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Ban On Twitter Will Further Worsen 33% Unemployment Rate – PDP Governors
Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday reacted to the Federal Government’s ban on Twitter lamenting that it will further worsen and increase the unemployment rate in the country.
The governors disclosed this in a communique jointly issued at end of the meeting held in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital.
“The meeting examined the suspension of Twitter from operating in Nigeria and condemned the personalised reasons given for the action. The mere ego of Mr. President is not enough for such a drastic action that deprives millions of Nigerians of such an affordable means of expression and communication. We hope that this is not a harbinger or early warning signs of descent into dictatorship.
“This will further worsen Nigeria’s 33% unemployment rate which is the highest in the world, improve Nigeria’s ranking as the country with the second-highest poverty rate in the entire world, all of which happened under APC’s unfortunate stewardship.”
The governors consequently requested Mr President to review the suspension of Twitter operations in Nigeria in the national interest.
Speaking concerning social media regulation, the governors said it can only be done within the existing laws on the subject and should not be used as an attempt to punish or gag Nigerians from enjoying constitutionally guaranteed rights.
“Nigerian youths do not have adequate access to employment and a lot of Nigerians rely on Twitter for their livelihood, businesses, and self-employment,” the PDP governors added.
June 15, 2021
We Will Tame The Monster Of Corruption In Nigeria – EFCC Boss
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Abdulrasheed Bawa says he is optimistic that the anti-graft agency will tame the monster of corruption in the country.
Bawa said this on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily and he was asked if the scope of corruption overwhelms him.
“Yes because if you look at it, almost everywhere there are elements of it (corruption). No, because I am very optimistic we will succeed in taming the monster of corruption in this country.
“I am very optimistic and with the efforts of the government. One of the cardinal principles of the President’s administration is to fight corruption and we in the EFCC and other law enforcement agencies saddled with this responsibility… we are doing our best and trying to curtail it.”
The EFCC boss speaking further on steps that will be taken in taming corruption in the country said the agency is engaging with religious leaders.
“Nigeria is a very religious country and that is why one of the issues that we do in public enlightenment is to engage with leaders of religious bodies. We are soon going to launch our interface with the Christian and Islamic communities to engage them on the ills of corruption.
“We have already designed the manual for that.”
Fourty years old Bawa was appointed EFCC Boss by President Muhammadu Buhari on February 16.
The President also asked the Senate to confirm him describing him in a statement as a trained EFCC investigator with vast experience in the investigation and prosecution of Advance Fee Fraud cases, official corruption, bank fraud, money laundering, and other economic crimes.
Upon resumption of office on March 9, he called for a renewed commitment to the anti-graft campaign by all staff through dedicated service, devoid of sloppiness and other forms of indiscipline.
During his screening by the Senate, Bawa vowed that the constitution will guide his actions as EFCC Chairman.
June 15, 2021
Gov Bala Mohammed appoints Ibrahim Kashim SSG
Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has appointed Barrister Ibrahim Kashim as Secretary to the State Government.
This is coming barely one week after he sacked his cabinet.
Recall we had reported last Wednesday that Mohammed dissolved his cabinet including 21 Commissioners, the Secretary to the State Government, Sabi’u Baba; his Chief of Staff, Dr. Ladan Salihu, and his Special Advisers.
He, however, retained his Special Advisers on Security, National and State Assembly Liaison, Social Investment, and Media and Publicity.
The governor, yesterday (Monday), appointed Dr. Aminu Gamawa, as the new Chief of Staff, Government House.
The appointment of the new SSG was contained in a media statement signed and made available to journalists in Bauchi on Tuesday by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the governor, Mukhtar Gidado.
The appointment takes immediate effect.
He said that Kashim who hails from Bauchi Local Government Area attended many institutions in the United Kingdom and the United States of America.
Gidado added that the appointee is a former lecturer at Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, and retired from active service as a Director in the Presidency in the Bureau for Public Enterprises.
He said, “Barrister Ibrahim Muhammad Kashim holds a LL. B, BL, LLM and Masters in Business Administration and various Post Graduate Certificates in Management, Administration and Economic Reform and Divestiture from many Institutions in the United Kingdom and the United States.
“He hails from Bauchi Local Government Area of the state. He is a Legal Practitioner, a former Lecturer at Dan Fodio University Sokoto, a public servant, and a policy expert.
“He retired in 2015 as a Director in the Presidency (Bureau for Public Enterprises) where he headed various departments and acted as the Director-General.”
The Media Aide said that upon retirement, Barrister Kashim ran a Consultancy Outfit known as Kauthar Resources Nig. Ltd and had consulted for various transport sector committees of both houses of the National Assembly, House Committee on Commercialisation and Privatisation and the Nigerian Shippers’ Council.
According to him, he is a registered member of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group, a non-profit, non–partisan private sector-led think tank with a mandate to promote and champion the reform of the Nigerian economy into an open, globally competitive economy.
“In 2020, Barrister Kashim was appointed as the Pioneer Director-General, Bauchi State Bureau for Privatisation and Economic Reforms, an agency set up pursuant to the current Government of Bala Mohammed’s resolve to reform, restructure and grow the economy of the state.
“Until his appointment, he was the immediate past Director-General, Bureau for Privatisation and Economic Reforms,” he stated.
June 15, 2021
Today’s Major Nigerian Newspapers’ Cover stories-15-06-2021
June 15, 2021
Insecurity: Bakassi Boys Return In South East
Years after their disbandment, the Bakassi Boys, a vigilante group in the South East, have returned to some parts of Awka, Anambra State capital.
They were seen in two vans, singing and warning criminals.
However, it could not be confirmed who invited the dreaded vigilante group.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Ikenga Tochukwu, said he was not aware of the development.
He said, “I received this as information from you. I don’t have any such details before me.
“Meanwhile, I will make enquires please.”
Asked whether the police would be ready with such arrangement, the PPRO said, “We are ready to work with any stakeholder in security.”
But a source said, “The boys came mainly for alleged cult groups which have taken over Awka town in recent time without any response from the Police. I think they were invited by traders.”
A Senior Police Officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said some security men arrived at the state, but failed to confirm if they were sent by the government.
The source said, “That is the only thing I can tell you, for now. Let’s see how things work out in the days and weeks to come.”
The Bakassi Boys are usually armed with machetes and guns and an array of black magic artefacts worn around their body.
They have been accused of extrajudicial killings.
Their targets are suspected petty thieves, armed robbers, ritual killers, murderers, corrupt persons, and generally, anyone considered evil.
June 15, 2021
Open Grazing: My People Say They Have No Land For Ranching – Umahi
Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi, says his people have no land to give out for cattle ranching.
Governor Umahi stated this on Monday evening while appearing as a guest on Channels Televisions
Umahi said each state in the South-East already has laws banning open grazing and as such, it is way off as he is a servant to his people.
“This is not about the governors, it is about the people, so, whatever position the people take in this regard, that is what will happen. There is no land in this regard that is not owned by individuals, corporate bodies.
“So, this is beyond governors and that is the truth. People calling governors are making a very grievous mistake. Even if I say as a governor in South-East, I want people from this village, I want you to donate this land, the question is: will they allow it?
“I have heard about three communal crisis in my state, and it is all about land. There is a place that I am building a medical university and the people of that village, for a project that is almost completed, went and brought it down. They prefer to have their farms than a medical college. So, the land is a different ball game altogether,” Umahi stated when asked whether he would provide land for ranching as a governor.
Speaking further Umahi noted that his people have “said they have no land for ranching. They put me where I am. If I have one acre of land and I am talking about giving land for ranching, I should be talking about that particular land. I can’t be talking about somebody’s land. Yes, constitutionally, I have control over the land but you have to kill all the people to get the land.”
Earlier in the year, Southern Governors banned open grazing of cattle across states in the region and urged the President to address Nigerians on the state of the nation.
The governors also called for the restructuring of the country to address increasing agitations in different parts of the nation, while restating their commitment to the unity of the country.
In reaction to the ban, the presidency said the governors failed to provide any solution to the lingering crisis between farmers and herders in the country.
Seeking to profer the needed solution, President Muhammadu Buhari in a recent interview stated that the government will return to a practice in which herders will ply designated grazing routes across the country.
The President said the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has been asked to begin the process to see how these routes can be legally put back to use, a directive which has not gone down with many Nigerians, with some claiming that the insistence on open grazing points to a hidden agenda.
June 15, 2021
PDP Governors slam FG over Nigeria’s N36tr debt
The PDP Governors’ Forum has expressed concern over the rising debt profile of the country describing the country’s N36tr debt profile unsustainable.
It has also expressed concern over the continued failure of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC to remit its statutory contributions to the federation account.
In a communique at the end of its meeting in Uyo on Monday, the governors who once again reviewed the state of the nation maintained that money should only be borrowed for productive purposes.
According to the communique read by their chairman and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, “the PDP Governors frowned at the rising and seemingly uncontrollable debt profile of Nigeria with over 80% of normal Appropriation spent on debt servicing.
“All the gains of the PDP Government under Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, where Nigeria exited its foreign debt obligations has been destroyed. Borrowing for frivolous items such as funding the Nigerian Television Authority is scandalous.
“Money should only be borrowed for productive purposes as Nigeria’s current debt of over N36 Trillion Naira is becoming clearly unsustainable relative to our earnings and GDP.
“We should not saddle incoming generations with undue debt burden. The borrowing spree of the APC administration if unchecked, will certainly lead Nigeria into avoidable bankruptcy.” The communique said.
They expressed alarm over the running of the NNPC by the Federal Government and the continuous non remittance of their statutory contribution by other Federal agencies to the Federal Government.
“The Forum examined the operations of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and expressed alarm at the OPAQUE manner it carries out its operations
“It decried the recent NNPCs decision not to make its statutory contributions to the Federation Account, thereby starving the States and Local Governments and indeed Nigerians of funds needed for employment, development and general well being.
“The meeting frowned at a situation where the NNPC decides in a totally discretionary and often whimsical manner, how much to spend, how to spend it and how much to remit to the Federation Account, contrary to the letters and even the spirit of the 1999 Constitution.” It said.
It expressed deep concerns on the operational system and methods of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) regretting that the apex bank has continued to operate like a “government within a government.”
“A situation where CBN creates money, decides how much of it to spend, on what to spend it on without any form of controls or supervision is patently subversive of our constitutional order.
“It has become not just a LEVIATHAN, but also a father Christmas of sorts, dabbling into every sphere and scope of governmental activity, not just as a lender of last resort, but as a full executing agency of government.
“The meeting observed that the CBN has become such an octopus that it threatens State governments publicly, without decorum, about sanctions on any attempt to question its MODUS OPERANDI.” It said.
It further reviewed the emerging threats to the country’sdemocracy, constitutionalism and rule of law and cautioned the FG to exercise power with restraint.
On the suspension of Twitter from operating in Nigeria, the governors condemned the personalised reasons given for the action by the Presidency urging the FG to review it’s decision for national interest.
“The mere ego of Mr President is not enough for such a drastic action that deprives millions of Nigerians from such an affordable means of expression and communication. We hope that this is not a harbinger or early warning signs of descent into dictatorship.
“The meeting noted that social media regulation can only be done within the existing laws on the subject and should not be used as an attempt to punish or gag Nigerians from enjoying constitutionally guaranteed rights.
“Nigerian youths do not have adequate access to employment and a lot of Nigerians rely on TWITTER for their livehood, businesses and self-employment.
“This will further worsen Nigeria’s 33% unemployment rate which is the highest in the world, improve Nigerias ranking as the country with second highest poverty rate in the entire world, all of which happened under APC’s unfortunate stewardship.” It said.
June 15, 2021
Gbajabiamila greets ace poet, columnist, Omatseye, at 60
By Doris Igwe
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, has congratulated an ace poet, novelist, playwright and columnist, Dr Sam Omatseye, as he clocks 60 years.
Gbajabiamila said Omatseye, who is also the chairman of The Nation newspaper’s Editorial Board and a TV host, has been living a fulfilled life, worthy of emulation.
He said Omatseye’s contributions to Nigeria’s democracy are legion, noting that the columnist has used his pen for the good of society.
Gbajabiamila noted that Omatseye’s name deserves a special mention when the history of Nigerian journalism is written.
The Speaker prayed for more fruitful years for the renowned journalist cum poet in good health.
While calling on Omatseye to continue with his good works of promoting democratic tenets, Gbajabiamila urged the new generation of Nigerian journalists to see him as a role model.
June 15, 2021
Kolokoma/Opokuma dev asst to partner with NUJ to promote heritage sites
KOLOKUMA/OPOKUMA DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE TO PARTNER WITH NUJ TO PROMOTE HERITAGE SITES
Amgbare Ekaunkumo, Yenagoa
Chairman, Travel Writers’ Corps of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Bayelsa State Council, Mr Piriye Kiyaramo has advised communities to make their festivals inclusive to meet local needs of communities through meaningfully involving residents with a view to creating powerful sense of belonging among the people.
Mr Kiyaramo made the remark when members of the Travel Writers’ Corps of NUJ paid an advocacy visit on the chairman of Kolokuma/Opokuma Development Initiative, Rear Admiral Woyengidinikpe Geoffrey Yanga at his country home, Sabagreia ahead of the popular Lake Efi fishing festival in Kolokuma/Opokuma local government area of Bayelsa State, on Sunday.
The travel writers’ chairman noted that festivals create exciting spaces for tourists and residents to experience art, music, culture and film, pointing out that local festivals play transformative roles in communities as they provide platform to celebrate traditions while powerfully expressing the meanings that places hold for the people.
He maintained that a well planned community festival can help residents to explore different ways of belonging in the community to enable the people re-engage with their past and imagine the future with hope.
According to Mr Kiyaramo, sustainability is not just about protecting the environment, but about fostering connections between people and places, reiterating that: “local festivals have the power to bring diverse groups of people together, often with shared commitment to better lives and places.”
Responding, chairman of Kolokuma/Opokuma Development Initiative (KDI), Rear Admiral Woyengidinikpe Geoffrey Yanga (rtd) who indicated his group’s interest in promoting heritage sites across the local government area with a view to attracting tourists to the area expressed readiness to collaborate with the travel writers corps to build synergy to promote domestic tourism in the area.
Also speaking, chairman, sub-committee on culture of KDI, a former Permanent Secretary and one time Executive Director of Bayelsa state council for arts and culture, Mr. Ineye Johnny Dudafa, expressed great delight in the travel writers’ corps, informing that his committee will partner with the NUJ to promote the rich cultural heritage of the Kolokuma/Opokuma people.
He also used the occasion to invite members of the corps to participate in the forthcoming Lake Effi fishing festival that was coming up soon at Sabagria in Kolokuma/Opokuma local government area.
Lake Efi, which approximately covers 2km square area, has crocodiles that do not harm humans during the festival. Another mystery about the lake is that it is self-purifying as it clears every fallen piece of debris to its banks, leaving its entire surface pristine at all times.
Lake Efi festival which was originally celebrated once every seven years and as directed by the chief priest of Efi Lake is now celebrated every four years interval.
During the fishing festival, residents and visitors witness the event and purchase assorted kinds of fish of various sizes at affordable prices. The locals visit this lake from time to time for sight seeing and fishing.
June 15, 2021
BOSG To Engage 3,000 Teachers Before End Of 4 Year Tenure – Prof. Zulum
Dauda R Pam MAIDUGURI
AttnNewsEditor.
GOVERNOR BABAGANA UMARA ZULUM, has said that, Borno state government will engage at least 3,000 teachers in the next two years before the expiration of his 4year tenure in May 2023.
Equally, he said, government will set up four vocational centres in Maiduguri, Mafa, Magumeri and Kwaya/Kusar in which 6,000 to 8,000 unemployed youths will be trained to eke a living and to become self-sufficient, there-after.
This was contained in his remarks at the weekend in MAIDUGURI to commemorate the 2021, June 12, democracy day celebrations.
According to him, the Government of Morocco is to establish a vocational school in Maiduguri at the cost of N4 billion to augment the poor stage of primary education in the state.
“Up till now our primary education system is in comatose, whether we like it or not,” ZULUM said.
And that during the six-month teachers’ verification exercise, the committee was able to save N450 million from ghost teachers and therefore assured the people that before the end of this year, 3,000 teachers will be engaged.
“We shall do everything possible to ensure that qualified teachers are recruited into the primary education system,” to enable children of the less privileged to send their children and wards to primary schools.
Lamenting over the poor stage of primary education, he said: “Most of the primary school teachers in Mafa, Monguno, Nganzai and others could not spell and write their names correctly despite the fact that they are proud holders of the National Certificate of Education (NCE) minimum qualifications to teach children”.
Adding that there is nothing to write home about education in the state, urging, those teachers that are not qualified to go back to school.
June 14, 2021