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Police seal Anambra House of Assembly complex
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by chimezie anaso1 the police command in anambra has announced the sealing of anambra assembly anha complex over the impeachment crisis rocking the house1 sp haruna mohammed police public relations officer ppro in anambra disclosed this in a statement in awka on friday1 mohammed said the application to seal off the complex was contained in an official letter to the commissioner of police1 the anambra state police command wishes to inform the public that it has sealed off the assembly complex with effect from 600pm of thursday 15th november 2018 as a proactive measure to avert possible breakdown of law and order in the assembly he said1 the command implored members of the public to stay away from the complex until further notice1 it also solicited the co-operation of anambra people in its commitment to provide adequate security in the state1 the news agency of nigeria nan reports that there was strong police presence at the complex on nov. 15 when the house resumed after the impeachment saga that rocked it on nov. 131 the house was divided between former speaker rita mmaduagwu who was purportedly impeached and mr ikem uzoezie who was installed as new speaker1 -
Stay alive till Nov. 20, mortuary attendants beg Ghanaians
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mortuary staff union in ghana has advised members of the public to wait until their strike is over on nov. 20 before dying1 richard kofi jordan general secretary of the union gave the advice whileindicating that the unions planned strike action would go on as planned unless the government listens to their concerns reports1 he said those who intend to die during that period should wait. when mortuary men are back to work they die simple1 mortuary workers in ghanas public health facilities are protesting their poor working conditions and are therefore demanding improved terms of service1 according to the aggrieved morticians they are exposed to several diseases given their close contact with corpses and chemicals used in preserving them but each time they raise concerns the government turns a deaf ear1 the chemicals we use give us five different kinds of cancers the government is aware of this situation1 we are also at risk of blindness but nobody is addressing our challenges he added1 -
Project Pink Blue raises funds for cancer treatment (Video)
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in the last two years in a lot of states in nigeria almost all states one seen effort at cancer awareness mobilisation is that of her excellency the wife of the president1 by hafsah tilde1 ppb made the call at a music and comedy fundraising show themed show love to encourage donations for cancer patients nationwide1 the executive director of ppb mr runcie chidebe said the show was organised to entertain create awareness and support people battling with cancer1 we want a very strategic way to get people to come and laugh and enjoy the music today to see how they could touch lives he said1 chidebe said the contributions made would assist cancer patients in need of funds to ensure their treatment and overall wellbeing1 the show had in attendance governor of kebbi state alhaji abubakar bagudu his wife zainab bagudu and other wives of governors mrs amina abubakar of niger mrs asia el rufai of kaduna and mrs betty akeredolu of ondo1 governor abubakar bagudu of kebbi praised the efforts of the wife of the president mrs aisha buhari for her firm support to achieve better healthcare for women and children1 he said that this had empowered other non-governmental organisations to support the fight to eradicate cancer1 project pink blue ppb an ngo has called for more awareness about support and treatment of cancer in the country1 mrs aisha buhari with her future assured programme ably assisted by her husband president muhammadu buhari has inspired all the wives of governors to do much more than they were doing before1 to re-mobilise and do things together with the government and in support of the government and in support of the populace that has not been done before1 i believe a lot of us are proud of what we have been seeing bagudu said1 mrs betty akeredolu wife of ondo state governor and a breast cancer survivor said that cancer was curable1 there is a misconception that people have on how cancer can be treated and the thinking that cancer is a spiritual attack thus the need for awareness about cancer she said1 akeredolu said that people should be educated on the stages of cancer and how to detect it1 similarly moji makanjuola a veteran journalist said she lost two people to cancer1 therefore creating awareness and supporting people with cancer is very crucial and humane. nan1 -
ECOWAS Parliament Supports G5 Sahel to fight terrorism (Video)
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by temitope ponle2 the ecowas commission president jean-claude brou will present the community report and members of the parliament will also present their various country reports at the session. nan1 ciss lo made the pledge at the opening of the second ordinary session of the parliament on thursday in abuja1 most of the countries are members of the ecowas as well so there is no competition and we cannot solve the security problem within ecowas if we do not solve the problem around the sahel area1 normally we are supposed to have a resolution urging the heads of state to support the g5 sahel1 the g5 sahel or g5s is an institutional framework for coordination of regional cooperation in development policies and security matters in west africa1 the purpose of g5s is to strengthen the bond between economic development and security1 it was formed on feb. 16 2014 in nouakchott and is made up of burkina faso chad mali mauritania and niger and is permanently seated in mauritania1 the speaker said that most of the ecowas member states were part of the g5s and their contributions would complement the efforts of the group1 the speaker of the national assembly of niger mr yousouff aya urged members to support the fight against terrorism and illegal migration1 he added that the major challenges in the sahel area were under the purview of parliamentarians1 the speaker of ecowas parliament mr moustapha ciss lo says the parliament will support the g5 sahel group to promote peace and security in the region1 for their part the parliamentarians of these five countries have created an inter-parliamentary structure so as to follow the construction of this framework1 the objective of this is to make sure that they have good governance in the conduct of activities in terms of security and development1 the ecowas parliamentarians on their part should be spokespersons of this exigency for world peace1 on the issue of illegal migration aya called on members of the parliament to create conditions for citizens to migrate legitimately to encourage free movement of persons and good1 he also lauded the efforts the parliament in its fight against illegal migration1 mr speaker i want to hope that i can count on the involvement of your parliament so that we can create conditions for good migration that is free of mafia groups that does not condemn our youth to death in the dessert or in the mediterranean1 i hope that the members of ecowas parliament will actively involve themselves so that migration will be regulated by laws and other enactments1 i want you to commit ecowas so we can pull our efforts to organise more vigilant control at the borders more exposed in our community1 the second ordinary session of the ecowas parliament is to consider and adopt the 2019 budget of the community and also several work programmes1 the countries of the sahel have fought vigorously by creating an intergovernmental framework of g5 sahel1 -
2019: Group backs Atiku, promises 10m votes
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nigerians are desirous of change the type of change that only atiku abubakar can provide he said1 the atikuobi presidential movement a group for the actualization of the presidential ambition of alh. atiku abubakar has promised to deliver 10 million votes for the former vice president1 the group which also vowed to resist all forms of rigging in the presidential election said that the movement had structures at the grassroots and across the 774 local government of nigeria1 omoyele said that the movement has been in existence since the return of democracy in 1999 and had campaigned for obasanjo-atiku yaradua-goodluck goodluck-sambo and was now going to campaign for atiku-obi1 he said that any attempt to rig the 2019 election would be resisted by members of the group as the electoral law now provides for the instant announcement and transmission of the result from the polling unit and wards level in the presence of all stakeholders1 members of the atikuobi presidential movement are optimistic that 2019 election is the divine time for atikus presidency because of the overwhelming acceptance of his candidacy across the country1 amb. niyi omoyele director general of the movement disclosed this when he led national and state executives on a courtesy visit to the wife of the presidential candidate of the peoples democratic party pdp1 he reiterated that the group is targeting to mobilise at least 10 million voters in synergy with other like minds toward the successful outing of atikuobi at the poll1 a member of the national executive of the group prince joshua idowu described atiku as a good product that was easy to sell to the electorate1 the national women leader of the group mrs amaka ofor also said that their women across the 774 local government in nigeria have concluded arrangement to stage a one million solidarity walk for atiku in abuja1 responding to the group atikus wife hajia titi abubakar thanked them for the visit and appreciated them for their continued support and solidarity to her husband1 she assured them that atiku abubakar was a man of integrity and that he would keep his promises to nigerians and would never forget them when he emerged1 other members of the group who also featured at the visit include gomez okpala director for national mobilisation and mrs. jumai gowon director for special duties1 -
Osinbajo issues fraud alert on TraderMoni
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tradermoni is a federal governments initiative aimed at providing two million petty traders across the country with collateral-free loans before the end of the year4 the way we do it be say enumerator -like person we dey do census go market go all the places where we get all these traders outside market the roads wey dey lead to market1 vice president yemi osinbajo has issued a fraud alert to warn traders against filling any forms to benefit from the tradermoni scheme1 the vice president who spoke in pidgin english said that anybody carrying forms for tradermini was a fraudster1 no form dey for tradermoni we no dey give anybody form to fill at all the people wey get tradermoni many of them no fit fill form at all so we no dey give anybody form1 osinbajo issued this fraud alert while featuring at a question and answer session at wazobia fm 95.1 on tuesday in lagos1 him go see wetin dem dey sell e go take your photo the thing wey you dey sell your name put everything down on his own tablet na for phone dem go contact you1 the first alert wey you go get na for phone anybody wey don get tradermoni na for phone e dey get am anybody wey carry form come say this one na for tradermoni na lie that one na 4191 everything is electronic you get alert you go cash your money he said1 osinbajo said that by the end of the year two million petty traders would have benefitted from the scheme as it had covered more than 1.3 million petty traders nationwide so far1 the vice president had earlier activated the scheme at obalende makoko and oyingbo markets in lagos. nan1 -
FGs school feeding: Farmers, cooks, others earn N651m daily
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by ifeanyi nwoko15 for some of them their wives are cooks in the programme preparing the meals for the school kids he said1 according to statistics made available during a joint press briefing on the progress of the scheme a total of n651million is being earned on a daily basis by farmers and cooks1 the sip is an initiative of the buhari led administration supervised by the office of the vice president prof. yemi osinbajo1 briefing newsmen on the successes of the scheme mr ismaeel ahmed senior special assistant to the president on sip said that a total of 9.3 million children were currently being fed in over 49000 schools in 26 states1 ahmed added that the government was currently engaging over 150000 farmers across nigeria and over 100000 cooks in the 26 states at the cost of n70 per child every school day1 the news agency of nigeria nan reports that at n70 every school day for 9.3 million children the federal government pays the farmers and the cooks n651 million1 the home grown school feeding programme one of the packages under the federal governments social intervention programme sip has created wealth for over 250000 farmers cooks and others involved in the scheme1 ahmed explained that the money paid to farmers in the school feeding programme had gone a long way to change the lot of thousands of farmers cooks and others involved in the value chain for the school feeding1 the home-grown school feeding programme is helping to create wealth in the rural areas. the school feeding programme requires about 6.8 million eggs 594 cattle and 83 metric tons of fish to be supplied to the cooks every week for the purpose of feeding 9300892 children in 49837 government schools in 26 states1 try to imagine the impact of this demand among the rural farmers in the communities hosting these schools1 people who normally focused on subsistence agriculture for the sole purpose of feeding their families have expanded into commercialized farming to meet the needs of the school feeding programme1 these same farmers have their kids in these schools so that serves as added motivation to meet our demands of foodstuff because they know it is no gimmick1 the social investment programme consists primarily of 4 units the n-power programme which is targeted at unemployed young graduates the home grown school feeding programme which seeks to feed all nigerian children in public primary schools the conditional cash transfer which gives out 5000 naira monthly in cash to the poorest of the poor nigerians in our innermost rural communities and the geep comprising of market moni and trader moni which is giving loans of n50000 to n 100000 naira to artisan1 -
Federer dodges early exit from ATP Finals, crushes Thiem
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he responded to that setback by cancelling his practice session on monday sparking fears he was seriously hampered by a hand injury that has troubled him since the grass-court season in june and july1 roger federer staved off elimination from the atp finals as he eased to a 6-2 6-3 win over dominic thiem on tuesday1 only once before has federer failed to qualify from his group for the knockout rounds in his 15 previous appearances at the prestigious season-ending event1 that lone flop came 10 years ago when the finals were held in shanghai and federer is still in with a chance of avoiding that ignominious fate thanks to his comfortable 66-minute dismissal of thiem1 bidding for a record seventh atp finals crown and a first in the tournament since 2011 which would be the 100th singles title of his glittering career world number three federer must beat south africas kevin anderson in his last group match to make the semi-finals1 it feels good. i am very happy that i showed a reaction after the last match federer said1 against kei instead of seeing things positively i thought negatively. it was disappointing but it happens1 today i was more positive and happy on the court. i love playing in london and i had to remind myself what a privilege it is. i hope i showed it1 since winning his 20th grand slam title at the australian open in january federer has been stuck in a prolonged slump by his sky-high standards1 a quarter-final exit at wimbledon blowing a two-set lead against anderson was followed by a stunning us open last 16 defeat to australian journeyman john millman1 its never easy to play against him especially indoors. he deserved that win at wimbledon but hopefully ill get my revenge federer said of his anderson rematch1 the 37-year-olds defeat in his opening finals match against nishikori on sunday marked the first time federer had lost in straight sets in 46 group stage matches1 after losing his opening match at londons o2 arena against kei nishikori six-time champion federer would have crashed out if he had been beaten by thiem1 having cut a grumpy figure during his error-strewn loss to nishikori federers spirits were lifted by this solid show aided by thiems 34 unforced errors1 after missing a break point in the opening game federer started to find his rhythm and he landed the first break for a 2-1 lead when the world number eight sent a forehand long1 another break followed in the seventh game as thiem netted a tame volley as federer won the first set with ease1 while it wasnt vintage federer he was doing enough to take advantage of thiems sloppy display as the french open finalist double-faulted to gift a break in the opening game of the second set1 that was all the encouragement federer needed as he cruised to the finish line1 earlier anderson handed japanese star nishikori a humiliating 6-0 6-1 thrashing as the south african moved to the brink of a semi-final berth1 anderson won the first 11 games and needed only 64 minutes to demolish the woeful nishikori1 having also won his opening match against thiem in his atp finals debut anderson is close to becoming the first african to qualify for the last four1 it was a landmark moment for the 32-year-old who has set a new career-high of 47 victories in a calendar year1 he will rarely have had such an easy outing as this one throughout his memorable 2018 which saw him reach his first wimbledon final in july1 its amongst the best ive played. i did a really good job constantly applying the pressure and not letting up anderson said1 former us open finalist nishikori was at a loss to explain his performance saying i played one of the worst matches this year. today was a terrible match1 -
Breaking: Sokoto Deputy governor resigns?
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the 48-year-old former commissioner for health in sokoto state had his primary school education at magajin rafi model primary school sokoto from 1977 19831 indications have emerged that alhaji ahmed sokoto the deputy governor of sokoto state and the governorship candidate of the all progressives congress apc has resigned from his position1 the resignation is long expected as he had fallen out politically since governor aminu tambuwal dumped apc for opposition peoples democratic party pdp1 tambuwal who was sure of clinching the presidential ticket of pdp failed in his bid and also could not secure the ticket for re-election in the state1 the deputy governor is reported to have submitted a copy of his resignation letter to the states house of assembly1 the house decided to make it secret as it was not read on the floor during tuesdays plenary session1 the source said the sudden resignation might not be unconnected with unforeseen circumstances that might crop up in the build-up of the forthcoming governorship election in the state1 sources said he resigned on tuesday night reported1 his secondary school education was at the government secondary school yabo where he was from 1983 1989 where he obtained his west african school leaving certificate1 he proceeded to the college of administration of the polytechnic of sokoto state. he succeeded in obtaining a clerical officers certificate account and audit in 19911 in the same vein ahmed aliyu went back to the same institution between 1991 1992 where he obtained a certificate in accounts and audit cpaa1 ahmed aliyus thirst for knowledge galvanized him to yet to back to the same polytechnic of sokoto state between 1992 1994 where he obtained a professional diploma in public account and audit dpaa1 he was at the abdu gusau polytechnic talata marafa in zamfara state from 1995 1997 where he successfully studied for and obtained a higher national diploma in local government studies1 as an enterprising individual ahmed aliyu was still yearning for more education that was why he got admitted into the usmanu danfodiyo university sokoto from 2000 2001 where he obtained a post graduate diploma in management pgdm1 ahmed aliyu again went back to the same ivory tower between 2002 2003 where he successfully crowned his search for knowledge with a masters in business administration mba1 -
Islamic sect advises youths against agents of destruction
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the national president of the ahmadiyya youth organization mr. said aina has urged youths to be agents of change and development rather than agents of destruction1 aina the head of the islamic sect made the appeal when he spoke with the news agency of nigeria nan on in benin on the 2018 edition of the ride for peace rfp campaign held in 16 states of the federation1 he said the event essentially a bicycle riding exercise was aimed at showcasing the vibrancy of the nigerian youth whose energies can be channeled to productive use if properly harnessed1 against the backdrop of crime and criminality usually associated with youths this program sought to emphasize the beneficial attributes of the dynamic force in todays youth1 aina said that he led the leadership of the group at this years event to auchi town in etsako west lga of edo state as part of its campaign to help youths become actively engage in productive ventures rather than be allowed to be used as destructive agents1 according to him the aim of the program is to sensitize youths that our viability and agility should be channeled towards meaningful causes and not for criminality or destruction hence the program was tagged ride for peace1 meanwhile alhaji ridwan bonvis coordinator of the national youth council of nigeria nycn in the area commended the ahmadiyya youth group on its various strides and activities which he described as worthy of emulation by other youths1 he said that the goals which the ahmadiyya youth strove to achieve through its programs were congruent with the ideals of the nycn and urged the group not to relent in its good work1 over 50 youths participated in the bicycle riding exercise1 the participants commenced their ride from warrake on a total distance of 4.9km through ap and uchi market road into polytechnic road via i.c.e road onto jattu road and culminated at the otaru of auchis palace. nan1 -
Court varies Kanus bail, orders Abaribe, others to forfeit N100m
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by martins odeh1 the federal high court on wednesday in abuja varied the bail conditions upon which the leader of the proscribed indigenous people of biafra nnamdi kanu was admitted1 justice binta nyako made the variation in a ruling on the conditions of the bail she had granted kanu in april 20171 nyako therefore held that the three sureties including sen. eyinnaya abaribe were compelled to within two months pay n100 million each for their inability to produce the missing ipob leader1 the three sureties had been made to sign a bail bond of n100m each which was backed by their landed assets whose documents were deposited in court1 the judge said with this amendment the sureties were now required to deposit cash of n100 million into the courts bank account1 the order directing the sureties to pay the money is an order of interim forfeiture she said1 the sureties had argued that kanus disappearance was not unconnected with the invasion of his home by the military and not orchestrated by them1 the military had in a special operation clashed with ipob members in afara-ukwu umuahia in abia state on sept. 14 2017 leading to kanus escape from the country1 the news agency of nigeria nan recalls that kanu and three others are been tried on charges of treasonable felony1 -
MURIC lauds Lagos Govt. for approving hijab in schools
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we are yet to hear anything from districts 1 2 3 4 and 5. we are therefore calling on the remaining five tgps to follow suit. delay will simply mean insubordination and sabotage of governments good intention1 by grace alegba1 the director muric prof. ishaq akintola gave the commendation in lagos while reacting to a circular released by the state government on 13th nov in which the approval was given1 akintola described the step as a monumental decision and commended the patience and steadfastness of muslim residents and associations in lagos state1 the wind of change is sweeping across the south-west and no state government wants to be caught within the camp of reactionaries1 we call on all government agencies and employers of labour to note this development. it is a monumental decision. the patience exhibited by lagos muslims has paid off1 a quiet and peaceful revolution is ongoing and it is in the best interest of all men and women of goodwill to join the train before it leaves the station so that they may not be left behind1 reports reaching muric headquarters say the tutor-general permanent secretary tgps of district 6 has also issued a circular directing all school principals within the jurisdiction to allow female muslim students who wish to use the hijab to do so1 the muslim rights concern muric a rights group on wednesday commended the lagos state government for approving the use of hijab for female muslim students in all public schools1 we congratulate the lagos state chapters of the muslim students society of nigeria mssn the muslim congress tmc the muslim teachers association of nigeria mutan and the federation of muslim women association of nigeria fomwan1 we commend them for their steadfastness patience and forbearance1 in conclusion we charge all the islamic organisations in the state to immediately set up monitoring units for the successful implementation of the state governments directive1 muslim parents should be mobilised to visit schools for the purpose of ensuring compliance while we warn that nobody should take the law into his or her hands1 defaulting principals and recalcitrant teachers should be reported to the nearest office of islamic organisations he said1 the news agency of nigeria nan reports that an appeal court in2016 overturned the judgement of a lagos state high court which banned the use of hijab in public primary and secondary schools in the state1 nan also reports that the lagos state government is currently at the supreme court challenging the decision of the appellate court1 -
Navy launches operation `chase thief in Niger Delta
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by george odok1 the eastern naval command of the nigerian navy said it would on thursday commence ani-oforifori exercise in niger delta creeks to rid the area of bad elements1 ani-oforifori means chase thief in kalabari language in rivers1 the command announced this in a statement by its information officer commander thomas otuji on wednesday in calabar1 according to the statement the objective of the exercise is to assess the operational readiness of ships gunboats helicopters and other platforms of the eastern fleet1 the statement added that the exercise was also to test the skills of personnel in tackling maritime threats within the commands area of responsibility1 the flag officer commanding eastern naval command rear adm. david adeniran has announced that the eastern naval command will commence exercise ani-oforifori meaning chase thief in kalabari language1 in view of this members of the public particularly the good people of the niger delta are advised not to panic but go about their normal businesses1 they should not panic when they see large body of war ships gunboats helicopters and other naval platforms in the area as the exercise is for routine purposes the command explained1 -
Madrid confirm Solaris as manager
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its a great opportunity and its a great club solari said. i dont just say that now as coach of the first team. ive been here with other teams ive played and sweated in the shirt of this club1 interim real madrid manager santiago solari was appointed permanent coach on monday after overseeing a startling upturn in the european champions fortunes since he stepped in to replace julen lopetegui1 solari has led real to four wins out of four since being installed on a caretaker basis following lopeteguis abrupt sacking last month1 and with 15 goals scored and only two conceded he has established the best ever start for a real manager1 after thrashing melilla in the copa del rey they won 5-0 away to viktoria plzen in the champions league between victories over real valladolid and celta vigo in la liga1 the upturn has left madrid only four points adrift of league leaders barcelona and on the brink of qualification for the last 16 in europe1 solari who spent five years playing for real was promoted from his role in charge of castilla the clubs b team after lopetegui had overseen a miserable run that included just one victory in seven games1 the last of those a 5-1 thumping at the hands of barcelona proved the final straw for club president florentino perez but the team have rebounded under their new coach1 solari is perezs 13th manager in 15 seasons across two seperate periods at the santiago bernabeu1 he has done excellently madrid club director emilio butragueno said on sunday night. we are very happy with how things have gone1 few could argue with the results which have now earned solari the chance to prove himself over a longer period1 great opportunity1 afpfile toru yamanaka santiago solari rejects comparisons with former real madrid manager zinedine zidane he indicated in his opening press conference that he was open to keeping the job full-time.1 everything is in order. real madrid have worked out his contract and there are no problems the spanish football federation stated1 madrid is bigger than all of us but it touches us all with its greatness. i want to be a part of it1 zinedine zidane also stepped up mid-season from coaching castilla in 2016 and led the team to champions league glory five months later1 solari has played down the comparisons with zidane who commanded instant respect owing to his glittering playing career and long-established status at the club enhancing his status as a real legend by winning three consecutive champions league crowns1 hes one of the greatest things weve ever had at this club solari said last month. hes very calm a great coach and nobody can compare to him1 the challenge for solari will be to manage the dressing room when results take a turn for the worse1 after the international break madrids generous run of games continues with league matches against eibar valencia huesca rayo vallecano and villarreal before christmas none of whom currently reside in la ligas top half1 they will also play roma in italy and cska moscow at home in the champions league two games likely to settle who goes through top of group g1 solari was only allowed two weeks as an interim coach according to spanish regulations meaning sundays trip to celta vigo was always likely to precede a decision on his future1 it proved an impressive final audition as madrid struck a 4-2 victory with solari having to adapt to a handful of injury problems during the game1 well go to the death with him hes a great coach and of course we want him to continue madrid defender alvaro odriozola said afterwards1 this will be solaris maiden job in charge of a first team1 antonio conte mauricio pochettino jose mourinho and joachim low had all been linked to the position with fresh approaches still possible next summer1 -
33m Nigerians enroll for National ID card
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by florence onuegbu5 from the above it is very clear that identification plays an important role in enabling the achievement of other sdg targets such as social protection rights to economic resources land and property as well as universal health coverage he said1 aziz said on monday said that the commission had stepped up its strategy to fast-track the enrolment of more citizens and provide them with legal identification1 nimc has stepped up its operations which has seen the enrolment figure with the unique national identification number nin now at over 33 million astronomically up from just seven million three years ago he said1 the director-general said that the federal executive council fec hadon sept. 12 2018 approved the immediate commencement of the implementation of a strategic roadmap for digital identity ecosystem in nigeria1 aziz said that the step would further boost enrolment across the country moreso as government had set the enforcement of the mandatory use of the nin for jan 1 20191 mr aliyu aziz director-general of the national identity management commission nimc says 33 million nigerians have enrolled for the national identification number nin1 the director-general said that the framework was to carry out enrolment of nigerians and legal residents into the national identity database nidb1 aziz said that the framework was to ensure issuance of digital identity known as the nin to give nigeria a credible and robust identity management system1 he said that the provision of digital identity to everyone in the country to be able to prove who is who was critical to accessing services physically or electronically1 according to him one of the 17 sustainable development goals sdgs by the united nations demands that nations provide legal identity for all including birth registration by the year 20301 he said that the digital identity ecosystem was a framework that leveraged on the existing capabilities and infrastructure of distinct government agencies and private sector organisations1 -
1,801 persons killed in Plateau attacks
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danbaba suggested that a victim support programme be initiated to reduce their sufferings1 no fewer than 1801 persons have been confirmed killed and 50212 others displaced in recent attacks in plateau state1 avm bala danbaba retired chairman of the committee presented his report to gov. simon lalong on monday in jos1 danbaba said that the committee identified 115 communities cutting across jos north jos south bassa riyom barkin ladi and bokkos local government areas that were affected by the crises1 he said that the committee whose one month period was later increased to two months received 55 memoranda and visited 27 camps where the idps were quartered1 the only idps camp we did not visit was the one at lere in the dorowa area of barkin ladi local government. we could not go there because of security reasons1 the committee also visited all the affected communities for an on-the-spot assessment he stated1 he said the committee had recommended that the idps be returned to their ancestral homes saying that the exercise should be carried out in four phases1 the committee also emphasised the provision of adequate security in the affected areas he said adding that the idps were willing and anxious to return to their homes if security was guaranteed1 the committee on resettlement of internally displaced persons idps set up by the plateau government made the confirmation on monday1 the committee also called for the establishment of temporary camps within the victims communities for them to live in while their houses were being reconstructed1 lalong who received the report commended the committee for a carrying out a good job and announced that the 7-man committee would be responsible for its implementation1 lalong reaffirmed his administrations commitment to securing lives and property and condemned insinuations that the state and federal governments were doing nothing to end the crises1 things might be slow but in the spirit of slowly but surely as well as patience we have been able to make some phenomenal achievements in ensuring that peace returns and is sustained1 as some of our strategic initiatives in engendering peace and security in the state this administration attracted the establishment of the 205 combat and rescue units in kerang1 we also attracted a mobile police squadron in shendam as well as the recent approval to establish mobile police barracks in gashish district of barkinladi1 all these are in addition to procurement and distribution of security vehicles equipped with modern communication gadgets he stressed1 lalong also said that he had approved the recruitment and training of neighbourhood watch personnel who had been attached to operation rainbow for community policing and intelligence gathering. nan1 -
Just In: Teleology takes over 9Mobile, Nasiru Ado Bayero heads board
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the central bank of nigeria in collaboration with the nigerian telecommunication commissionncc in july 2017 appointed a board of directors chaired by nnanna the deputy governor of the central bank of nigeria to oversee the affairs of the company pending the completion of regulatory due diligence of the bid documents submitted by teleology and sixteen others for its acquisition1 teleology has formally taken over control of nigerias troubled telecommunication company 9mobile by appointing a new board of directors headed by 54 year-old nasiru ado bayero1 the appointment of the board followed the exit of the cbn appointed board and the transfer of ownership of the firm to the new investors teleology nigeria limited1 other members of the board are asega aliga non executive director adrian wood non executive director mohammed edewor non executive director winston ndubueze udeh non executive director and abdulrahman ado executive director1 the new chairman of the board alhaji nasiru ado bayero welcomes the appointments1 as we begin this new epochal phase we wish to thank all the employees who built this viable business. our debt of gratitude also goes to our subscribers even as we assure them to get ready for real best-in-class additional value for their relationship with the 9mobile brand. without you there could not have been a 9mobile business for us to invest in today. we will justify your confidence in our brand by making significant investments that will improve the value you get for using 9mobile1 mohammed edewor also thanked the outgoing members of the board headed by dr. joseph nnanna for helping to shepherd 9mobile through the critical transition phase it has passed through since july 20171 stephane beuvelet will serve as the acting managing director according to a statement by mohammed edewor a new non-executive director of the new 9mobile1 the bid process was midwifed by barclays africa1 9mobile new chairman bayero was a graduate of mass communication from university of maiduguri1 he is a prince of the bayero royal family in kano. he is the chiroman of kano and is the district head of nassarawa in the state1 he is familiar with boardroom politics being a director of platform petroleum limited sahelian energy1 he also worked at continental merchant bank from 1988 to 1989 coastal corporation oil1 he is the chairman of enclo limited a nigerian company providing currency operations support services to the central bank of nigeria1 -
China postpones trade on rhino horns, tiger parts
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the three strict bans will continue to be enforced strictly ban the import and export of rhinos tigers and their byproducts1 china has postponed the lifting of a ban on the trade of rhino horn and tiger parts for medicine and other uses1 in october the state council issued a circular replacing a 1993 ban on the trade of tiger bones and rhinoceros horn opening up exceptions under special circumstances including medical research1 environmental groups said lifting of the ban would be disastrous for endangered rhinoceros and tiger populations even if the animal parts were only sourced from those bred in captivity1 rhinos and tigers are already under critical pressure from a black market supplying the traditional medicine trade1 the detailed regulations for implementation of the october change had been postponed after study the official media reported citing state council executive deputy secretary-general ding xuedong1 under the october plan exceptions to the ban could be made for parts from those animals bred in captivity being used for medical and scientific research education and cultural exchanges1 ding did not give a reason for postponing the change or indicate if it would be permanent but said the old ban remained in force1 the government said on monday after a storm of protest from conservation groups over a plan to water down the decades-old prohibition1 strictly banned are the sale purchase transport carrying and mailing of rhinos tigers and their byproducts1 the use of rhino horns and tiger bones in medicine are strictly banned ding said1 china would continue to organise special crackdown campaigns with a focus on addressing the illegal trade of rhinos tigers and their byproducts1 illegal acts will be dealt with severely ding said1 conservation groups argue that easing the ban would be devastating for efforts to protect tigers and rhinos1 such lifting would confuse consumers and authorities as to which products were legal and which not and expand markets for them1 china banned trade in tiger bones and rhino horns 25 years ago as part of global efforts to save the animals1 commercial tiger farms are legal in china and although using tiger bones in medicine was banned tiger parts from farms often end up in tonics or other medicines animal rights groups say1 -
2019: Group warns against further delay in INEC funding
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nigerians need to remember that the national assembly has already cut the budget of federal government projects by n347 billion and cutting the already scarce allocation to mdas by another n121122525050 would clearly create performance problems for these mdas especially since they have already budgeted for these activities1 the movement for transparent elections mte a civil society organisationcso has warned that further delay in release of the budget of the independent national electoral commissioninec portends great danger to nigerias democracy1 he recalled that the national assembly received a letter dated july 11 for virement and supplementary budget to fund the 2019 general elections1 ajijola said that an initial approval to that was made after three months on oct. 12 for inec component while the security component was approved on the oct. 161 he said that the national assembly however approved that the funds should be vired from the funds allocated to the social investment programmesip of the federal government which had been budgeted in the 2018 appropriation act1 on nov. 6 four months after the original request for virement and supplementary budget was made the national assembly rescinded its decision on funding the elections entirely from the sip of the federal government but rather sourcing 50 per cent from existing mdas budgets and the other 50 per cent from the sip while also opening an investigation into the social intervention scheme of the federal government1 it should also be remembered that the national assembly made cuts amounting to 347 billion naira in the allocations to 4700 projects submitted to them for consideration and introduced 6403 projects of their own amounting to n578 billion in the 2018 appropriation bill1 the current step by the national assembly to share the funding for the elections between 30 mdas and the sip without making any cut on the increased funding of constituency projects is likely to create an impasse which could have ordinarily been avoided if greater effort was made to balance the source of the funding1 mtes convener abiodun ajijola in a statement on tuesday in abuja regretted that less than 100 days to the 2019 nigerian general elections inec had yet to be funded for the elections1 the national assembly needs to make some concessions in the funding sources proposed to include part of its own 587 billion added to the 2018 budget proposal. the nass should meet the federal government at least half way at a minimum if it truly is committed to supporting free fair and credible elections in 20191 the convener said that the national assembly sent a version of the electoral act amendment bill 2018 to the president for accent 3rd version which had only 15 clauses in it devoid particularly of the section that related to smart card readers1 ajijola said that the much talked about 4th version of the electoral act had yet to be transmitted to the president as of nov. 12 adding that there were reports that there were still differences between the house and senate versions- just three months to the general elections1 he called on well meaning nigerians to let their voices be heard because it was clear that there was an attempt to frustrate nigerias 2019 general elections which would be a threat to nigerias democracy1 nigerians will not allow this to happen and it is expected that the national assembly source the funding for the 2019 general elections urgently from mutually agreeable sources with the executive to ensure smooth conduct of the elections next year1 the national assembly members should remember that they are representatives of the nigerian people and that the represented and not the representatives will have the final say1 mte expects that the entire budget for the 2019 general elections should be released to inec on or before friday nov. 16 -exactly 3 months to the 2019 presidential and national assembly elections1 mte calls on the national assembly lead by the senate president dr bukola saraki and the speaker of the federal house of representatives yakubu dogara as well as the presidency lead by president muhammadu buhari to work assiduously concertedly to ensure that inec was funded on time for the task ahead he said1 -
Ethiopia arrests 63 military officers for corruption, abuse
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metec officials were involved in purchases of 2 billion worth of goods without any bidding process berhanu said1 no fewer than 63 ethiopian senior military and intelligence officers have been arrested for alleged corruption and human-rights abuses1 tsegaye did not name any of the suspects but said some had already been taken to court1 the arrests are a rare move against the countrys powerful security apparatus1 they represent a further flexing of power by reformist prime minister abiy ahmed who is seeking to break with ethiopias authoritarian past analysts said1 he said the suspected corruption occurred at the military-run metals and engineering corporation metec1 he attorney general mr. berhanu tsegaye said twenty-seven officials have been arrested for alleged corrupt practices while 36 have been detained for alleged human rights abuses with a manhunt underway for remaining suspects1 he pointed out that the company had been involved in the construction of ethiopias immense signature grand ethiopian renaissance dam1 abiy made an unusual public admission earlier this year that security officials had engaged in abuses and torture with impunity1 on monday berhanu outlined some of the allegations of abuse committed at secret prisons in the capital addis ababa and elsewhere1 detainees were subjected to various abuses including gang rapes sodomy prolonged exposure to extreme heat and cold waterboarding and deprivation of sunlight he said1 berhanu also provided a brief update on the case of a grenade explosion at a june rally addressed by abiy that left two people dead saying that an unnamed intelligence officer was suspected of involvement1