I Remain Devoted to a Better Nigeria anchored on Youth Development: Peter Obi says

The Presidential Candidate of the Labor Party, LP, Mr. Peter Obi, has reiterated his commitment to assembling a productive nation anchored on youths’ development, saying that their youthful energy, skills and potentials were critical ingredients needed to maneuver the state from consumption to production.

Obi revealed this steadfast commitment in his International Youth Day Message.

He stated that the dream of rescuing the country from leadership failure won't come to fruition without the assistance of the youths whose future, he said, was being damaged by bad governance within the country.

“Everywhere you get in the globe, the youths have always championed paradigm shifts in society. The political awakening you notice among Nigerian youths today signifies the hunger and desire in them for an improved nation that represents their interests,” Obi said.

He lamented the myriad challenges facing Nigerian youths, as exemplified by a high rate of youth unemployment; little or no access to funding for little businesses; lack of excellent education, as witnessed by the incessant industrial actions that have enveloped Nigeria’s public universities, among others, as factors militating against the success of the youths.

He argued that such neglect of youth development is currently contributing to the nation’s woes by way of rising insecurity and violence, a really unproductive workforce and an unmatched level of abuse, which is currently prevalent within the country.

Obi expressed hope within the new Nigeria, where people’s talents and skills will match their opportunities in life.

“I have always maintained that the society we abuse today will take its revenge on us tomorrow. One cannot expect peace and progress during a nation where over 1/2 the massive youth population don't know where their next meal will come from. Our students are reception for over five months because of Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, strike.

That is not the sort of future we would like to create for our youngsters,” Obi submitted.

He urged the govt. to create a nation that inspires hope in its citizens, especially the youths. He maintained that if the govt. continues to pay a deaf ear to the yearnings of its youthful population, Nigeria will still foot-drag its thanks to growth and development.

While wishing Nigerian youths well on the occasion of their International Youth Day Celebration, Obi encouraged them to stay of excellent character and conduct, while contributing their quota to the expansion of the country.

International Youth Day is well known globally on August 12 each year.

Also yesterday, the previous national chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Okwesilieze Nwodo, has said that the Labor, LP, presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has an infinite capacity to guide Nigeria as its President.

He said that this wave of support across the six geo-political zones of the country in favour of the LP candidate could be a demonstration that Nigerians believe his ability to show the country around permanently.

While bemoaning the worsening insecurity within the country, he said that the centralized isn't sincere in its fight against insurgency and banditry, adding that Nigerian security agencies have the time to secure the country if the leaders show sincere commitment in their fight against insecurity.

Nwodo, who was a former governor of Enugu State also expressed optimism that the 2023 general elections would hold but challenged the centralized to point out sincere efforts in securing the lives and properties of Nigerians.

MONTHLY ENVIRONMENTAL SANITATION HOLDS ON SATURDAY 30th July, 2016

The Lagos State Government has declared that the July 2016 Environmental Sanitation Exercise will still be dedicated to cleaning of drains and canals across the state, to allow for free flow of water as the raining reason near its peak.

The Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare, in a press statement, reinstated that the Sanitation Exercise will be observed state-wide between the usual hours of 7:00am-10.00am on Saturday 30th July, 2016, during which, as usual, there will be restriction of human and vehicular movement across the State.

Dr. Adejare implored Lagosians to come out en-masse on Saturday July 30th, 2016 to clean and clear the drains in their neighbourhood so as to continually prevent flooding in the State. He warned that the period of environmental sanitation should not be used for any social engagement or sporting activities, but for serious cleaning and sanitation exercises. 

According to him, “As we are all aware, Lagos is a Coastal City that has high water table levels and prone to flash-floods whenever it rains. We must therefore imbibe habits which will reduce to the barest minimum the incidence of flooding in the State”.

He said that the target of the state this year is to sustain past record of flood abatement, thus making it possible for the State not to experience flooding as in the past years, adding that, “this can only be achieved through effective collaboration of the people.” The Commissioner advised residents of the State to desist from dumping waste arbitrarily into the drainage channels and canals in order to maintain a flood-free Lagos.

He also warned residents who still patronize cart pushers to desist from the illegal act as it is still an offence. He advised them to dispose their waste through LAWMA/PSP Operators. He urged the entire residents, to ensure that their environment is kept clean at all times and free from storm water stagnation, which could also be a breeding ground for mosquitoes and other health hazards.

He therefore, warned inter-state Bus and Luxurious Bus Operators, Transport Owners and Road Transport Workers to comply with the restriction order on human and vehicular movement between 7.00am-10.00am, stating that anyone caught violating this order will be apprehended and prosecuted, while passengers in such vehicles will also be prosecuted according to the State’s Environmental Sanitation Laws. Adejare further assured that Law Enforcement Agencies, including Nigeria Police and officials from LAWMA, LASTMA and KAI have been fully mobilized to enforce the restriction of movement order adding that offenders will be prosecuted according to the State Sanitation Laws. The Commissioner assured the people of Lagos of the commitment and determination of the State Government to attain a sustainable, safe and clean environment. 

He therefore urged Lagosians to support Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s vision of a cleaner and healthier Lagos by abstaining from bad environmental practices such as open defecation and urination, littering of the highways and roads.

Tunde Awobiyi
Ministry of the Environment.

Aggrieved Woman Sues Husband To Court For Gross Unfaithfulness and Drunkenness in Lagos

Mrs Cecilia Ajayi, 42, on Thursday pleaded with an Igando Customary Court in Lagos State to dissolve her 20 years’ marriage with her husband, John Ajayi, aged 46.

Cecilia, the petitioner, accused Ajayi, the defendant, of being a womanizer. "My husband is a womaniser, he is dating four girls in our street and brings them into our matrimonial home. "On many occasions, he and his lovers had beaten me up whenever I prevented them from entering our room.

"He was not satisfied with his lovers, as he severally made attempts to rape my younger sister,’’ the wife told the court on Thursday. She also accused John whom she bore three children of being a consumer of excessive alcohol. Cecilia said, ``John is a drunk. After drinking to stupor, he will be falling inside gutter, talking in an incoherent manner."

She also claimed that her husband sent her packing because she was not educated, saying, `` he can no longer cope with illiterate." The wife said that John refused to leave his family house since they got married in 1996. On three occasions, I was attacked by John’s family members over inheritance, she said. "My husband's family wanted to kill me; they said that I was the one preventing my husband from sharing his late father's property. "John always said that he could not relocate from his family house," Cecilia said.

She urged the court to end the marriage, saying that she was no longer interested in the affair because her life was no longer safe. The petitioner, John Ajayi (46) , however, denied the allegations, saying that his wife ran away with a man because he lost his job and no longer financially buoyant. "Things were moving on fine until I lost my job and her behaviour changed, she packed out to live with another man.

"She even gave birth to her new lover two months ago,’’ the author said. The respondent said that he could not leave his family house because he was the only son in the family. John, therefore, begged the court not to grant his wife's wish adding that he was still in love with her.

The President of the court, Mr Adegboyega Omilola, after listening to the couple, adjourned the case to Sept. 27, his for judgment.

Lagos Cobbler/Shoemaker Bailed With N100,000 For Being Accused Of Stealing Generator

A-39-year-old cobbler, Lukmon Animashaun, who allegedly stole his neighbour’s generator, valued at N45,000 was on Thursday in Lagos granted a N100, 000 bail.


An Ikeja Magistrates' Court while giving the bail also ordered Animashaun to produce two sureties in like sum as part of the bail conditions. The magistrate, Mr J.A. Adegun, said the sureties must show evidence of tax payment to the Lagos State Government (LASG).

The magistrate then adjourned the case to August 2 for mention The accused, who resides in Agbe Road, Abule Egba, a Lagos suburb, is facing a charge of stealing. Earlier, the prosecutor, Sgt. Babaji Ishaku, had told the court that the accused committed the offence on July 3 at his residence. He alleged that the accused had threatened to deal with the complainant due to a misunderstanding they had.

The prosecutor said the offence contravened Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Blogger, Linda Ikeji Report Singer Wizkid to Police After Controversial Statement

Popular Nigerian blogger Linda Ikeji has reported musician Wiz Kid to the Lagos police commissioner. This comes after the Ojuelegba hit artiste wrote in a post on social media, “If I ever see you, I’ll get my 16 year old cousin to beat the sh** out of you”.

The controversial statement by Wiz Kid came at a time when the pair was on an all-out social media war. The beef started when Linda wrote an article stating that Wiz Kid couldn’t afford the rent in his Lagos mansion hence, he had been served with an eviction notice. Speaking to Net Exclusive, a source stated: “He (Wiz Kid) was instructed to show up today but he did not”.

According to Nigeria’s criminal code, “Any person who, knowing the contents thereof directly or indirectly causes any person to receive any writing threatening to kill any person is guilty of a felony, and is liable to imprisonment for 7 years”.

 Source: SDE

Fraud: EFCC Opens Case Against Atuche Oct 28 Concerning N125bn

A Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed October 28, 2015, for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to open its case against a former Managing Director of the defunct Bank PHB, Francis Atuche, charged with N125bn fraud. Atuche, who was on June 22, 2015, freed by a Lagos State High Court of alleged N25.7bn theft charges by the EFCC, is currently facing an amended 45-count before Justice Saliu Saidu of the Federal High Court.

Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja, while freeing Atuche, his wife, Elizabeth, and a former Chief Financial Officer of Bank PHB, Ugo Anyanwu, faulted the EFCC for charging them before the state high court rather than the Federal High Court. Standing trial alongside Atuche before the Federal High Court in Lagos is a former Managing Director of the defunct Spring Bank Plc, Charles Ojo. The EFCC accused both Atuche and Ojo of conspiracy, reckless granting and approval of loans and money laundering. ADVERTISEMENT The duo were said to have allegedly committed general banking fraud and granted credit facilities without following due process at the time they were the bosses of the defunct banks.


They were also accused of manipulating shares. The EFCC accused them of conspiring to and indeed acquiring shares of Keystone Bank Plc using depositors’ funds.

The anti-graft agency specifically accused Atuche of acquiring N3.5bn shares of Bank PHB, using proceeds of unlawful loans granted to Tradjek Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of Futureview Financial Services Ltd. The offences, according to the EFCC, were allegedly committed between September 2006 and year 2009. The EFCC’s prosecutor, Mr. Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), said Atuche and Ojo’s acts constituted a contravention of Section 7(1)(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act.

The men were also charged for violating Section 14(1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, as well as Section 516 of the Criminal Code Act Cap 38, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. But they had pleaded not guilty to the charges and are currently on bail in the sum of N50m each with two sureties in like sum. At the Tuesday proceedings, Pinheiro sought for a date for the prosecution to open its trial.

 The defence counsel, Osahon Idemudia, in response, however, raised no objection to the prayer for trial to commence. Saidu subsequently adjourned till October 28 and 29 for the prosecution to open its case.

SOURCE : PUNCH NEWS 

Citizens of Ekiti Scared Over Impeachment of Fayose

    There is a chaos over the impeachment of Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti. Members of Ekiti state have risen to update the media over the current incident.

 

Some say there have been peace in the state before the rise of the chaos. Some plead for the case to die downn, while some members of the state might have died due to the current chaos. What is your take on this?

Lawrence Onoja, Others Divert to APC in Benue State

Why are politicians diverting from PDP to APC?

Is it that those corrupt ones try to hide under the integrity of Governor Fashola for making Lagos what it is? Or is that PDP doesn't give politicians the platform to do their best?
Is it the party that should make the country or the individual?
Please we need comments on these questions that seem rhetorical.

Boko Haram Takes Over Lassa LGA in Borno State

The Boko Haram sect Sunday night took over Lassa town in Askira/Uba local government council, Borno State, leaving many persons dead and many worship and residential houses burnt down.

The attack, according to reports from Lassa, was resisted by the villagers who engaged the attackers with locally made rifles, bows and arrows.

The insurgents who were said to have come with all sorts of modern weapons were said to have overpowered the locals after a brief exchange of fire. As it is now, Boko Haram is fully in charge in Lassa town and has declared the town a caliphate.

This is the first town in the Southern part of Borno that Boko Haram has taken over. Lassa is a predominantly Christian community.

SOURCE

Gov. Okorocha Says "Boko Haram Can Be Defeated in 2 Months"

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, has said that the menace of the dreaded Boko Haram sect could be stopped in two months, only if visionary and efficient leadership is encouraged at the highest level of power in Nigeria. Okorocha, stated this on Friday, during a dinner he organised for media executives and nominees from across the country, who were in Owerri for the Nigeria Media Merit Award 2014, noted that the problem had remained intractable because some people were benefiting from fighting the insurgents.However, he said no president of Nigeria had plans to fail in governance, noting that leaders of the country since independence never had bad intentions.

Chief Rochas blamed the mrnace on leaders’ inappropriate usage of both the human and material resources, which he said also, contributed to government’s inability to tackle insurgencies in the country. “No nation is poor in terms of human and material resources, the problem has always been about leadership,” he said.

Okorocha advocated a bottom-up approach to power, stating that this is what will reduce excessive power of the president which hinders power distribution among the federating units.“The president is too powerful while the masses continue to suffer. We need leaders who can give jobs to the people. Vision is very important to surmount most of the challenges facing the country, this is why my administration placed great premium on education by making it free from primary to university levels.”

He, however, said that decentralisation of power was germane to solving the challenges facing the country. The Imo governor, also challenged journalists to rise up to the challenges of their profession, admonished them to ask political leaders about their activities in government, noting that “the media profession has lost the culture of investigative journalism.” “I’ve always waited for an opportunity to confront journalists on their role in the leadership question and the need for the fourth estate of the realm to engender good governance by tasking would-be leaders on plans they have for Nigeria,” Okorocha said.

This guy get mouth!!!

Sun News

INEC Fails In The Distribution of PVC in Lagos, Tinubu.

National Leader of the All Progres­sives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu yester­day took the Indepen­dent National Electoral Commission to the cleaners, declaring that the electoral body failed in the distribution of the permanent voter’s cards (PVC) in Lagos State.

Asiwaju Tinubu spoke yesterday at a press confer­ence held by the Lagos State Chapter of the APC. In every one of the 11 lo­cal governments in the state where the first phase of the distribution of the PVC was monitored by key party of­ficials including the Lagos APC chairman, Otunba Henry Ajomale, Tinubu said the reports brought back were unanimous that INEC’s performance was abysmally poor.

He emphasized that the best thing for INEC to do was to start afresh, stat­ing that what has happened smack of a collusion to rig the election in favour of the government at the centre. His words: “This is a co­lossal failure and it has erod­ed my confidence in INEC to be able to midwife a success­ful 2015 election.”

On the reduction of the number of registered vot­ers in Lagos to 4.8, Tinubu challenged INEC to publish the names of the individu­als who engaged in double registration, stressing that the electoral body lacks the power to disqualify anybody on that basis given that it is not a court. “INEC must publish names of close to 2 million excluded voters, INEC is not the court of law. You cannot exclude Nigerians from ex­ercising their franchise.

You cannot automatically without the court of law disqualify them. If you fail to publish and give reason you are also violating their constitutional rights. “To me this exercise has failed and we reconsider it as a dry run, a rigging ex­ercise, INEC has colluded with the Presidency, they are closing party to rig the election from beginning to the end.

If for four years you are not ready with PVC and few months to election, PVC is not ready and you have not been able to start capturing those who are now18 years and you have 30 days minimum to display voters’ register before elec­tion, how are we sure INEC is prepared?”

Source: Sun News

South African Pastors Welcome T.B Joshua's Donation

According to a South African new source, Nigerian preacher TB Joshua's pledge to donate R50 000 to the families of the victims of his church's collapse is welcomed, the Mahikeng Ministers Fellowship (MMF) said on Saturday.

 

“Mahikeng Ministers Fellowship has welcomed the donation of over R4-million announced by the Synagogue Church of All Nations to assist families of victims of the church building collapse in Nigeria meet funeral expenses...,” chairman of MMF Zandisile Mpame said in a statement.

“The announcement of aid to the families that lost their loved ones during the tragic incident does not come as a surprise to those of us in the church who are familiar with Prophet TB Joshua's global humanitarian and philanthropic activities which have contributed over US200 million over the years towards various causes to alleviate the plight of those in need.”

On Friday Joshua's church released a statement saying a R50 000 donation would be paid towards funeral expenses of each family of the victims of the church building collapse.

The church's spokesman Kirsten Nematandani said they had done a full audit of each family's financial needs and assisted with various household expenses as many of the deceased were breadwinners. He said household expenses varied from rent money to school fees and groceries.

It is believed 85 people from South Africa were among those killed when a multi-storey guesthouse attached to the church, run by Joshua, collapsed in Lagos on September 12.

On Thursday, Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe announced that DNA samples of the 116 victims had arrived at a laboratory in South Africa for analysis.

The DNA process was in the hands of the Nigerian authorities, who had appointed a laboratory in Stellenbosch, Western Cape, to do the analysis.

Nematandani said the church had travelled to all provinces in the past few weeks to visit, counsel and assess families' financial needs and assist where possible.

What is your view on this?

 

Do You Think Churches and Other NGOs Should Be Taxed?

For some time now it has been all over the news, that churches and other NGOs should be taxed because of the rate of income these Non-Governmental Organisations make from their activities.

 

 

Some days back, it was on air and some Nigerians called to speak their minds on this issue. Some called to say that Churches, Mosques and other NGOs should be taxed because some of these organisations make hell of money from church offerings and donations, which are neither used to better the lives of members of the organisation nor the members of the society.

Some also called to say these NGOs should not be taxed, except in cases where these NGOs are engaged in extra activities such as running Educational Institutions, Cyber Cafe and other money making activities that that brings in extra income.

 

Others said that these institutions should be left alone and should not be judged by whether their leaders make money or not from their activities, it should be between them and their Creator.

Now as we all can see this case is a sensitive one which can hardly lead to a conclusion.

What is your own take concerning this issue of taxing these NGOs, Should they be taxed or not?

Let us hear the Voxpop!!!

NYSC Members to Get Increment in Allowances- House of Reps

The House of Representatives on Thursday in Abuja passed for second reading a bill seeking an improved welfare package for members of the National Youth Service Corps.

  

The bill seeks to amend the NYSC Act No 51 of 1993 by making provisions to enhance the welfare of corps members, encourage acquisition of special business and commercial skills at the end of the annual service year.


Moshood Mustapha (All Progressives Congress – Kwara), who sponsored the bill, expressed regrets over unemployment and poverty rate bedeviling the country.

He said the proposed amendment would encourage self-employment.

Section 7(3) of the proposed amendment seeks to increase state governments annual subvention from N500,000 to N50m, to enable NYSC to cater adequately for the welfare and skill acquisition needs of corps members.

It said such minimum subvention shall be provided before the commencement of the service year, for which it was intended. Section 18 (2) also seeks to increase minimum accommodation allowance from N250 per month to N5,000 while transport allowance might be increased from N150 per month to N5,000.

The sponsor added, “The bill seeks to amend the NYSC Decree 51 of 1993 to provide for the training of corps members to acquire skills and business. “It would enable them to seek other means of sustainable livelihood and fend for themselves other than the white collar jobs that are in acute shortage.” 

If you are a corps member or a potential corps member or you have someone who is serving or is about to serve, what is you take on this new changes?

Source
 

Power Surge Causes Fire Outbreak at Lagos International Airport

Fire on Thursday took over the second floor of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMA) terminal but was quickly put off before a major damage was done.

  

THISDAY gathered that the fire started in the commercial department of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) on the second floor of the terminal.

Passengers and other airport users at the departure hall started running helter-skelter when they saw smoke wafting from the floor above in the building but it was quickly put off.

THISDAY learnt the fire was ignited by power surge during a heavy but brief rainfall. The General Manager, Corporate Communications of FAAN, Yakubu Dati, explained: “There was a minor smoke incident at the departures hall of the international terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos at about 11:45 a.m. today."


“The smoke was quickly traced to the electric panel room on the second floor of the terminal by a combined team of FAAN’s electrical engineers and fire officers. “Preliminary investigation reveals that the incident was caused by a short circuit at the panel room which was quickly arrested by the engineers on duty. 

“The authority wish to assure the travelling public and other airport users that there was no immediate danger to anyone as a result of the incident neither did it affect flight operations at the terminal. 

“The authority has directed the Directorate of Engineering and Maintenance to commence immediate investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the said short-circuiting of the cables,” he said.

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