#NO1.NAIJA HUB

FG saves $500m in SWF, boosts ECA with $87m

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<a href="http://www.sunnewsonline.ng/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/vp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.sunnewsonline.ng/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/vp.jpg" /></a>FG saves $500m in SWF, boosts ECA with $87m<o:p></o:p></div>
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Despite its crushing revenue challenges occasioned by
dwindling oil sales, the Federal Government yesterday, said it added $500 million
to the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) and another $87 million into the Excess
Crude Account (ECA) in the last two years.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who stated this in
his Democracy Day speech to commemorate the second year anniversary of the
Buhari-led administration, said government has now taken seriously saving for
the rainy day.<o:p></o:p></div>
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‘‘We have taken very seriously our promise to save and
invest for the future, even against the backdrop of our revenue challenges, and
we have in the last two years added $500 million to our SWF and $87 million to
the ECA. This is the very opposite of the situation before now, when rising oil
prices failed to translate to rising levels of savings and investment.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Admittedly, the economy has proven to be the biggest
challenge of all. Let me first express just how concerned we have been, since
this administration took office, about the impact of the economic difficulties
on our citizens.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Through no fault of theirs, some companies shut down their
operations, others downsized; people lost jobs, had to endure rising food
prices. In some states, civil servants worked months on end without the
guarantee of a salary, even as rents and school fees and other expenses
continued to show up like clockwork,” he said.<o:p></o:p></div>
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On the Treasury Single Account (TSA), Osinbajo said the
Federal Government is institutionalising safeguards and deterrents having
expanded the coverage of the TSA by introducing more efficient accounting and
budgeting systems across board while it has also launched an extremely
successful Whistleblower Policy. According to him, the Efficiency Unit of the
Federal Ministry of Finance has succeeded in plugging leakages amounting to
billions of naira, over the last two years by ending expensive and much-abused
fertiliser and petrol subsidy regimes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Nigeria’s economy had contracted for five quarters since the
administration took off in 2015. But government has rolled out the Economic
Recovery and Growth Plan to halt the current recession.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Osinbajo, while underscoring the successes recorded in the
Federal Government Social Investment Programme (SIP), which kicked off at the
end of 2016, said its Home Grown School Feeding component was now feeding more
than one million primary school children across seven states and would be
feeding three million by the end of the year.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On the other hand, he explained that N-Power, another
component  of the SIP, has engaged
200,000 unemployed graduates, none of whom needed any ‘connections’ to be
selected, adding that  beneficiaries are
already telling the stories of how these initiatives have given them a fresh
start in their lives.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
According to him, “micro credit to a million artisans,
traders and market men and women has begun, just as conditional cash transfers
to eventually reach a million of the poorest and most vulnerable households has
also begun.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He explained that road and power projects were ongoing in
every part of the country, while rail project was progressing with the plans to
attract hundreds of millions of dollars in investment to upgrade the existing
3,500km narrow-gauge network.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Osinbajo said government has also in 2017 flagged off
construction work on the Lagos-Ibadan leg of its standard-gauge network with
the intention to complete the first phase of Abuja’s mass transit rail
system,’’ he stated.<o:p></o:p></div>
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… As Saraki advocates stronger economy to sustain democratic
gains <o:p></o:p></div>
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The President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has called
for concerted effort by all Nigerians to build a strong economy as a means of
sustaining the nation’s democracy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He made the call in a statement by his Special Adviser on
Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, to commemorate the 2017 Democracy Day in
Abuja on Sunday.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Saraki said it was only an economy that guaranteed high
standard of living for its citizens and equitable distribution of resources
that could boast of sustaining democracy, even as he commended the present
administration for coming up with policies and programmes aimed at
repositioning the country and called on Nigerians to continue to support the
government.<o:p></o:p></div>
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He stressed that the present administration was endowed with
the necessary political will to initiate changes that would lead to the overall
development of the country.<o:p></o:p></div>
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He urged Nigerians to support the policies of government
aimed at involving the private sector in key sectors of the economy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“I want to congratulate all Nigerians for the successes we
have recorded so far in our democratic journey. We cannot afford to remove our
legs from the gas pedal. Government definitely is determined to make life more
abundant for our people.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“All Nigerians deserve commendation. We have done well so
far. We must strive more to make democracy a way of life. The successes
recorded so far demonstrate the unwavering commitment of Nigerians to sustain
and grow our democracy. Let us celebrate with hope that the present economic
challenges will soon give way to a prosperous country we can all be proud of.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“Our democratic institutions need to be strengthened to
perform their duties in the service of all Nigerians irrespective of the
government in power,” he said.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Saraki further called on Nigerians to shun acts that could
threaten the stability of the country, adding that it was only then that
democracy could be strengthened.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He urged Nigerians to nurture the various institutions that
make up a democracy, stressing that it was by building institutions and
respecting the values they represent that the nation could guarantee stability,
development and consistency.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Senate President commended Nigerians for their
perseverance, understanding and resilience in the face of the current economic
challenges.</div>

FG saves $500m in SWF, boosts ECA with $87m

FG saves $500m in SWF, boosts ECA with $87m Despite its crushing revenue challenges occasioned by dwindling oil sales, the Federal Govern...

UI shut down over students’ protest

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<a href="http://www.sunnewsonline.ng/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/UI-Students-protest-300x214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.sunnewsonline.ng/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/UI-Students-protest-300x214.jpg" /></a>UI shut down over students’ protest<o:p></o:p></div>
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Authorities of the University of Ibadan (UI) have closed
down the institution, following protest by students over non-issuance of
identity cards.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The school’s closure came less than 24 hours to the
commencement of the first semester examinations, for the 2016/2017 academic
session.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The protesting students had barricaded a major highway, on
Mokola-UI-Ojoo Road, in front of the institution, which caused gridlock in the
vicinity.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Daily Sun gathered that thegridlock extended to Ojoo,
Agbowo,  Bodija, Sango and Mokola, for
several hours. The protest was said to have been staged against the backdrop of
resolutions of the students’ congress on Saturday, wherein it was agreed that
the management be given two days ultimatum, to constitute a Students Welfare
Board and set up a fact-finding committee, to look into use of hot-plates in
halls of residence.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The students also resolved that there would not be any examination
if the university failed to issue them identity cards, which were paid for, at
the last and this session, at the rate of N650 and N1,300, respectively.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The students also vowed to disrupt the press conference,
which Oyo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi, was to address at the institution’s
International Conference Centre, on his sixth anniversary as governor.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The threat, it was learnt, 
forced the state government to shift the press conference to another
place in Ibadan.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Meanwhile, Vice Chancellor, Prof Idowu Olayinka, in a
broadcast, announced the closure and said examinations have been rescheduled to
July 17, 2017.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Olayinka explained that the institution “was shut down to
forestall breakdown of peace on the campus,” and added that “the closure order
only affected all undergraduates,” whom he ordered to vacate the campus by
6:00pm, yesterday. Olayinka, however, said postgraduate students will continue
with their lectures, as the closure order would not affect them. Also, in a
special statement, the university management 
informed students that efforts are currently being made to ensure that
identity cards are produced and distributed, starting from the middle of
June.  The management also issued a
circular, informing deans of faculties that students’ registration forms and
any other valid university instrument be considered as sufficient for
admittance into examination halls in the forthcoming first semester
examinations.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The university management stated that it was not unmindful
of the hardship that the delay in the issuance of identity cards has caused the
students, “but we appeal for their understanding.”The university management
will also, very soon, convene a meeting of the Students’ Welfare Board, which
is a statutory committee of the senate, to discuss other students’ welfare
issues, so that a lasting solution can be proffered.”</div>

UI shut down over students’ protest

UI shut down over students’ protest Authorities of the University of Ibadan (UI) have closed down the institution, following protest by s...

EX BEAUTY QUEEN DABOTA LAWSON REMARRIES NOT LONG AFTER SHE DIVORCED

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SEE KYLIE JENNER’S ENHANCED LIPS

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FG mulls border closure over rice smuggling

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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-kw971VK-pl5NHM9gHsVl_EEntp8Rlj8XkeL9Azv1Z86dJuV-kAZWXWGFN3HHjig3onJYVWcKcQVshRG6OzZoxKtiX9P8RGhHKUrFUi3TrpHAK-aBaOOn4qWIF3Bd-jTXZEN-9SodUs/s1600/Chief-Audu-Ogbeh+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="347" data-original-width="364" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu-kw971VK-pl5NHM9gHsVl_EEntp8Rlj8XkeL9Azv1Z86dJuV-kAZWXWGFN3HHjig3onJYVWcKcQVshRG6OzZoxKtiX9P8RGhHKUrFUi3TrpHAK-aBaOOn4qWIF3Bd-jTXZEN-9SodUs/s320/Chief-Audu-Ogbeh+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a>FG mulls border closure over rice smuggling<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Federal Government has threatened to shut some land
borders if smuggling of rice continues from neighbouring countries.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu
Ogbeh, gave the warning, yesterday, when he spoke to newsmen, in Abuja, on some
of the achievements of the Federal Government in the agriculture sector, in the
last two years.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ogbeh said the decision became necessary, to encourage local
rice farmers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“We believe they are determined to sabotage the efforts that
we are making to guarantee self-sufficiency in rice and to save foreign
exchange, which we don’t have. They insist on bringing in rice through the land
borders, avoiding duties and the levies we put on them and, they are definitely
bent on sabotaging our efforts and we are getting increasingly unhappy with
them.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“And, I must say that very soon, if they persist, we will
take nasty measures against them.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“We will like to advise our neighbours, who believe that the
ECOWAS Treaty means that Nigeria is a volunteer-nation for economic suicide; we
have no such plans, destroying our own economy to make any neighbour happy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“The ECOWAS Treaty number two  does not suggest that any country can be an
avenue of smuggling foreign goods not produced in that country for dumping in
his neighbour’s territory.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“If they insist, I do not think that government is far away
from considering permanently closing certain borders very near us and when we
do, nothing will make us change our minds on the issue, ECOWAS treaty or not,’’
Ogbeh warned.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The minister said importation of rice reduced from 580,000
tonnes in 2015 to 58,000 tonnes by 2016.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He also said by the end of this year, “we will eliminate the
difference because more people are growing rice in the country.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ogbeh disclosed that the federal government will distribute
no fewer than 200 rice mills to millers across the states of the Federation, to
encourage fresh milling of locally-produced rice in order to make them more
palatable than imported ones.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ogbeh said the move will save about $5 million for the
country daily, when achieved.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“We have never produced as much grains as we did in the last
two years in this country’s history. We have fed not only Nigeria, we have fed
West Africa and there are still thousands of tonnes in people’s warehouses.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Those who bought grains and stored, believing starvation
was near and they will make a killing, they are now begging us to take off the
grains from them because they are getting stock.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“The only shortfall we have is maize because of the disease
called the army worm. We are dealing with that and this planting season, we are
going to support farmers to make sure that we bring that disease under
control…”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The minister said government is working toward achieving
self sufficiency in staples within the next two years, excluding wheat and
added that government’s ambition is that, in five to six years from now,
“Nigeria should be able to earn between N10 billion to N30 billion, from
exportation of agricultural produce annually to service the country’s debts and
build a robust foreign reserves.”</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>

FG mulls border closure over rice smuggling

FG mulls border closure over rice smuggling The Federal Government has threatened to shut some land borders if smuggling of rice continue...

Akpabio lauds FG on SIP

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<a href="http://www.sunnewsonline.ng/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/AKAPBIO-AND-VP-300x296.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.sunnewsonline.ng/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/AKAPBIO-AND-VP-300x296.jpg" /></a>Akpabio lauds FG on SIP<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, has commended the
Federal Government for restoring hope in the lives of the ordinary Nigerians
through the laudable initiative of the social investment programme.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He called for collaboration between the federal government
and legislators in selecting 
beneficiaries of the programme and also pledged the minority parties’
support for beneficial programmes initiated by the APC-led federal government.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Akpabio, who made the statement at an event, tagged:
“National Social Investment Programme” in celebration of 2017 Democracy Day at
the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday, also assured of the PDP senators
support of initiatives aimed at job creation, poverty alleviation and curbing
insecurity.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“If there’s anything you want us to do by way of an enabling
law to put a statutory seal on these programmes or to make more money available
for this kind of initiative, henceforth, I assure you of the  support of PDP senators.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“He also pledged the support in terms of budgetary initiative,
like in the event of supplementary budget to make money available for the
social investment programme.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He pointed out that when a country is in recession, everyone
must come together, irrespective of party affiliations.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“We have the war on our hands, a war against poverty, a war
against unemployment, and the solution means all of us must, by all means, help
one another to grow,” Akpabio said.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He added: “There are lots of poor Nigerians in the
hospitals, most especially, on the outskirts of the FCT, who are not able to
pay their medical bills and are detained because of as little as N7,000.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“So, it would be good to look at these areas as well as the
IDPs camps and orphanages, among others.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Speaking on the feeding programme, the Senate Minority
leader further said it will help take children off the streets and enable them
receive quality education.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“So, for me, this programme, with the activities of the
Acting President, so far, Nigerians must key into the programme of government
so this country can change,” Akpabio noted.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Akpabio called on Nigerians to support the social investment
programme and prayed for the quick recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari.</div>

Akpabio lauds FG on SIP

Akpabio lauds FG on SIP Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, has commended the Federal Government for restoring hope in the lives of...

AMCON’s sinking fund rises to N913bn

<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.sunnewsonline.ng/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Ahmed-Kuru-AMCON_2-300x225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.sunnewsonline.ng/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Ahmed-Kuru-AMCON_2-300x225.jpg" /></a>AMCON’s sinking fund rises to N913bn<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
… Explains why FG can’t convert two ailing airlines to
national carrier<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Managing Director and Chief Executive at the Asset
Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) Mr Ahmed Kuru, at the weekend
disclosed that the Sinking Fund facility set up by the Federal Government to
complement its efforts in distress resolution in the banking industry has grown
to about N913billion at the end of 2016.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The AMCON sinking fund was set up in 2013 to enable the
corporation meet its obligations arising from debt securities. The fund  also known as 
the Resolution Cost Fund saw the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)
contributing  N50 billion for its initial
take-off while other banks in the country would contribute N50 billion
based  on their total assets annually.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was intended to assist AMCON to meet its goals and also
ensure that government will not bear the cost of financial crisis in future.
Each bank is required to contribute 0.5 percent of total assets and 0.5 percent
of 33 percent of their off balance sheet items to the sinking fund.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Kuru who spoke in Lagos while unveiling the firm’s financial
performance for the 2016 financial year, noted that the adverse trends in the
nation’s economy affected the banking industry’s contribution last year to a
mere N136billion in contrast to about N285billion expected from an industry
that targeted about 20 per cent growth.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Banks contributed only N136billion in 2016 as against
N285billion expected for the year because we had expected the industry to grow
by about 20 per cent. But this never happened due to the economic challenges
most of them faced last year. We are hopeful that 2017 will be better for the
banks and even debtors so we expect more recoveries” Kuru said.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This was even as he clarified on speculations that the
Federal Government was contemplating converting the two leading private
airlines into a national carrier.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Kuru said it would be suicidal for the Federal Government to
contemplate converting the two ailing airlines into a national carrier due to
huge legacy issues associated with the project.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He warned the litigation that would arise from such an
exercise as well as the huge debt being owed by the two airlines could give the
government a bloody nose if it ventures into such a project.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He explained that although the bad bank was set up debt
recovery and business support services instead of profit making mandate, it has
nevertheless pursued its various objectives vigorously to the extent that it
was able to recover over N134billion in a year of economic recession when most
of the obligors found debt repayment an Herculean task.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“AMCON was not set up to make profit; AMCON is a resolution
company, a resolution vehicle that was set up in 2008, 2009 to provide
liquidity to commercial banks by purchasing non-performing loans, so that it could
jump start the economy,” Kuru said.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The AMCON boss said the bad debt bank is expected to pay as
much as N280 billion in interest to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on a
monthly basis, but believes this can be reduced if the apex bank restructures
the interest element in the days ahead.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Kuru added the CBN has been extremely supportive with the
six percent interest rate granted to the bank, but the mass of debt acquired by
the bad bank makes interest sizeable.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
AMCON is in discussions with the Central Bank to reduce
interest rate, even if by just two percent as this will go a long way in
reducing both interest and principal loans in its books.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Every month averagely, our interest obligation to the CBN
is N280 billion, interest only. Sinking fund projection of maybe N288 billion,
we only receive N136 billion,” he said.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“There was this assumption at that time that the economy
will grow at a rate of six percent year in, year out. The banking sector is not
even growing at the rate of five percent.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
He said the management is working on fulfilling its mandate
within the 10-year period stipulated in the AMCON act, but admits that there is
a possibility of an extension.</div>

AMCON’s sinking fund rises to N913bn

AMCON’s sinking fund rises to N913bn … Explains why FG can’t convert two ailing airlines to national carrier Managing Director and Chie...

NIGERIA’LL NEVER PROGRESS UNLESS IT’S RESTRUCTURED –ROBERT CLARKE

<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.sunnewsonline.ng/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/robert-249x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.sunnewsonline.ng/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/robert-249x300.jpg" /></a>NIGERIA’LL NEVER PROGRESS UNLESS IT’S RESTRUCTURED –ROBERT
CLARKE<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Robert Clarke (SAN) recently granted an interview to  Sunday Sun on the state of the nation. The
octogenarian who has been on  vacation in
the UK came back during the week and bared his mind on some issues especially
concerning Mr President’s health.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What message do you have for Nigeria now?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As a Christian, I believe in Psalm 23 which says “…though I
walk through the valley of the shadow of death I shall fear no evil for thou
art with me…”. Nigerians need to pray and recite Psalm 23 everyday now because
it looks like we are walking in the wilderness of death. I’m not a soothsayer,
but I can foresee that very soon, very soon, Nigeria is going to be embroiled
in a  crisis if Buhari’s health doesn’t
improve. Nigeria is going to be embroiled especially in a succession palaver
but there should be no need for it. Like I said, ethnicity and religion are the
two most damaging aspects of our life in Nigeria and they will now play
out  should  Buhari’s health  deteriorate. We were lucky during the time of
Yar’ Adua, Obasanjo played a significant role, whether bad or good depending on
which side of the  divide you are
but  he was able to rally the country
round  to accept Jonathan easily. We need
a strong man like Obasanjo to prevent 
crisis.  Nigeria has to be careful  if the worst happens to Buhari which I don’t
pray for but it’s inevitable for any human being. We should not make the same
mistakes we made during Jonathan’s time. We should ensure that Vice
President  takes over as President if
Buhar is incapacitated.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What’s your take on the President’s sick leave? Some  believe 
he should just step aside for 
Osinbajo to rule instead?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As human beings, we can be 
sick at any time.There are certain 
sicknesses that are not life threatening and yet will be a nuisance  but nevertheless the constitution says where
a president is incapable of performing the functions of his office then at that
stage it can be determined whether he is fit or not fit to continue. If the
illness has not impaired  his capacity to
function in  office, he should continue.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What’s your take on the proposed  restructuring of Nigeria?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have always said it, we can  never make progress until Nigeria is
restructured and it shouldn’t be on the basis of ethnicity. What I’m saying
essentially is that the system of governance should be changed. If  we are retaining the presidential system  then let’s do it the  South African way.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What’s your take on the controversy surrounding   Ibrahim Magu’s appointment as EFCC Chairman?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Section 5 of the Nigeria constitution says that the
president is vested with all executive powers. The EFCC is within the purview
of the executive powers vested in Mr. president and therefore, the appointment
of the EFCC chairman is also vested in Mr. President, subject to the approval
of the Senate. Where the Senate refuses or decides not to confirm a nominee,
the president has the power to allow that nominee to stay in an acting capacity
because the constitution has vested in him under Section 5 the power to
exercise all executive powers.  In Magu’s
case, one thing about him is his tenacity and ability to get results. He has at
least been able to do this in his acting 
capacity.   Mr. President can
still recommend him  again for approval
by the Senate.  Many of my colleagues
don’t know where to hang this legality of asking him to stay in  acting capacity, because there is no law that
says a chairman must be appointed at any given time. If somebody is acting, he
is acting, the only difference is that he’s not the chairman; he’s only an
acting chairman.  Mr. President can still
retain Magu as  acting chairman of EFCC
under Section 5 of the constitution which gives him all the executive powers
under the law. So, he’s not doing anything wrong.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While you were away in the UK, you heard about the release
of  82 Chibok girls. What’s your reaction
on that?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Let me be honest, two weeks after these Chibok girls
incident happened, I was on Channels Television and I warned that if nothing
was done quickly to get these girls back, the problem in Nigeria will be that
they will turn out to be suicide bombers or in the alternative they’ll be used
as comfort women and  prisoners of war.
Invariably, it has happened. You see, 
their release is  belated but I
thank God some of them have been released.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
 Some of the girls
don’t want to come back. What do you have to say about  that?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, let us be honest. These are young girls of 14, 15, and
16 years old. They are having sex for the first time and enjoying it and  some of them have been impregnated and bore
children for some of these insurgents. You can’t blame nature playing its own
part at this stage. An innocent 14 or 15 year-old-girl who had never known any
man coming into that circumstance  would
change immediately. I don’t blame many of them who have  refused to return to their homes because
their new found life is different. They need physical  and spiritual therapy or whatever form of
therapy to allow them adjust to  the
reality of the life they are now living.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Do you believe there’s anything like a cabal in the
presidency?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since the advent of democracy, there have  always been 
cabals anywhere. In civilized countries they call them  kitchen cabinet. The president has a kitchen
cabinet. No matter what  they discuss at
the Federal Executive Council meeting, subsequently the president summons  his kitchen cabinet to evaluate the
resolutions of the FEC meeting just like the aforementioned kitchen cabinet.
Obasanjo had it, any ruler must have it. 
Information had it that when Clinton was president of America,
after  observing protocols, he and
Hillary, because she was an outstanding lawyer would still talk. Clinton  still consulted his wife on many of the
issues before even taking a decision. She was part of Clinton’s kitchen cabinet
even though she is his wife. It’s part of democracy.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What’s your take on 
the Ikoyi gate scandal?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s one of the oddities in Nigeria. When you look at other
African countries how many of them have an annual budget least of all such
money  of that magnitude in limbo. Not
even one. Let’s be honest, even our 
neighbor here, Ghana, they can’t boast of  such huge amount in  foreign currencies in their vault. How can
you keep such an amount of money in a three bedroom apartment?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But the money was said to belong to NIA?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, I do not believe that the money belongs to the NIA. I
believe that  NIA was just  brought in by those who kept the money there
as a ploy  to conceal the identity of the
people  behind the scandal. That money
belongs to the government, because no other entity can have  so much money 
and keep it  somewhere. There’s no
doubt about it   though  NIA is 
now laying  claim to it as overt
or covert money  and it does not sell to
me. What I believe is that an individual who was in government  had access to just keep the kind of  money. Maybe they were using it for political
campaigns. Maybe it was being kept to front the political machinery of the
government of the day and they had to keep it there so that it will be
available at any time they need it. It’s most surprising that even those who
are neighbors in that place couldn’t 
even smell  such huge freshly mint
currencies. It beats my imagination that this could happen. As they claim, one
woman came in silently and took as much as she wanted regularly. Well, that
shows you the kind of country  we are in.
In Nigeria, anything can happen. I regard it as miracle, it shouldn’t have
happened but it shows the system in which we find ourselves and the system will
have to change for us to survive as a country. 
The only way they can cover up the true owners of the money is to allow
the NIA to lay claim to it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Was it from  the last
dispensation?<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was from  the last
dispensation, we know the situation of the dollar to the naira in  this present dispensation. It’s from the old
dispensation where anything could happen.</div>

NIGERIA’LL NEVER PROGRESS UNLESS IT’S RESTRUCTURED –ROBERT CLARKE

NIGERIA’LL NEVER PROGRESS UNLESS IT’S RESTRUCTURED –ROBERT CLARKE Robert Clarke (SAN) recently granted an interview to Sunday Sun on the...

“We warned occupants to vacate the house”: Official

<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.sunnewsonline.ng/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/SqJGR7bI-300x157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.sunnewsonline.ng/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/SqJGR7bI-300x157.jpg" /></a>“We warned occupants to vacate the house”: Official<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) said
occupants of the three storey building which collapsed on Monday in Lagos
failed to heed its repeated warnings to vacate the house.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
LASBCA Acting General Manager, Oyewale Joseph, told the News
Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos that the building collapsed due to
weak foundation and use of substandard materials.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Two people died while 14 others survived when the building
under renovation collapsed at Daddy Alhaja Street in Apongbon area of Lagos
Island on Monday.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Before now, LABSCA district office on Lagos Island had
served all statutory notices on this very building and having served all the
notices, we have also sealed the building twice.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Last week Friday the building in question was sealed off
and all the occupants were chased out by the enforcement team of LABSCA.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“The developer took advantage of the long weekend and began
illegal renovation of this building; there is no renovation permit and there is
no letter from the supervising engineer,’’ Joseph said.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He said that LABSCA was doing its best to ensure that all the
distressed buildings on Lagos Island and within the state were under its
control.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Earlier, Mr Tiamiyu Adesina, General Manager, Lagos State
Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), told journalists that the prompt response
by the agency led to the rescue of 14 victims alive.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“The agency received a distress call at about 7 a.m.
concerning the collapse which prompted the immediate activation of the agency’s
emergency and other response teams.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“The agency immediately mobilised all the stakeholders to
the scene and successfully rescued 14 victims with various degrees of injury,
who were immediately moved to Lagos Mainland Hospital for treatment,’’ he said.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He advised owners and developers of buildings in the state
to strictly adhere to building codes and physical planning laws to avert
unnecessary loss of lives.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mr Akande Femi, a resident of 14, Daddy Alhaja Street, told
NAN that some occupants of the building had just returned from the early
morning prayer when the incident happened.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“It happened at exactly 7:20 am this morning, 14 people have
been rescued and taken to hospital while two people died but people are still
trapped on first floor and the second floor.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“People were rescued on the third and fourth floor while the
second and the first floors sank,’’ he said.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He explained that the house was a residential building but
the ground floor was being used for business.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
However, Adesina told NAN in telephone interview that the
agency would continue its search for possible survivors who might be trapped under
the building.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“If anybody thinks there are people trapped there, they can
come to us. Until I left the spot, there was no such information but my head of
operation is still there on ground,’’ he said.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(Source: NAN)</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>

“We warned occupants to vacate the house”: Official

“We warned occupants to vacate the house”: Official The Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) said occupants of the three storey b...

President Buhari fulfills campaign promises: Lai Mohammed

<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<a href="http://www.sunnewsonline.ng/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/vllkytbp10nbgcq5i.r600x315.8ec7658a-1-300x158.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.sunnewsonline.ng/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/vllkytbp10nbgcq5i.r600x315.8ec7658a-1-300x158.jpg" /></a>President Buhari fulfills campaign
promises: Lai Mohammed<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
The Minister of Information and
Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said on Monday that President Muhammadu Buhari’s
administration has fulfilled its campaign promises to Nigerians despite
dwindling revenue.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mohammed made the pronouncement at the Presentation of
National Social Investment Programmes (N-SIP) Report Card event to mark the 2nd
Anniversary of President Buhari’s administration in Abuja.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The theme of the report card presentation was “Showcasing
the Achievements of National Social Investment Programmes: A Smile for Every
Nigerian.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
He said through N-SIP the Federal
Government provided employment to 200,000 unemployed graduates, engaged 57,000
people through Government Enterprise and Empowerment <b>Programme</b> (GEEP) and empowered about 26,000 ordinary Nigerians
through Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT).<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mohammed said that under the National Home Grown School
Feeding Programmme (NHGSFP), government was able to serve about 25 million
meals to 1.2 million pupils all over the country in order to make leaning conducive.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The minister added that the APC-led Federal Government under
its school feeding programme had employed no fewer than 12,000 cooks across 36
states and the FCT.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“This is a government that promised and delivered on its
promises and the unique thing about this particular N-SIP is that it has been
achieved in an era when there has been no revenue.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“It would have been very perfect excuse to say that because
oil revenue dropped drastically, therefore, we are not able to deliver on our
promises.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“But despite the dwindling revenue, we are able to deliver
on our campaign promises and then this is not related just to the social
investment programmes alone.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I am happy that we are here today to prove that this
government is not a government of propaganda; this is a real government that is
dealing with the real people,” Mohammed said.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He said the programme was designed in such a way that it was
easy and accessible to all Nigerians, adding “one of the unique selling points
of the programmes is the transparency in it.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
According to him, this is the first programme in the history
of Nigeria that you don’t need to know anybody before you can get enrolled.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I am happy that many of the beneficiaries have testified to
this and this is a new dawn.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“My appealed to all the beneficiaries is to please let them
not limit their testimonies to this hall please say it louder and clear at
every time to all Nigerians.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Let Nigerians know how this government has impacted
positively on your lives,“ he said.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The minister said that in spite of dwindling resource
between October, 2016 and to dates, the Federal Government was able to add an
additional seven billion dollars to its foreign reserves.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mohammed disclosed that the the Buhari administration had
been able to attract 500 million dollars to the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF),
and increased the Excess Crude account with 87 million dollars.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“All these we did despite the very tight resources,” the
minister said.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, commended
the Federal Government for putting smiles and restoring hope on the lives of
ordinary Nigerians through its intervention initiative, social investment
programmes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Akpabio assured that the senate was ever ready to support
anything that would alleviate the sufferings of Nigerians either through
budgeting process or approvals.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I am standing here to endorse this programme and to commend
the President, the Acting President and Coordinators of this programme for this
very laudable initiative,” he added.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC),
Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, said President Buhari had fulfilled his major
campaign promises to Nigerians by decimating Boko Haram insurgency.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He said that there was nothing as good as focusing on the
social investment programme of the Federal Government, adding that the
initiative would eradicate poverty and take children off the street.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
(Source: NAN)</div>

President Buhari fulfills campaign promises: Lai Mohammed

President Buhari fulfills campaign promises: Lai Mohammed The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said on Monday th...

Executive order: Why 24-hour ports operations in 30 days can’t work

<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.sunnewsonline.ng/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Tin-Can-300x238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.sunnewsonline.ng/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Tin-Can-300x238.jpg" /></a>Executive order: Why 24-hour ports operations in 30 days
can’t work<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The recent order by the Federal Government, ‘decreeing’ a
24-hour operations at the Apapa Port complex within 30 days, has been picked
apart by Maritime stakeholders who adjudged the move as a tall order that puts
the cart before the horse.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
According to them, as fantastic as the initiative looks, the
order is not feasible within the timeframe stipulated by government.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In their view, the Federal Government should first play its
part well before seeking the private sector to buy in on the project.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They argued that in the concession agreement, there are
aspects of government’s provision of common user-facility, which include the
ports access road- now in a sorry state- provision of uninterrupted electricity
along the road and within the port environment including viable rail network to
facilitate cargo movement in and out of the ports, among others. But the
government has failed in all the tasks. 
Besides, they opined that, unless the banks operate in the night for a
seamless banking transaction, all the talk about the 24-hour operation will
remain a barber’s chair operation: all motion, no movement.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Recall that the the Acting President, Professor Yemi
Osinbajo,  recently signed an executive
order directing  that Apapa Port should
resume 24-hour operations within 30 days.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In addition, all government agencies in the ports should
harmonise their operations into one single interface station domiciled in one
location in the port implemented by a joint task force at all times.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“All agencies currently physically present in the Nigerian
ports shall within 60 days harmonise their operations into one single interface
station domiciled in one location in the port and implemented by a single joint
task force at all times, without prejudice to necessary backend procedures.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“The new single interface station at each port shall
capture, track and record information on all goods arriving and departing from
Nigeria and remit captured information to the head of the Ministry, Department
and Agencies (MDA) and the head of the National Bureau of Statistics on a
weekly basis.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Each port in Nigeria shall assign an existing export
terminal to be dedicated to the exportation of agriculture produce within 30
days of the issuance of this order”, Osinbajo said.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
According to the directive, on-duty staff shall be properly
identified by uniform and official cards while off-duty staff shall stay away
from the ports except with the express approval of the agency head.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“The FAAN Aviation Security (AVSEC) and Nigeria Ports
Authority (NPA) Security shall enforce this order,” he directed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Also,  any official
caught soliciting or receiving bribes from passengers or other port users shall
be subject to immediate removal from post and disciplinary as well as criminal
proceedings in line with extant laws and regulations taken against him, the
directive said.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But giving his verdict on the issue, a maritime analyst, Mr
Ismail Aniemu, argued that the order was borne out of good intentions but might
not likely achieve good result given the short timeline.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“I think that order was borne out of very good intention for
the economy to work.  I want to believe
that he (0sinbajo) has not been properly briefed for him to say that within 30
days the port should operate 24 hours.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Let me pick the issues one after the other. First, the port
industry has been badly hit by recession. We have an exchange rate that hovers
around N400 and N500 to a dollar which caused importation to drop and it made
port operators to lay off over 1,500 workers in Apapa alone. Shipping
companies, terminal operators have laid off over 1,500 workers in Apapa alone.
I am not talking about the whole country.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And this common-user facility include the ports access road
which has been in very deplorable state. Do you know that vehicles trying to
access Apapa Port spend up to five days? They would queue up from Trinity or
West Minster and they would spend up to five days before getting to the ports.
Some of them would queue up from Trinity and as at the third day, they would be
at Tin Can coming slowly to Apapa Port. And that is the port you want to
operate 24 hours when you don’t have access road. So, this common-user facility
is lacking. The port access road is supposed to be covered under port
development levy, which NPA collects. 
Another very critical common-user facility that is supposed to be
provided by government is 24-hour electricity. And when they increase diesel
consumption, I hope the profit will be commensurate?. So, we have not achieved
power supply. We have not achieved effective road network within the ports and
the approaches to the ports. Then there is the single window project that has
been on for years. There is this mild controversy between Customs and NPA  under whose care should it be domiciled. Up
till now,  the single window platform
still has many government agencies and some private sectors who are yet to key
into it.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That single window is intended, among other things,  to make trade within the port community
seamless where everybody will be seeing almost what every other person is doing
and it will be intuitive and interactive. The single window project is yet to
fully take off. I am not saying 24-hour operation is not feasible but what I am
saying is that the 30 days within which the VP said it should commence is not
feasible. Now, we are already two weeks into it, have these things been put in
place? If they have not been put in place, that order may not bring a desired
result”, he said.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Aniemu, however, commended the Acting President for the bold
step intended to make the ports effective.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“But I commend the VP because it is a step that is intended
to increase efficiency, enhance productivity and promote job creation because
if the ports were to go back to 24 hours, you will now see that more hands will
be employed, vessel turn around time will be enhanced. There will be low
incidence of congestion. There may be very low level of delay associated with
clearance of goods. So, nobody will tell you that by 6 o’clock, I am closing.
So, if you cannot clear your goods by about 5:30 pm, you will come tomorrow.
People are yet to embrace electronic payment method. Under a 24-hour port
operation system, people making payment should be able to make their payment
even at night to the banks. Some can make their duty payment by 10 pm. Are the
banks  ready to collect the duty payment
at any time of the day and generate alert for the purpose of customs
information? Have they all keyed into the single window system? So, 30 days for
me is short to achieve it” Aniemu said.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Similarly, an exporter, Mr Eddy Akwaeze said that as long as
the road remains at a decrepit condition, the 24 hour operation will not be
realistic.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“There is nothing you can get out of 24 hours operation” he
said.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dragging everybody to the poor road condition has made
everybody to pay through his nose.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The rail line, he said, should be considered as a matter of
urgency.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He also suggested that dry port should be reconsidered.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“Relocation of tank farms to Badagry  is necessary now. As soon as the government
does that Apapa Port will be free,” he said.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Also, commenting the President of the Association of
Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Chief Remi Ogungbemi, said that the 24-hour
operation is a misplacement of priority because the road network to Apapa  Port should be fixed first for motorists and
workers to move freely before the 24-hour order must be effective.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“ I want the Acting President to come to Apapa and
experience what we are going through. Let him not come in a  car. Let him come in a  helicopter because he cannot access Apapa
Port (The port  we refer to  as the gateway of the economy) with his car.
So, the talk about 24 hours operation will not work. I think it is a
misplacement of priority. If there is a security alert, how will the security
operatives move?. All those that work in Apapa come to work on motorbike. We
don’t use vehicles again. So, it is not the best” he lamented.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The National President, Nigeria Merchant Navy Officers and
Water Transport Senior Staff Association (NMNOWTSSA), Matthew Alalade, spoke
glowingly on the order but was emphatic on the provision of security for it to
work.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“It is a welcome development, but one thing the government
must adhere to strictly is the provision of security. There must be security in
and outside the ports. Most of the ports the world over work 24 hours. So, it
is a good development”, he said.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Recall that on May 15, 2017, Freight Forwarders and truck
owners  embarked on an indefinite strike
to protest the deplorable condition of Apapa and Tin Can ports roads which has
claimed several lives and damaged several vehicles and cargoes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That  strike was not
the only protest  by the road-users. The
residents and  corporate bodies   in 
Apapa led by the Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN) have also  demonstrated 
their grievances on the condition of the roads.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
BSN General Secretary, Dare Ajiboye,  who spoke on behalf of the residents,  also expressed fear over what would become of
them during this year’s rainy season as the roads leading to the Apapa Wharf
are likely to worsen.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
According to him, because of the  condition of the roads, trucks laden with
containers fall on the residents and many of the residents  fall ill because of long stay on endless
traffic.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Also, motorists are attacked by hoodlums on the long traffic
and the government loses money because some containers cannot come to Apapa.
When containers cannot come in, he said, 
the government equally loses 
taxes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He said that  the two
major  roads to Apapa,  namely Oshodi-Apapa Expressway and
Ijora-Apapa Road  are in decrepit
situation, replete with deep gullies at various sections of the road from West
Minster up to First Gate Bus Stop.<o:p></o:p></div>
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“The road  from
Coconut Bus Stop is blocked daily by trucks and fuel tankers make  it impossible for Apapa-bound vehicles to
move. The gridlock is compounded by gullies on both the Oshodi and Apapa-bound
carriageways between the Tin Can First Gate and Second Gate Bus stops. Most
people have for a long time abandoned this road because of its terrible state
and this has increased the pressure on the Ijora/Apapa Road which is the second
road to Apapa”, he disclosed.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://www.sunnewsonline.ng/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/vp2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.sunnewsonline.ng/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/vp2.jpg" /></a>It is also note-worthy to reiterate  here that over 5, 000 workers have lost their
jobs in Apapa in the last one year. This followed the closure of over 50
companies including banks and entertainment outlets who depend on the
activities from the wharf.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On Wharf Road alone, Daily Sun counted over 10 banks  and two eateries that have closed shop
because of the lull in business.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Unity Bank which used to have four  branches, now has two branches and Ecobank
with eight  branches had to reduce to
four. Similarly, Access Bank with seven 
branches also cut down to four<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Eateries like Tetrazini has been  shut down, while a  popular Kingstone Joe that had two  outlets at Warehouse Road and Wharf Road  are closed down.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tantalizer with three outlets has reduced to one while the
only Mr Biggs eatery in Apapa on Creek Road closed down.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Major hotels like Rockview, Excelsior and many others are
groaning for lack of patronage as most of their rooms are always empty. Chains
of events that require renting their halls no longer come.  A room rate which used to be between N25,000
and N30,000 can now be negotiated for between N8,000 and  N10,000.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Other businesses that collapsed on Burma Road include,
grocery shops, shipping companies, haulage outfits, freight forwarding firms,
clubs and other recreational outlets.  It
was gathered that each of the outfits has between 20 and 50 staff while one of
the biggest brothels which harbours over 200 inmates in the area has equally
closed shop and the inmates relocated to other parts of  Lagos where they can get customers.<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Faced with all these challenges, stakeholders, therefore,
concluded that Osinbajo’s directive is a tall order. Two weeks after the order
was given, the situation still remains unchanged and the government agencies in
the ports cannot operate without the private sector.</div>

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Executive order: Why 24-hour ports operations in 30 days can’t work The recent order by the Federal Government, ‘decreeing’ a 24-hour ope...

Banky W spills love as he dedicates new song to Adesua

<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSHIURj_G2YthWsnd0gc2zqKeyTfJLWack9-pdc5vO2PO9KpNB_svF6YgzfDSggCbm6NgZ4_M-OOFf_dfHYZGZeITcCHJTzi0bkY80-w4kfw7CSS0nZuhdMzKpp44yu_AB3667ih7obwE/s1600/banky-w-spills-love-as-he-dedica.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="345" data-original-width="503" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSHIURj_G2YthWsnd0gc2zqKeyTfJLWack9-pdc5vO2PO9KpNB_svF6YgzfDSggCbm6NgZ4_M-OOFf_dfHYZGZeITcCHJTzi0bkY80-w4kfw7CSS0nZuhdMzKpp44yu_AB3667ih7obwE/s320/banky-w-spills-love-as-he-dedica.png" width="320" /></a><o:p> </o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
There can hardly be a more inspiring and romantic way for a
music star to express deeply sitted emotions other than by dedicating an
important song to her. that is exactly what Banky has done by dedicating his
new song to Adesua Etomi.</div>

Banky W spills love as he dedicates new song to Adesua

There can hardly be a more inspiring and romantic way for a music star to express deeply sitted emotions other than by dedicating an i...

ARE YOU A ONE MINUTE MAN?, CLICK HERE TO GET THE NATURAL CURE WITH NO SIDE EFFECTS TODAY. Read more

<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGn1eNRj3oYgNHwvhdWhyphenhyphen0I-6MhmDEd0bREx9A8IzOOjoLXORM2PJeUALbADu1gY9PEtOsOZT285sqLdccUUToVZE_nlETy3__ttKp_juUy_bDg0jXHwodPdIwXvY-K4aHu6bmeBCmZ0/s1600/weak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="379" data-original-width="652" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNGn1eNRj3oYgNHwvhdWhyphenhyphen0I-6MhmDEd0bREx9A8IzOOjoLXORM2PJeUALbADu1gY9PEtOsOZT285sqLdccUUToVZE_nlETy3__ttKp_juUy_bDg0jXHwodPdIwXvY-K4aHu6bmeBCmZ0/s320/weak.jpg" width="320" /></a>That of course mean that even if he wasn’t rich he was able
to satisfy them all sexually.Infact He got married to the last wife when he was
71   So, How Did Our Grandfathers Marry
Numerous Wives Yet Satisfy Them Sexually? 
<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Click Here Now for Solution to weak erection and quick
ejaculation   I was searching answers to
this until I stumbled on this Interview of Late Fatai rolling dollars on Pm
News</div>

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That of course mean that even if he wasn’t rich he was able to satisfy them all sexually.Infact He got married to the last wife when he was...