Flowerbud News

Author: Ibrahim Abusadiq

  • Gov Umahi petitions South African govt over slain Nigerian

    ov Dave Umahi of Ebonyi has petitioned the South African government over the alleged murder of a Nigerian, Mr Benjamin Simeon in South Africa.

    Simeon, 43, a native of Okposi, Ohaozara local government area of Ebonyi and resident in South Africa was allegedly shot dead by gunmen in Johannesburg.

    Umahi, in a statement signed by Mr Emmanuel Uzor, Chief Press Secretary and made available to newsmen in Abakaliki on Sunday requested for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the gruesome murder of Simeon.

    Simeon was allegedly shot by yet to be identified gunmen on Aug 3, 2019 at Verona Street in Johannesburg, South Africa.

    Umahi, in the petition written to the South African High Commission in Nigeria, called for a full investigation into the killing of the Nigerian citizen with a view to unmasking the killers and bringing them to justice.

    The deceased, was until his death, a taxi driver in Johannesburg.

    He had dropped his passengers shortly before he was allegedly shot dead by his assailants.

    “The deceased, was until his death a law abiding Nigerian citizen resident in South Africa where he was going about his normal business as a taxi driver,” he said.

    Umahi called on the Federal Government to intervene in the matter to ensure that perpetrators were brought to book.

    “We call on South African government to ensure that justice is not only served to Simeon but also served to the Nigerian government, Ebonyi and the family of the deceased.

    “The loss of a highly talented and law abiding citizen of Nigeria who was going about his legitimate business in South Africa aptly challenges us all to call on the reserves of our cherished African brotherhood. (NAN)

  • Gov. El-Rufa’i swears-in 13 new Permanent Secretaries

    Gov. Nasir El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State, on Monday, directed the 13 new Permanent Secretaries for the state civil service to deliver on their mandates in line with the vision of his administration.

    The governor said after the swearing-in of the permanent secretaries that as technocrats, they must guide commissioners of their respective ministries to function efficiently and effectively.

    He also called on them to bring their professionalism to bear in delivering quality services to the people of Kaduna state.

    The 13 permanent secretaries include Adamu Mansur, Human Services and Social Development; Nuhu Buzun, Public Service; Abdullahi Sani, SUBEB; Stephen Joseph, Environment; Ibrahim Jere, Establishment and Training, and Mahmoud Yamusa, Planning and Budget.

    Others are Chris Umar, Justice; Habiba Shekarau, Civil Service Commission; Musa Adamu, Ministry of Local Government,; Murtala Dabo, Finance; Mahmoud Shuaibu, Health; Umar Ibrahim, Political Matters, and Umma Ahmed, Quality Assurance.(NAN)

  • Absentees from Ebonyi workers’ verification to lose jobs, says Governor’s aide

    The Ebonyi Government has warned that any civil servant in the state that fails to undergo the August 6 verification faces possible sack from the civil service.

    The warning was contained in a statement issued on Monday in Abakaliki by Mrs Jennifer Adibe-Nwafor, the Special Assistant to Gov. Dave Umahi on Labour and Inter-Party Matters.

    Adibe-Nwafor said the exercise would commence in all the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government at 8 am on Tuesday.

    She said the exercise was in compliance with the governor’s directive for a comprehensive staff audit and verification for all categories of workers in the state.
    “These include teachers, staff of all MDA as well as those in the Local Government System.

    “All employees of the Ebonyi government are consequently directed to appear at their respective ministries, while workers at the various councils and Development Centres are to appear at their various council headquarters,” she said.

    Adibe-Nwafor said they should attend the verification with their letters of appointment, first school leaving certificates, birth certificates and two passport photographs. (NAN)

  • Cleric appeals for patience as FG reconstitutes fresh cabinet

    A Cleric, Apostle Eugene Ogu, General Overseer, Abundant Life Evangel Mission, has appealed for patience from Nigerians concerning evident infrastructure deficit and insecurity in the country.

    Ogu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Port Harcourt that the new administration needed time to form its team so as to achieve expected success.

    He said that it was necessary to allow the new administration an ample time for proper formation and policy takeoff, adding that any attempt by groups or individuals to trade blames or label the government as incompetent was very unnecessary.

    “At this moment, I think every one should wait and be patient, let’s see the new team that President Muhammadu Buhari is constituting, let’s observe their new direction.

    “Let’s see what action they will be taking, if they are going to declare a state of emergency on security, education, roads and airports.

    “Let’s give the administration some time to form its executives and implement new polices so that we can ascertain if those policies could actually address our concerns.

    “For now, I don’t think casting aspersions on the Federal Government and trading blames is the right thing to do,” Ogu said.

    Reacting to arrests of some participants in the Aug. 4 #RevelationNow Protest, Ogu said that such arrests would not erase the cause of action which invariably was poverty, insecurity and infrastructure decay across the country .

    “Let us believe that the government knows the pains and challenges of the people, whoever is being arrested as a result of that protest does not stop the fact for which the protest was intended.

    “I advise that whenever they carry out these arrests, wisdom is required, such that once what they strove to stop has been stopped, the arrested persons should be released because if such arrests are not checked, it may get to a point where the greater population of Nigerians will stand up to say arrest all of us.

    “There is actual poverty in the land, Nigerians are finding it difficult to survive in their own country because basic infrastructure are lacking.

    “The roads are bad, our education system is nothing to write home about, health care amenities and electricity are inadequate, if democracy dividend could translate to poverty reduction in the country, I believe this administration would enjoy the accolade it wishes to get.

    “Our country is right now in a very challenging situation that requires immediate action.

    “And so Mr President should do everything within his powers to understand the urgency of meeting the expectations of Nigerians,” the cleric said.

    But however, the president should be given sometime to enable him implement the right policies that could address these urgent needs, he advised.

    Ogu also asked the government to totally overhaul the country’s security operating system to effectively tackle insurgency. (NAN)

  • Cambodia to cut public holidays from 28 to 22 — Report

    Cambodia’s nearly full month of public holidays will be cut to 22 days next year, with International Human Rights Day, a Buddhist festival and four others set to be axed, local media reported on Wednesday.

    The South-East Asian nation, however, will remain near the top of the list of countries with the most government-granted time off.

    Sri Lanka has 25 public holidays, while India and Kazakhstan have 21, according to World Atlas’s website.

    Cambodia will reduce its holidays following complaints from international investors that it had more vacation time than other nations, government spokesman Ek Tha told the Phnom Penh Post.

    The newspaper cited a sub-decree on public holidays for workers and civil servants signed by Prime Minister Hun Sen and seen by the Post on Tuesday.

    Hun Sen said in March that the number of holidays would be reduced to encourage investment and drive continued growth.

    Cambodia has sustained about 7 per cent annual growth since 2011, but business leaders have called for fewer holidays to better compete and improve efficiency.

    The holidays to be axed include Human Rights Day (December 10), Children’s Day (June 1) and Paris Peace Agreements Day (October 23), which marks the signing of the 1991 peace accords that ended the conflict between Cambodia and Vietnam following the overthrow of the Khmer Rouge.

    Other holidays to be cut, according to the Khmer Times, are the Meak Bochea Buddhist festival, King Norodom Sihamoni’s birthday and the National Day of Remembrance, which is one of multiple days commemorating Khmer Rouge victims. (dpa/NAN)

  • Edo crisis: Court orders parties to maintain status quo

    The Federal High Court Abuja, on Tuesday, ordered parties in a suit regarding the crisis rocking the Edo State House of Assembly to stay all actions pending the conclusion of the case.

    Justice Taiwo Taiwo, who gave the order, held that the parties should maintain status quo ante bellum ( “the state existing before the war”), however adjourned the hearing of the substantive suit until Aug. 22.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Edo State House of Assembly and its Speaker, Mr Francis Okiye, had instituted a suit stopping the National Assembly from taking over the state assembly’s functions.

    In an originating summon and a motion on notice for interlocutory injunction with suit number: FHC/ABJ/CS/815/2019, the plaintiffs, on July 23, asked the court to restrain the National Assembly from going ahead with its plans pending the hearing on the matter.

    The matter, which was brought before Justice Nkeonye Maha, was adjourned to July 31 for hearing since the parties were yet to be served.

    However, Counsel to the plaintiffs, Barrister Ola Olanipekun, SAN, told the court that after the defendants had been properly served as ordered by the court, the Senate on July 30, still went ahead to pass a resolution for the takeover of the assembly if the governor fails to comply with its resolution.

    The respondents in the case are the Clerk of the National Assembly and the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    The matter was, however, adjourned until Aug. 7 for hearing.

    Justice Taiwo, on Tuesday, said the order was intended to prevent parties, particularly the respondents from foisting on the court a fait accompli.

    ”The order was informed by the apprehension expressed by lawyer to the plaintiffs, Ola Olanipekun, SAN, who said there were threats by the respondents to tamper with the subject of the dispute,” he said.

    Taiwo, who refused to hear the plaintiff’s motion for interlocutory injunctions, chose to hear the substantive suit and granted accelerated hearing.

    He ordered the respondents to file their responses to the main suit within seven days and for the plaintiffs to file their reply within five days.

    NAN reports that the state’s 7th assembly was inaugurated in a controversial circumstances on June 17 when nine out of 24 members-elect during inauguration elected Mr Okiye as the speaker at past 9p.m.

    However, besides the House of Representatives that threatened to take over the assembly should Governor Godwin Obaseki fail to issue a fresh proclamation for the assembly’s inauguration recently, the Senate also passed a resolution giving the governor a week to issue the proclamation letter or risk the takeover of the state’s legislature.

    The one-week ultimatum had since elapsed. (NAN)

  • Gov. Sule directs LGs June, July salaries payment before Friday

    By Mouhammed Baba Busu

    Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa state has directed local government chairmen in the state to pay June and July salaries owed their workers before Aug. 9.

    Sule gave the directive on Wednesday during a meeting with the 13 local governments’ chairmen at the Government House in Lafia.

    According to him, the measure will enable staff of the councils to celebrate the forthcoming Eid-el-Kabir with ease and comfort.

    The governor, who decried the hardship being experienced by the local government workers, said the issue was of great concern to his administration.

    He said the delay in the payment of salaries and pension to local government workers was counter-productive and debased the morale of the workers.

    Sule warned that his administration would not fold its arms and watch men and women, who are sacrificing their time and energy to sustain the existence of the state, to suffer.

    The governor added that salaries and pensions should be paid to the deserving workers and retirees, urging the councils to ensure that salaries and pensions were paid regularly.

    The governor decried inability of nine out of the 13 local government councils in the state to pay workers’ salaries in spite of the implementation of Local Governments autonomy in the state.

    He said he was one of the first governors to implement the directive by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) on direct allocation to the local government areas.

    “I deliberately refused to be part of the allocation but after the sharing formula was done, nine local government chairmen ran to me, seeking permission to use funds meant for capital projects to be able to pay salaries.

    Sule, who apologised to the staff of the nine councils for none payment of their salaries, called on the electorate to elect educated and competent people who could effectively handle the finances of their councils.

    Earlier, the Chairman of Lafia Local Government, Aminu Maifata commended the governor for the encouragement given to local governments through his people-oriented policy, prudent management of resources and accountability.

    Maifata, also the state ALGON Chairman, said local councils in the state were currently verifying the authenticity of workers.

    “Ghost workers were discovered in the payroll of the 13 local government areas in the state during a recent verification.

    “The verification was necessitated by the inability of nine local governments of Akwanga, Nassarawa-Eggon, Kokona, Karu, Doma, Obi, Toto, Nasarawa and Lafia, to pay June salaries in spite of receiving allocation directly from the Federal Government.

    “It was also discovered that some unpatriotic staff connived and slotted into the payroll, unapproved promotion lists, thereby increasing the wage bills of the affected local governments.

    “Through the verification, it was discovered that N60 million was being diverted by the syndicates responsible for the abnormalities monthly,’’ he said.

    He attributed the menace of ghost workers and other illegal activities by some unpatriotic staff to the recent delay in the payment of June salaries of local government staff.

    Maifata gave the assurance that measures were being put in place to fish out the perpetrators in order to clean up the system for better service to the people. (NAN)

  • Charlyboy returns to music, collaborates with Falz

    Foremost Nigerian showbiz maestro and activist, Charles Oputa, a.k.a Charlyboy, is set to release a hit single featuring ace singer and rapper Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz.

    The 68-year-old grand-father, who released his debut high-life album over three decades ago, hinted on the ‘collabo’ in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

    The “Nwata Miss” crooner said he has decided to work with Falz because of his philosophical style of music that addresses leadership issues and societal ills.

    He added that the project was an advocacy song targeted at driving positive narratives in the society.

    “Falz is a young man that I so much believe in his music and passion towards positive change in all aspects of our society, and we share similar thoughts.

    “We are working on something together and it will sure stir positive change in our lives as Nigerians.”

    The former president of Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) said   that he decided to use music as a tool to inspire ordinary Nigerians, especially youths, towards holding leaders accountable.

    He explained that he was leading   an advocacy and enlightenment campaign ‘Na we be Government” and decided to go back to music, his age-long passion, to call citizens to participate in nation building.

    “All over the word, the Arts, especially music, have been used to inspire people and change narratives towards a better society.

    “I did not go into music for money, but for the passion for it, and this time I am using it to awake the consciousness of all Nigerians towards building the country they desire.

    “A lot of Nigerians have given up on their country because of bad leadership over the years, and do not believe they have a say in the affairs of their country

    “It is time they are reminded that power truly belongs to them and there is a social contract between them and elected political leaders.

    “Citizens will do their part and political leaders should also fulfill their obligations as promised in their manifesto, and as required by the constitution,” he said.

    The ‘Areafada’ however urged Nigerian singers to look beyond money-making and come up with projects that would propel value reorientation(NAN)

  • Kaduna Disco opens online registration for prepaid meters customers

    Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO) says it has commenced online registration of customers to be provided with prepaid meters.

    The company’s Head of Corporate Communication, Mr Abdulazeez Abdullahi, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna on Tuesday.

    According to him, the website was opened to customers on Monday, saying, “customers can now apply for meters under the Meter Asset Provider (MAP) scheme of the company.”

    He said that the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) had approved four meter providers under the scheme for KEDCO.

    Abdullahi noted that the meter providers are, Integrated Power Limited, Holley Engineering Limited, Mojec International Limited and Cresthill Limited.

    According to an earlier information by the company, Holley Engineering Limited, Cresthill and Mojec shall provide meters for customers in Kaduna, while Integrated Power shall service customers in Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.

    Abdullahi said the efforts would enhance efficient power supply to customers by reducing electricity theft, and gradually end the estimated billing system.

    NAN recalls that KEDCO, on Thursday, announced that customers wishing to be metered could kickstart the installation process by visiting the company’s website, www.kadunaelectric.com and fill the MAP meter request form.

    The company noted that upon filling the form, an assessment of the customer’s  property would be conducted to determine the suitable meter to be installed.

    Abdullahi, while referring to the earlier information provided by the outfit, said that customers would  pay for the meter, saying that installation’s would be done within 10 days.

    He said the company had earlier sensitised customers on the MAP scheme through series of enlightenment sessions on how to access the scheme.

    The official, however, warned customers against fraudulent acts, such as meter bypass and tampering, to ensure the success of the scheme. (NAN)