News
Fani Kayode to John Kerry: Your Message to Sultan is “garbage”
Former Aviation Minister Femi Fani Kayode has described statements credited to U.S Secretary of State John Kerry to the Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar as “garbage.”
The former minister said this on his Twitter timeline shortly after John Kerry left the Sultan of Sokoto. DailyTrust
FG kick-Starts 2017 Budget Process
The Federal Executive Council met on Wednesday and approved the Medium Term Expenditure Framework for the 2017-2019 fiscal years signaling the beginning of the 2017 budget process.
Budget and National Planning Minister Udoma Udoma disclosed this to State House reporters after the four-hour FEC meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The minister said this approval kick-started the process of the 2017 budget. DailyTrust
FG to 2000 Immigration Recruits: Miss Screening, Forfeit Your Job
The Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mohammad Babandede has insisted that the dismissed 2000 Immigration recruits must pass through screening exercise before being re-absorbed into the Service.
Babandede gave this warning while addressing a Press Conference at the Service headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday following the protest rally staged by the recruits in Abuja last week.
The group, under the auspices of #2000Immigrationrecruits has been protesting the directive by the NIS that they must pass through background checks which includes; security clearance, drug test, certificate verification and the implementation of the ‘age on rank’ policy of the Interior ministry. DailyTrust
Economic Recession: Blame Past Administrations- Sanusi
The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi, on Wednesday attributed the current economic recession in the country to inability of the past administrations to diversify the economy.
He made the remark while delivering a lecture at the ongoing 15th meetings of the Joint Planning Board and National Council on Development Planning in Kano.
He said there was urgent need for the country to return to the drawing board and expand the economy through wise investment for the economic growth and development of the country.Vanguard
Minister Laments abandoned Projects in Niger/Delta
The Minister of Niger/Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Uguru Usani Wednesday expressed shock over the litany of abandoned projects in the Niger/Delta region, lamenting that only 12 percent of projects worth 700 billion naira have been completed since the creation of the Niger/Delta Ministry in 2009.
He said out of 427 projects worth 700 billion naira, the Ministry had disbursed 414 billion naira to various contractors, but regretted that 90 percent of the projects were uncompleted projects littering across the 9 states of the Niger/Delta region.
He said about six billion naira would have to be returned to the Ministry in cash for non-existence projects, warning that the Ministry would not hesitate to invite anti-graft agencies to recover the money from the contractors. He explained that while 18 percent of the projects remained stalled, 70 percent were on-going and 60 percent of the funds have been disbursed. Thisday
I did Not Bring Buhari to Power – Obasanjo
Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday debunked newspaper reports quoting him as saying that he and a few others brought President Muhammadu Buhari to power.
He dismissed the reports as baseless, untrue and calculated attempts to smear him.
Obasanjo, who is in Jalingo, Taraba State, said President Buhari was overwhelmingly voted by many Nigerians. Vanguard
Rio Olympics: Call for Dalung’s Resignation Rages
Following the poor performance of Team Nigeria at the just-concluded Rio Olympics, the proprietor of Rojenny Stadium, Oba, Anambra, Rommy Ezeonwuka, has urged the Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, to resign.
Dalung Ezeonwuka told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka on Wednesday that resignation was the “best apology or explanation that will be acceptable to lovers of sports in Nigeria from the minister’’.
He said that the measure would be one of the urgent steps that should be taken toward restructuring sports in Nigeria to forestall further woes in the international arena. Vanguard
Sheriff Denies Sponsoring Boko Haram
The former governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff has dismissed the allegation that he is the sponsor of Boko Haram terrorist organization as “rubbish” saying that he is one of the biggest victims of the organization.
Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Borno state, Hon Kaka Shehu Lawan accused Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff of being responsible for the growth of the dreaded Islamic terrorist group, Boko Haram, saying he should be arrested and prosecuted.
He spoke on Tuesday at one of the sessions at the ongoing annual conference of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, in Port Harcourt, adding that Sheriff’s over his alleged role in the emergence of Boko Haram will assuage the feelings of millions that have been dislocated by the terrorist actions of the dreaded Islamic group in one way or the other. Vanguard
Herdsmen Crisis: Igala Community Seeks Urgent Govt Intervention
Following recent invasion by herdsmen and alleged Police brutality, leader of a socio-cultural group, Network of Igala Associations (NIA), Ojile Ibrahim on Wednesday called on the Kogi State government to urgently intervene in lingering crisis in the state.
The group asked the state government to set up judicial panel of inquiry to investigate the remote cause of crisis, stressing that Igala community in the state was facing tough time due to increasing attacks and all forms of insecurity on the people.
According to Ibrahim, who visited The Nation office in Abuja, the invasion was caused by false allegation made by the herdsmen against Umomi community, claiming to have killed two cows belonging to the herdsmen. Thisday
Business News
LIRS Again Seals Protea Hotel over N11.07m Tax Fraud
The Lagos State Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) has sealed Protea Hotel, close to Kuramo Waters, over alleged failure to remit N11.07 million personal income taxes deducted from workers’ salaries.
Mrs Ajibike Oshodi-Sholola, Head, Distrain Unit of LIRS, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) during a state-wide tax law enforcement exercise in Lagos on Wednesday.
The same Protea Hotel was sealed by the revenue service over evasion of N148.88 million consumption and hotel occupancy taxes on June 9. Vanguard
NCC Arrests 15 Pirates, Seizes Goods worth N60m
The Lagos zonal office of the Nigerian Copyright Commission has arrested 15 suspected pirates and seized goods worth N60 million in the last seven months.
Mr Uwem Udoh, the Zonal Manager, said on Wednesday in Lagos that the commission carried out the anti-piracy raids in Ojo, Somolu and Festac town.
He said that the action was also extended to some major markets in the state. Punch
Gbaramatu Activists Warn against Renewal of Oil Surveillance Contracts to Non- indigenous Companies
Right activists in Gbaramatu kingdom on Wednesday sent a petition to the General Managing Director of NNPC, Dr Kacalla Baru, concerning the award of oil pipeline surveillance contracts in the area to non-indigenous companies.
They warned against renewing the oil and gas facilities surveillance contract awarded to a non-indigenous firm, Ocean Marine Surveillance Ltd, over the years.
In the petition signed by Captain Isaac Bobo and Comrade Williams Welemu, they alleged that the company was forging signatures of Gbaramatu kingdom communities’ chairmen to deceive relevant authorities as “if the communities have accepted the renewal of the said contracts. Thisday
TCN’s Ineptitude Costs 11 Discos Lose N1bn Monthly – ANED:
The 11 electricity distributions companies (Discos) in Nigeria’s power sector on Wednesday alleged that the inability of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to wheel maximum generated electricity to their respective networks was costing them a monthly revenue of N1 billion.
The Discos spoke through their platform, the Association of Nigerian Electricity Distributors (ANED) in response to TCN’s recent claims that the Discos and not it was the weakest link in the country’s electricity value-chain.
Their claim of TCN’s operational ineptitude was contained in a statement from the Executive Director, Research and Advocacy of ANED, Mr. Sunday Oduntan in Abuja. Thisday