NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA
Foreign

Senate overrides Trump’s veto of major national security bill

209 total views today

The U.S. Senate on Friday voted to override U.S. President Donald Trump’s veto of the National Defense Authorisation Act (NDAA), a major national security bill worth 740 billion dollars.

The vote marked the first veto override of the Trump presidency and is widely viewed as a sharp rebuke of the president during his final days in office.

The Senate needed a two-thirds majority to override the veto, which it obtained by a wide margin, with 81 senators voting in favour of the override and only 13 against.

The NDAA, which sets the policy for the U.S. Department of Defense, has passed every year since the 1960s.

Both chambers of Congress approved this year’s bill with large majorities. Trump, however, vetoed the bill over a plan to rename military bases that are named after leaders of the Confederacy, the alliance of pro-slavery southern states during the Civil War.

He also called for the bill to strip social media companies of some liability protections and objected to language that would slow-walk his plans to reduce the number of U.S. troops in places like Afghanistan and Germany.

The debate over whether to override the veto pitted Trump against members of his own party and some of his staunchest allies in the Senate.

Speaking from the Senate floor, Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell said that the passage of the bill is a serious responsibility and “a tremendous opportunity to direct our national security priorities to reflect the resolve of the American people and the evolving threats to their safety, at home and abroad.”

Senator Jack Reed, a Democrat, called the vote a bipartisan rebuke of the president.

“Trump tried to make this vote a loyalty test and an overwhelming majority of U.S. Senators demonstrated their loyalty is to the common defense and to the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces who help defend our nation,” Reed wrote on Twitter. (dpa/NAN)

Foreign

Brexit: Britain, EU begin new era of relations

214 total views today

 Four-and-a-half years after a British referendum on membership in the European Union (EU), Brexit is finally reality after Britain left the single market at the stroke of midnight CET (2300 GMT) on New Year’s Eve.

Never before had an EU member state filed for divorce.

The separation took years of messy negotiations before finally, at the last moment, a breakthrough trade deal worth 660 billion pounds (900 billion dollars) was struck on Christmas Eve.

Writing in the Telegraph newspaper on Friday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson described it as a “big win for both sides of the Channel.”

“For us, it means the end of the rancorous bickering about ‘Europe’ that has bedevilled our politics for so long,” he said.

“It means the end of that uneasy feeling that we were constantly being asked to sign up for the details of a project – a giant federal fusion of states – in which we didn’t really believe and hadn’t really bargained for.”

But he added that the new deal does not mean Britons “will be less European,” echoing comments his father, Stanley, gave to a French radio station on New Year’s Eve.

“On the contrary, we will remain the second-biggest contributor to NATO … with our armed services fortified in the recent spending review with the biggest-ever uplift since the Cold War,” he added.

The pact averts tariffs and quotas on goods, sparing businesses on both sides seismic upheaval.

As of New Year’s Day, the two closely intertwined partners began a new era in their relations of much looser cooperation, governed mainly by the new Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA).

Freedom of movement to live and work has ended, though short-term travel stays largely visa-free.

Goods will be more heavily controlled, both at British-EU frontiers and within Britain – at the Irish sea border between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.

Businesses on both sides now have to jump through hoops to prove they qualify for tariff exemption. Moreover, key decisions are still to be made deciding the fate of many service sector companies.

However, the much-feared backlogs of goods at borders due to increased red tape was not immediately visible. Early January is a typically slow moment for freight.

Over in Folkestone, in the south-eastern county of Kent, Slavi Ivanov Shumeykov was the first driver through the Eurotunnel just after 11 pm on Thursday, the Press Association said.

John Keefe, the spokesperson for the tunnel’s operator, told dpa that Shumeykov was “so thrilled” to be the first driver through the tunnel.

“He was returning to Belgium after making a delivery to the UK,” he said.

Speaking about the traffic this morning, Keefe added it had been “very light” overnight and on Friday.

“Our customers predicted all the stockpiling before Christmas in preparation for the end of the transition, traffic would be light for the first weeks of January,” he told dpa.

“The new barcode scanning and numberplate recognition systems [installed for Brexit] showed that they don’t add any time to the journey for a truck through the Channel tunnel.”

A last-minute deal between Spain and Britain struck on Thursday also allows for continued free movement between Gibraltar and Spain.

As the first day of the new year progressed, the blocked roads and delays to international transport many had feared also failed to materialize in northern France.

A spokesperson for the department there told dpa that traffic was flowing smoothly across the channel. French Minister for European Affairs Clement Beaune said things were running as well as possible, in comments to French news agency AFP.

The first ferry carrying lorries reached Calais from Britain on Friday morning, and only three of the 36 were subject to additional checks.

Calais port chief Jean-Marc Puissesseau told dpa before the turn of the year that traffic should run almost as normal, if customs declarations were complete. Otherwise, additional checks would be carried out if companies failed to complete the paperwork, he said. (dpa/NAN)

Environment

Kano SEMA supported 47,551 flood, fire disaster victims in 2020 — Chairman

180 total views today
 The Kano State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), says it distributed relief materials to 47,551 flood and fire disaster victims across the 44 Local Government Areas of the state in 2020.
SEMA Chairman, Mr Usman Aliyu-Jili, who stated this on Friday in Kano, while reviewing the agency’s activities for 2020, added that the agency distributed bags of cement, nails, roofing sheets, food items and clothing materials to the affected persons ”to mitigate their sufferings”.
He said that 34,180 households were affected by flood, 2,741 by fire outbreaks, while 10,630 farmers lost their farmlands to flooding, during the year under review.
 He added that the damage assessment exercise conducted by the agency showed that the houses were destroyed by rain and windstorm, while the flood submerged farmlands.
“About N2 billion worth of landed property and farm produce were destroyed by the flood disaster in the state,” Aliyu-Jili said, adding, ”We submitted the damage assessment report to the state government and requested for N1 billion fund to enable us render further assistance to the victims.”
According to him, the agency has set up emergency committees at the local government level to enhance its response services, in addition to 13 centres it established to take care of the elderly, homeless and the destitute.
He said the centres, sited at Bichi, Danbatta, Gaya, Wudil, Karaye, Tudunwada, Minjibir, Dorayi and Shahuci, were designed to provide shelter, feeding, clothing and rehabilitation to the affected persons.
Aliyu-Jili commended the state government for its support to the agency and urged wealthy individuals to  also support the centres, to further improve the wellbeing of victims. (NAN)
General News

Council promises to improve status of women

109 total views today

By Justina Aura

National Council for Women Development (NCWD) has promised to improve collaboration with Nigerian and international partners to enlarge interventions targeted at improving the status of women.

The council’s Director General, Mrs Mary Ekpere-Eta, made the pledge in a New Year message on Friday in Abuja.

She recalled the unprecedented events in the country in 2020 such as the #EndSars protests and the COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown which impacted negatively on the economy of families, with women and children being the worst hit.

She said that the centre would continue to advocate for the safety, welfare and prosperity of women and girls by scaling-up its empowerment programmes and outreach to vulnerable women and female Internally Displaced Persons with life-changing skills.

Ekpere-Eta stated that “2021 will equally see the centre improving collaboration with Nigerian and international partners to enlarge interventions targeted at improving the status of women in the country.”

The NCWD boss, therefore, encouraged women to renew their optimism about life and position themselves for the opportunities the year would present.

She added that women in the formal and informal sectors should also be open to learning new skills, as 2020 had shown the importance of individuals and organisations being dynamic and ready to adapt. (NAN)

General News

BEDC set to roll out 90,870 meters in 4 states

122 total views today

By Nefishetu Yakubu

The Management of Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) says it has concluded plans to roll out no fewer than 90,870 meters to customers in its franchise areas of Edo, Delta, Ondo and Ekiti in the first quarter of 2021.

Mr Tayo Adekule, the BEDC head of Public Affairs, told newsmen in Benin on Friday that the meters were allocated to BEDC by the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

Adekule noted that the meters would be distributed under the National Mass Metering Programme (NMMP), starting from Edo.

He said that the metering would cover four BEDC franchise states on selected distribution transformers covering 90,870 customers over a period of six months.

He explained that Edo would get 40,995, Delta 22,247, Ondo19,453 while Ekiti would get  8,294 of the total number of meters allocated to BEDC

“The meters will be distributed through the BEDC Meter Asset Provider (MAP) for its franchise areas,” he said.

According to Adekule, metering under this scheme is free and customers will not have to pay.

He, however, said that all premises have to be enumerated and shall be certified by electricity inspector before installation of the meters.

“Customers who have collected tellers for meters under the MAP and have not paid shall not pay any amount to acquire a meter.

“Any amount paid to the account of MAP shall be refunded in 21 days subject to customers providing the account details for refund.

“Twenty per cent of the meters are three phases while 80 per cent are single phase.

“Customers in Band A, which include those with minimum of 20 hours supply; Band B, minimum of 16 hours; and Band C, minimum of 12 hours of power supply, will benefit from the metering during the exercise.

“Band D with minimum of 8 hours and Band E with minimum of 6 hours of power supply will benefit from the metering in the second quarter of 2021,” he added.

Speaking on the court case between BEDC and Civil Society Organisations in Edo, Adekule said the lawyers of both parties had resolved to settle out of court. (NAN)

Environment

NiMet predicts 3-day sunshine, haziness from Jan. 2

178 total views today

By Gabriel Agbeja

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted sunshine and haziness from Saturday to Monday across the country.

NiMet’s weather outlook released on Friday in Abuja predicted sunny and hazy weather conditions over the Northern region and the North Central states throughout the forecast period on Saturday.

According to NiMet, sunny and hazy conditions are expected over the inland cities of the South throughout the forecast period.

It predicted the coastal region to be under partly cloudy skies with intervals of sunshine within the forecast period.

The agency envisaged sunny and hazy conditions over the Northern region throughout the forecast period on Sunday.

NiMet predicted North Central cities to be in sunny and hazy conditions within the forecast period.

It anticipated partly cloudy skies with intervals of sunshine over inland and coastal cities of South with prospects of few thunderstorms over coastal parts of Bayelsa, Delta and Cross River in the afternoon and evening hours.

“For Monday, sunny and hazy conditions are anticipated over the North and North Central regions during the forecast period.

“Partly cloudy condition with interval of sunshine is envisaged over the inland and coastal parts of the country throughout the forecast period,” the agency said. (NAN)

Business , Economy/Business

Tony Elumelu Foundation unveils Entrepreneurship programme for 2021

165 total views today

By Lydia Ngwakwe

The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), on Friday in Lagos unveiled the TEF Entrepreneurship programme for 2021, to empower women and men across the African continent.

The Chief Executive Officer of TEF, Mrs Ifeyinwa Ugochukwu, disclosed this during an Online news briefing with Journalists across Africa.

She said: ” I want to welcome all of you as we unveiled the TEF Entrepreneurship Programme for 2021, the opening of the application portal which happened 12 midnight, Jan.1.

“As you all know, the TEF was founded in 2010, and in 2015, our founder, Mr Tony Elumelu, launched a 100 million dollars commitment to identify, train, mentor and fund 10,000 African entrepreneurs across all 54 African countries, over 10 years.

“So, 2021 marks the seventh edition of the TEF entrepreneurship programme,” she said.

She added that opening the portal on Jan. 1, marked a new beginning, a renaissance, a beginning of recovery and a beginning of Africa taking its space in the global space as a strong thriving economy, led by SMEs who are the largest generators of job creators on the African continent.

She said that the 2021 application would be different from what was done in the previous years.

“Previously when you apply for the TEF entrepreneurship programme, once you apply, you put in your business plan within the application and those selected will be trained and funded.

“But, this year, just as we did last year, we want to train a lot more than we would fund, primarily because the feedback we have got from our entrepreneurs is that trainings been critical to the success of their businesses,”she added.

Ugochukwu disclosed that the foundation had trained, mentored and funded over 9,000 African entrpreneur till date.

She expressed excitement that the Price Waterhouse and Coopers, in conjunction with TEF had completed an impact assessment report which according to her, would be released in the Q1, to mark its 10th year anniversary.

She also disclosed that the foundation had partnered with the European Union to fund and train additional 2,400 women on a TEF Entrepreneurship program for 2021.

According to her, this is in addition to many other partnerships that the foundation have been running through the years. (NAN)

Politics

APC to begin new members’ registration, register update Jan. 25

174 total views today

By Emmanuel Mogbede

The registration of new members and update of register of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will commence on Jan. 25, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The party said this in its New Year message to Nigerians, issued by Sen. John Akpanudoedehe, Secretary of its Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), on Friday in Abuja.

“We have recognised the need for continued conflict resolution and have decided to vigorously pursue reconciliation on all fronts in order to emerge as a stronger party, ahead of the congresses and the 2023 general elections.

“Having got the approval for the party membership registration, CECPC is now set to undertake the exercise efficiently and effectively in a record time, beginning from Jan. 25,” he said.

Akpanudoedehe added that the party’s CECPC was fully prepared to conduct total congresses at all levels, through a fair and transparent process of electing officials for its various organs.

This, he said, would culminate in the party’s national convention.

The CECPC secretary added that the committee was working to create a member-centered party structure that would guarantee full participation of all and accord privileges to strengthen members’ trust, beliefs and engagements in all its activities.

He further added that recognising that time was well against it, the CECPC was already doubling efforts to meet up with the tasks ahead of it in 2021.

Akpanudoedehe stressed that the committee was rebuilding the party to strengthen democracy, assuring that its commitment to leading the process of political change in the country was unwavering.

He said the party’s national secretariat had discussed the need for registration of new members and update of its register to improve on its membership and support-base nationwide.

“Our party, its leadership and members join Nigerians to celebrate the commencement of another year – 2021; indeed, the year 2020 evokes mixed feelings for our great party.

“Just like every other sector and activities belaboured by the year-long restrictions globally due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as a party, we did have our share of the inconveniences.

“Aside the pause of party activities in the course of the year, we spent part of the year witnessing internal rancour that almost threatened the kernel of the party,” he said.

This, Akpanudoedehe added, warranted the prompt interventions of the party leadership, including its National Executive Committee (NEC).

He added that the fact that the party survived the onslaught, emerged yet stronger and went on to win a number of critical elections across the country in 2020, was a testament to its great strength.

He thanked party members across the federation, the leadership and President Muhammadu Buhari for the support and encouragement given to the committee since its inauguration.

Akpanudoedehe also appreciated the leadership of the National Assembly and the entire APC caucus of both chambers for their total support, collaboration and understanding within the period.

“We thank our ministers for their support, particularly the Attorney-General of the Federation, for providing legal guidance and advice that have helped the CECPC’s decisions.

“The CECPC also deeply appreciates the confidence and trust our esteemed governors of the Progressive Governors’ Forum reposed in it.

“We equally thank and appreciate all others, the media inclusive, who have contributed in various ways to the success of CECPC,” he said.

Akpanudoedehe added that the party’s efforts at resolving internal conflicts at various chapters had paid off.

This, he said, was especially so with members’ desire in complying with the party resolutions to withdraw and terminate all ongoing litigations that involved the party.

He noted that in the course of the year, the committee was able to resolve the ownership tussle surrounding the building that housed the party’s national secretariat, adding that necessary settlement to take full control of the building was already in progress.

According to him, settlement of outstanding litigation fees is one of the targets of CECPC from the outset, which it has been able to deliver to a large extent in the last six months.

“Suffice to say that as much as CECPC is proud to announce that it has done well by all standards in the last six months, there is still more to be done and which we are set to do and complete before the end of the tenure of CECPC” Akpanudoedehe said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the CECPC was inaugurated on June 25, 2020 as an interim administration, to steer the affairs of the APC and organise a national convention to elect substantive party executives. (NAN)

General News

NCWS urges Nigerians to pray for nation’s peace, unity, stability

133 total views today

By Dorcas Jonah

The National Council for Women Societies (NCWS) on Friday call on Nigerians to continue praying for peace, unity and stability of the country.

Mrs Laraba Shoda, the National President, NCWS, made the call in her New Year message to Nigerians on Friday in Abuja.

Shoda said the call was imperative to foster unity and address security challenges in the country amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“As our nation enter 2021, I want us all to pray for peace and stability in our country.

“We should remain fervent in prayers for the peace of the nation and learn to speak positive things about the nation for good things to begin to happen.

“Let’s pray for a better year in 2021. Let’s hand over Nigeria to God to reposition in accordance with His Will and Glory,’’ she said.

Shoda also said that Nigerians, especially women, should pray in their homes for divine intervention on the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria and the world at large.

The president noted that women and children were believed to have a special place in the heart of God, therefore, we should continue to pray for God’s mercy over the pandemic.

“There is no doubt that these are trying times in our nation and I am optimistic that it will pass by God’s grace.

“The insecurity situation and the global pandemic have posed serious challenges to the nation and the world at large, especially as it affects health, religion, wellbeing of Nigerians and the socio-economic development of the country.

“I also call on Nigerians to take responsibility at this critical time, adhering to the precautionary measures, protocols , and guidelines released by various strata of government to prevent community spread of the virus as we celebrate the New Year,” she said

Shoda called on Nigerians to have faith in God, support one another and cooperate with government to contain the spread of the disease in the country. (NAN)

General News

New Year: Gbajabiamila celebrates with babies at Surulere Hospital

145 total views today

By Bolaji Buhari

The Speaker of House of Representatives, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila on Friday visited Surulere Maternal and Child Care Hospital, where he spent time with babies born on New Year’s Day and their mothers.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Baby Derrick, a male, the First Baby of the year at the hospital, was born at exactly 12:42 a.m. on Friday and weighed 3.6 kg at birth.

Gbajabiamila congratulated Derrick’s mother, Mrs Immaculata Ozumba, on the safe delivery and the family for the “great gift from God’’.

The speaker then gave various gifts including; cash, bags of rice, cartons of noodles and diapers to the baby and his family

He later went round to see other babies born shortly after Baby Derrick and equally gave them gifts as well as their parents.

Gbajabiamila settled the delivery bills of all babies born in the facility on Friday as well as some other patients who could not pay their bills.

Received by Mrs Aduke Odutayo, Medical Director of the Community Hospital and other staff, the speaker commended the management of the facility for doing their best to improve healthcare delivery in the area.

He promised to support the hospital to further enhance healthcare delivery at the hospital and others in the constituency.

Speaking to the NAN, Ozumba said she was surprised by the speaker’s visit and the show of love to her baby and the family.

Ozumba, who could not hold back her tears of joy, said the coming of Derrick had brought blessings to the family through the speaker’s visit and gifts.

“Honestly, I lack words; I could never have imagined that the speaker will visit my baby, let alone giving us all these gifts.

“Derrick has brought blessings for us; I am extremely happy and grateful to Mr Femi Gbajamiala and I pray that God will bless and always guide him,’’ she said.

The speaker after the visit to the hospital, embarked on an inspection tour of his on-going and just-completed constituency projects in Surulere.

Some of the projects he inspected to ascertain their completion level and quality, were the expansion of Babs Animashaun road and bridge and rehabilitation of a network of roads at Ward F, including Martins and Elizabeth roads.

Others are; on-going construction of Gbajabiamila General Hospital, Iyun Road; renovation of Stadium Grammar School, ICT Centre at Ajigbeda Senior Girls’ High School and work on a 250-capacity stadium at Obele Oniwaala.

He also inspected on-going work at a hostel at the University of Lagos.

Speaking during his visit to Babs Animashaun Road, Gbajabiamila commended the pace of work and quality of the project.

He urged the contractor handling the expansion of the road as well as contractors handling his other constituency projects to work harder to deliver the projects on schedule without compromising quality.

“Please try and work harder and deliver the project as early as you can without compromising quality. That is the most important thing,’’ he said.

Speaking, Mr Idris Adeoye, Project Manager, Global Legend Integrated Ltd., the company handling the project, gave an assurance that the firm would deliver on schedule.

Adeoye said the delivery period was fixed at December 2021, according to the contract.

He, however, said that they would deliver the job two months before the deadline. (NAN)

X
Welcome to NAN
Need help? Choose an option below and let me be your assistant.
Email SubscriptionSite SearchSend Us Email