Tag Archives: Govt

South Africa Bans Anti-gay US Pastor

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South Africa on Tuesday banned a Holocaust-denying, anti-gay American pastor from entering the country, after an outcry from rights groups over his characterisation of gays as “sodomites” and “paedophiles”.

Steven Anderson, who in 2009 infamously prayed for US President Barack Obama’s death, had planned a “soul-winning” visit to South Africa at the weekend.

But Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba declared the Christian preacher a “prohibited person” following objections over his “hate speech”.

“Steven Anderson and members or associates of his church are prohibited from entering the Republic of South Africa,” Gigaba said at a press conference in Cape Town.

“We have a duty to prevent harm and hatred, in all forms, against LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and intersex) as against any other person in a democratic state,” the minister said.

Anderson has frequently courted controversy through his Arizona-based Faithful Word Baptist Church, which preaches a literal reading of the Bible.

A Holocaust denier, he prayed for the death of US President Barack Obama in 2009 over his pro-choice stance on abortion, and called the victims of the November 2015 attack on the Bataclan nightclub in Paris “devil worshipers”.

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World Class Mineral Discovered In Nigeria, Govt. To Sign Exploration Deal With Australian Firm

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A private mining syndicate has made a potentially “world class and highly unusual” Nickel discovery in Nigeria, The Australian, an Australian national newspaper is reporting.

The private mining syndicate is reportedly headed by Hugh Morgan, a mining industry veteran.

“The discovery is unusual because the nickel is found in small balls up to 3mm in diameter of a high purity in shallow soils in what could be the surface expression of a much bigger hard-rock nickel field,” the newspaper said.

“The nickel balls, rumoured to grade better than 90 per cent nickel and thought to be a world first given their widespread distribution, offer the potential for early cashflow from a simple and low-cost screening operation to fund a full assessment of the find that has exploration circles buzzing.”

Details of the discovery are sketchy, according to the newspaper, but it was rumoured to be close to Dangoma, a small farming town about 160km northeast of the Nigerian capital of Abuja.

Checks by showed that Dangoma is located in the North-West state of Kaduna.

When asked to comment last week, Mr Morgan reportedly said it was for the Nigerian government to make an announcement.

Kayode Fayemi, the Minister for Solid Minerals, will be among the speakers at a three-day Africa Down Under mining conference at Perth’s Pan Pacific Hotel, Australia, in September.

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http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/209488-world-class-nickel-discovered-nigeria-govt-sign-exploration-deal-australian-firm.html

$321m Abacha Loot: Govt Sends Plans To Switzerland

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In line with Switzerland’s request, the Federal Government has submitted five proposals on how it will spend the $132million Abacha loot if returned.

Switzerland had asked for how the cash would be spent before releasing it.

The proposals are based on social benefit projects to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians.

 The government is, however, weighing options on another condition bordering on the payment of monitoring fees to the World Bank on five projects.

To cut cost, the government is thinking of reducing the projects to two for the World Bank to monitor.

If the $321million loot is released, the amount to be repatriated to Nigeria by the Swiss authorities will amount to $1.044billion in 11 years.

Switzerland has released $723million to the country in the last 10 years.

But, a matter before a court by a Nigerian lawyer based in the United States (U.S.) has stalled the return of $480 million by the American government.

But both the U.S. and the Federal Government are collaborating to overcome the legal hurdles at the appeal court.

Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mallam Abubakar Malami (SAN)  said that the government was trying to meet the terms of Switzerland.

Malami said: “We got a request from Switzerland that we should provide a list of projects that we will spend the $321million on.

“The government has done its homework and submitted five proposals that have bearing with social benefit projects.

“Some of the projects have been captured in this year’s budget. They will impact on all Nigerians.

“They wrote back to us on the fact that they will want the World Bank to be directly involved in the monitoring of the projects with a caveat that we have to pay monitoring fees.

“We have not come to terms with paying monitoring fees for all the projects. We have not taken any decision to pay the bills for all the projects or to restrict the payment to two of the projects,

“We are already collaborating with World Bank on three projects which will accelerate the nation’s development.”

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Govt Shuts Firm Supplying Militants With Explosives

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The Federal Government has uncovered a firm which supplies militants the explosives with which they have been bombing oil installations in the Niger Delta.

The firm was said to have diverted 9,000 kilogrammes of nitro-glycerine explosives and 16,420 pieces of detonators to the militants for “illegal use”.

National Security Adviser (NSA) Maj.-Gen. Muhammed Babagana Monguno yesterday said investigation revealed that the explosives allegedly diverted by Nigerian Development and Construction Company (NDCC) based in Koko, Delta State, were being used by militants to bomb oil installations and facilities.

According to him, an inventory of the records of explosive magazines and quarries in the region, revealed the diversion of a large quantity of explosives and pieces of detonators.

 NDCC, an importer and seller of explosives, has been sealed off, and its explosive’s licence withdrawn.

The company has also been blacklisted.

Six people –  a store officer and five security operatives – have been arrested and are being interrogated, Gen. Monguno said.

He added: “Right now investigations have been conducted and I can assure you they are deeply culpable and appropriate actions will be taken. Let me once again reiterate that  any individual or company that operates outside the confines of legitimacy and legality will find himself or itself to blame.  I also want to add that the government  of the day will not listen to any influence peddler  in the society on behalf of any company that decides to sabotage national security.”

Further explaining the development, Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dr Kayode Fayemi, in a statement by his media aide, Yinka Oyebode, said: “This is in addition to the blacklisting of the company and withdrawal of its explosive licences.

“The development is sequel to investigations by the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), which revealed that the company was involved in illegal diversion of about 9,000 kg of Nitro-glycerine explosives and 16,420 pieces of electrical detonators from its magazines between 2015 and 2016.”

The minister warned of manufacturers, importers, sellers and end users of explosives in the country  to desist from unprofessional sale, procurement, storage and use of explosives in line with the provisions of the Explosives Act of 1964 , the Explosives Regulations of 1967 and other extant policy directives.

The NSA also accused two companies – Notore Chemical Industry Limited and Indorama Eleme Fertiliser and Chemicals – which were granted the exclusive rights to manufacture fertiliser for local consumption, of exporting the bulk of their products.

The firms granted the licence after the Federal Government banned the importation of fertilisers following discovery that certain grades of fertilisers were being used to manufacture the Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) employed by terrorists.

 Gen. Monguno said the ONSA and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development also facilitated necessary importation of raw materials and ensured secured distribution networks with the objective of solving a national security problem and boosting local production of the product thereby boosting the economy.

He said the cumulative annual production of the two companies is estimated at 2.05 million metric tons while the estimated national consumption rate is 1.1 million metric tons leaving the companies with a cumulative export value of about 47 percent.

Gen. Monguno said: “However, the Office of the National Security Adviser has observed with total dismay, some unpatriotic act and abuse of the goodwill of the government. Reports of these companies have indicated that about 71 per cent of the 2.05 million metric tons cumulative annual production is being exported to the detriment of our national economy.

“This has resulted in a spike in the price of urea-based fertilisers in Nigeria with obvious implications on food security in the country.

“In view of the foregoing, I wish to categorically state that the government will continue to adhere to the rule of law, however, it must be noted that the rule of law is not akin to anarchy. Accordingly, this office will not hesitate to close and withdraw the operating licence of any company that exports products without first meeting local consumption.  This office and the Ministry will work to put in place measures to assess  production and determine exportable quantity by the respective companies.”

Monguno, who was joined by Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri  and other top officials of the ONSA, noted that due to the unpatriotic acts of the companies,  local farmers are suffering lack of fertilisers.

Credit: TheNation

Imo Workers Defy Govt’s 3-day Workweek Policy

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Workers in Imo State yesterday reported for work in disobedience to a directive by the government that they take off Thursday and Friday every week from their respective offices after working Monday to Wednesday.
Imo State government recently announced the new policy introducing a three-day workweek effective Monday through Wednesday, a policy which officially commenced Monday, August 1st.

Government said it meant the two work-free days, Thursday and Friday, to enable the workers engage in farming.
But yesterday which should have been the workers’ first free day, workers at various ministries and parsstatals were in their usual offices working.
In a response to the development, Governor Rochas Okorocha has appealed to the leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state to show understanding over the new policy.
The NLC leaders were reported to have ordered the workers to ignore the directive.
The governor in a statement issued in Owerri by his Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, urged them to appreciate that the policy was meant to allow workers to use Thursdays and Fridays to farm, except workers on essential duties like teachers, nurses, doctors, political appointees and IGR personnel.
He said the workers were not asked to go home to stay idle but to dutifully engage in farming, which would not only help their individual economies but would also boost the economy of the state.
The governor declared that the development was in the best interest of everyone and would not affect the salaries of the workers.

Credit: DailyTrust

Ocholi’s Death: FRSC Restates Commitment To Govt Convoy Drivers’ Re-training

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The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Boboye Oyeyemi has reiterated the need for the retraining of government officials’ drivers in order to avoid convoy crashes. Oyeyemi made this known following the fatal accident, which occurred on Sunday along Kaduna- Abuja road in which the Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, Barrister James Eneojo Ocholi, his wife and son died.

The Corps Marshal, who addressed a section of members of the press in the aftermath of the crash, noted that the death of the minister in the crash was a tragic incident that has challenged FRSC to step up its campaigns against carnage. Oyeyemi said he was personally touched and would work with relevant stakeholders to develop appropriate strategies that could address future occurrences. According to the Corps Marshal, following the unfortunate incident, FRSC is more determined to work with the Executive and members of the National Assembly as well as other relevant stakeholders to workout appropriate modalities for ensuring crash-free roads.

He said the training and retraining of government drivers is part of the immediate measures being taken by the FRSC to avert convoy crashes in the country. He noted that when FRSC trained the drivers of the Governors’ convoy, the benefits in terms of improved driving culture became immediately noticeable, saying the Corps would be working with members of the Federal Executive Council to put some measures in place, including re-training of their drivers to avoid convoy crashes.

“We are working with the Minister of Works, Power and Housing to install traffic signs at some strategic points along the highways. We are equally committed to working with the National Assembly to step up advocacy and enforcement strategies to curtail issues of speed violation and promotion of use of seatbelt,” Oyeyemi said. Meanwhile, the Corps Marshal has revealed that, James Elegbede, the driver of the late Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Barrister James Ocholi had no driver’s license as his name was not found on the data base of FRSC. Oyeyemi, who stated this while presenting the accident’s Road Traffic Crash Investigation Interim Report to the Federal Executive Council, FEC, on Wednesday at the meeting of the body at the presidential villa, Abuja, said Ocholi, his wife and son had died in the accident as a result of over speeding.

He disclosed that a search conducted on the commission’s database showed that the driver do not have a valid driver’s licence. Oyeyemi said “There was no record in the driver’s national data base of the driver of the minister with the name Taiwo James Elegbede. “However, there was a record found on the driver’s licence database of the driver of minister’s back up vehicle with the name Ibrahim Abubakar. Oyeyemi said after losing one of the rear tyres of the vehicle, the driver who was in high speed applied break and thereafter lost control of the vehicle.

Credit: NationalMirror

How Jonathan’s Govt Blew N2.2b On Prayers- Ex-NNPC Chief

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Besides the fortune sunk into phoney arms deals, no less than N2.2billion was spent on prayers against Boko Haram,  it was learnt yesterday.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration blew the cash on special prayers in Nigeria and Saudi  Arabia to win the war.

The cash was disbursed through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), following a proposal by a former Executive Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Aminu Baba-Kusa.

Baba-Kusa, in his statement of witness filed in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is facing trial with a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.) and three others.

The others are Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited (owned by Baba-Kusa) and a former Director of Finance in ONSA, Shuaibu Salisu.

In the statement, Baba-Kusa said the N2.2billion was spent on prayers to hasten the defeat of Boko Haram.

The cash was released in two tranches of N1,450,000,000 and N750,000,000.

Baba-Kusa told EFCC investigators that the contract proposal was verbal.

But the suspect has promised to refund the N2.2billion by disposing of his assets.

Baba-Kusa said: “I approached the former NSA and discussed Boko Haram problems and I suggested there is need for prayers and he considered and accepted in 2013 when he first came to office.

“I personally sponsored many people locally and some few to Saudi Arabia. Some monies were later paid into our companies, which we paid to some of the mallams.

“I then arranged to recover my personal expense which I put into our own businesses.

“We have been spending a lot from our businesses and personal accounts. Money paid through UBA, First Bank and ECOBANK. For Acacia Holdings Limited(A/C 1017330319-UBA); ECOBANK(0122012650); and First Bank(Reliance Referral Hospitals Limited A/C 2022394057). The total amount is N2,200,000,000 from October 2014 to April 2015.”

He told detectives that he is not an expert, “but I used some of the mallams to organise in Abuja, Zaria, Kano, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Kaduna and Saudi Arabia covering 2013 to 2015.”

He added: “I give them funds as required from time to time, ranging from N500,000 to N30million, depending on their needs, traveling, sadaqat and others for local expenses and travels to Saudi Arabia for Umrah and Hajj.

“I reminded the NSA many times before payments were made. We grew up together with the former NSA with common friends in ABU.

“Most of the payments in cash were meant to give out cash to people that have been organising prayers. Some transfers to Acacia to other banks were for logistics and also to some mallams in cash.”

The suspect also confirmed that the prayer contract was not documented.

He added: “The proposal made to the former NSA was not documented by him or myself. The verbal proposal to him was for prayers to overcome Boko Haram within the shortest possible time.

“The engagement for prayers by organising some people to be praying was not formally written down.

“There was no amount of money agreed on. I said to him, I will start organising, which he agreed and said he will see what he would give at a later time.

Baba-Kusa said he had an estimate of over N700million spent “from my own resources before I started to ask for money from him”. Some of these funds came from disposal of some of my land in Abuja. One in Maitama, one in Gudu and one in Guzape. The Maitama was a little over N200million; Guzape (N80m), Gudu(N18m), he told the EFCC.

But, according to him, he kept no records of the money he gave to individual Mallams organising various groups. I requested for no acknowledgement from them when I gave money to them.”

He assured the EFCC that he would refund the said cash if he is able to dispose of his landed properties.

He said: “I am making efforts to dispose of my properties in Abuja which would be over the total amount of N2.2billion. If the sales go through and the amount from the sales is made in full, I will make full payment.”

In the 19 charges against the five suspects, Baba-Kusa, Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited are alleged to have “between October 2014 and April 2015 in Abuja agreed to do an illegal act to wit : dishonestly receiving property to wit: an aggregate sum of N2,200,000,000 being part of the funds in the accounts of the Office of  National Security Adviser and  that the same act was fine in pursuance of the agreement among you and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.”

Credit: Nation

PDP Announces Date For National Convention, Blasts Govt. Over Raid Of Ekiti Assembly

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The opposition Peoples Democratic Party will hold its national convention to elect new leaders in May, in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

The date and venue was announced on Monday at the end the 69th meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), in Abuja.

The communique Of the NEC meeting, which was signed by the party’s national chairman and secretary, Ali Sheriff and Adewale Oladipo respectively also said the NEC approved the time-table for the party’s congresses.

It said congresses would commence on Saturday April 23, while the national convention would hold on Saturday May 21, 2016 in the Rivers state capital.

The NEC also approved the extension of the tenure of office of all organs of the party at all levels until the conduct of congresses and national convention, except those of Edo and Ondo states.

“NEC approved the setting up of four special committees in preparation for the national convention. They are National Convention Committee, Reconciliation Committee, Zoning Committee and Finance Committee,” the communique said.

The PDP NEC also said it had observed the “erosion of fundamental human rights and constitutionally guaranteed personal liberty of Nigerians” especially key leaders of the PDP by the APC-led Federal Government.

The party condemns “the incessant harassment, maltreatment and unlawful incarceration of PDP leaders at various levels by government-controlled law enforcement and prosecution agencies”.

Credit: PremiumTimes

Kogi Indigenes Drag Govt To ECOWAS Court Over Bello

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Lawyers yesterday continued to differ on the implications of the new Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello being sworn in without a deputy.

Meanwhile, 24 hours after Bello was sworn in, a group of concerned indigenes have approached the ECOWAS Court of Justice seeking to nullify the election in which Bello was declared a winner.

In another development, campaign coordinators for Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello in the Eastern Senatorial District of the state, yesterday offered an insight into why they nominated an Abuja-based publisher, Mr. Gowon Usman Egbunu as their preferred deputy governorship candidate.

A Lagos-based Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Kemi Pinheiro (SAN) has said that the absence of a deputy during Wednesday’s inauguration of Bello as the governor of Kogi State did not affect the validity of Bello’s inauguration at all.

Pinheiro, who was reacting to the situation in a telephone interview said the fact that Bello did not contest the election in the first place revealed the lacuna in the constitution.

According to him, the absence of a deputy has not affected the validity of the inauguration at all.”

But constitutional lawyer, James Ezike thought otherwise, describing the action as an aberration and demonstration of an end to an era.

To the lawyer, there is nothing about the present government that is constitutional. According to him, it is strange for a man who overthrew a democratically elected government Alhaji Shehu Shagari to now be talking about treasonable felony.

In a suit, the plaintiffs , Sule Audu, Ikeleji Agada, Labaran Ismail Dadido, Isaka Isa Abdul Audu Ademu Abdullahi and Sulaiman Abdul, through their attorney, Festus A. Ogwuche, stated that the election of Bello was not in conformity or consistent with Nigeria’s international obligations.

Credit: Guardian

 

Protest At Times Square As New York Authorities Move To Ban Posing Topless

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?Posing topless in Times Square in New York City has been legal since 1992, and Mayor De Blasio and Governor Cuomo are currently trying to ban it.

One of the topless women, Saira thinks the attempt to ban being topless is helping their cause. “[Mayor De Blasio] made it actually better, and letting people pick a side. Are you on our side or are you on their side? And we have a lot more people on our side than I think anyone expected.”

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Riot In Bauchi Over Appointment Of New Emir, Govt. Imposes Curfew

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The Bauchi State Government has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on Misau town following a riot that trailed the appointment of a new emir by the state government.

The curfew, which the government said is parts of measures to safeguard the lives of the people, will last between 6pm and 6am each day.

It has been reported that riot broke out in the town following the appointment of the Secretary to the State Government, Ahmed Sulaiman, as the 11th Emir of Misau by Governor Mohammed Abubakar.

Some residents apparently had expected one of the scions of late emir or a close member of the Gwani Mukhtar ruling dynasty to be appointed to the throne.

A statement by the Permanent Secretary, Special Services, Abdul Ilelah, said: “Reports reaching the State Government have indicated that after the official announcement of the appointment of the 11th Emir of Misau and the successful conduct of all the traditional rites, some mischief makers have taken advantage of the apparent jubilant mood of the people and instigated youths into smashing vehicles parked at the? emir’s palace.

“Government views this development as the handiwork of the evil doers who are bent on destroying the prevailing peace and security being enjoyed in the state in order to enjoy selfish objectives.”

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Tianjin Blast: Residents Accuse Govt Of Negligence

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Dozens of angry residents whose homes were badly damaged by huge explosions last week in China’s northeastern port city of Tianjin, have accused the government of ignoring their plight and have demanded compensation.

Around 40 residents, holding signs that read “buy back (our homes)”, gathered outside a hotel on Tuesday where an official news conference was being held and demanded compensation after their residential apartments were damaged by two huge blasts that ripped through an industrial zone late last Wednesday killing over 100 people.

“Estate management (people) kept saying that they are in negotiation. But now we think it’s all nonsense, they just lie to everyone,” said 35-year-old resident Fang Qi.

“We, the owners of the properties, went to the office of the letter and complaints bureau yesterday and found out the information that our community had not been reported on, nobody knew it, so they treated it as a de-populated zone.”

Credit: Aljazeera

BREAKING: Oil Marketers Reach Agreement With Govt. On Resumption Of Fuel Supply

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Petroleum products marketers and the Federal Government on Monday have set aside their face-off resolved with government, resolving to immediately mobilize to ensure restoration of normal supply of fuel throughout the country.

At the end of a meeting convened by the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Upstream and downstream) to resolve the crisis, Chairman, Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), Obafemi Olawore, said its members, consisting Oando, Conoil, Forte Oil, MRS, Total and Mobil Oil agreed to commence lifting and distribution of fuel immediately from the stock supplied by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Capital Oil and Gas Ltd had on Sunday commenced the loading of 13 million litres of petrol from its depot in Apapa for distribution to the various states to reduce the current scarcity.

The Chairman of the company, Ifeayin Ubah, told journalists in Lagos that more than 2,000 trucks would be loaded before May 29 to boost the country’s economic activities.

He said the company’s facilities had the capacity to load 13 million litres of the product within the period. “This comes to approximately 500 trucks of petroleum products on daily basis. With this, it is our belief that once again our citizens will begin to smile and return to normal family and work life.

“We call on other petroleum marketers to follow suit and save our nation from this impending economic and social crisis,’’ he said.

Credit: premiumtimesng

No Rift With Govt. Transition Committee, Head Of Buhari’s Transition Committee Faults APC’s Claim

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Head of the incoming government’s Transition Committee, Ahmed Joda, has denied having any setbacks with the Federal Government’s Transition Committee in the course of his assignment.

The All Progressives Congress had on Thursday accused the government of failing to co-operate with its transition team.

The APC had made the accusation through its spokesperson, Lai Mohammed. “As we write, the transition committee of the FG has yet to hold a single meeting with our own transition committee, neither have they given us a line of handover note,” Mr. Mohammed had said.

But reacting to the allegation on Friday, the PDP spokesperson, Olisah Metuh, said the APC’s claim was as “unnecessary and diversionary” as it was “false and tendentious”.

Mr. Metuh stated that the meetings of the transition and inauguration committees of both parties have been going on fruitfully and wondered where the “false alarm” was coming from, “if not a measure of confusion in the APC camp”.

The chairman of the APC transition committee has now confirmed Mr. Joda’s claim.

Speaking with journalists at the State House, Abuja, after a meeting with the government side, chaired by Vice President Namadi Sambo, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Mr. Joda said his committee is getting all the necessary cooperation from the outgoing government.

Insisting that the two committees were operating on the same page, Mr. Joda dismissed reports that the presidency was not cooperating with his committee to ensure a smooth transition. “Our committee has never said to anybody that there is no cooperation, we have never said that and we are waiting for the reports, until when they come,” he said.

The secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim, also told journalists that the meeting was “fruitful and cordial”.

He said, contrary to speculations, there was no contending issue between the two committees as rumoured in some quarters. “The meeting was very, very fruitful; it was very cordial,” he said. “There is certainly no (contending) issue, we are flowing and we have clearer understanding of the working of the two committees.”

Credit: premiumtimesng

Oil Marketers, Govt. Resolve Fuel Subsidy Debt Row

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The Federal Government on Monday met with the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) with the assurance of bringing an end to the current fuel scarcity.

The meeting, presided over by the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Omonjo-Iweala, was held at the headquarters of the Ministry of Finance in Abuja.

It was resolved at the meeting, which was attended by representatives of MOMAN and some senior officials in the Finance ministry, that the outstanding subsidy claims would be paid even after a new government must have taken over power.

She said with the understanding reached with the marketers, all the outstanding debts would be paid based on the claims processed by the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency.

Read More: Punch

Fuel Crisis: Marketers Deny Receiving Payment From Govt, Say Strike Continues

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Despite the claim by the Federal Government that N156 billion was released on Thursday to oil marketers to facilitate the quick resolution of the current fuel crisis, the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), has said normal lifting of fuel will not resume till their members’ accounts are duly credited by the banks.

As at 4.35 p.m. on Thursday, the Executive Secretary, Depot & Petroleum Products Marketers Association(DAPPMA), Odufemi Adewole, told PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview that none of its members and their counterparts in the Major Oil Marketers Association(MOMAN), had confirmed receiving any payment.

“The money government said it was paying to marketers has not yet hit our accounts. So, there is little we can do about the situation,” Mr, Adewole said. “The money the Minister of Finance promised to pay us last February did not get into our hands till about four or five weeks later.

“If all members are not getting the money today, it means we have to wait till Monday. But, the truth is that nobody is going to call off the strike till the money is paid,” he added.

With Friday declared work-free day to mark workers’ day, it means consumers would have to grapple with terrible fuel supply crisis till next week when the payment may hit the marketers’ accounts.

Read More: premiumtimesng

Government Reduces Works Ministry’s Budget From N100bn To N11bn

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The federal government has slashed the budget of the ministry of works from N100bn to N11bn, representing an 89 per cent slash.

Minister of Works Mike Onolememen, who was in the Senate to defend his ministry’s estimates for the fiscal year, made the revelation on Monday. He said the Finance ministry predicated its action on the economic realities on the ground.

The minister expressed concern that only 33 out of the 210 ongoing road projects had been provided for in view of the “lean allocation” to the ministry.

The senate expressed concern about the lean budget, adding that it was very terrible for a sector that needs at least N500bn annually for road construction and maintenance to be allocated N11bn.

Read More: Punch

RE: Should Govt Ban Long Hijabs?

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On 22nd February 2015, some armed robbers, dressed in army uniforms attacked a fuel filling station close to my residence. They made away with all the day’s earning without any counter attacks. Now, since they were in military uniforms, should we ask that the government ban the soldiers from wearing military uniforms because of this?

On countless occasions, armed robbers in various states of the federation, especially Kogi State and even the Boko Haram insurgents have attacked their victims while on army uniforms. Should the government then ban soldiers from wearing military uniforms?

The call by #CyberParliament for opinions on whether the government should ban “Long Hijabs” is a weighty distortion of reality, whose presentation has been garnished with faithful hypocrisy. Basically, the recurrence of suicide bombings lately by girls/ladies on long Hijabs cannot be dissociated from the ineptitude of the government. We all know that these horrific bombings started mainly after the Chibok girls were abducted, in a state under emergency rule. Meanwhile, the BH insurgents have decided to use religious garbs again to accentuate their evil acts; especially in the core north wherein the Muslims dominate.

It is an open secret that the world has been characterized by tussles for religious hegemony. The people of different faiths are devising means to outwit and demonize others to sanctify their own religious belief. Hence, there have been a lot of maneuverings and manipulations to taint the most revered and divine customs of other people’s faith, the Long Hijab inclusive. It must be borne in our minds that terrorism is not the monopoly of any religion and as such on no grounds should the religious identity of others be banned due to dearth of purposeful and just governance in our nation.

There have been reports of people of the Christian faith who carried out or apprehended while carrying out terror attacks in Nigeria. Should their religious symbols be considered for ban as well? The followings are some of the examples to buttress this point:

* On 27th Dec., 2011, Emmanuel (Wisdom) King who disguised as a Muslim wearing a Kaftan and Turban was apprehended while trying to detonate some explosives at a church in Yenegoa, the Bayelsa state capital.

* On Tuesday, April 10, 2012, a 38year old man named Monday Davou was arrested while planting a timed Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at Makera weekly market, in Riyom LGA, Plateau state.

* In Gombe state, one madam Ruth was caught while attempting to bomb ECWA church in the Kalarin area of Kaltungo.

(See more at – http:///newsrescue.com/nigeria-muslims-say-christians-behind-many-alleged-boko-bombings/)

In furtherance of fairness and objectivity, if these bombings must stop or be curtailed drastically, the government must as a matter of fact uphold justice and ensure the pragmatic application of the “Rule of Law”. The myopic call on whether the government should consider banning long Hijab is like chasing shadows and leaving realities behind. It is a known truism that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Therefore, what is needed to abate these horrendous bombings is to prosecute the perpetrators of terror, regardless of religious or ethnic affiliations. Because of our poor attitude of dealing with cases of injustice and terrorism, we left officers that killed Muhammad Yusuf, the late leader of BH, unprosecuted. This is the same with Ogwuche, who masterminded the Nyanya bombing that claimed innocent lives. The promulgation of favouritism in the execution of justice will only catalyze the ubiquity of unjust killings, either by those donned in Long Hijab or those on Long Rosaries. It is high time we adopted the Chinese way for culprits: one bullet can ease their exit to the afterlife.

The wearing of long Hijab is a divine injunction, which aims at curtailing immoralities and safeguarding the human societies from promiscuities. The government and its handlers on whatever media should not hoodwink the masses that the long Hijab facilitates terror attacks. We are too enlightened to know that terrorism is not the monopoly of any religion. Let justice prevail and fight corruption sincerely then all other things will fall in their respective places. Any attempt to ban Hijab, regardless of its length, will contravene the inalienable fundamental human rights of Muslim women as contained in the Nigerian constitution.

In conclusion, “Religion is excellent stuff for keeping common people quiet. Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich,” averred Napoleon Bonaparte. We urge the government to adopt apt means to counter insurgency and terror attacks without infringement on the rights of Muslim women; lest the nation is plunged into a chaotic state of stupor. Religious injunctions about Hijab are divine; so much that the Christian scripture recognises it. See: Genesis 24; 62-65.

62) Now Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he dwelt in the South. 63) And Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening; and he lifted his eyes and looked, and there, the camels were coming. 64) Then Rebekah lifted her eyes, and when she saw Isaac she dismounted from her camel; 65) for she had said to the servant, “Who is this man walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” So she took a veil and covered herself.

Equally, let the administration of justice prevail as enjoined in the Qur’an 5: 8 that

“… Let not the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice…”

If the government will not ban the use of military uniforms even when people use it to perpetrate heinous acts, why should it consider ban on a divine directive of Muslims to use Long Hijab (or hinder their full practice of Islam which is their constitutional right)?

Olayemi Bello Abdurrahman wrote from University of Ibadan.

Views Expressed Are Solely Auhtor’s…