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Buhari Restates Plan To Lift 100m Nigerians Out Of Poverty

By
Bayo Bernard
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0
President Buhari
By James Orji
President Muhammadu Buhari says his government plan to lift at least 100 million Nigerians out of poverty is still on course, noting that measures to achieve this has been put in place.
The president disclosed this in his democracy Day speech to Nigerians, and monitored by the magazine.
He said various economic programmes of the government are geared towards ensuring economic prosperity for all Nigerians.
According to him ” my vision of pulling 100 million poor Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years has been put into action and can be seen in the National Social Investment Programme, a first in Africa and one of the largest in the world where over 32.6m beneficiaries are taking part.
“We now have a National Social register of poor and vulnerable households, identified across 708 local government areas, 8,723 wards and 86,610 communities in the 36 States and the FCT.
 “Our conditional cash transfer program has benefited over 1.6 million poor and vulnerable households comprising more than 8 million individuals. This provides a monthly stipend of N10,000 per household.
 “I  have also recently approved the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy Plan that augments existing plans to further reduce poverty in Nigeria.
 “As at the end of 2020, the Development Bank of Nigeria had disbursed 324 billion Naira in loans to more than 136,000 MSMEs, through 40 participating Financial Institutions. I am to note that 57% of these beneficiaries are women while 27% are the youth.
“We are able to do all these and still accelerate our infrastructure development through sensible and transparent borrowing, improved capital inflow, improving and increasing revenue through capturing more tax bases and prudent management of investment proceeds in the Sovereign Wealth Fund,”Buhari said.

We Don’t Recognise June 12 – Coalition Of Northern Groups

By
Adesina Soyooye
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0
Abdul-Azeez Suleiman - CNG Spokesperson

By Adesina Soyooye

US, UK Warn Citizens Violence Likely

Even though two important Associations have withdrawn from the nationwide protests today, June 12, fears of violence abound. Tension is so thick one could almost cut it with a knife. And security is high. People are afraid. And inspite of assurances from the Police that people should go about their businesses, nobody is taking anything for granted.

The organisers had asked Nigerians to troop out and join the protest, or sit at home. In Lagos, the Police Command had asked Lagosians to ignore the sit- at-hone order, and follow their usual routine.

But that will not be likely. The fear of security personnels, armed to the teeth, is most likely to keep them off road than the fear of the protesters. Streets would most likely be empty.

However, for the second time within 24 hours, the wind has been taken off the  nationwide protest.

The Coalition of Northern Groups, CNG, which has been gearing up for what was proposed to be the mother of all protests, has withdrawn from it.

A few hours before CNG’s withdrawal, the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, had, also withdrawn, citing security reasons, and alleging that Politicians and other disgruntled elements in the society plan to hijack what they had planned to be a peaceful protest against the unprecedented insecurity in the country, incessant kidnapping of students, and increasing hunger.

However, a statement by its President, Sunday Asefon, said it was pulling out of the protest to avoid anybody hiding under NANS to perpetrate violence. He said NANS would reschedule its own protest.

Fearing violence, both the American and United Kingdom’s Governments have advised their citizens in Nigeria to avoid the protesters, stay indoors, and be aware of their environment.

But in a statement, the CNG said it pulled out  Northern Nigeria out of the protest for two reasons.

The first CNG said is that some information gathered indicate that members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, would hijack the planned  peaceful protest and, under its banner, penetrate the North and cause mayhem in the region.

At a Press conference, its Publicity Secretary,  who spoke on behalf of the Group, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, said it was not in the character of the North to jump into a journey, which destination it does not know, especially as the CNG was not contacted.

Said Suleiman: “We can’t drag the North into an agenda that is not properly stated, and for which we are not even contacted.

“This is in addition to keeping the North away from the trap set by IPOB to sponsor infiltration in some Northern states to turn the protests violent. In case of any ugly incident, the anti-North schemers would then hold the region up as the volatile section of the country.

Secondly, the CNG said it does not recognise June 12 as Nigeria’s Democracy Day.

CNG: “Another reason for the non-participation of CNG and all our affiliates and organs is the fact that we do not recognise the legitimacy   of June 12 as Democracy Day in the first place.”

Until 2020 when the Federal Government recognised June 12 as Democracy Day, and declared it as a Federal Public Holiday, it had, since 1999, when Nigeria went back to Democracy, after a long spell of Military dictatorship been the exclusive of the South-west.

June 12 became significant because it was the day Nigeria held what many describe as a free and fair Presidential election. It was won by Chief MKO Abiola, a Yoruba Muslim, whose running mate, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, is also a Muslim.

But just when the result was about to be officially declared, the Military Government, led by General Ibrahim Babangida cancelled it. Till date, nobody can exactly say why the election was cancelled.

Abiola was forced into exile. On return, when a worse dictatorship came on board, under General Sani Abacha, Abiola was clamped into detention, and charged him with treason.

Abiola, sadly, died in detention under what has remained suspicious circumstance, during the regime of General Abdulsalami Abubakar,  after Abacha’s sudden passing. Since Abiola’s  death, his South-west region had always marked June 12 as a Public holiday in his honour, until the President Muhammadu Buhari Government declared it a Federal Public Holiday in 2020.

However, this year’s June 12 may be marked with protests that could degenerate into violence, given the insecurity and anger and hunger in the country.

Many States, especially, in the South, are on high alert and, the drivers behind the protest promise it would hold across the country.

The Police has issued a stern warning against the protest being hijacked, and so have some States.

President Buhari,  in the past couple of days, has warned that his Government would no longer tolerate violent protests. In an interview with Arise Television aired on June 10, the President had said the #EndSARS violent  protest which rocked the country in 2020 was aimed at sacking his Government from office.

He is poised not to allow Amy such move again, particularly, today, June 12, 2021.

Democracy Day: I Will Defend Nigeria’s Unity With My Life- Buhari

By
Bayo Bernard
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0
Muhammadu Buhari

By Muhammadu Buhari

Fellow Nigerians,

I join you all today to commemorate and celebrate our Democracy Day. It is a celebration of freedom and a victory for one people, one country and one Nigeria.

2. As with all democracies we will always be going through improvement processes in our desire to reach the goal of a mature democracy, a strong, evolved and integrated nation state to be reckoned with globally.

3. In the last two years we have witnessed and overcome a good number of testy challenges that would have destroyed other nations especially relating to our collective security.

4. The indefatigable CAN DO Spirit of the Nigerian has sustained us and would keep pushing us to put these challenges behind us.

5. Unfortunately some of these challenges came in the shape of violent outrages leading to the loss of lives of many of our dear compatriots and the destruction of some of our infrastructure, including those devoted to improving our democratic processes.

6. Once again, I want to render my sincere and heart-felt condolences to the families and friends of our gallant service men and women who lost their lives in the line of duty and as a sacrifice to keep Nigeria safe.

7. I extend the same condolence to the families and friends of our country men, women and children who were unfortunate victims of such senseless arsons, kidnappings and murders.

8. I also share the pains of families and direct victims of ransom-seeking, kidnaped victims who went through unimaginable trauma in the course of their forced imprisonment.

9. Let me assure my fellow citizens that every incident, however minor gives me great worry and concern and I immediately order security agencies to swiftly but safely rescue victims and bring perpetrators to justice.

Fellow Nigerians,

10. When you elected me as your President in 2015, you did so knowing that I will put an end to the growing insecurity, especially the insurgency in the North East, but the unintended consequences of our scattering them in the North East pushed them further in-country which is what we are now facing and dealing with.

11. We will, by the Grace of God put an end to these challenges too.

12. Unfortunately, like in most conflict situations, some Nigerian criminals are taking undue advantage of a difficult situation and profiteering therefrom with the misguided belief that adherence to the democratic norms handicaps this Administration from frontally and decisively tackling them.

13. We are already addressing these obstacles and we will soon bring some of these culprits to justice.

14. We are, at the same time addressing the twin underlying drivers of insecurity namely poverty and youth unemployment.

15. Interventions led by Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria driving economic growth over the past 6 years are targeted mostly to the agricultural, services, infrastructure, power and health care sectors of the economy.

16. In the Agricultural sector, for instance, the Anchor Borrowers Programme resulted in sharp decline in the nation’s major food import bill from $2.23billion in 2014 to US$0.59billion by the end of 2018.

17. Rice import bill alone dropped from $1 billion to $18.5 million annually.

18. This initiative supported local production of rice, maize, cotton and cassava. Government financed 2.5 million small-holder farmers cultivating about 3.2 million hectares of farmland all over the country and created 10 million direct and indirect jobs.

19. Several other initiatives, namely AgriBusiness/Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Scheme, the Non-oil Export stimulation Facility, the Targeted Credit Facilities operated across the 774 Local Governments.

20. In the manufacturing sector the CBN – BOI N200 billion facility financed the establishment and operations of 60 new industrial hubs across the country, creating an estimated 890,000 direct and indirect jobs.

21. The CBN’s N50 billion Textile Sector intervention Facility increased capacity utilization of ginneries from 30% to nearly 90%.

22. The Economic Sustainability Plan – our rebound plan for the COVID-19 pandemic developed in 2020 is currently being executed. The plan is primarily focused on the non-oil sector, which has recorded phenomenal growth contributing over 90% to the GDP growth in Q1 2021.

23. Though marginal we have recorded GDP growth over two quarters; Q2 2020 and Q1 2021. This is evidence of a successful execution of the ESP by the Federal Government.

24. My vision of pulling 100 million poor Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years has been put into action and can be seen in the National Social Investment Programme, a first in Africa and one of the largest in the world where over 32.6m beneficiaries are taking part. We now have a National Social register of poor and vulnerable households, identified across 708 local government areas, 8,723 wards and 86,610 communities in the 36 States and the FCT.

25. Our conditional cash transfer program has benefited over 1.6 million poor and vulnerable households comprising more than 8 million individuals. This provides a monthly stipend of N10,000 per household.

26. I have also recently approved the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy Plan that augments existing plans to further reduce poverty in Nigeria.

27. As at the end of 2020, the Development Bank of Nigeria had disbursed 324 billion Naira in loans to more than 136,000 MSMEs, through 40 participating Financial Institutions. I am to note that 57% of these beneficiaries are women while 27% are the youth.

28. We are able to do all these and still accelerate our infrastructure development through sensible and transparent borrowing, improved capital inflow, improving and increasing revenue through capturing more tax bases and prudent management of investment proceeds in the Sovereign Wealth Fund.

Fellow Nigerians,

29. Our infrastructure revolution continues with key projects attaining critical milestones under the Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund; The Second Niger Bridge, The Lagos- Ibadan Expressway and the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano Expressway.

30. I have also approved the establishment of Infraco Plc, a world-class infrastructure development vehicle wholly focused on Nigeria with a capital structure of N15 trillion.

31. The rail system is not left out as the Itakpe-Warri standard gauge rail was completed and commissioned 33 years after construction began. The Lagos-Ibadan double track railway line which I have just commissioned has commenced operations.

32. We are focused on ensuring that our infrastructure drive is key to economic growth and one that can be felt by every Nigerian. Building critical infrastructure in our ports is also opening up opportunities for the Nigerian economy.

33. My approval for 4 new seaports using a Public-Private-Partnership approach is hinged on growing the Nigerian economy. These four sea ports; Lekki Deep Sea Port, Bonny Deep Sea Port, Ibom Deep Sea Port and Warri Deep Sea port will create massive job opportunities and foreign investment inflows.

34. We have worked at deepening our Eastern ports leading to success like having three container ships berth at Calabar port, a first in 11 years. Similarly, on October 30 2019, an LPG tanker operated by NLNG berthed in Port Harcourt, the first time an LPG ship is berthing at any of the Eastern Ports.

35. As we invest in these new assets, we have also made strides in ensuring that they are secured and protected. In this regard I am also pleased to note the launch of the NIMASA Deep Blue project – which is an Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure that I recently commissioned. This initiative is designed to add to the layer of security we have to safeguard our maritime sector.

Dear Nigerians,

36. I will be the first to admit that in spite of our efforts and achievements which are there for all to see, there is still much more to be done and we are doing our best in the face of scarce resources and galloping population growth rate that consistently outstrips our capacity to provide jobs for our populace. Our over-all economic target of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years is our goal notwithstanding COVID-19.

37. In the last two years we lifted 10.5 million people out of poverty – farmers, small-scale traders, artisans, market women and the like.

38. I am very convinced that this 100 million target can be met and this informed the development of a National poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy. The specific details of this accelerated strategy will be unveiled shortly.

39. In the last one year, Nigeria and the whole world faced COVID-19 for which no one was fully prepared.

40. Our response to the pandemic involved making hard choices in balancing livelihoods and public health concerns. You are all living witnesses to how successful this has been due to a number of pro-active measures put in place. Our response to COVID-19 is globally acclaimed.

41. We were able to ensure that the various lockdown measures did not impact too negatively on the ability of ordinary Nigerians to continue sustaining their livelihoods.

42. During the pandemic, we disbursed N5,000 to 1 million Nigerians using a Rapid Response Register and advanced N20,000 to 750,000 beneficiaries of the Conditional Cash Transfer Progamme and provided 1.37 million Nigerians with palliatives from CACOVID.

43. At the same time the Federal Government released 109,000 metric tonnes of food reserve stocks and 70,000 metric tonnes of grains to the poor and vulnerable in all 36 states of the federation.

44. In addition, Government reduced interest rates from 9% to 5% for struggling businesses and extended credit facilities to 548,345 beneficiaries.

Fellow Nigerians,

45. When this administration decided to change our Democracy Day from 29th May to June 12th in my first tenure, it was not only to honour the sacrifices of the men and women of our country who fought for the return to democracy but also to demonstrate our commitment to satisfy the aspirations of the people and creating an environment for democracy to be an accepted way of life.

46. As your President, I remain committed to providing an enabling environment for a free, fair and credible electoral system under my tenure.

47. However, you need to play your part by getting involved at any level you can supporting a democratic system that works for all and not for a section or a select few and demand accountability from your elected leaders.

48. My commitment to bequeathing a sustainable democratic culture remains resolute, my pursuit of a fair society remains unshaken and my desire to see that Nigeria remains a country for each and every one of us has never been stronger.

49. In responding to the challenges that this period imposes on us, Government also recognises the need to acknowledge notions of marginalisation and agitations for constitutional amendments among various segments of our population.

50. While this government is not averse to constitutional reform as part of our nation building process, everyone must understand that the primary responsibility for constitutional amendments lies with the National Assembly.

51. This body which, as I said, is the arm of government responsible for constitutional changes has concluded the preliminary stages of amending and improving our constitution in a way that the majority of Nigerians will be happy with.

52. Government is, however, willing to play a critical role in the constitutional amendment process without usurping the powers of the National Assembly in this regard.

53. As a nation we have come very far from where we started and we are getting incrementally closer to where we ought to be.

54. Overcoming the present challenges is but one of a necessary process that we have to undergo as a nation so that we can come out stronger. The day I joined the Nigerian Army I was prepared to lay down my life for Nigeria.

55. As your President I remain ever committed to upholding and defending Nigeria’s Corporate existence.

56. In adhering to the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy notably section 14(2)(b) I shall do all within my power to ensure that the Security and welfare of the people remain the primary purpose of government.

57. I have, throughout my tenure, provided the security agencies with all they require relative to available resources and will be providing more as the dynamics unfold to put an end to our security problems.

58. My strong belief in the Nigerian spirit gives me comfort that we are facing these challenges with renewed commitment to keep our country one.

59. I thank you for your patience and attention and more importantly your resolve to join hands in making Nigeria the country of our dream.

Happy Democracy Day! God Bless us All, God Bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Breaking: Buhari Vows To Hand Over Power

By
Bayo Bernard
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0
President Muhammadu Buhari

By The Source

President Muhammadu Buhari says he will not stay in power beyond 2023 when his tenure is expected to expire. He said his focus is to ensure a prosperous Nigeria as a legacy for his eight year administration.

Buhari’s tenure as president ends in 2023, therefore, ” I’ll like to hand over a secure, confident, prosperous Nigeria,” he said in an interview on state owned Nigerian Television Authority, NTA on Friday.

The president also said he recognised the importance of youths in nation building, calling on the youths to cooperate with his government to inprove security in the country.

Buhari who harped on securing the country said “It’s in your interest to ensure Nigeria is secure.”

Speaking on the future of his  party, the All Progressives Congress, APC the president said all is being done to ensure that the party remains in power beyond 2023, adding that he will not stay put in office after his tenure expires.

He said “We are doing all we can to make the APC to be in power for as long as possible.

“That is why we carried out the revalidation exercise. From state to state; local government to local government and ward by ward,” he said.

CIBN Solicits Ecobank’s Collaboration, Unveils New Strategic Initiative “A-TEAM”

By
Bayo Bernard
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0

By Fola James

The Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, CIBN has unveiled its new Strategic Initiative  with the acronym “A-TEAM” being  part of efforts by the institute to revamp banking practice in Nigeria. Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Management of Ecobank Nigeria, the President/Chairman of Council, CIBN, Bayo Olugbemi  explained that  A-TEAM as an acronym represents Accelerated Development; Technology and Digital Enhancement; Engagement for Growth; Accountability and Transparent Leadership and  Membership Drive for Value. Olugbemi commended Ecobank’s consistent support for the Institute over the years to ensure  the realization of the Institute’s mandate of determining the standards of knowledge and skills development for those seeking to become members of the banking profession.

The CIBN President stated: “We applaud Ecobank Academy as the first corporate institution to become a member of the Global Business School Network and for the consistent support for the realization of the Institute’s mandate of determining the standards of knowledge and skills to be attained by persons seeking to become members of the banking profession. We therefore seek Ecobank’s collaboration and enlistment in our Endowment/Prize Awards in any subject of interest; support towards the renovation of Abuja Bankers’ House; support for the establishment of banking museum by donating artefacts and other relevant materials;  and to participate actively in training programmes of the Institute.”

Olugbemi congratulated Ecobank Nigeria and the Ecobank Group on winning several International awards, that includes the Best Retail Bank in Nigeria by Asian Banker ; Africa’s Best Bank for Corporate Responsibility by Euromoney (Ecobank Group); African Bank of the Year (African Banker); Innovation in Financial Services Award from African Banker (Ecobank Group); EMEA Finance African Banking Awards 2020. Also the award of ‘Outstanding Crisis Leadership – Finance & Business’ awarded to Ecobank by Global Finance and the Starsight Sustainability Award by Renewable Energy Provider Starsight for deployment of solar systems in your 150 branches across West African country with an installed solar and hybrid capacity of 11 megawatts (MW) amongst several others.

In his response, the Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Patrick Akinwuntan  pledged more support and collaboration with the Institute, restating that Ecobank will continue to contribute to the efforts of the Institute to become top class and remain relevant globally. According to him, “For us at Ecobank, we are extremely proud of CIBN’s efforts at ensuring public discourse on the future of the Nigerian economy; this is not in isolation of relevant issues within the banking and finance industry such as ethics, professionalism, accountability, transparency, good corporate governance and harnessing the opportunities technology has provided in the new world order. Be assured of our maximum support and collaboration at all times”.

Akinwuntan also identified with the efforts of the Institute to raise the bar of competency and capacity building in the industry, stressing that with sound professional conduct, every banker will be held in high esteem. He said Ecobank is working assiduously to ensure all of its staff become members of the Institute within a short time, adding that the bank will also provide more mentees and mentors in the institutes’ mentorship programme.  “We have a medium to long term programme to ensure all Ecobank Nigeria staff become chartered members of the Institute. At Ecobank, we take human capacity development very seriously. Some of our staff that wrote the last examinations are now chartered members of the Institute”, he stated.

Breaking: Buhari To ‘Reveal’ More On Friday Interview

By
Bayo Bernard
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0
President Buhari

By The Source

The Presidency has urged Nigerians to stay glued to their television sets to watch President Muhammadu Buhari’s interview with the state owned Nigerian Television Authority, NTA on Friday.

The second in less than 72 hours, Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, said the interview is scheduled for 8.30 pm and will be ‘revealing’.

Adesina, in a statement titled, ‘President Muhammadu Buhari In Exclusive Interview With NTA’ said “President Muhammadu Buhari grants Nigerian Television Authority an exclusive interview, from 8.30 pm, Friday, June 11, 2021.

“It promises to be revealing and educating. Kindly keep a date,” the statement read.

Earlier on Wednesday, Buhari featured in an interview with Arise TV where he accused the 36 state governors of not doing enough to provide security in their states.

The president also restated his earlier order to security agencies to shoot any non state actors wielding AK-47 riffles.

PDP Asks China To Help Nigerian Youths; Says APC Not Giving Directions To Them

By
The Source
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0
Uche Secondus

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus has appealed to the Chinese Government to help in the development of Nigeria youths.

Prince Secondus who made the appeal while welcoming the new Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria Mr. CUI Jianchun to the party’s Wadata Plaza headquarters on Friday said that China has done well in the engagement of their youths and Nigeria has a lot to learn from them.

He said that PDP places much premium  on the Nigeria youths because the future of the country rests squarely in their hands and expressed regret that the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, government through their policies and actions has continued to undermine this very critical sector of our society.

Prince Secondus also told his guest that although China operates different model of democracy, Nigeria particularly party administration has a lot to learn in the management of political parties.

The PDP boss said that China’s breakthrough in virtually all areas of human development especially in modern technology should be a huge lesson like Nigeria that has the population potential but has not been able to harness them.

Prince Secondus noted that in the 16 years of PDP in Federal power it did much with the Chinese Government, especially, in rail transportation, Aviation and other infrastructural developments.

He said that PDP is returning to power at the center in 2023 and hopes to collaborate with China to tap the huge potentials in our country that APC mis rule is inhibiting.

“We are returning to power in 2023 and hope to do business with you as we did when we were there. Nigeria wants to be where China is in area of technology because we have vibrant and intelligent youths  who can take this country even to moon.

Earlier, the Chinese Ambassador Jianchun had traced the good relationship between his country and Nigeria and how it’s their desire to deepen it.

The envoy said that the ruling Communist party in China desires to have a good working relationship with political parties in Nigeria.

He invited PDP to participate in the largest virtual political gathering of political parties and groups in China scheduled July 6, 2021.

Igbo Leaders Demand Release Of Bodies Of Killed ‘IPOB’ Members For Burial

By
Bayo Bernard
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0
Chukwuemeka Ezeife

By James Orji

Prominent South east leaders under the aegis of Igbo Elders Council, IEC have demanded the release of the bodies of those killed by police and soldiers in the ongoing Security clean up in the south east, to their families for burial.

They alleged that security agencies, indiscriminately, invade private homes at odd hours in the guise of fishing out presumed IPOB and ESN members, arrest, maim, and, sometimes shoot innocent and hapless youths, and cart away their corpses to unknown destinations, thus denying them the opportunity of burial.

“The Igbo tradition values burial rites for the repose of the soul of the dead, yet our young victims of the military onslaught are denied that opportunity,” the Elders said in a communique released in Abuja on Thursday.

They alleged that 5000 youths have been killed, and close to 10, 000 others arrested in the on going security exercise to deal with IPOB elements.

Those arrested, the IEC which includes former Governor of Anambra State, Chukwuemeka Ezeife said, have been locked up in unknown detention centres by soldiers and police.

According to the elders, some external forces are the ones fueling problem in the region with a view of blaming it on IPOB. They noted that there is a diabolical plan to distabilise the zone, in order to frustrate agitation by an Igbo man to become president in 2023.

The elders said: “The current military onslaught against the Igbos will not bring the much needed peace and stability in the South East in particular and Nigeria in general. Rather, dialogue, consultations, conferences , respect for one another, rule of law and fundamental human rights, democracy, accountability, transparency and good governance, as well as immediate restructuring of the country, resource control, equity, justice and fairness in all government policies, programmes, projects and appointments in the public service are the most feasible path to sanity, peace, unity and progress of Nigeria.

“We, therefore, call on the President, Muhammadu Buhari, the United Nations, the European Union, African Union, ECOWAS, United States of America, United Kingdom, Russia, China and the entire international community to take urgent and necessary actions to stop the current genocide against the Igbos in the South East and other parts of the South South in the interest of peace, stability and unity of Nigeria.

“The use of military force has never restored peace anywhere, hence the need to explore dialogue and other effective strategies that have worked elsewhere. The Igbo Elders Council are available and ready to be part of this process if given the opportunity to participate. ‘A stitch in time saves nine’ is a utilitarian adage in this context and at this time.”

The Elders, however, insisted that current militarization and wide spread carnage in the South East have precipitated unprecedented fear, tension and untold hardships on the people in the zone, thereby aggravating the security challenges in the land.

“We condemn without any reservation the destruction of public property in the South East because it’s not in our character to indulge in arson and brigandage. We believe, however, that it’s unfair and unjust to use a sledge hammer to kill harmless flies as many victims of this joint security agencies onslaught are innocent Igbo youths and other citizens, who have become victims of circumstances.”

The Elders said available information to them had indicated that despite the recent directive of the National Security Adviser, NSA Gen Baba Gana Mungono (Rtd) to dismantle all check points throughout the federation, the security agencies in the South East still stop motorists at illegal checkpoints, search them in most dehumanizing manner in the guise of fishing out presumed members of IPOB and ESN, arrest youths, especially boys and march them to unknown destinations, most of whom never return alive.

NCC Set to Regulate Cost Of International Calls

By
Uche Mbah
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0

By Uche Mbah

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the body saddled with regulation of telephony, has concluded the process for determining the cost of mobile international termination rate (ITR) based on costs.

Ikechukwu Adinde, NCC Director of public affairs, stated this at a forum in Abuja Thursday.

According to him, NCC engaged the service of Messrs Payday Advance and Support Services Limited to understudy the cost-based pricing of mobile ITR.

ITR is the rate paid to local operators by international operators to terminate calls in Nigeria, as opposed to Mobile Termination Rates (MTR), which is the rate local operators pay to another local operator to terminate local calls.

Speaking at the forum, Umar Danbatta, the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, said the Commission took the decision  to engender healthy competition on traffic management for international calls.

According to him, “overriding need for regulatory options and intervention in relation to the international termination rate in the voice market segment is predicated on some intractable challenges, most common with economies with severe macroeconomic volatility such as ours.”

In 2013, NCC issued a determination stating that MTR are the same irrespective of where the call originated.

Danbatta said the determination was misinterpreted by operators who based their activities on the 2013 template, when NCC decreed that MTR be treated equally, regardless of country of origine.

“Arising from these is the persistent fact that Nigeria’s ITR is below that of most countries with which it makes and receives the most calls, making Nigerian operators perpetual net payers,” he said.

“The obvious implication of this is seen in the attendant undue pressure on the nation’s foreign reserves, which continue to get depleted by associated net transfers to foreign operators on account of this lopsidedness.”

Danbatta said balance of payment informed the regulation of the ITR, as Nigerian currencies are volatile.

“Where ITR is not regulated, it tends to converge to the MTR and for a market like Nigeria with major supply side challenges, the socio-economic implications and attendant backlash can only be imagined”, he said.

Democracy Day: Shun Any Agitation Threatening Nigeria’s Unity- Aregbesola; FG Declares June 14 Public Holiday

By
Ayodele Oni
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0

By Ayodele Oni

The Minister for Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, has advised Nigerians to shun any form of Agitation which  threatens Nigeria’s unity.

The Minister said this in a statement which announced that the Federal Government has declared Monday, 14th June, 2021 as public holiday to mark this year’s Democracy Day celebration.

June 12 fell on a Saturday, but because Saturday is not a work day, it shifted the holiday to June 14, a Monday.

The statement was signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr Shuaib.

He congratulated Nigerians on this occasion and urged all citizens to support the present administration in its efforts at ensuring a United and prosperous Nation.

Aregbesola said any form of agitation that threatens the unity of the country should be shunned for the good of all, saying the space known as Nigeria would be a haven of peace, unity and progress if all citizens love his or her neighbour and  embrace the spirit of brotherliness.

“As we mark another Democracy Day in the history of our dear country, let us reflect on the efforts of our founding fathers and ensure that Nigeria remains one United and Indivisible Entity.

“No development can take place in an acrimonious environment.

“With the challenges we face in Nigeria today, I see an opportunity for us not to break up or break down but to break open; open up to ourselves in truth so that we may appreciate each other, understand each other, honour each other and live together in peace and prosperity.”

He assured that with the concerted efforts being put in place by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Administration to secure the lives and property of Nigerians and stabilise the economy, the nation will continue to get better.

“There will surely be light at the end of the tunnel.”

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