News updates for today 22-08-2020

• Minister directs officials, TCN to restore electricity to Igala land

The Minister of Power, Mr Sale Mamman, has directed officials of the Ministry of Power and the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to resolve the intractable power problem in Igala Kingdom of Kogi.

The minister said this in a press statement by Mrs Etore Thomas, Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations in the ministry, in Abuja on Saturday.

The minister gave the directive when the Atta of Igala, Michael Ameh – Oboni 11, paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.

Mamman expressed concern that the area had been subjected to endless darkness and hardships following the failure to complete a 133/33 Kilo Volt (KVA) power project earlier awarded for the area.

The minister explained that he was informed that the contractor who handled the project died while the equipment brought to the site, including transformers, were gutted by fire.

Mamman, who summoned the ministry’s officials to the meeting, directed them to immediately work on a new proposal to award an improved 330KVA power project for more effective coverage of the area.

Earlier, the Atta of Igala expressed concern that Igala Kingdom was the only area without a transmission station, in spite its status as an industrial hub.

He noted that his people had been subjected to untold hardship and poverty occasioned by the poor supply of electricity to the area.

The traditional ruler further said that most times, his people were thrown into darkness for days, as a result, artisans and other business activities could not thrive for days.

He added that Igala Land which was endowed with huge mineral resources like, Limestone and Coal, should not be subjected to such abysmal treatment and appealed for the minister’s urgent intervention.

He was accompanied by the Ogah of Atta, Prof. Seidu Mohammed.

• UNILAG Crisis: FG Directs Babalakin, Ogundipe To Recuse Themselves From Official Duties

The Federal Government on Friday directed the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council of the University of Lagos, Wale Babalakin, and Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe to recuse themselves from official duties, pending the outcome of the Special Visitation Panel set up by the President.

The information was announced in a press statement signed by the Federal Ministry of Education spokesman, Ben Goong.

“Government also directs the Senate of the University of Lagos to immediately convene to nominate an acting Vice-Chancellor from amongst its members for confirmation by the Governing Council,” the statement added.

Babalakin’s Governing Council had, on August 12, sacked Ogundipe as Vice-Chancellor over alleged financial misappropriation and misconduct.

Ogundipe, however, rejected the Council’s decision, saying the University’s due process had not been followed.

The University’s Senate, alumni, and labour unions also put out statements saying the due process had not been followed.

But Babalakin, in several media reactions, insisted that due process had been complied with in terminating Ogundipe’s appointment.

The Presidential Panel, made up of seven members, is expected to determine whether the required steps were taken by the Council in sacking Ogundipe.

They are also expected “to make appropriate recommendations including sanctions for all those found culpable” in the investigation, which is expected to last for two weeks.

The panel will be inaugurated by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, on August 26.

Members of the panel include Professor Tukur Sa’ad (Chairman), Barrister Victor Onuoha, Professor Ikenna Onyido, Professor Ekanem Braide, Professor Adamu K. Usman, Chief Jimoh Bankole and Barrister Grace Ekanem (Secretary).

• President Buhari: Lockdown will last as long as necessary

President Muhammadu Buhari has appealed to Nigerians to bear the pains of restriction of movement as a result of the ravaging COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, saying that the lockdown will last as long as necessary in order to contain the virus.

President Buhari in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Saturday said that the defeat of the Coronavirus in Nigeria rested squarely in the hands Nigerians.

Mallam Shehu in the statement did not mention where and what occasion the President made statements.

Buhari in the statement said, “But at this darkest hour, it remains our duty to offer you the full and unvarnished truth: This is a global pandemic. 210 countries and territories across the globe are affected. We cannot expect others to come to our assistance. No one is coming to defeat this virus for us.

“Instead, the defeat of the virus in our country will be in our hands, alone. We cannot wait for others. We can only depend on ourselves now. And so we must – and we will – end this outbreak ourselves as Nigerians, together”.

President Buhari thanked Nigerians for their patience, resolve and strong determination to defeat the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak.

He said, “We realize that today, there will be sons and daughters unable to visit their parents, and elders that are isolated from young ones. And there will be those who live day-to-day, eating as they earn, who face real and present suffering.“No elected government could ask more of the citizens of the country that elected them than today we ask of you. But we must ask you – once more – to observe restrictions on movement where they are in place, and follow the instructions of our scientists and medical advisers: stay home, wash your hands, save lives.

“The freedoms we ask you to willingly forsake today will only last as long as our scientific advisers declare they are necessary. But they are essential – world over – to halt and defeat the spread of this virus.

“For those who suffer most egregiously, the Government has announced multiple measures to assist: 70,000 tonnes of grain is being released from the National Strategic Grain Reserves for distribution to those in most need; distribution of small cash payments are also being made, and will continue to be made by the federal government in the states and local government areas.

“We ask you to listen and follow public announcements via the mass media for instructions as to how to receive this government support – and learn of more public assistance in the coming days.

“All that the Government is asking you to endure is because nowhere in the world today is there any known way of defeating this pandemic. There is no vaccine. And that means there are choices to be made: between continuing as usual, or accepting the restrictions even when they come with unintended consequences.”

Presidency Reveals 35 Major Achievements Of Buhari So Far In His Second Term (Full List)

Reveals 35 Major Achievements Of Buhari So Far In His Second Term (Full List)

The presidency on Friday listed some major achievements of the President Muhammadu Buhariadministration since the beginning of its second term in office.

The major policies, programmes, and projects were listed to mark one year since President Buhari inaugurated his second-term cabinet.

The statement released via the presidency’s official Twitter handle, @NGRPresident, reads in part: “Today August 21, 2020 marks one year since President Buhari inaugurated his second-term cabinet. A lot has happened since then, in terms of policy development and implementation.”

The statement listed the creation of new ministries, the increment of corpers’ monthly allowance to N33,000, N-power intervention scheme,and others as part of the second term achievements of the president.

See the full list of Buhari’s second-term achievements as released by the Presidency:

· President Buhari established new Ministries, including Police Affairs and Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, exactly a year ago, August 21, 2020.

The Budget Implementation Cycle was successfully restored to a January-to-December Calendar, with the signing of the 2020 Appropriation Bill in December 2019.

· President Buhari signed into law a Finance Bill, to reform domestic tax laws, introduce tax incentives for investments in infrastructure and capital markets, and improve the business environment. It was the first time since the return of democracy in 1999 that a Federal Budget was accompanied by a passage of an enabling Finance Bill.

· President Buhari approved a 10 billion Naira Intervention Fund for the upgrade of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu. That project is now very close to completion.

· President Buhari ordered a forensic audit of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)

· Nigeria rose 15 places on the World Bank Doing Business Index, to 131st position, from 146th, earning a place as one of ten top performing countries in the word

· President Buhari assented to the Deep Offshore (and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract) Act, a landmark legislative reform which will generate hundreds of millions of dollars in extra government revenues annually

President Buhari performed the ground-breaking for the University of Transportation in Daura, an investment by CCECC in Nigeria. On a similar note, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo performed the ground-breaking for a new Wagon Assembly Plant in Kajola, Ogun State, which will produce rolling stock for Nigeria’s new Rail Lines, and create jobs for thousands of Nigerians.

· President Buhari approved the Financial Transparency Policy, mandating publication of Public Financial Information through an Open Treasury Portal.

· Nigerian has a new Visa Policy, that will improve the business environment, attract innovation and FDI, boost tourism and improve African integration.

Nigeria commenced issuance of Visas on Arrival to all persons holding passports of African countries

· President Buhari approved the commencement of the Community Policing initiative, and has approved a 13.3 billion Naira take-off grant.

· Nigeria commenced Operation ‘Ex-Swift Response’, a multi-agency security operation to secure the nation’s land borders.

President Buhari flagged-off construction of the Ajaokuta–Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline.

· President Buhari launched the the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Scheme. (Factsheet below)

· President Buhari established the Economic Sustainability Committee (ESC), under the leadership of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. The ESC has since developed the Nigeria Economic Sustainability Plan (NESP), a 2.3 Trillion Naira stimulus package to help cushion the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic. (Update below)

· The Federal Executive Council approved the kick-off of pre-engineering phase (and payment of part counterpart funding) of the Presidential Power Initiative, a government-to-government deal involving the Nigeria, Germany and Siemens AG.

· Final Investment Decision was reached on the US$10 billion Train 7 expansion of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Limited (in which the NNPC holds a 49 percent stake). This was followed by the signing of the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the project. The Train 7 will expand NLNG’s capacity by 35 percent, and further position Nigeria as one of the leading producers and exporters of LNG in the world.

· Commencement of payment of increased Allowance (33,000 Naira monthly) to NYSC members.

President Buhari established the National Humanitarian Coordination Committee (NHCC), and the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 (PTFCOVID19).

· President Buhari approved the release of a 10 billion Naira Grant to the Lagos State Government and a 5 billion Naira Grant to the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), to support the Coronavirus Response.

· President Buhari signed an Amendment to Executive Order 8, the Voluntary Offshore Assets Regularization Scheme (VOARS).

The Department of Petroleum Resources has commenced the bidding round for 57 Marginal Fields, the first such process in almost 20 years. Details here

· A National Special Public Works (SPW) programme kicked off in the first quarter of 2020, with a successful pilot programme in eight States. It is now being expanded nationwide, and will provide employment and stipends for 774,000 young Nigerians – 1,000 beneficiaries per Local Government) for three months, starting October 2020. Details here

· The Itakpe-Warri Railway Line is now ready for operations. Construction commenced more than three decades ago, and then the project was abandoned for many years, until President Buhari took office. It has now been completed and is ready to commence commercial operations, as Nigeria’s “Central Line.”

· Track-laying for the main section of the new Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Railway Line was completed in March 2020, almost exactly three years after Vice President Yemi Osinbajo performed the ground-breaking ceremony for the project, on behalf of President Buhari.

· The Nigeria Police Trust Fund, established by the President in 2019, has now been operationalised, with the appointment and inauguration of a Board of Trustees, and an Executive Secretary.

· Nigeria defeated Polio – attaining, in Q3 2020, the status of being officially free from the Wild Polio Virus, for the first time in the country’s history.

· No fewer than three private Modular Refinery projects have been completed in 2020, a clear manifestation of the success of the New Vision for the Niger Delta, President Buhari’s Peace, Security and Development Agenda for the oil-producing region of Nigeria. The Modular Refining element of the New Vision involves extending policy and financing support to private investors seeking to establish Modular Refineries.

· The first of the dozen A-29 Super Tucano light attack, combat and reconnaissance aircraft ordered by Nigeria in a government-to-government deal with the United States successfully completed its inaugural flight at the production facility. The full fleet is scheduled for delivery in 2021.

· President Buhari approved the establishment of a 75 billion Naira Nigerian Youth Investment Fund (NYIF), to provide 5%-interest business loans to Nigerians aged between 18 and 35. Details here

· The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) launched a 50 billion Naira Household and SME support facility, to cushion the effect of the Coronavirus pandemic. As at July 2020, N49.195 billion has been disbursed, to over 92,000 beneficiaries.

· Applications opened (and have now closed) for a new Batch of beneficiaries for the N-Power Jobs Scheme, a component of the National Social Investment Programme, overseen by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development. More than 5 million young Nigerians applied for the 400,000 places to be filled.

· The Federal Government approved a new Policy for the promotion of local production of Bitumen and other construction materials In Nigeria.

· President Buhari gives presidential assent to a landmark Bill amending the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA).

Biafra: Nnamdi Kanu Bombs Obasanjo, Tinubu Over Buhari’s Govt

The leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has berated Olusegun Obasanjoand Bola Tinubufor aiding the emergence of Muhammadu Buharias Nigeria’s President.

Naija Newsreports that Obasanjo is a former President of Nigeria while Tinubu is the current National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nigeria’s ruling party on the platform Buhari contested the Presidency in  2015 and 2019.

The IPOB leader berated Obasanjo and Tinubu for helping Buhari into the office while quoting the headline: “Tinubu Was Right For Calling Buhari A Tribalist, Religious Fanatic, Says Obasanjo” in a post on the micro-blogging site, Twitter on Friday, August 21

This online news recalls that former President Obasanjo had said last year January that Tinubu, a former Governor of Lagos state, was right to call President Buhari an ethnic bigot and religious fanatic in 2007.

Tinubu had while campaigning for Atiku Abubakar, the then-candidate of the Action Congress, in 2007, described Buhari of the All Nigeria Peoples Party as an ethnic bigot. Like Tinubu, Lai Mohammed, who is now the Minister of Information under Buhari’s administration, was part of Atiku’s campaign team at the time and had lampooned Buhari for saying the late military dictator, General Sani Abacha, did not steal.

In a statement on Sunday, January 21, former Obasanjo made reference to Tinubu’s scathing attack on Buhari, saying: “Bola Tinubu’s statement about Muhammadu Buhari in 2003 (2007) is fairly prophetic, ‘Muhammadu Buhari is an agent of destabilisation, ethnic bigot and religious fanatic who, if given the chance, would ensure the disintegration of the country. His ethnocentrism would jeopardise Nigeria’s national unity.”

Reacting to Tinubu’s attack on Buhari and Obasanjo’s affirmation in a tweet on the micro-blogging site, Twitter, Kanu wondered why Obasanjo and Tinubu “twice led the South West into an electoral alliance” with Buhari whom he  described as a “notorious Islamic extremist.”

The IPOB leader tweeted: “As Obasanjo affirms Tinubu’s description of @MBuhari as an “Islamic fanatic”, one wonders why these people twice led the SW into an electoral alliance with a notorious #Islamic extremist.”

NEWS

Presidential Panel Asks Buhari To Sack Magu, Appoint New EFCC Boss

President Muhammadu Buharihas been asked to sack and prosecute the suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, for corruption and abuse of office.

According to The Cable, the Justice Ayo Salami-led presidential panel made the recommendation to President Buhari in its interim report submitted on Wednesday.

The panel accusedIbrahim Magu of violating the code of conduct law by allegedly failing to declare his assets when he assumed office in 2015. The Ayo Salami panel asked Buhari to appoint a new chairman for the EFCC “without further delay”.

Recall that Buhari had suspended Magu and appointed Mohammed Umarin an acting capacity.

The suspended EFCC chairman probe began after Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation, submitted a memo to Buhari, accusing Magu of “grave malfeasance”.The embattled police chief was alleged to have mishandled the recovered loot and sold seized assets to his associates.

Ibrahim Magu was also alleged to have purchased a property in Dubai, United Arab Emirates using a pastor as a conduit.

The suspended EFCC chairman has since denied all the allegations which he described as “nonsense”.

He had accused the Ayo Salami-led panel of being biased, questioning the characters of the witnesses that have appeared to testify against him.

Meanwhile, Magu in a letter asked the Justice Ayo Salami-led panel to provide copies of documentstendered against him by those who have appeared before the commission.

Magu’s counsel Wahab Shittu, in a four-page letter dated August 20, 2020, and addressed to the Chairman of the commission, demanded that he be given the necessary documents by the commission to be able to defend his client.

Ibrahim Magu referred to Section 36 (6) (A) of the 1999 constitution which requires that anyone charged with criminal offenses be provided with adequate information to enable them to prepare for their defence.

• Private Jet Crashes At Lagos Airport

An aircraft belonging to Jedidiah Air on Friday crashed into a fence at General Aviation Terminal (GAT), local wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos.

It was gathered that the jet, a propeller aircraft, crashed into the fence when it was reparking at the tarmac close to a facility used by Bristow Helicopters.

An eyewitness disclosed that the accident occured due to brake failure.

The accident happened around 10:00am at a tarmac beside Bristow Helicopter Hanger 3. The jet had no passenger on board with the pilot suffering no injury.

“The brake of the jet was not functioning which led to the collision of the jet with the fence of Bristow Helicopter hanger,”the eyewitness told The Nation.

understands that the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) officials visited the scene of the accident.