By Sunday John

No fewer than six persons have sustained various injuries when a petroleum tanker exploded on Monday at Sandaji Filling Station in Lafia, Nasarawa State.

The tanker which brought petroleum product to the filling station located at Jos Road Lafia, exploded around 12:00pm.

Comfort Igwe, a pump attendant at the station told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the explosion occured while the tanker was discharging its product.

She said it took the intervention of men of fire service in collaboration with Red Cross Society, police and other security agencies to quench the fire and return normalcy to the area.

The explosion also destroyed property worth millions of naira at the filling station, the eye witness said.

The eye witness explained that some staff members of the filling station and official of Nasarawa State Fire Service sustained injury and are receiving treatments at the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia.

Mr Ombugu Joshua, Acting Director, Nasarawa State Fire Service said the command was yet to ascertain the cause of the outbreak.

He advised residents to always alert the service on time whenever they experience fire outbreak for prompt response. (NAN). (www.nannews.ng).

Edited by Julius Toba-Jegede

By Abiodun Lawal

Four persons were killed on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Monday when a luxury bus rammed into a truck.

Three other persons sustained varying degrees of injuries in the accident.

Mrs Florence Okpe, Public Education Officer, Federal Road Safety Corps in Ogun, confirmed the incident in Abeokuta.

She said the truck did not stop after the bus rammed into it while negotiating a bend around “Kara’’ axis on the expressway.

Okpe said also that 21 persons, 13 men and eight women, were involved in the accident.

The corpses were deposited at a morgue in Sagamu in Ogun, while the injured were taken to a nearby hospital, she said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Alli Hakeem

By Victor Okoye

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume has called on banks to follow  provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA) when lending to Governments in the Federation and their institutions.

A statement by Bede Anyanwu, Head of Strategic Communications at the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) said Akume made the call in a keynote address at a Stakeholder Dialogue on Saturday in Lagos.

He said dialogue was aimed at promoting fiscal discipline.

Akume was represented by a staff in the SGF`s Office,  Dr. David Eze.

The SGF affirmed that following the rule was to ensure that borrowing was done the right way for the right reasons to improve fiscal sustainability.

He  encouraged  all  stakeholders  to  commit  to  more  prudent management of public finances to achieve desired outcomes.

The Executive Chairman of the FRC, Victor Muruako equally called on all Nigerian banks to adhere to the provisions of  the FRA  2007  in  their  lending  practices  to government and its agencies.

“The Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007 is Nigeria’s foremost legal framework for the  promotion,  monitoring  and enforcement  of fiscal discipline.

“It stipulates in Section 45(2), that lending by banks to governments or their agencies in contravention of the provisions  of  the  Act  shall  be  unlawful.

“PART  X  of  the  act  provides  guidelines  for borrowing by government agencies and public institutions, including the requirement for obtaining the necessary approvals and proof of compliance to ensure the sustainability of loans.

“Recognising the critical role that loans play in driving socio-economic development, the FRC  brought  banks  together  with  regulators,  policy  makers  and  government  in  the Stakeholder  Dialogue  to  highlight the  provisions  of the  FRA  on  responsible  lending.

“Discussions focused on measures to enhance compliance to improve the nation’s debt management practices,” the statement said.

The FRC boss emphasized the importance of compliance with the FRA to improve loan performance, to maintain macro-economic stability.

“We  are  committed  to  good  corporate  governance,  fiscal  stability  and  the pursuit of economic development to improve the lives of citizens while improving our nation’s   viability.

“We,   therefore,   enjoin   all   stakeholders   to   support   the   bold macroeconomic reform initiatives of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu  by  ensuring  more  fiscal  discipline  in  line  with  the  provisions  of  the  FiscalResponsibility Act 2007 (FRA) .”

The chairman said that the  provisions  of the  FRA  serve to  keep the  lender, borrower, regulator, evaluator, assessor, and indeed the beneficiary of public sector loans on the same page.

Mr. Greg  Jobome, Executive   Director,   Risk Management Division, Access Bank who responded   on   behalf  of  the   banks. Said  they will continue to work together with  stakeholders  to    foster  responsible lending  practices, transparency, and accountability.

The FRC Stakeholder Dialogue brought together a diverse group of participants including banking Institutions, government representatives, economists, academics and experts in fiscal governance.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Muhyideen Jimoh/Joseph Edeh

By Angela Atabo

A Civil Society Organisation (CSO), United Global Resolve for Peace (UGRFP), has called on President Bola Tinubu to defend the saga about his educational qualification from Chicago State University and shame his detractors.

Mr Shalom Olaseni, Chairman of UGRFP, said on Sunday in a statement that as a concerned group, they have been monitoring the whole event surrounding Tinubu’s certificate authenticity.

Olaseni said that the issue had attracted so much attention in the media space both locally and internationally.

“Now is the appropriate time for the President to provide every proof that his certificate was genuinely acquired,” he said.

Olaseni said that Nigeria’s democracy would be dragged in the mud if the controversy was not resolved.

“In this regard, we call upon President Tinubu to forthrightly present his side of the matter.

“The President, as a custodian of our national leadership, owes it to the Nigerian people to provide irrefutable evidence that validates the authenticity of his educational qualifications.

“Transparency is not a mere expectation, it is an imperative for the sustenance of trust and confidence in our leadership.

“The implications of allowing this controversy to persist without resolution will extend beyond the realm of political intrigue and into the very core of our democratic principles,’’ Olaseni said.

According to the UGRFP chairman, by failing to address allegations of this magnitude, the president risks sending a message that integrity and accountability can be compromised with impunity.

Olaseni further said that allowing such allegations to slide would project the image of the country in the negative light.

“As Nigeria seeks to play an increasingly prominent role on the international stage, it is paramount that our leaders demonstrate the highest standards of integrity and accountability,’’ Olaseni added.

He, however, appealed to the National Assembly to critically address the issue, adding that a thorough and fair investigation within a period would ensure justice, the nation’s commitment to the rule of law and transparency.

The chairman also warned those exploiting the situation, especially on social media platforms, to beware.

According to him, decorum is profitable to direct, and circumspection is wisdom in the face of half-truths and blurry narratives.

He said that the reputation of the country was dependent on collective ability to address the allegations surrounding the saga with absolute transparency and integrity.

“We believe that the truth must be unveiled for the sake of our nation’s unity, credibility and the faith our citizens placed on the country.

“Mr President must be accorded a right of reply and remains adjudged by the presumption of regularity and innocence of the allegations against him.

“It is only a court of competent jurisdiction that can adjudicate on this matter,’’ the chairman said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

By Remi Koleoso

Prophet Timothy Arabambi, the General Overseer of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Reformation Land, Olunloyo, Ibadan, has admonished Nigerian youths to be good ambassadors by supporting Federal Government policies.

The cleric made the call in his sermon at the youth wing celebrations on Sunday.

Arabambi, particularly admonished the youth in the house of the Lord to be closer to God and be good ambassadors of Christ at all times.

According to him, God is the only way to salvation, peace and unity in life, adding that there was no way one can be successful without Jesus Christ.

He stressed that since President Bola Tinubu assumed office, social vices hindering progress of the country had reduced to the barest.

The cleric, who commended the youth for ensuring endurable peace, urged them to join him in prayers and supplication to God as a panacea to peace, growth and development.

“There is need for the youth to partner with the Federal Government to ensure there is peace in the country.”

“We should be closer as never before, irrespective of our culture, tradition and other barriers, in order to continue to make the country a land of peace and honey,” he stressed.

Speaking further, the cleric appealed to the youth to always be good ambassadors of Jesus Christ, our lord and personal saviour and pray for the success of President Tinubu-led administration.

The prophet said that the on-going economic recession would soon be over,  adding that what Nigerians needed now was to be fervent in prayers to God to redeem this great nation from the hands of both internal and external aggressors. (NAN)

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Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

By Deborah Coker

The Minister of State for Defence, Dr Muhammed Matawalle, has charged the National Defence College (NDC), to develop a curriculum to aid in producing knowledge-based Armed Forces.

Matawalle gave the charge as a Special Guest of Honour at the inauguration of the Course 32 of the NDC in Abuja on Saturday.

This is contained in a statement by Mr Hope Attari, Acting Director of Press and Public Relations of the ministry.

Matawalle, while addressing participants, said the Federal Government would not relent in building a resilient Armed Forces in the face of unpredictable economic and environmental conditions.

He said this would be in response to risk that might threaten national security, economic prosperity and societal wellbeing.

The minister reiterated the President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to combat corruption and improve the economy of Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the Guest Speaker, Dr Ibrahim Kana, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, noted that Nigeria was blessed with people born with talents and capacities to produce and develop.

On the topic “Strengthening national unity for security and development in Nigeria”, Kana said there might be challenges today, but assured that the country would soon take its rightful place.

“I assure you that Nigeria will soon take its rightful place because of the realisation of the importance of human capital development,” he said.

Earlier Rear Admiral Olumuyiwa Olotu, Commandant, NDC, expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for the support to the college.

Olotu urged the participants to use the opportunity to prepare for higher responsibilities as well as establish strong bond of friendship.

“It is worthy to note that 108 members participated at this year Course 32, and out of that figure, we had total number of 15 foreign participants,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Idris Abdulrahman

By Ahmed Ubandoma

The Federal Government has temporarily suspended the N-Power Programme of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation to give way for proper audit of the programme.

The Federal Government kick-started the N-Power scheme on June 8, 2016 to address issues of youth unemployment and help to increase social development.

The scheme was created as a component of government’s National Social Investment Programme.

Dr Akindele Egbuwalo, National Programme Manager of N-Power announced its suspension in a statement he issued on Sunday in Abuja.

Egbuwalo stated that the suspension and audit of the scheme became necessary to give room for a detailed investigation into N-Power’s operations in the last 12 months.

He added that 960,000 Nigerians were enrolled in the scheme since its inception to date.

“There is the need to audit the number of people still under the scheme because most of them have exited from N-POWER 1.0 and N-POWER 2.0 Batch A and Batch B.

“The audit is also necessary to establish the number of people that have exited the programme; those who are being owed; and how funds have been utilised over the years,’’ he explained.

Egbuwalo stated that some beneficiaries who concluded their programme since 2022 were still expecting payment from government.

“Recently, we discovered instances of programme beneficiaries whose participation had lapsed since 2022 but have stayed on and continued to expect payment from government.

“Some beneficiaries do not report to their places of primary assignments as required, but still receive monthly payments.

“Some have other jobs and have left this bracket, but are still benefiting from payments, while those who truly worked are not paid.

“These instances call for a thorough audit of the scheme,’’ he stated.

Egbuwalo assured Nigerians that government would prioritise claims of those owed between eight months and nine months stipends after ascertaining the veracity of their claims.

“Graduates and non-graduate volunteers Batch C1 & Batch C2 are in this category. We want to establish the exact number of people owed and the total cost implication to eliminate ghost beneficiaries.

“Our preliminary findings show that some consultants are holding on to beneficiaries’ funds disbursed to them long ago, even when their contract ended in March 2023 without a renewal.

“We condemn this practice and will not tolerate it going forward,’’ he stated.

Egbuwalo added that work was on-going to identify culprit consultants to ascertain why the payments did not get to the beneficiaries.

Such funds would be recalled and paid to affected beneficiaries, he assured.

“We assure all beneficiaries with genuine claims that we will resolve their cases once we complete the verification and honour all valid outstanding obligations.

“We appeal to Nigerians to understand the rationale behind the temporary suspension and investigation of the scheme as we work to restore the nation’s confidence in it,’’ he stated.

Egbuwalo expressed government’s determination to restructure and expand the programme to accommodate persons within the ages of 18 years and 40 years as against the previous age limit of 35 years.

“The restructuring will accommodate some new programmes in education, health, works, agriculture, technology, fashion, entertainment, and other relevant areas of skills acquisition and employability.

“We are targeting five million beneficiaries in five years at a rate of one million beneficiaries per year under the graduate and non-graduate streams,’’ Egbuwalo also stated. (NAN)

Edited by Alli Hakeem

By Fortune Abang

China Geo-engineering Corporation (CGC) Nigeria Ltd. has reiterated its commitment to construct four pipeline loops to boost water supply capacity by 480,000 cubic metres per-day in Nigeria.

The organisation made this known in a statement published on the AU”s website on Saturday.

The statement said the project encompassed 415 kilometers of ductile-iron water distribution pipelines of varying DN1500-200 diameters.

It described the organisation’s Water Supply Division of CGC to have had extensive business advantages in engineering projects, internationally competitive, water project construction capabilities and project subcontracting management capabilities.

Also in matching design consulting, operation management and market growth capabilities, thereby contributing towards improvement of economic and social development in Nigeria.

According to the statement, since 2001 CGC built more than 100 water plants in 36 states of Nigeria, served daily life, and boosted production and water supply of 70 million people.

“The Greater Abuja Water Supply Project, flagged off in May 2021, constructed by Water Supply Division of CGC Nigeria Limited, is a significant infrastructure development in Nigeria’s capital.

“This is managed by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and jointly financed by the Export-Import Bank of China.

“It aims to construct four pipeline loops, thereby enhancing the city’s water supply capacity by 480,000 m3/d.

“The project encompasses 415 kilometers of ductile iron water distribution pipelines of varying diameters DN1500-200.”

The statement noted that completion of the project would alleviate water scarcity in 50 districts and benefit an estimated 2.5 million residents.

It described the project as being more than just a water supply initiative, also as a comprehensive plan to enhance the quality of life in the FCT to provide safe, reliable and ample water to its inhabitants.

“The project’s social benefits are manifold improving living standards by laying and commissioning water supply pipelines, the project connects the final ‘mile’ of the water supply system.

“This expansion increases the city’s water supply capacity from 240,000m3/d to 720,000m3/d, effectively addressing the long-standing water shortage in the FCT and enhancing residents’ quality and health of life.

“(It will) create employment opportunities; the project directly employs over a thousand indigenous workers during construction, indirectly creating more job opportunities.

“It stimulates local employment and income growth while nurturing a group of Nigerian local talents and enhancing local personnel skills and quality.

“(Also) promoting sustainable development; the project allows the existing water plant to operate at its maximum capacity, reducing resource waste,” it added.

It said the organisation would expand its scope of water users, improve expenditure of the water supply system, form a virtuous cycle, and lay the foundation for long-term stable development of water supply service.

It assured the project would help strengthen the FCT’s water supply system, provide a crucial foundation for its economic, social, and cultural development, as well as bolster Nigeria’s international image and soft-power.

CGC is a reputable Chinese company at the forefront of construction of roads and bridges, agriculture, mining, water supply, irrigation, drilling, real estate, manufacturing and trade in Nigeria. (NAN)

Edited by Thompson Yamput/Muhammad Suleiman Tola