Home Blog Page 1767

I’m prepared to talk to Uzodinma about Imo’s insecurity. — Okorocha

coic
-
0
I’m prepared to talk to Uzodinma about Imo’s insecurity. — Okorocha

Rochas Okorocha, a former governor of Imo State, stated on Monday that he would be happy to meet with Hope Uzodinma, the current governor, to talk about the state’s security issues.

Three days after his convoy was attacked in the state and a police officer was killed, Okorocha told journalists in a press conference at his Spilbat mansion in Owerri, the state capital, that security had gotten worse in Imo state.

For the first time, Okorocha declared that he would write the governor a letter asking him to call a meeting of all previous state governors in order to help address the issue of insecurity.

The former governor stated that it is the only matter on which he would consent to a meeting with the governor.

He added that he feels concerned for the state’s citizens’ safety and said that he has no business with the governor other than ensuring their safety and welfare.

Managing the state’s good, bad, and ugly natives and residents during his eight years as governor, Okorocha claimed that political power is useless if the populace does not reap the benefits of democracy.

Former governors, according to him, might have information to impart to Uzodinma that could help put an end to the killings and arson occurring in the state.

“I feel disturbed by the killing of the police officer who was sent by the government of Enugu state to take me to the burial ceremony of Ihedioha’s mother,” said Okorocha. To his family, the Enugu State government, and the Inspector General of Police, please accept my condolences.

Read Also: Ganduje spent over N20bn on PG foreign scholarships in eight years – Ex-Commissioner

I’ll go see his family first, and then we’ll continue from there. He left behind a wife and four young children, and I discovered he is from Ogun State. I’m going to address a letter to Governor Hope Uzodinma for the first time. I will ask him to call an assembly of all former Imo state governors. We might give him information that would put an end to the state’s insecurity.

I can only consent to our meeting on the basis of this. I’m worried about the safety and well-being of Imo state. Party politics are unrelated to this. As a former governor of this state, I have something to impart to him. Former governors Ikedi Ohakim and Achike Udenwa have information to share with him. We should proceed in this manner. Power is the authority that has been placed in your hands to ensure the security, welfare, and welfare of the populace. How content the populace is determines the success of every government.

Ganduje spent over N20bn on PG foreign scholarships in eight years – Ex-Commissioner

coic
-
0
Ganduje spent over N20bn on PG foreign scholarships in eight years – Ex-Commissioner

According to a former commissioner, from June 2015 to March 2023, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the immediate past governor of Kano State, spent over N20 billion on 111,687 needy students for overseas post-graduate scholarships in 14 countries, five private universities, the Nigerian Law School, and other internal universities.

When the New Nigeria Peoples Party falsely claimed that Ganduje did not fund foreign scholarships during his two terms as governor, the former commissioner for information and internal affairs in Ganduje’s administration, Muhammad Garba, revealed this in a statement made available to The PUNCH.

According to him, the money was designated for post-graduate scholarship recipients in India, Malaysia, Egypt, Cyprus, China, Turkey, Uganda, the United Kingdom, Togo, Ireland, Gambia, and Ukraine, as well as internal universities, and it was intended to cover expenses such as tuition, maintenance, housing, and air travel, among other things.

According to Garba, the records that are currently in hand show that, in addition to the aforementioned, the previous administration also sponsored 50 lecturers from Kano State’s two universities and other tertiary institutions to pursue their doctorates at esteemed French universities as part of a joint initiative between the French and Kano State governments.

The commissioner also noted that more than N600 million was spent on the joint tuition-free postgraduate scholarship between the state government and the French Embassy in Nigeria.

Therefore, he said that it was unfortunate that the state’s current administration was claiming credit for the achievements of both local and foreign scholarship.

In addition, he stated that the Ganduje administration had settled more than 80% of the $28 million and over N6 billion debt left by the Rabiu Kwankwaso administration.

In addition, Garba claimed that the post-graduate students were sent in three groups to prestigious universities in France and other European nations, primarily to pursue studies in the sciences.

The commissioner also noted that between 2011 and 2015, the Kwankwaso administration completely discontinued the payment of scholarship allowances to indigenous students enrolled in Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions. This practice was reinstated by the Ganduje-led administration.

Stop media attacks on INEC chair, group tells opposition parties

coic
-
0
Stop media attacks on INEC chair, group tells opposition parties

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mahmood Yakubu, has been the target of media attacks, according to the Nigerian Youth Network for Good Governance and Sustainable Democracy.

After INEC announced Bola Tinubu as the winner of the 2023 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar, the candidate for president of the Peoples Democratic Party, and Peter Obi, the candidate for the Labour Party, filed a petition with the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.

The Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Constantine Ikechukwu, denounced the LP, PDP, and their supporters for continuing to disregard the law by making unreserved comments about the results of the 2023 presidential election while the PEPT is occupied with hearing their petitions in a statement made available to our correspondent on Monday.

The chairman remarked, “Unfortunately, the petitioners’ lawyers and supporters have persisted in publicly disparaging the election’s results.

“In actuality, their lawyers, who are eminent silks, have persisted in speaking foul to the media about the election result that they are contesting.

Ikechukwu, who acknowledged that there were some flaws in the 2023 presidential election, insisted that Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC chairman, had not rigged the vote in the APC’s favor.

“Following a careful examination of the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022, we are confident that when Prof. Yakubu announced Bola Tinubu as the winner at the National Collation Centre, he was only carrying out his legal obligations and did not violate any known laws.

He would have broken the law and faced serious repercussions if he hadn’t made that declaration, on the other hand.

The Chairman advised opposition parties, saying, “All aggrieved parties must now draw their swords, end the ongoing social media verbal battle, and permit the Tribunal to complete its mandate in peace.

More importantly, Nigerian politicians should embrace the spirit of sportsmanship in the political arena rather than complaining every time their preferred candidate did not win.

CBN removes saving, withdrawal caps on domiciliary accounts

coic
-
0
CBN removes saving, withdrawal caps on domiciliary accounts

The restrictions on domestic accounts have been lifted by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The CBN said in a statement on Sunday that the new rule gave account holders unlimited deposit options, unrestricted access to account funds, and daily withdrawal limits of up to $10,000.

“CBN issues further guidance on operational changes to the foreign exchange market,” read the statement.

“Ordinary domiciliary account holders shall have unrestricted access to the funds in their accounts,” it stated in part. Holders of domiciliary accounts may use cash deposits up to $10,000 per day or its equivalent via telegraphic transfer.

“DMBs shall provide returns to the CBN, together with the ‘purpose’ for such transactions.

“Subject to DMBs conducting proper KYC, due diligence, and adhering to the spirit and letter of existing AML/CFT laws and other relevant rules and regulations, cash deposits into domestic accounts will not be restricted.”

In May 2021, The PUNCH reported that banks had begun imposing new restrictions on the transfers that owners of domiciliary accounts could make from cash lodgements.

The PUNCH was able to obtain a bank’s 2021 circular, which stated that the $5,000 monthly cap had been raised for cash deposits of foreign currency.

“This means that if the source of funds is a cash deposit into a domiciliary account, only a maximum of $5,000 per month will be permitted for transfers.

The phrase “cash deposits of foreign currencies other than USD may be paid into domiciliary accounts (subject to an equivalent of $5,000 monthly limit) but will not be allowed for transfer purposes.”

The Bankers’ Committee meeting, which was held to discuss the implementation and implications of the policy changes for the banking industry, led to the CBN limiting this limit.

The CBN stated that the policy modifications aimed to encourage transparency, liquidity, and price discovery in the FX market in order to improve FX supply, deter speculative activity, boost customer confidence, and guarantee overall market stability.

The statement added that the Investors’ and Exporters’ window applied to all visible and invisible transactions, including remittances for travel, school fees, BTA/PTA, and medical expenses.

Banks were urged to make sure that all eligible invisible transactions for their customers were processed quickly and at the I & E window using the appropriate rate.

In order to further boost market confidence, it was also stated that the CBN would give orderly settlement of any committed FX forward transactions priority as they became due.

The CBN would engage stakeholders as it carried out the ongoing reforms, normalize its procedures for maintaining the Cash Reserve Ratio, and ensure equity in its application across the banking sector.

“The sharks are circling,” Gov. Fubara said in reference to Wike’s defection to APC

coic
-
0
“The sharks are circling,” Gov. Fubara said in reference to Wike’s defection to APC

Siminalayi Fubara, the governor of Rivers State, has begged with his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, to remain close to him even if he switches sides politically.

At Wike’s private property on Ada-George Road on Sunday, Fubara gave this speech during a Thanksgiving reception.

Please stay close to me because I know that the tigers and sharks are truly out there waiting for something to hurt, even though we are seeing indicators that it seems like you want to cross over to the other side and everyone is hoping that for you.

Fubara explained, “So, for the sake of this state, being around would continue to direct and put my head right.

His appeal comes amid speculation that Wike would defect from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and join the governing All Progressives Congress (APC).

In place of Atiku Abubakar, the preferred candidate of his party, Wike opted to back Bola Tinubu of the APC, who was ultimately declared the winner of the 2023 presidential election.

Obaseki Expresses Concern Over $500m Annual Nigerian Dairy Import Spending

coic
-
0
Obaseki Expresses Concern Over $500m Annual Nigerian Dairy Import Spending

According to the governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, Nigeria spends over N500 million a year on the importation of dairy goods, necessitating a shift in emphasis to agriculture and production.

At the Government House in Benin City, Edo State, the governor made these remarks as he welcomed a delegation from Heifer International.

He stated that his administration is putting an emphasis on agricultural output and maintaining investment in the industry in order to strengthen the state’s economy, address food insecurity, and generate wealth for its people.

He claimed that “we have a small State with around five million people, 70% of them are under the age of 35, and we need to make them know and understand that we no longer have the cash to import food as Nigeria spends over half a billion US dollars importing dairy goods.”

“Food and food security are very important, especially in terms of providing enough protein for the majority of our population, particularly youngsters,” stated Obaseki. We are a wealthy nation with a sizable and wealthy population, and at some point in our history, we stopped producing agricultural products because we had discovered crude oil and believed we had enough dollars, naira, and gas to get by, forgetting that sometimes in life, we must produce the food we will eat.

“By exporting everything we needed, even food and food items, we became impoverished. We spend billions of dollars and naira every year on food that we can grow ourselves.

He remarked that his administration benefits much from collaboration and that, as a government, “we regard our duty as one of enabling things to happen.

As enablers, we see our job as being able to mobilize resources, notably human talent and expertise, and direct them where we think they should go first.

“Interestingly, we work with partners to start projects in the agricultural sector, but we face challenges that we are working to overcome. We have received a commitment from our partners to invest in a contemporary farm where we will raise day-old chicks and sell them.

It’s a long way to go and a lot of effort, but we are happy with the support and technology from the front end and recognize that we need to go back the value chain and consider how to create the grains, vitamins, feeds, and everything else needed to build the chicken industry.

As the governor reflected on the benefits of the government’s investment in agriculture, he said: “Last year, we provided 60,000 hectares of new farmland for estate farmers to grow oil palm. The lessons learned for us are to collaborate with our partners to create the institution that will train extension agents, farmers, and humans to help us understand what is happening, support the farmers and keep an eye on what they are doing to ensure their yield and help them make money and sustain their businesses.

“As a government, we are investing within the government, reshaping our perspective, and transitioning from a time when government used to invest to one where government now only facilitates investment. Although it is not an easy adjustment, the government is continuing to make those investments and keep its attention on it.

“The relationship we value most is the one we have with Heifer International. Achieving 79 years of existence and expertise is no minor feat, so we are happy you are here to see what we are up to. We will do everything in our power to take advantage of this cooperation opportunity.

Hilary Haddigan, the delegation’s head, had earlier praised the government’s dedication to ensuring food security and added, “We represent almost 500 partners and funders that support our efforts. We support 10 million smallholder farmers as part of our commitment to alleviate poverty and protect the environment.

We spoke to farmers in the State who are getting ready to receive chicken goods. We would like to collaborate with your administration and thank you for making smallholder farmers in Edo State happy.

Customs detain man, seize N64.6m smuggled items

coic
-
0
Customs detain man, seize N64.6m smuggled items

Yusuf Suleman was detained by the Nigerian Customs Service in Kebbi State in connection with the importation of illegal drugs into the region.

Additionally, the command gave the Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency 104 packages of Indian hemp, 359 sacks of diazepam, and 70 packs of tramadol that were found in two different operations.

 

Dr. Ben Oramalugo, the state’s customs area controller, said the briefing focused on the command’s anti-smuggling efforts over the previous four weeks as he handed the seized items to the state commandant of the NDLEA.

According to him, on June 11, 2023, the officers of the command conducted a stop and search along Kamba-Kyanagakwai Road on a vehicle with the chassis number IHGRC3KEA246069, which they found to be carrying 104 parcels of cannabis sativa. This was done as a result of a tip-off from a kind citizen about a vehicle transporting offensive goods.

“We also found 99 5mg diazepam tablets hidden in the car being driven by one of the suspects, Sulaiman Yusuf. The suspect was detained and will face charges, according to Oramalugo.

Read Also: FG summons oil marketers, plans to shut down equalization fund

Similar to this, on Monday, June 5, 2023, the command patrol team discovered 70 packs of Tramadol and 260 diazepam tablets in the vicinity of the Kamba/Rijiyar Maikafi bush.

Other things seized during the time frame included 107 bags of foreign parboiled rice, 38 bales of used clothing, 1,275 liters of petroleum motor spirits, 52 jerry cans of vegetable oil, one 2014 Honda Accord model, and one used Opel car, among others.

FG summons oil marketers, plans to shut down equalization fund

coic
-
0
FG summons oil marketers, plans to shut down equalization fund

According to Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria’s National Controller of Operations, Mike Osatuyi, the Fund currently owes its members about N80 billion.

“We owe the Fund nothing because you would have deposited before you took the goods, not the other way around. But before the closure, the Fund owes us N80 billion, which will be paid. Over time, the money accumulated, but it is now no longer accumulating. After the downstream sector was fully deregulated, as specified in the PIA, the role played by the Fund came to an end, Osatuyi said.

He acknowledged that IPMAN had also been requested to reconcile its account with the Fund.

“Now that we have deregulated, the Fund is no longer necessary. The payment they owe us will likely occur before the accounts are eventually closed, though we are unsure of when. The procedure has started, and our members have been invited,” he continued.

PEF was established by Decree 9 of 1975 (as modified by Decree Number 32 of 1989, which is now chapter 352 of the Laws of the Federation). Its primary purpose was to compensate marketers for any losses they incurred while trucking products from depots to their filling stations throughout Nigeria. This was done in order to ensure that the price of petroleum products was uniform throughout the country.

Read Also: Judge Tinubu’s administration later, says Jide Kosoko

A source from the Nigerian Depots and Petroleum Products Marketers Association also confirmed that the invitation to the reconciliation meeting was extended to its members.

“They informed us that the Fund had already closed, and we were aware that it would close. Our members and other depot owners are now being asked to reconcile the account as we have reached this stage. As of today (Wednesday), when the meeting was held, they informed us that the account would be closed in the following 20 days.

 

Judge Tinubu’s administration later, says Jide Kosoko

coic
-
0
Judge Tinubu’s administration later, says Jide Kosoko

It is too soon for Nigerians to criticize President Bola Tinubu’s administration, according to veteran actor Jide Kosoko. He claimed in an interview with Sunday Scoop that it would be absurd for Nigerians to begin contrasting the current administration with the one that had previously been in office. In fact, it seems so silly, but all I can say is that this government has off to a great start, and I have no doubts that they are serious about their work. I am acquainted with Tinubu, who enjoys acting out dramatic situations. He is here to improve the quality of life for Nigerians.

Read Also: FRSC announces traffic diversion on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

Although it has been claimed that the purpose of movies is to provide entertainment, Kosoko thinks that the sector performs other functions as well.

In my line of work, monitoring society is our main goal, he declared. To see everything from every angle and pass all necessary information and regulations, we try to reflect society. As readers, it is also our duty to consider social problems from the author’s perspective.

“We might not be entirely correct in how we direct some of our production, but that is a misinformed opinion. There is almost never a production that doesn’t favor some people while making others feel differently.

He also stressed the importance of maintaining our traditions and culture. When we claim to be departing from our culture, there are numerous other things we can point to as the cause, such as the underutilization of our native tongues, he said. This is because we only have a tendency to preserve our culture when we actively promote our native languages.

Many people are preoccupied with speaking English grammar. When discussing culture, there are some things that English cannot fully convey. The form of western democracy we currently practice is still not ideal for Africans. We can design our democracy using the resources we have.

 

FRSC announces traffic diversion on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

coic
-
0
FRSC announces traffic diversion on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway

The Federal Road Safety Corps has announced that traffic will be diverted off of the expressway at New Garage and into the state of Lagos.

The diversion, according to the traffic agency, was part of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway’s ongoing rehabilitation.

This was stated in a statement made public on Sunday by Bisi Kazeem, the FRSC Corps Public Education Officer.

“Traffic from Isheri Olowora passing through River Valley Estate to link the expressway inward Lagos has been diverted to pass through Babcock College, opposite Enyo filling station to link the expressway and drive into Lagos,” the statement said in part.

To connect the expressways at the BRT Bus-stop, they could also pass through Ojodu and make a U-turn in front of FRSC Ojodu.

According to Kazeem, the FRSC Corps Marshal, Dauda Biu, has instructed the FRSC Commands along the corridor to ensure that commuters can move about without difficulty.

The statement continued, “He also exhorts the traveling public to exercise maximum patience and cooperate with the law enforcement agencies along the said routes.”

Read Also: Breaking: Terrorist attacks prompt 24-hour LG curfew by Plateau government

1...1,7661,7671,768...2,844Page 1,767 of 2,844
© Newspaper WordPress Theme by TagDiv