By Polycarp Auta

Umar Abubakar, a 30 year-old Person with Disability (PWD) in Jos, has explained why he rejected street begging and acquired shoe-making skill.

Abubakar, a resident of Bauchi Road community of Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau, narrated his story in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Jos.

Abubakar was a beneficiary of the empowerment programme recently organised by a non-governmental organisation, Centre for Community Action for Peace and Development (CCAPAD) for 60 youths in Jos North Local Government Area.

He explained that he came down with polio at age two, adding that he started learning shoe-making since 2001.

”I came down with polio since when I was two years old and so, I couldn’t go to school or do anything meaningful.

”But in 2001, I decided to join someone who repairs and makes new shoes opposite our house to learn because I don’t want to be idle.

”Even when my friends will convince me that we should go for street begging, I usually reject the temptation because I know such ventures won’t help me

”I have a family who love and care for me without reservation, and I felt i should also do something that will enable me contribute toward the growth of the family and to also be useful to myself,” he said.

Abubakar thanked CCAPAD for the training and starter packs presented to him, adding that it would enable him improve on his work for better service delivery.

”This is the first time I’m receiving any help since I started learning shoe making and so I’m grateful to this organisation.

”I want to assure them, my family and indeed my entire community that I will do my best to put these items and the cash donated to me into good use,” he promised.

On his physical disability, Abubakar advised parents to ensure regular immunisation against polio for their children to avoid the spread of the disease in the country.

He also advised those already living with disabilities to engage in meaningful ventures instead of street begging or idling around.

Mr Ahmed Salihu, the Executive Director of CCAPAD, said that the initiative was supported by the European Union through the British Council’s Agent for Citizen-Driven Transformation (ACT).

He explained that the gesture was part of its project entitled: ”Strengthening the Culture of Resilience Among Children and Youth in Jos”.

Salihu further explained that the project was implemented alongside three other organisations, namely; Centre for Peace Advancement in Nigeria (CEPAN), Community Aid Workers Initiative (CAWI) and Gangare Youth Forum (GYF).

He said that the beneficiaries were drawn from Bauchi road, Anguwan Rukuba, Anguwan Jarawa and Naraguta communities, all in Jos North Local Government Area.

”The beneficiaries are largely direct victims of the various Jos crises and so the project is aimed at addressing the conflict consequences.

”Some of the beneficiaries are youths that are out of school, drug addicts and those who are into prostitution and all kind of vices.

”So, we brought these youth together and first deradicalise them, made them select the kind of skill they want to do and we funded it,” he said.

The executive director added that the rationale behind the project is to make the beneficiaries self-sufficient and economically viable, adding that such move would promote peace and tranquility in the society.

”We believe that by doing so, are will pull out these beneficiaries of the street and make them better persons.

”That once they are can earn a living and support their loved ones, it will be difficult for anyone to induce them with money to indulge in crime,” Salihu added.

He further said that the beneficiaries were trained in the areas of shoe making, hairdressing, interior decoration, petty trading and cosmetology, among others.

Mrs Omotunde Clement, the Focal Person of the project in Plateau, said that the initiative aimed at empowering its partners to access funds that would strengthen their capacity to engage effectively and influence development in sectors such

She said that the project was currently being implemented in 10 states of the federation.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Kayode Olaitan

By Okeoghene Akubuike

The Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have opened talks for the revitalisation and commercialisation of Federal Government properties abroad.

This is contained in a statement signed by Mrs Manji Yarling, the Acting Head, Media and Publicity, ICRC, in Abuja on Sunday.

Yarling said the move, which was at the instance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was part of efforts to get alternative funding sources to maintain the nation’s missions abroad.

“It is also to develop or acquire new properties for newly set up missions.”

She said the discussions began on January 31, between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama and his team and the Director-General, ICRC, Michael Ohiani and his team.

Yarling said the talks continued on February 3, with the inauguration of a Public- Private Partnership (PPP) Unit in the ministry.

Speaking at the inaugural meeting, Onyeama said that funding had become a major problem for the ministry with many of its properties being undeveloped, underutilised or poorly maintained.

He said that over the years, the properties had continued to depreciate while some had even been lost due to the inability of the ministry to develop them in line with the laws of the host nations.

“If you go on a tour to some of our facilities, what you see will make one want to cry. So we have been trying to find some kind of solution to the challenges.”

According to Yarling, the minister say some of the issues that has put the country’s properties abroad in such dire situations include funding, reduction in staff and change in layouts.

She said Onyeama gave an example of how one of Nigeria’s diplomatic buildings was now in a commercially busy area with a nightclub right in front of it.

He said, “we want to turn those prime properties into money-making ventures, so we have been looking for partners to come on board.

“We have to come up with a business model that works and is sustainable.

“We really have to do something about these properties that we own and have an inventory of all our assets.”

Yarling said Janet Olisa, who oversees the Office of the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, said that the ministry wanted to use proceeds from the PPP initiative to maintain its missions and properties abroad.

According to Olisa, we have properties but we do not want to sell, we need the revenue generated from these properties to take care of the properties that we are using.

“We want to be able to do a PPP arrangement where the ministry brings in the property while the private investor brings the funds to revitalise the properties.”

She said Ohiani informed the ministry that the ICRC was set up to regulate such infrastructure development and management using private-sector funding.

“We reviewed the situation about our properties abroad and taken into consideration the economic losses, diplomatic embarrassment and security risks.

“We have come up with ideas to bring them to optimal utilisation.

“The ICRC as part of its regulatory functions monitors the entire PPP procurement process and also conducts due diligence on the private sector investors to ascertain their capability for any PPP project.”

Yarling said Ohiani assured the minister of the commitment of the commission to see the proposed projects to fruition.

Ohiani said that a team from ICRC would be ready to work with the newly inaugurated PPP unit to actualise the goals of the ministry.

“With the inauguration of the PPP unit and the first training, all is now set for the technical aspects of the proposed PPP arrangement to commence.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Ese E. Eniola Williams

Alhaji Suleiman Isyaka, the newly inaugurated APC Director for North Central.

By Maureen Okon

The Director-General All Progressives Congress (APC) Support Groups, Dr Nasiru Ladan, has called on the members of the party to remain focused to ensure its victory at all levels in the forthcoming elections.

He spoke in Abuja at the inauguration of Alhaji Suleiman Isyaku as the Director of the Amalgamated APC Support Groups (AASG) for the North-Central Zone, on Sunday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Isyaku is also the Chairman of Tinubu/Shettima Ordained Movement.

The event also witnessed the inauguration of North-Central zonal leadership and the unveiling of the national executives of AASG, which comprises major APC support groups.

Ladan said AASG was established to rally support for the party and its presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and other candidates at all levels across Nigeria.

He further added: “Tinubu’s outstanding leadership qualities, personal attributes and antecedents as a former two-term governor of Lagos State were enough evidence that Nigerians would be safe under his watch.”

He described Tinubu and his running mate, Sen. Kashim Shettima, as ‘merchants of hope.’

“They are capable of redefining the meaning and concept of modern leadership in Nigeria. The duo would project their joint ticket as a transformation agenda.”

Speaking also, Isyaka said the group was in search of credible leadership which could only be found in Tinubu, saying he would consolidate on the gains of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

He added that as members of a united front, the common goal was to mobilise eligible voters at the ward and unit levels, as well as engage major stakeholders across states of the federation.

Isyaka expressed optimism that APC would win the forthcoming elections from top to bottom on Feb. 25 and March 11, respectively.

The special guest of the event, Mrs Folasade Tinubu, the Iyaloja of Lagos State spoke on the need for the party members to be united to ensure its victory at the polls.

She appreciated all the support groups for their immerse contributions at the various stages of the Tinubu/Shettima campaign rallies across the country.

She said: “It is important to educate the electorate on how to vote so that their votes would be valid during the polls.” (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

The Dangote Industries Limited is the major sponsor of the ongoing 44th Kaduna International Trade Fair which coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Kaduna Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture(KADCCIMA).

The Trade Fair, which was officially declared open at the weekend, has as it theme: “Promoting Value Addition for Economic Growth and Development”.

Speaking, President of KADCCIMA Alhaji Suleiman Aliyu described the partnership with Dangote as very important for deepening commercial activities in the country.

He said that the support of the Dangote Group towards the success of the Fair cannot be quantified.

Speaking to newsmen, the Director General of the Chamber Alhaji Usman Saulawa, said the Dangote Group is a major sponsor of this year’s Trade Fair, and had been sponsoring the annual event all along.

He said: “Dangote Group has been playing the role of supporter and partner for many years. It participation has been adding value to the Chamber.”

The DG described this year’s fair as unique as there would be a Business Round-table session that would help deepen business opportunities for participants.

According to him, this year’s fair has attracted foreign companies from Niger Republic, Mali, Pakistan, Senegal and Egypt, among others.

The participating companies under the Dangote Industries Limited are: Dangote Cement, Dangote Sugar, NASCON, Dangote Fertiliser and Dangote Sinotruk West Africa Limited.

A statement from the Corporate Communication Department of the Dangote Group said participants who seek to do business with any of the company’s subsidiaries can avail themselves such opportunity through a special help desk at the pavilion.

It described Kaduna State as one of its biggest markets in the country, given its historical position as the political capital of Northern Nigeria.(NAN)

By Kadiri Abdulrahman

Many FCT residents have continued to face difficulty in accessing the newly redesigned Naira notes, attributing the challenge to bank officials, who they say allegedly hoard and selling the legal tender.

The stakeholders urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to impose heavy sections on Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) found complicit in fuelling the Naira scarcity, as well as other abusers of the currency.

According to the stakeholders, in spite of the CBN’s threat to sanction banks found to be hoarding or involved in shady deals with the naira, not one bank has been sanctioned.

The stakeholders said if just one bank was sanctioned, it would serve as deterrent to others.

Some CBN super agents and Point of Sale (PoS) operators had accused some DMBs of hoarding the redesigned Naira notes and imposing illegal withdrawal charges.

The apex bank had in a statement by Osita Nwanisobi, the Director, Corporate Communications Department, however said that it would come down heavy on DMBs found complicit, and also prosecute other abusers of the Naira.

Nwanisobi assured Nigerians that the queues at Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and other cash withdrawal points would soon disappear, adding that the CBN was working round the clock to ensure normalcy.

According to him, the apex bank is working in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force and other law enforcement agencies to address the situation.

“The CBN has observed with grave concern, the activities of persons who sell the newly redesigned banknotes and those who flagrantly abuse the legal tender.

“We have equally noticed the queues at ATMs across the country and an upward trend in the cases of people stocking and aggregating the newly introduced banknotes they serially obtain from ATMs.

“Also worrisome are the reported cases of unregistered persons and non-bank officials swapping banknotes for members of the public, purportedly on behalf of the CBN,” he said.

According to Nwanisobi, contrary to the practice of these unpatriotic persons, it is unlawful to sell the Naira, hurl spray, or stamp on the currency under any circumstance whatsoever.

Accordingly, CBN is collaborating with the Nigeria Police, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) to address the unpatriotic practice.

“We, therefore, warn Nigerians, particularly those at social functions such as birthdays, weddings and funerals, to desist from disrespecting the Naira or risk being arrested by law enforcement agencies,” he said.

The director assured Nigerians that the CBN was committed to ensuring effective distribution of the newly introduced Naira banknotes.

“We urge them to exercise patience as the CBN is working assiduously to address the challenge of queues at ATMs.

“In line with this resolve, the governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, has directed DMBs to commence the payment of the redesigned Naira notes over the counter, subject to a maximum daily payout limit of N20,000.

“We also admonish members of the public to embrace and adopt other payment channels for their transactions.

“The Naira is our legal tender and symbol of national pride, let us respect it and handle it with care,” he said.

In spite of assurances by the apex bank that the situation would soon be under control, Nigerians continue to experience hardship occasioned by the scarcity of the Naira.

The situation is captured in various audio and video clips which have gone viral on social media.

One of such instances is the fracas that ensued at an ATM point in the University of Benin, between some personnel of the Nigeria Army and some students.

The Naira situation, coupled with the scarcity of petroleum products, also resulted to violent protests in Ibadan, necessitating a statewide address by the state governor, Seyi Makinde.

Some frustrated bank customers have also been captured losing their tempers and threatening violence within the banking halls due to their inability to access the Naira.

Meanwhile, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) said that it had arrested some bank officials for sabotaging circulation of the new Naira notes.

According to information on its official website, the ICPC said that one of the bank officials was the Branch Service Head of Stanbic IBTC Bank, Deidei Branch, Abuja.

It said that she was arrested for deliberate refusal to upload cash into the branch ATMs, even when the cash was available, and people were already queuing up.

In a related development, the ICPC said its Compliance Team also busted a First City Monument Bank (FCMB) branch in Osogbo, Osun State, where some ATMs were loaded with cash with their wrappers intact.

“That prevented the cash from being dispensed. The Team therefore directed that the wrappers be removed and the cash loaded properly.

“However, when a follow-up visit was undertaken to ascertain the level of compliance, the Team discovered that one of the ATMs was still loaded with the wrappers.

“The operation manager of the Bank was arrested and taken in for questioning,” the commission said.

It added that some PoS operators as well as a security guard were also arrested during the ongoing exercise in Osun State for charging exorbitant commissions for cash.

“Investigations, however, revealed that they got the money from Filling Stations that collect new notes from fuel buyers, and then resold the cash to the public at exorbitant rates.

“The arrested persons are helping the commission with information to assist investigations and bust any syndicates involved in the hoarding or sales of the redesigned Naira notes,” it said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the ICPC had on Wednesday arrested one Omoseyin Oluwadarasimi, who seized the opportunity of the scarcity to openly market the new notes.

According to the commission, it is believed that she is in collusion with key elements in the financial services sector diverting the newly released notes away from banking halls and payment channels.

“She is currently in ICPC detention and is helping the Commission with its findings on the criminal trading of the naira and the attendant scarcity and negative economic outcomes being caused by the action.

“The action is in furtherance of the collaboration between CBN, ICPC and EFCC in implementing the new cashless policy and naira redesign,” it said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Ese E. Eniola Williams

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday condemned the attack on vigilantes at Yargoje Forest in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State, where many lives were lost.

The insurgents ambushed a convoy of vigilantes in the forest as they went to recover stolen cows.

In a statement issued by his media aide, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja, the president paid tributes to the vigilantes and their family members.

He said the sacrifices of the brave men who were working to prevent and punish crime in their communities would not be forgotten.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families in this difficult period. May Allah repose the souls of the deceased,’’ the president said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Alli Hakeem

By Ruth Oketunde

Mr Mustapha Ahmed, Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), has approved the promotion of 229 staff members of the organisation who were successful in a recent promotion exercise.

This is contained in a statement signed by Mr Manzo Ezekiel, Head, Press Unit, NEMA, on Sunday in Abuja,

Ezekiel said the newly promoted staff were elevated to various ranks which include one substantive director on salary grade Level 17, one deputy director on grade level 16 and eight assistant directors on grade level 15.

“Others are 37 staff members promoted to grade level 14 and 55 officers to level 13.

“Also, 45 officers were elevated to grade level 12, 29 officers to level 10, 9 officers promoted to level 9 and 5 were promoted to level 8 and 39 others were also promoted to grade level 7.

“Furthermore, one staff member was converted from clerical to executive cadre and another from executive to administrative cadre respectively. Also, 10 drivers were converted to works superintendent cadre.

“The promotion exercise was conducted in line with the extant provisions of Public Service Rules.

“The Management of NEMA approved the outcome of the exercises, which was ratified by the Senior Staff Establishment Committee that included representatives of the supervising Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development as well as the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation,” he said.

The director-general congratulated the newly promoted staff and urged them to justify their elevation with more commitment to duties and actualising the mandates of the agency.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)