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Post Date : August 14, 2021

Boko Haram: Only soldiers with five-year service eligible for study leave, says Army

The Nigerian Army has explained that soldiers who were recently recalled from institutions of learning are those who did not get the required approval to go to school. It said personnel, whether officers or soldiers, who wished to further their education, must have put in at least five years’ service, secure genuine admission and apply for NA’s sponsorship. The Director of Army Public Relations, Nwachukwu Onyema, gave the explanation in an interview with Saturday PUNCH on Friday. Saturday PUNCH, on May 15, reported exclusively that, following intensified insurgency attacks across the country, particularly in the North, the Nigerian Army had recalled a large number of its personnel studying in civil institutions (universities and polytechnics) across the country. Quoting a leaked memo by the Nigerian Army Headquarters, Department of Army Training, Abuja dated May 11, this newspaper further reported that the Nigerian Army also suspended the sponsorship of personnel in civil institutions with the exemption of students in the final year. Our correspondent had sought to know from Onyema the level of compliance, how many of the soldiers had reported and how long they would be around before returning to school. But the spokesman, who did not give the level of compliance, insisted that only those who went to school illegally were recalled. He said, “Nigerian Army’s policy on academic progression of personnel is very clear. “Personnel of the NA, whether officers or soldiers, who wish to further their education must have been in service for a period of not less than five years, get genuine admission in the institution of interest and apply for Nigerian Army sponsorships. “The applications are assessed and the applicants undergo interview session before a board constituted at the Army Headquarters level. “An aggregate of those who succeeded are authorised and released to proceed to school. Anything short of this is illegitimate. “Any personnel recalled did not get appropriate release by the Nigerian Army.” Contrary to Onyema’s explanation however, the memo seen by Saturday PUNCH indicated that the Nigeria Army recalled all personnel studying in civil institutions with the exemption of final year students. The memo also announced the suspension of NA sponsorships. The memo was signed by Brig. Gen. I. A. Ajose on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, and was titled ‘Exemption of Ex Boys (NMS) from Personnel Affected by Directive on Suspension of NA Sponsorship to Civil Institutions.’ The memo with Ref. No. AHQ DA/G7/230/164 was addressed to the Ministry of Defence, Office of the National Security Adviser, Defence Headquarters, and Nigerian Defence Academy. The other army formations the memo was sent to are: National Defence College, Abuja; Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna State; Nigerian Armed Forces Resettlement Centre, Lagos; Defence Intelligence Agency, Abuja; Defence Space Administration; Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria; and the headquarters of the Training and Doctrine Command. The memo cited three earlier documents with Ref. Nos. AHQ DAPP/G5/220/16, dated March 10, 2021 (A); AHQ DAT/G7/230/164, dated March 15, 2021 (B); and AHQ DAT/G7/230/164, dated April 28, 2021 (C). “References A-C conveyed directives for the recall of all NA personnel studying in civil institutions as well as the suspension of NA sponsorships, with the exemption of final year students. Consequently, I am directed to respectfully inform you that the directive does not include Ex Boys (NMS). Grateful (sic) treat and acknowledge,” the memo stated.

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Post Date : August 14, 2021

Abducted Wife, Baby Of Former Zamfara Councilor Regain Freedom

A former councilor of Tundunwada ward of Gusau local government of Zamfara State, Babangida Haruna, stands with his wife after they regained freedom from kidnappers on August 13, 2021. A former councilor of Tundunwada ward of Gusau local government of Zamfara State, Babangida Haruna, stands with his wife after they regained freedom from kidnappers on August 13, 2021. Wife of the former councilor of Tundunwada ward of Gusau local government of Zamfara State, Babangida Damba and her eight month old baby have regained their freedom. The duo were abducted by unknown gunmen on Wednesday at their residence in Damba Area of Gusau. According to sources close to the family, the kidnapped victims were released on Friday evening after spending more than 48 hours in captivity. During the invasion of the residence, the heavily armed men shot multiple bullets at the door to gain access into the house, before whisking away the nursing mother and baby. The assault left the husband with a gunshot wound on his left arm. “Alhamdulillah, Glory be to Allah, my wife and my baby regained freedom,” the former councilor, Babangida Haruna, posted on his Facebook page. It is not clear whether a ransom was paid before the duo were released.

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Post Date : August 14, 2021

Mob sets suspected burglar ablaze in Delta

Luck ran out of a suspected burglar at the wee hours of Saturday as he was douched with petrol and set ablaze by a mob in Warri, Delta State. Sources said the suspect was caught in the act of breaking into houses on Saturday morning and was chased to a spot along the Cinema area in popular Okumagba Avenue, Warri South Local Government Area. A crowd, in a video obtained by our reporter on Saturday morning, was seen around the spot where the burnt carcass of the deceased lay beside the Okumagba roundabout. Policemen from the B Division who got a hint of the incident are said to be on their way to the area to halt any breakdown of law and order. Acting Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Bright Edafe, has yet to react to the incident as of the time of filing the report. Details coming…

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Post Date : August 14, 2021

BBNaija Shine Ya Eye: Whitemoney returns to the kitchen

After all the ruckus over starvation and badly run kitchen in the BBNaija Shine Ya Eye house, Whitemoney has returned to the kitchen on popular demand. With Whitemoney’s return to the grill and cooking for the housemates, it seems Pere’s efforts might be wasted again. Nini and some other housemates had spoken to Pere about it. Nini, in particular, pointed out that Pere and Maria just made it obvious how important Whitemoney is. Nini slammed parties whom she felt were hellbent on frustrating Whitemoney cooking in the house in a solo rant. Lashing out at no one in particular, but could’ve been targeting Pere, Nini said: “If it is his strategy, so what? He is working hard for it. “He is slaving for that strategy. Do you know what it means to cook every day?” Joining Nini, an upset Princess, asked why those who believed Whitemoney was using cooking as a strategy never came to cook. It became obvious that Pere failed to change guards without creating an orientation process for the new hands. On his return to the kitchen, Whitemoney hammered on this point. He blamed the breakdown of the kitchen system on how he was eased out without teaching the new hands to take charge of the kitchen. “Just two days and chaos everywhere,” he said.

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Post Date : August 14, 2021

UNICAL probes sorting, extortion, sexual harassment, exam malpractices

The University of Calabar, UNICAL, has said that it had discovered that some members of the academic staff of the university have revived obnoxious acts of sorting, extortion, sexual harassment and examination malpractices in the university. The Authority of the university, therefore, warns those involved, whom it said had been identified, to desist and repent, just as it threatened to make the culprits face the institution’s Disciplinary Committee. In a memo dated August 10, 202, addressed to the university community and endorsed by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Professor Michael P. Okon, UNICAL stated that had identified the departments and teaching personnel involved in the “obnoxious and abhorrable acts.” In the memo titled: “Obnoxious and Abhorrable Acts of Sorting Extortion and Sexual Harassment”, the university stated that it was aware that some of the lecturers involved in the acts also allowed students to write examinations “at homes, hotels and relaxation places.” The memo read: “It has come to the knowledge of management that some teaching staff have revived the obnoxious and abhorrable acts of sorting and sex for grade/sexual harassment. “Some Departments and lecturers have been specifically fingered and investigations have commenced. Management also has information to the effect that lecturers have to give students scripts to write exams at homes, hotels and relaxation places,” memo disclosed. “All those involved in these despicable activities are hereby warned to desist and repent. In fact, they will soon be invited to interact with the Disciplinary Committee,” the university threatened.

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Post Date : August 14, 2021

FG rejects govs’ N380/litre proposal

Barely three months after the Federal Government turned down the recommendation by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum for an increase in the price of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, the Federal Government again on Friday reiterated its stance, insisting that no decision on the adjustment of petrol price would be reached until the ongoing negotiations with the organised labour were concluded. The Federal Government had first, on May 21, rejected the governors’ recommendation of shooting petrol price up to between N380 and N408.5 per litre and removing fuel subsidy. The governors’ advice was based on the report of its committee chaired by the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, seeking the full deregulation of the oil sector. El-Rufai, while presenting the report of his committee to the NGF, explained that the current subsidy regime was unsustainable because smugglers and illegal markets in neighbouring African countries were the beneficiaries. But the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, in a statement, said the current petrol price of between N162 and N165 per litre would stay. Sylva said the current price would be retained until the ongoing negotiations with the organised labour were concluded. He said, “Once again, it has become necessary to assure Nigerians that despite the huge burden of under-recovery, the Federal Government is not in a hurry to increase the price of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) to reflect current market realities. “The current price of petrol will be retained in the month of June until the ongoing engagement with organised labour is concluded. “This clarification becomes necessary in the light of recent reports regarding the resolution of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to increase the pump price of petrol.” Sylva also asked oil marketers not to engage in any activity that could jeopardise the “seamless” supply and distribution system of the commodity. Despite the Federal Government’s initial stance, oil marketers under the aegis of Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, on Friday, demanded an immediate end to fuel subsidy in line with the state governors’ recommendation of May. The President of PETROAN, Dr Billy Gillis-Harry, insisted that oil marketers’ position that fuel subsidy should be stopped remained. “When it (fuel subsidy) is stopped, the prices of petroleum products will be determined by market forces and this will create competition and lead to an increase in product availability,” he argued. Gillis-Harry asked the Federal Government to listen to the governors’ call, especially now that the country was grappling with funding challenges. However, the Federal Government reiterated its stance of May, stating that no decision on the adjustment of petrol price would be reached until the ongoing negotiations with the organised labour were concluded. The Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Garba-Deen Muhammad, stated that he would re-echo the position of his boss, Sylva, who had earlier stated the position of the Federal Government on the matter. Muhammad said people were free to make analyses and recommendations but stressed that the government’s position on petrol price had not changed. He said, “The truth is that the key component for us to make the decision is basically for us to have a consensus with labour. So regardless of what the governors or anybody else is saying, labour is the key partner in this project. “The negotiations with labour officials are ongoing. A decision will not be reached until the negotiations are over. So anybody can say what they want.” He added, “The fact is that the labour represents the Nigerian people and the government is working with the Nigerian people. So it is a cardinal objective that the labour is carried along.” Asked when the negotiations would possibly be concluded, Muhammad stated that the deadline was not completely dependent on the Federal Government. “People can make their analyses and arrive at whatever proposals, but at the end of the day, a consensus has to be reached and in that consensus, the labour is a major voice and key partner,” he said. Sylva had also during a recent briefing stated that the government would not discontinue petrol subsidy until its negotiations with the labour were over. Although Sylva admitted that the burden of petrol subsidy was humongous, he insisted that negotiations with labour were a cardinal factor, stressing that the parties in the talks would soon resolve the concerns. He said, “Of course, everybody would have their perspective, but from where I sit, I believe that subsidy removal is the best thing for Nigeria, not just for the industry. Discussions with the stakeholders are still ongoing. “I’ll also bring to your attention that when the President assents to the Petroleum Industry Bill, subsidy issues will become a matter of law because it is already in the PIB that petroleum products will be sold at market-determined prices.” The Petroleum Industry Bill was passed by the 9th National Assembly on July 1 after over a decade of legislative rigmarole. The PIB contains five chapters, including governance and institutions, administration, host communities development, petroleum industry fiscal framework and miscellaneous provisions in 319 clauses and 8 schedules. The National Assembly had in 2018 passed a harmonised version of the bill, but the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), refused assent to it due to “legal and constitutional reasons.” As of March 2021, fuel subsidy was costing the government up to N120bn per month based on the average daily consumption of around 60 million litres of petrol, according to the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Mele Kyari. Also, according to an analysis by Reuters in April, subsidy cost around N10tn between 2006-2018 – more than the budget of any of the health, education or defence sector. When contacted on Friday, the Spokesperson for the NGF, Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, said, “I cannot comment on any issue that has not been collectively discussed and agreed upon by governors.” Meanwhile, oil marketers including the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria on Friday backed the governors by calling for

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Post Date : August 14, 2021

Femi Adesina: It’s too early for Buhari to support any aspirant for 2023 presidency

Femi Adesina, presidential spokesperson, says it is too early for President Muhammadu Buhari to support any aspirant for the presidency in the 2023 general election. Adesina stated this on Friday during an interview with Channels Television. The presidential spokesman was responding to reports on if Buhari’s recent visit to Bola Tinubu, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), featured talks on the 2023 elections. The president had visited Tinubu in London on Thursday. Adesina, who explained that the meeting between Buhari and the APC chieftain on Thursday was a “goodwill visit”, said it will be unlike Buhari to jump the gun on supporting presidential aspirants for the 2023 election. “That meeting actually happened, but it is all about goodwill and best wishes. We know that asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu had been in London about the same time the president was there,” he said. “Like you said, we don’t believe what we read in social media but we have read a lot about asiwaju Tinubu’s health, so the president’s visit was a goodwill visit. “The president still has two years less three months in his tenure of office. So, for him to start supporting somebody now will just be like jumping the gun and you know that President Buhari will never do that. “Before the 2019 election, people began to campaign for him before INEC blew the whistle for campaign to start. He was the one who came out to say ‘no, don’t do it; don’t jump the gun’. “The president himself will dare not jump the gun in terms of supporting one candidate or the other. Also, recall that he had said anybody that wants to be president after him should go out and work. That means the president may not be supporting anybody until maybe perhaps a candidate of the party emerges. Knowing President Buhari, he will never jump the gun.”

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Post Date : August 14, 2021

All Civil Servants Ought To Own A Home – Osinbajo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has called for a reform of the Nigerian civil service by doing “something bold and big that will make a difference.” According to him, a mass housing policy for all civil servants fits into this “bold and big” agenda, a statement signed by presidential spokesperson Laolu Akande on Friday said. Prof Osinbajo reportedly made the comment on Thursday at the Presidential Villa when he received a brief on the Federal Civil Service Strategy & Implementation Plan 2021-2025, presented by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan. The meeting is a Presidential Level Briefing of the reform process of the Federal Civil Service which has been on since 2017. The reform is being led by Steering and Implementation Committees with membership drawn from the public and private sectors with the engagement of development partners. Thursday’s meeting was attended by the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami; Ministers of Labour & Employment, Dr Chris Ngige; Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed; Ministers of State, Budget & National Planning, Prince Clem Agba; and Works and Housing, Engr. Abubakar Aliyu. The Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters, Dr. Adeyemi Dipeolu, some of Nigeria’s development partners including officials of the World Bank and the President of the Africa Initiative for Governance, Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, (a private sector representative and member of Steering Committee) were also present. Speaking after listening to Dr Yemi-Esan’s presentation and subsequent contributions by ministers and other participants at the meeting, the Vice President noted that “it is evident that perhaps, for the first time in a long time, some very serious attention is being paid to all of the various issues in our civil service.” According to Osinbajo, “I think that we should really do something that is bold, big and that will really make the difference in order to address some of the issues especially that of accommodation for civil servants. “We can do much more with mass housing. We have a target now of 300,000 houses under our ESP social housing scheme. CBN has allocated N200 billion, but we have seen that we can provide mass housing, and we can make civil servants beneficiaries of the scheme.” “Though the housing scheme is very modest, it is the sort of thing that we can at least do, to begin to take into account, the fact that everybody who worked for the civil service deserves to live in their own home. There must be a strategy for giving everybody a place to live in,” Osinbajo added. Making the point about access to affordable homes being one of the easiest ways to get people out of poverty, Prof Osinbajo said “it is a vital part of what we are trying to do”, noting that “we must address it. A civil servant ought to be able to own a home, and justify to his family the reason why he went for the job”. Relating his experience while serving as Attorney General in Lagos State, Prof. Osinbajo said that like what was done with the reform of the Lagos State Judiciary, fixing the welfare of federal civil servants would be key to addressing challenges associated with productivity and corruption. The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation also presented a report on the implementation status of the Federal Civil Service Strategy Plan 2017-2021. Earlier in her presentation, Dr Yemi-Esan identified staff welfare particularly, remuneration and housing as areas that require better focus and urgent intervention by the Federal Government. She appealed for improved support, particularly in funding the implementation of successive strategy and implementation plans to overhaul the service for better productivity. The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation said the current reform in the Federal Civil Service has enabled government to save huge sums through the verification of personnel payroll and digitization of some operations, among others. The Head of Service would continue to lead the reform process as the 2021-2025 plan goes forward to the Federal Executive Council for approval. Thursday’s meeting featured comments and observations on the proposed plan tabled on behalf of the Steering Committee chaired by the Head of Service.

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Post Date : August 14, 2021

Ngige drags striking doctors to court

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige has formally handed over the trade dispute between the Federal Government and the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria for adjudication. The transmission was done on Thursday, after which a copy was sent to NARD and the Federal Ministry of Health that is representing the Federal Government. The Minister had earlier given the NARD leadership till the end of work, Wednesday, 11 August 2021 to convene a virtual meeting of its National Executive Committee to brief its members on the efforts of government with a view to calling off its strike. ‌ Part of the instrument signed August 11, 2021, by the Minister reads, “whereas trade dispute has arisen and now exists between the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and the Federal Ministry of health / Federal Government and whereas efforts to promote settlement through conciliation were on-going but had now failed. “And considering the facts that members of NARD who are classified as Essential Services workers/employees had embarked on strike on Monday, August 2, 2021, over the issues under conciliation, contrary to the provisions of Section 18 of the Trade Disputes Act CAP T8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004, after attending a Conciliation and Agreement Review meeting on July 22, 2021, and further considering that the Federal Ministry of Health claim to have and produced evidence to have met most of their demands based on the various Memorandum of Action reached during past conciliations especially that of July 22, 2021. “Now, therefore, I, Senator Dr Chris Nwabueze Ngige the Minister of Labour and Employment in the exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 17 of the Trades Disputes Act, CAP T8 laws of the Federation of Nigeria, hereby refer the matter for consideration, and the issues in dispute to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria for adjudication.” Also yesterday, the Minister attended the meeting of the Medical Elders Forum, comprising practising and retired senior medical practitioners, doctors who have served or are serving in top-level political offices. Some of those in attendance included the Chairman of Senate Committee on Health Dr Ibrahim Oloriegbe, Chairman House Committee on Health, Tanko Sununu, all past presidents of NMA and NARD, His Highness, Dr Haliru Yahaya, Emir of Shonga, former chairman of Senate Committee on Health, Senator Tejuosho, President of NMA, Prof. Innocent Ujah, former Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, Chairman and Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) Prof. Tajudeen Sanusi among others. A source at the meeting divulged that Senator Ngige painstakingly explained every item on the Resident Doctors demands, upon which they embarked on strike.

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Post Date : August 13, 2021

Buhari returns to Abuja from UK medical check-up

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday returned to Abuja after a two-week stay in London, United Kingdom. The Nigeria Air Force 1 jet carrying him touched down at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja at about 18.00 hours. He was received on arrival by his Chief of Staff, Prof Ibrahim Gambari; National Security Adviser, Major-General Babagana Monguno (rtd); Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor; service chiefs, the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mohammed Musa Bello. ‌ While at the airport, President Buhari inspected a guard of honour mounted by officers and men of the Guards Brigade of the Nigerian Army before watching displays by cultural troops representing different Nigerian cultures. He later departed the airport aboard a helicopter to the presidential villa. The President left the country on July 26 to London to attend the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) organized Global Education Summit (GES) before undergoing a scheduled medical check-up. On Thursday, he paid a visit to former Lagos State Governor and chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who is said to be recovering from an illness in the United Kingdom.

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