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FG Warns Nigerians Travelling To US, UK
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has warned Nigerians travelling to the United States, the United Kingdom and some European countries to be wary of thieves targeting their passports, money and other valuables.
He disclosed that there’s an avalanche of reports of theft of valuables, including passports of Nigerians.
“It has come to the attention of the government that Nigerian travellers to the United States and some countries in Europe are having their belongings, especially money and international passports, stolen at an increasingly high rate.
“The most recent victims of this are travellers to the UK, most of whom were dispossessed of their belongings at highbrow shops, particularly in the high street of Oxford.
“We have, therefore, decided to advise Nigerians travelling to Europe and the United States to take extra precaution to avoid being dispossessed of their belongings.
“This is not your typical travel advisory. Issuing such is the prerogative of our embassies/high commissions as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It is merely a piece of advice to Nigerians who may be visiting the affected parts of the world…”
Meanwhile, former director of the Kenyan anti-corruption agency and Professor of Public Law, Patrick Lumumba, has said African countries must shun politics of the stomach and ethnicity so as to make progress.
He who stated this at the 10th memorial lecture of former Senate leader, Abubakar Saraki, in Abuja, wondered why the 55 African countries cannot feed themselves, after about 60 years of independence.
This is as President Muhammadu Buhari described the late Saraki as a statesman, who contributed to political development of the country, during his time.
Buhari, who was represented by the Borno State Governor, Prof BabaganaZulum, said the former Senate leader “earned the respect of many Nigerians and in particular President MuhammaduBuhari, who has been always showing enormous regard for him, equally our presidential candidate, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, and many others have in many occasions appreciated his contributions to our polity.”
Lumumba, while stating that Africa would not be at ease until Nigeria is at ease, noted that the country ought to be a $4trillion economy, rather than the present $500billion.
“The continent is not at ease because the continent is suffering from a deficit of leadership. As long as Nigeria is not at ease, Africa will never be at ease. If Africa wants to be at ease, Nigeria must be at ease. She is the largest economy in Africa. She has a population of about 200million people. One in every African is a Nigerian. She is represented in every sector.
“If you want the best Engineers, they are Nigerians, if you want the best doctors, they are Nigerians. If you want good lawyers, they are Nigerians, but also if you want Yahoo boys, they are Nigerians. Nigerians are present everywhere in the world.
“Nigeria I am told is a $500billion economy. Never ever be proud of that Nigerians, this is an economy that should be at least a $4trillion GDP. Whenever you reach that level, then I will say that Nigeria is doing the right thing. All the ingredients are there, the question is, why is she not realizing its potentials?”
Lumumba, who spoke on “leadership and followership in Africa” said African countries have outsourced the education of the followers to foreign Non-Governmental Organisation (NGOs) and Community Based Organisations(CBOs). And noted that the implication is that the citizens are “tuned”from outside.
“I am suggesting that Africa is not going to grow as long as you are in position of leadership, and you have perfected the art of appealing to the stomach rather than the minds of the men and women that you lead.
“I am suggesting that Africa is not going to realize her potential as long as we continue to conduct the politics of money and money bags, not the politics of ideas. I am suggesting to you that Africa is never going to realize our potential as long as we are dividing our people along ethnic lines.
“I am suggesting that as long as you were in positions of honour and privilege and you are in the business of dividing our people on the basis of the religion, Africa is not going to realize her potential,” the professor of law stated.
Earlier, the Sultan of Sokoto, SaadAbubakar 111, who was chairman of the occasion, admonished the leaders to be conscious of the fact that there would be a time of reckoning, when they will be required to go account of their stewardship.
The Sultan said: “We are interested in what happens in our country and this is very serious period with politics dominating the space and we are talking about leadership and followership by a distinguish African.
“The topic chosen by the organizers is so apt, and important because we are into political activities and we are looking for leaders to steer the ship of state to an excellent destination, we must look at who a leader should be, what leadership should not be, what we should do as followers to ensure we have a good leader.
“For leaders we want to urge you to always uphold the truth, be honest, be transparent and be accountable because Almighty Allah will ask you.”
Former Senate president, Dr BukolaSaraki, in his welcome address, said if his late father was around, he would have been proud of the bipartisan nature of the gathering.
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.