Nation
THE STATES
Benue
The Benue State Fire Service has said that it saved 1000 lives and goods worth five billion naira from 136 fire outbreaks in the state in 2016.
The Acting Chief, State Fire Service, Mr Andrew Omakpo disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Benue.
Omakpo, however, put the estimated property destroyed by fire during the period at N4million.
According to him 1,000 lives were saved from fire incidents while seven died in the period under review.
He explained that fire resulting from electrical faults were more prevailing, adding that other cases of fire affecting life and property were from bush burning, kerosene explosion and fire outbreak at fuel stations.
Omakpo appealed to members of the public to always place emergency calls in case of any fire outbreak for prompt response, rather than resorting to self help.
Borno
The Borno State Government has banned the sale of charcoal and firewood on major streets in the metropolis to prevent pollution in the city.
The Commissioner for Justice, Alhaji Kakashehu Lawan, disclosed this in a statement made available in Maiduguri.
Lawan said that sellers of the commodities were expected to relocate to a new market on Damboa Road designated for the sale of charcoal and firewood.
He said that the operation of charcoal and firewood sellers on major streets had constituted environmental hazard in the state.
Lawan gave a two-week notice to all sellers to either relocate to the market or face prosecution.
Kaduna
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has approved the appointment of Prof. Muhammad Tanko as the new Vice Chancellor of the Kaduna State University (KASU).
Information on the approval is in a statement by the Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr Samuel Aruwan, in Kaduna.
Aruwan stated that the approval followed recommendations by the Governing Council of the university.
He noted that Prof. Tanko was former Deputy Vice-Chancellor of KASU and holds a Ph.D in Accounting and Finance.
The new vice chancellor has teaching experience at undergraduate and graduate levels, with significant quality supervision and valuable inter-disciplinary collaboration, the special assistant added.
He stated that Tanko also had strong track record of research as evidenced by the quality of his papers in peer-reviewed journals.
Kano
A newly-formed Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) in Kano, ‘Kungiyar Hausawan Africa,’ has commenced recruitment of youth as volunteers in rendering voluntary services.
The President of the association, Dr Abdulkadir Koguna, made the disclosure while briefing newsmen on the genesis of the association in Kano.
Koguna said the youth were being recruited from all shades of opinion to be trained on the skills of rendering voluntary services in times of accidents and natural disasters.
He said the initiative was aimed at uniting the Hausa people both in Nigeria and in the diaspora with a view to achieving a common objective.
According to him, the existence of the Arewa Elders’ Forum was never meant to champion the cause of the Hausa people alone but the entire people of the northern part of the country.
Kogi
Prof. Gbenga Ibileye of the Federal University, Lokoja, has expressed “deep concern” over the worsening menace of ghost workers in the country, and recommended “strategic measures” toward tackling it.
Ibileye, in a paper presented at the 2nd Public Lecture of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPMN), held in Lokoja, suggested periodic surprise payroll audit as one measure to scare culprits that hurl in such ghost names.
Other measures, he said, included technological driven personnel sysem that would alert management of any addition to existing workers’ figure, as well as a centralised approval of all pay checques.
Kwara
Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State had launched a N41-million micro-credit loan scheme for the empowerment of women in the 16 local government areas that spread across the three senatorial districts in the state.
Ahmed said this while delivering his speech during the women empowerment programme in Ilorin.
He said that his administration was committed to supporting the course of the women folk in the state, and noted that women were critical to achieving the shared goal of prosperity.
The governor presented cheques for N20 million to the first set of beneficiaries, also promised that the remaining N21million would be disbursed in the next few weeks.
Nasarawa
Eighty-nine cultists from five tertiary institutions in Nasarawa State had denounced their membership.
National Coordinator of National Campus Cult Eradica
tion Foundation (CCEF), Samuel Ejembi, disclosed this to newsmen in Lafia.
According to him, the group which is a non-governmental organisation (NGO), is working in conjunction with the Nigeria Police Force to eradicate and rehabilitate cultism.
He said that the cultists were students from the Federal University, Lafia (FUL); Nasarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia (NSPL), College of Agriculture, Lafia (COAL), College of Education, Akwanga (COEA) and the Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), respectively.
He said that with the support of the Inspector General of Police (IG), the group recently denounced 53cultists from different cult groups across various tertiary institutions in Benue State.
Responding, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) in charge of Training, Sani Muhammed, said the leaders of the NGO were former cult-members who denounced their membership voluntarily.
Ondo
The amalgamated union of artisans in Ondo State has commended the outgoing administration of Governor Olusegun Mimiko for its adequate loan empowerment to the various artisan-groups in the state.
The union leadership, who spoke with newsmen in Akure, said that artisans and trade unions in the state accessed no less than N1billion as soft loans in the last eight years from the Mimiko-led administration.
The union comprises of Carpenter and Furniture Makers’ Progressive Union, Ondo State Artisan and Trader Union (OSATU) and Ondo State Association of Hairdressers and Cosmetologists.
Others are Nigerian Automobile Technicians Association (NATA) and Nigeria Union of Tailors (NUT).
Osun
Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, has charged young varsity graduates to shift attention from searching for white collar jobs and embrace agriculture as a means of self employment.
The governor gave this advice in a statement signed by his media aide, Semiu Okanlawon in Osogbo.
He said that the present economic situation had shown Nigerians the need to encourage farming as the only alternative to crude oil.
Aregbesola stated that graduates should stop searching for formal jobs that seemed not to be available any longer.
Oyo
The Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Mr Moses Adeyemo, has commended the military for efforts in restoring peace to the North-East and the entire country.
Adeyemo gave the commendation in Ibadan during the 2017 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration.
The deputy governor said the military needed to be celebrated because of their contributions to ensure peace and stability in the nation.
In his remarks, the Chairman, Nigeria Legion, Oyo State chapter, Mr Michael Olagunju, urged the Federal Government to make the welfare of the military at the war front a priority to serve as a morale booster.
Plateau
Pastor Paul Ojoh of Shepherd House International Assembly, Jos has said that good plans could only work with the right strategy.
“It is not enough to have a good plan; one must have the right strategy to pursue that plan to fruition,” Ojoh said in a sermon in Jos.
The cleric, in the sermon titled: “Strategy for another kind of them’’, said that plans must be well examined and thought out, pointing out that strategies for success must be anchored along spiritual and physical means.
The Pastor emphasised the need for spiritual principles which encompasses tithes and offerings, as well as obeying the law on the first fruits.
Sokoto
Worried by the plight of the families of Nigeria’s fallen heroes, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State has solicited more support for their children and wives.
Tambuwal, who spoke at an event to commemorate the 2017 Armed Forces Remembrance Day in Sokoto, said the children and wives of the fallen soldiers should be taken care of.
He commended the armed forces for their sacrifices in helping to secure and keep the nation.
He said:”One of the best ways to honour Nigeria’s fallen heroes is to take care of the loved ones they left behind.
Yobe
The Yobe Government has said that it would enhance the process of resettlement and rehabilitation of victims of insurgency in the state.
The Deputy Governor, Abubakar Aliyu, stated this while receiving four people suspected to be associated with Boko Haram, but were cleared and released by military authorities in Maiduguri.
Aliyu is also the chairman of the state’s Committee on Resettlement and Rehabilitation of Internally Displaced Persons.
He was represented by the Commissioner for Justice, Alhaji Ahmed Mustapha, who said the government would provide them with humanitarian and rehabilitation assistance to rebuild their lives.
Zamfara
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has donated 1,100 bags of assorted grains and building materials to victims of bandits and cattle rustlers attacks in Maradun and Maru local government areas of Zamfara State.
This is contained in a statement issued to newsmen by the Information Officer of NEMA, Sokoto Operations Office, Malam Aliyu Muhammad, in Gusau.
The items are: 200 bags of beans; 100 bags of rice each of; maize and guinea corn; 200 bundles of roofing sheets; 100 packets of zinc nails and 500 pieces of blankets for the victims in Maradun local government area.
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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