factory’s address on the cements packs to evade arrest. He said that the suspects specialised in the production of substandard red and green cements being used for tiles and building. According to Badewole, the suspects claimed to have their headquarters in Lagos and the branch office in Osogbo. He said investigation by the agency revealed that the suspects had been selling the substandard cements in Kwara, Ondo, Ogun, and other states. “No matter the quality of the products

L-R FRSC Sector Commander, Lagos state, Hyginus Omeje; Managing Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Peter Ndegwa handing out a Responsible Drinking flyer to a motorist and Corporate Relations Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Sesan Sobowale during the flag-off of the 2016 Guinness FRSC Ember months campaign at the Ketu Garage in Lagos. Mr Hyginus Omeje, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Sector Commander, Lagos State Command, says the corps has set 15 minutes time limit to evacuate victims from scenes of road crashes. Omeje made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the flag off of the “2016 Guinness/Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Responsible Drinking Ember Months Campaign” on Wednesday at Ketu Garage, Lagos. NAN reports that the Responsible Drinking Ember Months Campaign, now in the 9th edition, is sponsored by Guinness Nigeria Plc. The campaign is geared toward orientation of commercial drivers on the dangers of driving under the influence of alc

High cost of goods in the market Nigeria and Kingdom of Morocco are set to improve bilateral trade relations to boost intra-Africa trade volume. Mr Laoye Jaiyeola, Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), said on Thursday that public and private sectors of both countries would collaborate to leverage on opportunities for sustainable economic growth. He said this in Lagos during a Nigeria – Morocco Business Meeting on the theme: “Business Climate and Investment Opportunities”. According to Jaiyeola, improved business relations between both countries will create mutual benefits, connect the continent’s markets and enhance competitiveness. Mr Muda Yusuf, Director-General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), said that improved trade relations would boost regional integration between both countries. He noted that the strategic partnership between both countries would unlock several trade and investment opportunities in the West African region. Ms.

NSCDC Operatives The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has again warned vandals, illegal dealers and adulteration of petroleum products to desist from the act or face the wrath of the law. Its Commandant General (CG), Mr Abdullahi Muhammadu, gave the warning against the backdrop of the recent sentencing of 16 persons to life imprisonment for petroleum product adulteration in Calabar, Cross Rivers. The offenders were convicted and sentenced by a Federal High Court presided over by Justice Inyang Ekwo on Tuesday. The convicts, who were arrested by the Bayelsa Command of the NSCDC on July 7, were found guilty of adulterating 100 tonnes of petroleum product suspected to be diesel. A statement by the NSCDC spokesman, Mr Emmanuel Okeh, quoted the CG as saying there was no hiding place for vandals and economic saboteurs. Muhammadu stated that the corps was poised to effectively pursue its mandate of protecting critical infrastructure and other national assets. “Vandals

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NDLEA operatives A Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday sentenced 22-year-old Adeniyi Adelakun to two years imprisonment for dealing on cannabis sativa. Adelakun, a truck pusher, was first arraigned on July 26 by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). He had pleaded guilty to the offence. In his judgment on Thursday, Justice Babs Kuewumi found Adelakun guilty of the offence and convicted him accordingly. “Based on the evidence before this honourable court, the accused is found guilty and convicted as charged. “The convict is hereby sentenced to a term of two years imprisonment beginning from the date of his arrest,” he said. The judge also ordered the drug exhibit to be disposed by the NDLEA, if no appeal subsists against the judgment. Shortly before sentence, the convict had begged the court to show mercy on him for being a first offender. He had prayed the court to be lenient, adding that he was sorry for the offence and would never repeat same if given a sec

File photi; Adult parade at Calabar Carnival Gov. Ben Ayade of Cross River on Thursday inaugurated the `Calabar Municipal Garden’ which will serve as the 2016 Calabar Carnival village. Ayade said that the village was chosen because it was central and accessible to residents and tourists. The governor said the village would serve as venue for funfair and market for Christmas shopping. He said that adequate security measures had been taken to safeguard tourists and fun seekers at the village. The governor said that this year’s carnival would be used to highlight the issues of climate change. “It is to the glory of God that we have witnessed the first and second dry run of the 2016 Calabar carnival. “I wish to declare the 2016 Calabar carnival village open to all. The 2016 carnival will be better and bigger. “We have put in place more innovations that would meet the taste of our esteemed tourists. “I wish to assure all those coming in for the carnival of adequate security. “Ca

NIMASA The National Joint Industrial Council (NJIC) has agreed to discontinue further negotiations for the increment of wages of dock workers, given the prevailing economic conditions in the maritime industry and in the country. A statement by the Head, Corporate Communications Team of NIMASA, Hajia Lami Tumaka, disclosed this on Thursday in Lagos. The statement said the decision was reached at the inaugural meeting of the NJIC at the Headquarters of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in Lagos. The meeting was presided over by the Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr Gambo Ahmed, who is also the Chairman of the NJIC. Ahmed said that the dwindling fortunes in global shipping, which had affected vessel traffic to Nigeria had negatively impacted on the fortunes of Seaports and Terminal Operators of Nigeria (STOAN). The NJIC observed that the economic downturn had made some operators to lay off workers and in order to stem the t

Governor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe State Gov. Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe on Thursday directed a sleeping commissioner at the presentation of the 2017 budget to the State House of Assembly to go home for more sleep. The governor had barely commenced reading the budget speech when the cabinet member started snoring. Gaidam warned that any public officer henceforth caught sleeping stood sacked. “As from today, any commissioner or special adviser caught sleeping stands sacked and will immediately be replaced. “We will borrow a leaf from the North Korean experience to make government affairs a serious business,” he said. Gaidam while reviewing the budget performance of the outgoing year paused and directed the sleeping commissioner to go home. “I am referring to the commissioner who is sleeping, you can go back home to sleep since you cannot endure the session,” he said. Although the governor did not mention the name of the sleeping commissioner, he pointed to the row of the commissioner

File photi; Adult parade at Calabar Carnival Gov. Ben Ayade of Cross River on Thursday inaugurated the `Calabar Municipal Garden’ which will serve as the 2016 Calabar Carnival village. Ayade said that the village was chosen because it was central and accessible to residents and tourists. The governor said the village would serve as venue for funfair and market for Christmas shopping. He said that adequate security measures had been taken to safeguard tourists and fun seekers at the village. The governor said that this year’s carnival would be used to highlight the issues of climate change. “It is to the glory of God that we have witnessed the first and second dry run of the 2016 Calabar carnival. “I wish to declare the 2016 Calabar carnival village open to all. The 2016 carnival will be better and bigger. “We have put in place more innovations that would meet the taste of our esteemed tourists. “I wish to assure all those coming in for the carnival of adequate security. “Ca