Vanguard

Aba North LG spends N350m on devt

By Eric Ugbor Aba—Despite the present economic meltdown, Aba North Local Government Area of Abia State has in the past six months spent over N350 million on infrastructural development, even as the council has concluded arrangement to offset the backlog of its workers’ salary. The projects, which are scattered over the council area, includes the asphalting of [...]

Customs Training College graduates 400 cadets

By AbdulSalam Muhammad KANO—The Nigeria Customs Training College, Kano has graduated over 400 cadet officers and redeployed them for two months compulsory internship after the completion of 6 months training exercise. Briefing journalists in Kano, the Commandant of the training school, Alhaji Ali Wakili, said that the cadet officers during the internship will perform escort duties, patrol [...]

Unions vow to resist imposition of rector

By Gbenga Ariyibi ADO-EKITI—As the competition for the post of the Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti hots up, interest groups within the campus and the three unions in the institution have vowed to resist any attempt by the power- that-be to impose any unpopular candidate on them. The position of the Rector of the Polytechnic [...]

Abia Assembly tasks FG on deregulation

By Anayo Okoli Umuahia—ABIA State House of Assembly has urged the Federal Government to embark on nationwide enlightenment of the populace on merits of the proposed total deregulation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry. The House also urged Abians to participate fully in the art of lawmaking by sponsoring bills and bringing to the attention [...]

N30m Glo jackpot winner emerges Sunday

LAGOS—The winner of the N30 million jackpot in the Glo “text 4 millions” promo will, on Sunday, November 15, be unveiled at a special grand finale Laffta Fest. The grand prize winner will join the other 133 lucky subscribers from across the country who won millions during the promo. The event is holding at the Welcome [...]

FG buys N4.6bn generators for MMA

The Federal Government is investing N4.6 billion to boost power supply at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos. The money is for the purchase of six new generators for the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

Pensioner sends S.O.S to Army pension boss

Mr. Samuel Jegede, a military pensioner is calling for urgent attention from the military pension office. An edited copy of the his letter to the office is produced below: ” I use this opportunity to write you this personal complain letter, which I know if after you go through it, will convince you. Sir, I was in [...]

Drivers’ protest paralyses commercial activities in Abeokuta

By Kolade Larewaju ABEOKUTA – COMMERCIAL activities for the second day running came to a halt in Abeokuta yesterday as protesting taxi drivers withdrew their cabs from the streets in protest over alleged unfair tax imposed on them by the State Government. The State Government had directed the drivers to pay personal income tax of N3,000 per [...]

Jos riots anniversary: Former minister calls for reconciliation

By Taye Obateru Jos—As the first anniversary of the November 28, 2008 crisis in the Plateau State capital approaches, former Minister of State for Information and Communications, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki Nakande, has called for concrete steps towards genuine reconciliation among the people. He said in an interview that a year after the crisis, nothing positive seems to [...]

Senator canvasses death penalty for corrupt public officials

By Tony Edike ENUGU—SENATOR Smart Adeyemi, representing Kogi West Senatorial Constituency at the National Assembly, has called for a law prescribing death penalty for public officials found guilty of corrupt practices, saying such stiffer punishment would encourage the ongoing fight against corruption. Adeyemi noted that corruption has remained very high, especially among public officers, due to lapses [...]

World Bank’s N45bn loan for Nigeria… FEC okays Egbin Plant upgrade

By Daniel Idonor ABUJA—THE Federal Government yesterday secured a $300 million (about N45 billion) credit facility from the International Development Association (IDA), an arm of the World Bank. The loan, which repayment is spread for 45 years, is with a zero-interest rate. The credit, which is being extended to Nigeria under the World Bank’s Special Facility for Infrastructural [...]

Akinrinade raises fear of Nigeria’s disintegration

By Dayo Benson & James Ezema LAGOS—A former Chief of Army Staff and ex-Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant-General Alani Akinrinade (rtd), yesterday warned that the country risks disintegration unless true federalism is restored. He also regretted his participation in the Nigerian-Biafran civil war. Akinrinade said if he had known that the country would find itself in its present [...]

N300m budget scam: Aduku innocent ….S ‘Court

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri ABUJA—A five-man panel of the Supreme Court in Abuja yesterday dismissed the appeal filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), against a former Minister of State for Health, Mr. Gabriel Aduku. EFCC had asked the Supreme Court to void the judgment of an Abuja Division of the Appeal Court which had quashed [...]

New judge for suit against Yar’Adua’s CSO

By Ise-Oluwa Ige ABUJA—Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi of an Abuja High Court yesterday assumed jurisdiction over a public interest litigation commenced by a businessman, Mr. Abdulkarim Umar, against the Chief Security Officer to President Umaru Yar’Adua, Mr Yusuf Tilde. The take-over of the suit by the judge followed the re-assignment of the case by the Abuja High Court [...]

Daniel flays opposition…vows to pursue people-oriented programmes

By Kolade Larewaju ABEOKUTA – GOVERNOR Olugbenga Daniel of Ogun State yesterday vowed not to give up in pursuing programmes that would positively affect the lives of people in the state and the country in face of alleged adversity, describing opposition to his administration as irresponsible. He spoke while ddressing students of the Gateway Industrial and [...]

6,000Mw: Gas flaring ends December, says Minister

By Chinyere Amalu ABUJA—In its determination to deliver to Nigerians 6,000 megawatts in December, and to reduce green house emission, the Federal Government has vowed to end all gas flaring in the country by end of this year. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bagudu Hirse who disclosed this in a joint press briefing at the [...]

ECCIMA tasks FG on deregulation

By Tony Edike ENUGU—DIRECTOR-General, Enugu Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA), Mr. Emeka Okereke, has tasked the Federal Government to revitalise the dilapidated refineries in the country before commencing the deregulation of the downstream sector. Okereke told reporters in Enugu yesterday that it would do the country more good to commence repair of the refineries [...]

FG asked to make education priority

By Laja Thomas LAGOS — The Federal Government has been advised to give education a priority because of its importance to the attainment of Vision 20:2020 as well as its capacity to solve national problems. Professor Abdul-Ganiy Oladosun, Director of Academic Planning, University of Ilorin said this at the 40th anniversary celebration of Daru-Daw’ah Wal-lrshad Islamic College [...]

S-East govs want state of emergency on erosion menace

By Emmanuel Aziken & Tony Edike Enugu—Southeast governors yesterday demanded the imposition of a state of emergency as a necessary step towards checking the erosion menace in the region. The governors spoke separately on the second day of the Senate retreat with the theme, “The Challenges of Gully Erosion in the Southeast,” just as erstwhile Chief Justice [...]

Reps urge Minister to arm civil defence

By Tordue Salem ABUJA—The House of Representatives Committee on Interior yesterday urged the Minister of Interior to comply with an existing law mandating the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC) to carry arms in the exercise of its duties. The Committee gave the charge yesterday at the headquarters of the Corps, where it went for oversight. The [...]