The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Category: News

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  • Restructuring: Wole Soyinka urges the National Assembly to respond to restructuring calls

    Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, yesterday urged the National Assembly to listen to the calls for the restructuring of Nigeria and take responsibility towards the effect.

     

    Wole soyinka

    His call is in consonance with the Presidency which had repeatedly asked agitators for restructuring to channel their clamour to the National Assembly, being the representatives of the people.

     

    Such regional groups as the Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, its counterparts in Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Pan-Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, and the Middle-Belt Forum have been very vociferous in the call for the nation’s restructuring.

     

    They had often argued that the National Assembly was not better placed to restructure the country, since the 1999 constitution currently in operation and which the lawmakers are applying, was not written by the people but a select few.

     

    However, Soyinka, who spoke on AIT’s Kakaaki programme yesterday, said the National Assembly had the powers and moral authority to respond to the calls, if the Presidency was not doing so.

     

    He said: “The Presidency is saying it’s not my responsibility. On the other hand, the National Assembly keeps saying it wants the President to take action.

     

    ‘’When that happens, why doesn’t the National Assembly say ‘fine, we take this as our responsibility, we are obliged to the people who elected us here, the shout is heard, even by the deaf today that this nation must restructure, and if that has to be done through the constitution, we are now going to face this as one of our major tasks’ and then lead the Presidency on its own?

     

    “If the Presidency is not responding, then the National Assembly has the powers and the moral authority to respond to the desire of the populace.”

     

    On why the National Assembly has been reluctant to take up the leadership opportunity, Soyinka said: “Very often, they are struggling for those various committees where I think all the goodies are shared, so they are compromised.

     

    ‘’But when I speak about this, I’m not speaking about the entirety. But unfortunately, there are those who are purely for their own interest and who make compromises with the Executives simply because they want to fulfil’ their own personal interest.”

     

    Soyinka also said the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari lacked the steam to fight corruption.

     

    He said so many people ought to be in prison if the government was serious about the fight against corruption.

     

    “There are so many people who should be in prison if this government had not run out of steam, and so the system is being manipulated.

     

    “There are cases where the prosecution had reached the level where evidence had been given on governors who had been stealing and depositing in bits and pieces so as not to flout a certain regulation.

     

    “I mean cases have been taken to that level and suddenly, silence. The EFCC, which I back solidly ever since the days of Nuhu Ribadu, in all kinds of ways, we no longer know the distinguishing from rights and left,’’ he said.

     

     

     

    Source: www.vanguardngr.com

  • Orlu disturbances: We are determined to prevent our people from being victims of Nigeria’s circumstances – Ohanaeze

    Ohanaeze Ndigbo, yesterday, said it will resist attempts to make the Igbo victims of circumstances or violence in Nigeria.

     

    It noted with agony the recent disturbances in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State which resulted in loss of lives and properties as well as caused immense hardship to the citizens of Orlu Senatorial Zone and others.

     

    The apex Igbo organisation, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alex Ogbonnia, said:

     

    “The present administration of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is determined to prevent our people from being victims of Nigeria’s circumstances and history of violence which they did not create nor can they alone control. Ndigbo, as the President General said, are builders and not nation wreckers/destroyers.”

     

    The group, therefore, called on Orlu people to remain calm.

    “We want to appreciate the quick response of Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma, and all the Imo State security apparatus, who, with the cooperation of Federal Government authorities, contained and controlled this tragic event from escalating. The Imo state government’s quick action and decision on a dusk to dawn curfew and withdrawal of the army brought about relative peace to Orlu Zone and its environs.

     

    “We must recall that the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, in his maiden press conference in Enugu on 20th day of January 2021, categorically stated that Ndigbo are not at war with Nigeria and had nothing pending before any institutional authority that demands a separate existence from Nigeria.

     

    “Ohanaeze Ndigbo advises the people of Orlu Zone to remain calm and law abiding. And for those of us who misinterpret our tragic history, the Late Chukwuemeka Odumegbu Ojukwu’s statement that ‘the bone shall rise’ did not mean ‘conflict, violence and war’ but, indeed, means that Ndigbo should continue with their history of being creative and constructive in their engagements with the rest of Nigeria.

     

    “There is absolutely no cause, no goal, no national objectives that Ndigbo can achieve or is worthy of further loss of lives of our youths and others both in Igboland and beyond. Ohanaeze Ndigbo feels strongly that we should and we must continue our struggle for justice, equity and fairness with emphasis on options that are more likely to achieve those objectives without making our people experience the kind of wanton destructions and loss of lives that Igboland has experienced in the past, the group said.

     

    In another development, Ohanaeze congratulated the newly appointed service chiefs.

     

    But, however, decried the continued exclusion of South East the the nation’s security council.

     

    President General of Ohanaeze, George Obiozor stated: “We, particularly, thank Mr. President for the appointment of Major General Lucky Irabor a tested General and a gentleman. However, Mr. President, one way of ensuring compliance with federal character provision of the Nigerian constitution is to observe the distribution of important and vital offices of the Federal Government in accordance with the zonal structure.

     

    “Mr. President, particularly, in the area of the security architecture of the country, the South East zone which was conspicuously absent in your first term has now again not been included so far in your recent appointment of service chiefs.

     

    Ohanaeze Ndigbo hopes and believes that Mr. President in continuation of appointments in this sector would consider the South East zone.”

     

     

     

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com

  • Ondo State governor issues herdsmen vacation order to leave forest reserves in Ondo State

     

    Following the agreement reached by the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association and other stakeholders on vacation order issued to the herdsmen to leave the forest reserves in Ondo State, the government has said the herders have been moving out of the forest.

    Rotimi Akeredolu

     

    The governors and the MACBAN in the communique issued after their meeting on Monday agreed to support the Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’ s order on ban on night grazing,  under-age grazing,  movement of cattle along the highway and within the cities and herdsmen moving out of the forest reserves.

     

    Speaking on the development on Tuesday, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters,  Alhaji Jimoh Dojumo, said the herdsmen had been moving out of the forest reserves in compliance with the order of the governor.

     

    He said the government was waiting for the herdsmen to register, adding that many herders had indicated interest in the exercise.

     

    He said, “We have just started, I am sure they would come. The herders don’t have any alternative but to register and anyone who fails to register will not be allowed to operate in the state. The registration has to be total.”

     

    Also speaking, the Ondo State Chairman of MACBAN,  Alhaji Garuba Bello,  said the herders would begin to register any moment.

     

    “My people are ready to register; let the government go to the forest and monitor how the herdsmen are obeying the order, “ Bello said.

     

    MASSOB hails Akeredolu

    Meanwhile, the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra on Tuesday applauded Akeredolu on the steps taken to preserve the lives and property on Ondo State.

     

    The pro-Biafra group in statement by its National Director Of Information, Comrade Edeson Samuel, said after their executive meeting, “MASSOB hails the Governor of Ondo state, His Excellency Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), on his eloquent and bold steps taken to preserve the lives and properties of his people.

     

    “MASSOB urge the South-East governors to emulate Akeredolu in order to save our people, especially the Governor of Enugu State because Nkanu, Awgu, Aninri and Isi Uzo local government areas are occupied by the Fulani terrorist and criminals called herdsmen.”

     

    Traditional worshipers seek inclusion

    Additionally, the Ondo State Assembly of Traditional Religion Worshippers on Tuesday called on Akeredolu to involve them in the fight against the activities of the killer herdsmen in the state and the South-West.

     

    The state Coordinator of the traditional worshipers, Chief Adewale Oso, who spoke with journalists in Akure, the state capital, said they had the spiritual support of the ancestors to collaborate with the government to chase out criminals in the state.

     

    He said, “Our traditions have powers to expose evil doers around us. If some people are killing and hiding, when authorities do the right thing, in the traditional way, they would be exposed.”

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

  • Maize Growers Processing Marketer Association of Nigeria in Ekiti accuses some herdsmen of destroying a multi-million naira maize farm

    Kayode Fayemi

     

     

    The Maize Growers Processing Marketer Association of Nigeria on Tuesday accused some herdsmen of grazing their cattle indiscriminately, thereby destroying a multi-million naira maize farm alongAdo-Ijan Road in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.

     

    MAGPAMAN Secretary in Ekiti, Mr Tope Emmanuel, lamented that the farmers sourced N60.8m from the Central Bank of Nigeria to cultivate the maize farms on about 235 hectares, adding that the projected profit was N410m.

    Emmanuel, who alleged that the herders had been terrorising the farmers said, “They invaded the farm at night with weapons and fed their cows with our plant. All efforts to stop them were rebuffed.

     

    “We are begging the state government to save us as our members are really in a difficult situation in view of the loan,” the farmer said.

     

    He said the police and the State Security Network Agency (Amotekun Corps) had been briefed on the incident.

    However, the Ekiti Amotekun Corps Commander, Brig-Gen Joe Komolafe (retd), said, “We are handling the situation.”

     

    Fayemi inaugurates farmer, herder panel

    Meanwhile, the state governor, Kayode Fayemi, on Tuesday inaugurated a body, the Ekiti State Farmers-Herders Peace Committee’ to foster peaceful co-existence among the s ethnic nationalities in the state.

     

    Fayemi, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Security Matters, Brig. Gen. Ebenezer Ogundana (retd.), said herdsmen in the state would register with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and issued identification to separate genuine herders from criminal elements.

     

    The governor urged the committee to work with communities, traditional rulers and security agencies to ensure that farmers-herders clashes became things of the past in the state.

     

    “These leaders would be held responsible in case of any break down of law and order in such community,” he said.

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

  • 2023 Presidency: Moghalu declares his intentions to make a second run for the presidency

     

    A former presidential candidate, Kingsley Moghalu, says he’s making consultations on a second run for the presidency in 2023.

    Kingsley Moghalu

     

     

    As a candidate of the Young Progressive Party (YPP), the former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) contested in the 2019 presidential election but won less than 22,000 votes.

     

    The 58-year-old promptly left the YPP and partisan politics to focus on electoral reform and voter education with a non-partisan platform called To Build A Nation (TBAN).

     

    Moghalu said in a statement on Tuesday, January 26, 2021 that he’s already thinking about running again in 2023 to give Nigeria a competent leader.

     

    “Will make my decision known when it’s final. And it won’t be 12 months to the election. Lessons learned.

     

    “Nigeria needs a modern leader for the 21st century. Someone New. Different. Bold,” he said.

     

    The political economist noted that an important criteria for choosing Nigeria’s next president should be competence.

     

    However, he also hinted that the regional rotation of the presidency should finally be allowed to favour a candidate from his south east region to promote inclusivity.

     

    “The key is to put competence first, and then look for it in a part of the country that has not been given the opportunity that has been given others,” he said.

     

    The Anambra native said he’s got assurances from voters in 2019 that they would vote for him when it was the turn of his region to take the mantle of the nation’s leadership.

     

    Nigeria has never had a president from the south east region, even though its Igbo population is one of the nation’s major three.

     

     

     

    Source: www.pulse.ng

  • NIS: Abducted spokesperson has been released

    The Police Command in Edo has confirmed the release of abducted spokeswoman of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) Edo Command, Mrs Bridget Esene.

     

    The Police Public Relations Officer in Edo, Mr Chidi Nwabuzor, confirmed her release to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the telephone in Benin on Tuesday.

     

    The NIS spokeswoman, who was kidnapped by unknown gunmen in Benin on Sunday, was released at about 4 pm on Tuesday.

    The police, however, declined to comment on whether a ransom was paid or not.

     

    It would be recalled that Esene was abducted in Ikhueniro area of Benin on Sunday on her way to church. (NAN)

     

     

    Source: www.vanguardngr.com

  • INSECURITY: Buhari appoints new service chiefs to oversee security in the country

     

     

    The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for appointing new service chiefs to oversee the security of the country.

     

    The chairman of the organisation in Anambra, Mr Vincent Ezekwueme, gave the commendation in Enugu.

    Ezekwueme noted that the appointments of new service chiefs were overdue but they were “a step in the right direction.

    “It is also in tandem with aspirations of Nigerians.

    “I commend President Buhari for listening to the cries and demand for appointment of new service chiefs.

     

    “There is no doubt that the new service chiefs would inject new ideals, energy, zeal and patriotism to improve security architecture of the country’’.

     

    The CLO boss called on the new service chiefs to device strategic plan to tame and decimate the activities of Boko Haram, kidnappers and insurgents.

     

    “Doing this will definitely restore absolute peace and tranquillity in the country,” he observed.

     

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday approved the appointments of Maj-Gen Leo Irabor, Chief of Defence Staff, Maj-Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, Chief of Army Staff, Rear Admiral AZ Gambo, Chief of Naval Staff and AVM IO Amao,  Chief of Air Staff.

     

     

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com

  • Delta Community Head murdered

    The immediate past Chairman of Ugbori community in the Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State, Godwin Metie, has been shot dead by yet-to-be-identified gunmen.

    PUNCH Metro gathered that the gunmen perpetrated the act around 9pm on Monday at Merogun, a volatile area of the Warri metropolis.

    According to sources, the deceased was waylaid by the mask-wearing hoodlums, who opened fire on him at close range.

    He reportedly gave up the ghost on the spot.

    In a similar development, a bricklayer, identified only as Uruese, has been murdered by gunmen suspected to be cultists.

    Uruese, also fondly called Iron Monkey, was killed at Orerokpe in the Okpe Local Government Area of the state last Friday.

    The deceased, who lived around a street close to the council’s secretariat, was reportedly shot through the window of his room while asleep.

    The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Onome Onovwakpoyeya, said she was not aware of the alleged killing of the former Ugbori community chairman.

    Onovwakpoyeya promised to react after making enquiries on the matter.

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    She, however, confirmed Uruese’s death.

    “The one that was shot while asleep is true and investigation is on,” she stated.

  • NDLEA seeks government approval to conduct drug test for university students, security agencies, govt appointees

     

     

     

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), says it will seek government approval to conduct drug tests on tertiary institutions’ new students, security agencies’ fresh recruits and appointees.

     

    Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), Chairman of the Agency said this during a meeting with commanders of the 36 states, FCT and special commands on Monday in Abuja.

     

    Marwa said that he would soon propose to the government the necessity for drug tests for all tertiary institutions resuming students.

     

    He added that the test would also be conducted for National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) members, new workers, all security agencies, new recruits and random tests for government appointees.

     

    “NDLEA is ready to help and we must help. The success we make of this particular task goes a long way to determine the socio-economic stability of the nation.

     

    “We need not be told of the nexus between drug use, crime and criminalities.

     

    “The exponential growth of the nefarious drug activities can be directly linked to the upsurge in crimes such as insurgency, terrorism, kidnapping, cultism, political thuggery, gangsterism, rape and other maladaptation bedeviling today’s Nigeria,” he said.

     

    The NDLEA boss said he would put more efforts on drug demand reduction as part of plans to eradicate the scourge in Nigeria.

     

    Marwa tasked all commanders to be desirous of keeping drugs out of Nigerian streets and homes saying that they all must shape up and get all those engaged in the nefarious business to face the music.

     

    He expressed his determination to run with the National Drug Control Master Plan (NDCMP) saying that the toll free call centers and help lines would soon be set up for the use of Nigerians ready to give information or seek intervention from the agency.

     

    “Ours is a national assignment. Drug has littered everywhere; every community. We will lead the fight and we will succeed. Make no mistake about it, it is a collective effort.

     

    “We will equally devote a lot of efforts to prevention, treatment and after care and focus on family and parenting, community, school systems, advocacy to all groups.

     

    “This will be through traditional institutions, religious bodies, media, NGOs, CSOs, State and local governments among others. We will rehabilitate our rehab centres, make them functional while more will be built.

     

    “And I need results from now on. Our maxim will be offensive action. This means we must go all out constantly on the offensive against the bad guys,” he said.

     

    Marwa warned the unbending drug crime perpetrators  saying that it was high time they embraced another trade as their game was up.

  • Crude Oil: Nigerian refineries lose a total of 152.08bn

     

    The nation’s refineries lost a total of N152.08bn in 15 consecutive months of being idle, the latest data from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation have shown.

    Analysis of data collated from NNPC monthly reports revealed that all the refineries did not refine crude oil from July 2019 to September 2020.

     

    The refineries, which are located in Port Harcourt, Kaduna and Warri, have a combined installed capacity of 445,000 barrels per day but have continued to operate far below the installed capacity.

     

    The country relies largely on importation of refined petroleum products as its refineries have remained in a state of disrepair for many years despite several reported repairs.

     

    In 2019, Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company only processed crude in one month, June; Port Harcourt Refining Company in two months (February and March); and Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company in four months (January, February, March and May).

     

    The Kaduna refinery incurred an operating deficit of N57.99bn from July 2019 to September 2020, according to the NNPC data.

     

    Port Harcourt refinery lost N48.99bn in the period under review while the Warri refinery lost N45.10bn.

     

    The NNPC said in its latest monthly report that the declining operational performance of the refineries ‘is attributable to ongoing revamping of the refineries, which is expected to further enhance capacity utilization once completed’.

     

    The Group Managing Director, NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari, has reiterated its plan to revamp the refineries and end fuel importation by 2023.

     

    Bloomberg reported on January 15 that a year after shutting down all of its dilapidated refineries to figure out how to fix them, Nigeria still could not say how much it would cost to do the work or where the money would come from.

     

    According to the report, the NNPC said it had finished the appraisal of its largest facility, but hadn’t completed the process at two others.

     

    ‌

    The international news agency quoted refining experts as saying that the extended halt meant the plants were at risk of rotting away and unlikely to restart on time.

     

    It noted that the NNPC had totally shut all three plants down by January 2020 to do a comprehensive appraisal, and set the ambitious target of having them all back up and running at 90 per cent of capacity by 2023.

     

    The NNPC spokesman, Dr Kennie Obateru, was quoted as saying that the appraisal of the 210,000-bpd Port Harcourt refinery had been completed and the NNPC had called for bids for the necessary repairs.

     

    “It is when we close the bids, everything is analysed and presented that we will know how much we need,” he said.

     

    He said the diagnosis was underway at the 125,000bpd Warri facility and should be complete before the end of the year, adding that after that, the study of the 110,000b pd Kaduna plant would commence.

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com

  • CBN: FG records a deficit spending of N4.45 trillion in 10 Months

    The Federal Government has recorded a N4.45 trillion deficit spending in ten months.

     

    The deficit which climbed by 17 per cent, year-on-year (y/y), against N3.8 trillion recorded in the corresponding period of 2019.

     

    The sharp increase in deficit was driven by the decline in revenue which worsened in October, falling by 6.5 per cent, month-on-month (m/m) to N275 billion from N294 billion in September.

     

    The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) disclosed this in its monthly economic report for October 2020. Breakdown of the CBN economic reports from January to October last year showed 28 per cent, y/y, decline in FG’s retained revenue during the ten months period, to N2.88 trillion from N3.99 trillion recorded in the same period in 2019. In the same vein, the FG recorded 6.0 per cent y/y decline in expenditure to N7.33 trillion during the ten months period to October 2020, from N7.78 trillion in the same period of 2019. Narrating how the fiscal position of the FG worsened in October last year, especially the deteriorating trend in revenue, the CBN, in the report said: “The persisting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the fiscal profile and operations of the Federal Government led to a huge deficit in October 2020. The estimated deficit amounted to N451.22 billion compared to the budget benchmark of N414.63 billion, the N418.50 billion in September 2020 and the N323.84 billion in October 2019.

     

    “The estimated fiscal deficit rose by 8.8 per cent and 7.8 per cent above the 2020 budget benchmark and the level in September 2020, respectively. The development was attributed to the 6.6 per cent decline in retained revenue,and the 1.9 per cent increase in aggregate expenditure relative to the level in the preceding month “The revenue profile of the FGN revealed a lingering challenge due to declines in statutory receipts and persistent shortfalls in FGN Independent revenue. The total retained revenue of N274.48 billion recorded in October 2020, was significantly below the budget benchmark and the level recorded in October 2019 by 43.6 percent and 52.8 per cent, respectively. “Releases to MDAs in respect of personnel cost and capital expenditure, were the major drivers of government expenditure in October 2020.

     

    At N725.70 billion, provisionally estimated aggregate expenditure of the Federal Government, rose by 1.9 per cent above the N712.30 billion in September 2020, but declined by 19.8 per cent below the N904.77 billion in the corresponding period of 2019.

    “Overall, total expenditure fell below the budget benchmark of N900.88 billion by 19.4 per cent, indicative of government’s revenue constraint.”

     

     

     

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com

  • SON destroys substandard LPG cylinders and tyres worth N300 million

     

    The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) yesterday, destroyed substandard LPG cylinders and tyres worth about N300 million, noting that these goods failed the minimum requirement.

     

    The Director General of the organisation, Mallam Farouk Salim, at the destruction exercise in Lagos, said the goods destroyed were classified as life-endangering and unfit for use.

    Salim, said he wished the products could be returned to the country of origin, adding that the products were destroyed because some of them were contraband and below standard after they were tested.

     

    “I wish there was a way we can send them back to where they are coming from but, unfortunately, we don’t have agreement with these countries. Regretably, this is turning the country to a dumping ground.”

     

    The SON boss explained that despite efforts aimed at curbing the menace, these goods still find their way into Nigeria, reaffirming SON’s commitment to leave no stone unturned in its fight against substandard goods.

     

    He reiterated the need for SON officials to be at the ports to ensure that such substandard and dangerous goods do not find their way into the country.

     

    “85 per cent of goods coming into the country come through the Lagos ports, so, if we are able to work effectively in Lagos , we will minimise the problems.”

     

    According to him, the integrity of the tyres were compromised and would likely explode while in use.

     

    He said six to seven containers were stuffed with one tyre stuffed with five tyres, saying a container that was supposed to take 1,000 tyres conveyed about 5,000 tyres, which eventaully affected the integrity of the tyres.

     

    “The tyres are not meant to be stuffed inside each other. You can put tubes in the tyres because it does not effect the integrity of the tyres. They were compromised because five other tyres were stuffed in one, which is bad. We want to stop the incidences of tyres bursting while in motion.”

     

    On cylinders, he said a lot of safety precautions must be considered by importers, as a high technical product. “Any importer should not engage in the importation of cylinders without following the due process because we ensure that for cylinders to be imported, there must be approvals from SON. Importers must also consistently meet the requirement of the standards.

     

    “We are here to destroy some substandard goods seized from some importers and marketers. Goods to be destroyed include cylinders and tyres. The goods we are destroying are the ones that failed the critical parameters and we cannot allow them to get into circulation because they are life-threatening.”

     

    According to him, these goods came from different sources where some were evacuated from warehouses, intercepted on the high ways, adding that the organisation does not destroy products without court’s approval.

     

    “We are not happy destroying these goods because it is a loss, not only to the importer but to the nation.”

     

    On preparedness for AfCFTA he said “we are increasing the surveillance and working with importers, because some just import the wrong goods.

     

    “We are prepared. Our standards are international. We are watching out for products brought into the country from other African countries, China or Asia. We need more tools to be made available to us like access to the ports, computers to do our jobs more efficiently.”

     

     

    Source: www.sunnewsonline.com