N165 billion monthly salaries of federal civil servants not sustainable – Adeosun

The Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, said on Thursday in Lagos that the N165 billion monthly salaries to federal civil servants was over-bloated and could no longer be sustained by government.

The minister spoke at a meeting with Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) hosted by her counterpart in the Ministry of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed.

Adeosun, who was speaking on the economy reform agenda of the government, said that the N165 billion being paid to federal civil servants monthly represented 40 per cent of the total spending of government.

She said the figure was too high and the government was pursuing aggressive measures to detect and prosecute ghost workers and other saboteurs in the system.

“We spend 165 billion every month on salaries and when I came in there was no checking.

“Now, we have created a unit assigned with the sole responsibility of checking the salaries and catching those behind the over bloated salaries,’’ she said.

Adeosun said that the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) introduced by the previous administration was faulty and sabotaged by the element benefitting from the salary fraud.

She said that many Federal Government establishments including the Police were yet to be captured in the system.

According to her, it is shocking that the Nigerian Railway Corporation which was not fully functioning still had 10,000 workers in its payroll serviced by government.

The minister assured that government would correct the anomalies in the payroll system and weed out all ghost workers in the service.

Adeosun said that the fiscal focus of the administration was to ensure an economic growth that would be measured on job creation and productive sectors.

“The economy is not measured by how many private jet we have but how many jobs we create.

“People must be productive for the economy to grow.

“We have been a consumer economy, but we want to be productive and stop buying everything from abroad.

“We have been borrowing to pay salaries for years and that has to stop because it is not sustainable.

“Last year, we spent N64 billion on travelling and only N90 billion on roads. Travelling does not grow the economy and this must also stop,’’ she said.

The minister said that the compound GDP of the country had been growing negatively in the last 10 years and the administration was working to correct the trend.

She assured that the administration would be the most discipline government the country has ever had in terms of fiscal accountability and responsibility.

Also speaking at the meeting, the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh, said government would reposition the agricultural sector to become the mainstay of the economy.

“The ministry will give policy direction and coordination to make farming attractive and for people to practice it as business.

SOURCE: Premiumtimes

Prices of fresh tomatoes up by 1,000%

The prices of tomatoes have gone up by 1,000 per cent in Josand environs in Plateau, a market survey by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has shown.

Our correspondents, who visited some of the markets and other selling points on Thursday, found out that the commodity had gone beyond the reach of the average Nigerian.

At the Terminus Market in Jos, a small basket of the commodity, which used to be N350, was selling for N3,500.

NAN also found that a big basket of the commodity, which sold for N1,000 about two months ago, now costs N10,000.

The story was the same at the Tudun Wada Market in Jos North Local Government, where a medium basket of the commodity, which sold for N550 in March, was sold for N5,600.

NAN reports that prospective small buyers seeking N150 worth of the commodity, were turned back by the retailers, who said that they did not have any quantity for that little amount.

Speaking to NAN, one of the retailers of the commodity, Mrs. Nanret Abimu, said, "Honestly, I do not know one specific reason why the price is this high’’.

"The price changes every day. One day a basket is N5,000. The next day, you are told it is N10,000. It is a very tough situation,’’ she told NAN.

Investigation by NAN showed that the price increase was caused by seasonal changes, especially at the onset of the rains.

"Tomato is generally a dry season vegetable.

"When heavy rains start, the vegetable gets rotten on the farms, which generally affects supply.

"It means that many retailers or wholesalers could go directly to the farms but will not get much and may be forced to purchase at outrageous prices out of desperation.

"When that happens, the effect is on the buyer and the eventual consumer, which is what we have now,'' she said.

Some consumers, who spoke with NAN on the situation, said that they had left out stew "for now'', in their daily menu.

A housewife, Mrs Nenkwat Joseph, said that she had tried to improvise by using pepper to spice up some dishes.

Another consumer, Miss Mishrap Aro, told NAN that she envisaged the rise in the price and prepared for it by buying in large quantities when the price was good.

"I bought tomatoes a long time; I cut each piece into two, dried it up and fetch it for use now anytime I need it.

"Normally, I soaked the dried tomatoes inside water and grind it; once that is done, it comes back as fresh tomatoes,'' she told NAN.

Also speaking to NAN, a student, Micheal Ali said that he had resorted to tin or sachet tomato instead of the fresh variant.

SOURCE: pulseng

I Want To Go Back To Sambisa - Rescued Girl

A Twelve-year-old girl rescued by the military has said she wants to return to her husband in Sambisa Forest. The girl was one of the 65 civilians rescued from the forest earlier this week.

Theater commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Lucky Irahbor, handed over 65 civilians recently rescued to the Borno State government on Friday for further rehabilitation, but one teen demanded that she return to Sambisa Forest to be reunited with her husband.

Speaking to the Borno State government, Mr. Irahbor, who enumerated the recent success of Operation Lafiya Dole, said, “Today I would like to hand over our sisters and children rescued during our operations at Sambisa Forest. We shall continue until we wipe out the insurgents because they are losing more ground in Sambisa Forest to our troops.”

Governor Kashim Shettima praised the military for their efforts and promised that his administration would continue to support the military.

"We are experiencing peace now because of the tireless efforts of our military, especially the crackdown on Sambisa Forest. For the newly rescued, I congratulate you all. We are going to take care of you and reunite you with your families.”

But the rescued twelve-year-old wept and refused to eat or drink water for the past three days, as she demanded to be reunited with her husband in Sambisa Forest.

When journalists asked the teen why she refused to eat or drink, she simply answered, "All I want is to go back to him at Sambisa again," and wept.

SOURCE:saharareporters

Synagogue building collapse: Court grants engineers N20​ ​m​illion​ bail​​

The two engineers who constructed the collapsed seven-storey guest house of the Synagogue Church of All Nations — Akinbela Fatiregun and Oladele Ogundeji — were on Tuesday in Lagos granted N20 million bail.

An Ikeja High Court gave the ruling at the hearing of the bail application for the engineers.

Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo said:”The bail application hereby succeeds and here are the bail conditions.

“The defendants are hereby granted N10million bail each with two sureties in like sum.’’

The engineers have since April 19 been remanded at Kirikiri Maximum Prisons after they had entered a plea of

​”​not guilty​”​ to a 111-count charge bordering on gross negligence and criminal manslaughter.
The Sept. 12, 2014 building collapse left 116 persons, 85 of whom were South Africans, dead.

The Coroner’s Inquest instituted by the Lagos State Government had in its verdict on July 8, 2015 said the building collapse was “caused by structural failure due to a combination of designs and detailing errors’’.

The coroner ordered that Synagogue church should be investigated and proceeded against by the relevant authorities for not possessing necessary building permits, while the two engineers involved in the construction of the building should be tried for criminal negligence.

The judge said the defendants should present a surety who should be a civil servant with a minimum of Grade Level 14 and whose employment shall be verified by the State Head of Service.

“The second surety shall be a house owner with property located in Lagos and also provide utility bills and evidence of tax payment.

“The defendants must deposit their international passports with the Chief Registrar of the High Court of Lagos and the defendants shall be verified by the Chief Registrar.’’

The case was adjourned to May 19, May 20 and June 1, June 2 and June 3 for hearing. (NAN)

SOURCE: Premiumtimesng

Outrage as herdsmen kill monarch, nephew in Kaduna

Suspected Fulani herdsmen have allegedly unleashed violence on the residents of Southern Kaduna, killing the traditional ruler of the Fadan Karshi district in Sanga Local Council, Bala Madaki and his nephew, Emmanuel Tanko, in a night attack.

The state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has condemned the killings and appealed for calm . Residents of the Fadan Karshi community who accused the Fulani herdsmen of perpetrating the heinous crime, said the group had launched attacks on them since the 2011election crises, killing about 1,500 people in the southern part of the state.

SUSPECTED Fulani herdsmen have allegedly unleashed violence on the residents of Southern Kaduna, killing the traditional ruler of the Fadan Karshi district in Sanga Local Council, Bala Madaki and his nephew, Emmanuel Tanko, in a night attack.

The state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has condemned the killings and appealed for calm . Residents of the Fadan Karshi community who accused the Fulani herdsmen of perpetrating the heinous crime, said the group had launched attacks on them since the 2011election crises, killing about 1,500 people in the southern part of the state.

“Prior to the latest attack, the district head had applied an insecticide in his room and was sleeping outside his big compound when the Fulani unleashed the attack.

“We heard a gunshot and everyone woke up and ran into their various rooms around 10:00 p.m. on Sunday. The gunmen followed the district head right inside his room and killed him,” a resident told journalists.

A traditional title holder in the area who pleaded anonymity said that another person that was killed ‘‘was a close relation of the district head. We don’t know what is happening. We hardly sleep here with our eyes closed since 2013 when gunmen invaded our communities. These gunmen speak Fulani. Many people are being killed frequently, including women, youth, children and traditional rulers.
Something must be done urgently.”

According to another community leader from the area, the violence took place around 10:30p.m. last Sunday night.

His words: “It was very hot inside and people were sleeping outside. Around 10:00 p.m., the chief moved into his house with his family. Then some gunmen, who our people said were Fulani, stormed his compound and started shooting. They went into his room and shot him pointblank. They also shot a small boy, Emmanuel Tanko, who was writing his final year secondary school exams. The boy was a nephew of the late chief.

“Right now, Fadan Karshi is deserted. Shops and service centres are shut. People are either staying in-doors or are leaving the town. No one knows what is coming next. Police are patrolling the streets, but I am not sure if they have any clue about the murderers.

“I want you to recall that this was the district head that received former governor, Mukhtar Yero, on September 22, 2014 when our women protested half- naked because of the scale of killings by the Fulani going on at that time.

“Today, the type of killings going on is murdering of isolated people. Cattle are also grazing freely on people’s farms in these areas of Sanga and people are afraid to do anything about it. Now, they are targeting people and eliminating them. What people are saying about the killings of our district head is that he might have been killed by the Fulani who have a grudge with this community and the ruler.”

According to the source, “in May 2014, some Fulani armed men invaded the police station here and seven people were killed. As they were escaping, two were killed in an exchange of gunfire between them and the police.

“The Fulani Association later petitioned the then National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and copied the then governor. They said that our late district head should be arrested, dethroned and prosecuted for the death of the two Fulani. We still have a copy of the petition. We suspect that his death may be connected to that incident.”

The Kaduna State Police Command spokesman, Zubairu Abubakar, in his reaction, said that he was aware of the incident, but that he was waiting for the divisional police officer from Karshi to furnish him with details.

While commiserating with the family of the victims, El-Rufai urged the people of Sanga Local Council to be calm and support the security agencies to investigate the attack and apprehend the perpetrators.

In a statement, his media aide, Malam Samuel Aruwan, said the governor spoke at a meeting with the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the eight local councils of Kaduna South Senatorial District. He said the security agencies were investigating the attack, and were working to apprehend the culprits.

The governor assured the party leaders of his commitment to peace and security in every part of the state.

“It is a sad development. But we will not relent in our duty of protecting our people. We shall continue to strengthen the security agencies to do a better job, as well as encourage harmonious coexistence across our communities.

“The gains made in recent months to eliminate violent communal clashes in the area must be upheld. We must all be vigilant and do our best to maintain the peace in our communities,” the governor said.

“We heard a gunshot and everyone woke up and ran into their various rooms around 10:00 p.m. on Sunday. The gunmen followed the district head right inside his room and killed him,” a resident told journalists.

A traditional title holder in the area who pleaded anonymity said that another person that was killed ‘‘was a close relation of the district head. We don’t know what is happening. We hardly sleep here with our eyes closed since 2013 when gunmen invaded our communities. These gunmen speak Fulani. Many people are being killed frequently, including women, youth, children and traditional rulers.
Something must be done urgently.”

SOURCE:  guardianng

800 HOUSES TO GO FOR LAGOS FOURTH MAINLAND BRIDGE

The Lagos State Government disclosed that 2,200 houses will be saved from demolition with the new alignment designed for the construction of the proposed 4th Mainland Bridge.

Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Ganiyu Johnson said, the old alignment for the bridge was to claim over 3,000 houses which would mean huge economic losses to the economy.

He said with the new design, about 800 houses will now be affected, adding that the affected owners would be compensated by the government.

He explained that the when constructed would drastically reduce traffic volume on Eko, Cater and Third Mainland Bridges.

According to him, “The proposed bridge will traverse from Ajah to North West direction towards the lagoon shoreline to Lagos-Ibadan Expressway via Ikorodu. The approximate length of the road/bridge is 37.9km with a design speed of 140km/h.

“Lagos State Government has held discussions with a consortium of consultants in furtherance of the project,” said the commissioner.

He further explained that the significance and value of the project, saying “this lies in its capacity to rapidly decongest the traffic gridlock within the Lekki corridor and redistribute traffic towards Lagos Mainland which serves to meet increased future road infrastructure demands.”

He attributed the delay on the ongoing work at Badagry express way to paucity of funds, adding that Julius Berger, the construction firm handling the Lot I between Eric Moore to Mile 2, will finish the median lanes and hand over by August this year while CCECC to which the Lot II as awarded will continue construction in phases towards Agbara.

He added that the state government initiated a study to upgrade the network of roads in Ikeja to improve and boost the economic stature of the seat of government to word-class standard commensurate with other capital cities and also to reduce to the barest minimum, traffic gridlock along the corridor.

“This will involve the expansion of Awolowo Way with an elevated highway from the Airport Hotel to Alausa to decongest the traffic gridlock along Allen Round-about, Kudirat Abiola Round-about and Agidingbi Round-about. There will also be an expansion of the Allen/Opebi Road to Odo Iya-Alaro via a link bridge at Ogudu to the 3rd Mainland Bridge.

These networks of roads when upgraded will boost the economic activities in Ikeja being the seat of government,” the commissioner said.

SOURCE: copied

Nigerian Medical Association topshots die in road crash

At least six officials of the Nigerian Medical Association died in a road accident on Sunday, an official has said.

Peter Ogunnubi, the Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Chapter of the Association told PREMIUM TIMES that the affected executives took off from Ekiti State on their way to Sokoto State.

“Six of them are already dead” Mr. Ogunnubi said while sobbing over the phone.

The doctors were travelling to Sokoto for the association’s Annual General Meeting.

At the time of filing this report, names of the affected members were yet to be disclosed.

In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES Sunday night, the immediate past president of the NMA, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, confirmed the incident.

“For now, from my own side, though unconfirmed, there are speculations that five or seven persons have died in the process,” Mr. Enabulele said. “Though there’s no official statement yet, what I gathered is that it was a ghastly motor accident resorting from a burst tyre.

“While trying to manage the situation, the bus hit a culvert. That is the sketchy information available to me right now. But at the appropriate time, there would be official details. But clearly, there was a ghastly accident,” Mr. Enabulele said.

The affected doctors took off from Ekiti State Sunday hoping to arrival Monday in time for the AGM’s opening ceremony on Tuesday April 26.

Mr. Enabulele said it remained unclear yet whether the AGM would be cancelled, saying the mishap would affect the mood of participants.

“My heart goes out to all Nigerian doctors, particularly the team from Ekiti State and I wish them quick recovery. If anyone is involved in the fatality, as in death, I express my condolence to their families and loved ones, He said.

At the time of filing this report, names of the affected doctors remained unknown.

SOURCE: Premiumtimesng