[dropcap]P[/dropcap]RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the ministers of finance and budget & national planning and the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to commence payment of outstanding Paris & London Club refunds to states. This was part of a resolve from a meeting held between the president and the Nigeria Governors Forum at the State House in Abuja, yesterday.
The governors said President Buhari instructed that 50 percent of the Paris Club refund be paid to states before the end of the year. The governors have also given assurances that workers salaries at the state level will be paid in time for the yuletide, subject to the receipt of the Paris Club refund.
Speaking with State House reporters after the meeting, Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, said it was a brief meeting between the governors and the president.
“The discussion centred on… basically, it is the end of the year and the president has expressed the need to make ensure that every Nigerian, especially workers have a beautiful Christmas and the issue of outstanding Paris club was
discussed and that was taken care of, to ensure that workers in various states and everywhere in the country
get to celebrate Christmas.
“We also used the opportunity to review our working relationship with the president from the states and we
found out that we are in harmony. There is no difference between us and the president. Everybody seems
to be happy working together. But particularly, we commended the president for getting Nigeria out of
recession within such a short time.
We commended him and everybody left quite happy. “We are looking at getting the balance of the Paris Club refund.
We also made a request for Mr. President’s approval that the balance should form part of our 2018 budget, because we can’t include it until we are sure that the money is coming. That was also sorted out. ‘‘So, as it is now, the issue of
workers took the centre stage and Mr. President was concerned about those who depend on their salaries to feed their families and pay their house rent and he had the assurance from the governors that we will meet those obligations.
It was emphasised that states and the federal government must work together to get Nigeria out of its present economic predicament and make it a better society for all of us.’’ In an answer to a question, the governor said “with the Paris Club coming, every worker should enjoy his/her Christmas. I made it clear.’’ When asked how governors can pay workers December salary and yet include the balance in the 2018 budget, the Kaduna State Governor,
Nasir el-Rufai, answered: “the Paris club figures need to be reconciled. While the reconciliation process is going on, the president approved that 50 per cent of the original amount be paid to the states. The payment started from last year. We still have the balance of the first 50 per cent. This is what the president said should be paid to state governments to meet their obligations before Christmas because he is concerned that many families depend solely on
their salaries for the festive period.
That has been decided. The balance of the first 50 per cent is what we are expecting before Christmas. The president has approved that and said it must be paid.
Ex- Niger Delta warlord, Ateke Micheal Tom has been crowned the new Amanyanabo of Okochiri Town. At the coronation ceremony, the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike charged the new Amanyanabo of Okochiri town to continue to invest in the sustenance of peace in Okrika. See more photos of the new king below
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he President, Nigerian Shipowners Association (NISA), Mr Aminu Umar, has called on the Federal Government to intervene in delayed disbursement of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) to sustain shipping business. Umar made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos on Sunday.
NAN reports that ship owners have been worried over the non-disbursement of the sum of more than 100 million dollars being administered by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).The fund has been growing in the last 14 years when the Cabotage and Inland Shipping Act 2003 was enacted.
According to Umar, there is no improvement in shipping business in the country, adding that they are still engaging NIMASA over the fund.“We hope that in 2018, NIMASA will come up with the intervention fund for ship owners because the fund is already there. We want to see improvement in our operations.“There is need for government to make the CVFF fund transparent so that our members will have access to it.“So far, we do not know why the CVFF has not been disbursed and government through NIMASA has not told us why its not being disbursed,’’
Umar said that there were many indigenous ship owners operating in different sectors of the maritime industry.He said that presently, Nigeria had more than 20 active ship owners in the downstream sector of the oil and gas sector, adding that there were over 100 ship owners operating upstream.
The shipowner said all ship owners paid tax to government and also employed a lot of Nigerians and were assisting government to reduce unemployment rate. The NISA boss also pleaded with the Insurance companies to remove the “Worries Zone Charges’’ which came up due to threats on Nigerian waters as a result of Niger Delta crisis.
He said that Nigerian coasts should be removed from “Worries Zone” category because there was no more crisis in the Niger Delta.
Umar said that in spite of the numerous charges being paid by ship owners, government still charged “Sea Protection Levy’’.
The ship owner wondered why the Insurance companies had not removed Nigeria from the list of “Worries Zones’’, saying that ship owners were still paying huge sums as charges.
NAN reports that NIMASA Director-General, Dr Dakuku Peterside had said that the agency was pushing for the release of the CVFF once ship owners comply with the prescribed ways of accessing the fund.
Peterside said that the agency was determined to disburse the fund according to the rules and regulations guiding it.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he World Igbo Youth Congress (WIYC) has said it would do everything within its power to stop the re-election of Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, 2019. The WIYC alleged that since Ikpeazu has not done anything tangible to merit a second term, it would rather back President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term.
To achieve that, the group said they have resolved to organise a one-million man march to Aso Rock, to prevail on Buhari to run again in 2019. This was part of the group’s decision, which was communicated in a communique signed by the National Public Relations Officer, Mazi Alex Okemiri.
The group advised Ikpeazu to resign as Abia governor, to avoid being honoured as “the face of bad governance and worst governor in Nigeria.” The youth group listed Ikpeazu’s sins to include: “Non-payment of worker’s salaries and pension; his Made-in-Aba products promotion campaign as a fraud…He uses the campaign of made-in-Aba products to establish a secret company in China and uses the scheme to launder funds through his aides and that’s why he has no control over some of his Ngwa aides, especially those from Obingwa.
“His Obingwa aides are richer than Abia State and (they) will be dragged to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission by January, to know how they acquired over half of the choicest properties in Aba and Umuahia. “Ikpeazu has collapsed all the infrastructure in Abia, without constructing any major road in Abia. Rather, he is hiding under the Governors’ Forum to demand for federal government’s intervention in federal roads in Abia.”
The WIYC said it is in total support of ex-governor Orji Uzor Kalu’s stand that “Ikpeazu will be the first Abia sitting governor to lose his seat to APC or APGA. “Ikpeazu has been caged by his beer parlour Ngwa aides and when he loses election, Obingwa people will stone him, he should emulate Mugabe and resign and hand over to his deputy.”
On Buhari, the group said “after consultation with Igbo Youth stakeholders, we decided to march to Aso Rock and demand that President Buhari should run for second tenure. “We will support Buhari with bloc votes from the South East.
“Even majority of members of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo have given us their support, that President Buhari is more credible than agents of restructuring, that president Buhari has only four years to hand over to an Igbo man in 2023. “The World Igbo Youth Council will consider president Buhari over other northerners for presidency in 2019.
“Ndigbo will support Buhari if he rehabilitates all roads in the South East, remove embargo on importation and support SME businesses. “World Igbo Youth council will officially present the prestigious award to governor Ikpeazu as the face of bad governance and worst governor on December 10, at Umuahia.”
The group warned that no intimidation will stop them from presenting the award. (Daily Sun)
[dropcap]D[/dropcap]elta State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with B2B Export of Russia for the establishment of a refinery in the state. The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Hon. Festus Agas, while signing the MoU on behalf of the state government stated that the Delta State Government was committed to attracting investment to the state. Agas said that government could not do it alone and, therefore, emphasised the need to partner and collaborate with well focused and well-meaning investors to come and invest in the state.
He said that the state government would, on its part, provide land and the enabling environment for the refinery to take off and urged B2B Export to meet up with the timeline. The SSG further noted that the state was peaceful and enjoined the company to feel free to carry out its activities with the needed zeal. Earlier, the Director-General, Delta State Investment Development Agency (DIDA), Olorogun Lucky Oghene-Umoru, said that the MoU is epochal because it is the first as it sets the framework of engagement between the state government and B2B Export, outlining the role of each party in actualising the project in the state.
The Founder and Leader of B2B Export team, Mrs. Katya Dyachenko, stated that true independence was the ‘ability to process the goods you produce’ and being one of the largest oil producers in the world, it was good if Nigeria was able to refine every crude it produces. Mrs. Dyachenko stated that for the country to reach true economic independence, it should be able to process that which it produces and export the product, saying that B2B Export’s effort was to ensure that Nigeria got to the point of exporting her refined product, which was the reason for B2B Export coming to the state.
She also stated that the refinery when sited had the capacity to refine over 10,000 barrels per day and this would add to the development of Delta State and Nigeria at large.
Present at the occasion were the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Investment Matters, Mr. Paul Nmah, and officials from the Ministry of Justice, among others.
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]head of the January 6, 2018 local government elections in Delta State, All Progressives Congress (APC), has vowed that it will challenge anywhere there is any breach in the process, rules and guidelines of the elections in court even as it assured its party candidates and supporters that the party was working hard towards the polls.
Addressing a press conference in the party secretariat, Asaba, the state chairman of APC, Jones Ode Erue, said his party was ready to go to the field to slug it out with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in their planned game stating that the party would challenge any breach of the process, rule and guidelines of the election in court. “Look at my lips, I mean it. Anywhere they breach the process, we will challenge it in Court.”
Asked if he has faith in the newly constituted Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC), led by Mike Ogbodu and if his party would have a very successful local government elections, Mr. Erue said, “We are on ground more than the PDP, we are more popular and more acceptable, we know that the people have finished with the PDP because the hardship is too much”.
According to the APC chairman, the process of the election was already been abused, “DSIEC abused the process. Our lawyers are crossing the T’s and dotting the I’s but we want to tell them that we are not running from our shadows, we are going to beat them in this game but the rule and the guidelines must properly be followed”.
He said the three states sharing borders with Delta have lesser allocations but are ten times developed than Delta, “It saddens one’s mind. PDP knows that they have failed. The three states that we are in common boundary with, we receive revenue seven times more than them but in terms of development, they are ten times ahead of us.
“So much has been used for our airport and nobody flies into it because the runway is not good. It destroys aircrafts and nobody comes in. we fly to Owerre, Warri, Benin City and use road to come to Asaba and yet the tax payers monies have being over spent on one single project that does not bring result”. Erue lamented, adding that his party was coming out to defeat the PDP in their own game.
Erue noted that APC was fully aware that the local government election is been organized by the state “But our party decided that we are coming to beat them in their own game. We are coming out, let them know that we are on ground because every time they talk, they say APC is not on ground. We don’t believe in the politics of newspapers and the social media, we believe in the politics of going to the grassroot telling your if they like what is happening in the state. We are dying gradually; our children owe monies they cannot pay”
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he rate of teenage pregnancy in Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria is becoming so alarming and until something is done, the next 20-50 years will become uncontrollable.
Any anonymous said, “Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State, in my analysis, is fairly not a conducive environment to raise children, especially female children. Personal observation reveals a high incidence of pregnancy among under age girls.” The trend is correlated in a number of factors, viz:
1. Parental neglect 2. High rate of poverty 3. Non enforcement of compulsory basic education 4. Low level of awareness on girl child education 5. The menace of street children 6. Breakdown in moral and religious values 7. Widespread sexual promiscuity 8. Low level of awareness on sex education and use of condom 9. Ineffective social and economic integration at the local government level.
If the trend is not checked, in the next 50 years, Calabar South Local Government Area will account for 45.78 Per cent of the total population in Cross River State and 15.82 Per cent of the Nation’s total.
The implication of this is that with the current low level of education in the study area, the local government will be the hotbed and breeding ground for violent criminals, and this will definitely give rise to high crime rate in Calabar in particular and Cross River State in general.
To avert the foregoing, governments at both the state and local level should urgently come up with a holistic plan to develop the local government area, educationally, economically, socially, culturally and morally. Girl child education must be given particular attention. As and when possible, free and compulsory education for all must be aggressively pursued and practicalised, up to senior secondary level.
Regular workshops, seminars, symposia and talk shows should be organised for parents to enlighten them on how best to bring up children in a rapidly challenging and evolving world so as to guarantee a solid future for them.
Oh yeah, Calabar South to Nigeria and the World has a spot in the bullseye, but with routine education, that showboating will be far forgotten.
Education holds the key to developing the society. Once the parents, the society, the youths and the children are sensitised, the rate of teenage pregnancy will reduce and gradually go into limbo, then fades away.
Also, the children must be taken out of the streets; given Entrepreneurial and skills acquisition. Threaded with knowledge of sex education and Reproductive health as well as building the States’ economy.
All these are few observations and possible solutions to the menace of teenage pregnancy in Calabar South, many can be done to salvage the situation at hand and bring a lift to the area.
Mr. Rizwan Kadri, The Managing Director/CEO, SAHCOL
[dropcap]S[/dropcap]kyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL), which is an excellent example of a very successful government privatization, is an Aviation Ground Handling company, offering services in Passenger Handling, Ramp Handling, Cargo Handling and Warehousing, Aviation security, Baggage Reconciliation, Crew Bus and Executive Lounge services and other related Ground Handling services; while ensuring that Ground Handling assignment is carried out in an efficient, speedy and safe manner, by deploying appropriate tools.
Nigerian Airways was one of the enterprise that was identified to be privatized, while others cuts across various sectors. Incidentally, SAHCOL was one of the subsidiaries of Nigeria Airways that was slated for privatization, and this was because of the realization that Ground Handling as an aviation services will be best-managed by private sector led initiative. In addition, the transaction method observed and chosen for the particular privatization of SAHCOL was full privatization, so as to heighten the level of services rendered, given the international benchmark. Since SAHCOL was chosen as one of the aviation companies for the privatisation programme, it has been one of the success stories of the programme; and the dynamics behind this success story could be replicated in other enterprises.
The Managing Director/CEO, SAHCOL, Mr. Rizwan Kadri has described the Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited, (SAHCOL) as world-class. He made this remark in an exclusive interview with the executive members of Grassroots Newspaper Publishers Network when they paid him a courtesy visit to the management of SAHCOL in Lagos.
Excerpts:
What are other additional achievements of SAHCOL that makes it unique among other Aviation Handling Companies?
Well, as a fully privatized entity, SAHCOL has been rendering the services that they were supposed to render and so can be regarded as a “good story” for the economic development of Nigeria.Since SAHCOL was handed over to the Sifax Group in December 2009, after its successful privatization by the Federal Government of Nigeria, it has invested in personnel development, purchase of modern equipment, infrastructural development and good customer services, which has helped reposition the company to meet the expectations and needs of its growing list of clientele.We are the gateway to everything that comes in and goes out of the country.We operate at the airports as well as the seaports.We are always available to render services at the export level as we ensure through our services to help farmers at the grassroots level export their agricultural products;get foreign currencies into the country thereby boosting the Nigerian economy.As a result of full privatisation method, SAHCOL having acquired world class facilities ensures quality and efficient service delivery devoid of government interference.
Mr. Rizwan Kadri,The Managing Director/CEO, SAHCOL, receiving a copy of the Grassroots Publishers Courtesy visit speech from Comrade Ike Abiagom , the National PRO.
What can you say about cargo handling and passengers facilitation?
Facilitation go side by side with cargo handling depending on which side you want to focus and depending on the type of facilities that is provided by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria(FAAN) and what we’ve been able to do to compliment government as one of the handling agents in the country.In terms of cargo handling. You must have gone round to see what we’ve been doing. We have completed our multi-million Naira bonded warehouse project which is the best, not only in West Africa, but also in the whole of AFRICA in terms of facilities being provided.On passengers facilitation.you know ours is to load and offload. If the conveyor belts are not working or are not good, passengers do not want to know whether or not its our responsibility. So,we have to go extra length by doubling our staff on shift to meet the challenge. We pay overtime allowances to our staff for working extra hours to be able to meet passengers expectations.
What are the rules and procedured guiding Cargo Freighting?
The rules and procedures are applicable internationally and we should respect and operate as stipulated. The freighters arrive with their fuselage load of cargo. You offload to the cargo warehouse, palletize and de-palletize and stack them on to the racks for Customs examination.In fact, the new warehouse has taken cognizance of this procedures, so that cargo operations are no longer in a mess since the warehouse began operations.It has taken care of passengers’ and customs needs and those of the airlines in terms of their pallets and for passengers as regards their baggage. Then Customs, in terms of facilities to be provided to allow them function well. All these are now being provided by us (SAHCOL).
What makes SAHCOL a world -class Aviation Handling Company?
We have the best ground handling equipment so far in the country. We are however not satisfied yet, because the more we improve and expand on our service delivery, the more we will need to acquire additional equipment to meet up with the demand of our clients. The type of equipment we use, are not the type you buy and keep. The more the need arises, the more equipment we add.
What is the SAHCOL’s relationship with other sister organisations operating at the ports as well as your staff?
Industrial harmony has been paramount in the mind of the Chairman, Mr Taiwo Afolabi, the Board and Management of SAHCOL. It has been very cordial. We have been working together to ensure we succeed. It has been very harmonious. I will not also forget to appreciate the staff of SAHCOL for their cooperation because without team work, it is hard to achieve positive changes.The staff have been wonderful in making SAHCOL a success story. The management and board of the company have ensured that they are well remunerated and their welfare taken care of including training and re-training so as to improve on their skill and proficiency. Our staff will continue to smile and smile as we improve on our services.
Sir, how do SAHCOL screen the exports and imports of goods ?
The provision of security gadgets to deter and detects dangerous ‘terrorists’ tools such as guns, bombs and other explosive materials is that of the governments. On our part, we assist the government in the provision of X-ray machines, for the screening of exports and imports. It is therefore the job of of the Customs to screen all in-bound and outbound goods. Ours is to accept the goods already screened by the Customs after they must have carried out 100 per cent checks of all imports. That is why we have de-palletization of all imports. You don’t just carry goods from the tarmac and hand it over straight to the owner or clearing agent[s]. It undergoes a lot of procedures.
SAHCOL has in recent times received several awards including the most recent by Grassroots Newspaper Publishers Network, what does this say of the company?
It means progress, sincerity of purpose in our dealings with our clients and more awareness. When things are happening like this, it tells you that you must be more serious to tackle more challenges to come. The expectations from people become more demanding than before. So, you have to work more hard than before. However if you relax after receiving such accolade, you end up not being a successful outfit. You must continue and improve on the good service you are rendering to your clients.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]HE Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) has sealed off a total of 339 premises made up of pharmacies, illegal medicine shops and patent medicine stores across 20 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The development followed enforcement exercise carried out by its enforcement team, which visited the states to checkmate the activities of illegal outlets which tend to encourage abuse and misuse of controlled medicines with its attendant negative social and security implications.
Addressing journalists in Abuja at the weekend, the Registrar of PCN, Elijah Mohammed, said the illegal outlets do not have trained personnel to handle the medicines in their premises.
This, according to him, has contributed immensely to irrational dispensing of medicines resulting in treatment failures and untoward effects on patients and other unsuspecting members of the public who patronize them.
He pointed out that the aim of the enforcement exercise was to ensure that all premises where medicines are sold fulfil conditions for registration with respect to storage facilities, environment and personnel.
The PCN registrar explained that a total of 496 premises comprising pharmacies, patent medicine shops and illegal medicine shops were visited.
Out of these, “a total of 339 premises made up of 20 pharmacies, 290 illegal medicine shops and 29 patent medicine stores were sealed for various offenses; some of which include operating without registration with Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, failure to renew premises license, dispensing ethical products without the supervision of a pharmacist, poor storage and sanitary conditions among other;” he said.
Mohammed advised members of the public to purchase their medicines from licensed pharmacies and simple household remedies from licensed patent and propriety medicines shops.
He commended the exercise, adding that since the enforcement activities started, the owners of some of the sealed premises have indicated their willingness to fulfil conditions for registration by upgrading their storage facilities and employing pharmacists to supervise the dispensing of ethical products.
SP. Olayinka Egbeyemi Chairman, Lagos State Task Force
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Chairman of Lagos State Task Force ,SP. Olayinka Egbeyemi led the enforcement operations along Lagos-Abeokuta expressway at the weekend , arrested 19 motorists for driving against traffic along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway. Confirming the arrests, the taskforce chairman, Olayinka Egbeyemi, , said driving against up coming vehicles (one-way) is contrary to ‘Scheduled (1) item 27’ of the Lagos State Road Traffic Laws of 2012.
Olayinka Egbeyemi said: “It was shocking that motorists including private car owners could be driving against traffic on a long express-way without fear of imminent collusion with up coming vehicles.“Out of those arrested during the enforcement operations, 12 were private car owners and seven commercial bus drivers.
“Motorists should understand that the on-going construction of ‘BRT Corridor’ along Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway by the present government is meant to decongest traffic gridlock around that area.“Thus, motorists particularly commercial bus drivers should desist from driving against traffic and obey different traffic signs conspicuously displayed by traffic officers along that axis.”
Olayinka Egbeyemi went on to warn that any motorist arrested for driving against the traffic in any parts of the state would be charged to court.He said given the directive by the state Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, all 19 arrested motorists were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Amos Olajuwon of the Lagos State Mobile Court at Oshodi.
Olayinka Egbeyemi said the chief magistrate ordered the forfeiture of one of the impounded 19 vehicles, a Honda Car belonging to one Mr. Felix John, with registration No (BDG 465 XL), to the government after he pleaded ‘Guilty’ to have driven against up-coming vehicles.
He said: “The chief magistrate however adjourned the case to December 7, 2017 for commencement of trial on other arrested 18 motorists after they all pleaded ‘Not Guilty’ before the court.“Prosecutor counsel, Olumide Ajibola said the arraignment of 19 arrested motorists driving against up coming vehicles would serve as deterrent to other road users across the state.”
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09029375906 | 08149835420
As this body will not be held LIABLE for any unauthorized transaction with anyone. BE WARNED!
