Nation
THE STATES
Bauchi
The Federal Government says education is the most potent tool for social change.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Dr Macjohn Nwaobiala, made the declaration in Bauchi at the opening of the plenary session of the Joint Consultative Committee on Education.
Nwaobiala said that education was the most potent means of precipitating societal change.
He described the theme of the meeting, “strengthening the institutional management of education for quality service delivery”, as apt because the country was striving to achieve its goals of providing qualitative education.
FCT
The police have arraigned an Abuja-based businessman, Shaibu Usman, before a Karu Upper Area Court, Abuja, for allegedly hitting and removing Kasimu Umar’s teeth.
Police prosecutor Silas Nanpan told the court that Usman allegedly assaulted Umar of Nyanya, Panteka, Abuja, on July 23, 2012
Nanpan said that Usman attacked Umar in his shop in Nyanya.
“Umar was attending to a customer in his shop when Usman came out from nowhere and hit him on his mouth and in the process, removed his two front teeth.
Kano
The Kano State Police Command has confirmed the killing of a pedestrian by gunmen at Na’ibawa area of Kano last Monday.
The command’s spokesman, ASP Magaji Majiya, confirmed the incidence to newsmen, saying that it took place around 8.00 p.m.
According to him, some gunmen attacked a pharmaceutical shop at Na’iabawa and a passerby was shot dead while one was injured and taken to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital.
He, however, said that investigations had since begun and tight security had been enforced in the affected area with restricted movement of people.
Kogi
Kogi State Deputy Governor Mr Yomi Awoniyi, has said that the state is ready to cooperate with the police to sustain the prevailing peace and security in the area.
This is contained in a statement issued by Awoniyi’s Press Secretary, Mr Michael Abu, in Lokoja.
The statement said the deputy governor made the remark when he received Mr Hilary Opara, the new Commissioner of Police posted to the state.
The deputy governor lauded the role played by the Nigeria Police in the maintenance and sustenance of peace and security in the state.
Kwara
The University of Ilorin Librarian, Dr Joseph Omoniyi, has identified laziness among students as one of the factors responsible for the poor reading culture in the society.
Omoniyi was speaking in an interview with newsmen in Ilorin.
He said the problem of poor reading culture was a systemic problem that required a systemic approach to address.
According to him, the western society is a literate one, but that the African society is still predominantly oral where most people spread information through the word of mouth rather than through writing.
Lagos
The spokesman for Lagos State Land Bureau, Mr Adebisi Moshod, has appealed to those seeking Certificates of Occupancy (C of Os) to always approach the bureau with genuine documents.
Moshod told newsmen in Lagos recently that the bureau was not unduly delaying the issuance of C of O.
He alleged that many applicants presented fake documents and that some took long time to provide necessary credentials required by the state government.
According to Moshod, the issuance of C of O generally does not take long when genuine documents are presented.
Nasarawa
The Nasarawa State Government has called on English Language teachers to address the challenge of mass failure in the subject in the secondary schools across the state.
The Permanent Secretary, Nasarawa State Ministry of Education, Hajiya Zainab Abdulmumuni, made the call in Keffi at a workshop organised for English language teachers in the state.
While lamenting the mass failure of students in English Language examinations in the state, she attributed the failure to the attitude of some teachers handling the subject.
According to her, there is need for English Language teachers to realise that English being the country’s official language must be taught with every sense of responsibility.
Ogun
A total of 30,000 jobs have been created in Ogun through the FADAMA III Agricultural Project, Dr Seemthamby Manoharan, the Head of the World Bank/ Federal Government Supervision team, has said.
Manoharan, who announced this when he led a delegation of the team to the state, said the project had recorded a huge success in many states of the country, including Ogun.
He said that this had enhanced favourable consideration of the Federal Government’s request for additional funding of the project by the bank.
Manoharan, however, appealed to defaulting states to pay their counterpart funding, saying that failure to do so could hinder the full realisation of the objectives of the project.
Oyo
A 28-year-old man, Ifeanyi Ogbonna, was last Tuesday arraigned before an Ibadan Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing the sum of N116,000.
The Prosecutor, Mr Ade Adebusuyi, told the court that the defendant, being a staff of Collins Group Limited, Mokola area, Ibadan, allegedly failed to remit the money for the sales of Agricultural chemicals to the company.
Adebusuyi said the money belonged to one Vincent Okonli, and that the incident happened on December 24, 2012, at about 2:00 pm.
Osun
Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, says he would create an enabling environment for peace, unity and harmonious co-existence among all religious faithful.
Aregbesola made the statement recently in Osogbo at a thanksgiving service to mark the completion of the 2012 pilgrimage to Israel..
The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori, urged the people to always appreciate God in any circumstances. they might find themselves.
He lauded the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Nigeria Inter-Religion Council (NIREC) for sustaining peace in the state.
Plateau
Consumers of locally brewed alcohol popularly known as “burukutu’’, risk cancer, hepatitis and others, diseases, Dr. Fabong Yildam, a doctor of family medicine, has said.
Yildam, who works with the Plateau Specialist Hospital, Jos, told newsmen, that the local brew “predisposes one to malnutrition, alcohol-induced hepatitis and various types of cancer’’.
“That local brew inhibits the breakdown of nutrients into usable molecules by decreasing secretion of digestive enzymes from the pancreas.
“It impairs nutrient absorption by damaging the cells lining the stomach and intestines and disabling transport of some nutrients into the blood.
Sokoto
Mixed reactions in Sokoto State have trailed the recent merger of the major opposition parties in Nigeria which led to the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Former Governor of Sokoto State , Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa told newsmen in Sokoto recently I am a member of the merger talks representing my party, ANPP and I support the merger .
“ The merger is not the problem but those who are trying to run the new mega party may be the problem
‘’ For the mega party to succeed, we must all set aside our selfish interests and save the Nigerian masses ,’’ he added .
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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