Nation
THE STATES
Adamawa
The Adamawa State Government has revived moribund Women Training Centres in local government areas of the state to enable more women benefit from the newly introduced Local Apprenticeship Scheme (LAS) programme.
The Project Manager of LAS, Alhaji Sani Jada, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Yola.
Jada said that training centres had been resuscitated in Gombi, Song, Numan, Mayo-Belwa, Fufore and Yola South Local Government Area where 1,626 women were enrolled for various skills and petty business training.
He said that another set of 318 women were attached to Master Trainers across the state while 200 others were enrolled in Hajiya Zainab Nyako’s Women Education and Empowerment Initiative (WEEIN) centre in Yola.
Borno
Alhaji Inuwa Kubo, the Borno State Commissionr for Education, said on Sunday that the State Government has increased the monthly feeding budget of students of post primary schools from N20 million to N30 million.
Kubo, who stated this during an interview session with Principals of Secondary Schools in Maiduguri, explained that the move was to improve the quality of food and education of the students.
He advised the principals to make sure that the money was judiciously spent by setting up Committee of Parent Teacher Association (PTA) to monitor quality of food in schools across the state.
He said the present administration of Governor Kashim Shettima has completed every arrangement to pay WAEC registration for the students.
FCT
Mrs Iniobong Usoro, President of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), has called on the Federal Government to take urgent steps to stamp out quackery in the engineering profession.
She made the call on Saturday in Abuja at the Annual General Meeting of the association with theme: “ Women Engineering Career : The Female Case’’.
She told government to introduce measures that would encourage competition and growth in the building industry, saying that the association’s meeting would focus on the challenges faced by engineering professionals and how to tackle the problems.
Highlights of the meeting include the donation of N100,000 to Miss Adedoyi Funmilola of the Federal University of Technology Akure, the best graduating female engineering student who scored a cumulative grade point of 4.62
Gombe
Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State has condoled with the government and people of Gombe State over the accident that occurred recently in the state which led to loss of lives and property.
During a visit to Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo in Gombe recently Yuguda expressed sympathy to the families and friends of the victims of the accident.
“I am here on behalf of myself and the people of Bauchi State to sympathise with the government and people of Gombe State over the accident which occurred whereby a trailer lost control and affected quite a lot of people.
Dankwambo thanked Yuguda and the people of Bauchi State for their concern and prayed God to accept the condolence.
Dankwambo said Gombe and Bauchi were still one and that whatever affected one state affected the other.
Jigawa
Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State has urged State Assembly Speakers in the North to restore the “lost values and culture” of the region.
Lamido, who gave the charge on Saturday at the 21st meeting of the Northern Speakers Forum in Dutse, said the people of the region were known as united souls, irrespective of their tribal or religious affinities.
“It is unfortunate that all these values have been lost because of political differences and other selfish interests that have bedevilled the region.”
Lamido, therefore, urged the forum to focus its deliberations toward bringing unity and mutual co-existence among the different ethnic groups in the region and the nation in general.
Kano
Mr Isa Tijjani, a former National Vice President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, has cautioned the Federal Government against withdrawing subsidy from petrol.
Speaking to newsmen in Kano recently, Tijjani said the decision would aggravate the current economic hardships in the country.
“Instead of withdrawing the subsidy, government should address the challenges facing the entire sector to reduce the cost of bridging and importation of the commodity,” he said.
According to him, the Federal Government should ensure total rehabilitation of the oil refineries, in addition to making all the petrol depots functional.
Katsina
The people of Mahuta in Kafur Local Government Area of Katsina State, have been urged to live in peace and engage in viable ventures capable of contributing to the development of the area and the nation at large.
Alhaji Bello Abdulkadir, the District Head of Mahuta, made the call in an interview with newsmen in Mahuta on Sunday.
He had just conferred Prof. Haruna Yusuf, a Mathematics lecturer at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, with the traditional title of “Dan-masanin Mahuta”.
Abdulkadir also challenged intellectuals in Nigeria and abroad to contribute their quota toward the development of their local communities.
He said that Yusuf was so honoured, being their first son to attain the highest academic status in the community.
Lagos
The PHCN Transmission Company of Nigeria has said that incessant erection of buildings and sand dredging activities under electricity transmission towers are the biggest threats to the operations of the company.
Mr Olushola Akinniranye, Executive Director, Transmission and Services Provider, said in an interview with newsmen on Saturday in Lagos, that a warning had become imperative because dredging of sand under transmission towers often exposed the towers to collapse.
Akinniranye warned sand dredging operators to stop their activities, stressing that it would cause the organisation more than 18 months to replace or repair any fallen part of the network across Nigeria.
Niger
The Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqa’atu Rufai, on Saturday in Minna, inaugurated a geosciences workstation worth N132 million, donated by Exxom Mobil Nigeria Ltd to the Federal University of Technology, Minna.
The minister said that the workstation, donated to the Department of Geosciences would strengthen the study of geosciences in the university.
She said that government was appreciative of the gesture by Exxom Mobile, urging companies and private individuals to emulate the good example of the company.
Oyo
Many prominent Nigerians on Friday in Ibadan gathered at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium to witness the burial service for Chief Kolapo Ishola, a former governor of Oyo State.
The service was jointly conducted by Archbishop Ola Makinde, the Prelate, Methodist Church of Nigeria, and Rev. Francis Wale Oke, the Bishop of the Sword of the Spirit Ministry.
The deceased died at his Ikolaba, Ibadan, residence on
Aug. 9 at the age of 77.
Paying tributes, Chief Olagunsoye Oyinlola, the former governor of Osun State, described the deceased as a trustworthy politician, noting that he was a father to all.
Sokoto
Alhaji Muktari Mapia, the Deputy Treasurer of PDP in Sokoto State, on Friday called on Nigerians to support President Goodluck Jonathan’s plans to transform the country.
Mapia told newsmen in Sokoto that the President’s transformation agenda was one of the best things that had ever happened to Nigeria in recent times.
He, therefore, stressed the need for all the citizens to support the agenda, which was aimed at kick-starting the country’s socio-political and economic development in pragmatic terms.
Mapia said that for instance, the ongoing reconstruction of federal roads across the country would enhance the smooth movement of people, goods and services in the country.
“The priority attention, which the Federal Government is giving to education, health care delivery, poverty eradication and expansion of railway lines, as well as dredging of River Niger, is an indication that Jonathan will transform our country before leaving office in 2015.’’
“The proper funding of our nation’s security agencies will enable them to come out with effective security arrangements that will guarantee peace and enhance national development,’’ he said.
Taraba
At least 16 women from Taraba will not perform this year’s hajj to Saudi Arabia because they have failed the pre-hajj pregnancy screening.
The Executive Secretary of the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Hassan Bantaje, made the disclosure in an interview with newmen in Jalingo on Saturday.
He said the rules and regulations governing hajj, barred pregnant women from embarking on the pilgrimage because of “the rigorous nature of the exercise”.
Bantaje said the women defied the law and concealed their pregnancies in order to perform the pilgrimage but that the lenses of the medical doctors exposed them.
He said they would not be allowed to perform the hajj this year, explaining that measures were being taken to sanitise pilgrims.
Bantage disclosed that 1,983 pilgrims from the state would perform the hajj this year, 200 of whom he said, were government-sponsored.
Nation
SIM-NIN: Subscribers Kick Against Today’s Deadline, Demand Extension
The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers has requested that the Nigerian Communications Commission extend the deadline scheduled for the disconnection of telephone lines not linked to National Identification Numbers beyond Friday, March 29, 2024.
The subscribers’ body argued that telco agents were failing to capture all necessary information needed for verification, just as it also cited difficulties in uploading the captured data on the National Identity Management Commission’s server.
The President of NATCOMS, Adeolu Ogunbanjo, told The Tide’s source last Wednesday that NCC needed to order telcos not to disconnect telephone lines, considering the ongoing difficulties faced by subscribers.
The telecom regulator had insisted that there would be no changes to the deadline for the next phase of disconnection
The disconnection process was rolled out in stages, with the second phase scheduled for March 29, 2024, following the initial phase that occurred on February 28, 2024.
The third phase is slated to commence on April 15, 2024, as previously announced.
Earlier, the Director of Public Publicity at the NCC, Reuben Mouka, told The PUNCH, “We issued a publication that you can refer to. We specified certain deadlines and stipulated that subscribers who do not comply with the directive would be barred. And that has not changed.”
The National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers has requested that the Nigerian Communications Commission extend the deadline scheduled for the disconnection of telephone lines not linked to National Identification Numbers beyond Friday, March 29, 2024.
The subscribers’ body argued that telco agents were failing to capture all necessary information needed for verification, just as it also cited difficulties in uploading the captured data on the National Identity Management Commission’s server.
The President of NATCOMS, Adeolu Ogunbanjo, told the source on Wednesday that the NCC needed to order telcos not to disconnect telephone lines, considering the ongoing difficulties faced by subscribers.
The telecom regulator had insisted that there would be no changes to the deadline for the next phase of disconnection
The disconnection process was rolled out in stages, with the second phase scheduled for March 29, 2024, following the initial phase that occurred on February 28, 2024.
The third phase is slated to commence on April 15, 2024, as previously announced.
Earlier, the Director of Public Publicity at the NCC, Reuben Mouka, told the source, “We issued a publication that you can refer to. We specified certain deadlines and stipulated that subscribers who do not comply with the directive would be barred. And that has not changed.”
At the last deadline on February 28, 2024, about 40 million lines that were not linked to NIN were barred.
The NATCOM president said before the first deadline, subscribers had appealed to the NCC for a one-month extension.
However, the NCC explained that there was no issue as the process was designed to occur in phases.
According to the president, the Operator’s Consumer Centre stands as the primary location for consumers to complete their registration fully, with data provided there being verifiable.
However, the president noted that telecom agents were bypassing crucial information during the registration process, resulting in incomplete registrations of subscribers.
“For example, during interactions with telecom representatives, some agents fail to collect all required the information from subscribers.
“If a subscriber cannot provide certain details, agents often leave the registration incomplete. Consequently, these incomplete registrations are deemed unverifiable,” he said.
Further, Ogunbanjo noted that NIMC also shares responsibility in this process.
He said the challenges often arise when telecom companies attempt to upload collected data on NIMC’s server, owing to network issues.
“These network difficulties, beyond the control of subscribers, hinder the timely completion of the registration process,” he said.
“NIMC’s inadequate network infrastructure exacerbates the problem. While they intend to accept data uploads, technical issues prevent them from doing so effectively.
“We urge the NCC to address NIMC’s shortcomings, improve their services, and acknowledge that meeting the deadline will be challenging given the current issues,” the president added.
NIMC is a statutory Nigerian organisation that operates the country’s national identity management systems.
NIMC’s enrollment figures as of December 31, 2023, stand at over 104.16 million unique records.
About 530,345 Nigerians in Diaspora have gotten NINs. 59.12 million male and 45.04 million female Nigerians have NINs.
When The PUNCH reached out to NIMC for comments on technical glitches, the Head of Corporate Communications, Kayode Adegoke, clarifies that the commission’s server has consistently remained operational, debunking reports suggesting otherwise.
He emphasizes that the NIMC’s services are fully functional and accessible to all users
“Our server has never been down. You can go to the various NIN centres and confirm.
Adegoke further explained the process for subscribers to link their NIN to their SIM cards,
“These individuals only need to submit their NIN and complete the verification process through their respective telcos providers.
He encouraged those who have not yet obtained their NIN to visit any NIMC centre for enrollment.
Adegoke assured Nigerians that upon enrollment, individuals can expect their NIN to be available within three hours.
However, for those requiring corrections, such as rectifying date of birth errors, the process may take up to 72 hours.
Last week, the National Identity Management Commission and the NCC issued a joint statement unveiling a strategic partnership aimed at simplifying the NIN-SIM linkage procedures for telecommunications subscribers nationwide.
Both agencies reaffirmed their dedication to enhancing the processes involved and improving efficiency regarding the NIN and SIM card linkage initiative.
They acknowledge the importance of this initiative in bolstering security measures and enhancing service delivery across the country.
The SIM-NIN linkage initiative is a crucial step towards improving the integrity of subscriber data and enhancing security measures within the telecommunications industry.
The NIN-SIM linkage policy was initially introduced by the Nigerian government in December 2020. This directive requires all telephone line users in Nigeria to associate their SIM cards with their NIN.
In December of the previous year, the NCC issued a directive stipulating that all telecommunications operators in Nigeria, including major providers like MTN, Airtel, and Globacom, among others, must enforce complete network barring on all phone lines for which subscribers have not provided their NINs by February 28, 2024.
Barely two weeks ago, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project issued a warning to take legal action against the NCC if it does not revoke the directive instructing network providers to block the phone lines of individuals who have not linked their SIM cards to their NINs.
Nation
Reps Query N15bn Payment To Remita
The House of Representatives’ Public Accounts Committee has queried the N15billion payment made to Remita from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation for two years.
This is just as the committee accused the Central Bank of Nigeria and commercial banks of complicity in the sharing of the N15billion remittance.
The committee’s Chairman, Bamidele Salam, made the allegation at the resumed investigative hearing on revenue leakages in Abuja yesterday.
Remita is a payment solution that helps individuals and businesses make and receive payments, pay bills, and manage their finances.
The round table: Delta Bloodbath: Senate Meets Service Chiefs As Troops Comb Creeks.
Salam said that the Remita payment from the OAGF from 2016 to 2018 was questionable, adding that the OAGF paid the money without agreement or contract.
“The money is an illegal payment. There was no budget provision. So, where did they source the money from?” the chairman queried.
“If someone pays N150,000 as a Remita, you will pay 7.5 per cent Value-Added Tax in addition to it.
Salam said that the Remita payment from the OAGF from 2016 to 2018 was questionable, adding that the OAGF paid the money without agreement or contract.
“Ordinarily, that whole sum of VAT ought to go to the Federal Inland Revenue Service, but what they are doing in this transaction is that they will now add that VAT to the N150.000.
“They will add it up, gather the money together, and take it to the CBN,” he claimed.
He said, “System Spec and Remitta, both collecting revenue for the Federal Government, will share 50 per cent, while the banks and the CBN will also have their share.”
He said that by the time the committee finished its reconciliation, “I am very sure that hundreds of billions of naira will be the VAT component that was not remitted to FIRS.”
Salam stated that each bank ought to take the money and directly remit it to FIRS.
“Now, Remita is saying that each of those collecting the money will come and calculate the money that has been shared into shreds. Now, how do we track this kind of money? “he asked.
The Director, Banking Services, CBN, Mr.Ahmed Abdullahi, said it was necessary to source for an alternative way of remitting revenue, adding that Remita and System Spec were selected because they had been rendering similar services to banks.
The Chief Accountant, Treasury Single Account Department, Oyewole Adewale, representing the Accountant-General of the Federation, accused the CBN of not honouring its letters to reconcile the revenue accrued to the country through the Treasury Single Account.
He noted that the OAGF had developed a system where all revenue generated by the Ministries of Departments and Agencies of Government could now be monitored with little or no interference.
The Director, Remita Payment Services Ltd, Aderemi Atanda, while reading the summary of the TSA collection record, maintained that 10, 20, and 50 per cent were shared among CBN, commercial banks, and Remitta respectively.
Collections, he noted, often vary, saying, “In 2015.
Nation
Nigeria Needs Community-Driven Police, Not State Police -Shekarau
Former Governor of Kano State, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, has said that the country needs to adopt community-driven police rather than establish state police.
Shekarau noted that it would be more effective in addressing the current security challenges in the country.
The former minister of education spoke in Akure at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA) during the launch of a book titled ‘The Psychology of Growing Old: A Personal Experience for both Young and Old,’ written by Sehinde Arogbafa.
Shekarau argued that community police would be better controlled than state police as well as devoid of political and religious leaders’ influence.
He the involvement of communities in state policing would enhance trust, cooperation, and collaboration between the police and the citizens.
Shekarau argued that community police would be better controlled than state police as well as devoid of political and religious leaders’ influence.
He the involvement of communities in state policing would enhance trust, cooperation, and collaboration between the police and the citizens.
“I’ve been an advocate of community policing. It is different from what is being paraded as state police. Community policing means community watch.
“There is hardly any community in Nigeria that does not have what we call the vigilante group. All we need to do is the government should organise them, the government should own is up, and the government should promulgate a law.
“If I may give you an example of Kano, I’m sure you must have had experience with the Hisbah Guards; that is community watch. We set up a committee of 12 elders in every ward to do the selection of 20 responsible and respected young men for the Hisbah Guards. And we recruited them and mandated that the local government take charge of them. We’re paying them allowances. And they know everybody in the community.
“Within one to two years in Kano State, ask anybody; we don’t have any vices, no drugs, nothing in all the communities because that is community watch.
“We have over 10,000 Hisbah Guards in Kano; I did not nominate a single one; not a single party leader nominated one. It was all the elders in the community. The government created a law; we didn’t leave it in a vacuum. The number one assignment of the Hisbah Guards was to support and complement the work of all the Nigerian armed forces and the police. And they were working with them peacefully.
“Ask anybody in Kano today, and they will tell you that people prefer to report their cases to the Hisbah Guards office rather than even the police stations or even going to court. What we need in Nigeria is community watch, not just when you ask a state to create 2000 to 3000 state police bombarded by party thugs, and you will find out that you are going back to the same intimidation. There will be abuses by political leaders.
“But if you allow the communities to select with the backing of the government, the government will pay them all their allowances, provide vehicles for them, and support them, and there is a chain of command from the state to the local governments, to the wards, and even to the villages.
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