Police arrest anti-president protesters

Zimbabwean police arrested 15 people, including a journalist and the brother of a missing political activist, during a public protest against President Robert Mugabe, their lawyer said Friday. Opposition is mounting against the 92-year-old Mugabe, whose decades in office have been marked by economic decline, repression of dissent, claims of vote-rigging, mass unemployment and emigration. Lawyer Obey Shava said police rounded up the activists while they were holding a vigil in Africa Unity Square in central Harare calling upon Mugabe, in power since 1980, to step down. “Some were arrested last night. Some, earlier,” he told AFP. “The charges are robbery and obstructing or defeating the course of justice.” Police claimed the protesters had robbed a woman passing by, he said. “These are trumped up charges to instill fear and discourage people from occupying Africa Unity Square,” Shava said. The square has been the venue of a series of protests over the disappearance of political activist Itai Dzamara who was abducted in March last year, allegedly by military intelligence agents. His brother Patson, who was among those arrested, last week released a picture he said showed the missing man being held at an undisclosed location. The army has denied responsibility for Dzamara’s abduction. The journalist arrested at the protest was Paidamoyo Muzulu of NewsDay. Shava said all those detained at the protest were likely to appear in court on Saturday. “I am at the police station right now. They (police) are recording statements,” Shava said. A group of churches, including the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance, the Prayer Network of Zimbabwe and the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace, on Thursday joined a chorus of demands that Mugabe should quit. “There is a clear indication and consensus that President Robert Mugabe has failed us. We feel very strongly that he too old to continue,” the convenor of the meeting, Pastor Ancelimo Magaya, told local media.

SOURCE: VANGUARD

Buhari not in London for talks with Jonathan, NDA—UK

The United Kingdom, UK, last night, cleared the air on reports suggesting that President Muhammadu Buhari was in London to meet with his predecessor for a secret meeting to stave off ongoing militants’ attacks on oil infrastructure in the Niger Delta. The position of the British Government was contained in a statement made available to Vanguard in Abuja, Wednesday night. In the statement by the Press Officer in the British High Commission in Abuja, Mr. Joe Abuku, London said there was no truth whatsoever in the several reports claiming that Buhari was attending the meeting with former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, in London under the guise of seeking medical attention. Buhari Abuku said: “Reports suggesting that the British Government has set up a meeting with President Buhari, former President, Jonathan, and representatives of Niger Delta groups to discuss a solution to recent violence in the Niger Delta region are incorrect. “We are aware that President Buhari is currently in London seeking medical attention. We are not aware of any meetings on the Niger Delta while he is there.” Some of the reports had claimed that it was in preparation of the secret meeting in London that Buhari ordered the Nigerian military to observe a two-week ceasefire with the militants before travelling out. The Presidency, in a statement, said Buhari would be away for 10 days to seek medical attention over an ear-related ailment. The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, in an interview with Vanguard, acknowledge the letter sent to the National Assembly by Buhari to travel to London for medical attention, saying that it was in order. Saraki said: “The letter clearly stated that the President will be away for 10 working days to attend to his health. If a doctor that attended to you can refer you to another doctor. “That happens to an ordinary person not to talk of the President of a country. I do not blame the doctor that attended to him. He needs to be careful. He wants to share responsibility. He is also being over cautious.”

SOURCE: VANGUARD

The United Kingdom, UK, last night, cleared the air on reports suggesting that President Muhammadu Buhari was in London to meet with his predecessor for a secret meeting to stave off ongoing militants’ attacks on oil infrastructure in the Niger Delta. The position of the British Government was contained in a statement made available to Vanguard in Abuja, Wednesday night. In the statement by the Press Officer in the British High Commission in Abuja, Mr. Joe Abuku, London said there was no truth whatsoever in the several reports claiming that Buhari was attending the meeting with former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, in London under the guise of seeking medical attention. Buhari Buhari Abuku said: “Reports suggesting that the British Government has set up a meeting with President Buhari, former President, Jonathan, and representatives of Niger Delta groups to discuss a solution to recent violence in the Niger Delta region are incorrect. “We are aware that President Buhari is currently in London seeking medical attention. We are not aware of any meetings on the Niger Delta while he is there.” Some of the reports had claimed that it was in preparation of the secret meeting in London that Buhari ordered the Nigerian military to observe a two-week ceasefire with the militants before travelling out. The Presidency, in a statement, said Buhari would be away for 10 days to seek medical attention over an ear-related ailment. The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, in an interview with Vanguard, acknowledge the letter sent to the National Assembly by Buhari to travel to London for medical attention, saying that it was in order. Saraki said: “The letter clearly stated that the President will be away for 10 working days to attend to his health. If a doctor that attended to you can refer you to another doctor. “That happens to an ordinary person not to talk of the President of a country. I do not blame the doctor that attended to him. He needs to be careful. He wants to share responsibility. He is also being over cautious.

Reps to visit 130 plants in Asia over imports of substandard tomato pastes

TOMATO Pastes manufacturers in the country, including Dangote Farms, Erisco Foods Limited and Savanna Farms, yesterday told the House of Representatives Joint Committees on Health Care Services and Drugs and Narcotics that over 91.1 per cent of the product in the country were fake and substandard. This is just as the House condemned alleged importation of dangerous killer tomato pastes into the country and promised to carry out investigations into the matter.

NAFDAC fines Erisco N1 million over unauthorised advert

 This came on a day the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, fined the Erisco Foods an administrative charge of N1 million for alleged unauthorised advertisement of Erisco range of products without clearance and approval from the agency. Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, in his address at the one day investigative public hearing, stated that the House should not treat lightly allegations injurious to public health. Dogara, who was represented by the Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, stated that the public hearing centred primarily on importation of fake, substandard and cancer-causing tomato paste into the country. He said what was worrisome was the unpatriotic attitude of some companies and individuals importing fake, substandard and cancer-causing tomato paste into the country, at the expense of the health and wellbeing of Nigerians.

 Tomoto pastes containing carcinogens

 Chairman, House Committee on Healthcare Services, Chike John Okafor, stated that there was allegation of tomato pastes from some Asian countries by some importers which were found to contain carcinogens and other contaminants hazardous, injurious to health and unfit for human consumption. The lawmaker said: “This allegation created panic, mistrust, fear and is suspected to be responsible for high death rate and the probable cause of the current cause of scarcity of tomatoes, and its attendant high cost in the country. “Let me state in clear terms that this committee has a responsibility to protect the lives of numerous Nigerian consumers who could be the victims of this alleged importation.

 Condemning killer tomato pastes

 “We totally condemn these alleged dangerous killer tomato pastes imported into Nigeria and we will carry out a comprehensive investigation into this matter, even if it will take us beyond the borders of Nigeria, including visiting the factories in Asia and other parts of the world to inspect the processing factories of NAFDAC approved Nigeria importers to get to the bottom of this allegation and bring the perpetrators to book.” Expressing confidence that NAFDAC understood its responsibility, in accordance with the Act establishing it, Chike said: “I want to believe that this allegation is not true. However, if proven to be true, that means NAFDAC would be seen to have done a great disservice to this country and compromised representatives/staff of NAFDAC would be dealt with, in line with the laws of the land.” The public hearing was temporarily halted because of the inability of the representatives of the Minister of Health, and NAFDAC to make available copies of their submissions to the committee members, which made some to accuse them of alleged collusion. Specifically, Austin Chukwukere told the committee that it did not make sense for them to watch the representatives of the ministry and the agency read their submissions without making them available. “It gives us serious cause for concern that you (Health Ministry) are not ready, NAFDAC is not ready,” chairman of the committee said. The legal Adviser of Erisco Foods and former member of the House of Representatives, Abdulraham Kadri, told the committee that the company, Dangote and Savanna Farms, were not at the public hearing because of the financial damage and job losses substandard and fake tomato pastes had caused the country.

SOURCE:  Vanguard

Johnbosco Agbakwuru

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/06/reps-to-visit-130-plants-in-asia-over-imports-of-substandard-tomato-pastes/

Nigeria loses 130,000bpd, N1.3bn daily as Shell shuts TNP

Nigeria’s crude oil export dipped further by 130,000 barrels per day, as operators yesterday said the Trans Niger Pipeline, TNP, operated by Shell Nigeria, has been shut down after a leak was discovered on the pipeline. The operator, who chose not to be named, said a memo was sent out to participants in the TNP, that the pipeline was expected to be shut down for at least a week. The shutdown would see a deferment of about 130,000 barrels per day crude oil export, which would cost Nigeria about $6.716 million, an equivalent of N1.343 billion daily. This was even as another operator said the Nembe Creek Trunk Line, NCTL, carrying Bonny Light crude oil to the export terminal has been reopened. The operator said the pipeline which was shut down last month by the operator, Aiteo, has been repaired and is operating again. Sources said that Bonny Light production from the Aiteo field was also ramping up after the pipeline restart. The Trans Niger Pipeline (TNP), according to Shell, transports around 180,000 barrels of crude oil per day to the Bonny Export Terminal and is part of the gas liquids evacuation infrastructure, critical for continued domestic power generation (Afam VI power plant) and liquefied gas exports. Shell said the TNP loopline project created an alternative route to avoid sabotage, bypassing areas where theft and illegal refining was common.

Lawmakers back death penalty for kidnappers

The senate was said to have approved the law for the death penalty when it came up for debate.

 Following the incessant abductions across the country, the Senate has reportedly resolved to enact law, which prescribes death penalty for kidnappers.

The development followed the recommendations of the report by the Joint Committee on Police Affairs, National Security and Intelligence on the "unfortunate re-occurrence of kidnapping and hostage taking’’ in the country.

According to Nigerian Bulletin, the report had only six recommendations, but most of the senators suggested stringent punishment to serve as deterrent to others.

This was said to have prompted the addition and adoption of the recommendation for death penalty, which was proposed by Senator Adamu Alliero and adopted by the Senate.

The senate also debated on the need to increase the information sharing dynamics between security agencies so as to foster more efficiency between agencies, noting that investigations have been hampered due to security agencies not working properly with one another.

Report said the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekwerenmadu, blamed Nigerians for hurriedly paying ransom demanded by kidnappers out of panic - he said that has not helped matters

Buhari: We’ll hit 10,000MW power – NOT 20,000

President Muhammadu Buhari says his administration would generate 10,000 megawatts of distributable power over the next three years, against 20,000 promised. 

Speaking at the national economic council (NEC) retreat on Monday, the president said the power situation in the country is no longer a laughing matter. “Nigerians’ favourite talking point and butt of jokes is the power situation in our country. But, ladies and gentlemen, it is no longer a laughing matter,” he said. “We must and by the grace of God we will put things right. In the three years left for this administration we have given ourselves the target of ten thousand megawatts distributable power. “In 2016 alone, we intend to add two thousand megawatts to the national grid. This sector has been privatised but has yet to show any improvement in the quality of service.” Unveiling their plans for the nation during the campaign, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) promised to deliver 40,000 megawatts of electricity within four to eight years. “The APC government shall vigorously pursue the expansion of electricity generation and distribution of up to 40,000 megawatts in four to eight years,” the party said. Buhari added that the purpose of the retreat was to “generate immediate medium and long term, viable policy solutions to the economic challenge facing us at both the federal and state levels”. “From my information, issues worrying the public today are rise in food prices such as maize, corn, rice and garri. Lack of visible impact of government presence on agriculture, lack of agricultural import at affordable prices, cost of fertilizers, pesticides and labour compound the problem of faro,” he said. “When I was a school boy in the 50s, the country produced one million tonnes of groundnuts in two successive years. The country main foreign exchange earner, were groundnut, cotton, cocoa, palm kernel rubber, all agro/forest resources.” He highlighted “agriculture, power, manufacturing and housing,” as drivers of the economy, saying “I am not touching on the subject of education and science and technology because these require a whole retreat by themselves”.

RIP: Youth corps member killed in Rivers rerun

A youth corps member was killed in the violent legislative poll held in Rivers state at the weekend, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has announced. 

In a statement issued by the NYSC management on Monday evening, the name of the victim was given as Okonta Dumebi Samuel with corps number RV/15B/5539. Okonta, an orphan, was killed by unknown gunmen in Ahoada West LGA. Two other corps members with him at the time of the incident escaped from the scene through the help of security agents, the statement added. Okonta, who served at GCSS Ukpeliede, was described as a patriotic young man by the NYSC management who said his killing “is primitive, barbaric, and ungodly and should be strongly condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians”. It promised to work with relevant agencies to ensure that the perpetrators of “this heinous act” are fished out and made to face the full wrath of the law. “We consider Okonta Samuel’s death as a great loss, not only to his immediate family, but also to all of us in the NYSC family and the entire nation,” the statement added. In a much cheery development, another corps member, Anana Aniekan Udoetor, who was earlier reported missing, has been found and is “hale and hearty”, the NYSC said. A total of 6880 NYSC members served during the ill-fated rerun polls. In 2011, nine corps members who serves as ad hoc staff, were killed by rioters who were protesting the outcome of the presidential poll. The victims were: Teidi Tosin Olawale (Kogi state, BSc computer science); Nkwazema Anslem Chukwunonyerem (Imo state, HND electrical electronic engineering), Okpokiri Obinna Michael (Abia state, BSc environmental management), Adowei Elliot (Bayelsa state, BSc computer science) and Adewunmi Seun Paul (Ekiti state, BSc, social sciences). Others were: Adeniji Kehinde Jehleel (Osun state, BSc banking and finance), Gbenjo Ebenezer Ayotunde (Osun state, BSc, education economics), Ukeoma Ikechukwu Chibuzor (Imo state, BSc medical microbiology) and Akonyi Ibrahim Sule (Kogi State, HND business administration).

Saraki: N’assembly will debate PIB next week

Senate president Bukola Saraki says the senate and the house of representatives will begin the debate of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) next week. 

Saraki made this revelation in Abuja on Monday, while speaking at a business environment roundtable on the economy, adding that both legislative chambers were working on the bill. “We are both committed. We have both come out with our agenda and as part of this commitment, you will all see next week, when we lay the petroleum industry governance bill,” Saraki said. “You will see that the bill we are going to lay in the house is the same bill we are going to lay in the senate because for the first time, we are committed to work together as one to achieve results. “The national assembly has in tandem made these the vision, the anchor-point of its legislative agenda but we know that being a mere agenda is not enough, that no mantra or talk can make this happen without commensurate purposeful action.” He said the laws guiding the viability of businesses in Nigeria are obsolete, and due for a review to ease doing business in within the country. “We have gone this route because we believe that if we deliberately involve and continuously engage our people in lawmaking, the edicts and policies we make will be greatly enriched and accepted having been a product of collective consensus,” he said. Yakubu Dogara, speaker of the house of representatives, backed Saraki, saying investors must be encouraged to move the economy from a “standstill”. On his part, Tony Elumelu, president of Heirs Group and Chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA), urged Saraki, Dogara and other lawmakers to review the land use act and pass a new law in that regard. “What we do in Nigeria will set example for other African countries and the national assembly will help a great deal by moving away from talking to passing the legislation that would help to move the nation’s economy forward,” he said. Paul Idornigie, a business expert, said for the eighth national assembly to be judged as successful, it must pass 15 identified critical bills to enhance the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

We stand by Buhari’s statement on Chibok girls –Presidency

The Presidency says it stands by President Muhammadu Buhari’s last statement on the over 200 girls abducted from their school in Chibok, Borno State in 2014. The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said in an interview with our correspondent on Monday the Presidency had not changed its position on the matter. Adesina said, “We stand by what the President said on the matter the last time he spoke on it, especially during the last media chat. “Whenever there is a development on the matter, we will make it known to Nigerians.” Buhari had during his presidential media chat on December 30, 2015 admitted that none of the nation’s security agencies had any information on the whereabouts of the girls, saying that was “the honest truth”. Buhari said, “There is no such intelligence reports of where those girls are physically are and in what condition they are in, but what we believe in from our intelligence is that they (their abductors) keep shifting them around so that they are not taken by a surprise until the girls are freed, and they are not being kept in one place.” He reiterated that the Federal Government would negotiate with any credible leadership of the sect that could tell him the whereabouts of the girls. The girls were kidnapped by Boko Haram from Government Secondary School, Chibok in April 2014 during the Goodluck Jonathan administration. Buhari had in his inaugural address on May 29 shortly after taking over from Jonathan said the terrorism war could never be said to have been won without rescuing the Chibok girls. Meanwhile, the acting Director, Defence Information, Brig.- Gen. Rabe Abubakar, said the focus of the military was to defeat Boko Haram. He said that the military was determined to ensure that those being held captive by the terrorists, not only the Chibok girls, were released. Abubakar said, “Nigerians and our foreign partners know the unprecedented success we have recorded in recent time in the campaign against the insurgency in the North-East. “Many people have been rescued. We are determined to ensure that those being held captive, not only the Chibok girls, are all released. Our focus is to ensure that we do our best in the fight insurgency.”

Fayose dares Buhari to declare ‘state of emergency’ in Rivers, Ekiti

Ayo Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, says he is waiting for President Muhammadu Buhari to declare a state of emergency in Ekiti and Rivers states as being rumoured. 

 Several Ekiti lawmakers are currently being detained by the Department of State Services (DSS) allegedly to force them to impeach Fayose. Meanwhile, the rerun legislative elections in Rivers state were marred with violence, leading to several deaths and the arrest of the secretary to the state government, Kenneth Kobani, by the army. Fayose spoke to the media on Monday after the opening of the National Economic Council (NEC) retreat on the economy at the presidential villa, Abuja. He said: “They have been insinuating that (state of emergency) too in Ekiti. We have been waiting for them. Power has gone beyond the leaders, power has gone back to the people. “There are certain things leaders will do today, you will eat it tomorrow. “You want to declare state of emergency, declare it and we will tell you that the state of emergency will not work too. This country belongs to all of us.” He described the Rivers situation as “a service of ego” of some individuals who believe they have control on the federal government. “I want to condemn the election in Rivers state. I want to condemn the militarisation,” he said. “Like I said to some people yesterday, if say Ekiti election nobody was slapped, nobody died, the person defeated congratulated the winner, do we now call this Rivers election Rivers of Bloodgate? “Because for a peaceful election in Ekiti and this in Rivers, the military has got no business in our election. “Now, I want to say that if you watch the trend, PDP has always won all the elections after the annulment. Which means what happened in Rivers is just a service of ego of some individuals who believe they have Nigeria in their pockets, they can call the president at will to deploy the military and it is unfortunate that somebody would allow the military to kill his own people. “I strongly condemn the elections in Rivers and charge that we sustain the legacy of transparent elections. “For me in Ekiti, we learned from that and we are prepared. We prepare for election everyday and we are fully prepared.” Follow us on twitter @CRYSTALRAINBOW0