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The Health and Human Services Secretariat (HHSS) of the Federal Capital Territory Administration has confirmed that no cases of Ebola virus were diagnosed in the city as reported by some media organisations.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the HHSS Mr Badaru Yakasai. It said the suspected case that was referred to Irrua Specialist Hospital was tested for Lassa Fever (which has similar clinical presentations as Ebola) and the test result was negative.

“The FCT Department of Public Health under the Health and Human Services Secretariat, whose mandate is to investigate and report outcome of all suspected outbreaks is in contact with Irrua Specialist Hospital and the Centre confirmed that no Ebola has been confirmed in this case,” it said.

It however stated that samples have been taken to a more specialised Centre for further investigations.

NIS Recruitment Tragedy: Moro Accepts Responsibility

The Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, has admitted responsibility for the death of about 16 persons during the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment exercise held on March 15.

 

The minister made the admission yesterday while appearing at the opening of a two-day public hearing held by the Senate Committee on Interior on the exercise.

“As the Minister of Interior, under whose purview this unfortunate exercise took place, I cannot abdicate my responsibility,” he said. “The buck stops at my table.”

He expressed regret that a well-intended exercise ended in tragedy.

Meanwhile the Comptroller General of the NIS, Mr. David Parradang, absolved himself of any wrong doing, stating that the minister took the decision on the recruitment exercise unilaterally.

Mr. Paradang, explained that he was not even aware of the aptitude test until a meeting of the board held in January.

FCT Minister Dispels Rumour of Bomb Explosion in Abuja

Following a gas explosion at Area 1, Garki, Abuja yesterday, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed, has refuted reports that there was a bomb explosion in Abuja.
 

This was contained in a statement signed by the Special Assistant on Media to the minister, Mr Nosike Ogbuenyi. The minister enjoined all residents and visitors in the territory to go about their legitimate activities without fear.

The statement explained that the gas explosion occurred at a shop located at Shagari Plaza opposite the Area 1 shopping Centre, when a gas seller was refilling a cylinder for a customer at about 4.45pm.

Men of the FCT Fire Service arrived promptly at the scene and put out the fire thus preventing it from spreading, it said, adding that there were no casualties from the incidence.

House Direct Committee to Investigate Abuja Park and Pay

The House of Representatives has mandated its Committee on the Federal Capital Territory to carry out a public hearing to investigate the process leading to the concession, award and operation of the “Park and Pay Policy” in Abuja metropolis.

This came as a result of a motion raised by Hon Bitrus Kaze who noted that the companies contracted to implement the policy do not maintain any infrastructure or provide professional services. He added that the companies only remit between 10 to 40 per cent of generated revenue and keep 60 to 90 per cent to themselves.

Hon Kaze further stated that the policy which was initiated in 2012 order to create sanity in traffic management in the city centre has become an avenue for exploitation, fraud and other forms of illegal practices.

The committee was given three weeks to make recommendations to the House.

Abuja Court Revokes Polish Woman’s Bail

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court yesterday revoked the bail it granted to a Polish woman, Ms Dora Gilmaska, for absconding from trial on two occasions.

Ms Gilmaska, who was arraigned by the EFCC for issuing N9 million dud cheque to one Mr Tayo Olugbemi in 2012, failed to appear in court on Oct. 8, 2013 and on Feb. 17 as required.

Counsel to the accused, Miss Tina Debai, did not oppose the submission of the EFCC counsel urging the court to revoke the bail. “My lord, all our efforts to reach the accused was unsuccessful,” she said.

Preising Judge, Justice Abubakar Umar, therefore, ordered that the accused be arrested and remanded in Suleja Prison and adjourned the case until June 10 for hearing.

Confab: Sultan Leads Protest Team to Jonathan

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar III, yesterday led some Muslim leaders to President Goodluck Jonathan to protest the composition of delegates to the National Conference.

The Sultan however refused to speak to newsmen at the end of the closed door meeting with the president at the Presidential Villa.

The Secretary General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, said the President assured them that there was no deliberate move to marginalise Muslims at the conference. “We are happy we consulted with him,” he said, “and he has given us reasons to re-assure the Muslims that Muslims in Nigeria are not deliberately marginalised and he has asked us to convey the feelings of the government, the genuineness of the government, the fairness of the government to the entire populace.”

“If there are issues that are not as they ought to be, they were not definitely deliberate and we want to believe that Mr. President told us his mind,” he added, “but we also want to believe that it is proper to protest.”

Reps Approve Creation Revenue Agency for FCT

The House of Representatives has adopted a recommendation of its committee to establish the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Internal Revenue Service for the territory.

 

The report was a product of a bill referred to the House committee on FCT headed by Hon Emmanuel Jime. It provides in clause 1 that: “There is established a body to be known as the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (in this bill referred to as “the service”).

Clause 2 of the report states that: “The object of the service shall be to control and administer the different taxes and laws specified in the first schedule or other laws made or to be made from time to time by the National Assembly or other regulations made there under by the government of the federation and to account for all taxes collected.”

While clause 3 provides that there shall be a board for the service with an experienced chairman, directors of treasury, legal services, lands, planning and survey, area councils and Abuja Infrastructure and Investment Company who shall be appointed by the Minister of the FCT subject to confirmation by the National Assembly.

Fourteen out of the 86 clauses contained in the report were adopted. When established, the FCT Revenue Service will be saddled with the responsibility of assessing, collecting and accounting for all revenues due to the territory.

NEMA Donates Drugs to FCT NYSC

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has donated drugs and consumables to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp.

The Coordinator of NEMA, Abuja Operations office, Mr Ishaya Chonoko, made the donation yesterday in Abuja, on behalf of the NEMA Director-General, Alhaji Mohammad Sani-Sidi. He said that the gesture was in fulfillment with the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU signed between NEMA and NYSC to mitigate and prevent disasters at the grassroots.

“NEMA has an MoU with NYSC that has been very effective, especially in mitigating disasters in the grassroots using the available manpower in the NYSC,” he said. “It is the tradition of the Director-General of NEMA to donate drugs to attend to emergencies that may occur while corps members are in the camp.”

NYSC FCT Camp Director, Mr Anthony Enweonwu, who received the items on behalf of the Director-General, Brig.-Gen. of the Corp, Mr. Johnson Olawumi, commended NEMA for the gesture. He assured that the drugs would be used for the benefit of the corps members and for other community development activities after the orientation camp.

60 Soldiers, 40 Policemen Deployed as FCTA Demolishes Estate

No fewer than 60 soldiers and 40 policemen were on ground at the Saraha City Estate, Gwarinpa Abuja as the Department of Development Control, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) began the demolition of about 200 houses in the estate.

The demolition team which arrived at the estate yesterday morning, sealed off the two gates leading to the estate and drafted armed soldiers to area to prevent residents from going in or coming out from the estate. Many of the house owners who had gone to their places of work before the demolition team arrived later came and met their buildings pulled down.

Several people were said to have been critically injured and properties worth billions of naira were destroyed in the cause of the exercise.

Lawyer to the house owners, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), expressed shock over the incidence and described the demolition as illegal, especially as the matter is pending before Abuja High Court 24. He promised to take up the matter with FCDA and the court.

FG Distributes 3 Million Free Exercise Books to Pupils

In its determination to attain the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of Universal Basic Education, the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGshas distributed three million free exercise books to indigent pupils across the country.

 

Speaking at the event which took place yesterday in Abuja at the Cinema hall, Centre for Arts and Culture, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs, Mrs. Precious Gbeneol, said the distribution of the exercise books was aimed at easing the burden of the benefiting poor families as well as stimulate the interest of the pupils in education.

 

Mrs Gbeneol explained that in order to achieve its objective, government has also deployed Debit Relief Gains (DRG) to fund projects and initiatives in the education sector, with a focus on the issues of quality, capacity, access and relevance.

 

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission, (UBEC) Mr. Dikko Abdullahi represented by Mr. Pius Osaghae, said the provision of the free exercise books would go a long way in ameliorating the plight of indigent pupils and their parents.

He promised that UBEC will ensure the effective distribution of the exercise books throughout the country, using the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) platform.

 

that government untiring efforts in the educational sector was yielding positive results, stressing that the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report of 2013 showed that in 2012, primary school attendance ratio was 71.0 per cent which represents 10 per cent improvement in comparison to 2008.

 

She added that 83.9 percent was in urban area, while 63.4 per cent was in rural area, nothing that secondary school net attendance ratio was about 54. 8 per cent, while rural accounted for 46.2 per cent.

 

She further stated that Grade 6 (six) completion rate was about 87.7 per cent, representing about 5.7 per cent increase compared with the 2004 figure and 12.3 per cent lower than the MDG benchmark. A further breakdown of the figure shows that completion rate was about 81.5 per cent in the urban area and 90.5 cent in the rural area.

 

According to her, through the DRG, "in 2011 and 2012, a total sum N26.1billion was invested in 261 local governments area with the execution of more than 15, 000 high impact MDGs related projects across the country in the education, income generation, agriculture, health, water and sanitation sectors"

 

"There has been a successful execution of 12, 342 water and sanitation projects nationwide with the construction, renovation and equipping of 5, 206 health facilities. About 68, 430 health workers were trained to provide the much needed skilled health services at the grassroots; funding was also made available to 1, 704 beneficiaries to aid agricultural enterprise start-up". She added.

 

Gbeneol noted that through the support to the National Teachers Institute (NTI) and UBEC for the Federal Teachers Scheme (FTS), MDGs has trained and retrained an average of 120, 000 teachers annually from 2006 till date, the scheme she said was meant to provide teachers with requisite skills and to be able to impart same knowledge to their students, adding that 672,135 primary school teachers have benefited since 2006.

 

She stressed further that, about 40, 000 teachers and 5,000 science teachers are recruited every two years under the FTS and were posted to states according to their needs.

 

Gbeneol also said MDGs has made available over N113.75 billion of debt relief to the Federal Ministry of Education from 2006 to date to implement various programmes and projects bothering on girl child education.

 

See below for more pictures:

Cross section of parents and SUBEB officials

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Cross section of students

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Dr. Precious Kalamba Gbebeol, presenting copies Master Benjamin Suleiman

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Dr. Precious Kalamba Gbebeol presenting copies Master Leoumnamene Saturday

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Dr. Precious Kalamba Gbebeol, presenting copies Miss Adebowale Olubukola

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FCT Theatre group entertaining guests

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L-R- Dr. Precious Kalamba Gbebeol and copies  Pius O. Osaghae , Ag director, Academic Service UBEC, presenting copies to Lyop Gloria Mang Plateau State SUBEB

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L-R- Dr. Precious Kalamba Gbebeol and copies  Pius O. Osaghae , Ag director, Academic Service UBEC, presenting copies to Monica D. Bukuni, Taraba State SUBEB

Confab: Delegates Fail to Adopt Voting Method

For the second consecutive day, delegates to the National Conference have failed to agree over the mode of voting.

The conference was yesterday abruptly adjourned following sharp disagreement among delegates over the mode to be adopted on matters requiring voting. Order VI Rule 3 provides that any decision in the conference shall be decided by at least a three-quarter majority.

The clause reads: “Any questions proposed for decision in the conference shall be determined by consensus and when this is not achievable by a three-quarter majority of the delegates present and voting.” The clause was deferred on Monday at the resumption of plenary to Tuesday, still, decision could not be reached on it.

Contributing, Mr Atedo Peterside, a federal delegate, cautioned the delegates to be wary of the presence of the media were reporting proceeding of the conference to the world. “There is a reason the whole nation is here. The whole nation is watching; they are listening,” he noted. “Let us not over-emphasise our importance.”

He therefore advised that the matter be deferred to Wednesday for continuation of debate.

NIS Recruitment: Protesters Clash over Calls for Moro’s Resignation

A group of youths calling for the sack and prosecution of the Minister of Interior, Mr Abba Moro, for allegedly contributing to the circumstances that led to the death of about 20 job seekers during the recruitment exercise into the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) on March 15 yesterday in Abuja clashed with another group in solidarity with the minister.

The anti-Moro group, led by Ms Azeenarh Mohammed had marched to the office of the minister, chanting “murderers, murderers” when the pro-moro group, led by Mr. Etuk Bassey-William, emerged and questioned the sincerity of the protesters.

Chaos ensued when officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) arrived the scene and tried to stop the protests. The protesters however resisted the efforts of the security men to disperse them, and the earlier group insisted on writing “murderers” at the ministry's entrance.

Infuriated by what they termed defacing of public infrastructure, officers of the NSCDC were said to have manhandled the protesters and some journalists whose cameras and phones were either seized or destroyed.

200, 000 Farmers in FCT to be Enrolled for Fertiliser Scheme

About 200,000 rural farmers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are to be to be registered in a new scheme tagged Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) Touch and Pay (TAP) for farmers’ registration in order to acquire fertiliser for this year’s farming season.

 

The FCT Director of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development Dr. Charles Momoh made this known recently in Gwagwalada, Abuja, at a sensitisation workshop on the scheme organized for farmers, agro dealers, and commodity associations. He explained that the GES TAP is an offline technology that captures the data of farmers along with their photographs and at the end of the registration exercise, a green card will be issued to them.

 

He stated that government has mandated the ministry, in collaboration with the International Fertiliser Development Centre (IFDC) and relevant stakeholders to mobilise and register 200,000 farmers in the scheme.

 

“As long as you are a farmer in FCT and you want to have a fertilizer,” he said, “you must register in the new system.”

NIS Exam: Applicants Head to Court, Demand Refund from Ministry

Four persons among applicants who took part in last Saturday’s Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment examination have filed a suit against the federal government, seeking among other things a refund of application fees.
 

The applicants, Mr Charles Ugwuonye, Mr Friday Danlami, Mr Chinedu Onwuka, and Mr Samson Ojo, are also asking the court to declare that the conduct of the recruitment exercise was illegal, unwarranted, and in violation of their fundamental human right to life.

The plaintiffs are also praying the court to declare that the respondents, particularly the Minister of Interior, Mr Abba Moro, and the Comptroller General of NIS, Mr David Parradang, have a duty to conduct the recruitment exercise in a safe manner.

Also joined as respondents in the suit are the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Bello Adoke.

Jonathan Challenges Court's Authority to Reverse Sanusi's Suspension

President Goodluck Jonathan has challenged the power of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court to consider a suit seeking to reverse the suspension of governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

 

In a preliminary objection filed against the suit, President Jonathan maintained that the ousted CBN governor ought to have taken his case to the National Industrial Court (NIC), stating that in line with section 254 (c) (1a) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, only the industrial court had the statutory powers to interfere in any dispute between an employer and his employee.

Similarly, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) and the Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, who were both joined in the suit by Sanusi as 2nd and 3rd defendants, urged the high court to strike it out for want of jurisdiction.

Mallam Sanusi, through his lawyer, Dr. Kola Awodehin (SAN) had insisted that there was never a time employer/employee relationship existed between him and President Jonathan, that he was never an employee of the Federal Government.

Apo Killing: Report to be Released on April 7

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has said that it will on April 7th release the report of its investigation into the killing of squatters in an uncompleted building at Apo Legislative Quarters, Abuja, alleged to be members of the Boko Haram sect.

This was contained in a communiqué released after the NHRC Governing Council meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State said. It said the council considered a draft report of its Panel of Inquiry into the Apo Killings of 20^th September 2014 and approved the release of the report to the public.

“Accordingly,” it said, “Council directed the Executive Secretariat to issue Hearing Notices to all the parties to attend the sitting of the panel for the release of the report and decision of the commission on 7 April 2014.”

FCTA Begins Removal of Posters in Abuja

The department Development Control of Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) yesterday began the removal of billboards and posters pasted on public utilities in Abuja.

The Head of Public Relations of the department, Mr Kalu Ewetu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in the course of the exercise that the cleaning up was part of efforts by the department to maintain the aesthetics of federal capital.

He added that there was a provision in the FCT Act which bares people from indiscriminate pasting of posters in public places. He expressed the determination of the department to sustain the operation.

“After this exercise,” he said, “we will embark on arrest and prosecution of people who continue to paste such posters. We will trace them through the addresses on their posters.”

Immigration Tragedy: Jonathan Summons Moro, Parradang

Following the Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro’s declaration yesterday that he will not resign after 15 job applicants nationwide died during a recruitment exercise by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), he was summoned yesterday along with NIS Comptroller General David Parradang by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Comrade Moro appeared disturbed after emerging from the President's office in company of the immigration boss. They had earlier met with the Chief of Staff to the President, Jones Arogbofa, where they spent over an hour before meeting the President.

Sources at the Villa said President Jonathan had queried the interior minister to explain within 24 hours the poor handling of the exercise and while inaugurating the National Conference which began yesterday in Abuja, the President asked for one minute’s silence to honour those who died. 

Comrade Moro earlier confirmed that 15 applicants including six women, one of them pregnant, died in the aftermath of the stampede that occurred at the various recruitment centres. 

The minister, who was speaking during an interview in Abuja, disclosed that a total of 522, 650 applicants from across the nation were shortlisted for the 4, 556 positions.

 

"Pregnant women were not qualified for the exercise and no pregnant woman was shortlisted for interview. The truth is that many people who had no business being there including the pregnant women gate-crashed at the venues for reasons best known to them.”

Comrade Moro said the government will take care of the medical bills of the injured and pay for the burial of the dead.

Immigration Tragedy: Jonathan Summons Moro, Parradang

Following the Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro’s declaration yesterday that he will not resign after 15 job applicants nationwide died during a recruitment exercise by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), he was summoned yesterday along with NIS Comptroller General David Parradang by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Comrade Moro appeared disturbed after emerging from the President's office in company of the immigration boss. They had earlier met with the Chief of Staff to the President, Jones Arogbofa, where they spent over an hour before meeting the President.

Sources at the Villa said President Jonathan had queried the interior minister to explain within 24 hours the poor handling of the exercise and while inaugurating the National Conference which began yesterday in Abuja, the President asked for one minute’s silence to honour those who died. 

Comrade Moro earlier confirmed that 15 applicants including six women, one of them pregnant, died in the aftermath of the stampede that occurred at the various recruitment centres. 

The minister, who was speaking during an interview in Abuja, disclosed that a total of 522, 650 applicants from across the nation were shortlisted for the 4, 556 positions.

 

"Pregnant women were not qualified for the exercise and no pregnant woman was shortlisted for interview. The truth is that many people who had no business being there including the pregnant women gate-crashed at the venues for reasons best known to them.”

Comrade Moro said the government will take care of the medical bills of the injured and pay for the burial of the dead.

Mbu Launches ‘Operation Clean-up Abuja,’ Assures Confab Delegates of Safety

The Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Joseph Mbu, has assured delegates to the National Conference of their security while in Abuja.

Mr Mbu gave the assurance yesterday while flagging off the ‘operation clean-up Abuja’ at Area 1 roundabout. He said delegates have nothing to worry about, as the Federal Capital Territory is safe for the peaceful hosting of the conference.

He noted that the minister of the FCT and the permanent secretary had also been there to ensure that the place is safe and secure.

He promised to rid the city of all social menace, in accordance with the FCT minister, Senator Bala Mohammed’s directive to arrest and prosecute any defaulter, adding that the FCT Administration has provided the needed support to the security agencies to do their job properly.

FCTA Demolishes Illegal Buildings in Katampe and Gishiri

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has embarked on the demolition of illegal structures in the Katampe and Gishiri areas of Abuja.

The FCTA departments involved in the joint clean-up exercise were the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council, Department of Development Control, Abuja Environmental Protection Board and the Satellite Towns Development Agency.

The Development Control District Officer in charge of Katampe, Mr Kalu Amadi, said that the exercise was carried out to prepare the area for provision of infrastructure.

“You can see that most of the demolished houses are built on the road,” he said. He therefore advised residents of the FCT to be cautious in the acquisition of land, saying that plots that are not allocated by the FCT Minister are illegal.

Drop in Electricity Caused by Gas Shortage

The Minister of Power, Chinedu Nebo said on Monday in Abuja that the drop in power generation was caused by gas shortage due to vandalism of gas pipelines.

"We still face many challenges, gas supply is a very serious one and the current difficulty we have in generation dropping substantially in the past couple of days, was as a result of gas limitation. 

"We also have security issues bordering on vandalism of the sector's gas pipelines and oil pipelines that are associated with gas and then transmission and distribution infrastructure."

Mr Nebo particularly stressed the need to develop the sector's transmission capacity "and expand the wheeling strength, so that all power generated can be effectively transmitted."

 

Mr Nebo, however, expressed optimism that most of the challenges being expressed at the moment would soon be addressed with the cooperation and support of stakeholders in the sector.

I’m Not Afraid of Being Sacked – FCT Minister

A few days after the president queried the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed, over the deplorable state of the environment in the territory, the minister has said that he is not afraid of being sacked.

He made the statement while inaugurating a 19-man committee, headed by the FCT police commissioner, Joseph Mbu, to rid the city of miscreants, destitute and sundry illegal activities.

The minister said he was ready to leave President Goodluck Jonathan’s cabinet whenever he is asked to do so.

“I am not afraid of being changed,” he said. “They had to change the cabinet before I came here and so I am under a strict notice, my sister (Minister of State, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide) and I, anytime that God says we will go, we will go. But while we are here, we will do our duty; we are not afraid of being changed.”

This came days after the minister said that his directors and heads of agencies in the FCT administration had constantly lied to him about the true nature of degeneration of the capital city in their reports.

Fuel Crisis: FG Pays 27 Marketers N41bn

The Federal Government on Thursday paid N41billion to 27 oil marketers, according to a statement by the Ministry of Finance.

Paul Nwabuikwu, the Special Adviser on Media to the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-iweala released the statement in Abuja, stating that the marketers to be paid had their claims verified for fuel subsidy reimbursements.

The marketers receiving payment include ASCON Oil and Gas Company, CONOIL, Mobil Oil Nigeria, MRS Oil, OANDO and Total Nigeria.

"The information is provided in continuation of the ministry's focus on transparency and accountability in the management of the subsidy regime," said the statement.

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) had earlier stated that the fuel shortage sweeping the country was due to the government’s refusal to pay its members for petrol imports since September 2013, forcing them to cease importation.

No Going Back on Anti-Gay Law- FG

The Federal Government has told the United Nations that it would not repeal the anti-gay marriage law in the country.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Mohammed Bello Adoke, made the statement yesterday while receiving a delegation from the United Nations, led by its High Commissioner on Human Rights, Navi Pillay.

 

“I wish to re-emphasise that our laws do not criminalise individual sexual orientation,” he said. “The focus of the Act is, therefore, the discouragement of same-sex marriage which is a reflection of the overwhelming beliefs and cultural values of the Nigerian people as demonstrated by a 2013 Opinion Poll, which showed that 92 per cent of Nigerians reject same-sex marriage.”

“I can make bold to say that if the government had not taken the pragmatic step to put in place the punitive mechanism to this conduct,” he added, “perhaps the vast majority of the people would have taken laws into their hands and it will be more harmful for people with same sex sexual orientation.”

Judge’s Absence Stalls Sanusi’s Suit against Jonathan

Wednesday’s hearing in the suit filed by the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, challenging his suspension by President Goodluck Jonathan was stalled by the absence of the presiding judge Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

 

All parties and counsel were asked to return to court on March 19 after an official informed them that the judge was attending a seminar.

 

Mr. Sanusi is seeking a court order that will re-instate him as CBN Governor. He asked the court to restrain the President, Attorney-General and their agents from “obstructing, disturbing, stopping or preventing him in any manner whatsoever, from performing the functions as Governor of the Central Bank.”

 

Justice Kolawole stated earlier that: “I feel hesitant and constrained to grant the plaintiff’s application because it would be unfair to grant such an application without affording the respondents a hearing.”

Gusau Has Not Resigned - Presidency

The Presidency yesterday released a statement refuting online reports that the Minister of Defense, Lt.-Gen Aliyu Gusau has resigned.

“General Gusau remains in Office as Minister of Defence,” read the statement, which was signed by President Goodluck Jonathan’s Special Adviser of Media, Reuben Abati.

It further stated that “[Gusau’s] absence from today's meeting of the Federal Executive Council, which was cited in support of the false report of his resignation, was with the permission of President Goodluck Jonathan.”

Gen. Gusau’s Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Adebisi Adekunle, also denied the reports yesterday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja. 

Gusau, a former Security Adviser, was sworn in as Minister of Defence by President Jonathan on March 5 along with 10 others.

Army in Abuja on Terror Alert as National Confab Begins Next Week

The Nigerian Army, police and other security agencies have been placed on high alert to pre-empt any act of terrorism in Abuja during the National Conference, which begins next week.

 

Security personnel have been dispatched to public buildings, military and police headquarters, high-profile offices and densely-populated areas across the FCT that may be targeted by insurgents during the conference, and soldiers will be stationed at the entry and exit points into the federal capital.

There will be increased stop and search conducted on vehicles, and more patrols and intelligence gathering at notable notorious spots in and around the FCT, which include Gwagwalada, Suleja, Deidei, Dutse Alhaji, Mpape, Apo Mechanic Village, Zuba, Mararaba, Nyanya, motor parks and uncompleted buildings.  

The managers and owners of hotels, restaurants and drinking joints have also been advised to be wary of the kind of guests they accommodate and entertain on their premises, and to report any suspicious characters to the police.

Auto Council to Open Vehicle Recycling Plant in Abuja

The National Automotive Council (NAC), Nigeria, is partnering with the Japanese government to set up an automobile recycling plant in Abuja.

The Director-General of NAC, Mr Aminu Jalal, who made this know to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recently, said the council was working with the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) and the Federal Capital Territory Administration to implement the plan.

 

“JICA has already paid for the feasibility study of the pilot plant. What delayed the project was obtaining land from the FCTA but we have now got the land,” he said.

 

Mr Jalal said the proposed plant would make use of junk and abandoned vehicles that constitute a nuisance to the environment, adding that the pilot plant would also serve as a training centre on automobile recycling for staff of the council and other relevant government agencies.

FCTA Employs 200 Health Workers

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has appointed 200 health workers in hospitals across the FCT.

 

The Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretariat of the FCTA, Dr. Ademola Onakomaiya, made the revelation yesterday in Abuja while inaugurating the Emergency Paediatric Unit (EPU) at Asokoro District Hospital.

 

He said the minister of the FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed, approved the appointment of the workers in order to ensure quick and efficient healthcare delivery in the territory.

 

On the new EPU facility, he stated that it was equipped to provide comprehensive paediatric medical and surgical care to all acutely ill and injured children.

 

He further stated that the minister was committed to providing solid health foundation to children. “To this end,” he said “the minister has recruited professional health workers to manage the Unit and ensure quality health delivery.”

Fuel Shortage Caused by FG’s Refusal to Pay Us Since September - Marketers

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) revealed that the fuel shortage sweeping the country is due to the government’s refusal to pay its members for petrol imports since September 2013, forcing them to cease importation.

Speaking to journalists in Abuja yesterday at an IPMAN meeting, the association’s national president Aminu Abdulkadir said its members now depended on imports by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

"There is nobody that will do a job that is not being paid that will continue,” he said. “The only way out is for the Ministry of Finance to commence payment of part of last year Q3, Q4 and this year Q1.”

Abdulkadir revealed the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) only allow the NNPC to import 50 per cent of fuel used in Nigeria, while marketers, of which IPMAN members account for 87 per cent, import the remaining 50 per cent, putting pressure on the NNPC.

"We have done our best. Let them pay Q4 and Q1, then marketers will have the solvency to import and augment what NNPC is bringing."

FCT Police Command Decorates 1,487 Officers

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command yesterday in Abuja decorated 1,487 newly promoted officers with their new ranks.

In the exercise, 11 Superintendents were promoted to Chief Superintendent, 16 Deputy Superintendents were promoted to Superintendent, while 30 Assistant Superintendents were promoted to Deputy Superintendent.

In addition, 200 Inspectors were moved up to the rank of Assistant Superintendent, 226 Sergeants to Inspectors, 613 Corporals to Sergeant, and 391 Constables to Corporal.

The Commissioner of Police for the FCT, Mr Joseph Mbu, said the exercise was part of welfare package designed by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, to motivate the force. He therefore urged the officers to do their best to justify the promotion and ensure adequate security in the territory.

FG Earmarks N10bn for Abuja Rail Project

The federal government has allocated the sum of N10 billion from its 2014 SURE-P budget as counterpart funding towards early completion of the Abuja Rail Mass Transit project.

The Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed, made this known yesterday while presenting the FCT 2014 SURE-P budget to the Senate Ad-Hoc Committee on SURE-P at the National Assembly.

The minister said the total cost of the Abuja rail project, comprising final design and construction of Lots 1 and 3 respectively, which is approximately 60.67 kilometres, is US$823,540,545.87, and a completion period of 36 months.

He said the federal government had previously gotten a concessional loan of US$500 million from EXIM Bank of China; leaving US$323,540,545.87 to the Nigerian government as counterpart.

Nigerian Cities not in Top 8 in List of Most Active African Cities on Twitter

In a new study by Portland Communications analysing the most active African cities on Twitter, Johannesburg topped the list and three other South African cities and Egypt’s capital Cairo were in the top five, with Nairobi in sixth place and Accra in eight, and no mention of any Nigerian cities.

Results were compiled by communications agency Portland, in a follow up to its 2012 study, who analysed geo-located tweets originating from Africa in the last three months of 2013 in a study called How Africa Tweets.

Johannesburg had 344,215 geo-located tweets, followed by Ekurhuleni (264,172) and Cairo (227,509). Durban (163,019) and Alexandria (159,534) make up the remainder of the top five most active cities.

 

Nairobi was the most active city in East Africa and the sixth most active on the continent, with 123,078 geo-located tweets, and Accra is the most active city in West Africa and the eight most active on the continent, with 78,575 geo-located tweets.

But there was no mention of Nigerian cities including Lagos or Abuja, despite the country having the largest population in Africa and an active internet community.

The highest volume of tweets in Africa were recorded on December 5, the day of Nelson Mandela's death, and the study also revealed that English, French and Arabic are the most common languages on Twitter in Africa, accounting for 75.5% of the total tweets analysed, with Zulu, Swahili, Afrikaans, Xhosa and Portuguese the next most commonly tweeted languages in the continent.

Twitter activity peaked in the evening around 9pm, and Tuesdays and Fridays are the most active tweeting days.

Mark Flanagan, Head of Digital for Portland, says: "As well as adding diversity of perspective on political and social issues, Africa's Twitter users are also contributing linguistic diversity. Twitter is now established on the continent as a source of information and a platform for conversation."