2019: NURTW restates commitment to peaceful elections
The President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Najeem Usman-Yasin has expressed optimism that the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the union and INEC would ensure hitch-free 2019 general elections. Usman-Yasin said this while speaking with newsmen in llorin on SaturdayHe said the motive was also to guarantee safe, smooth and early movement of electoral materials to voting centres across the country. He disclosed that all the state union chairmen were invited to the signing of the MOU ln Abuja to ensure actualisation of credible and reliable elections in 2019. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the MOU cautions members of the union against partisanship among others. The NURTW president said the unon took cognisance of the the riverine areas and captured them in terms of using boats for the early transportation of electoral materials.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
December 15, 2018 17:03 UTC
Nations inch towards climate deal at marathon UN summit | The Guardian Nigeria Newspaper - Nigeria and World News
A senior negotiator told AFP at the COP24 summit in Poland that delegates from nearly 200 nations had reached a “landing zone” of agreement. Delegates at the UN summit, held this year in the Polish mining city of Katowice, must agree on a common rule book to put the pledges nations made in the landmark 2015 Paris climate accord into practice. “It is a bit difficult to compromise when there are 190-plus countries.”At the heart of the matter is how each nation funds action to mitigate and adapt to climate change, as well as how those actions are reported. This would see richer countries giving money now to help deal with the effects of climate change many vulnerable states are already experiencing. Most nations wanted the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to form a key part of future planning.
Source:The Guardian
December 15, 2018 15:45 UTC
EFCC arrests suspected internet fraudsters in Enugu
The South-East Zonal office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested three suspected internet fraudsters in the state. The Head of Public Affairs of the commission in the zone, Mr Chris Oluka said this in a statement on Saturday in Enugu. Oluka said that the suspects, including the wife of one of them, were arrested in their homes at Independence Layout, Enugu, following intelligence reports. He said that further enquiries showed that suspects had defrauded unsuspecting victims of huge sums of money and used same to acquire choice property across the region. “The raid was consequent upon the resolve by Acting Chairman of the Commission, Ibrahim Magu to intensify the onslaught against internet and cyber fraudsters across the country.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
December 15, 2018 15:22 UTC
Agbaje: Why I dumped Tinubu Agbaje: Why I dumped Tinubu
It would be recalled that Agbaje had parted ways with Tinubu in 2007 to join the Democratic Peoples’ Alliance (DPA) as its governorship candidate. Lagos must be made to work for the people of Lagos,” Agbaje declared. “It is unfortunate that Lagos State under the control of the APC has refused to domesticate the Freedom of Information Act. The question is, are we getting value? The answer is, we are not getting value at all,” he said.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
December 15, 2018 15:00 UTC
PDP chieftain lauds Okowa on approval of completion of Section 2 Ughelli/Asaba road
Chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Sunny Onuesoke, has commended the Delta State governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa for approving the completion of the dualization of Section C2 of Ughelli/Asaba Road. He thanked Okowa for his benevolence and hailed him for his love and magnanimity for the people. “A case in point is the Cable Point Road in Asaba that Governor Okowa transformed from its previous single lane, littered with craters to a smooth dual carriage way, with solar powered street lights boosting its scenic beauty at night,” he stated. Onuesoke appealed to people of Delta State to re-elect Okowa in 2019, assuring them that more should be expected from the smart Governor, who is making tremendous sacrifices for the development of the state. He disclosed that the leadership and members of the PDP in Delta State are united, focused and strongly supporting the re-election of Governor Okowa, who has the people and constitutional mandate to serve two terms.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
December 15, 2018 14:40 UTC
2019: We’ll be neutral on Gana, Duke ― SDP
The leadership of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, on Saturday stated that it would continue to be neutral in the legal tussle between Professor Jerry Gana and the former Cross Rivers Governor Donald Duke over its presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections, saying that both of them were eminently to lead the party to victory. This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Alfa Mohammed on its official position over the Abuja Federal High Court judgement which sacked Mr Duke and pronounced Gana as the authentic presidential candidate. It stated that that the leadership of the party after the judgement had resolved as follows, “that as a party which recognises the two eminent Nigerians as loyal party men with adequate intellectual competence to move Nigeria forward will continue to treat them as such“SDP recognises the right of every citizen to seek redress in the court of law as done by Prof Jerry Gana, as well as the right to appeal judgements which Donald Duke has also promised to exercise. “Although the party will continue to maintain its impartial stance on the matter, it will continue to make itself available in the court when called upon to defend the primary election and the process involved.”The party, therefore, enjoined all its members and supporters nationwide to go about their campaigns with the desired vigour and refrain from any conduct that might likely cause division in the party. According to the statement, “we must be guided by the fact that whichever way the case goes, SDP will continue to have a formidable and promising candidate who needs to be delivered.”The Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja presided by Justice H.Y Baba had on Friday sacked Mr Donald Duke, the Presidential Candidate of the party and declared Prof Gana as the rightful Candidate in the 2019 election.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
December 15, 2018 14:30 UTC
Lack of comprehensive plans, not execution, is challenge of development in Nigeria — Experts
NDDF, organized by the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND), started seven years ago and was conceived to influence development policies in the Niger Delta region. The annual event is supported by other organisations such as Market Development in the Niger Delta (MADE), the European Union (EU) and Faculty for Oil Sector Transformation (FOSTER). He explained that the 2018 edition of the forum focused on development planning as a way of consolidating on the resolutions reached in 2017. “We do know that there is a school of thought that believes that we don’t need plans, that it is not plan that is our problem, it is execution. We need execution, no doubt, but we also need very clear, comprehensive and coherent plans that will underpin development efforts at the sub-national level in Nigeria and, in particular, in the Niger Delta region.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
December 15, 2018 14:24 UTC
Nothing negative about Ogboni, formed for good of society ― Meshioye
Nothing secret, negative about Ogboni, formed for good of society ― MeshioyeTHE Reformed Ogboni Fraternity (ROF) has said that there is nothing secret or negative about the fraternity, pointing out that the group was set up for the good of society, with its ultimate objective aimed at promoting good values, discipline and justice. According to him, the group was later expanded to accommodate people of different faiths, saying that this was responsible for the change in name from Ogboni Fraternity to Reformed Ogboni Fraternity, adding some respected Nigerians were members of the fraternity. “If a good Ogboni is not sober, honest, industrious, benevolent, charitable, a good husband, a good housewife, a kind father, a kind mother, a loyal and virtuous citizen, it is because he has not understood the principles inculcated through various stages of his or her elevation processes. “The many other positive impacts of ROF on the generality of society include good citizenship, moral discipline and personal discipline,” he added. He equally urged Nigerians to join the fraternity and be part of the movement to make the society better for all.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
December 15, 2018 14:24 UTC
FRSC, road users, traders, others call for cautions during celebration
As the Christmas and New year celebration draw near, traders, FRSC, the road users, including transporters, drivers, passengers, as well as the trickers are in one voice in the call for precautionary measures to reduce road accident during the period, when many people would be traveling to hinterland to celebrate with their families and loved ones. She is, however, not the only person planning big for the Yuletide festivities, especially navigating around this period. It is the habit of Nigerians all over to travel from place to place to celebrate with family members. We also make sure our drivers maintain the minimum speed limit, and they drive with caution. The Anambra Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corp FRSC, Mr. Sunday Michael Ajayi, said since December 1, 2018, the command has been creating awareness among drivers on safety and precaution during the season.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
December 15, 2018 14:16 UTC
Belgium road accident death linked to 'yellow vest' protest | The Guardian Nigeria Newspaper - Nigeria and World News
The death takes to seven the number of people who have died in incidents linked to the anti-government protests in France which began on November 17 over rising petrol and diesel costs. Most of the deaths have been in accidents at blockades or barriers set up by protesters on roundabouts or on roads leading to motorways. On December 1, an 80-year-old woman was fatally injured by a tear-gas grenade fired by police in Marseille. The accident on Friday night happened in the Erquelinnes area of Belgium at a junction between the N40 and N54 roads “after a slowdown in France caused by the ‘yellow vests’,” the local government office in northern France said.
Source:The Guardian
December 15, 2018 14:15 UTC
FG renews commitment to strengthen national security, unemployment | The Guardian Nigeria Newspaper - Nigeria and World News
The Minister of Interior, retired Lt.-Gen Abdurrahman Dambazau, made this known at the passing-out parade of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) graduates Cadets of 43rd Superintendent Basic course in Kano on Saturday. He said the passing out of the 652 graduates cadets from the Immigration Training School, Kano was a clear demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to not only strengthen our national security but also to provide gainful employment to the teeming youths of the country. Danbazau said the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) would remain committed to staff training and discipline so as to ensure effective service delivery. “We are proud to state that this new NIS training curriculum is one of the best document for any training institution in Nigeria. Also speaking, the commandant of the training school, Mr R.A. Adegoke called for the urgent rehabilitation of the school Indoor shooting range and the access road leading to the school.
Source:The Guardian
December 15, 2018 14:03 UTC
201 FRSC mobile courts to begin sitting Monday ― Corps Marshal
THE 201 mobile courts set up by the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), nationwide to prosecute traffic offenders during the yuletide season, will begin sitting on Monday. Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, Corps Marshal of the FRSC, was on a nationwide tour, disclosed this on Saturday in Ibadan during his visit to Oyo State, in an effort to ensure a free flow of traffic nationwide during the yuletide season. Oyeyemi advised motorists to cooperate with FRSC personnel as we move towards the end of the year 2018. He promised prompt response of the commission whenever there was traffic obstruction or road crashes and appealed to motorists to cooperate adequately. Oyeyemi also urged the FRSC personnel conduct themselves in a professional manner.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
December 15, 2018 13:30 UTC
Buhari meets other presidents over Boko Haram | The Guardian Nigeria Newspaper - Nigeria and World News
Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari is presently meeting with five heads of state and governments of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja to adopt a report on the Boko Haram insurgency. The meeting is a follow up to a similar meeting held in N’djamena, the Chadian capital, last month to review the security situation in the region and intensify efforts to curb insurgency. The meeting involves his Chadian counterpart President Idris Deby Itno, President Mahamadou Issoufou of Niger Republic, and Prime Minister of Cameroon, Philemon Yang, who is representing President Paul Biya. Insisting that the Boko Haram war must be won, he said the time has come Boko Haram insurgency to be brought to a definite end. At the end of the meeting today, a communiqué would be issued on the new strategy to be adopted in the fight against Boko Haram.
Source:The Guardian
December 15, 2018 13:07 UTC
Foundation inaugurates N241m projects in Chevron’s host communities in Bayelsa
KEFFES Rural Development Foundation (RDF) on Saturday inaugurated 20 projects in eight communities, hosting the operations of Chevron Nigeria Limited in Bayelsa, at a total cost of N241.43 million. ”As you may know, KEFFES RDF is saddled with the responsibility of developing the KEFFES communities and it is furtherance of this mandate that we are gathered here. ”The KEFFES RDF embarked on some 20 capital projects years back and we are here today to commission these projects so they can be put to use for the benefit of the members of the KEFFES communities. Brass applauded the management of Chevron for meeting its social obligations to Bayelsa communities under the GMoU supervised by the Bayelsa Ministry of Mineral Resources. Speaking on behalf of the benefiting communities, Chief Marcus Gorley, appealed to Bayelsa Government to compliment the efforts of Chevron and other oil firms by extending development to rural oil communities.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
December 15, 2018 13:07 UTC
Despite ‘miserable conditions’, Sokoto varsity graduate sets First Class record
Despite living in ‘miserable conditions’, twenty-six years old Salim Rufai has emerged the first to bag a First Class Honours degree in Business Administration from the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto. Rufai, who hails from Mai’adua Local Government Area of Katsina State graduated with 4.54 CGPA in the department of Business Administration that was created in 2001. While speaking TribuneOnline, he described Gidan Dalo village where he lived inside the university premises as ‘miserable’. “The challenges I encountered were many but the life at Gidan Dalo village, a village within school premises where students reside in private owned hostels was so miserable. It’s not given for free, and nobody can give First Class unless students work harder for it and do remember, it’s base on merit.”
Source:Nigerian Tribune
December 15, 2018 12:56 UTC