…Warn against dumping of refuse on water channels

Oyo State Government yesterday in Ibadan said that 64 streams will be dredged across the state in due course.

Oyo State government stated that through the Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project, IUFMP, in conjunction with the State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources that the said 64 streams will be dredged and blocked drainages will be cleared across the state.

The government has also warned the people of the state to desist from dumping of refuse into the rivers, streams and water channel, saying that offenders will be treated in accordance with the provision of the environmental laws and regulations of the state.

Chief Isaac Ishola, the State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, on Thursday said that government has taken proactive steps to prevent flooding in the state, noting that the citizens need to complement government efforts by restraining from activities that can block the flood drain.

The commissioner said the State government has continuously sensitised the public on environmental sanitation, stating that this is in addition to the expansion of some rivers in the state for free flow of water and dredging of some rivers.

He explained that in line with the Safeguard requirement of IUFMP sub projects, the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) safeguard team will be displaying Environmental and Social Management Plan (ESMP) for dredging of streams and clearing of blocked drains in order to sensitize the general public on the social and environmental impact of the project.

Chief Ishola noted that the ESMP action is also to mitigate if the need arises, the negative impact of the project as stipulated by the guidelines of World Bank Projects.

Ishola stated that there will be updates on Environment and Social Impact Assessment for Eleyele Dam rehabilitation, saying that this is to ensure the project is line with best practices without any hazard to the society.

He disclosed that the 64 streams to be dredged are within the 11 Local Councils and their Local Council Development Areas in Ibadan, assuring that the dredging will commence immediately the disclosure and display of Environmental Social Management Plan.

Former governor of Nasarawa state Senator Abdullahi Adamu, has called on the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, to ignore the antics of the new Peoples Democratic Party, nPDP, saying the group’s claim of marginalization and insistence on meeting with President Muhamadu Buhari was to blackmail, intimidate and ambush the president.

Senator Adamu, who is also chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja ahead of tomorrow’s national convention of the APC, commended President Buhari for refusing to interfere in the nPDP issue, which, according to him, was receiving the attention of the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo and the leadership of the party.

He said it was time the party ignored the deliberate attempts by some persons in the APC to distract President Buhari’s focus on governance, pointing out that the admonition was against the backdrop of their recent decision to resurrect the platform of the defunct new nPDP to fight their personal battles.

According to him, “I belonged to the nPDP; and, as I had said before, there was nowhere we held a meeting to resurrect the group for the purpose of protesting alleged marginalization of our former members by the APC-led federal government. Apart from that, the basis of the group’s allegation is tenuous.”

Adamu, who is the north central zone’s coordinator for Buhari’s presidential campaign, said that the latest media report of President Buhari’s resolve not to interfere in the APC’s leadership meeting with the nPDP was a welcome development.

He stated that President Buhari’s position that Vice President Osinbajo and the party leadership should interface with the nPDP was salutary to the supremacy of the APC.

Adamu stated that “while the antics of the so-called nPDP to portray the Buhari administration as being unfair to the group in its appointments are reprehensible, I commend the President’s governance style and his litany of progressive decisions that are in tandem with the collective aspirations of our party.”

He commended, in particular, the President for signing the 2018 budget into law despite its shortcomings and about 200 days after the presentation of the fiscal estimates to the National Assembly due to its tardy consideration and passage of the money bill.

Adamu also said that it was disingenuous for the nPDP to create the impression that the Buhari administration had been partial in its appointments, saying nothing could be farther from the truth.

According to him, “If, however, the group’s ultimate agenda is to prepare the ground to pull out of the APC at the national convention or thereafter, I have good news for our teeming members nationwide: it is a notorious fact that some of the people concerned have already started jumping from one side of the aisle to the other in the chamber without a formal declaration of defection.”

He said that “time shall tell whether or not these persons actually count for something in the bigger picture of Mr. President’s bid to have his presidential mandate renewed by Nigerians who are enamored by his anti-corruption war and his integrity in government.”

On the national convention, Adamu stressed the need for party members and leaders to keep their eyes sharply-focused on the ball, pointing out that “our goal is to strengthen our party ahead of the crucial 2019 general elections and, therefore, all hands must be on deck to achieve this important feat through excellent management of the convention.”

He commended the Convention Planning Committee for a good job that it has done so far and urged all candidates and delegates to cooperate with and support the committee to deliver on its assignment.

While wishing the party a successful convention, Adamu expressed belief in the capacity of the APC, under the leadership of President Buhari, to organise a convention whose outcomes would be acceptable to both winners and losers.

Zonal Chairman of the Peoples Democratic party,PDP, South East, Chief Austin Umahi has stressed that pull him down syndrome killed his party in 2015 and that will not repeat itself again in 2019.

PDP zonal Chairman made this observation in Umuahia while on a working visit to the state chapter of the party.

Umahi further explained that pull him down syndrome killed the very fabric holds the party together and that the party paid dearly for it.

To this end, he maintained that the zonal Exco are in Abia to pass a message while advising that state Exco should throw the political space open and allow people express themselves freely.

He tasked the PDP Abia Exco not to take side but allow free, fair and transparent primaries to take place in ,2019.

He noted that because of imposition of unpopular candidates in the past made it difficult for the party not to reenact the feat of 2011general election warning that only credible and grass rooted Politicians capable of winning elections should be allowed to fly the flag of the party in 2019.

PDP zonal Chairman revealed that South East is a PDP state and that APC will not get 30 percent votes which he said they are aiming at.

He, however, lampooned the APC-led Government at the center for not only marginalizing the South East but has also failed Nigerians insisting that very soon, APC will go into oblivion in the country.

Umahi called on party faithful to close ranks and make sure that only first elevens are paraded by PDP in the zone in order to wrestle power from the ruling party at the center he described as an evil government.

Earlier in his welcome address, the State Chairman of PDP,Sir Johnson Onuigbo thanked the zonal Exco for their visit and assured the visitors that Abia is a PDP state.

He disclosed that Abia is peaceful and ready to parade the choice of people and will not tolerate impunity not minding whose ox is gored.

Onuigbo maintained that the Opposition parties would be roundly defeated in the forthcoming election.

On his part Abia state Governor,Okezie Ikpeazu said PDP will sweep the poll come 2019 and that God’s own state is safe in terms of security.

Governor Ikpeazu who was represented by his deputy, Sir Ude Oko Chukwu further stressed that his government has provided the Democratic dividends to Abians in all facets of the state economy.

Ikpeazu who assured the South East zone of PDP that Abia will deliver bloc vote in the emerging political dispensation so as to prove that Abia is a PDP state.

In an interview with State house of Assembly aspirant Hon Humphrey Benson Oghuehi commended the zonal Exco for their visit noting that there is no shaking because PDP must surely delivered.

Hon Oghuehi extolled zonal Chairman for the charge given to them stressing under free fair and transparent primaries, the very best will emerge while expressing optimism that he has what it takes to represent Umuahia South people in the state House of Assembly if given the mandate.

He also lauded Governor Ikpeazu for his developmental strides not minding the court litigations and harsh economic reality.

Oghuehi also commended Senator T A Orji for his quality representations noting that the people of Abia central Senatorial District have not had it so good before now.

He added that the people of Abia central will not forget in a hurry lives touching empowerment programmes he has lavished the people with within the years under review.

Deputy Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Oyo State, Hon. Lekan Adeyemo, has urged elected party leaders at all levels to work towards party unity.

Adeyemo gave this admonition at the inauguration of party executives, including chairmen and secretaries, across the 33 local governments and 351 wards in the state, in Ibadan, on Tuesday.

Adeyemo, who conducted the ceremony, charged the new party executives to immediately commence the process of reconciling all aggrieved members of the APC in the state.

“Our party constitution says it is mandatory for elected party executives to be sworn-in. All our new party executives at the state level have been sworn-in and today we are conducting yours too.

“I am using this occasion to urge you all to go back home and forge unity among party members in your various constituencies to ensure the continuous success of our party. There is no party as big as ours that will not experience occasional internal crisis. However, our responsibility as leaders is to ensure that differences are amicably resolved. This is why you are being empowered today,” he said.

Adeyemo also disclosed that party executives at the state level had commenced reconciliation efforts among aggrieved party members and urged the newly-inaugurated executives to replicate same within their various jurisdictions.

Similarly, the state party secretary, Mr Mojeed Olaoya, urged them to ensure that aggrieved members were reconciled at their various wards and local governments.

Olaoya noted that the peaceful conduct of the congress had reaffirmed the fact that APC Is a highly organised and disciplined party.

“It is important that the message is re-echoed that the essence of party leadership is to entrench peace and harmony. You are to go back home and ensure peace and sanity in your respective constituencies,” he further stated.

A legal practitioner, Mr. Segun Abayomi, administered the oath of office on the new party executives at the state party secretariat, One Ado I.Ibadan.

US based All Progressives Congress, APC, aspirant for Udi/Ezeagu Federal Constituency slot in the Federal House of Representatives, Chief Pascal Agubuzu has disclosed that the rating of President Muhammadu Buhari in the diaspora is high, especially for those who understand what it takes to bring about change in a system.

Agubuzu, who expressed satisfaction with the performance of the Buhari-led government, said if given enough time, the APC government has all it takes to transform the nation.

Speaking to newsmen at the International Wing of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu shortly after his arrival from the United States of America, Agubuzu insisted that there was need to give President Buhari enough time before coming up with a conclusion, pointing out that the first and second year of any administration that embarks on the journey to change is usually characterized by resistance of all sorts.

He averred that once the resistance and the fight against other anomalies, including corruption are conquered, there was still need to give extra-time to the administration to enable it complete the change vision.

On why he decided to leave his comfort home in the United States of America to contest for the Federal House of Representatives, Agubuzu stated that he discovered that there is a disconnect between the grassroots and representation in his constituency.

Agubuzu, who expressed dismay over the poor state of roads in his constituency, however promised to accord special priority to the grass roots as well endeavor to provide necessary amenities like roads and electricity to his people when elected into office.

The All Progressive Congress aspirant further stated that when elected into office, he ensured that he meets with his people frequently with a view to identifying their problems adding that he would ensure that he prioritized the challenges and offer solution.

While assuring that he would empower women and youths if he is elected, he said gone were the days when women and youths are relegated to the background, assuring that when given the mandate he would make women and youths his key priority.

“In this campaign, there is Godfather so I will not be hijacked by anybody, we need to start reaching out to the grassroots, I will empower youths and women including widows; there are need to pay extra- attention to youths.

“We need to form a coalition with which our people will feel the impact of democracy dividends, so I’m in this race to ensure that the lives of the people of constituency and the grassroots are touched, my representation if given the opportunity to serve will not limited to my community but rather to the entire constituency which i will represent,” he stated

Receiving the aspirant at the state Secretariat of the party, the Enugu State APC Chairman, Ben Nwoye, who was represented by the chairman of APC in Orji River Council Area chairman in Enugu State, Chief Benson Eze frowned at a situation whereby National Assembly members from Enugu State are taking credits of projects of the APC projects in the state.

He, however, applauded the aspirant for choosing the APC platform to pursue his aspiration even as he wished him well in his political pursuit.

Medical personnel and other workers of the Kogi state own specialist hospital in Lokoja are mourning. They were not in sad mood because of the death of the patients under their care, but for the loss of one of their precious colleagues, Dr Rosemary Chukwudube who succumbed to the cold hands of death via asthma attack.

Late Dr Rosemary Chukwudube’s transition to eternity in the hospital where she plies her trade on Monday was as shocking as it was pathetic. For 40 years, the late Doctor who was Head of Department of the family unit in the hospital is said to have been battling the sickness that eventually killed her. So, drugs and the necessary medications remains her companion all these years . But since last year, it was no longer easy for her to get the necessary drugs meant for her ailment, as her financial strength became weaker due to challages associated with her source of income. It was gathered that for months, with mounting family commitments, and irregular salary payment , she hardly take the necessary medications to ward off her persisting asthma attack. She is said to have received only February salary this year, and her patient medicine store where she sells drugs and other medical equipment to augment salary income has run out of stocks, without replacement for months.

The hardships in the hospital did not single her out, it was a ‘cake’ for all. At a point, it is said that the Doctors in the hospital had internal arrangements within themselves over how to operate with minimal stress because of hardships associated with non payment of salaries and other entitlements. Umpteenth times, they had declared strike action to drive home their points, but all to no avail, as their status quo remain unchanged. In fact, it was said, in the last industrial disputes with the state government, it took the intervention of the National president of Nigerian Medical Association(NMA), Professor Mike Ogirima who happens to be a kinsman of governor Yahaya Bello to prevail on the resident doctors in the hospital to resume duty. Even as at that, non of the Doctors in the hospital was paid January salary, except the newly employed ones who were owing about 6months salaries then. Those who could not bear the hardships were said to have resigned from the hospital , and left to seek for greener pasture elsewhere, within and outside the country.

A source said the hospital has lost the service of 15 of its very senior doctors , and 4 others are said to be on the verge of leaving the hospital by the end of this month to this effect. Even majority of the newly recruited doctors at the middle of last year during the industrial dispute between Residents Doctors of the hospital and the state government who did not receive salary since they were employed about six months back were said to have left immediately after one month pay in January.

With the burden of persisting delay in payment of salaries, resulting in not meeting up commitments and challeging workloads, occasioned by mass exodus of their colleagues, the few remaining doctors and nurses in the hospital were over stressed. As fate would have it, late Dr Rosemary Chukwudube, have been one of the few remaining doctors that was carrying the can in this regard.

According to source , the condition of service is appalling as one nurse is made to attend to over 30 patients against the international standard of one nurse to four patients.

According to one of the Doctors in the hospital, “It’s against the Hippocratic oath for any doctor to offer service when his emotional, mental, physical and psychological well-being is not stable.

“Doctors have aggregated the importance of these issues before the state government, for it to understand the effect of the afformentioned on the performance of service providers. But it seems the present government has no capacity to understand the place of welfare of doctors in the delivery of quality medical services”.

To many, the death of Dr Rosemary Chukwudube was the peak of lukewarm attitude of the state government towards the ‘service providers’ in the said hospital which the state NMA has been labouring to address, all this while without success. “The results of not addressing the welfare of Doctors as we have been clamouring for years is what has started happening with the collapse and death of one of our doctors, Rosemary last Monday.let us hope this ugly scenario ends here”, a doctor who craved anonymity lamented in the hospital.

As a HOD, in accordance with new duty roaster, Dr Rosemary was on duty last Thursday, which turned out to be her last professional duty in the hospital and on earth. While on duty that fateful day, she got the news of alert of month of March from colleagues. She had waited for her own alert in order to source for drugs and attend to other domestic issues that have been yearning for attention. It never come before she closed from work.
With confused mind she left for home, hoping that her own alert would come. A friend was said to have impressed upon her not to worry about it, that it may be a mere delay due to poor networks. That did not make any sense to her, as she was quoted as saying continuously before she left the hospital that fateful day: “my alert, my own alert, chineke! Why, why! Hmmmmmmmmn”.

On strechter she came back to the hospital to be attended to on Friday. A Doctor friend from a neighborhood that called at her house in the Lokogoma Phase 11area of Lokoja around 4.pm to pull a joke saw her in crisis. She demanded to be left alone at home , rather than to be taken to hospital. Disturbed of her state , her doctor friend sent for ambulance and a stretcher from her hospital. She survived the first attack, second crisis ,but failed the third one.

The Doctors tried all the medical tricks to revived her after the third attack that relapsed her to coma, but failed for absence of some drugs and key medical equipment needed in the intensive care unit of the hospital. Not even reinforcement of Doctor colleagues from Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja could revived her.

The Doctors had wanted to open oxygen gas cylinder to admnister it to her, there was no spaner to open the cylinder. As at the time, they succeeded in opening the oxygen cylinder, she was clinically dead. “I saw an oxygen cylinder fixed to her lifeless body, she did not come back, I don’t know when tears started rolling from my eyes”, her doctor friend recounted. Also, they had wanted to apply suction machine to clear mucous or foaming from her mouth and nostril to ease respiration, it was not available in the amenity ward in the hospital. And Money to buy adrenalin drug and run some tests on her , was not there as it was discovered that her Bank account has no credit load .

Late Dr Rosemary’s death triggered off confusion in the ward, as 3 nurses and a doctor who were on duty that particular time collapsed, with one relapsing to coma. The said Doctor, Nuhu Idris did not get his march alert, like late Rosemary. He was quoted as saying, he could not sleep for days because of omission of his name from pay roll without reason.

The husband of the late 42-yr Doctor, Chukwudube commended the role of the medical personnel, especially the doctor colleagues of his late wife for playing a yeoman job during the crisis that led to the death of his wife. Chukwudube who said the story of her generosity is everywhere noted, that is a good testimony of her life that will remain a pride of the family.

The state commissioner of health,Dr Saka HarunaAudu said health workers that caters for the populace deserved to be well catered for otherwise we will record some unpalatable occurrences in the health sector of the state

“We received the shocking news of the Death of Dr Rosemary Chukwudebe, and wish to extend our deepest condolence to her friends, families and colleagues. We pray God grants them the fortitude to bear the loss”,he said.

He added that the Ministry of Health will collaborate with the family over the burial arrangement as well as ensuring that other areas of assistance by the State Government is given a deserving attention, stressing that the entire people of the State will miss her invaluable service.

Following Argentina’s defeat in the Match against Croatia,Diego Maradona,Argentina legend was caught in a new video shedding tears.

Argentina was beaten 3-0 by Croatia, in a Group B fixture at the 2018 World Cup on Thursday June 21.

Ante Rebic, Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic all scored as the Croats booked their place in the last 16.

Before the game, Maradona was pictured waving around a Lionel Messi shirt and in an upbeat mood.

However, the strain began to show during the match, as he was often seen gesticulating wildly towards the pitch.

When the result was beyond doubt, he sat back and seemingly had a cry.

Argentina are on the brink of an early exit, after picking up only one point from their first two fixtures. They face Nigeria next on June 26.

See Video:

Maradona llorando #ARGvsCRO #worldcup #argentina #messi #mordic #croatia crying pic.twitter.com/8qEbRdJv0p

— Storbo Zabivaka (@MundialChistes) June 21, 2018

Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, has revealed the cause of the incessant herdsmen, farmers conflicts going on in the country.

Lai, who stated this during the 2018 World Congress of the International Press Institute (IPI) in Abuja, on Thursday June 21, blamed the incessant herdsmen/farmers conflict on the scarcity of resources for grazing.

He said, “The herdsmen clash with farmers is an issue of resources getting more and more scarce. There is less water, there is less grass. The farmers would not have the kind of land they used to have before so they have to adopt the best practices in Agriculture and modern technology.

“On the part of the herders, they must also adopt modern technology such as ranching. These issues are also cultural, as the economic and cultural. You need to persuade the average herdsmen to go to a ranch.

“For a simple reason, in his (a herdsman) own words, ‘it is not so much about how fat your cow is but how many they are’. A man with 100 herds of cattle is superior in his own mind with a person with 50.

“But it has been proven that a cow on a ranch produces about 10 litres of milk a day while migrating cattle produces about a litre a day.”

…as court declines order for seizure of funds in accounts without BVN Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday refused a prayer by the federal government for the permanent forfeiture of funds in commercials banks accounts without Bank Verification Number, BVN.

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba in a judgement yesterday said the prayer could not be granted because the federal government had not laid sufficient foundation for the court to grant such prayers.

The judgement was on a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/911/2017, filed by the government and the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, against Access Bank, other commercial banks and Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.
The judge said the federal government had not met the conditions provided under Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud Act, by proving that the funds in the BVN-less accounts are proceeds of crime and that they are unclaimed.

Justice Dimgba said the interim freezing order on the accounts made by the court on October 17, 2017, but modified on November 15, 2017, still subsisted.

The order is “an interim order of the honourable court stopping all outward payments, operations or outward transactions (including any bill of exchange) in respect of the accounts pending the linking of the accounts to a Bank Verification Number.”

The judge asked the federal government to take the necessary steps to fulfil the conditions under Section 17 of the Advanced Fee Fraud Act and ensure compliance with the October 17, 2017 order.

Blame for the continuous rise in copyright infringement has been put on Nigerian universities and other tertiary institutions, an expert in intellectual property law, Barr. Tolulope Adekola, who identified this weakness, has said.

Adekola noted that it was not only reducing the integrity of academic work, but one of the major factors that had contributed to the low ranking of Nigerian universities among their counterparts in other parts of the world.

Adekola, a lecturer at the Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, while charging tertiary institutions authorities in Nigeria to take copyrights seriously, said those who abused intellectual property and copyrights laws in their research works should not awarded certificates.
According to him, the high rate at which people abuse copyrights law is stifling the socio-economic development of the country.

While appealing to relevant stakeholders to be proactive in addressing the menace in the system, he also stated that plagiarism had remained a cancerous tumour on the path of educational development in the country.

“Plagiarism has become a common tread in the Nigeria educational system. It is indeed a cancer that has plagued the academic integrity of our ivory towers.

“In developed countries plagiarism is a serious offence with grave academic consequences levied on the perpetrator. But in Nigeria, it is only normal for researchers to ‘copy and paste’ other people’s works without acknowledging same. Persons have obtained degrees up to Phd and even become professors using plagiarised research works in Nigeria,” he noted.

Adekola urged stakeholders in Nigeria to adopt the international best practices in using several ICT devices to track down those who violate intellectual property law in their research works before it could be accepted as being original.

“Defaulters have to be punished to serve as deterrence and to help in stemming the tide of plagiarism in our ivory towers. It is important to note that no Nigerian university is among the best 1000 universities in Nigeria except for University of Ibadan which ranks 801,” he added.

He, however, expressed hope that Nigerian universities would change the fortune of academic excellence if they drew lessons from international best practices on copyrights and intellectual property enforcement.

Kwara State is one of the states that records low crime rate in Nigeria, state Controller of Prisons, Adewale Adebisi has said.
Adebisi disclosed to newsmen that with the statistics of 844 as total inmates in all four prisons in the state, Ilorin, Mandala, Omu Aran, and Lafiagi, it was obvious the state had low crime records.

Speaking at the 2018 Kwara Security Summit by Urban Security Services, with theme as ‘War against Internet Fraud, Drug Abuse, Cultism and Kidnapping’ in Ilorin, the prisons controller said that the crime rate was moderately low when compared with other states as Rivers, Borno, Delta with high rate of kidnapping, killings, etc.

He said that the security agencies in the state should be applauded for the present state of security, if not for the unfortunate incident of recent armed robbery attack in Offa and Kaiama areas of the state, adding that there was effective policing compared to other states of the federation.

He, however, blamed the current crime rate in the state on economic hardship and high rate of inflation, coupled with the daily influx of inmates to the prisons with unimpressive outflow of inmates out of prison, adding that many graduate youths were jobless and unengaged due to lack of entrepreneurial skills.

Adebisi, who said that the public should be more security conscious and partner with security agencies in the area of intelligence gathering, added that clause in the constitution of of Nigeria, which asks whether one has been convicted should be revisited.

“The government should establish industries, create jobs and the wealthy citizens should cultivate the habit of helping the less privileged by creating job and empower the youth,” he said.

As at June 19, 2018, the Ilorin prison has a total number of 471 inmates of 87 condemned criminals, four convicted females, 57 convicted males, 319 awaiting trial males and four awaiting trials females.

Mandala prison has a total of 259 inmates of 79 condemned criminals, three convicted inmates and 177 awaiting trials.

Omu Aran has a total of 68 inmates of 34 condemned criminals and 34 awaiting trials while Lafiagi has 46 inmates of 40 condemned criminals and six awaiting trials.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has underscored the enormous investment potentials that abound in the FCT which, he said, is made even more favourable by the sound transportation system and infrastructure being developed in the city.

Bello made this promotion at a cocktail the FCT Administration hosted for members of the International Press Institute, IPI, at State House Banquet Hall, Aso Villa, Abuja, at the opening of the world media confab.

He said Abuja’s rising aviation traffic places it on course to becoming Africa’s aviation hub. He disclosed that the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport now hosts five international flights and counting.

His words, “Abuja’s rising aviation traffic places it at a vantage position to becoming Africa’s aviation hub. Situated in the heart of Nigeria, you could access most countries of Africa from Abuja at an almost equal flying time.

A major highlight of the occasion was the presentation of souvenir leather puffs to the leaders of the Institute; Barbara Trionfi – Executive Director and John Yearwood – IPI Executive Board Chair.

Speaking on the leather works, Bello said that the material, which was a Nigerian made product, had wrongly been described as Moroccan leather by Europeans when they first came into contact with the product from Morocco through the Trans-Saharan Trade route. The material, he emphasized, was a product of Sokoto hides-and-skin craftsmen.

He noted that Abuja since it was founded in 1976, sits on an area of 8000sq Kilometres, has grown to become a tourist and conference hub for West Africa. He expressed delight to play host to the IPI Congress, which he noted, provides   ample opportunity for the world to see Nigeria for themselves.

Bello stated that Abuja’s investment potentials, favourable investment climate and regulatory regime, qualifies it as a haven for investors. He assured participants that FCT Administration is developing a sound transportation system and infrastructure aimed at boosting tourism and commerce.

Responding, Barbara Trionfi – Executive Director of International Press Institute, IPI, thanked the Minister for his hospitality and the beautiful gift.  She noted that Nigeria has surpassed their expectations as the IPI was having one of its best outings in Nigeria. In his own remarks, the John Yearwood indicated that IPI was in Nigeria in its 68^th year of existence and praised their experience in Nigeria

…Calls for sustained winning momentum against Argentina

President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the Super Eagles on their victory over the national team of Iceland in their second match at the Russia 2018 FIFA World Cup on Friday.

A second half brace by Ahmed Musa was enough for the Super Eagles to beat Iceland and earn their first points in Russia.

The President in a statement by his spokesman, Femi Adesina, expressed “particular delight at the confidence, discipline, team-work and indomitable spirit displayed by the young Nigerian players”.

“President Buhari urges them not to limit themselves but sustain the current winning momentum by going all out against their last group opponent, Argentina, next week,” the statement read in part.

According to him, “I am confident that if our players believe in themselves, they can qualify out of their difficult group and even go very far in the tournament,” adding that “with determination, nothing is impossible.”

The President urged all Nigerians to continue to rally round the Nigerian ambassadors with their prayers and other forms of support.

In the same vein, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Uche Anichukwu while congratulating the team warned that they should not relent, but bring out the best in them in order to book a place in the round of 16

“I congratulate the Super Eagles on this resounding victory. I am happy that they overcame their demoralising loss to Croatia and a disappointing first half today to give Nigerians and Africans something to cheer.

“However, we are obviously not in the round of 16 yet. The Super Eagles should rather see this superlative win as a motivation to fly over a wounded and demystified Argentine team.

“The Super Eagles can do it.  They understand the Argentine team, having confronted them in previous World Cup events and also beating them in the friendly ahead of the mundial”, he added.

He urged Nigerians to continue to support and pray for the team.

The popularity of a man is brought to the fore when he has committed and consistently performed his task beyond expectations. It doesn’t matter if the task is performed loudly or in dedicated silence, a good deed can never go unnoticed.

As humans, we are all running a race, no matter the condition of our being. Sadly, only a few know what we are running to accomplish. While some of us are running to achieve our goals, visions, or dreams, others are chasing shadows.

This is why we all cannot be masters and all masters cannot be truly followed, as postulated by Williams Shakespeare in Othello.

But this is not about that thespian or his works; this is about the Federal Fire Service of Nigeria, a parastatal under the Federal Ministry of Interior and the competency of its comptroller-general, Engineer Anebi Garba.

Anebi may not be popular, but those who are conversant with the large amount of positive happenings in the federal fire sector can testify to his great managerial skills, which has led the organization to a great extent, to take a new look in the area of infrastructural development, human development and timely awareness creation on how to curtail fire outbreak in the general society.

Only recently, he earned himself a much deserved vote of confidence from a group, the Coalition in Defense of Emergency Management, who expressed confidence in his competence and performance, acknowledging that the agency has improved in the tackling of fire challenges in the country.

The commendation came after a fact finding and assessment mission to ascertain the state of facilities at some fire stations in the country was carried out by the group.

The CG is, indeed, transforming the organization beyond imagination in all ramifications through the support of his hard-working staff and the almighty God. He is deploying his bag full of ideas, skills, wisdom and knowledge to bring to reality his visions and dreams for the upliftment of the fire service.

Anebi is a man of determination who leads by example. He showcases this lifestyle by always coming to work early before some of the junior staff and even closes late when most of the staff had already gone home after their normal office hours. This appears strange to a lot of people unlike some organizations where senior officers resume late to work and close early before the approved civil service closing hour of 4pm during working days.

He is a very humble, God-fearing and hard working comptroller general with a large heart. A detribalized patriotic Nigerian that treat everyone that comes in contact with him equally devoid of parental background, political affiliations, tribes and religions background, these attributes indeed showcases him as a professional federal Fire Service officer with a lot of experience in the fire sector and human management.

Since coming on board to pilot the activities of the parastatal, Anebi has tremendously made a lot of positive impact that will continue to remain on the minds of the staff and the society in which he is appointed to serve.

Few out of his earth shaking achievements since his inception as CG are listed as follows:

1. Setting up of policy regulatory unit in all the six area councils in the FCT and the fire service out stations in F.C.T environ. This has enabled him and the service respond to 1033 (One thousand and thirty three) fire cases and saved properties worth N178billion across the country since December 2014.

2. Also, he used his managerial experience to bring the activities of the Federal Fire Service closer to the citizenry through the establishment of more zonal offices and state offices in addition to the existing zonal and state offices with the aim of ensuring full services delivery to the general populace in conjunction with the state fire service. The new state and zonal offices includes: Benue, Adamawa, Enugu, Rivers, Ogun, Borno, Katsina, Anambra, Kano, Bauchi, Niger and Kaduna.

3. In order for the staff of the organization to meet up with the modern ways of curtailing fire occurrence, Anebi, in conjunction with the state fire services, facilitated the nomination of 100 personnel from the 36 states of the federation, including Abuja who were trained on how to control fire service equipment and how to curtail fire outbreak especially during dry season. They were also tutored on fire investigation and National Fire Safety Code Enforcement at the National Fire Academy to facilitate the code across the country.

4. Going forward, he also refurbished all the fire service equipment to meet up with the modern ways of handling fire incidence, including over twenty water tankers. The equipment were renovated and redistributed to the six area council in F.C.T and all the fire service out stations in F.C.T and its vicinity. The refurbished equipments were also distributed to all the zonal offices and the recently established states offices.

5. Plans are also in the top gear for the procurement of modern firefighting equipment to meet up with the global standard which shall in a short time from now begin to arrive in the country for onward distributions and usage. Public enlightenment also took a central stage through press interview, distributions of fliers, hand bills, radio and television programme with road shows.

6. In complimenting his great improvements of all the office equipment at the headquarters and the zonal offices, he also recently through the cooperation of his management staff and the support of the Hon minister for interior, organized Fire Service National conference at Kano, Minna, Enugu, with Makurdi coming next, which is the first of its kind since the establishment of the organization. The theme of the programme was “the Menace of Market Fire in Nigeria.” The event facilitated a meeting point for the Fire Service stake holders to deliberate on how to reposition and how to improve on the organization programmes to ensure positive service delivery to the general public.

7. He also displayed good leadership prowess by upgrading the National fire Academy to a degree awarding institution by affiliating it with the Nigerian Defence Academy, NDA, in order to ensure good capacity building and training of personal and volunteers to curtail wild spread of fire. He also married this with arrangements for the Academy to award post graduate diploma, pGD, professional master’s degree in disaster management and the establishment of fire service training school in Minna Niger state for the training of junior officers of their organizations. He recently commissioned the newly acquired art metallic trucks and other vital equipments. The commissioned trucks were distributed to each zonal and states command to fight fire outbreaks.

8. In a bid to shore up the capacity of the service, he has recruited and trained an additional 621 Officers and men, and also facilitated the elongation of the Inspectorate Cadre from Compass 12 to Compass 14, further ensuring proper placement of stagnated staff.

9. Anebi has further intensified efforts towards completion of some ongoing projects at the National Fire Academy in Abuja, some of which include: Completion of fire house at the national fire academy, Sheda; Construction of internal road network at the academy, which has neared 95 percent completion; Completion of external electrification project at the academy; Completion of water distribution supply at the academy, and the construction of Commandant Quarters, which has reached 98 percent completion.

10. The CG sealed an agreement with the National Insurance Commission, NAICOM, on modalities for the administration of 0.25% fire service equipment maintenance fund. He also ensured the payment of the sum of N4, 914,493.33 in death benefit to the next of kin of three deceased fire officers.

11. Under his watch, general staff welfare has improved, with the strengthening of existing committees, some of which are: staff welfare committee, Fire Service Bill review committee, Staff housing committee and Budget planning and implementation committee.

12. As part of efforts to generate revenue for the service, he sealed an agreement to facilitate public and private partnership with S.W Global Services.

13. He has also ensured continuous training and retraining of staffs, both locally and abroad, while giving due promotion to further boost officers morale.

14. Engineer Anebi approved places of worship for both Christians and Muslims at the service headquarters in order to encourage peaceful co-existence among staff. He also rehabilitated 42 operational vehicles in Abuja and Lagos.

15. The CG also made sure to begin upgrading/Conversion of Chief fireman to the next level.

These and many other grand breaking achievements not enumerated here are some of the achievements of Anebi in the last two years of piloting the affairs of the Federal Fire Service. These standards show indeed that Anebi is running a good race as the head of the organization.

Recently, President Muhammadu Buhari honored him with an award in recognition of the hard work he has put in as CG of the federal fire service.

According to Mr. John Oli, the Head of the coalition that scored the CG high, the manpower and equipments have been boosted during his reign, adding that it would help the agency adequately cope with challenges that come with management emergency and inferno prevention and control.

The group also lamented that if adequate support is not given to the agency by the federal government, the giant strides of the CG to respond promptly to fire outbreaks would be jettisoned.

“We wish to commend the CG and state that the over N4bilion for the development of the agency
and purchase of firefighting equipments to enable efficiency in fire outbreak control has been utilized.

“Also, we found that staffs are promoted and our visits to fire stations across the country have shown that the federal fire service is discharging duties adequately. We are saying there is need for the CG to be encouraged,” Oli stated.

Chairman of Chairman Igueben Local Government of Edo State, Honourable Engineer Jossy Ogedengbe, has applauded the state Governor Godwin Obaseki, for the role he is playing in providing employment for young people in the state.

The Chairman said this while responding to a number of requests presented to him by APC Ward 2 members during the Thank You tour undertaken by the Chairman recently

The Chairman who disclosed that the names of 30 Youths in the Area has been sent to Governors Office for possible employment said the Governor asked for the list as part of his Campaign promise to provide employment for 200,000 Youths in the state.

In his words “I want to commend the Governor of Edo state Godwin Obaseki for his commitment to addressing the problem of unemployment among our Youths. Few weeks ago he asked each Local Government Council to submit 20names for employment but only Yesterday the number was increased to thirty per Local Government Council. I can assure you that Government is committed to the goal of providing employment”

While stressing the need for the Private Sector to compliment the efforts of the Government, Ogedengbe noted that the need for Youths to be provided employment tops the list of request presented to him by different Ward Leaders during the tour.

Ogedengbe emphasized the need for APC members to close ranks and eschew discord saying the Party has a responsibility to justify the mandate given to it by the people of Edo state.

He said that it was by so doing that the party can be assured of victory during the 2019 General Elections which is around the corner

The Chairman reiterated the Council commitment to construction and rehabilitation of Town Planning roads in the area pointing out that the government for waiting for the rainy season to be over to flag off the project.

“We have a big plan on ground to open up Township roads. Your Councilors have already been asked to provide me information on roads you want opened up in your wards but we cannot embark on road construction now because of the rain. You will have to wait till November this year for that to be done.” He said

He called on constituents to take advantage of his open door policy to make their requests and complaints known at all times.

“If anything is going wrong somewhere or you have a complaint you want to make, come and see me. You don’t have to fill form. You elected me to be your servant and I am ready to serve you” he said

In 1978, Obasanjo looked the other way while Buhari siphoned N2.8 billion – Comrade Jonah

It is not easy to make allegations of corruption against anybody, especially when it concerns high profile personalities, so to say. It is much weightier when it has to do with presidents and former presidents. The convener of Voice from the East, VEAST, an Igbo interest group, Comrade Kindness Jonah is not afraid to point accusing fingers at former President Olusegun Obasanjo and President Mohammadu Buhari, and tell them to their face that they are both enmeshed in corruption. In this interview with our Enugu Regional Bureau Chief, Emmanuel Nweze, Jonah speaks assertively. Excerpts.

You said that both Buhari and Obasanjo are corrupt; what’s your proof?

First, Obasanjo ruled the country as a military head of state between February 13, 1976, and September 30, 1979. Between the said periods, he started with a fiat status. He enacted Operation Feed the Nation, OFN, which consumed over one trillion naira then, at a time when naira was higher than both the US dollar and the British pound.

The whole amount went down the drain because the whole arrangement ended as a failure, because nothing was achieved agriculture wise. Obasanjo again wasted more than N1.5 billion in hosting Festival of Arts and Culture, FESTAC 77, where he organised cultural fiesta with no national or international value, and Nigerians never benefitted. In the N2.8 billion Buhari loot of 1978, Obasanjo as head of state looked the other way while Buhari siphoned the money because Sultan Attahiru of Sokoto intervened and Obasanjo was pusillanimous to handle the Islamic caliphate. When the case was called up in 1984, Buhari arm-twisted Ayo Erikife, the then Chief Justice of the Federation, to free both Obasanjo and Buhari of any complication in the same loot.

When Obasanjo came on board in 1999, to again please Buhari, he stated that Buhari had no case to answer in the glaringly established Professor Haruna’s enquiry into the missing N25.76 billion in PTF account with Buhari as chairman.

In 2003 as a civilian president, Obasanjo looted 20 billion US dollars in the conversion of NEPA to PHCN while there is no improvement in electricity service.

Buhari has been on the saddle for three years now; how has he exhibited corrupt tendencies?
Buhari has been his old self as far as corruption is concerned. That old self is covertly corrupt but overtly sanitised. He came with a ‘change’ mantra, enmeshed in blame game of Jonathan and Obasanjo but ever since, Nigeria has been dragged to the mud of corruption in stupendous spree more than any head of state in the history of Nigeria. Lootmania is the game and gambit of the kitchen cabinet of Buhari who are using Islamic tendencies to buy into the heart of Buhari, who keeps mute or better put, does not care to know how much is being sagaciously wasted and looted by his cronies just for the mere fact that they play in tandem with Buhari’s Islamic spirit.

In a nutshell, trillions of naira is being wasted daily while Buhari himself as the president cannot give account of them and cannot call his cronies to order.
The 25.6 billion US dollars of October 2017 revealed by the junior Minister of Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, with Buhari as the substantive Minister of Petroleum. The rhetoric question is what has happened since then? Nothing is the answer because it has gone down the drain with business as usual as a cover up.

Some people see Buhari as sacrosanct, especially in fighting corruption; how can you say that he is corrupt?
In terse form, this is the metaphorical statement of pot calling kettle black. Buhari is grandstanding and passes the bulk of corruption to other leaders before him like Jonathan and Obasanjo. But in metaphorical connotation and statistical analysis of Nigeria’s loot mania, it clearly shows Buhari as the farthest most corrupt Nigerian head of state in history. No Nigerian head of state has looted more than 20 billion US dollars at a stretch, only Buhari.

Non-Profit Organisation, Come Alive Initiative in Anambra state said it will commence a campaign to tackle the menace of drug abuse, peddling and trafficking among youths in Onitsha from the month of June 26.

The National Coordinator, Mr Victor Enwezor made the disclosure yesterday in Onitsha.

Enwezor said the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe would kick-off the campaign, adding that the prgramme was in line with the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

“The one week strategic programme organised by the Ime-Obi Onitsha (Onitsha Traditional Council) and Come Alive Initiative is a campaign against drug abuse, provide counseling and rehabilitation programme for victims.

“Recall that not too long ago, our nation woke up to a reality we paid less attention to.

“We sat at the brink of collapse, not from ethnic differences, religious bigotry, economic hardship or political disagreement but from something greater.

“The truth is that we are at the point of losing the most tangible part of our future, the youths to drugs.

“Come Alive Initiate seeks to redeem several of our youths that are lost to different forms of drug abuses and addictions through free counseling and free rehabilitation homes,” he said.

The national coordinator said the initiative which started three years ago had so far rehabilitated and rescued 28 drug victims while 11 others were currently receiving treatment.

Enwezor said there would be open air film shows on effects of drug abuse at Ime-Obi Umueze-Aroli, Ose Okwodu market, Frontline hotel by old market road and Ochanja market in Onitsha.

Other areas for the film show include Ilo Onowu, Oguta road and Water Works/ Omogba.

He said there would also be visitation to schools and churches within Onitsha during the period.

“The grand finale will be a walk against drug abuse, taking off from Ime-Obi Umueze Aroli and to terminate at Ime-Obi Awka road,” he said.

Cases of sexual abuse on children are increasing at an alarming rate in our society today. Some of these cases came about as a result of negligence on the part of the parents; that is why some of the following tips will put parents on their toes and help prevent as well as reduce the scourge.

As parents, we don’t have to scare the children in order to keep them safe. Teaching them the difference between appropriate and inappropriate touching will go a long way in protecting them from harmful people.
As early as age three, children should understand that some parts of their body are private and that it’s not okay for just anyone to touch them.

You can start by explaining how certain parts of their body, those covered by a swimsuit, are private. No one should touch them there except for mommy and daddy (or primary caregiver) when they’re being cleaned and the doctor too, but only if mom or dad is there in the room. Don’t go into a whole rhetoric of “some people are bad and do things that hurt kids” explanation; just focus on appropriate and inappropriate behaviour.

We need to think beyond “stranger danger” syndrome. Instructing your child never to talk to strangers is good advice, but the truth is, 80 to 90 percent of abuse is committed not by strangers but by someone the child knows well and possibly loves.

“Abduction is a lesser concern”

According to Char Rivette, executive director of the Chicago Children’s Advocacy Centre, “Abduction is a lesser concern; you have to worry more about who your child spends time with on daily basis.”

Don’t keep secrets

Sex abusers almost always manipulate the children they molest through secrets. They’ll tell kids, “this is our secret. You can’t tell anybody, else you’ll die.” Remind your child frequently that no adult should ever ask him or her to keep secrets, and that includes you. “If you keep a secret with your child, it confuses the message that it’s not okay for other grown-ups to do,” says Rivette.

Believe your child
Establish a relationship of faith and trust with your kids. If you’re constantly questioning what they say, they may be more reluctant to tell you if something has happened to them. When you’re talking about inappropriate touching, let them know explicitly that you will believe them and that you will never be mad.

Warning signs and risk factors for abuse

You can’t drive yourself crazy being suspicious of every adult that comes into contact with your child, but since abuse often follows the same pattern, there are some warning signs you should be familiar with.

Know what to look for

No one wants to be suspicious of their own friends and family members. But you don’t have to be if you’re familiar with the most common red flags of a pedophile:

– Prefers spending most of his or her time with children over peers

– Allows children to do things that their parents don’t allow

– Makes fun of children’s body parts or describes children with sexual words such as “sexy”

– Seems obsessed with the sexual activities of teens and kids

– Has put themselves in a position of dealing with children (coach, teacher, counselor, etc.), in addition to other troubling signs

Be suspicious if your child is singled out as ‘special’

It’s always flattering when a teacher, coach, or counsellor recognises all the wonderful qualities your child possesses and seems to favour him or her over other kids. But this can be a major warning sign. “Perpetrators groom kids by singling them out and making them feel special,” said Rivette. True professionals are not so transparent about preferences.

Be extremely wary of one-on-one time

Once a paedophile has singled out a particular child, the next step is getting that child alone. The perpetrator may suggest private tutoring time, one-on-one tennis lessons, or even strolling out together or going shopping. As excited as your child may be, don’t allow this private time.

Many child sex abusers prey on the kids of single mothers, who may be more anxious for a male figure in their lives (and 95 percent of all perpetrators are male). These men also take advantage of the fact that a single mother likely has less time and less help, and may welcome someone who offers to babysit or help out.

Don’t take sleepovers lightly

As parents, we’re used to making sleepover plans with our kids’ friends’ families on the fly. But Rivette warns that we shouldn’t be so casual when it comes to where our children spend the night. “Don’t allow a sleepover unless you know the family well and have been to their home many times. Ask exactly who will be there and what they will be doing and if anything strikes you as odd, then trust your instinct.”
Evaluating a Program for Safety
How can you make sure that sports team or after-school club you’re signing your kid up for has done everything it can to weed out potential abusers?

Ask about background checks
Most schools and youth organizations conduct criminal background checks, but they may not screen for child abuse and neglect. Encourage them to do so. (And even if the school/program says they screened everyone, ask if they checked fingerprints.) Also, you should ask: do employees receive training in child-abuse prevention?

Meet everyone who will be working with your child
Often, we’ll meet the head of a school, but not the possibly dozens of other teachers and instructors who will be with your child on a daily basis. Make it a point to ask the headteacher to introduce you to all of the employees.

If you suspect abuse
We hope you never have to have this conversation, but if you have a bad feeling that your child might have been abused, there are steps you should take.

Ask questions
To encourage your child to talk, simple, open-ended queries such as “What’s the best thing about going to Sam’s house?” or “What’s the worst thing about going to his house?” help open up discussion, says an expert. You can also preface a conversation with something that gives the child some freedom. For example, you might say, “I remember once I did something that I thought my Dad and Mom would be upset about, so I didn’t want to tell them. But I finally did tell them and it was okay. Has anything like that happened to you?”

Look for changes in your child
Signs that something might be going on:
– Sexual behavior that is way beyond their years, a 4-year-old imitating sexual humping, for example, or using R-rated words for body parts that they’ve never used before.
– Regressive behaviour (acting much younger than they are)
– Increased dependency on non-abusing adults
– Withdrawal and isolation from others
– Increased aggressiveness or hostility
– Sudden fear of the dark
– Frequent nightmares
– Changes in sleep (either insomnia or increased sleeping)
Act quickly when you suspect something is wrong; contact the appropriate authorities that have the legal backing to handle such case.

PDP vanguard has accused the APC led government of been insensitive to the plight of people of Zamfara and Brinin gwari, as it has been reported that only 400 policemen has been deployed to those violent areas, while 5,000 police, 2 helicopters and 100 armed vehicles to APC Convention.

The PDP Vanguard made the accusation on its twitter handle @PDPVanguard

Nigerian Police At Glance

Numbers of policemen DEPLOYED to ZAMFARA and BIRNIN GWARI violent areas 400.

Number of policemen DEPLOYED to #APCConvention 5,000 + 12 helicopters + 100 armed vehicles
——

WHAT a heartless people

pic.twitter.com/OvcsF7XbWz

— PDP Vanguard (@PDPVanguard) June 23, 2018

Accreditation of APC Members in preparation for the convention