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  • Rivers Govt. Didn’t Demolish Mosque — Gov. Wike

    (FLOWERBUDNEWS) Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers on Monday said that no Mosque was demolished on Biambo Street, off School Road by Mami Market Junction, near Rainbow Estate in Port Harcourt.

    Wike told newsmen at Biambo Street in Port Harcourt City Local Government Area of the state that there was no Mosque on ground, hence nothing was demolished.

    He described as unfortunate, the false information circulated that the state government demolished a Mosque in Port Harcourt.

    “I received calls from several prominent Nigerians on the fake news being circulated online, and I have come here with reporters and you can see there was no Mosque here.

    “It’s most unfortunate that fickle minded persons will claim that a Mosque was demolished at this place, when no Mosque existed here; the story was concocted by mischief makers to score cheap points,” he said.

    According to Wike, some persons are erecting illegal foundation at the disputed land without approval to embark on any construction work.

    “They came here to erect illegal structure, there was no approval from the state government for any structure to be erected here.

    “The persons who started the foundation had already dragged the state government to court on the disputed land, and the Rivers government won the case.

    “What they attempted to do was to start the illegal construction to tie the hands of the gtate government,” he added.

    Wike urged the Muslim Community in Rivers to show him where a Mosque was demolished in the state, and advised them not to allow themselves to be used by politicians to peddle false stories against the state government.

    He said the government operated within the rule of law, adding that  he would not be distracted by the circulation of fake reports.

    The governor said that several Mosques constructed on the approval of the government existed across Port Harcourt and other major towns of Rivers without the government demolishing them.

    “The government gave them notice not to do anything on the land, but they went ahead with the illegal foundation and the relevant agency stopped them.

    “Why would we want to bring down any Mosque , when there are other Mosques across the state? What is the special interest on this one?” ( NAN)

  • Why Men Of Integrity Must Join Politics—Gov Makinde

    (flowerbudnews)  Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has called on men and women of integrity not to shy away from participating in politics, saying that is the only way to sanitize the system.

    The Governor stated that the involvement of persons of integrity in politics would enhance good governance and promote sanity in the political environment, adding that participating in politics would not take heaven from men and women with integrity and honesty, but would help to clean up the polity.

    A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the Governor gave the charge at The Cathedral Church of St David, Ijomu Street, Akure, during a thanksgiving service with members of the Omorege dynasty, the Governor’s maternal family, over his electoral victory.

    According to the statement, Governor Makinde admonished Christians and people with honesty and integrity, to get involved in politics, noting that the journey would not be easy, but God would take them to where He intended.

    “When I started the journey into politics, the two mother’s close to me [referring to his mum and his aunt] woke me up at 12 a.m., one spoke in Ibadan dialect while the other spoke in Akure dialect and all they said was that I should be wary of what I collect from politicians.

    Ordinarily, they knew the son they had but at that point, they doubted me, because the general perception was that politics is dirty.

    “The general perception is that a child of God cannot be in politics. My mothers doubted me, and so if people who are not close to me doubt me, I will understand. What matters is to serve the people honestly and serve God through service to humanity,” the Governor said.

    The Governor added: “Today, I have the testimony of being a politician that attained the governorship without a godfather apart from God the Father. I am telling you that participating in politics cannot stop our going to heaven. We need to participate. Things may not be easy, but God will take you to the top.

    It was not easy for Joseph but God made him prime minister in Egypt, the most powerful country on earth at that time. Even David that was anointed, it was not easy for him.

    “I have come to thank God, because I came to this church and I said that if God does what I want, I would come to give thanks. I thank the church and the people for your help. I thank the clergy for their prayers. Continue to pray for us, because what is ahead is more than where we are coming from.

    Earlier, Venerable C.O. Osinyemi, who spoke on the topic: “Indices of acceptable service,” charged Governor Makinde to serve with honesty and integrity and ensure that his service adds value to the lives of the people.
    The clergyman admonished the Governor to focus his service on developing the nooks and cranny of the state, empowering the youth and women, defending the rights of those who are weak, urging him to revive the farm settlements built by Pa Obafemi Awolowo, because according to him, there is no way government can employ everyone but that a lot of people could be reached through agriculture.

    Osinyemi further charged the Governor to pay attention to payment of salaries and pensions, among others.

    Personalities on the entourage of the Governor included his wife, Mrs. Tamunominini Makinde, Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Honourable Adebo Ogundoyin and some members of the House of Assembly; chairman of the State Advisory Council, Senator Hosea Agboola; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Hon. Funmi Orisadeyi; Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Kehinde Ayoola; executive chairman of SUBEB, Dr Nureni Adeniran; executive chairman of BCOS, Prince Dotun Oyelade and other party chieftains.

  • Nigerian Wins 2019 Koffi Addo Prize For Creative Nonfiction Awards

    (FLOWERBUDNEWS)  Manenzhe was recognised for her short story Maserumo and Ogamba was rewarded for The Valley of Memories, at the awards ceremony held on August 18 in Kampala.Both stories capture the power of African spiritualism, beliefs and reincarnation.

    Frances Ogamba’s Valley of Memories begins with a very well crated line, “To live with another man’s wounds is to wake at midnights with a searing pain and listen to the man breathe and exist.

    ”I am going to my uncle (Okwueke), the man who has been dead for seventy years and has inhabited my body for twenty-three odd years. I am visiting his one-time home through the Milken hill road that sits firmly on a ledge. The road is a coiled wire uncurling on discovery. The tars on it have cracked in some parts and lay bare a dusty terrain.

    A slope and a cliff flank the track on both sides, and tall slender trees of a certain breed stick out from the slope like praying hands. The verdure of the lush and virgin forest meld with the skies. The brae of the cliff is patterned in horizontal lines, like cornrows on a child’s hair. Bold writing done with the white chalk is waning from weather effects: Vote for Ugwuanyi. Man of the people. The forest injects a coolness that wiggles along the route, the calm as rich as I’d imagined it’d be.

    Frances however, does a lot more than tell a story of her connection with a late uncle, Okwueke, she does the greater work of centering an African understanding of what happens before human life and after death.

    Manenzhe and Frances Ogamba received a plaque and cash award of $500 each, as well as a chance to work on their manuscript in a one month residency at Stellenbosch University in South Africa.

    “Winning this award means a lot to me. I have never won a prize. And this one is quite a big one, and amazing,” Manenzhe said.“

    This award means a whole lot. It opens my story to a wide audience,” Ogamba said.

    The 2019 Writivism Festival was held at the National Theatre in Kampala from August 15 to 18.

    There were conversations, poetry recitals, stage plays, book readings and launches, and writing and photography masterclasses.

    There was screening of short films and a photo exhibition by Marie Ainomugisha, Daniel Msrikale, Nebila Abdulmelik and Wasi Daniju.
    The festival also paid tribute to the late Kenyan author Binyavanga Wainaina. CULLED LISTWAND

  • 19m children not registered in Nigeria

    By Abbas Bamalli
    Kano, Aug. 26, 2019 (NAN) The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on Monday said no fewer than 19 million children are unregistered during and after birth in Nigeria.

    The Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF, Sharon Oladiji, said this in Kano at a 2-day media dialogue organised by UNICEF for stakeholders, media and health personals across the 19 Northern states.

    According to her, among the 10 countries, with the largest number of unregistered children, India has the most by a wide margin of 71 million while Nigeria follow with 17 million.

    “10 countries will also contribute massively to the region’s immense population increase in absolute terms between 2015 and 2050. Nigeria is expected to contribute at least 257 million additional inhabitants.

    “Kenya and Niger will contribute plus 50 million and Sudan with plus 38 million.

    “The possible consequence of a weak birth registration system is planning blindly, incapacity to generate relevant public health data and national estimate and population planning,’’ she said.

    Oladiji described poor demand factors as a primary cause for non-registration and low level of public awareness on the importance of birth registration.

    The UNICEF specialist explained that the issue of unregistered children during birth in Nigeria was worrisome as it has a lot of implications in the country.

    Oladiji said that in all Local Government Areas across the country, there should be an officer responsible for the registration of children immediately after birth.

    She called on the participants to start the campaign by ensuring the registration of at least 10 to 20 children daily in their communities.

    Oladiji advised media personnel to introduce special programmes, jingles and news sections aimed at educating, enlightening and informing the public, especially at the rural areas on the importance of birth registration.

    “The waiver of fees was made in Nigeria as a result of low birth registration. Introducing fees will further limit the already low level of birth registration coverage,’’ she said.

    Oladiji said that most children affected by low registration are mostly those of the poor parents, uneducated and leaving in slums, very rural and hard to reach communities.

    According to her, these children will never be registered, counted or accounted for to access social services.

    She added that children of single mothers, teenage mothers and out of school and uneducated girls have such challenges.

  • ITF trains 180 staff on digital technology

    The Industrial Training Fund (ITF) is training 180 of its staff on digital technology.

    Mr Joseph Ari, its Director General, said this at its 51st Human Resources Development (HRD) seminar on Monday in Jos.

    He also said that the organisation was working to automate the processes of its Students’ Work Experience Scheme (SIWES).

    He said the automation was in line with the Fund’s efforts to be in tune with current technological advancement and improve the performance of its staff in line with global best practices.

    “We are in an era of innovation and transformation which is powered by information technology.

    “The seminar will enable us remain competitive and at the fore front of the HRD sector in Nigeria.

    “We have recorded tremendous achievements in automation and digitisation of some of our activities. Our management meetings are paperless, remittance of training contribution and financial transactions now are fully automated, ” he said.

    The ITF boss said that the seminar would help in charting a road map that would entrench holistic development of digital human resource in ITF with a view to enhancing organisational excellence.

    Earlier in his remarks, Mr Zachariah Piwuna, the Director, Research and Curriculum Development in ITF, said that the theme of the seminar was apt and inline with the global changes in technology.

    He urged the participants to ensure that the knowledge and skills gained were properly used in the discharge of their duties.

    In his paper presentation, Mr Dele Aloko, the General Manager, South Atlantic Petroleum, Lagos, said that human resource helped workers to understand, control and set realistic and achievable targets.

    He said ITF was responsible for creating an enabling environment for the future of technology to strive through its policies and human resources development.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event, tagged “Digital Technologies and Human Resource Analytics: Tools for Organisational Excellence”, had participants from the Jos Area office and the headquarters of the Fund.

    NAN

  • Kano Hisbah arrests 146 beggars

    The Kano State Hisbah Board on Monday said 146 beggars had been arrested in Kano metropolis for allegedly contravening the state’s law on street begging and roaming about at odd hours.

    The Acting Director-General of the board, Dr Aliyu Musa, disclosed this to journalists during a press briefing in Kano.

    Musa announced that the number arrested comprised of 114 adults and 52 children, adding that they were arrested during different raids across the city.

    He said that the arrests were carried out between 12.00 am and 4.00 am at various locations including Bata Bridge, Kanti Kwari market, Railway station, Wambai Market among others.

    “Out of the 146 beggars, 77 are from Kano while 69 are from Abia, Adamawa, Borno, Ekiti, Jigawa, Gombe, Zamfara, Niger Republic, among others.

    “Among those arrested, some are street urchins, street beggars and three women are mentally challenged.

    “The board will properly screen them, counsel and thereafter release those who are first-time offenders while those who have been caught more than two times will be charged to court,” Musa said.

    He pleaded with the beggars to use their hands for productive ventures in order to make their lives better.

    The Director-General also advised parents to watch over their wards, take good care of them and desist from street begging noting that the practise could endanger their lives.

    NAN

  • Court summons AGF, EFCC over ex-Gov Yari’s property Summon

    By Taiye Agbaje

    The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, summoned the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to appear before it over plans to seize the property of the immediate-past Gov. Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara.

    Justice Nkeonye Maha, who gave the order after listening to the arguments canvassed in a motion exparte by counsel to Yari, Mahmud Magaji, SAN, adjourned the matter until Aug. 30.

    Yari, in the motion ex parte marked FHC/ABJ/CS/948/2019, was brought pursuant to Section 46(1) and (3) of the 1999 Constitution and Order 4 Rule 3 and 4, of the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules 2009.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the AGF, who is also the Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, is the 1st respondent while the EFCC is the 2nd respondent in the suit.

    The former governor had attributed his travails in the hands of the respondents to the fallout of the 2019 elections in the state.

    He described the actions of the respondents against him as politically motivated to witch-hunt him.

    Yari in a 17-paragraph affidavit in support of his motion, further stated that “the 1st and 2nd respondents are determined on a follow up attack upon him and his family by the use of allegations of wrongdoing which had been concocted against him in 2019 as an excuse to arrest him and his wife and to arraign them on trumped up charges.”

    The affidavit, deposed to by Malam Affis Matanmi, traced the genesis of the case against Yari to the political events within the Zamfara chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that eventually led to the party losing out the leadership of the state to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the judgment of the Supreme Court.

    It read: “that after the decision of the Supreme Court, some aggrieved individuals who are very powerful decided to use agents of the 1st and 2nd respondents against the applicant.

    “These individuals thus decided to carry out a vendetta and revenge against the applicant including instigating the respondents against the applicant upon their spurious conclusion without evidence that he was guilty of corrupt practices as former governor of Zamfara and was in breach of the Code of Conduct Act.

    “This witch-hunt, is clearly politically motivated, baseless, and has been designed only to discredit and humiliate the applicant in a bid to decimate him politically.

    “That the agents of the 2nd respondents invaded the applicant private residence without court order in Talata Marafa, off Sokoto road, Zamfara and nothing incriminating was ever found against the applicant despite the several investigations carried out by the respondents.”

    Magaji further informed the court that his client’s residence in Talafa Marafa, off Sokoto road, Zamfara, was on Aug. 5 invaded by the EFCC for five hours without any court order, in its bid to effect his arrest.

    He said that during the said invasion, the “agents forcefully did not allow the family members of the applicant who was away in Saudi Arabia for Haji, to go out and come in from the residence.

    “The action of the EFCC has made it impossible for applicant to exercise his right or his freedom of movement without fear of being arrested and intimidated by commission,” he said.

    The lawyer further stated that Yari had dully declared all his assets in accordance with the Code of Conduct for public officers prior to assuming office as a governor and that he had not committed any offence to warrant the threats of seizure of his assets and property most of which were acquired even before he became governor of the state.

    According to him, in the motion exparte dated and filed Aug. 20, the former governor sought, among others: “an order of interim injunction restraining the respondents from seizing, impounding, taking over, confiscating or otherwise forfeiting his assets and property wherever they may be located within Nigeria or anywhere in the world pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

    “An order of interim injunction restraining the respondents from unlawfully interfering with his rights to sections 34, 35, 41 and 43 of the 1999 constitution until the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

    “An order of interim injunction restraining the agents of the respondents from freezing his bank accounts in Nigeria and or confiscating his immovable property anywhere in Nigeria pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”

    Justice Maha, therefore, gave the order that the respondents should come and show cause why they would not be restrained from, among other actions, freezing the bank accounts and or confiscating Yari’s immovable property anywhere in Nigeria pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

    She equally ordered that the respondents be served with the court processes within 48 hours before she adjourned further proceedings till Aug. 30. (NAN)

  • Saudi-backed Yemeni gov’t declares cease-fire with separatist southern forces

    The Saudi-backed Yemeni government on Monday declared a cease-fire with the separatist forces of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in the country’s southern regions.

    The Yemeni Defense Ministry ordered all the government’s military units positioned in the South-Eastern province of Shabwa and in the southern provinces of Abyan and Aden to immediately stop fighting.

    A statement from the Ministry said the declaration of the cease-fire came in response to a call of the Joint Forces Command of the Saudi Arabia-led coalition.

    According to the statement, Saudi-led coalition involved in a war in Yemen announced the formation of a Saudi Arabia-UAE joint committee.

    The coalition said the joint committee would commence work from Monday to stabilise the cease-fire in Shabwa and Abyan.

    Spokesman for the coalition, Turki Al Maliki, highlighted the necessity for a commitment by all parties in Shabwa to upholding the cease-fire and maintaining calm.

    Meanwhile, the foreign ministries of Saudi Arabia and the UAE issued a joint statement calling for engagement in the dialogue that Saudi Arabia called to address the problems in some southern Yemeni provinces.

    On Aug. 26, the STC forces announced the launch of a large-scale military operation to seize the strategic province of Shabwa after four days of sporadic battles with the Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces.

    This was over the control of a number of key military bases in the province.

    The STC is a part of the Saudi-led Arab coalition to fight Iran-backed Houthi militias in northern Yemen in a war that has rekindled old strains between the north and south of Yemen.

    The impoverished Arab country had been locked in a civil war since late 2014, when the Houthis overran much of the country and seized all northern provinces including the capital Sanaa.

  • Buhari restates commitment to rule of law, declares open NBA conference

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday reiterated his administration’s commitment to the ‘Rule of Law and Justice.’

    The President said this while declaring open the 59th edition of the Nigerian Bar Association Annual General Conference (NBA-AGC) in Lagos.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the opening of the 2019 NBA-AGC was held at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos with the theme: “Facing the Future”.

    The President, who was represented by the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), reiterated his administration’s commitment to the ‘Rule of Law and Justice’.

    While noting that the conference represents the largest gathering of lawyers, he expressed the desire that it would assist in nation building.

    “The theme of the conference, is a reflection of the NBA as a critical stakeholder in the affairs of the nation,” he said.

    Buhari urged delegates to take advantage of the conference to harness legal practice.

    On behalf of the President, Malami consequently, declared the 2019 Conference open.

    In his Goodwill message to delegates, Gov. Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, said that the State remains committed to the maintenance of law and order.

    Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by his Deputy, Dr Femi Hamzat, welcomed all delegates to the Centre of Excellence, adding that the NBA is properly placed to direct the affairs of legal practitioners.

    “It is my privilege to welcome you all to the 2019 Annual General conference of the NBA, which is held in the most preferred location of Lagos State.

    “We have full assurance that this year’s conference will record unprecedented success.

    “Giving its status in Africa, the Nigerian Bar Association is looked upon to lead the rest of the country to face the future.

    “This administration has restated its commitment to social development, Justice dispensation and the maintenance of law and order,” he said

    He said that the state would continue to collaborate with major stakeholders to ensure a realisation of its goals.

    Earlier in his opening remark, NBA President, Mr Paul Usoro, welcomed all delegates and said that the purpose of such annual conferences is to afford lawyers the opportunity to place contemporary issues on national agenda.

    He said that the Conference also affords legal practitioners an opportunity to review the framework within which they operate.

    According to him, apart from renewing friendships during such annual conferences, lawyers are also properly disposed in ensuring a protection, promotion, and preservation of the rule of law.

    “The essence of being lawyers is to ensure that the rule of law is preserved as lawyers represent the voice of the oppressed,” he said.

    Usoro said that the rule of law ensures access to justice, protection of the weak and strong, and independence of the judiciary, adding that it has no preference for tribe or political groups.

    He urged delegates to make good use of the conference, which he described as, “Agenda setting”.

    In his key note address, President of the International Bar Association , Mr Horatio Neto, emphasised on the need for legal practice to be based on Information Communication Technology (ICT).

    According to him, as part of efforts in realising the theme for the 2019 conference, “facing the future” the Bar must now look forward to adapting itself to the reality of new technology.

    “There is the need for technology to infiltrate every aspect of legal practice including filing of processes as well as assignment of these processes,” he said.

    Neto said that young lawyers are more eager to work in a technology environment, adding that he is optimistic that the legal profession will attain the technological height of creating robots to execute legal works.

    NAN reports that the ceremony had in attendance, members of the Senate and House of Representatives, Chief Judges, Judges of the Appeal and Supreme Courts, High Court Judges, Magistrates as well as Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN).

    NAN