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18/02/2022

Can you please add your signature? ✍️

*RUN, OSINBAJO RUN !!!*

We, the People of Nigeria hereby petition our Vice President - Professor Yemi Osinbajo to contest for the Presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the 2023 Presidential election.

Nigeria needs a leader with integrity, passionate about service to the country, of impeccable credentials, tested and proven, to deliver the country of our dreams, for the good of all Nigerians.

Professor Yemi Osinbajo stands tall above all others as the most qualified for the job.

Your Excellency, your country needs you NOW !!!

*RUN, OSINBAJO RUN !!!*

27/05/2021

‘NYSC Not A Waste Of Time’ — DG Defends Scheme Amid Debate Over Relevance

NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Shuaibu Ibrahim has said the relevance of the Scheme in the integration and National cohesion of the country cannot be underestimated.

He said the National Youth Service Corps has been serving as a tool for the socio-economic development of the country through the deployment of Corps Members to States outside their States of origin, where they contribute their quota by making positive impact in the lives of their host communities through the ex*****on of different laudable projects.

Ibrahim, who stated this today in his office in Abuja added that, “NYSC is germane and critical to the unity of the country’.


NYSC is not a waste of time, wherever Corps Members are posted to, they have been adding value in order to be remembered with good legacies”. He said NYSC Management has partnered with the security agencies in the country in order to ensure adequate protection for Corps Members during the service year.

He added that Corps Members are always sensitized in camp on the need to be security conscious, not indulging in late-night movements and other risky adventures like overnight travelling. He counselled the Corps Members and prospective Corps Members to break any journey that will take them beyond 6pm.

Security is everybody’s business and security challenge is not limited to NYSC alone.

We want to appeal to parents to help us also sensitize their children not to endanger their safety.

Every country has challenges but we should turn our challenge into opportunities”, Ibrahim said.

Speaking on youth empowerment, the Director-General said NYSC Management in 2012 introduced Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development Programme into Orientation Course Content which has enabled thousands of Corps Members to acquire vocational skills.

He stated further that the partnership between the Scheme and its stakeholders like the Bank of Industry, Central Bank of Nigeria, Access Bank among others, which offer soft loans to Corps Members has turned many of them to employers of labour and wealth creators today.

The DG also reiterated his call for the establishment of National Youth Service Trust Fund where a certain percentage of the proceeds from private organisations would be used to upgrade and maintain Orientation Camp facilities, while Corps Members would also be given a certain amount at the end of their service year to start their business vocations.

He commended the State Governments that have been performing their statutory responsibility of the provision, maintenance and upgrade of camp facilities, while calling on others lagging behind to be alive to their responsibilities.

General Ibrahim reiterated that the NYSC Scheme has a good posting/deployment policy based on extant guidelines and regulations.

Posting, redeployment and other services are free in NYSC. Relocation is done on health and marital grounds with genuine reasons.

Parents should teach their children to be patriotic and have human feeling. Let the spirit of NYSC be in us for the betterment of our country’, Ibrahim added.


He charged Corps Members and the prospective ones not to waste the service year, but rather improve themselves, as well as add value to their host communities, in line with the motto of the NYSC, Service and Humility for which they will be remembered by posterity.

27/05/2021

110 Confirmed Dead In Kebbi/Niger Boat Mishap

A boat carrying 180 passengers from Loko Mina in Nige State to a village near Ngaski in Kebbi State, yesterday capsized and claimed 110 of the travellers on board.

It was learnt that the mishap occurred when the boat hit a stem of a tree under the water a few kilometres from its take-off, making it to lose control at the upper course of the Niger River.


An eyewitness said the boat took off from Loko Mina in Niger State by 7:30 am with 180 passengers who did not wear protective jackets

Most of the passengers, he said were from Kebbi State and were heading to a market.

The source said the boat mishap occurred around Ibata village part of the river near Malale

While confirming the incident the director-general of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency Alhajii Ahmed Inga said what worsened the mishap was overloading and the old age of the boat. He said as at the time of the last report he received, 20 people were rescued, four corpses recovered, adding that search and rescue operation was on going by the marine police, National Inland Waterway Agency (NIWA) and local divers.

Earlier, officials of Kebbi State had said 150 were missing and 22 rescued.

They said the incident occurred in Warrah, headquarters of Ngaski local government area after take-off from Malale in Borgu local government area of Niger State.

The chairman of Warrah local government area, Alhaji Abdullahi Haruna, who confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said the boat left Niger State with 150 passengers before it capsized in Warrah.

Haruna said the accident happened yesterday at about 11 am but the Niger officials said it was 3pm.

The council chief stated that 22 people who wore live jackets were rescued from the mishap, adding that rescue search was ongoing for the missing passengers.

The spokesman of the state police command, DSP Nafiu Abubakar, who also confirmed the disaster, said he will make public their findings.

Cases of boat mishaps in Niger State have been on the rise in recent years.

Between 2019 and 2020, at least 50 people lost their lives on the Malale River following incidents of boat mishaps.

In April 2021, a boat carrying over 70 passengers, mostly farmers and traders capsized on a river at Zumba in Munya local government area of the state, leaving scores dead.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has described the news of the capsizing of the boat in Ngaski local government area of Kebbi State as devastating and offered his heartfelt condolences to the families of those affected by this tragedy.


The president in a statement issued by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, extended his gratitude to those involved in the rescue efforts and wished the injured from the accident quick recovery.

27/05/2021

Buhari Signs Plant Variety Protection Bill Into Law

President Muhammadu Buhari has signed the Plant Variety Protection Bill 2021 into law to create a window for the protection of plant varieties in Nigeria.

Sponsor of the bill, now an Act, Hon. Munir Dan Agundi from Kano State said the law will provide recognition and proper remuneration for the breeders who develop varieties.

Agundi said that the law will introduce the long awaited game changing tool for agricultural research to create meaningful impact in the nation’s agricultural industry.


While commending the President for his timeous intervention in the Agricultural Sector reforms and addressing concerns of Nigerians to diversify the economy through agriculture, the lawmaker said the signing of the law was part of government’s commitment in ensuring that the Agricultural sector is totally reformed.

Agundi added that all efforts made by previous administrations to reform the Agricultural sector could not see the light of the day due to lack of political will.

Speaking further, he said President Buhari has so far assented to the National Fertilizer and Quality (Control) Act, 2019; National Agricultural Seeds Council Act, 2019: and the Plant Variety Protection Act, 2021 as part of government’s commitment in ensuring that the Agricultural sector is totally reformed.

According to him, Nigeria presently has such low and declining levels of investment in Agricultural research and development that the effectiveness of the nation’s agricultural research and development in meeting our food security needs is questionable, particularly in the seed sector.

He said there was the growing concern about the ability of African agriculture research and development systems to respond to current and emerging development challenges.

He added that “the ability of our agricultural systems to sustainably support innovations in the seed sector is not within acceptable bunds and to avert looming food security, there is an urgent need to open up the research and development in the seed sector for improved agricultural productivity in the country”.

“The president by signing this law which creates a window for the protection of plant varieties in Nigeria and provides recognition and proper remuneration for the breeders who develop these varieties have introduce a long awaited game changing tool for agricultural research to create meaningful impact in the nation’s agricultural industry.

“With the Plant Variety Protection Act in place, plant breeders both in the public and private sectors will be more committed to invest their intellectual prowess in plant breeding as there is now a sure guarantee that their rights will be recognized and respected. .

“Plant breeders that have invested huge resources in developing plant varieties are now assured that their work cannot be duplicated for commercial purposes without their consent.


“The Act will enable farmers in Nigeria gain access to wide varieties of improved plants that will be tolerant to stress and diseases and produce better yields compared to what they have in the past”, he added.

26/05/2021

Why Buhari Did Not Attend Late COAS Attahiru’s Funeral, By Presidency

The presidency has explained why President Muhammadu Buhari did not attend the funeral of late chief of army staff Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 other military officers who died in an air crash.

Recall that there was furore over the absence of President Muhammadu Buhari and his Vice, Yemi Osinbajo at the funeral ceremony, in which many Nigerians, who condemned the action, described it as ‘lack of empathy.’

Although Buhari had in a statement released by his spokesman Femi Adesina, expressed sadness over the air crash condoling with families of the deceased, the military, and Nigerians in general, describing them as “heroes who paid the ultimate price for peace and security in the land.”


But Nigerians were displeased over the president’s absence at the funeral rites.

Some other observers wondered why the president who last week returned to Abuja from France where he attended the African Finance Summit did not attend the burial of his top military chief and other military personnel who died on duty.

Reacting, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu who spoke at Arise TV programme monitored, hinted that the president does not like “this idea of closing roads, security men molesting people on the road” whenever he is out for an event outside A*o Rock.

He said: “I was in Europe myself on assignment and I have not spoken to the president on this but let me give you just one example: The president is somebody who is so concerned about the safety and wellbeing of ordinary Nigerians on the streets.

“Do you know why he now prays his Jumaat in the state house and doesn’t go to the national mosque? Because he doesn’t like this idea of closing roads, security men molesting people on the road for the president to have the right of way.”


“These are small things for many people but they are important for President Muhammadu Buhari. So, it is a mourning situation and the president didn’t want to take away attention from that,” he added.

26/05/2021

Chad’s Disintegration May Cause Serious Consequences — Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has warned the global community not to the threats by the Chadian rebel groups clamouring to overthrow the government with levity as the consequences of a destabilized Chad to the sub-region cannot be imagined.

He spoke in Abuja on Tuesday at the opening of the Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Lake Chad Basin Commission convened to discuss the recent developments in Chad after President Idris Deby Itno died on the frontline while defending the territorial integrity of his country.

Buhari, who declared the one-day summit open in his capacity as the chairman of leaders of LCBC member-countries, urged the international community to support Chad to conclude the transition from military to democratic government in a peaceful manner within the set time of 18 months.


He rallied development partners and countries particularly France, the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, and Russia; the United Nations, the African Union and the European Union, as well as other friendly and partner nations to support the transition framework put in place by Chad’s Transition Military Council led by General Mahamat Idris Deby.

Buhari, while speaking at the in-person meeting attended by the Presidents of Central African Republic, Niger, Chad, Chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya and a representative of the president of Cameroon, said the death of Itno had direct implications for the continued peace and stability of Chad as a nation, the Lake Chad region and the wider Sahel Region.

‘‘Our region is faced with difficult, several challenges that need the support and engagement of all to overcome.

‘‘While transnational crimes and rebellion cutting across our region continue to evolve in scope, the attendant conflicts also continue to retain their distinct form of inflicting untold hardship and difficulty on the lives of our citizens.

‘‘The threats by the Chadian rebel groups, who are clamouring to overthrow the government, must be viewed with all the seriousness they deserve because the consequences of a destabilized Chad to the sub-region cannot be imagined.

‘‘The flow of refugees and displaced persons from the country, unrestrained flow of arms, drugs and other harmful substances into Lake Chad and Sahel Regions, which are already challenged by terrorists seeking to establish parallel systems, would further compound the security and stability of our areas and neighbouring countries.

‘‘It is, therefore, our collective duty and in honour of the memory of the men and women that have died in search of peace in the region, to rise in unison as leaders of the region to ensure that peace, stability and security are not disrupted in Chad and in the entire region.


‘‘These challenges, which are fuelled by an interplay of poverty and the loss of sustainable means of livelihood due to climate change, have been further exacerbated by the direct consequence of complete breakdown of law and order in Libya,” he said.

26/05/2021

Buhari Not in Support of Open Grazing, Presidency Clarifies

President Muhammadu Buhari is opposed to open grazing of cattle, the presidency said yesterday in an apparent effort to douse the rising critique of its statement on Monday, quoting the president as querying the legality of Southern governors’ ban on open grazing.

Presidential spokesman, Mallam Garba Shehu, while fielding questions on ARISE NEWS CHANNEL, said many people misconstrued Buhari’s views on the Southern governors’ resolutions at their May 11 meeting in Asaba, Delta State as an endorsement of open grazing.

Hours before the clarification from the presidency, the Monday statement had drawn flaks from the Southern governors; the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere; and some senior lawyers.

The presidency statement by Shehu had questioned the legality of the Southern governors’ resolutions, in which they, among others, banned open grazing of cattle in the South.

The statement quoted Buhari as dismissing the ban, while accusing the 17 Southern governors of not proffering any solution to the intractable farmer-herder conflicts, largely driven by open grazing of cattle.

The presidency announced Buhari’s approval for ranching and revival of grazing reserves nationwide.

But the Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum and Ondo State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, yesterday fired back at the presidency, warning that no land in the South will be ceded to those he described “as a band of invaders masquerading as herdsmen under any guise.”

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) also maintained its earlier stance that the ban on open grazing was in the best interest of all Nigerians.

But Benue State Governor, Dr. Samuel Ortom, yesterday kicked against the presidential decision to revive grazing reserves, saying that the reserves, created when Nigeria had a population of 50 million have since been taken over by airports, schools, roads, hospitals and other infrastructure.

Some senior lawyers also faulted Buhari’s opposition to the open grazing ban, alleging ethnic bias.

However, in an effort to douse tension generated by his statement, Shehu told ARISE NEWS Channel that Buhari would want to see an end to the archaic practice of open grazing of cattle.

He added that the objective of the president and that of the governors fully align.

However, he stated that the only difference between the positions of both parties is the approach to achieving the aim, adding that the president is insistent that it should be done in an organised manner.

He said: “The president wants to see an end to open grazing; he wants to see ranching; but he wants it in a way that’s organised and he has a plan for it and the plan will take off in June.”

According to him, all the ongoing attacks on the president are from people who are in the mood for a public fight.

He said states that were able to meet the minimum requirements would be encouraged to embark on ranching, and expressed optimism that those opposed to ranching will change their minds when it becomes fully functional.

Shehu said the president viewed open grazing as old-fashioned and was looking forward to a replacement for the medieval practice.

But he reiterated that banning open grazing without an alternative is not a good approach to the issue.

He said the president was worried about the crisis generated by the matter, adding that the generalisation of every herder as criminals is not the right thing to do.

While admitting that the ranks of the nomads had been infiltrated with people now bearing AK-47 rifles to kill and maim, Shehu called for calm as the issue won’t be solved by public show of strength.

“Let us stop this shadow boxing. You just brought one or two people here who said things that nobody said from our own end. Did the president say he didn’t support…? He’s opposed to the way the governors have chosen to do it,” he said.

On state policing, Shehu said the president was initially concerned that governors who are unable to pay salaries to their workers want to give guns to police set up by them, adding that if it is what Nigerians want, the president would have no option but to support it.

“You hire a policeman. Give him a gun and for one year, you don’t pay salaries, like you are doing to your teachers, that’s a problem,” Shehu stated.

Besides, he added that to implement state policing will require amending the 1999 Constitution, and Buhari has never rejected constitution amendments.

On restructuring, he stated that the All Progressives Congress (APC) wasn’t against devolution of power, as that is the work of the legislature to do.

He also dismissed speculations that Buhari was interested in extending his tenure, saying that those raising doubts over whether or not elections will hold in 2023 are doing so because they are unelectable.

Shehu also said he was not aware of any shoot-on-sight order against Igbo, adding that the rumour is meant to provoke unnecessary public anger.

25/05/2021

Bawa Decries Procurement Frauds In Public Service

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, has described as alarming the rate of procurement frauds in public service in Nigeria.

He stated this in his goodwill message at the opening ceremony of the Year 2021 First Batch Conversion Training Programme to Procurement Cadre for Federal Parastatals and Agencies organized the Bureau of Public Procurement on Monday, May 24, 2021 at Digital Bridge Institute, Oshodi, Lagos.

Bawa, who was represented by Mohammed Ahmed Ghali, Head, Lagos Zonal Office, EFCC, added that many procurement professionals in federal institutions were not aware of the potholes that must be avoided in the discharge of their duties.

He, therefore, lauded the organizers of the training, saying, “when public officers are rightly informed or armed with the requisite knowledge to enhance their performances on their jobs, the likelihood of getting involved in fraudulent acts or corrupt practices will be minimal; and the society will be the greatest beneficiary.

“It is, therefore, in order and encouraging that, since 2008, the BPP, as empowered by the Public Procurement, PPA Act 2007, has consistently organized training and development programmes for procurement professionals in all Federal Government institutions.

“That the conversion training has been sustained for 13 good years-since it started in 2008- is evidence of the importance that the organizers attach to the fight against corruption in Nigeria. “

Bawa, who further described the BBP as an ally in the anti-corruption war, added that the Procurement Fraud Section of the EFCC was established to check procurement fraud in the public sector.

According to him, “As you may have read in the news, a number of procurement officers in public institutions have been convicted and sentenced to various jail terms after diligent prosecution by the Commission, and many are still facing trial in various courts across the country .”

Bawa urged the participants to take maximum advantage of the training so as to be better procurement officers.

25/05/2021

FG Kick-Starts 2022 Budget With Riot Act On IPPIS

The Federal Government has commenced preparation of 2022 budget focusing specifically on recurrent expenditure and overhead.`Consequently, the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, has issued the “2022 Personnel Cost Budget Call Circular”, with an explanation that lecturers must not have their names in the nominal roll of only their primary place of employment, under the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS).

According to the circular referenced: “BD/2000/EXP/S.651” and dated May 14, 2021, the same policy would apply to consultants in health institutions.

It stated: “Duplication or multiple capturing of the same consultant/lecturer in the nominal rolls of different federal health or educational institutions will not be entertained as the BOF (Budget Office of the Federation) will remove the names of such consultants /lecturers from the nominal rolls of the affected institutions other than the consultant’s/lecturer’s primary place of employment,”


Allowances for such visiting lecturers and consultants could be captured under the Overhead Costs.

The minister warned that no personnel cost provision would be made in the 2022 Personnel Budget for any serving employee of the federal government not captured in the IPPIS, except by due authorization.

The minister also warned federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that “under no circumstance should Staff of outsourced service providers be included in the nominal roll”.

According to the budget guideline, “inclusion of staff of outsourced service providers will henceforth be regarded as willful fraudulent action, and shall accordingly be reported to relevant authorities.”

The circular further says, “MDAs should note that payment of salaries and allowances are for legitimate staff only. Any unauthorized payment from the Personnel Cost will attract appropriate sanctions.”

The MDAs were directed to use only the salaries and allowances structure approved by the Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission as applicable to their various organizations and were asked to validate such payrolls

They were also told that Non-Regular allowances in the payroll should only be provided for those employees who are clearly entitled, under their terms of service and circulars issued by the NSIWC.

“MDAs are required top crosscheck the appropriateness of grade-level/step of all staff on the payroll, including provision for annual increments,” the minister directed.

She said that MDAS should not make provisions for the 2022 promotions of their since such promotions could not be predicted with certainty, but should reflect all promotions already approved and in effect. She said that provisions for 2022 promotions would be made under the Public Service Wage Adjustments and the Service-Wide Votes.


“All promotions and salaries arrears are to be referred to the Standing Committee Chaired by the D_G Budget, for review and payment through the IPPIS, she said.

25/05/2021

COAS, Others’ Death: Remain Strong, CDS Tells Troops

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor on Monday charged troops to stop agonizing over the death of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru and 10 other officers in a plane crash in Kaduna on Friday.

Speaking at Attahiru’s residence in Abuja during the three-day Fidau prayers, the CDS urged the troops to remain strong and focus on their constitutional roles.

“My message to members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria is that they should remain steadfast and committed to their constitutional roles in this trying period. Their spirit should not be dampened by the unfortunate incident,’’ Irabor said.


Director Islamic Affairs, Nigerian Army, Brig.-Gen., Shehu Garba Mustapha, who led the prayers, sought God’s intervention in the insecurity in Nigeria.He also prayed that God grant Nigerian leaders the wisdom and strength to pilot the affairs of the nation.

The also prayed for the repose of the souls of the late officers and fortitude for their families to bear the losses.


Those who attended the prayers included the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao; a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazzau; Chairman, National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency, Buba Marwa; Chairman, Senate Committee on Army, Senator Ali Ndume; a former governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako; among others.

21/05/2021

Okonjo-Iweala: Patent Waiver Not Enough To Close Vaccine Gap

World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director-General, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has said that intellectual property waiver alone will not be enough to narrow the huge COVID-19 vaccine supply gap between rich and poor countries.

She told the European Parliament that it was clear that discussions around vaccine patents alone would not suffice, saying that global leaders should do more to ensure that there is equitable production and distribution of the jabs.

Okonjo-Iweala said developing countries had complained that the licensing process was cumbersome and should be improved upon.


She added that while it makes sense to protect research and innovation, it is also important to expand access to the vaccines.

According to her, manufacturers should work to expand production, pointing to idle capacity in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand, Senegal, and South Africa among other developing nations.

She said: “I am convinced that we can agree on a text that gives developing countries that kind of access and flexibility, whilst protecting research and innovation.

“To have solved the unacceptable problem of inequity of access to vaccines, we have to be holistic. It’s not one or the other.”

Okonjo-Iweala stressed the importance of diversifying vaccine manufacturing and to have more production taking place in Africa and Latin America to contain the pandemic.

She told the EU legislators that normal market forces for exports and imports couldn’t apply when it comes to the life-or-death issue of COVID-19 vaccines, as many of the world’s wealthiest nations are hoarding the shots for their own population when the crisis hits their home turf.

She said although the world could manufacture some five billion vaccine doses overall, it now requires twice or three times that capacity due to the spread of the contagion.

“One of the main challenges is diversifying vaccine production, which is now 80 per cent concentrated in 10 European, North American and South Asian nations, Okonjo-Iweala said, calling the situation a problem that “has come home to roost.”

She added: “It’s not normal that Africa, with 1.3 billion people, has 0.17 per cent of the manufacturing capacity of the world. So this has to change.”

EU nations have criticised a call by the United States to waive COVID-19 vaccine patents as a way to increase supplies, saying that the move would yield no short-term or intermediate improvement and could even have a negative impact.

However, Okonjo-Iweala sought to remain neutral on the issue, saying that WTO members could find the flexibility to make sure more vaccines are produced in developing nations.

South Africa and India have urged fellow WTO members to waive intellectual property rights on vaccines to boost production.

Poorer countries that make up half the world’s population have received just 17 per cent of doses, a situation the World Health Organisation (WHO) has labelled “vaccine apartheid”.

The EU outlined a plan on Wednesday it sees as a more effective way of boosting output, using existing WTO rules, rather than a waiver, noting that countries can grant licences to manufacturers to produce with or without the patent holder’s consent.

In March, Nigeria received nearly four million doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII), from Mumbai through the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX), a worldwide initiative aimed at equitable access to the vaccines.


The doses have now been largely exhausted even as India, a major contributor to the COVAX facility, battles to curb the growing number of infections and deaths in the Asian country.