Ekiti state worker hangs self over poverty

A 49-year old civil servant in Ekiti State civil service, Mr. Abolarinwa Olaoye, on Wednesday night hung himself within the State Secretariat in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.

The body of the father of five, who was a night guard at the Ekiti State Scholarship Board, was found hanged with a clothing material to the railing of a building at the Ministry of Education, where he had reported to duty around 6pm on Tuesday.

The development triggered panic within the civil service, as civil servants had clustered near the spot of the incident and lamented the horrible twist of event for the man they described as jovial and amiable while alive.

The Boxer MB 100 brand motorcycle with registration number ADK 210 WS brought by the deceased to the office was parked within the building
where the suicide took place.

The deceased, according to an in-law, Mrs Elizabeth Babalola also engaged in commercial motorcycle operation and farming to support his civil service work.

Olaoye, a native of Igogo Ekiti, Moba Local Government area of the State, according to Mrs Babalola, an in-law and confidant, came to her around 4.30 pm on Tuesday and lamented the acute financial problems he had been encountering of recent.

Babalola who is the elder sister to the deceased’s wife added: “He came to me around 4.30pm on Tuesday and started lamenting that his house rent was due and that he could not pay due to irregular salary payment.

“He said he was also indebted to the government through housing and the car loans he obtained.

“He also complained about the inability to meet other financial commitments to his wife ’s family. He told me he could go ahead and do some nasty things. He told me clearly that he was tired of life.

“I tried to persuade him not to resort to anything nasty. I told him life is full of ups and downs and that he should just endure, but I never knew he would end this way”, she said.

The Executive Secretary of the Ekiti State Scholarship Board, Mr. Ayo Ajimat, confirmed that the deceased was a staff of the board before his demise.

“Yes, he was our staff. He was a very prayerful, jovial and amiable person. I didn’t understand what led to this. I didn’t know the kind of problem he had that could lead to this”, he said.

As at the time of filing this report, the body of the man was still hanging to the wall due to the insistence of some people that certain ritual be performed before he could be brought down.

Operatives of the Department of State Services(DSS) and policemen from the Police Station located at the old Iyin road came to the scene.

But they could not remove the corpse as they said they were waiting for the family from Igogo Ekiti to arrive before taking any action.

- Daily Post

‘Video : Mad man’ says Rochas must go to prison

A man believed to be mentally unstable has accused Rochas Okorocha, governor of Imo state, of poor leadership, saying the governor must go to prison.

In a video trending online, the man described Okorocha as a hypocrite. He lamented over the state of some roads in Imo and alleged that the governor did nothing in eight years.

“I am not against Rochas, now we under hold-up, Weldral road, the suncity construction company that is handling Weldra, the road has been under construction for six to seven months now, no headway, the hold-up, the erratic  bottle-neck traffic gridlock that is causing in this Weldra road is something that Nigeria as a whole should be concerned about,” he said.

“Rochas is a hypocrite, eight years in office he did nothing, now he’s trying to bring in some kind of modalities so that we’ll not send him to prison.  Rochas is going to prison, he wanted to bring in Ogunba to cover up his atrocities, and will still be manipulating Ogunba against us, it cannot be, it cannot be. Solidarity continues, Rochas is going to prison, the second governor that will go to prison.”

See video below:

VIDEO CREDIT:  IfeanyiCy Njoku

Source : TheCable

Former IG Ehindero, CP arraigned for fraud

The Independent Corruption Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Wednesday re-arraigned a former Inspector-General of Police, Sunday Ehindero, and a former Commissioner of Police, John Obaniyi, over alleged N16.4 million fraud.

The accused were again arraigned on a 10-count amended charge before an FCT High Court sitting at Apo.

The charge borders on conspiracy, fraud and making false statement.

The former police chiefs, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The prosecutor, Mr O.G. Iwuagwu, told the court that the accused committed the offences from May 2006 to November 2006.

He said that the duo conspired and used their positions to place N500 million in two fixed deposit accounts.

Iwuagwu said that the money was part of N557,995,065.00 donated by the Bayelsa Government to the Nigeria Police for purchase of arms and ammunition.

The prosecutor said that the N500 million placed in fixed deposits yielded an interest of N16, 412, 315.06.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the alleged offences contravene Sections 26(1) and 22(5) of the ICPC Act, 2000.

Counsel to the accused, Messrs Kenneth Onorun and Samuel Obairko, prayed the court to uphold the bail granted to them when they were first arraigned.

They objected to the prosecutor’s application for the court to proceed with evidence by a prosecution witness who, the prosecutor said, was ready to testify.

The defence counsel submitted that the statements of the accused were not served along with the amended charge.

Justice Sylvanus Orji directed the prosecutor to serve the defence counsel with the statements.

He adjourned the case until Jan. 8 for hearing.

- PM News

Better housing brings better health, well-being — WHO

World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued new guidelines, highlighting that better homes invariably lead to better standards of health and overall well-being.

The UN health agency said in the new guidelines that “housing is becoming increasingly important to health in light of urban growth, ageing populations and climate change.”

It stated that studies had shown that poor housing had implications for a wide range of health conditions, including respiratory, cardiovascular and infectious diseases such as asthma, tuberculosis, influenza and diarrhoea, as well as mental health.

Developed based on systematic reviews, the WHO Housing and Health Guidelines provided recommendations based on the health issues caused by inadequate living space, extreme indoor temperatures, injury hazards in the home, and the accessibility of housing for people with disabilities or who face other impairments.

In addition, the guidelines identified and summarised existing WHO recommendations related to housing, with respect to water quality, air quality, neighbourhood noise, asbestos, lead, tobacco smoke, and indoor radon emissions – a radioactive gas linked to cancer deaths.

The WHO guidelines also highlighted the significant co-benefits of improving housing conditions, citing installation of efficient and safe thermal insulation to improve indoor temperatures.

It added that safe thermal installation also helps in lowering energy costs and reducing carbon emissions.

The guidelines noted that improved housing conditions could save lives, reduce disease, increase the quality of life, reduce poverty, and help mitigate climate change.

It emphasised that these could contribute toward the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to health (Goal 3) and sustainable cities (Goal 11)

It noted that “housing is, therefore, a major entry point for public health programmes and primary prevention.”

- PM News

FG awards exploration contracts to 10 mining firms

The federal government says it has awarded contracts for the exploration of the country’s mineral resources to 10 firms.

According to Reuters, Abubakar Bwari, minister of mining and steel development, disclosed this on the sidelines of the mines and money conference in London on Tuesday.

Although he did not reveal the cost of the contracts, Bwari said $100 million had been allocated to the development of the sector in addition to what had been approved in the 2018 budget.

In July, the minister had announced that eight firms would be awarded contracts worth N12.7 billion

“Recently we gave a contract to four exploration companies, with six consulting firms to explore our mineral resources focusing on gold, zinc, iron-ore, rare earth metals,” Bwari was quoted as saying.

“Apart from the normal budgetary allocation government has given intervention of $100-million and we are focusing on exploration.”

Bwari said during a visit to Nigeria some weeks ago, officials of the World Bank had discussed how a $150 million loan will be spent on the sector.

He invited potential investors to key into opportunities in the sector, adding that Nigeria is a “greenfield with 44 mineral types and some of the highest grades of minerals anywhere in the world.”

He said Nigeria’s mining industry is now “completely private sector driven with government acting as facilitator and regulator.”

- TheCable

FG reduces examination fees for JAMB, NECO, others

The President Muhammadu Buhari Government has slashed the examination fees for Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB and NECO.

The decision was reached at the Federal Executive Council, FEC, meeting on Wednesday.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu at the end of the FEC meeting.

According to him, the JAMB fee for the UTME will reduce from N5,000 to N3,500, the Senior Secondary School fee charge by NECO will reduce from N11,350 to N9,850 and the Basic Education certificate by NECO will reduce from N5,500 to N4,000.

According to him, the new charges would become effective from January 2019.

He said, “Since the new administration came into office and a change in management and prudent management by JAMB, we have been able to see that most of what has been charged doesn’t have to be because a lot of it has been syphoned by corrupt officials.

“So, in answer to the yearnings my parents, Mr. President directed that we should look into the possibility of reducing the charges.

“So accordingly, from January 2019, JAMB fees will be reduced from N5,000 to N3,500 for the UTME, Senior Secondary Certificate charged by National Examination Council (NECO) from 11,350 to N9,850 and Basic Education Certificate handled by NECO is reduced from N5,500 to N4,000,” Adamu said.

- Daily Post

N30, 000 minimum wage: Buhari govt ‘politicising pay rise’ – Labour cries out

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has accused the Federal Government of politicizing the negotiation for the new proposed N30, 000 minimum wage for workers.

This was as the National President of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba alleged that the Federal Government was playing double standard in the negotiation.

He spoke during the 2018 Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, JNPSNC, meeting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on Tuesday.

Wabba also commended the private sectors for supporting Labour on improving the workers’ wellbeing.

He said: “The private sector has actually displaced the public sector in industrial relations and collective bargaining.

“Our experiences during the negotiations for the new minimum wage showed that the employers in the private sectors are more forthcoming and forthright on moving the negotiation to a mutually acceptable figure, while the government continues to live in denial and even stopped the conclusion of the negotiation.

“Private employers remain willing to sustain industrial relation harmony by supporting positions that will ensure that workers get an appreciable wage increase, while the government continues to politicise our agreement, devoid of genuine interest.”

- Daily Post

Fake AIG arrested in Sokoto

The Sokoto State Police Command has arrested one Ibrahim Dangaladima who claimed to be an Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG).

The command’s Public Relations’ Officer, DSP Cordelia Nwawe, who disclosed this at the state command in Sokoto on Wednesday, said that Dangaladima had been on police wanted list for many fraudulent and impersonation offences for the past four months.

“Luck ran out of him on Friday, Nov. 23, when he claimed to be an AIG of Police and Force Secretary who has an office in the Police Force Headquarters Abuja.

“He offered to provide nine slots – five Cadet ASPs, and four Cadet Inspectors to an unsuspecting business man.

“He requested for N482, 500 for each of the cadet ASPs slot and N222,000 for each of Cadet Inspectors slot.

“On interrogation, he confessed to have been in the business for about five years and have duped unspecified number of unsuspecting law-abiding citizens,” NAN quoted him as saying.

Nwawe also paraded another suspect – Surajo Muhammad, a native of Arkila area of the state, who specialized in car theft.

She said Surajo was arrested in the act after prolonged, intensive and painstaking intelligence gathering at the Shehu Mosque having succeeded in opening a Toyota Corolla car with his master keys capable of opening any car door.

- Daily Post

Rights commission receives 1,106 petitions from 5 states

The North-Central Office of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has received 1,106 cases of human right abuse from five states under its control in the last ten months.

Mrs Grace Pam, the coordinator in charge of the zone, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Jos that the petitions were mostly cases of child abandonment, unlawful detention and domestic violence dominates complaints.

The North-Central office of the commission comprised of Plateau, Nasarawa, Kogi, Benue and Niger states.

Pam explained that of the 1,106 cases reported, 1027 were treated and concluded, with 79 still unresolved.

“From January till date, we received 1,106 complaints across the five states under our zone, and we successfully treated and concluded 1027 of the cases but 79 still looked into.

“Child abandonment, domestic violence, unlawful detention, child abuse, rape, threat to life and inhuman treatment are among the most prevalent cases we received in the period under review,” she said.

The coordinator also said that the commission received cases of right to inheritance, denial of access to children, dismissal from service, extrajudicial killings, denial of entitlement abduction, and denial of right to education and defamation of character.

Other complaints received, she said, include forced marriage, maltreatment, harassment and intimidation, non-payment of wages, and violation of right to personal liberty, among others.

- PM News

Illegal immigrants in U.S. at lowest level since 2004 – Study

The population of unauthorised immigrants in the United States fell to 10.7 million in 2016, its lowest level since 2004.

It was so largely due to a decline in the number of people coming from Mexico, the media reported on Wednesday, quoting a study recently released.

The report from the Pew Research Centre pewrsr.ch/2Qptbid, based on U.S. Census data and other figures from 2016, showed the number of illegal immigrants in the United States has declined steadily.

Their numbers were peaked 12.2 million in 2007.

Researchers believe part of the reason for the decline was the economic recession that gripped the United States in 2007.

Thereafter, there was the slow recovery that followed, which limited work opportunities for migrants.

“The combination of economic forces and enforcement priorities may be working together to discourage people from arriving or sending them home,’’ said D’Vera Cohn.

Cohn is one of the authors of the Pew Research Centre report.

President Donald Trump has made immigration enforcement a focus for his administration, most recently, pressing the U.S. Congress to authorise funding of a wall on the border with Mexico.

He has deployed troops in advance of the arrival of a caravan of migrants from Central America.

Even before Trump took office, a decline in the number of illegal immigrants from Mexico had changed the demographic profile of unauthorised migrants in the United States.

Mexico is still the country of origin for about half the unauthorised immigrants in the United States.

But their number in that total population fell by 1.5 million between 2007 and 2016, the Pew report found.

During that decade, the number of unauthorised immigrants from Central America increased by 375,000.

With the share of Mexicans decreasing, Asians account for 22 per cent of unauthorised immigrants, who recently arrived in the United States, the report found.

Among recent arrivals, immigrants in the United States, who overstayed a visa, were likely to outnumber people who illegally crossed the border, it said.

Overall, the Pew study was in line with previous research that found many unauthorised immigrants have been living in the United States for years.

Their children are more likely to have been born in the country than abroad.

Among the 10.7 million unauthorised immigrants, two-thirds of adults have lived in the United States for more than a decade, the Pew Research Centre study found.

Five million U.S.-born children with American citizenship are living with parents or relatives, who are unauthorised immigrants, the study found.

- PM News