It’s Premature To Sack Service Chiefs Now – Sgf [LEADERSHIP]
Nigerians clamouring for the sack of the service chiefs over alleged poor performance may need to rethink their action because the federal government is not well-disposed to it.
The secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, who reacted to the calls yesterday, declared that it was premature to take such step because it would complicate the present security situation in the country.
Mustapha told journalists after the presentation of a book authored by a former general secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Samuel Salifu, that “it is premature to sack the service chiefs because of Nigeria’s growing insecurity.”
The situation, according to him, requires everyone to be on board, adding that what should be the main focus of Nigerians is how to work together to combat the security challenges, and not the sack of the service chiefs.
Nimasa To Begin Online Ship Registration [LEADERSHIP]
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) says Nigeria will soon begin online ship registration.
The director-general of NIMASA, Dr Dakuku Peterside, made this known in Lagos yesterday. Peterside said that the move was in a bid to have a world-class ship registry and enhance the Ease of Doing Business in the maritime sector.
“NIMASA has concluded plans to set up an automated ship registration process through online and electronic procedure,’’ the director-general said in a statement.
He added that the issue of ways to improve the quality of the registry was discussed with stakeholders, who promised to support the initiative by pledging to fund the ship registration automation process.
He noted that the agency had acquired software licence for the automation of the Nigerian Ship Registry, which was rated by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) as the second largest in Africa, by tonnage.
He said that they came after Liberia and 46th in the world, saying that automation was the only way to boost the worth of the registry and quicken business processes.
“Our principal aim is to achieve online electronic registration, accept electronic copies of documents and issue electronic certificates. Our goal as a Maritime Safety Administration is to create a world class Ship Registry, which will be attractive to ship owners with the aim of maintaining the influence of Nigeria in evolving international commercial and regulatory environment for shipping,” Peterside said.
The director-general also highlighted the efforts the agency had made to secure an internationally-competitive ship registry for the country, which include auditing the register of Nigerian vessels, redesigning and producing new ship registry certificates and others.
He noted that some of the biggest ship registries in the world, such as the UK Ship Register, currently maintained a second or international register to attract tonnage, while using the closed register to develop indigenous capacity.
He pointed out that the agency was considering establishing a second register to help grow Nigerian fleet and enhance the country’s role in international commercial trade.
Peterside called on stakeholders to assist the agency’s new computerisation initiative as they hoped to rely on their guidance, experience, industry know-how and cooperation to endow the desperately-needed credence and international respect for the Nigerian Flag.
A governing council member of the Nigerian Content Development & Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr Mina Oforiokuma, noted that technically, Nigeria’s registry was the largest in Africa.
S’court Adjourns Imo, Zamfara Cases To March 2 [LEADERSHIP]
The Supreme Court adjourned until March 2, the hearing in an application filed by Chief Emeka Ihedioha, a former governor of Imo, seeking a review of the January 14 judgment sacking him from the office.
Ihedioha had prayed the Supreme Court to set aside the judgment it delivered on January 14.
The apex court nullified his election as Imo governor and declared Hope Uzodimma of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the March 9 governorship election in the state.
Ihedioha made the request in an application he and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) filed at the Supreme Court through their lawyer Chief Kanu Agabi, SAN.
The seven-man panel of the apex court led byJustice Tanko Muhammad, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) adjourned the hearing after Ihedioha’s lawyer, Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), told the court that processes were still being filed.
“My lords, processes are still coming in. Up till this morning, we were still receiving processes. We therefore, apply for an adjournment to enable all the processes to come in,” Agabi said
The lawyer representing Uzodinma and his party, the All Progressives Congress, Damian Dodo (SAN), and that of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Taminu Inuwa (SAN), did not oppose the application for adjournment.
Power Devolution, Land Use Threaten Constitution Review [THE NATION]
Indications have emerged that the unusual suspicion that trails attempt to amend the constitution will also dog the way of the Omo-Agege Constitution Review Panel.
Some senators on Tuesday listed formidable obstacles to the plan to tinker with the constitution.
The senators expressed concern over the possibility that these predictable constraints may thwart the proposed amendment, owing to the contrasting perception of the items by lawmakers from diverse zones.
The senators said the thorny issues include the lack of consensus on the Land Use Act and devolution of power, which may unsettle the fifth alteration of the 1999 Constitution.
Senate President, Ahmad Lawan inaugurated the 56-member Constitution Review Panel on February 12 with Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege as the chairman.
Checking Local Rice Adulteration [THE NATION]
Despite efforts to ensure Nigeria becomes self-sufficient in rice production, thereby guaranteeing food security, local producers have raised the alarm that mischief-makers are spoiling their efforts, adulterating their products with stones to discredit them.
During the pre-and post-independence years, agriculture was the mainstay of the nation’s economy. It is also a major contributor to the country’s foreign reserves.
The three defunct regions competed along areas of their comparative advantage in agriculture. The North was noted for its groundnut pyramid, and other legume produce; the East was famous for its palm oil production and other products while the West was renowned for its cocoa production among other agricultural products. The Cocoa House and the first television station in Africa in Ibadan were built from the wealth from cocoa.
Then, the Premiers of these regions, namely Ahmadu Bello (the Sadauna of Sokoto), Chief Michael Okpara and Chief Obafemi Awolowo, all late, ensured that the resources were well managed for the enhancement of the peoples’ well-being.
Most outstanding structures in these regions were established with proceeds from agriculture.
Things became awry from 1958 when crude oil was discovered in commercial quantity in Oloibiri in present day Bayelsa State.
Excitedly referred to as “black gold”, Nigeria and Nigerians shifted their attention away from farming or agriculture to oil exploration as the earnings from oil exploration and export far outweigh those from agriculture. Even the then Head of State was said to have said in Addis Ababa Ethiopia during a meeting of African Heads of State and Governments that “Nigeria’s problem is not money but how to spend it.
FIRS Orders Deduction Of Stamp Duty, CIT, Others From Source [THE NATION]
There is no more hiding place for government contractors in the payment of Stamp Duty, Withholding Tax and Company Income Tax (CIT).
“Revenue collecting agencies are to deduct stamp duty, withholding tax and CIT from their contractors at the point of payment and promptly send these to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in lump sum, rather than staggered payments as it is the current practice”, Muhammad Nami, said in Lagos on Tuesday.
The FIRS Chairman said: “This is better for everybody as we would all have to do less reconciliation and enforcement activities, and we can therefore use the saved time to expand the tax net.”
Nami spoke during a visit to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the Lagos State House at Alausa, Ikeja,
Aso Rock Official Murdered In Abuja [SUN]
Laetitia Dagan, assistant director of administration at the State House, has been murdered at her Abuja residence.
The presidency confirmed her death via a statement, yesterday.
The Permanent Secretary, State House, Abuja, Jalal Arabi, who confirmed her death, described it as a painful loss.
Deputy Director of Information in the State House, Attah Esa, in a statement quoted Arabi as saying during a condolence visit to her family, that the killing of Ms.Dagan, is “a painful loss, not only to her immediate family, but also the entire State House.
“She was a dedicated, hard-working officer, and we all feel pained by her dastardly and untimely death.”
According to the Permanent Secretary, “We all share in your grief and pains, but be consoled by the fact that she lived a good life and contributed her best to the services of her nation.”
Ex-SGF Hits Govs, Wants States Scrapped [SUN]
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Babachir Lawal, has said if he had his way, the country will have only federal and local governments.
Speaking with journalist in Abuja, Lawal, described governors as “parasites” who take a major share of the country’s resources and “abuse” it.
The former SGF made the comments when he was asked what he would like to see changed as the national assembly attempts to amend the constitution.
He said there was a need to have a Federal Government because some institutions of state need to have a national outlook.
Insecurity: Buhari Won’t Sack Service Chiefs, Says SGF [PUNCH]
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, on Tuesday, dashed the hope of many Nigerians when he declared that President Muhammadu Buhari, is not considering the suggestions that Service Chiefs should be sacked.
He categorically declared that the Service Chiefs would not be sacked anytime soon, as being demanded by some Nigerians, including human right lawyers and civil society organizations.
Mustapha spoke with in Abuja at public presentation of a book titled, “CAN, religion, politics and power in Nigeria” authored by the former General Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Samuel Salifu.
Sacking Service Chiefs’ll Threaten National Unity — Presidency [PUNCH]
The Presidency on Tuesday said sacking service chiefs would create cracks in the country and threaten national unity.
The Presidency added that there were processes that should be followed in the disengagement of heads of security agencies insisting that “at the right time, those processes will be followed.”
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, stated this at the National Christian Centre, Abuja, during the public presentation of a book titled, ‘CAN, Religion and Power in Nigeria,’ written by a former General Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Samuel Salifu.
He said, “Well, I don’t think this (sacking of service chiefs) is appropriate for this forum; you don’t sack people like that. There are processes and I believe that at the opportune (sic) time, those processes will be followed.
Kogi kidnappers abduct another 12 Travelers, demand N30m [PUNCH]
The Kogi State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of another set of 12 persons in Itobe/Ajegu community in the Ofu Local Government Area.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP William Aya, said the victims were travelling from Warri in a Toyota Hiace bus when they were abducted.
He, however, said that the number of victims had yet to be ascertained.
A source told our correspondent that the kidnappers had demanded N30m ransom to free the victims.
He said, “The victims boarded a Toyota Hiace bus belonging to Eleojo Transport Service with number plate KSF 19 XZ from Warri in Delta State on Sunday with 16 passengers heading to Anyigba in the Dekina LGA of the state.”
The source also said four of the passengers alighted at Okene, leaving 12 persons in the car, including the driver.
The vehicle was said to have run into the kidnappers between Itobe and Ajegu in the Ofu LGA, Kogi State.
The driver reportedly escaped and went to the Police at Itobe division to report the incident.
‘How British Airways Abandoned Over 300 Nigerians In Accra’ [THE GUARDIAN]
Although flight services have since resumed this week, the dust raised by last week’s disruptions is yet to settle. Just yesterday, a score of passengers arrived Lagos from Accra, Ghana, were they had been ferried and allegedly abandoned by British Airways since last week.
The travellers, who could not make it to Lagos by road at the weekend like others, berated the airlines for “making over 300 Nigerians suffer for the problems at our airport.”One of the passengers, Akintunde, told The Guardian that the airline “dumped us in Ghana, and told us to find our way to Lagos.”
Akintunde, in his 70s, said it was bad that the Lagos airport system failed when it mattered most, but it was worst that “the British Airways did what it always does to Nigerians.”“It is sad that in many years of our lives, our government has not deemed it fit to demand a certain standard of service from these airlines. British Airways has been the worse for treating Nigerians with disdain since the 80s. It is very depressing to see them doing the same to date,” he said.
Government To Kick Off Gas Flare Commercialisation From 45 Sites [THE GUARDIAN]
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has stated that over 200 bidders are competing for the available 45 gas flaring sites in Nigeria, adding that the national gas flare commercialization programme will be implemented from those sites at the initial stage.
Specifically, the department stated that there are other gas flaring sites coming onboard, maintaining that the 200 bidders were selected based on quality, quantity and capacity they have to deliver on projects timely.
The Director, DPR, Sarki Auwalu, at a stakeholders’ engagement on national gas flare commercialisation programme to eliminate gas flaring and create value from gas in Lagos, the emergence of preferred bidders is on and would take about 60 days after which the bidders must have given a timeframe for completed projects.
In his words, “There are 200 bidders that have been shortlisted where over 800 bided. We looked at the capacity, the quantity and quality of what they have. These 200 bidders are competing for 45 gas flaring sites for now and there are other flaring sites coming onboard. This also shows that the world is interested in Nigeria because of the potential. Ordinarily, we did not expect that much even though we disqualified over 600.”
