Archive for May, 2013
News
The Taraba State governor, Danbaba Suntai was feared dead in a plane crash near Yola airport.
Our correspondent in Yola said the aircraft which was piloted by the governor crashed in Shangere village , about five kilometers to Yola.
An eye witness said that other two unidentify people who were in the plane with the governor survived in the crash.
It was gathered that governor Suntai was on his way to Yola for Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
Danbaba Suntai was born on June 30th 1961. He attended Federal Government College Kano between1975-1980, School of Basic Studies , Ahmadu Bello University , Zaria,between 1980-1981.
Danbaba Suntai was admitted to Ahmadu Bello University where he studied pharmacy and graduated in 1984.He did his internship at Yola Specialist Hospital and National Youth Service at the State Hospital Ijaiye, Abeokuta, Ogun state between 1985-1986.
Danbaba Suntai went into politics and was elected chairmanof Bali ...
Opinion
By AYODEJI SUNDAY --
The Nigerian budget of 2012 and 2013 has generated a lot of public interest – and rightly so. After all, the budget is the most concrete declaration of our government’s national priorities; and it’s good we are now beginning to take government to task on the management of our nation’s resources.
It is no news that over the years, the performance of the Nigerian budget has been far from desirable, as will be revealed by a cursory examination of relevant facts and figures. However, at a closer look, it is easy to see that we are on the path to recovery. You probably don’t agree with that. Wait until I clarify my point. I do not dispute the abysmal performance of the Nigerian budget so far. But with the new paradigms that are being adopted in the process of budget preparation and implementation, one can confidently affirm that things are getting better.
Any lettered individual can examine the 2012/2013 ...
The Groundings
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n recent weeks the Federal Government of Nigeria has been making noise about oil theft in the Niger Delta. Two developments led to the governments’ apparent concern over the theft of crude oil. First, there was a serious blow up after “thieves” trying to tap from the Shell Petroleum’s pipelines led to an outbreak of fire that forced the company to shut down the pipeline. The immediate result was the shortage of petrol at filling stations in several parts of the country, which has persisted for about a month now. The second was an enquiry by the House of Representatives into oil theft in the Niger Delta. That enquiry was the result of the disagreement between the Government and the National Assembly over crude oil price benchmark for the 2013 budget. We say that the Federal Government has been making noise because they are very knowledgeable about the oil theft but have chosen to complain instead of t...
News
The Federal Government has declared Thursday, October 25 and Friday, October 26 as public holidays to mark the 2012 Eid el-Kabir celebrations.
The Minister of Interior, Abba Moro who announced this in Abuja yesterday, called on Nigerians to imbibe and emulate the worthy tenets of Islam as practised by the holy Prophet Mohammad.
A statement by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Daniel Nwaobia quoted Mr. Moro as urging the citizens to pray for peace and prosperity of the nation.
News
From Andrew Orolua, Abuja --
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, yesterday decried private sector involvement and connivance in corruption cases and called for higher level of professionalism and ethical comportment by operators of the sector.
Lamorde who made the call in Lagos at the launch of the 12th Global Fraud Survey of Ernst & Young West Africa, said investigations by the EFCC into several cases of graft have shown that private sector operators are covering up and conniving with individuals and firms implicated in corruption cases.
Specifically, Lamorde wondered how a prominent local accounting firm gave clearance to many oil firms involved in the on-going trial of fuel subsidy payments by government.
The said firm actually cleared for payment of an oil vessel that had ceased to operate three years before the payments were made.
“Financial services companies lik...
News
Unidentified gunmen in the early hours yesterday slaughtered three people in different locations and burnt down the residence of the serving Area Comptroller in charge of Katsina/Kaduna, Alhaji Yusuf Umar and House of Representatives member (Potiskum/Nangere, PDP), Alhaji Abubakar Mainasara, 18 vehicles.
It was gathered that the gunmen launched a coordinated night operation around 2am, and within the same hour, slaughtered the Director, Finance and Supply, Yobe State Science and Technical Board, Malam Ado Jespa along with his neighbor, Malam Sagir and two other security guards in both the Comptroller’s and legislature’s houses.
The three schools also torched include King Abdulazeez Model Islamic school, Government Science Secondary School where 4 vehicles were burnt and College of Administration Potiskum (CAPs), one of the surviving Legacies of the Premier of the Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello where 14 vehicles were burn...
News
Jamaatul Nasril Islam (JNI) has fecilitated with the Muslim ummah in Nigeria over the successful commencement of Dhul-Hajj.
A statement signed by Dr Khalid Abubakar Aliyu yesterday in Kaduna appealed to all Muslims in the country to pray for a peaceful coexistence among Nigerians.
It also advised travelers to be wary of the deplorable condition of our roads with a view to driving with caution ,‘’taking into consideration all the precautionary measures while driving.
According to the statement, Muslim ummah are to be reminded not to be oblivion of the Arafat day fasting as recommended for the non-pilgrims.
It also stated that ‘’taking into cognizance that Thursday, October 25, 2012 will be Arafat day , therefore Friday, October 26, 2012 will mark the Eid-el-Adha.”
Jamaatul Nasril lslam [JNI] is under the leadership of His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto and President/General, Alhaji Muhammadu Saad Abubakar lll.
News
From Sunday Ode, Abuja --
President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday restated the commitment of his administration to making the country the best sporting nation in Africa.
Specifically, the president said he wanted the country to be among the first four in the Commonwealth, and.ultimately rule the world, adding that the ambition was achievable.
Jonathan, in an address at the presidential retreat on the sports sector held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja however, regretted that the financing channel of the sports sector was singular and unsustainable at the moment, while the investment channel for the sector was equally narrow.
[caption id="attachment_2327" align="alignright" width="300"] From left: Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Mike Ogiadohme, Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State; Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo and President Goodluck Jontahn at the Presidential sports sector retreat at the Pr...
News
From ISAIAH ABRAHAM, Abuja --
Embattled Senator representing Borno Central Senatorial District of Borno State, Alhaji Ahmed Khalifa Zanna, said the mixing of politics with the Boko Haram phenomenon was one reason why the security agencies were finding it difficult to combat the insurgence.
The senator who addressed a press conference shortly before honouring an invitation by the State Security Service (SSS) in Abuja yesterday, described the invitation as an attempt to frame him up. He fingered former Borno State Governor, Bunu Sheriff, whom he defeated at the last Senatorial election as his chief tormentor in his current travail.
Zanna was invited by the SSS to report yesterday in connection with the arrest of a top commander of the dreaded Boko Haram sect, Shuaib Mohammed Bama, but the Senator quickly pointed out to journalists present at the news conference that the suspect was arrested at a house owned by former Governor Bunu S...
News
From JOSHUA I. EGBODO, Abuja --
GOVERNOR of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, and former governors of the apex bank, Adamu Ciroma as well as Joseph Sanusi have cautioned the House of Representatives against pruning down the powers of the CBN.
Sanusi Lamido Sanusi and former governors of CBN were speaking at a public hearing on a Bill seeking to amend the CBN Act of 2007 organized by the House’s Joint Committee on Banking, Currency and Justice yesterday in Abuja.
The bill specifically seeks to allow for the appointment of a person, other than the Governor as Chairman of the bank’s board, as well as exclude the deputy governors of the bank from being members of the board.
The bill if passed into law would divest the board of power to consider and approve the annual budget of the CBN.
The National Assembly, it would be recalled had repeatedly questioned the authority of the CBN, and other government corpo...