Nation
THE STATES
Benue
A former state commissioner in Plateau State, Amb. Yakubu Jang, has admonished Berom people not to allow divisive tendencies to take control of them.
Jang gave the advice on Saturday during the maiden celebration of “Nzem Berom” Cultural Day in Makurdi, Benue.
Jang, who was the chairman of the occasion , is also a son of the immediate past, Governor of Plateau, Mr David Jang.
He said that there was power in unity, hence the need for all Berom people to stay united in order to achieve greater things for themselves.
Jang urged Berom youths to venture into technical education to be self reliant because white-collar jobs have
FCT
President Macky Sall of Senegal has thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for his intervention in The Gambian political crisis which led to the restoration of democracy in the country.
The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Mr Femi Adesina, said in a statement in Abuja, last Saturday, that the Senegalese leader conveyed his gratitude to Buhari in a communication between them.
“Thank you again for your support in The Gambia. May Almighty Allah give you greater health and energy to conduct the destiny of Nigeria,’’ Sall said.
The Senegalese president described himself as Buhari’s “younger brother” and prayed that Allah would bestow good health and wisdom on him to lead.
Mr Yahya Jammeh had refused to accept his defeat in an election in December, 2016, and hand over power to Mr Adama Barrow, the winner, as President of The Gambia.
Jigawa
Rep. Ibrahim Abdullahi (APC Dutse/Kiyawa Federal Constituency) in Jigawa State, has distributed 500 bags fo fertilizers, seeds and pesticides to 100 farmers in his consistency.
Abdullahi’s Personal Assistant, Alhaji Abubukar AbdusSalam, confirmed this in Dutse on Sunday.
AbdusSalam said the farmers were drawn from Dutse and Kiyawa local government areas of the state, adding that 50 farmers were selected from each of the local government councils.
The personal assistant said that each of the beneficiaries was given two bags of fertilizer, a bag of groundnut seed, a bag of millet seed and 50 kg of pesticide.
Kano
No fewer than 5,000 people, who contravened the Kano State Environmental Sanitation Law, have so far been prosecuted, according to the State Commissioner for Environment Dr Ali Makoda.
The alleged violators were arrested and tried by the state’s mobile courts between January and March.
Makoda, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Alhaji Sagir Wali, told newsmen on Saturday, shortly after monitoring the monthly sanitation exercise in eight local governments areas.
According to him, the violators were arrested along the major roads in the city during sanitation.
“We were able to arrest 5, 000 defaulters and they were charged to our mobile courts which imposed some fines on them”, he said.
Lagos
The Federal Government last weekend said it was ready to support states to generate ‘captive power’ as a permanent solution to the problem of electricity in the country.
The Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, gave the assurance when he paid a courtesy visit on Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State in Ikeja.
It is reported that a captive power plant is a facility that is dedicated to providing a localised source of power to energy users.
Such users are typically industrial facilities or large offices.
The plants may operate in grid parallel mode with the ability to export surplus power to the local electricity distribution network.
Nasarawa
The Chairman, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Nasarawa state chapter, Alhaji Mohammed Hussaini, has advised herdsmen to avoid destruction of farm produce and grazing on farmlands to avert clashes with farmers.
Hussaini made the call in Akwanga while addressing newsmen on Sunday on the outcome of the meeting the association held with Fulani community of Nasarawa North senatorial district of the state, comprising Nasarawa Eggon, Akwanga and Wamba in Akwanga local government area.
He said the meeting was to propagate peace and appeal to herdsmen that engaged in destruction of farm produce and grazing on farmland to desist from such act in the interest of peace and development of the state and the nation at large.
“The role of this association is to preach peace and unity, not only to the Fulani community in the state but also to Nigerians at large as no nation or society can develop in an atmosphere of rancour and confusion.
Niger
The Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Alhaji Ahmed Marafa, has called on youths to acquire relevant skills that would enable them contribute their quota to nation’s building.
Marafa made the call on Saturday, when the state officials of the Change Organisation, a Non Governmental Organisation, paid him a courtesy visit in Minna.
He also informed the organisation that the legislature was prepared to enact laws that would help the teeming youths in the state realise their full potentials.
The Speaker said that the present administration will not relent on its efforts to ensure the completion of the Baro Port given the employment opportunities it will create.
Ogun
The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola has commended the Ogun state government on the quality of the newly constructed and rehabilitated roads across the state.
Fashola gave the commendation after touring some roads constructed by Governor Ibikunle Amosun administration in some parts of the state on Saturday.
The Minister, who expressed satisfaction with the quality of roads and flyovers inspected , commended the governor for a job well done in infrastructural development.
He assured that President Muhammadu Buhari would adequately reimburse the state and every other state in the same category.
Ondo
Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has solicited the assistance of the African Development Bank (AfDB) in boosting commercial agriculture in the state.
Akeredolu made the call when the AfDB President, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, visited him on Sunday in Akure.
The governor explained that the continental bank’s support was necessary to facilitate the cultivation of high quality cocoa, palm oil and cassava in the state.
He urged the AfDB president to make the bank’s presence felt at the grassroots through agriculture for the rapid development of the state.
Osun
An auto crash which occurred at Asejire end of Osun on Friday, killed five persons while others sustained severe injuries.
Among the dead was a journalist, Nathaniel Abimbola, working with the Osun State Broadcasting Corporation (OSBC) in Osogbo. His friends said he was aged 48. He marked his birthday on 26 of February this year.
Abimbola, a graduate of University of Ibadan was attached to the State Assembly and had been on the beat for 10 years.
Four others who died, alongside Abimbola, were all members of Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) Ayetoro Osogbo.
It was gathered that the entire occupants of the ill fated 18 seater bus were heading to Imeko headquarters of the church for a retreat.
Plateau
Pastor Victor Asemah of Shepherd House International Assembly, Jos has said that God’s blessings to Christians would become “worthless”, if those so blessed did not help neighbours in need.
“Those in need are always among us; we see them everyday and know their sufferings. If you are blessed, you must assist them otherwise your blessings are useless and worthless,” Asemah said in a sermon on Sunday, in Jos.
The Pastor, who spoke on the theme, “Supernatural Harvest for Progress’’, challenged Christians to assist the less privileged in the society, “especially the orphans, widows and others in difficulty”.
“When you help others, God increases your blessings. When we give to the needy, we have more access to his supernatural harvest,’’ he said.
Asemah described supernatural harvest as “having access to blessings outside the natural source and beyond ordinary imagination”.
“Such blessings are inexhaustible because of God’s divine connection to his children.
Sokoto
The death toll as a result of the meningitis epidemic in Sokoto State has now risen to 21.
The State Health Commissioner, Dr Balarabe Kakale, confirmed this in an interview with our correspondent in Sokoto on Sunday, as he gave an update on the state of high alert declared by the ministry since 20th March.
The deaths were recorded in the seven local governments of Kebbe, Bodinga, Rabah, Wamakko, Gada, Dange/Shuni and Tureta, mostly affected by the meningitis outbreak.
Kakale said:” the state government had since Monday deployed no fewer than fifteen medical teams, comprising of over one hundred and fifty medical personnel.
“ They were deployed across the 23 local governments of the state, fully equipped with ambulances and provided with free drugs,as well as medicament.
“ The emergency response teams were conducting house to house search, definition and management, both at home and the hospitals.
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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