Author: Lawal AbdulSalam Olawale

Dignitaries at 1st NAN annual lecture at Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja,FCT.

NAN is said to be the largest news agency in Africa.

According to ChatGPT,the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) was established in 1976 as the country’s national news agency to provide news coverage and information services. It was formed to promote the dissemination of news in Nigeria and to ensure that the nation had a reliable source of information. NAN’s mandate includes collecting, processing, and distributing news to various media outlets, both domestically and internationally.

 

Over the years, NAN has played a crucial role in Nigeria’s media landscape, particularly during significant historical events, including the transition to civilian rule in the 1990s. The agency has expanded its services to include multimedia content and has adapted to the digital age, providing real-time news through its online platforms.

Despite challenges such as funding and competition from private media, NAN remains a key player in Nigerian journalism, aiming to uphold professionalism and promote balanced reporting.

The Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has approved a sum of Three billion and Three hundred naira only (#3,300,000,000.00) for the payment of accrued rights (bond certificates) of a number of workers who retired under the Contributory Pension Scheme across the State.

 

This was contained in a statement issued by the Head of Service, Elder Ayanleye Aina,

 

Part of the statement reads, “of this amount N1.5b is for retirees at the State level comprising Ministries, Departments, Agencies, secondary schools and tertiary institutions while the sum of #1.8m is for those who retired in the local government service, junior and primary schools across the State. The fund approved is undergoing due process at the Bureau of Public Service Pension and the Local Government Staff Pension Board.

 

“It should be noted that this approval is apart from the regular monthly payment of pension and gratuities to retired public servants under the old pension scheme across the whole gamut of the public service.

 

It will be recalled that workers and pensioners welfare top the 5- point Action Plan of Governor Ademola Adeleke – led administration in the State. The Governor has been keeping with this promise since he came on board in November, 2022 going by his unhindered love for public servants and the entire citizens of the State

The Federal Government has approved the increment of Corps Members’ monthly allowance to Seventy-Seven Thousand Naira (N77,000) with effect from July 2024.

This is in line with the enactment of the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2024.

 

This was contained in a letter from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, dated 25th September 2024 and signed by the Chairman, Mr. Ekpo Nta.

 

Prior to this, the Director General, NYSC Brigadier General YD Ahmed, had paid an advocacy visit to the Chairman in which he solicited for a robust welfare package for Corps Members.

 

The NYSC Boss is thankful to the Federal Government for the timely gesture and is optimistic that it will not only bring much needed succour to the Corps Members, but also boost their morale and motivate them to do even more, in their service to the nation.

 

 

 

 

Alleged Turning human being to fowl in Ede, profound falsehood, product of hallucination-Timi

 

The Timi in-Council, led by His Royal Majesty, Oba Dr MUNIRUDEEN ADESOLA LAWAL, LAMINISA THE 1ST, THE TIMI OF EDELAND has described as a total falsehood the alleged claim of turning human beings to fowl in the ancient town, saying the claim remains mere hallucination of its proponents.

 

It would be recalled that a voice note recently surfaced on WhatsApp and had since gone viral where a male voice was heard making the allegation.

 

This was contained in a release made available to the newsmen on Wednesday by the Director of Public Communication, Dapo Akinyele and personally signed by HRM OBA DR MUNIRUDEEN ADESOLA LAWAL, calling on the residents of Ede community to completely ignore the claim and continue to go about their normal life without fear.

 

“The attention of Timi in -Council has been drawn to a recent voice note by some faceless persons who claimed that the ancient town of Ede is unsafe due to the activities of ritualists.

 

“The purported voice note that has gone viral on social media is a complete fallacy, baseless and sheer hallucination of these deranged elements who are out to create palpable fear in the minds of the peaceful residents of Ede for selfish reasons.

 

“To this end, we therefore, used the medium to seriously warn the mischief makers to desist from this type of divisive tendencies and dangerous propaganda in the community”, the statement read.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has carried out a thorough mop-up operation to remove contaminated food and drugs from major markets in Maiduguri, Borno State.

 

This effort comes after the recent floods that compromised public health supplies.

 

The NAFDAC Resident Media Consultant, Olusayo Akintola disclosed this in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

 

Akintola said the operation aimed to prevent the re-introduction of contaminated items into the market and prevent potential disease outbreaks.

 

Kenneth Azikiwe, Director of NAFDAC North-East, emphasised that the recent floods posed a significant risk to public health by contaminating food and drug supplies.

The mop-up took place at several locations, including Gamboru Drug and Food Market, Monday Market, and Open Air-Theatre Drug Market.”

 

4Our swift action in these markets is crucial to ensure that only safe and uncontaminated products are available to the public.

 

“NAFDAC remains committed to safeguarding Nigerians’ health by ensuring all food and drug products meet the highest safety and quality standards,” he said

The Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan, on Tuesday, sentenced three persons to death by hanging for the murder of Col. Anthony Okeyin, the Commandant, Nigeria Army Secondary School, Apata, Ibadan.

 

The three convicts sentenced to death by hanging are Agada Solomon, Taiwo Adeniyi and Bibisoye Kehinde.

 

Justice Ezekiel Ajayi also sentenced the three to 14 years imprisonment each for the offences of conspiracy and armed robbery.

 

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that six defendants were arraigned in the case in 2016 on four counts bordering on conspiracy, murder and armed robbery.

The three other defendants: Ewere Andrew, Udobata Oruza – Uzie and Ephraim Obi were discharged and acquitted.

The judge found the convicts guilty on count one of conspiracy, count two of murder, count three of conspiracy and four of armed robbery.

 

The first, second and third defendants gave confessional statements while the phone of the deceased commandant was found with the first defendant and are therefore convicted accordingly.

 

“The only offence of the sixth defendant, Ephraim Obi, is that his Camry car was used to commit the crime.

 

“However, establishing by evidence, therefore, Ewere Andrew, Udobata Oruza-Uzie, and Ephraim Obi are not guilty of armed robbery and are thereby discharged and acquitted ” Ajayi said.

 

Earlier, the counsel to the convicts, F.O. Awonusi in his allocutus urged the court to temper justice with mercy.

 

At trial, the Prosecuting Counsel, K. K. Oloso, had alleged that the convicts committed the offences on December 12, 2016, at 6:15a.m.

 

The prosecutor had informed the court that the defendants conspired at the Commandant’s Quarters of Nigeria Army Secondary School, Apata, Ibadan, to murder Col. Anthony Okeyin.

 

” The defendants allegedly caused the death of Okeyin, aged 52, by breaking his skull while armed with offensive weapons and robbed him of his Samsung X4 phone and N45,000 cash,” Oloso said.

 

She said the offence was contrary to Section 316 and punishable under Section 319 and 324 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Oyo State, 2000.

 

Oloso said that the offence also contravened Section 1(2) (a) and (b) and Section 6 (b) of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

Osogbo

 

OSOGBO – In a bid to reduce the cost of transportation for civil servants in Osun State, Governor Ademola Adeleke has reduced the number of working days for civil servants in the state.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed on Tuesday, the Governor also extended payment of palliative to civil servants by two months pending the commencement of a new minimum wage in the state.

 

According to the statement, civil servants in grades level 01-10 will now be going to work for three days, while those in grade levels 12-17 will be working for four day.

 

It however excluded workers on essential duties, including medical personnel, security operatives, political office holders and Accounting Officers.

 

It reads, “In response to high transportation costs, Governor Ademola Adeleke has approved re-scheduled working days for various categories of civil servants and an extension of payment of palliatives for public servants for the next two months.

 

“The approval which was contained in a circular from the Office of the Head of Service, was in pursuance of Governor Adeleke’s commitment to the well-being of workers, and a response to the present economic situation in the Country.

 

“By this Circular, therefore, and until another directive is given, the working day schedules for Public Servants in the State have been approved as follows: Public Servants on GL.01 to GL.10 – Three days a week, Public Servants on GL12 to GL.17 – Four days a week

The Circular further noted that these arrangements exclude those on essential duties such as medical personnel, security officers, political office holders and Accounting Officers.

 

“It is also important to note that arrangement as to which days each public servant in the above categories will be at work shall be arranged by the Accounting Officers in Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government.

The Governor has also graciously approved the continuation of payment of the agreed palliatives to public servants in the state for the next two months pending the commencement of the new minimum wage.

 

All Accounting Officers of Ministries, Departments and Agencies of governments, including Local Governments, were further directed to comply”.

 

FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, revealed how the former military Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd), almost denied Nigeria a $280 million telecommunications deal.

 

 

Obasanjo said when Nigeria was about to transit from landline telephones to mobile phones, some major telecommunication companies approached the country seeking to provide mobile lines for the citizenry, but Abubakar wanted to award the deal to his friends for $3 million.

 

The former President, however, said he suggested that the contract be auctioned and the highest bidder awarded the contract, leading to the $280 million sale.

 

He spoke at the launch of a book titled ‘The Catalyst: Nigerian ICT Evolution through a Journalist’s lens,’ authored by an immediate past Editor of The PUNCH Newspapers, Mr Dayo Oketola, in Lagos.

 

Speaking at the event, Obasanjo said: “The story of telecommunications, particularly mobile telecommunication, is a very interesting one. Before mobile telecommunication, we had spent a lot of money, we had all sorts of companies invited from America, France and even from Britain, but we did not get more than 500,000 lines. People had to queue at the telephone kiosk to call their loved ones abroad. And then, of course, the mobile telephone age came in.

 

“When it came in, my predecessor in office was trying to give it away, I think, to their friend for $3 million. Then we said, what we would do was to auction it. The three that came in first, I think, paid $280 million for the line. $280 million for something about to be given away for $3 million. That was the first thing we did. Not only that, we achieved competition.

 

“The three of them were competing. And, of course, the one that had the upper hand in terms of spread, I think, was MTN, followed by Glo. And then, there was Econet. They are now Airtel. And then, of course, later on, we had the fourth one, Etisalat. When Etisalat came, I told them the last one we did was $280 million. We told Etisalat to pay $450 million. They did.

 

“When they paid $450 million, the ball went in the post and then we were playing. That was how we got money to do what we did at the time we did it. That opportunity can still be made available. The money to develop Nigeria is out there, but that money will not come in unless we create a conducive atmosphere for that money to come in.

What we did or what Nigeria has done in the good days when things were going well, are still there and can still be done today only if we put ourselves and we are honest to ourselves. We have to show character and attitude.

 

In his remarks, President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, Mr Eze Anaba, said: “It is great to see that an editor, despite the huge task of meeting deadlines, writing stories that would sell his paper, can sit down and write a book. I am here to say I appreciate Oketola’s effort and also honour him. It is an honour and privilege to be here for the launch of a book written by a respected and seasoned editor who has contributed hugely to shaping opinions through his paper. As an editor, he ensured that his readers were well-informed and educated. He has always been at the forefront of truth-telling, balancing the line between facts and analysis to ensure that readers are well-informed, engaged and sometimes even challenged.

 

“This book is a testimonial to his years of dedication to journalism. It captures insights, stories and perhaps some untold experiences that have shaped his career. It is an exploration of complexities through the lens of someone who has been on the frontline of news delivery. As we gather to celebrate this significant achievement, let us take a moment to acknowledge the efforts that went into writing this book. For an editor whose schedule is very tight and works round-the-clock, I think this book is very commendable.”

Notable dignitaries present at the launch included Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, represented by Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Lagos State, Mr Gbenga Omotoso; former Governor of Rivers State, Mr Rotimi Amaechi; Provost of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, NIJ, Mr Gbenga Adefaye; Chairperson of the Editorial Board of The Nation Newspapers, Mr Sam Omatseye.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Hon. Ojukaye Flag Amachree as the new Director of Energy Security in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

 

The appointment, according to a statement issued by Zakari Mijinyawa, Head of Strategic Communications at ONSA, is part of the government’s commitment to ensuring a stable, sustainable, and secure energy supply for all Nigerians.

Amachree, who boasts over 20 years of experience in business, politics, and energy sector engagement, is expected to bring his expertise to bear in addressing the country’s energy challenges.

He holds degrees in Management and is an alumnus of the Lagos Business School. His proven track record of leadership in both public and private sectors, particularly in the Niger Delta.

 

The Energy Security Directorate, a new unit in ONSA, will focus on policy coordination, infrastructure protection strategies, data management, security coordination, risk advisory, and strategic alliances in the energy sector.

As the new Director of Energy Security in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Amachree will work closely with various stakeholders, including government ministries, security agencies, regulators in the energy sector, international partners, and community leaders to implement innovative solutions to Nigeria’s current and future energy challenges,” the statement said.

 

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