100 DAYS; STORY CONTINUES... Buhari: Millions of Nigerians in hardship because of corruption

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said that corruption was the major factor responsible for the suffering of millions of Nigerians.

Buhari added that corruption at all levels was the biggest problem impeding Nigeria’s economic growth and development.

The president made the remark at the 49th Annual Accountant Conference organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) in Abuja.

The theme of the conference was “Building Nigeria for Sustainable Growth and Development.’’

“I urge you now to always see corruption in its true colour as a gross violation of human right. Corruption is the major reason why millions of our people are in hardship, sick and helpless.

He said that it prevents good governance and encourage misappropriation of public funds, stiffens innovation, infrastructure development and investments.

Represented by Mr Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), the president said: “Our fight against corruption is, in reality, a struggle for nation-building and the future.

“Corruption and impunity become widespread when accountability is disregarded.

“Disrespect for accountability also strives when people get away with all manner of questionable things and accountants are unable to check them.

“Corruption is the major reason why many children cannot go to school, why we have few equipment and doctors in our hospitals.

“Corruption diverts public resources thereby causing much suffering, deprivation and unnecessary death in the country.

“Therefore, if we do not slay corruption with the passion it deserves, we will not get the result that we need.’’

Buhari reiterated that the government was committed toward achieving structural economic change and a more diversified and inclusive economy.

He said that it was for this reason that he had signed many executive orders aimed at improving the business conditions in the country.

“We signed the Executive Order 7 of 2019 on Road Infrastructure Development and Rehabilitation Investment Tax Credit Scheme.

“This Executive Order aims to accelerate road infrastructure development for balanced economic growth in Nigeria by granting approvals to private sector entities to construct and rehabilitate eligible roads across the country.

“This is in exchange for tax credits which will be applied against their company income tax.

“The motivation for the scheme comes from the desire to take advantage of private-sector funding to road development in our country,’’ he said.

Also, the Acting Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu called on Nigerians to join the fight against corruption.

Magu said the fight against corruption could not be won if it was left alone to the EFCC and other anti-graft agencies.

In his remark, the President of ICAN, Mr Nnamdi Okwuadigbo pledged the institute’s commitment to facilitating economic growth and development in the country.

“Now is the time to redeem our image in the committee of nations. We cannot afford to fail as the largest economy in Africa.

“As chartered accountants, we are at a vantage position to determine the effective use of public funds and we charge you to be front runners in the fight against corruption,” he said.

- PM NEWS

Scientist advocates ‘eating human flesh’ to fight climate change

Magnus Soderlund, Swedish scientist, has proposed cannibalism as a possible way to combat the negative impacts of climate change.

According to The EPOCH TIMES, Soderlund made the proposal while speaking at a summit for food of the future called Gastro Summit, in Stockholm, capital of Sweden, on September 4.

The researcher, from the Stockholm School of Economics, said the world must “awaken the idea” of eating human flesh in the future, as a way of combating the effects of climate change.

In his speech titled “Can You Imagine Eating Human Flesh?”, Soderlund said people across the world need to disregard taboos on human corpses and eating of human flesh.

He described the taboos as “conservative”. The scientist said people will overcome the resistance for such acts gradually, starting from attempts to just taste human flesh.

“Are we humans too selfish to live sustainably?,” his seminar’s talking points ask.

“Is cannibalism the solution to food sustainability in the future? Does Generation Z have the answers to our food challenges? Can consumers be tricked into making the right decisions? At GastroSummit, you will get some answers to these questions—and also partake in the latest scientific findings and get to meet the leading experts.”

The behavioural scientist was asked if he personally would try human flesh. Soderlund said he was open to the idea.

“I feel somewhat hesitant but to not appear overly conservative…I’d have to say…I’d be open to at least tasting it,” he said.

He also suggested other options which include eating of pets and insects.

It is believed that a tribe called ‘Fore’ –living in isolation in Papua New Guinea — practised eating their dead as an alternative to allowing them to be consumed by worms.

The cultural practice led to an epidemic of a disease called ‘Kuru’, also known as laughing death with approximately 1000 deaths from 1957 to 1960. The last victim of kuru died in 2009.

The practice of cannibalism among the people of New Guinea came to an end in 1960.

- THECABLE

South China city subway adopts facial recognition to admit passengers

The southern Chinese city of Guangzhou adopted facial recognition technology in two of its subway stations, allowing for fast and easy entrance on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2019.

Instead of using tickets or swiping their smartphones, passengers can smile at a screen to unlock the electric gates in about half a second after completing a real-name registration on Guangzhou Metro’s official mini-programme on a WeChat application.

This would be aided by China’s popular social media platform or on the “Guangzhou Metro“ mobile app. The fee would be deducted from the payment methods that subway riders previously register and validate through their mobile phones.

The system has been installed at Guangzhouta station on Line 3 and Tianhezhihuicheng station on Line 21 before it can be expanded for use across the city in the future.

Guangzhou has a 478-km metro network with an average daily passenger volume reaching nearly nine million.

According to the Deputy General Manager of the Guangzhou Metro Group,
 Cai Changjun, the pilot stations will facilitate the large scale promotion of intelligent technologies and equipment in China’s rail transit system.

The group said 5G-assisted ultra-high definition videos, smart side doors, and smart security checks had also been applied, which could help improve the stations’ operation management.

Besides Guangzhou, passengers in Jinan, capital of East China’s Shandong Province, also enjoy similar technologies for efficient entrance to subway stations.

An increasing number of Chinese airports, including those in the cities of Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Changsha, was also using facial recognition systems to help quicken security checks for the convenience of air travellers.

- PM NEWS

EMPTY PEOPLE !! Ogun: Reactions as Gov Abiodun fails to commission 236 schools, health centres in 100 days as promised

The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun’s first 100 days in office is being trailed by indigenes of the state with mixed-reactions.

Abiodun’s first 100 days in office was marked on Friday, September 6, amidst pomp and pageantry.

The highlight of events marking the day was the donation of 100 patrol vans and 200 motorcycles to the police in Ogun State. The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, was in Ogun to commission the items.

Same day, the governor also launched a soft loan empowerment programme for traders in the state, titled ‘Oko owo Dapo’.

In the same vein, he gave out loans and acres of land to youths as a way of making agriculture attractive to them.

However, there have been knocks on the governor for what the masses described as his inability to fulfill some important aspects of his campaign promises, DAILY POST has learnt.

Few days before and after his inauguration, Abiodun was quoted as saying he would commission some projects to mark his first 100 days in office.

As reported, the governor promised to commission 236 primary health centres in each of the 236 wards in Ogun; while also promising to commission 236 public schools in each of the 236 wards in the state.

Abiodun also promised to commission 60 rural roads across the state; that is three roads in each of the 20 local governments in Ogun.

The governor also promised to make education free in all public schools across the state.

In a statement, the Chief Press Secretary to Gov Abiodun, Kunle Somorin, said the governor’s promises in respect of the 236 schools and hospitals, as well as the 60 rural roads had been fulfilled.

Somorin, after itemising some Abiodun’s achievements within hundred days without having to ground core governance, ended his statement by saying:

“These have been Governor Dapo Abiodun’s efforts to reset governance in Ogun to what techies would call ‘factory setting’ (what it was designed and ought to be) from the personal deplorable tweaking of the immediate past. Interestingly, he has done so without disrupting or having to ground core functions or ‘default setting’, so much that even if 100 Days in Office is reduced to the kind of symbolism ( that is, pomp and pageantry attached to 100 days celebration by commissioning buildings or structures) mentioned in the opening of this piece, he has achieved it too; although more as a side attraction than the main plan. They include: the renovation of 236 primary schools and 236 primary healthcare centres in the state, representing one school in each ward. Three roads per local government have also been repaired.”

But indigenes of Ogun State said Abiodun had failed to deliver on his campaign promises as far as the schools and health centres are concerned

While some said he had started repairing or palliating roads across the state, others opined that the governor is doing more of road repairs in Ogun East than other zones, especially Ogun West.

Speaking with DAILY POST, the Labour Party in Ogun State said, “Dapo Abiodun came into office with tons of promises, that among very many include, rehabilitation of public schools across the State, immediate payment of pensioners, building of health care facilities across the state, renovation of roads, a quick re-addressed positive security in the state; it should be noted that the security situation in the state has become alarmingly worse. These are some of the promises he made at his swearing-in ceremony.”

“He failed woefully in all of these. This his first 100 days in office is a mind-boggling failure. He has logged catalogue of mis-steps depicting serious lack of direction. His govt has been loaded with misdirection; a govt without motion.”

“Till today, he has no Executive Cabinet in place as a result of the puppeteering by the Political Goliaths who manipulated him into office.”

“But he was quick to set up useless and unproductive committees all over the place; borrowed N7bn in his first week in office. Even the most daft in Ogun State knows that Dapo Abiodun and his ‘Ponzi Scheme’ government is a disaster.”

Arabambi spoke further, “In addition to the foregoings, it is sad that some of his very sheepish followers could think that signing OGROMA and MAUSTECH bills into law are achievements. These untenable scores by the stomach-infrastructured elements celebrate distribution of relief materials to flood victims, an invisible palliative work on imagined roads, hoping to revoke the most appreciated legacy project by the citizens, commercially friendly Itoku Adire Mall in Abeokuta and so many other “we shall” on paper claims.

“Should one talk about Dapo Abiodun and his government’s scheme to cause violence across the state by illegally imposing his political yes-men on the elected Transport Executives in the state; the attempt to desecrate the institution of traditional Obas in the State? By and large, the state has been sentenced to a very pitiful governance by evil federal forces. For as long as it takes the judiciary to remove the pretending governor, Ogun State is on auto pilot.”

One Mr Bayo Osiyemi also condemned the alleged cancellation of free education in Ogun State by Abiodun, saying, “It is not cheery at all to have reneged on a campaign promise to provide free education in the state, 100 days after assuming a four-year term as governor. Does that show that the governor did not do his homework well before promising free education during his electioneering campaign?

“Why should the state government go back on its promise to offer free education, the basis on which the education-hungry citizens of Ogun State voted for the APC? Was sufficient home work not done before the promise was freely given during the rancorous electioneering in the state.?”

DAILY POST made concerted efforts to speak with Somorin. However, calls made to his line timed out, after which he messaged our correspondent to sent him a text.

He is yet to reply to the text message sent to him, neither has he called back, hours before this report was filed.

Meanwhile, the Senior Special Assistant to the governor of Ogun State on New Media, Emmanuel Ojo said, “I can assure you that a practicable step will be taken in order to ensure that our people are not subjected to any form of hardship under Gov Abiodun.”

Also, Ogun State All Progressives Congress Youth League, (APCYL), has applauded Abiodun “over his achievement after clocking 100 days in office.”

Comrade Olamide Lawal, the group Coordinator while addressing journalists in Abeokuta, said ”We are happy that in 100 days, you have proved yourself to be a true administrator and strategist per excellence.

”It is indisputable that you started the process of governance in Ogun state as a true democrat who was desirous of taking the people to the next level of all-round development.”

- DAILY POST

Deliver ‘change’ in education, ASUU tells FG

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has called on the federal government to declare a state of emergency on the education sector.

The group made the call during its national executive council meeting which was held at the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, on Monday.

In a statement signed by Biodun Ogunyemi, ASUU president, the group lamented the failure of the federal government to declare a state of emergency on the education sector as canvassed by Adamu Adamu, minister of education, in 2017.

Ogunyemi said such period could have been dedicated to addressing the challenges in the education sector.

“Among other things, the period of ’emergency’ should have been devoted to squarely addressing the place of education in Nigeria’s developmental aspirations; the problem of underfunding of education, from pre-primary to the university level which, in the last four years, hovered between 6% and 8%; the rot and decay in existing facilities; expansion plans as against the current haphazard establishment leading to mushrooming of educational institutions; and incentives and welfare for workers in the education sector,” the statement read.

“ASUU calls on government to deliver ‘change’ in education through an immediate declaration of State of emergency in the sector.”

The group lamented the slow pace of the renegotiation of the FGN-ASUU agreement of 2009.

Ogunyemi said ASUU also expressed “strong disappointment with the failure of the Federal Government to keep to timelines attached to the setting up of Visitation Panels to all Federal Universities and mainstreaming the Earned Academic Allowances (EAA) as agreed in the 7th February, 2019 Memorandum of Action (MoA).”

“In the same vein, ASUU-NEC frowns at government’s propensity for breaching agreements and memoranda signed with the Union,” it read.

“In particular, the Union notes with dissatisfaction that the renegotiation of the FGN-ASUU Agreement of 2009, which commenced way back in March 2017, has not been concluded for more than two years owing to hiccups created largely by government representatives on the Renegotiation Committee.

“We hereby call on the federal government to urgently address these and other related issues in the best interest of Nigerian public universities.”

ASUU also called on the government to address issues of the economy and security, adding that Nigerians are living in “excruciating poverty” which has forced many to “join the increasing army of global migrants and wanderers in search of elusive greener pastures.”

- THECABLE

Over 2000 persons flee Ebonyi community, as killings continue in communal crisis

No fewer than two thousand persons excluding children yesterday fled their village in Ohaukwu LGA of Ebonyi State for fear of being butchered by unknown gunmen.

Recall that there was a fresh crisis that resulted to killings of about ten persons in Ukwagba Ngbo in Ohaukwu LGA, while four others were reported missing.

Ukwagba community had a common boundary with Azadeene village whose occupants have fled for fear of being killed by unknown gunmen who had last Saturday killed nine persons.

Ukwagba is occupied by Ngbo clan while Azadeene is occupied by Ezza clan but both clans are trading words and accusing each other of invasion.

Recall also that the governor, Chief David Umahi had threatened to arrest and imprison stakeholders of Ohaukwu LGA for allowing crisis and killings to continue unabated.

“I am very embittered in my spirit. The first civilian governor from this state and the grandfather of Ebonyi state is from this local government area. And right inside here, I can see about seven past local government area chairmen.

“It is a shame on all of you. We did not come to paint pictures or clap for you. Do not deceive the government . Every day, Agila people have come. It is pure falsehood, you know what is happening to yourselves, you are killing yourselves.

“You should know people who are causing trouble in your domain. The traditional rulers should be able to fish out people who are causing trouble. We have not come with the message of comfort but to sound a note of warning,” The governor had said.

- DAILY POST

Ignore those demanding $1k for your flight, Air Peace chairman tells Nigerians leaving South Africa

Allen Onyeama, chairman of Air Peace, has warned Nigerians scheduled for repatriation from South Africa to refrain from paying $1,000 or any amount of money whatsoever for their flight.

In an interview with NAN, Onyeama said the arrangement for Nigerians willing to return had not changed.

Maintaining that the flight is still free, he urged those returning to the country to guard against unauthorised persons reportedly collecting $1,000 from them.

“We have not designated or recruited any agent in South Africa to collect money on behalf of Air Peace,” he said.

“So, nobody should pay money to anyone or group of persons posing as Air Peace agent or staff.

“Any Nigerian who has paid money for repatriation to Nigeria with Air Peace should request for a refund and report to appropriate authorities.”

Air Peace had, last week, volunteered to send an aircraft to evacuate, free of charge, Nigerians who wish to return home.

“Air Peace is willing to support the Nigerian Government’s efforts in this matter by deploying our B777 aircraft to evacuate Nigerians back home,” Onyema had said.

He said the airline was particularly concerned about the safety of Nigerians in South Africans following the attacks.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission,  had also pledged the federal government’s support to any Nigerian that wanted to return home.

Dabiri-Erewa said this after a closed door meeting with the senate committee on diaspora and non-governmental organisations in Abuja.

She said the returnees would be encouraged to enroll and participate in the various social intervention programmes of the government.

“We will encourage them to enroll in small scale entrepreneurial programmes with the Bank of Industry under the social investment programme. So, there are things that they can do,” she said.

- THECABLE

Court orders permanent forfeiture of Diezani’s $40m jewellery, customised iPhone

The former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke has lost the bid to retrieve her jewellery and a customised gold iPhone forfeited to the Federal Government. 

This happened as the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday ordered the permanent forfeiture of the 2,149 pieces of jewellery and a customised gold iPhone, valued at $40m, recovered from the former minister’s house in Abuja.

In a ruling on Tuesday, Justice Nicholas Nicholas Oweibo held that Diezani, through her lawyer, Awa Kalu (SAN), failed to show cause why the items should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had told the judge that the jewellery and iPhone were beyond the former Minister’s “known and provable lawful income.”

The anti-graft agency further said that findings showed that she started acquiring the jewellery in 2012, two years after she was appointed Minister.

EFCC also said it was in possession of the details of the bank account through which Mrs Alison-Madueke received her salary as a minister and stated that a “damning intelligence report” received by the Commission led to the search of former minister’s house at No. 10 Fredrick Chiluba Close, Asokoro, Abuja.

The Former Minister on her part had challenged the seizure of the jewellery from her premises by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
In an affidavit filed on her behalf by her counsel, Prof Awa Kalu (SAN), Diezani, who is currently in the United Kingdom, alleged that the EFCC violated her fundamental “right to own property and to appropriate them at her discretion,” under sections 43 and 44 of the constitution.
She also accused the anti-graft agency of entering her apartment illegally and taking the items without any court order.

On July 5, 2019, The Economic and Financial Crime Commission EFCC had secured an order of the court temporarily forfeiting the expensive jewellery to the Federal Government.

- PM NEWS

Shiites: Police, IMN trade words over alleged killing of group members in Kaduna

Kaduna State Police Command has refuted the allegation of the alleged killing of members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, IMN.

The command described the allegation as false and mischievous.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Yakubu Sabo, however, explained that the protesters were dispersed professionally and that no one was killed.

However, there was trouble in Bakin Ruwa area of Kaduna as police and members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN) clashed.

The IMN group of the Shi’ite Islamic sect were gathering to proceed on Ashura Day procession when the incident happened in the early hours of Tuesday.

Shi’ites, however, claimed that, three of their members were killed in the process.

One of the IMN leaders, Alliyu Umar said the police attacked them while they were observing their religious right of Ashura mourning.

He explained, “What happened to us this morning was not a clash. It was an attack on armless members of IMN. We were observing an event in the Islamic calendar which is called Ashura mourning as a procession.

“We were on our way to observe this procession. We were doing it peacefully as we were doing it before when Policemen attacked us, shooting live bullets at us where they killed three people and wounded many others. I’m yet to confirm the number of those that were wounded.”

- DAILY POST