Monday, 30 May 2016
Shootout in Niger Delta creeks as troops kill militants, avert attack on oil pipeline
THE standoff between the military and the Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, degenerated, early yesterday, as soldiers of 343 Artillery Regiment of 2 Brigade, 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, engaged the militants in a fierce gun duel at Gulobokri and Eweleso communities, around Brass area of Bayelsa State.
This led to the killing of some of the militants, which averted their attack on an oil pipeline in the two communities.
Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Usman, who confirmed this in a statement, said another patrol team of the same unit in Perigbene House Boat, Bayelsa State encountered three speedboats suspected to be carrying militants about to attack another critical infrastructure in the area.
However, the casualty on the side of the militants could not be ascertained as it was raining heavily and the raging storm could not allow troops to pursue the suspected militants.
He said: “During the exercise, the patrol team had an encounter with some armed militants in two speedboats with intent to blow up Nigerian Agip Oil Company pipeline at Gulobokri. The suspected vandals opened fire on the patrol team.
“The troops responded with overwhelming superior firepower and as a result, the suspected criminals sped off from the area with many of them sustaining gunshot wounds. No casualty was recorded by the patrol team.
“Unfortunately, a personnel of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, attached to the team sustained gunshot wound. He has since been evacuated and he is in stable condition.
“A mop up operation has been organized for those militants that escaped with gunshot wounds as they may be receiving treatment in the neighbouring communities. With this development, troops would continue to intensify patrol in the general area to avert further vandalism or attacks in the area.”
BIM-MASSOB agitators kill 2 policemen in Asaba, throw 2 into River Niger
ASABA- MEMBERS of the Biafra Independent Movement and Movement for Actualization Sovereign State of Biafra, BIM-MASSOB, allegedly killed two police officers in a clash and threw two other injured policemen into the River Niger at Asaba, capital of Delta State, on Monday.
The groups, which marked the anniversary of their agitation, Monday, purportedly made away with an AK 47 belonging to the police and damaged a police and military patrol vans.
The police, however, mortally wounded four of them and arrested eight persons.
Acting Police Public Relations Officer, Delta State Command, SP Charles Muka, who confirmed the death, said: “The members of the unlawful Independent People of Biafra (IPOB)/MASSOB carried out a violent protest today at Asaba. The command had sequel to rumours of the planned protest proactively deployed men to strategic locations in Asaba.”
“To the chagrin of the Command, the obnoxious irate groups attacked our men and army patrol team at three locations, killed two policemen and injured two others at Cable and Abraka areas and made away with one AK.47 rifle and one smoke riot gunner from the killed and injured policemen.
“The callous group threw two of the injured policemen into the River Niger at Cable, while one was later rescued alive. The unlawful groups also damaged Ibusa Division patrol van and a military patrol van.
“In the ensuing confrontation with the groups, four members of the illegal group were fatally wounded, while eight were arrested. The groups were successfully dispersed and Benin/Onitsha expressway and the town made free for people to move and go about their businesses,” he said.
Muka asserted: “The Command, therefore, advises parents and guardians to warn their children and wards to toe peaceful path and pursue whatever agenda constitutionally.”
“The Command also wants to state that the security agencies will not fold their arms and watch a few persons take laws into their hands and cause mayhem in pursuit of whatever agenda,” he added.
Tension enveloped Asaba and environs, as the anniversary celebration turned bloody with the police chasing the BIM-MASSOB groups round the state capital.
Vanguard learned that trouble started when a team of police officers intercepted the agitators, who gathered at a spot, near a obsolete toll gate in Asaba chanting war songs and attempted to intercept them.
There was commotion as police threw canisters of tear gas to disperse the over 2,000 agitators and they made away with two rifles belonging to the Police at about 5.30 am
A source, who pleaded anonymity, said the agitators engaged the armed policemen in a free for all, which caused stampede as residents of Abraka, within the Asaba metropolis and those traveling along the Asaba/Benin/Onitsha expressway scampered for safety.
The BIM-MASSOB agitators, clad in red black and red attires, took to various streets in Asaba and its environs after police resisted their efforts to march through the Asaba tollgate.
However, the celebration was peaceful at Ibusa in Oshimili North local government area and Ubulu-Uku in Aniocha South, where the presiding Bishop of Jesus the Shepherd Ministry, Dr. A.S. Mogekwu, laid thefoundation of stone of BIM-MASSOB secretariat.
In a swift reaction, the Delta North Zonal Leader of BIM-MASSOB, Mr. Chinedu Anieifeobu, supported by his Commander of Security, Prince Ignatus Adiliajana, who supervised the inauguration of the new secretariat in Ubulu-Uku, and the Delta Central Zonal Leader, Mr. Uju Christian, dissociated BIM-MASSOB from the alleged killing.
They wondered why some agitators under the IPOB became violent and condemned the dangerous twist the agitation had assumed.
Speaking to journalists, the leader of the Delta North Administrator, Mr. Emeka Okafor, said they were celebrating the independent Biafra state.
He said: “We are not at war with security agents and we are not armed, but celebrating Biafra state, we congratulate our members in the struggle and wishes the people of Anioma region happy independence.”
His Oshimili region counterpart, Chief Isaac Onwuamaeze, said; “We want Biafra state, Buhari -led government has failed Nigerian people, we are tired of Nigeria. The way the Fulani people are killing us as if we are animals, calls for worry.”
Friday, 27 May 2016
Nigeria bleeds as militants blow up more pipelines
— THE nation’s crude oil fortunes took another downward plunge, yesterday, following attacks by Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, on pipelines close to Escravos Tank Farm at Ciera creek, near Abiteye community, Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, operated by Chevron Nigeria Limited. The attacks, on two separate gas and crude oil pipelines belonging to Chevron, Wednesday night, caught security agents and the oil company unawares. It was learned that both lines were blown up during Wednesday’s downpour which prevented residents and workers from hearing the explosions. An underground Chevron crude oil trunk line along the Ceria creek, near Abiteye, and a major electricity gas line were severely affected in the attacks. Sources said both incidents happened a short distance from the company’s multi-billion dollar tank farm in Escravos. It was gathered that the incident was noticed by workers in the production department when they observed a drop in production pressure early yesterday. Militants attack Yesterday, a top Chevron management staff and a security source confirmed the incident to our correspondent. The source said a technical team of experienced engineers had been dispatched to the scene of the spill to ascertain the true cause. A local source in the area said: “At the moment, the entire creeks are awash with crude oil.” Another Chevron source, while confirming the incident, said: “The explosions occurred while it was raining. There are two Chevron gas lines, which are the onshore and offshore. It was the offshore pipeline that was affected, while the other one is a crude oil line. The affected pipelines are located between the Chevron Tank Farm and Ceria near Abiteye community.” Efforts made to reach Isa Ado, spokesman of JTF, to speak on the development did not yield result as he did not respond to calls and SMS sent to his telephone. Deji Haastrup, Chevron’s spokesman, did not take calls put to his lines, while mail sent to him was also not replied at press time. Gbaramatu calm Meanwhile, Gbaramatu Kingdom was peaceful and calm after the attack. Speaking on the constraints facing residents of the area, Public Relations Officer, PRO, Oporoza Youths, Paul Kirifede, said: “We did not record any form of attacks on oil installations in Gbaramatu. Our only challenge is that military operatives, who patrol the river every minute, are constantly molesting us. We cannot fish, neither can we embark on our daily business activities.” FG meets stakeholders on bombings Meanwhile, the Federal Government has moved to end the destruction of oil facilities by aggrieved Niger Delta militants, with a strategic meeting with some militant leaders in Abuja, as a first step. The meeting was attended by high level government functionaries such as the governor of Edo State, Mr Adams Oshiomhole; National Security Adviser, NSA, Maj.-General Mohammed Monguno (retd); Minister for Niger Delta, Usani Uguru Usani; Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri; Coordinator Amnesty Programme, Brigadier-General Paul Boroh (retd); and stakeholders from Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Delta and Ondo states. Following the meeting, the Amnesty Coordinator and SA to the President on Niger Delta, Gen. Paul Boroh (retd), opted to move into the creeks to meet with the aggrieved groups and individuals in order to end the renewed cycle of attacks on oil facilities. Boroh is to hold series of discussions with the militants to sheathe their swords and embrace peace. He said: “The whole aim of my relocation to the Niger Delta creeks is to enable me identify the aggrieved individuals, groups and hold extensive discussions with them on the need to keep the peace since the government is working hard to put things right in the Niger Delta and other parts of Nigeria. “From available records, the Federal Government has not reneged on its amnesty package to the region and is working hard to improve the infrastructure needs of the Niger Delta, one of them being the Calabar-Lagos coastal railway, which is already captured in this year’s budget.” Oil price rises to $50 per barrel Also, oil price rose, yesterday, to $50 a barrel, for the first time in nearly seven months, as a global supply glut that plagued the market for nearly two years showed signs of easing. The oil markets have suddenly been hit with a multitude of unexpected supply disruptions, the largest of which comes from the more than four million barrels per day that had been knocked offline because of wildfires in Canada as well as crisis in Libya and easing of United States supplies have contributed in buoying prices. US pledges help United States of America, USA, Consular General to Nigeria, Mr John Bray, yesterday, expressed his country’s preparedness to assist Nigeria restore peace and end the ongoing violence in the Niger Delta by Niger Delta Avengers and other militant groups. The consular-general, made the disclosure when he visited former national chairman of Association of Traditional Rulers of Oil Mineral Producing Communities of Nigeria, ATROMPCON, and Pere of Seimbiri Kingdom, Delta State, HRM Charles Ayemi-Botu, at his Edjeba Palace Annexe, Warri. Bray, who was visiting Warri for the first time, said: “We are looking at whatever we can do to assist the Nigerian government to establish a peaceful, prosperous region in the South-South of Nigeria.” Oil firms owing FG $2bn — House c’ttee Meanwhile, the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee probing all oil prospecting licences, OPLs, and Oil Mining Leases, OMLs, granted by the Federal Government, yesterday, said oil companies had deliberately avoided to pay compulsory fees to the tune of about $2 billion. Chairman of the ad-hoc committee, Gideon Gwani (PDP, Kaduna), who briefed newsmen, said the oil companies, which ought to help the country in view of its present predicament by prompt payment, were owing the government hundreds of millions of dollars, thus compounding the nation’s woes. He described the situation as alarming and worrisome, noting that it was a dangerous trend that cannot be allowed to continue. He said: “It is estimated that the oil companies, by their actions, have either evaded or avoided the payment of these compulsory fees which is presumed to have denied the Federal Government about $2 billion. “At a time the government is talking of obtaining loans for infrastructure development, such as roads, railways, power plants, petroleum refineries, among others, and where oil blocs have been allocated to some companies to use the proceeds accruing from loyalties, signature bonuses, etc, to fund these important projects, yet several years after, these facilities are still comatose, with little or no new projects to show as approved.” He expressed unhappiness that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, and Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, have not responded to requests of the committees. Economic impact of attacks Nigeria, which is hoping to fund its 2016 national budget in excess of N6 trillion benchmarked at $38/barrel, from mostly borrowings, will be hard put repaying the loans, as the production cutbacks will significantly affect building both the foreign exchange and production reserves. Painting a gloomy picture of the situation, a former Director of industry regulatory agency, Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, Mr. Osten Olorunsola, noted that the situation was so serious that it required both urgent military and political interventions. Olorunsola told Vanguard on phone: “If the situation is not resolved quickly, it portends grave consequences for petroleum industry and the economy in general, so it requires both political and military solutions. “Attacks on oil facilities are a major setback because each time this happened, apart from the production disruptions, it takes time, about two to three years, for people to remobilise. As a result, oil and gas production nose-dives, there will be no development in the region during the period of the downturn, and if there are no production activities, there will be no building of oil reserves.” Uduaghan urges FG to engage militants Also, former governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, urged the Federal Government to initiate a “serious engagement process” with the militant group to end the bombings in the region. Uduaghan told Vanguard: “I am disturbed by the damage, which the explosions are causing to the environment. We live here, it is affecting us and I also appeal to the Niger Delta Avengers to stop the attacks.” He said the Federal Government should review all the past decisions and templates for the development of the region and take a holistic decision to tackle development of the region to stem continuous resort to violence by militants.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/05/nigeria-bleeds-as-militants-blow-up-more-pipelines/
Saturday, 21 May 2016
Nigerian students show support for Buhari
“NANS recognizes that Nigeria is faced with the crisis of deciding its future from present realities of economic challenges, and this justifies the reasons for the agitation for reversal of the pump price of N86.50 by some members of the public."The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has expressed its solidarity and support for the Federal Government adding that the Nigerian economy can no longer bear the burden of the fuel subsidy.
Speaking in Abuja, resident of NANS, Comrade Tijani Shehu, also added that the association has reached an agreement with the Federal Government as concerning palliatives for students.
He said, “NANS recognizes that Nigeria is faced with the crisis of deciding its future from present realities of economic challenges, and this justifies the reasons for the agitation for reversal of the pump price of N86.50 by some members of the public.
Don't confront my government,' Buhari warns militants
President Muhammadu Buhari, has warned the Niger Delta militants drop their "confrontational stance" and work with his government to review the Amnesty Programme initiated by the Late ex-President Umaru Yar’Adua.
The President also assured oil companies operating in the Niger Delta that his administration is making frantic efforts to safeguard their personnel and strategic assets in the region.
Buhari stated this on Friday, May 20, at meeting with the Global Director (Upstream) of the Royal Dutch Shell Group, Andrew Brown.
He said that he has directed the Chief of Naval Staff to reorganise and strengthen the military Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta to deal effectively with the resurgence of militancy and the sabotage of oil facilities.
The President stressed that the operations of the JTF are also being enhanced with increased support and cooperation from the United States and Europe in the areas of training, intelligence, equipment and logistics.
“We have to be very serious with the situation in the Niger Delta because it threatens the national economy. I assure you that everything possible will be done to protect personnel and oil assets in the region,” he said.
READ: Militants destroy Chevron facility in Warri North
He urged aggrieved persons, militants and communities in the Niger Delta to drop their confrontational stance and work with those who have been charged by the Federal Government to review the Amnesty Programme initiated by the Yar’Adua administration for the benefit of all parties.
The militants had on Friday (today) blown up a section of the Escravos gas pipeline behind Salvation city, Ogbe-Ijoh in Warri South West local government area of the state.
Tinubu 'I swear, Buhari is not corrupt,' APC leader says
National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu on Friday, May 20, vouched for President Muhammadu Buhari's integrity, saying he will not loot Nigeria's treasury.
Tinubu gave the assurance at the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja, in his bid to pacify the labour union to suspend its ongoing indefinite strike over the hike in fuel price.
The APC leader begged the aggrieved workers to return to the negotiation table with the government, adding that for the first time in a long while, labour should trust the current administration with Nigeria's resources.
“I can swear that Buhari will not touch a penny for personal gain.He has that character and integrity to steer Nigeria," Tinubu said.
The former Lagos State governor admitted that the Federal Government's decision to increase the price of petrol was not properly communicated to labour unions.
He said: “I cannot say, I’m a part of the decision that created the situation. I can only say I noticed the communication gap. And I cannot say you are enemies of this government.
“Today, we came here to appeal to you. Go back to history, we worked real hard to bring Nigeria on progressive path. For me a progressive government is all about the welfare of the people.
“Mr president, the former president of NLC, and senators are here to make it clear that you are not an enemy of a government that is progressive.
“This is by the way, we must introduce history… the political history of the country is not being taught in schools anymore.
“Buhari is straightforward. We didn’t say we won’t have problems with him, but he has integrity.
“They brought in SURE-P, but the only thing about SURE-P is corruption. It was sure stealing, sure diversion….
“Buhari will listen to us; we will work together to make this change possible.
“Let us look at a new mechanism of doing things.
“Let us work together for a government that we know is honest. My mission here is for peace, for us to return to the negotiating table.
“Let us build Nigeria, let us make it the centre piece of Africa.
“Let us call off this strike. I come to beg on behalf of my party.”
Tinubu gave the assurance at the headquarters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abuja, in his bid to pacify the labour union to suspend its ongoing indefinite strike over the hike in fuel price.
The APC leader begged the aggrieved workers to return to the negotiation table with the government, adding that for the first time in a long while, labour should trust the current administration with Nigeria's resources.
“I can swear that Buhari will not touch a penny for personal gain.He has that character and integrity to steer Nigeria," Tinubu said.
The former Lagos State governor admitted that the Federal Government's decision to increase the price of petrol was not properly communicated to labour unions.
He said: “I cannot say, I’m a part of the decision that created the situation. I can only say I noticed the communication gap. And I cannot say you are enemies of this government.
“Today, we came here to appeal to you. Go back to history, we worked real hard to bring Nigeria on progressive path. For me a progressive government is all about the welfare of the people.
“Mr president, the former president of NLC, and senators are here to make it clear that you are not an enemy of a government that is progressive.
“This is by the way, we must introduce history… the political history of the country is not being taught in schools anymore.
“Buhari is straightforward. We didn’t say we won’t have problems with him, but he has integrity.
“They brought in SURE-P, but the only thing about SURE-P is corruption. It was sure stealing, sure diversion….
“Buhari will listen to us; we will work together to make this change possible.
“Let us look at a new mechanism of doing things.
“Let us work together for a government that we know is honest. My mission here is for peace, for us to return to the negotiating table.
“Let us build Nigeria, let us make it the centre piece of Africa.
“Let us call off this strike. I come to beg on behalf of my party.”
Is Metuh’s mettle melting?
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/05/metuhs-mettle-melting/
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/05/death-kings-spokesmen-osita-abana/
One million chasing 10,000 Police jobs
A slogan of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) says: “Police is Your Friend”. Police, indeed, are friends of the citizenry, because they are the ones everybody looks for when confronted with threats to life and property. But it is also true that the Police are not very popular with most people because the average policeman is generally perceived as being highhanded, corrupt, and unfriendly. They are also very poorly treated by the Federal Government. Few of our young people will voluntarily join the Police Force if they have the luxury of choice. It was an irony of sorts when the Police Service Commission (PSC) recently invited applications from qualified Nigerians for recruitment into the Force based on President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval for the recruitment of 10,000 policemen. The Commission had advertised for the hiring of 500 Cadet ASPs, 500 Cadet Inspectors, 1,500 Specialist Officers and 7, 500 Constables. Within a few days of the advertisement, officials of the PSC were astounded, if not shocked, by the response from applicants. According to Ikechukwu Ani, Head, Press and Public Relations of the Commission, between April 24 and May 2, 2016 no fewer than 843,008 applications had been received. A breakdown of this showed that 243,327 applications were received for ASP cadre, while 197,990 and 401,691 applied for the Inspector and Police Constable cadres, respectively. Soon after, the figure rose to over one million applicants, leaving many wondering if the Police was indeed as unpopular as generally held. Even the Inspector General of Police could not help but exclaim that he “never knew Nigerians liked the police this much that such a gargantuan number wants to join the Force.” It is, however, obvious that the stampede for police jobs has little to do with “popularity”. With an unemployment rate of 36.8 per cent of Nigeria’s over 170 million people, jobless Nigerians certainly cannot be too choosy when positions are advertised by any organisation. This was what informed the response by 6.5 million applicants to the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment in March 2014, which ended tragically with the death of 23 job seekers during a recruitment test. The Police authorities have to exercise extreme care in this recruitment drive, ensuring that only people who are suitably qualified with impeccable characters and backgrounds will be brought on board. The process of ascertaining this must be very painstaking to keep out bad eggs. The large number of applicants for every job opening, is an enduring warning bell over the worrisome unemployment situation. We urge governments at all levels to come up with radical ideas to put more of our idle youth to work and reduce the social consequences of high unemployment.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/05/one-million-chasing-10000-police-jobs/
Thursday, 19 May 2016
How troops rescued Chibok schoolgirl
Wednesday, 18 May 2016
Weapons found in my house belong to NSA Office — Dasuki
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/05/weapons-found-house-belong-nsa-office-dasuki/
Ekweremadu in surprise birthday package
In the Enugu East Senatorial District, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, the deputy senate president, is their son in whom they are well pleased.
For the people of the zone, they wouldn’t mind if Ekweremadu is the only one going to Abuja to represent them in the Senate because of the dividends of democracy he has brought home in the last 12 years.
Indeed, Ekweremadu has transformed his senatorial zone and beyond, especially using his Ikeoha Foundation in spreading philanthropy.
Last Thursday, when the senator turned 54, he extended his philanthropic hand to rural schools in Enugu State by donating laptop computers to enable students in the state acquaint themselves with the machine now used for most external examinations.
The Ikeoha Foundation had fashioned out an ICT programme in partnership with Ingrace Foundation to donate two laptop computers each to 45 public secondary schools in the rural areas of Enugu State.
Thus that morning of the birthday of Ekweremadu, the principals and students of the benefitting schools had gathered at the Independence Layout office of Ikeoha Foundation to take delivery of the computers with bold smiles on their faces.
The Enugu State Commissioner for Education, Prof Uchenna Eze who presented the laptops to the beneficiaries, said that Ekweremadu had looked into the future and decided to arm students in the state with his gesture.
His words: “This is the kind of thing that we desire. I want to thank His Excellency, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Ikeoha, for this very kind gesture. He understands very well where this nation is going to in the 21th Century.
“No school system can function again effectively without being ICT compliant. The world today is becoming a global village and that was made possible because of ICT, and today, for our children to go to school and compete effectively they must be ICT complaint.
“And to say the least our examinations today are moving from using your biro pens to write to computer-based tests. And our young ones definitely will not be able to cope if they are not properly equipped to write the exams. Ikeoha Foundation has intervened at the right time.”
Prof Eze noted that the government alone can no longer fund education going by the current economic situation in the country, saying that interventions by individuals have become very necessary.
He, therefore, exclaimed: “If this is how to celebrate birthdays, I will say that Ikeoha should be celebrating his birthday every day so that our school system will continue to be assisted in this manner.”
Enjoining other Nigerians to join in wishing the deputy senate president a happy birthday, he also urged “well-meaning citizens of Enugu State to donate just a laptop to a secondary school in their communities like Ekweremadu had done.
“If in every community one person donates one computer, before you know it all the schools would have been equipped.”
He also admonished the teachers and students of the benefiting schools to put the computers into good use.
“These laptops are meant to be used, they are not meant to be things of decoration in the office of the principal. And let me also warn that it is not a personal property of the principal. And now that you have this opportunity, you have to make sure that it is handled by somebody who knows how to use a laptop so that you don’t get it today and tomorrow you tell us that it has packed up.
“So, please it has to be properly guided to serve the purpose the donor expected it to serve so that these students will be ready for any computer based test like JAMB. We pray that God Almighty will continue to provide for him so that he will also continue to provide for us,” Eze said.
In a chat with newsmen, the Executive Director of Ikeoha Foundation, Mrs Cindy Ezeugwu, said that they were happy to have converged on the birthday of their boss to flag off a programme that was so dear to them.
“Today, we have multiple programmes and incidentally it happens to be the birthday of our chairman and the founder of Ikeoha Foundation, Dr Ike Ekweremadu.
“And in his unique way he decided to celebrate his birthday by rolling out 100 Personal Computers (PCs) for over 45 secondary schools in Enugu State. To Ikeoha, everybody is his brother and everywhere is home. He said that we should do it across the state so that all the rural schools will have access at least to two pc. The essence is that recently the Federal Government introduced computer-based test for JAMB candidates and you can agree with me that most of these students in the rural areas do not know what the computer looks like; so he decided to give out these computers to enable them have access and interface with computers for them to prepare for those exams and compete favourably with their peers.
“Secondly, we are introducing to them rural oral hygiene therapy so that the students will know basic ways of treating their teeth and we are doing it in conjunction with Oral-B who donated the tooth brushes and toothpastes and other basic hygiene items for the students and their teachers. And we also have books for these students in addition to the tooth brushes and pastes; that is why we are here today,” she said.
The 45 rural secondary schools across Enugu State that were benefitting from the programme, Mrs Ezeugwu said, were the first batch as the programme was an ongoing one.
According to her, the objective of the computer programme, was to expose the students to computers so that when they go for their public exams like JAMB, it would not be a new thing for them.
She pointed out that the Foundation brought the state Commissioner for Education and other school administrators to ensure that the computers are put into the use for which the Ikeoha Foundation founder intended.
Her words: “The commissioner is here with us to monitor what is going on, the PPSMB (Post Primary School Management Board) is here too, so intermittently they will go to the schools to ask them questions, that was why we insisted that the principals should come with their ICT teachers and the students so that they will act as checks and balances too. The unit cost of the HP computer here is N192,000; they have all the features and programmes in them.”
On how the beneficiaries were selected she said: “We asked the PPSMB to give us the list of all secondary schools in Enugu State and they were able to separate the government schools from the private schools and we were able to also separate the ones in the rural areas, there are some who don’t have computers at all, there was already some intervention from NCC and some schools have some; one, two or three; there are schools that don’t have any, so we are starting with those schools that don’t have at all.”
Also happy with the Ekweremadu gesture at the occasion was Igwe Prof Silas Ukpabi, the Eze Oha 1 of Ekoli in Aninri Local Government Area of the state.
Eze Ukpabi thanked the Ikeoha Foundation and its founder, Senator Ekweremadu for providing and equipping indigent students in the state for the future.
“We will remember him very well for the good work that he is doing. Today, he is trying to empower various schools with laptop computers to modernize them. We thank God for giving us somebody like Senator Ekweremadu who goes to where things are lacking and provides those things,” the traditional ruler noted.
He expressed optimism that the laptops would help the benefiting schools even as he urged them to put them into the use for which they were given to them.
Another traditional ruler, HRH Igwe J,C. Egwuatu prayed that God raise up more persons like Ekweremadu in the state so that his good deeds would be multiplied.
He pointed out that the computers would help the students in their exams, as well as make them prepare for the digital society of today.
He urged the schools that benefitted from the programme to use the machines to advantage by making sure that the students become computer literate in no distant time.
All the students who accompanied their principals to take delivery of the laptops were full of joy as they sang and danced to wish the senator happy birthday, long life and prosperity.
For the people of the zone, they wouldn’t mind if Ekweremadu is the only one going to Abuja to represent them in the Senate because of the dividends of democracy he has brought home in the last 12 years.
Indeed, Ekweremadu has transformed his senatorial zone and beyond, especially using his Ikeoha Foundation in spreading philanthropy.
Last Thursday, when the senator turned 54, he extended his philanthropic hand to rural schools in Enugu State by donating laptop computers to enable students in the state acquaint themselves with the machine now used for most external examinations.
The Ikeoha Foundation had fashioned out an ICT programme in partnership with Ingrace Foundation to donate two laptop computers each to 45 public secondary schools in the rural areas of Enugu State.
Thus that morning of the birthday of Ekweremadu, the principals and students of the benefitting schools had gathered at the Independence Layout office of Ikeoha Foundation to take delivery of the computers with bold smiles on their faces.
The Enugu State Commissioner for Education, Prof Uchenna Eze who presented the laptops to the beneficiaries, said that Ekweremadu had looked into the future and decided to arm students in the state with his gesture.
His words: “This is the kind of thing that we desire. I want to thank His Excellency, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Ikeoha, for this very kind gesture. He understands very well where this nation is going to in the 21th Century.
“No school system can function again effectively without being ICT compliant. The world today is becoming a global village and that was made possible because of ICT, and today, for our children to go to school and compete effectively they must be ICT complaint.
“And to say the least our examinations today are moving from using your biro pens to write to computer-based tests. And our young ones definitely will not be able to cope if they are not properly equipped to write the exams. Ikeoha Foundation has intervened at the right time.”
Prof Eze noted that the government alone can no longer fund education going by the current economic situation in the country, saying that interventions by individuals have become very necessary.
He, therefore, exclaimed: “If this is how to celebrate birthdays, I will say that Ikeoha should be celebrating his birthday every day so that our school system will continue to be assisted in this manner.”
Enjoining other Nigerians to join in wishing the deputy senate president a happy birthday, he also urged “well-meaning citizens of Enugu State to donate just a laptop to a secondary school in their communities like Ekweremadu had done.
“If in every community one person donates one computer, before you know it all the schools would have been equipped.”
He also admonished the teachers and students of the benefiting schools to put the computers into good use.
“These laptops are meant to be used, they are not meant to be things of decoration in the office of the principal. And let me also warn that it is not a personal property of the principal. And now that you have this opportunity, you have to make sure that it is handled by somebody who knows how to use a laptop so that you don’t get it today and tomorrow you tell us that it has packed up.
“So, please it has to be properly guided to serve the purpose the donor expected it to serve so that these students will be ready for any computer based test like JAMB. We pray that God Almighty will continue to provide for him so that he will also continue to provide for us,” Eze said.
In a chat with newsmen, the Executive Director of Ikeoha Foundation, Mrs Cindy Ezeugwu, said that they were happy to have converged on the birthday of their boss to flag off a programme that was so dear to them.
“Today, we have multiple programmes and incidentally it happens to be the birthday of our chairman and the founder of Ikeoha Foundation, Dr Ike Ekweremadu.
“And in his unique way he decided to celebrate his birthday by rolling out 100 Personal Computers (PCs) for over 45 secondary schools in Enugu State. To Ikeoha, everybody is his brother and everywhere is home. He said that we should do it across the state so that all the rural schools will have access at least to two pc. The essence is that recently the Federal Government introduced computer-based test for JAMB candidates and you can agree with me that most of these students in the rural areas do not know what the computer looks like; so he decided to give out these computers to enable them have access and interface with computers for them to prepare for those exams and compete favourably with their peers.
“Secondly, we are introducing to them rural oral hygiene therapy so that the students will know basic ways of treating their teeth and we are doing it in conjunction with Oral-B who donated the tooth brushes and toothpastes and other basic hygiene items for the students and their teachers. And we also have books for these students in addition to the tooth brushes and pastes; that is why we are here today,” she said.
The 45 rural secondary schools across Enugu State that were benefitting from the programme, Mrs Ezeugwu said, were the first batch as the programme was an ongoing one.
According to her, the objective of the computer programme, was to expose the students to computers so that when they go for their public exams like JAMB, it would not be a new thing for them.
She pointed out that the Foundation brought the state Commissioner for Education and other school administrators to ensure that the computers are put into the use for which the Ikeoha Foundation founder intended.
Her words: “The commissioner is here with us to monitor what is going on, the PPSMB (Post Primary School Management Board) is here too, so intermittently they will go to the schools to ask them questions, that was why we insisted that the principals should come with their ICT teachers and the students so that they will act as checks and balances too. The unit cost of the HP computer here is N192,000; they have all the features and programmes in them.”
On how the beneficiaries were selected she said: “We asked the PPSMB to give us the list of all secondary schools in Enugu State and they were able to separate the government schools from the private schools and we were able to also separate the ones in the rural areas, there are some who don’t have computers at all, there was already some intervention from NCC and some schools have some; one, two or three; there are schools that don’t have any, so we are starting with those schools that don’t have at all.”
Also happy with the Ekweremadu gesture at the occasion was Igwe Prof Silas Ukpabi, the Eze Oha 1 of Ekoli in Aninri Local Government Area of the state.
Eze Ukpabi thanked the Ikeoha Foundation and its founder, Senator Ekweremadu for providing and equipping indigent students in the state for the future.
“We will remember him very well for the good work that he is doing. Today, he is trying to empower various schools with laptop computers to modernize them. We thank God for giving us somebody like Senator Ekweremadu who goes to where things are lacking and provides those things,” the traditional ruler noted.
He expressed optimism that the laptops would help the benefiting schools even as he urged them to put them into the use for which they were given to them.
Another traditional ruler, HRH Igwe J,C. Egwuatu prayed that God raise up more persons like Ekweremadu in the state so that his good deeds would be multiplied.
He pointed out that the computers would help the students in their exams, as well as make them prepare for the digital society of today.
He urged the schools that benefitted from the programme to use the machines to advantage by making sure that the students become computer literate in no distant time.
All the students who accompanied their principals to take delivery of the laptops were full of joy as they sang and danced to wish the senator happy birthday, long life and prosperity.
Alleged N400m fraud: Metuh’s enquiry into source of fund was ignored, witness tells court
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/05/alleged-n400m-fraud-metuhs-enquiry-source-fund-ignored-witness-tells-court/
Wabba’s NLC, TUC insist on strike; say court order is black market injunction
Ajaero’s faction, FG set up committee on price, minimum wage ABUJA — The National Industrial Court, NIC, sitting in Abuja, yesterday, stopped the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Unions Congress, TUC, from embarking on strike today. This came as Organised Labour and its civil society allies, yesterday, vowed to go ahead with the planned indefinite strike from today to make government reverse the N145 per litre pump price of petrol, despite the restraining order by the court. EDO YOUTHS CONGRESS PROTESTING HIKE IN PUMP PRICE OF PETROL IN BENIN-CITY ON TUESDAY (NAN) Meanwhile, Senate, yesterday, threw its weight behind President Muhammadu Buhari’s hike in the price of fuel to N145 per litre from N86.50 Organised Labour’s position came on a day president of a faction of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Mr. Joe Ajaero, said Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, and others would not join the strike. Consequently, the Wabba faction and the Federal Government, yesterday, agreed to set up a joint technical committee to review the new fuel pump price template of N135-N145 within the next two weeks and also work towards reviewing the current national minimum wage of N18, 000. President of the National Industrial Court, NIC, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, in a ruling, yesterday, restrained the labour unions from going on strike, pending the determination of a suit the federal government lodged before it. Justice Adejumo further ordered all the parties to maintain status quo until the legal dispute was settled. The order followed an ex-parte application filed by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN. Determined to abort the planned strike action, the AGF approached the NIC, begging it to restrain the labour unions from “shutting down the nation”. Relying on Section 14 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the Federal Government insisted that it would not be “in the national interest” for the NLC and TUC to proceed on nationwide strike over the fuel price increase. Malami argued that no amount of damages could serve as compensation, if the labour unions were allowed to shut down the economy. Contending that the balance of convenience was in favour of the government, the AGF prayed the court to determine “whether the respondents (NLC, TUC) have complied with the laid-down condition precedent for embarking on strike.” The AGF also prayed the court to determine “whether, indeed, there exists in law and, in fact, the basis of which the respondents’ total closure of the economy can be justified”. He told the court that the respondents met on Saturday and issued a communique wherein they gave government a three-day ultimatum to reverse the decision increasing fuel price. He said the respondents, aside from threatening to shut down the country, if government failed to reverse the fuel price increase, also threatened to close down all government offices, seaports, airports and markets. The AGF argued that ordinary and law-abiding citizens would be subjected to hardship, if the respondents were allowed to go ahead with their threat. He said the government was left with no alternative but to seek the intervention of the court. Besides, Malami told the court that he got notice of the communique on Sunday and quickly filed an originating summons, a motion on notice and an ex-parte application to determine whether NLC’s decision was justified in the circumstance. He insisted that “great and irreparable damage” would be done against the nation and “ordinary and law-abiding citizens”, should the court refuse the ex-parte application. Though neither NLC nor TUC was represented in court, Justice Adejumo granted the ex-parte motion, even as he ordered the service of all the relevant court processes on the respondents. The restraining order against the respondents will lapse after seven days. However, Organised Labour and its civil society allies, incensed by government’s decision to seek rederess at the NIC in the midst of a negotiation, yesterday, vowed to go ahead with the planned indefinite strike from today to make government reverse the N145 per litre pump price of petrol. Senate backs fuel price hike The Senate, while sympathizing with Nigerians over the hardship caused by the increase in the price of petrol, however, urged government to urgently begin implementation of palliatives contained in the 2016 Appropriation Act passed by the National Assembly in the overall interest of Nigerians. The Senate also asked Buhari’s government not to relent in its continued dialogue with organised labour and other stakeholders as a way of resolving issues around the increase to avoid grounding the system as well as impose more hardship on the people. Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over yesterday’s plenary, said: “The Senate in a closed session deliberated on the increase in the pump price of PMS by the Federal Government and the threats by Organised Labour to embark on a nationwide strike over the matter and resolved as follows: “That we sympathise with ordinary people of Nigeria on the hardships they are going through. “The Senate will engage the Federal Government to find sustainable ways of improving the welfare of the people of Nigeria. “That we call on government to continue to engage organised labour and other stakeholders to resolve issues in order not to ground the system and impose more hardships on our people. “That government should immediately start to implement palliatives or palliative measures contained in the 2016 appropriation act passed by the National Assembly.” It’s black market injunction —Wabba’s NLC, TUC Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, faction, led by Ayuba Wabba, alongside TUC, and Joint Action Front, JAF, at separate meetings in Abuja and Lagos, described the restraining order by NIC as a black market injunction. Leaders of Wabba faction of NLC and TUC, at their emergency National Executive Council, NEC, meeting in Abuja, insisted that once the strike commences today, only the joint NEC of NLC and TUC could call it off. Although newsmen waited anxiously to be briefed on the outcome of the NEC meeting amid the court order, leaders of both bodies left the Labour House, Abuja, venue of the meeting without talking to journalists. However, Vanguard sources at the meeting said NLC and TUC were infuriated that, while government was on one hand negotiating with them, its officials were on the other hand, seeking a black market injunction, and threatened to use the strike to make a statement to the government. One of the leaders, who attended the meeting but spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “Our decision not to suspend the strike was further fuelled by today’s (yesterday’s) injunction by the Industrial Court, restraining us from proceeding on the strike expected to begin tomorrow (today).” Corroborating the position of Wabba-led NLC and TUC, Pro-Labour Civil Society Groups, Joint Action Front, JAF, vowed to disregard the restraining order. According to the Secretary of JAF, Abiodun Aremu: ‘’The mass action is on! Let them come with the injunction, we would disobey whatever injunction they are coming up with.” No strike — Ajaero Meanwhile, Factional President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, yesterday, faulted the restraining order by NIC stopping the planned strike and mass protest. Ajaero, while reacting to the restraining order by the President of NIC, Justice Babatunde Adejumo, contended that it was wrong for the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, to have gone to court over a matter that parties were already on a negotiation table. He equally wondered why the President of NIC would give an order on an ex-parte application without putting the other party on notice as was the practice. Ajaero said: “This was not the first time a court would try to stop labour action. If you could recall, when Comrade Adams Oshiomhole was the president of NLC, there was a court order against planned strike by NLC and TUC, which Oshiomhole described as a black market injunction. “It was very wrong for the Attorney General of the Federation to have gone to court while parties in this case, the federal government and Labour, were already on the negotiation table.” “Ajaero restated his earlier position that labour could not have mobilised sufficiently enough for today’s strike without exhausting all avenues for settlement. “When we spoke with you yesterday (Monday), we insisted that there was no way we could mobilize, sensitize and even start an action tomorrow (Wednesday). ‘’That we would rather negotiate and it is only when the negotiations might have collapsed that we take the option of going through any action. “On the basis of that, we agreed that a committee should be set up to, among other things, look at the issue of minimum wage; look at the issue of N500bn social investment; look at the issue of setting up or reconstituting the PPPRA board and review the N145 new pump price of petroleum product. ‘’The committee is to report back in two weeks time. I won’t like to drag it more than this than to say this is the summary of the agreement reached.,” he stated. Ajaero, however, insisted that his faction, including NUPENG, PENGASSAN, NUEE, among others, would not go on strike over fuel price hike by the Federal Government. He spoke after his faction’s meeting with federal government officials ended early , yesterday morning. This was a few hours after the meeting with Ayuba Wabba’s faction ended. The meetings, which ended without conclusion, were in session at press time last night. They started late yesterday evening.
Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/05/wabbas-nlc-tuc-insist-strike-say-court-order-black-market-injunction/
Sunday, 15 May 2016
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