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  • Buhari to Military: Be ruthless in fighting bandits, Nigerians deserve peace

    President Muhammadu Buhari has challenged military personnel deployed to Katsina State, saddled with the task of fighting bandits in Zamfara, to be `as ruthless as humanly possible’ in carrying out their assignment.

    The president gave the challenge when he addressed the 1000-strong military force assembled to check the menace of the bandits and other criminal elements at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport Katsina, on Saturday.

    The Federal Government had, on July 29, assembled military personnel, comprising the army, air force, police and the civil defence to help in tackling the activities of the bandits.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has deployed fighter aircraft to Katsina, the airport with the closest proximity to Zamfara, to allow for immediate and effective response to the menace of the bandits.

    The president had also authorised the engagement by NAF, of advanced satellite surveillance technology to help in accurate detection of movement and locations of the bandits.

    The bandits had been terrorising innocent rural dwellers, razing down several villages and towns across the local government areas of Zamfara, and also kidnapping for ransom.

    President Buhari, who expressed satisfaction with the way and manner the soldiers were carrying out their assignment, said that Nigerians deserved some peace.

    ‘‘Nigerians are looking up to you and us to secure the country. What is happening in the areas of operations is disgraceful.

    “I’m very pleased with the way officers and men are firmly putting it down and I want you to be as ruthless as humanly possible. Nigerians deserve some peace.

    “When we came into government, what we promised was security.The country has to be secured to be managed.

    “Secondly, on economy, more than 60 per cent of the population of Nigeria is under 30 years.

    ‘‘A lot of them did not have the opportunity to be educated to secure respective jobs; their expectations are very high.

    “The second undertaken we made is to improve the economy and the third is to fight corruption.

    ‘‘We have been doing our best and we depend a lot on you to do what is needed in the field.

    “I do not want you to spare any cattle rustler, armed robber or any bad element who thinks he is above the law.

    ‘‘I commend you for the job you have been doing so far and I assure you that I will continue to be a worthy Commander-in-Chief,’’ he said.

    The president, who donated five bulls to the military personnel, departed for Abuja after the Sallah break in his country home, Daura.

    Gov. Aminu Masari of Katsina State and other government dignitaries were at the airport to wish the president safe trip back to Abuja.

    While in Daura, the president had received seven APC governors, many members of the National Assembly including Sen. Shehu Sani as well as cabinet ministers, who paid him Sallah homage.

    President Buhari also used the opportunity to hold various family meetings with relatives.(NAN)

  • Girls are not sex objects, says ex beauty queen, Chioma Obiadi s

    Girls are not sex objects, says ex beauty queen, Chioma Obiadi s

    Immediate past Miss Nigeria, Chioma Obiadi, has advised young girls and women to flaunt their gender with dignity to protectprotect them against being used as sex objects.

    Obiadi spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos on her pet project,  “Green Girl”, which projected decency and dignity of the female gender.

    She said that it was wrong for young girls and women to be seen as sex objects by the men folks in the society.
    “I think it is completely wrong for women to be seen as sexual objects by the men folk in the society, it is totally degrading and terrible.

    “Those men who see girls as sex objects are opportunists who capitalise on the weakness of female gender and use it for their selfish interests,” she said.

    According to her, many girls fall victims out of desperation for wealth or positions which can be avoided through self-development and achievement.

    The 24-year-old beauty queen reminded girls that their bodies were meant to be the temple of God which must not be defiled but accorded some respect.

    Chioma, a Geography student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra, frowned at the manner some girls threw themselves at men who capitalised on their weaknesses.

    “It is really disheartening to see the way some of our girls flaunt themselves on men just to get one favour or the other from them.

    “Those who go into such acts are not good representation of the female gender and as such I advise ladies to display serious mindedness.

    “There is no situation you cannot overcome through self-achievement, no need to look for short cut with selling of your God made temple, we must stop it,”she said.

    She noted that if ladies could carry themselves with dignity, no man would be able to abuse them or bastardised their womanhood.

    “In all of these, I think women should say ‘no to nudity’ and then the men would have no choice than to follow suit in maintaining a sane relationship with women,” she said.

    On her pet project, Chioma said she had gone round schools where she spoke with young girls and boys on keeping themselves and their environment clean, decent and disciplined. (NAN)

  • Freed IPOB Women: Group advises women to continually lead society out of injustice

    Freed IPOB Women: Group advises women to continually lead society out of injustice

    Women Arise for Change Initiatives, an NGO, on Saturday advised Nigerian women not to allow themselves to be silenced by anti-democratic elements in the society.

    Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, President of the group, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that women had the right to freedom of peaceful assembly.

    The activist spoke against the background of the unconditional release of the 114 women suspected to be members of proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) by a high court on Friday in Owerri.

    The women were remanded by an Owerri Magistrate’s Court after they were arrested and arraigned by the police for demanding to know the whereabouts of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kalu.

    “My advice is that Nigerian women must not allow themselves to be silenced by any anti-democratic elements or authority.

    “They must understand that they have a right to peaceful protest, which is a fundamental human rights and as such, no one should be allowed to deny them of it.

    “Women must also realise that they can lead the society out of whatever injustice, as already demonstrated by the Owerri 114.

    “This should serve as a lesson to other women to learn from,’’ Okei-Odumakin said.

    The activist also urged the women to approach the courts to demand proper compensation for alleged unlawful detention.

    Okei-Odumakin regretted that innocent people were incarcerated in an inhumane and illegal way for merely expressing themselves in a legitimate manner.

    She urged the police and whoever was involved in the arrest and detention of the women to tender an unreserved apology.

    She said: “The police must apologise for dehumanizing the peaceful protesters, illegally detaining them and parading them as treasonable felons. That must be done.’’

    Okei-Odumakin expressed joy that her organization joined other pro-democracy elements in demanding for the release of the women through pressure well-coordinated by Nigerians and stakeholders in Imo.(NAN)

  • Don’t use culture to avoid family planning, group admonishes couples

    In an effort check increasing population growth, an advocacy group, Voice for Family Planning and Reproductive Health Centre (V4FPRCH), has advised couples to refrain from hiding behind culture to avoid family planning.

    Prof. Josiah Mutihir, the Plateau State Chairman of the group, gave the advice on Friday in Jos at a meeting organised for the media.

    “We should not follow the culture that says the more children one has, the richer one becomes,” Mutihir said.

    He said a situation where some Nigerian couples still as many as seven children, posed a danger to the nation’s population and planning.

    According to him only 18 per cent of married women use child spacing methods in Plateau.

    Mutihir noted that Plateau had over 500 facilities offering family planning services.

    “We have these services in private hospitals and primary health centres supported by partners in the state.

    He urged the media to be part of the campaign against population explosion by taking the message to rural dwellers.

    In a remark, Mrs Hannatu Dung, the Secretary of the group, said that the campaign for child spacing was important in order to create an atmosphere where a child would enjoy love and security and for the good of society at large. (NAN)

  • Politics not do or die affair – Etsu Nupe

    Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, has appealed to Nigerians not to take politics as a do or die affair as the 2019 general elections approaches.

    Abubakar, who is also the Chairman, Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers, made the appeal in his Wadata Palace in Bida, Niger State, during the Bariki Sallah celebration to mark the end of Eld-el-kabir on Saturday.

    “God gives leadership to and takes it from whosoever He wishes at His appointed time; every Nigerian has equal right to aspire to any position.

    ”There should be a level playing ground for all to thrive; we should bear in mind that we can only have one chairman, governor or president at a time.

    “As such, politicians should know that it is not a do or die affair but rather have faith in God.”

    He urged Nigerians to strive to make democracy to work in the country by emulating the best global democratic practice.

    The monarch advised his subjects to be law-abiding and respect constituted authorities irrespective of ethnic, religious and political affiliations.

    Furthermore, Abubakar appealed to Nigerians to shun all acts capable of breaching peace and unity of the country.

    “As patriotic citizens, we should continue to uphold the noble virtues of peace, unity and love for one another, irrespective of our religious beliefs, tribe or political background.”

    He also warned the people of Bida Emirate and Nigerians in general to stop indiscriminate dumping of refuse on water ways to guard against flooding.

    The traditional ruler said it was unpatriotic for citizens to continually clog waterways, saying that the act was responsible for environmental degradation in many parts of the country.

    “Human activities which included felling of trees, dumping of refuse in water channels contributed to the present ecological problems in many parts of the country” he said (NAN)

  • Nigerian Army hold training week to enhance operations

    By Ruona Isikeh
    The Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps, Benin is set to host the 2018 Nigerian Army Combat Support Training Week as part of efforts to improve its operations.

    Captain Ilaya Dauda, the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations said this in a statement issued in Benin on Saturday.

    Dauda said that the training would hold from August 27 to August 30.

    According to him, the theme of the training week is “Enhancing Combat Service Support Capability through Public Private Partnership to Meet Nigerian Army Contemporary Challenges’’.

    He noted that the training which was designed to enhance leadership skills, would also feature exhibitions by vendors, display of equipment by logistic Corps as well as the conduct of free medical outreach.

    “The medical outreach will involve free medical checkup, eye screening, dental checkup and distribution of free drugs,’’ he said.

    Dauda said that the free medical checkup would take place on August 28 at the Local Government Authority Primary School in Egbaen Community, Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo.

    He advised members of the public not to panic on seeing security personnel and military convoys within the area during the period of the training.

    According to Dauda, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen Tukur Buratai and Gov. Godwin Obaseki are expected to grace the occasion. (NAN)

  • NCAA advises travellers to stop patronising unregistered travel agencies

    The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has advised intending travellers to stop patronising unregistered travel agencies.
    The General Manager, Public Relations, NCAA, Mr Sam Adurogboye, gave the advice on Sunday in Lagos.
    Adurogboye explained that this was due to the increase in reports of fraudulent ticketing practices by unregistered travel agencies.
    He said the Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (Nig.CARs) 2015, Part 18.9.1 (111), prohibited the undertaking of the business of travel agency by any person in Nigeria without a Certificate of Registration or Licence issued by the authority.
    “Upon fulfilment of certain requirements, an applicant submits evidence of membership of National Association of Nigeria Travel Agents (NANTA) to NCAA.
    “In addition, Section 30 (4) of the Civil Aviation Act 2006 empowers the NCAA to regulate, supervise and monitor the activities of travel agents in the country,” he said in a statement.
    Adurogboye said consequent upon reports of sharp practices by unregistered travel agencies, the authority directed all duly registered travel agencies to display their certificates of registration or licences in all their outlets.
    The general managing noted that there were 150 travel agencies on the register of the NCAA.
    Adurogboye said the applicant must fulfil both the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and NCAA requirements before it could be registered. (NAN)

  • NEMA partners NMA to strengthen medical assistance in disasters

    NEMA partners NMA to strengthen medical assistance in disasters

    The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) says it is partnering with the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) to strengthen the provision of quick and appropriate emergency medical assistance to victims of disasters across the country.

    Mr Sani Datti, Head of Media and Public Relations (NEMA) made this known in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

    According to Datti, a Bilateral Technical Working Group (BTWG) has been established between NEMA and the NMA to draw up details of the working relationship.

    He said that Mr Mustapha Maihaja, Director General of NEMA led management staff of the agency to meet with the national executives of the NMA in Abuja at the weekend.

    Datti quoted Maihaja as identifying the imperatives for the partnership to actively engage members of the association in addressing gaps in the provision of medical supports in the aftermath of disaster incidents.

    Maihaja said, “though there were a number of medical personnel in NEMA, response to disaster situations would always require more professionals to guide and direct us appropriately.

    “Partnership with the NMA would avail the services of specialists in various medical fields to deal with situations such as malnutrition among Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

    “Deployment of First Aid by emergency workers and advocacy against environmental health issues among others.”

    Datti said that the National Executives of the NMA led by the President Dr. Francis Adedayo in discussion with the NEMA management noted that the partnership would enable them offer more services.

    Adebayo said that with agreement better services would be offered to the less privileged and those in distress in all the States of the Federation including FCT with Specialist in all the Categories of the Medical Profession. (NAN)

  • TCN takes measures to stabilise national electricity grid, improve power supply

    Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) says attainment of required  frequency control, availability of spinning reserve and expansion of transmission networks are key to stabilising the national grid and improving electricity supply in the country.

    The Managing Director of TCN, Mr Usman Mohammed said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.

    According to Mohammed, effort is on-going to stabilise the grid and improve electricity supply via its Transmission Rehabilitation Expansion Plan (TREP).

    “Since we came in February 2017, we inherited a Transmission Company of Nigeria which was managed by Manitoba Hydro Company.

    “For four years, what Nigeria paid Manitoba hydro for the contract for three years was 23 million dollars plus.

    “But Manitoba hydro mismanaged TCN to the  extent  that  the  company  was  at the point of total collapse, so when we came, we had to come  up with a programme on how to move TCN forward.

    “We need to archive frequency control and by the Grace of God, since June 2017, we have archived frequency control of 49.5 and 50.5 and this has not been archived in the last 20 years.

    “However, the grid code requirement for frequency control is suppose  to  be  49.75 and 50.25, the West African Power Pool (WAPP)  code is suppose to be  49.80 and 50. 2.

    “And we have established a plan to archive 49.80 and 50 .2 but we are waiting for the appropriate time to implement it.

    “The second  thing  we  need  to archive is what we call `Spinning Reserve’ , if you check our daily broadcast, you will see the spinning reserve is either  0 or 40 Mega Watts (MW),” he said.

    According to  him, spinning reserve is  putting  the generators  on a  mood  in such a way that  if there is  great instability, the  generators will  start up , it is an auxiliary service that is  needed  to be  paid for.

    “When we came last year, we established a committee to review why we don’t get spinning reserve from the generators that we have signed contract with.

    “The outcome of that committee indicated that the tariff we are paying for spinning reserve is not good enough.

    “So we wrote to the Nigeria Electricity and Regulatory Commission (NERC) and recommended the appropriate tariff that is good and NERC approved it in July that we should go for competitive procurement of spinning reserve.

    “We have advertised for the procurement of 300MWs of spinning reserve, and this is the first time in the history of power sector that we have done such.

    “Now we are procuring 300MWs, but the ultimate is supposed to be 450MWs, so when we get to 300MW, we are going to see how we can further increase it by another 150MWs.

    “Because the  spinning  reserve is supposed to be 10 per cent  of  the total generation capacity, so with the generation capacity of 4,500 MWs  to 5,000MWs, we are supposed to have  a spinning reserve of 450MWs,” he said.

    He also identified procurement of a functional Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) as veritable instrument to attain the desired result in the power sector.

    The SCADA systems are essential modern tools for effective systems operations that provide real time data and voice exchange between remote power stations and the National Control Centre (NCC).

    It is required for display of operation, control and management of the power system network.

    Mohammed said that Nigeria had attempted to procure a functional SCADA three times and was not successful.

    “The last one took place between 2006 and 2007, when the World Bank financed the SCADA.

    “Nigeria spent about 46 million dollars on the project but the SCADA that was completed had significant deficiency that it cannot see more than 40 per cent of the network.

    “So when we came,  we established  a committee to see why Nigeria has attempted to procure a SCADA and had not been successful.

    “The findings of the committee indicated that there were deficiencies, so we brought in power grid of India, Ghana and Italy to take further look at the findings of the committee.

    “We also brought original SCADA equipment manufactures and all the experts of SCADA to scrutinise the report of the committee and the experts came up with their findings.

    “Their findings have significantly improved the report of the committee. Now  it has become very clear from the SCADA experts reports that we cannot even  start the procurement of the  SECDA  until we fix our network communication backbone.’’

    He said that the execution of critical investments in transmission lines and substations was inevitable to further improve the grid, and ultimately power supply in the country.

    “The most important thing we need to do to stabilise the grid so that it become very modern is that we need to have critical investment in lines and substations.

    “We need to expand the grid and put what is called N-1, it means anywhere you have a need for 60MWs transformer, you install 60x2MWs.

    “Anywhere you have a need for a line, you either construct two lines or you build the line in loop.’’

    According to him, TCN has raised 1.7 billion dollars from multilateral donors for the expansion of the grid as well as installed 29 transformers between 2017 and August 2018.

    He said that the on-going TREP was designed to expand the grid to 20,000MWs by 2021.

    Mohammed said that TCN in-house engineers were completing projects abandoned 10 years ago by contractors at less that 10 per cent of the initial cost.

    “TCN is building a substation on an Island, when I came and asked for the cost estimate for the construction of that substation, it was about one billion naira.

    “I can tell you the job is about 95 per cent complete now and what we have spent is less  than N100 million, why because we are using  in house capacity, we are  bringing innovation.’’

    On DisCos, faulting implementation of N72 billion distribution network projects, Mohammed said “it is not the DisCos that said they don’t know about TCN managing the fund, it is association of DisCos.

    “We don’t deal with the association of DisCos, because we deal with the people that we have agreement with.

    “This N72 billion is an intervention by the Federal Government because of lack of investment in the DisCos.

    “It is actually the failure of the Discos to perform that is creating a lot of issue in the system that compelled the government with 40 per cent share in the DisCos to provide the fund.

    “The N72billion is small money compared to what we need to expand the network of the DisCos.

    “But we are working with the DisCos that are actually interested in the project, and TCN is not solely managing the N72 billion, the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) is situated in TCN.

    “It is TCN, ministry of power, and interested DisCos that are doing the procurement and all the evaluation that are involved.’’

    The TCN managing director, who is also the Chairman of WAPP executive board said what was required for the DisCos to improve distribution network was innovation and investment. (NAN)