Home Blog Page 2675

Breaking: Nigeria’s Ambassador To US, Nsofor Dies |The Source

By
Adesina Soyooye
-
0
Sylvanus Adiewere Nsofor

By Adesina Soyooye

Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States of America, USA, Hon. Justice Sylvanus Adiewere Nsofor is dead.

He died yesterday in Maryland, US.

A native of Imo State, Justice Nsofor, a retired Judge of the Court of Appeal  was appointed Ambassador to the US by President Muhammadu Buhari. He assumed office in    December of 2017.

Given his age, 84 years, then, his appointment had taken Nigerians unawares, and had shocked many.

The Senate had initially rejected to confirm him over his age, and what they, allegedly, termed his inability to get a grasp of a couple of questions. But the President insisted on him, thus, compelling the Senate to confirm him.

Many were aghast when the President posted him to unarguably, Nigeria’s most important mission.

Unconfirmed reports say the President first took notice of Nsofor when as a Judge on the  Court of Appeal, he gave a dissenting judgement, in favour of Buhari, during one of his many court battles to become the President. But, if so, others ask, why did Buhari not extend such goodwill to the, forcefully, retired Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Hon.  Justice Walter Onnoghen, who, also, gave a dissenting judgement in Buhari’s favour?

The Buhari Government, not only embarrassingly delayed   Onnoghen’s confirmation   as the CJN, he was humiliated out of office, thereafter.

However, Buhari did not re-appoint Nsofor as an Ambassador for a second term. Nsofor was waiting for his successor to be announced when he died at the age of 87.

Those who knew him  describe him as a brilliant, no- nonsense Judge, who remained as sharp as a razor until his death.

$22.7bn Chinese Loan: Igbo Group Sues FG |The Source

By
Bayo Bernard
-
0

By Tosin Olatokunbo

Igbo Board of Deputies, a group representing the south east of Nigeria has sued the Federal government for sidelining the region from projects funded from a $22.7 billion Chinese loan.

In an application filed at a federal high court in Abuja, the group is asking the court to stop the China Exim Bank, to suspend loan disbursements to the Nigerian government until the five states in the region were represented in the projects.

According to SaharaReporters, the group had earlier in March written a letter to the Chinese bank in Johannesburg, South Africa warning the bank to suspend the loan.

The group had also petitioned the Economic Community of West African States Court, according to one of the petitioners, Austin Okeke.

He said the federal government deliberately sidelined the region in the projects to be funded from the loan, adding that future of the people of the areas has been mortgage with the loan they did not benefit from.

Okeke said “On March 11, we delivered a letter of demand to China Exim Bank in Johannesburg, calling upon it to give an undertaking in the following manner.

“Suspend the loan disbursement, alternatively, cancel the approval of the loan to the Nigerian government until it has revised or amended the manner it intends to allocate the proceeds of the loan to include projects in the South East of Nigeria, which projects shall directly benefit the Igbos; and;

“As a condition, tie the loan repayment to the regions of Nigeria that inherit the projects, as Nigeria flounders and threatens to break up.

“In going forward, the Chinese government must ensure that all projects are valued and open bid for, following international best practices to ensure standard quality and fair cost.

The present Nigerian government is prone to project cost inflation, and future generations are not obligated to pay for fraudulently inflated prices. Failing which we shall join China Exim Bank as a Defendant party to the lawsuit against the Government of Nigeria.

“We say so because we do not guarantee the repayment of these loans by the other federating units of Nigeria in so far as the deliberate discrimination against the Igbos in Nigeria persists.

“The Igbos are not beneficiaries of the proceeds of the loan, and shall not participate in servicing and repayment of the same as a matter of principle, fact and law.

“The Igbos shall not be held liable for these loans, not now and in the future. We will not mortgage the rights and interests of our future generations for something they neither partook in nor benefited.”

 

Over 100m Nigerians Will Fall Into Poverty-World Bank |The Source

By
Bayo Bernard
-
0

By Tosin Olatokunbo

The number of poor Nigerians will hit 100 million by 2022 due to the impact of the corona virus pandemic, the World Bank has said.

The National Bureau of statistics, NBS figures indicate that over 90 million Nigerians are below poverty level, but the World Bank said the problems will get worse as 11 million Nigerians were expected to fall into poverty due to the COVID-19 crisis.

This was made known by Marco Hernadez, an Economist with the Bank during a virtual meeting held in Abuja, the nation’s capital, on Thursday, tagged ‘Rising to the challenge: Nigeria’s COVID-19 response’.

Hernadez stated that the country’s population is rising astronomically; warning that close to two million Nigerians will fall into extreme poverty by end of the year.

He said, “With the COVID-19, the recession is likely to push an additional 6.6 million Nigerians into poverty in 2020, bringing the total newly poor to 8.6 million this year.

“This implies an increase in the total number of poor in Nigeria from about 90 million in 2020 to about 100 million in 2022. Northern states are more likely to be affected.”

He identified unemployment as one of the major factors that cause poverty, adding that the economy has been hit hard by COVID 19, the worst in over forty years.

 

US Cites Boko Haram As Reason For Blacklisting Nigeria |The Source

By
Bayo Bernard
-
0

By Tosin Olatokunbo

The United States has disclosed that the reason it designated Nigeria as a religious intolerant country was due to federal government’s failure to rein in the deadly activities of Boko Haram.

The US, on December 7 blacklisted Nigeria and nine other countries which have “engaged in or tolerated ‘systematic, ongoing, [and] egregious violations of religious freedom.’”

The development came, few days after Boko Haram killed over 47 farmers in Koshobe, Maiduguri, Borno state on November 27.

Apart from Nigeria other countries listed are Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.

The federal government later protested the action through the minister of Foreign Affairs, Godfrey Onyema, who said he will engage the US State Department on the issue.

Speaking on the sanction, Samuel Brownback, US ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, said religious conflicts are ongoing in the country without being checked by the authority.

Brownback said “The secretary and really the world has great concern about what’s taking place in Nigeria at this time, and a number of terrorist groups are organizing and pushing into the country,” he said during the briefing of which statement was obtained by TheCable on Thursday.

“We’re seeing a lot of religious-tinged violence taking place in that country and indeed in West Africa.  It’s an area of growing concern about what’s happening, in particular the tension that’s taking place there between religious groups. And it’s often the religious affiliation is used to try to recruit and inspire violent acts.

“You’ve got expanded terrorist activities, you’ve got a lot of it associated around religious affiliations, and the government’s response has been minimal to not happening at all,” he said.

“A number of cases – there have not been criminal cases brought forward by the government. The terrorism continues to happen and grow, in some places unabated.”

Rancour Halts Appointment Of New VC, Fed University, Oye, Ekiti State |The Source

By
Ayodele Oni
-
0
Federal University, Oye Ekiti

By Ayodele Oni

Divided over the choice of a new Vice Chancellor for the Federal University, Oye Ekiti, (FUOYE), the Governing Council has halted, temporarily, all processes leading to the appointment.

There was an earlier report that the Governing Council members were divided, with a faction behind the incumbent deputy Vice Chancellor,  Prof Abayomi Fashina, and the other fronting for an external candidate.

It was, also, gathered that another issue delaying the announcement of the new VC is the stand of some lobby groups in Ekiti state who are insisting on having an indigene of the state as a new helmsman at FUOYE.

According to reliable sources within the university, two Principal  Officers, the Registrar  and Liberian were appointed within the last two months,  and both appointees are non indigenes of Ekiti state.

A statement by the Deputy Director Corporate Services Adeyinka Ademuyiwa on Thursday, explained that the decision is to accommodate grievances and complaints of some stakeholders in the cancelled processes where over 120 petitions have been received.

According to him, a new process will commence shortly.

“In a session presided over by Council Chairman,. Dr Mohammed Lawan Yahuza, on Wednesday December 9, 2020, where all members were in attendance, including officials of the National Universities Commission, NUC, members agreed to temporarily halt the on going process and thanked NUC officials for their support and encouragement.

“FUOYE Governing Council remains committed to credible, transparent, fair and just processes and is open to suggestions and corrections that will help deliver on this onerous assignment.”

The incumbent VC, Prof Kayode Soremekun, who favours an insider as his successor, will  be out early next year.

COVID 19: Nigerians To Be Vaccinated By January |The Source

By
Bayo Bernard
-
0
Ngozi-Okonjo-Iweala

By Fola James

The first Nigerian to receive the Pfizer COVID 19 vaccine could be as soon as January next year, Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has said.

A statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Wednesday, that the former minister disclosed this during a meeting with Geoffrey Onyeama, in Abuja.

According to Okonjo-iweala who is favoured as next Director General of the World Trade Organisation, WTO Nigeria and other countries must ensure that they get the vaccine as soon as possible to avert deaths resulting from the deadly virus.

She said “As long as one person has it in the world, no one is safe. And that is why poorer countries, lower-middle-income countries like Nigeria, need to get it as quickly as possible.”

Okonjo-Iweala is currently the African Union Special Envoy on mobilising international economic support for the continental fight against COVID-19 and Nigeria’s candidate for the Office of the Director-General of the World Trade Organization.

She said the Pfizer vaccine and the AstraZeneca were presently being negotiated so that poor countries don’t have to stand in a queue behind rich countries.

Okonjo-Iweala said a platform, COVAX have been developed with 186 countries on board, to ensure that poor countries get the vaccines on time, adding that health workers will be the first to be vaccinated.

She stated that “the Pfizer vaccine, the AstraZeneca, those are being negotiated now so that poor countries don’t have to stand in line behind rich countries.

“So, we hope they are starting by the end of January. We will be able to reach these countries, including most of the African countries, Nigeria included, will be able to get access to some of these vaccines.

“Initially, it will be for frontline health workers, followed by some other target groups – older people, those with underlying conditions, and then, from there, the rest of the population. I think the COVAX facility can cover maybe 20-23 per cent of the population by the end of next year.”

Insecurity: AYCF Gives Buhari Ultimatum To Sack Service Chiefs |The Source

By
Akinwale Kasali
-
0

By Akinwale Kasali

The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, AYCF, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to, with immediate effect,  order the sack of Service Chiefs. Failing to do so, the Forum is threatening a full blown protest against the President and his Government.

The call for their Immediate removal is coming on the wave of the recent killing of over Fifty (50) rice Farmers in Zabarmari community in Borno State, by members of the Boko Haram terrorists group.

The Group lamented that the decurity architecture of the nation is nothing to write home about following the failure of the  Service Chiefs to live to their responsibilities.

The Group said that the President should take the issue of sacking the Service Chiefs as a thing of urgency, or face mass protest from youths.

At a Press Conference in Kano, the President of the Group, Zaid Ayuba, said it was necessary to take the bold step or the Group will stage a Protest.

Explaining their demands further at the Conference, the group lamented the fact that killing, kidnapping, and banditry have become a common occurrence in the Northern part of Nigeria. They condemned the recent killing of rice Farmers in Zabarmari community of Borno State,  staying that with such occurrence, the continued stay of the the service Chiefs in office is no longer tolerable.

“Killing, kidnapping,and banditry have become a common occurrence in the Northern Nigeria. But the killing of Zabarmari farmers has made continued retention of security Chiefs intolerable…” , the group reported.

Recall that about two weeks ago, a group of Boko Haram terrorists, invaded a rice farm in the Zabarmari community of  Borno State and butchered about 67 rice farmers.

Many people are baffled while the President has refused to replace his Service Chiefs whose efforts seem insufficient to harnessing the security forces available in the country to fight and eliminate the various terrorist groups in the country.

It will be recalled that the Audu Ogbeh led Arewa Consultative Forum, as have many Nigerians, also called for the removal of the Service  Chiefs, all of whom have since passed their retirement ages. But none of the calls has cut any ice with the President.

His aides say it is his prerogative to either sack or keep them.

Buhari’s Invitation By NASS: Ozekhome Carpets Malami, Says NASS Can Invite The President |The Source

By
Akinwale Kasali
-
0

By Akinwale Kasali

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mike Ozekhome, has disagreed with the submission by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, Abubakar Malami, that the National Assembly cannot invite President Muhammadu Buhari to its Green Chamber.

Ozekhome said that the House of Representatives has the right to invite President Buhari to address the Honourable members.

In an interview with The Independent, Ozekhome said the Nigerian constitution empowers the National Assembly to summon President Muhammadu Buhari to address them over the state of the nation.

Malami had said such power is “inherently discretionary in the President and not at the behest of the National Assembly.”

But  Ozekhome countered, citing Section 88 and 89 of the constitution which empowers the National Assembly to compel the President, as a public officer, to appear before it.

Muhammadu Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari

“It depends on the angle you are looking at it. if it is from the angle of presenting a national budget, the constitution requires the President to lay the budget directly before the National Assembly, which will be sitting as a joint House presided over by the Senate President who is the chairman of the National Assembly. In such a case, the President must come directly and present his budget”.

“In America, once every year, the President is compelled to give a State of the Union address to the American people. We do not have such a provision in Nigeria. But in Nigeria, under Section 88 and 89 of the constitution, the National Assembly has oversight function on matters having to do with the well-being and security of the country”.

“If the National Assembly feels that the security of the country has become so parlous and the economy has become so poor that we have entered a second recession, then they can use their powers in Section 88 and 89 because the constitution says “any public officer”.

The sections he said do not exclude the president.

“They can also use Section 4 of the constitution, which mandates them to make laws for the peace and order of Nigeria, they can summon him that they want to know the state of insecurity or the economy or why corruption is increasing. They can say that they need his appearance so as to get his information to enable them make laws for the peace, order and stability of the country”

An aide of the President, Lauretta Onochie, had a couple of days ago said that the President would honour the invitation to appear before the House. But on Wednesday, Malami countered Onochie. In league with Malami are the Senate, which distanced itself from the House’s invitation, and APC Governors, championed by Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, himself, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

Nigerians Pay Less For Data |The Source

By
Ayodele Oni
-
0

By Ayodele Oni

The Federal government announced on Thursday that the price of data has been reduced by more than 50 percent following a directive that the Nigerian Communications commission, (NCC), should put in place measures to that effect.

Accordingly, the price of data of 1GB has been reduced from 1000 naira to 487 naira beginning from last November.

The Minister of Communications and digital economy, Dr Isa Ibrahim Pantami who broke the news, said it was in line with the directive he gave to the regulatory agency (NCC) to put measures in place to reduce the average cost of data in the country.

“The average cost of 1GB of data has reduced from the January 2020 cost of N1,000 to N487.18 in November, 2020.

“This was based on a report by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) submitted to the Honourable Minister following the implementation of the directives,” Dr Pantami’s Technical Assistant, Mr Femi Adeluyi said in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja.

Adeluyi, who is Technical Assistant, Information and Technology said: “The Honourable Minister had inaugurated a Committee that developed the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (2020-2025) on the 16th of December, 2019.

“The Plan was unveiled and launched by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, on the 19th of March, 2020.

“One of the goals of the Plan is to reduce the average cost of 1GB of data to a maximum of N390 by 2025.

“With the January 2020 baseline of N1,000 per GB, the maximum projected steady decrease for the end of each year was as follows: 2020 (N925), 2021 (N850), 2022 (N775), 2023 (N700), 2024 (N545) and 2025 (N390).

“In line with Dr Pantami’s commitment to under promise and over deliver, the measures have caused the current cost of data to reduce significantly beyond the December 2020 projection of N925.

“Based on the Report by NCC, the average cost of data as at November 2020 was N487.18, which amounts to 47.33% lower than the projected value.

” The Report also indicates that the cost of data in November 2020 was less than 50% of the cost of data in January 2020.

“The Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, through the NCC, will continue to ensure that consumers enjoy a price regime that supports fairness and is friendly to consumers.

“Policies are in place to ensure that operators adopt competitive pricing that eschews unjustifiable margins. The general public may also wish to note that complaints about rapid data depletion are also being investigated.

“For more enquiries, the Honourable Minister has directed NCC to respond to all issues raised by our citizens and customers.

“All hands will remain on deck to achieve the goals of the Broadband Plan as the Ministry supervises its implementation in line with our National Digital Economy Policy for a Digital Nigeria.”

Illegal Recruitment Of Teachers Booms In Ekiti |The Source

By
Ayodele Oni
-
0

By Ayodele Oni

A syndicate that specializes in illegal recruitment of teachers in Ekiti state has been bursted. The members are now on the run.

Investigations revealed that the syndicate, before its operation was discovered, had succeeded in recruiting and posting not less than 50 teachers to secondary schools in the State.

An inside source within Ekiti state Teaching Service Commission, disclosed that each of the recruited teachers was made to pay fees ranging between N50 and N100 thousand, depending on which area to be posted.

The activities of the syndicate were made easier as some staff of the Commission were among its members.

Also, it took the advantage of the recruitment of teachers by the state government two months ago to rob unsuspecting  candidates.

However, the recent tour by officials of the Commission  to secondary schools in the state with the  list of officially recruited teachers exposed the activities of the group.

The officials, it was further learnt, discovered that some teachers reported to  schools, especially,  those in rural areas and their names were  not in the official list.

Some of them were reported to have taken to their heels when they heard about the visit by the officials.

Officials of the Commission  are yet to make public number of those already arrested in connection with the illegal recruitment as they said they were still going round to find out the actual number of teachers illegally recruited by the syndicate.

1...2,6742,6752,676...3,089Page 2,675 of 3,089