Nation
THE STATES
Benue
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, has said that the state followed due process in the passage of the open grazing prohibition bill and its signing into law.
This clarification was contained in a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Godwin Akor, and made available to newsmen last Tuesday in Makurdi.
In the statement, Ortom made the disclosure while receiving the leadership of Makurdi Catholic Diocesan Laity Council at the Benue Peoples House.
He maintained that anyone, who was not satisfied with the law should go to court and not to think of creating anarchy.
The governor thanked the Catholic Church for standing firmly behind the present administration, adding that, the bishop in-charge of the diocese had always encouraged him on matters concerning development, especially security.
Borno
The Police Command in Borno State has confirmed the death of two persons in a suspected Boko Haram attack along the Maiduguri-Damboa highway.
Mr. Damian Chukwu, the Borno Police Commissioner, who confirmed this on Tuesday said that, the dead persons included a police man and a truck driver.
“You would recall that since the Maiduguri-Damboa highway was reopened, motorists ply the road strictly on military escort.
“Initially, it was only the military that provides the escort, but later the police was invited to join”, Chukwu said.
He said that the convoy left Maiduguri with the military in the front while the police was at the rear.
Ekiti
An Ado-Ekiti Customary Court last Tuesday dissolved the 24-year-old relationship between a septuagenarian, Julius Rotimi, and his partner, Oluwatoyin, 49.
We report that the relationship was dissolved on grounds of incessant fighting, nagging, going out without the petitioner’s consent, regular cursing and threats to life by the wife.
The President of the Court, Mr. Joseph Ogunsemi, in his judgement, observed that the relationship had broken down irretrievably and consequently terminated their cohabitation.
Ogunsemi ruled that the education of the child should be funded equally by both parties.
He also ordered the respondent to vacate the house of the petitioner immediately and remove her belongings within seven days.
FCT
The Minister of Water Resources, Mr Suleiman Adamu last Tuesday, expressed concern over a reduction in the number of Nigerians with access to water and sanitation, describing it as unacceptable.
Adamu, said this at a Stakeholders Meeting of Water and Sanitation Development Partners on Partnership for Expanded Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH), in Abuja.
Quoting a World Bank WASH Sector report, the minister said, it was saddening to note that Nigeria’s sanitation indices show an overall decrease in access to water and sanitation, saying no effort must be spared at reversing this trend.
“Nigeria’s sanitation is in critical condition, only 29 per cent of Nigerians have access to improved sources of sanitation, 130 million Nigerians used unimproved sanitation facilities or practice open defecation.
Gombe
Advocacy Group for Family Planning in Gombe State, an NGO, on Tuesday called for a special budgetary allocation for Family Planning (FP).
The Secretary of the group, Malam Alhasan Yahya, made the appeal in Gombe, during a courtesy call on the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Kennedy Ishaya.
Yahya, noted that there was no budgetary allocation for FP in the state’s 2017 budget.
He said there was need for financing, improved quality access and utilisation of planning commodities and services in the state.
Lagos
External examinations such as the West African Senior Secondary Examination (WASSCE), have helped to reform prisoners in the country, a Nigeria Prisons Service official has said.
The Controller of Prisons, Lagos State Command, Mr Tunde Ladipo, told newsmen in Lagos last Tuesday, that prison education had helped inmates to be useful after jail terms.
“Participation in external examinations, such as WASSCE is designed as a form of reformation to empower prisoners after jail terms.
“Some of them who are illiterates are given primary and secondary education before they are allowed to sit for WASSCE.
“Those that have the intention to further their education are also given the opportunity to study at the National Open University (NOUN).
Nasarawa
Former information minister and APGA National Secretary, Labaran Maku, has appealed to Governor Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State to pay workers’ salaries so as to end their strike.
“The workers have practically shut down the state for more than a month now. Schools, offices and even industries have been closed down. The state government should act immediately,” Maku told newsmen last Tuesday, in Lafia.
He said that, it was “wrong” for government to remain silent over a strike that had dragged on for more than a month, and declared such posture as “insensitive”.
“The governor should show that he is sensitive to workers’ welfare and pay them their dues.
“Salaries have not been paid for six months, while no worker has been promoted in the last six years.
Ogun
Members of Ogun State House of Assembly Committee on Works and Infrastructure on Tuesday, expressed satisfaction over the level of work done on the 35- kilometre Sango-Ijoko-Agbad-Akute Road currently undergoing construction.
The Committee Chairman, Mr Olayiwola Ojodu, gave the verdict, when he led other members on an on-the-spot assessment tour of the road as part of their oversight functions.
Ojodu said that the road, which would have five flyovers, would, when completed, ease traffic congestion and also promote socio-economic activities in the area.
”The exercise has been quite interesting, so far so good. With what we have seen in terms of the quality of work done, as a committee we are satisfied,” he said.
Ondo
Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State, last Tuesday said his administration would check the disproportionate percentage in budgetary allocation to capital and recurrent expenditures.
Akeredolu said this in Akure, while signing the 2017 Appropriation Bill into law.
He said, the huge deficit in various sectors is needed to be addressed, adding that this informed the move to redress the imbalance between recurrent and capital expenditures.
“This bill has provision of N170,846,580,000 billion broken into Debt Service (Principal) N8.127 billion, Statutory Transfers N8.374 billion, Recurrent Expenditure N95.159 billion and Capital Expenditure N59.187 billion.
Oyo
The Oyo State chapter of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), has urged lawmakers across the country to extend their economic empowerment programmes to farmers.
Mr Olujimi Ayinla, the state AFAN Chairman, who made the call in an interview with newsmen in Ibadan on Tuesday, urged the legislators to also spearhead efforts to fast-track the growth of the agricultural sector.
He noted that, the economic empowerment schemes of the lawmakers usually involved donation of motorcycles, hair dryers, grinding machines, refrigerators and sewing machines, among others, to their constituents.
”I have never seen any senator or member of the House of Representatives donating tractors or fertiliser to farmers in their constituencies, as part of their empowerment programmes.
Taraba
Taraba State House of Assembly Speaker, Abel Diah last Tuesday cautioned members of the public against politicizing the anti-open grazing bill currently before the House.
Diah, made the appeal in Jalingo, when he received a delegation of Taraba Farmers Protection Assocation, led by its Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Bitrus, who paid a solidarity visit to the lawmakers.
“Contrary to speculations that, the bill is targeted at a particular ethnic group, its intention is to promote peaceful coexistence and reduce clashes between farmers and grazers,” Diah stated.
The Speaker regretted that some sections of the bill were being altered or misinterpreted to cause mischief, and advised anyone interested in the bill to get a certified true copy from the House of Assembly.
Yobe
The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), last Tuesday appealed to stakeholders to support the rights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), in Yobe with education, safe living condition and economic rehabilitation.
Mr Gabriel Idoko, Head UNHCR in the state, made the appeal at the commemoration of the 2017 World Refugee Day in Damaturu.
He said: “The displaced persons deserve to continue with their education and provided with safe living conditions.”
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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