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http://ift.tt/eA8V8J Managing Director, Linkage Assurance Plc, Dr. Pius Apere in this interview discusses implications of the failure of the federal government to implement the Guaranteed Minimum Pension in the Pension Reform Act 2014 and its impact on the welfare of Nigerian pensioners. Excepts By Favour Nnabugwu W HAT are the expectations of pensioners? Nigerian Pensioners have high expectations on the National Pension Commission (PENCOM) and/or Government to timely, efficiently and effectively implement all provisions of pension regulations. These expectations arise from the need to have sustainable standard of living in retirement. Under the prevailing pension regulations in Nigeria, one of the ways to achieve the pensioners’ social welfare goal is the implementation of the Guaranteed Minimum Pension (GMP) as provided in section 84(1) of the Pension Reform Act (PRA) 2014 as amended, which states that “all Retirement Savings Account (RSA) holders who have contributed to   l...

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http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Udeme Clement The recent Federal Government’s policy clarification on ports industry aims at eliminating monopoly has been described as an initiative that will engender competition in the system, in order to create thousands of jobs for economic growth and development. A policy analyst and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN)  Prof, Fidelis Oditah, said this in a chat with pressmen, stressing that the new policy giving importers the right to use any terminal of their choice for discharge of cargoes is in tandem with the current administration’s reform to enhance Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) inflow in oil and gas sector. Oditah also a legal adviser to Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics (LADOL), a foremost indigenous establishment, who had earlier kicked against the monopoly said, “Following the policy clarification, Ladol that had obtained an injunction restraining former President Goodluck Jonathan from implementing his policy directive of 20 April 2015, has ...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Udeme Clement The recent Federal Government’s policy clarification on ports industry aims at eliminating monopoly has been described as an initiative that will engender competition in the system, in order to create thousands of jobs for economic growth and development. A policy analyst and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN)  Prof, Fidelis Oditah, said this in a chat with pressmen, stressing that the new policy giving importers the right to use any terminal of their choice for discharge of cargoes is in tandem with the current administration’s reform to enhance Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) inflow in oil and gas sector. Oditah also a legal adviser to Lagos Deep Offshore Logistics (LADOL), a foremost indigenous establishment, who had earlier kicked against the monopoly said, “Following the policy clarification, Ladol that had obtained an injunction restraining former President Goodluck Jonathan from implementing his policy directive of 20 April 2015, has ...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Chinedu Adonu ENUGU —THE     Bank of Agriculture (BOI) said it has disbursed N9.08 billion to  farmers in the South East to stimulate agriculture in line with the programme of the Federal Government. Speaking with newsmen in Enugu, the Managing Director of the bank, Mr Kabiru Mohammed said the move was part of efforts to diversify the economy and attain food security. Mohammed said that the bank had the mandate of providing agricultural credit and non-agricultural micro-credit with a view to curbing poverty. He, however, said that the amount so far disbursed in the zone fell below the expected target for the region considering the abundant opportunities in the area. “Our bank and its stakeholders are making concerted efforts to curb all known challenges to agro-entrepreneurship to widen the space for more participation,” he said. Kabiru said that most of their credit facilities were directed at women whom he said had suffered from ...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Anayo Okoli UMUAHIA —IMMEDIATE  past Governor of Abia State and Senator representing Abia Central Senatorial District in the National Asembly, Chief Theodore Orji has called on the Federal Government to extend its whistle-blowing policy to the nation’s electoral system which he said was fraught with corruption. Addresseing a town hall meeting of his constituency held at  Umuahia North Council headquarters, weekend, Senator Orji noted that corruption “is not stealing of money alone but corruption abounds in different shapes in our polity”. Decrying the high level of corruption in Nigeria’s electoral system, the law maker urged the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency beam its anti-corruption searchlight on the electoral system. “Whistle-blowing is a good policy but it should not be limited to information about stolen money ; snatching of ballot papers is also corruption. “No corruption can be worse than forging of election results. Electora...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J As Reps summon CBN, Labour Minister over funds transfer, job losses By Emman Ovuakporie A BUJA— The Nigeria Communications Commission, NCC, yesterday, vowed to sanction and rank network operators based on their performance to ensure good service delivery to consumers. Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Prof Umar Danbatta, made the vow at the instance of the House of Representatives’ Ad-hoc Committee investigating operational activities of telecommunications equipment and service companies and vendors in Nigeria, chaired by Ahmed Abu (APC, Niger). The ad-hoc committee was mandated to ascertain the categories and payments for the license/frequencies/spectrums allocated so far; records of infractions, penalties imposed and evidence of payments for those penalties from 2005 to date. Also expected are audited accounts of all registered telecommunications and IT companies; evidence of compIiance with statutory obligations, frequencies monitoring report for GSM frequen...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J You’ve case to answer —EFCC By Soni Daniel A BUJA —Former Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Niger Delta, Kingsley Kuku, has cried out that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and Department of State Service, DSS, want to arrest, detain and persecute him as they did to former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki retd. Kuku alleged that the two government agencies were against him because of his defence of the Niger Delta and the role he played during the 2015 presidential election. But the EFCC, in a swift reaction, asked Kuku to return home and answer charges against him, if his hands were clean. Kuku in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja, said: “I really fear for my life and I am suspicious that they want to give me the ‘Dasuki treatment’ by framing me up, arresting me and dumping me in detention indefinitely so as to keep me out of their way. “I do not believe that I can get trial under the leadership...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Babajide Komolafe LAGOS —The number of new Foreign Direct Investment, FDI, projects attracted into Nigeria dropped marginally by three per cent in 2016, while the country declined to the 17th position on Ernst and Young’s Africa Attractiveness 2017 Index. This was contained in the Ernst and Young’s Africa Attractive Index, AAI, 2017 report published, yesterday, by the global accountancy firm. Among other things, the report disclosed that the number of new FDI projects in Nigeria declined to 51 in 2016 from 53 in 2015. The report also indicated that Nigeria dropped two steps in the Africa Attractive Index 2017, to 17th position from 15th position in 2016 index. It also revealed that Nigeria attracted 7.5 per cent of new FDI projects in Africa in 2016, and accounted for 6.7 per cent of value of FDI inflows into the continent during the year. Nigeria also accounted for 4.9 per cent or 6,328 jobs of the total jobs created by new FDI projects in the continent du...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Innocent Anaba Lagos —A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday, convicted and sentenced an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Yisa Adedoyin, following a plea bargain arrangement he reached with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in the charge brought against him, former Petroleum Resources Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke and two other officials of the commission, Christian Nwosu and Tijani Bashir. They were alleged to have conspired among themselves to directly take possession of N500.76 million, which formed part of proceeds of unlawful act. Trial judge is Justice Mohammed Idris. The plea bargain agreement is dated May 2, 2017. The court arrived at the decision after the EFCC re-arraigned in absentia,  Alison-Madueke, alongside Christian Nwosu and Tijani Bashir, both staff of INEC. In sentencing the convict, Justice Idris held that “There is no doubt that the second defendant is an elderly man....

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Emmanuel Elebeke  & Favour Ulebor F ormer Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and National Leader of All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Tinubu, and other eminent Nigerians, yesterday in Abuja, paid glowing tributes to the late journalist, playwright and scholar, Dr. Adinoyi-Ojo Onukaba, at a night of tributes and inauguration of Dr. Onukaba Adinoyi-Ojo Endowment Fund organised by Atiku. Others included former Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha; Modibo Kawu, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, Professor Tunde Adeniran, Garba Shehu, Euginia Abu, Dr. Hide Hong, Segun Adeniyi and Mohammed Abba Gana. According to Atiku, late Ojo was “an irreplaceable asset to Nigeria, who always stood on the side of truth no matter the pressure. He never trafficked in eyeservice. “He was a very loyal and trusted aide and friend. And when that loyalty was tested in the second term of the administration in which we ser...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Prince Osuagwu LAGOS —A near tsunami happened in MTN Nigeria, on Friday, as 200 long serving staff, walked out of the company’s doors in what is described as voluntary severance scheme, VSS. This was also as the company forcibly disengaged 80 others same day to bring the total number of disengaged staff to 280. The number accounted for about 16 percent of the 1,800 total workforce of MTN Nigeria. The job cut, which Vanguard gathered is meant to reshape the company, is not going down well with most of the 80 staff that were forcibly disengaged, who described their sack as shocking and the severance pay, meagre. Although efforts to get confirmation from the communications department of the company proved abortive, a close source to the company said the affected workers were given 75 per cent of their gross monthly income multiplied by the number of years with the company, as severance pay. Most of the affected staff are said to be pioneer staff who joined t...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Gabriel Olawale R otary District  9110 Nigeria has re-echoed  commitment to fighting malaria to zero level. A public health specialist and Chairman, Malaria Elimination Committee in charge of Lagos and Ogun States, Dr. Dele Balogun, has called for continued investment and sustained political commitment. Balogun said Rotary aimed to educate and sensitise  residents of the two States on the need to collectively wage war against the disease so as to  drastically reduce the number of deaths. “We as Rotarians with the help of the Rotary Foundation have made consistent efforts at educating the people and  government on how best to stop this wasting of lives because malaria is a preventable disease. “It is a disease that can be treated and it means it is quite possible for us to totally eliminate malaria in the world. We believe in the support of the different ministries, health and education and agriculture, we can put together a program...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J …APC framing me due to fear of defeat in LG polls—LAMIDO By Soniu Daniel & Abdulsalam Muhammad KANO — A crack team of policemen from Zone 1 Command, Kano, yesterday arrested and detained former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, over perceived inciting speech he made recently at a political gathering. However, another source said the former foreign Affairs Minister, was detailed for questioning after honouring police’s invitation to clear air over accusation of inciting violence and threatening public peace over the July 1, local government polls in the state. Vanguard learned that he was alleged to have addressed his supporters on April 8, at a rally held at PDP headquarters in Dutse, Jigawa State capital and allegedly urged his supporters to ensure the party won the forthcoming local government election at all cost. The development prompted Jigawa State Government to lodge a formal petition to the police over the issue. The Zone 1 Polic...

http://ift.tt/eA8V8J By Boluwaji Obahopo L OKOJA —ORGANISED Labour in Kogi State, yesterday said workers in the state were boycotting  today’s May Day celebration to protest unresolved labour issues in the state including  arrears of unpaid salaries and pensions. Chairmen of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, Onuh Edoka and Ojo Ranti respectively, who disclosed this  in Lokoja, the state capital, said the cancellation of the May Day was to register organized labour displeasure on the way and manner the state government handled had handled issues affecting workers so far. According to the NLC’s chairman, the staff screening appeal and complaint committee report was yet to be made available to the organized labour for labour to come up with its observation, describing it as government antics not to allow labour access to details of the report. He explained that the non-payment of salaries to a large number of workers, pensioners...