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No Plan To Demolition Senate President, Speaker Official Residence, FCTA

By
Toyin Adebayo
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The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has hinted that there is no plan to demolish the official residents of the President of Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives as earlier reported.

The Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Eng. Ahmed Hadi, made this known when he appear before the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating the real estate sector in the FCT,in Abuja.

He stressed that the official residents of the President of Senate and the Speaker didn’t in anyway contravene Abuja Master plan.

He noted that due diligence had been done in every bit of process for the construction of the structures.

His words, ” We want to use this forum to reach out to the leadership of the National Assembly that there was no any intention to rise the issue or embarrass the offices of the President of Senate nor the Speaker or the Deputy Senate President.”

” The issue is not a conclusive position and we have not reach a climax of forum. We really take exception to that news making round that.

” That is not the position of the FCTA and certainly not the position of this investigative workshop. I’m not mincing word to say that everything that we agree here we will crosscheck with our records have been done”,

Hadi further stated that, the development within the three arms zone was intended to house the legislature, executive and the judiciary.

He hinted that on the side of the executive the Presidential Complex was developed which was supposed to be residential and office complex side by side with the resident of the Vice President which are all master plan provision.

” On the side of the judiciary is the Supreme Court and the official resident of the Chief Justice of the Federation.

” Somewhere along the line the legislative arm which occupy the largest complex has no provision of the residences of the presiding or principal officers.

” And this was what make case between the period 2014 there were armful correspondences between the FCDA and the department of Development Control and after due consultation with the leadership of the national assembly that this was what is needed to have residential provision within the three arms zone so that it will become complimentary’, he further explained.

FCTA To Commence Beautification, Tree Planting Of Airport Road

By
Toyin Adebayo
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0

…As Sauka Youth Begins Removal Of Illegal Market

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has said that the administration is planning to commence massive beautification and tree planting along the Airport road. 

The Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection and Enforcement to FCT Minister, Comrade Ikharo Attah gave this hint during an advocacy and sensitization visit to Sauka Community along the Airport road.

Attah hinted that,” The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello has remained committed to ensuring sanitation of the nation’s capital and will not compromise on the cleanliness of all the gateways to the city centre.

“Sauka community as one of the strategic settlements along the airport road axis, had some contraventions which need to be quickly corrected. 

” The clean up exercise in Sauka community had been delayed because the Minister doesn’t want to inflict hardship on the people without following due process”, he hinted. 

He expressed satisfaction that the youths of the community had commenced enforcement and removal of some of the illegal structures, like the roadside market that constitute nuisances along the road corridors. 

According to him, ” the Minister wants us commence massive  tree planting and land scaping on the strech of airport road. We are also going to embark on refuse evacuation and intra community refuse collection  points . We appealing to all residents to key into the clean up programme.

” We have given them ultimatum before but they begged us to give them till today but inline with the spirit , we will communicate to them and give them a short notice”. 

More so, one of the youth leaders, Jubrin Kasimu who pleaded for an extention of the deadline given to the community to vacate the roadside market, also assured that the youths will continue to enforce compliance. 

Kasimu also pledged to mobilize the youths to stop all contraventions that will attract sanctions to the community 

Red Hand Day: Again, UNICEF Calls For End To Recruitment, Use of Child Soldiers 

By
Toyin Adebayo
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0
UNICEF logo
UNICEF logo


Again, UNICEF has called for an end to the recruitment and use of children by armed groups in Nigeria, and the release of those in the custody of such groups.

While also urging support for former child soldiers in north-east Nigeria.

The UN agency made the call  on the International Day Against the Use of Child Soldiers, otherwise known as “Red Hand Day”.

It would be recalled that, for 13 years, armed conflict in north-east Nigeria has claimed thousands of lives and disrupted livelihoods and access to essential services for children and their families. Nearly one million homes and 5,000 classrooms have been razed in the protracted armed conflict. Since 2009, more than 8,000 girls and boys have been recruited and used as child soldiers in different roles by armed groups.

UNICEF Chief of Maiduguri Field Office, Phuong T. Nguyen said , “We call for an immediate end to the recruitment and use of innocent children as soldiers or for any other conflict-related role.’’ 

“It is unacceptable and unconscionable that girls and boys continue to serve on the frontlines of a conflict they did not start.”

UNICEF also called on the Nigerian authorities to sign the Handover Protocol for children encountered in the course of armed conflict in Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin Region, which would end the detention of children formerly associated with armed groups.

The Handover Protocol would ensure children encountered during military and security operations are transferred from military custody to civilian child protection actors to support their reintegration into society through the provision of family tracing and reunification services and medical, educational and psychosocial recovery services. Support would also life skills support, skills training and links to decent work.

The Borno State Child Protection Act, recently signed into law by Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, prohibits and prescribes stiff penalties for the violation of children’s rights.

The Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict also prohibits the forced recruitment or conscription of children under 18 by government forces, and the participation of children under 18 in active hostilities by any party.

Ratified by the Government of Nigeria in 2012, the Optional Protocol places obligations on non-state armed groups, not to, under any circumstances, recruit or use in hostilities persons under the age of eighteen.

“We must do more to ensure that Nigeria’s children do not suffer the worst impacts of conflict,” said Phuong T. Nguyen.

“We owe girls and boys a chance to leave the horrors of conflict behind. Every day of delay in the custody of armed groups is a tragedy with grave implications for the children, families, and Nigerian society as a whole.”

FCT-IRS Extends Filing Of Annual Returns Over Server Failure

By
Gladys Phillip
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0

The Management of Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) has extended the filing of annual returns to March 31, 2022 for organisations or agents.

This is following the hitches experienced by taxpayers in the last few days due to Server failure.

It would be recalled that the deadline for the filing of annual returns for the employers, agents or organisations was due on January 31 but the extension was necessitated because of the technical challenges.

The management, in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by Mustapha Sumaila, Head, Corporate Communications, FCT-IRS, however apologises to its esteemed taxpayers for the difficulty and challenges experienced in the process of payment and other services via the online channels in the past few days due to an unexpected downtime on its server.

The statement reads: “FCT-IRS deeply regrets the inconveniences that might have caused them.

“The Service is committed to them, its valued taxpayers, and will continue to work hard to improve abilities to serve them better.

“The management is pleased to inform the taxpayers that the issue has been resolved and they can now make payment with ease”, the statement further stated.

Funding FCT Budget With 100â„… IGR Possible, Says FCT-IRS Ag Chairman

By
Gladys Phillip
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0

… Harps On Collaboration, Synergy

The Acting Executive Chairman, Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS), Mr Haruna Abdullahi has said that funding FCT Budget with 100 per cent from Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) is possible with collaboration and synergy with other revenue generating agencies in the territory.

He gave this hint when he received the delegation from the Directorate of Road Traffic Services (DRTS) led by its Director, Alhaji Wadata Aliyu Bodinga at the Services headquarters in Abuja.

This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen by the Head Corporate Communications, FCT-IRS, Mustapha Sumaila explained that the Service has been championing the course of harmonising revenue from all revenue generating agencies in the FCT with a view to block leakages, address multiple taxation and grow the revenue base in the FCT.

The statement reads: “The effort will make the Federal Capital Territory to have capacity to fund its budget solely, through the IGR.

“We hope to see that FCTA will fund its budget 100 per cent from the IGR, so that whatever comes from the Federal Government as allocation, will be a surplus for them.

“From the management to the board and all other stakeholders, this is what we want and will be excited about this development, talking and finding solutions.

“We are passionate about harmonisation, I mean to harmonise the whole collection processes” he explained.

The Acting Executive Chairman reassured the team of the Service’s continued support, stating that FCT-IRS has been working tirelessly to raise and enhance the revenue base in the FCT.

He said in view of this, he would continue to extend hand of friendship across all revenue generating agencies in the territory.

Abdullahi also said that the Service would review the priorities of DRTS in order to identify more areas for sustainable collaboration in order to enhance revenue generation.

In his remarks, the DRTS’ Director, Bodinga said the visit was targeted at three major areas; collaboration, support and training.

He stated that DRTS under his leadership was committed to ensuring safety and orderliness in the FCT as well as to strengthen the existing collaboration between DRTS and FCT-IRS to boost revenue generation.

Highlighting the benefits of the collaboration between DRTS and the Service, the FCT-IRS Director in charge of ICT, Oduba Oduba stated that the collaboration would help in facilitating the exchange of data between revenue generating agencies as well as to improve road infrastructure through the revenue generated.

The Head of Planning, Research and Statistics, DRTS, Mr. Wale Durojaye expressed the readiness of DRTS to provide data, reports and projections needed to facilitate FCT-IRS collection.

Meanwhile, a committee had been constituted to articulate and harmonise areas of possible collaboration between the two organisations with a view to boost revenue collection.

The members are Mr Malik Tukur, FCT-IRS Director Taxes, Oduba Oduba, Director in charge of ICT, FCT-IRS while Head of Planning, Research and Statistics, DRTS, Mr. Wale Durojaye and the DRTS’ head of ICT, Mr Auwal Mohammed are also part of the committee.

FCT Elections: Group Urges Residents To Reject Any Attempts To Smear Minister’s Image

By
Toyin Adebayo
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0
Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu. Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Nigeria.
Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu. Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory Abuja, Nigeria.

Group under the auspices of Civil Society Network for Development and Good Governance (CSNDG) has called on residents of the nation’s capital to reject any attempts to smear FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu image.

Former NAWOJ President Evelyn Onyilo who is also the Chairperson of the group urged residents to remain steadfast and dedicated to the good works and excellent personality of the minister.

This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by the group.

It would be recalled that , a group, Concerned FCT Indigenous Residents issued a statement which was signed by its Leader, Josephine Itayo cautioning the Minister of State for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu on purported inflammatory statements.

CSNDG in an attempt to debunked the statement said, “is nonetheless careless and frivolous as it clearly connotes a misconstrue and misinterpretation of the minister’s noble intentions.

According to the statement, “The statement isolated an utterance within a missive, making it seemingly quite mischievous.

“It is worthy of note to authoritatively say that the Minister of State FCT, Dr Ramatu Aliyu is a woman of great and irrefutable character and candor which has translated into a wonderful, peaceful and smooth relationship with all residents of FCT across the six area councils irrespective of ethnic, religious, tribal, academic and gender background or beliefs.

“This was more pronounced in her handling of the FCT palliative distributions across all sector in a unique system of “no community or group is left behind” maxim.

“The civil society organization bodies can testify to this with the type of open system she operated with all, which included involving us in the palliative distributions to ensure accountability and due process in conducting the distributions of palliatives to capture the different general population groups.

The statement continues; “In doing this the CSOs were in the fore front as she had earlier pronounced before the public at the old parade ground, the UTC stores and Eagle square that we are the true voice of the voiceless and the eyes of the people and that peaceful conduct of the distributions is paramount to her.

“It is therefore a surprise and arcane decision for anyone to gather and say as concerned women group, our dear amiable and peace-loving Hon Minister of State FCT is making inciting statements that will cause problems for the upcoming FCT area councils’ election, this appears indeed retrogressive, insipid and incongruent.

“It doesn’t just add up that a woman who preaches peace everywhere she goes across the FCT and has developed a trusted working relationship with residents and natives will now be the one stoking the embers of violence in her own domain, just because election is here and some people decides to go low.

“We are however assured that the Hon. Minister will go high as have been her standard. While we urge FCT Natives and residents to maintain firm faith in the Hon. Minister whom they have come to love, we urge anyone who wishes to engage in mischief and political misdemeanors to desist from such as the elections fast approaches.

“Sponsoring anyone to tarnish the well-built image and personality of the Hon. Minister of State FCT, Hajiya Ramatu Aliyu will be very bad politics taken too far and detrimental to the peace and harmony that has been arduously built in the FCT by Hajiya Ramatu Aliyu. Finally, we warn that this should stop henceforth. Our group is ready to engage any group with facts and figures to show the true nature and achievement of the Hon Minister of State FCT, Dr Ramatu Aliyu”, the statement further stated.

Area Council Polls: BVAS Failure, Low Voters Turnout, Vote Buying Characterise Elections

By
Ola Akinola
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0

The Area Council Elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has been characterised by Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) failure, low voters turnout and late arrival of the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in some areas.

Our correspondent gathered that, election is currently taking place in over 1000 polling units across the six area councils that make up the nation’s capital with 478 candidates vying for Six Chairmanships and 62 Councillorships.

The election is being held in six area councils: Abaji, Kwali, Bwari , Kuje, Gwagwalada and Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), however, 14 political parties are participating in AMAC.

INEC staff were late to voting centers, as observed by our correspondent who visited polling units within AMAC.

While adding that, the ongoing election in the council is also witnessing a low voters turnout.

The story is also the same in Gwagwalada area council, where our correspondent reside and observed before moving to AMAC.

She also reported that the election in the council is also being frustrated by BVAS failure, which is making the accreditation and voting process slow.

Our correspondent gathered that there are incidences of
vote buying in AMAC and Abaji.

Party agents were also seen clustering around and subtly wooing voters across other polling units in the council.

One Feared killed In Abuja Council Poll

By
Ola Akinola
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0

A middle aged woman has been confirmed dead after being hit by a motorcycle rider who was said to be a supporter of one of the major political party in Karu.

The deceased who came to cast her vote was attempting to cross the road to her polling unit at PU048, Salasi opposite Post Office, in Karu, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) at about 10:12am.

The motorcycle rider was said to have carried the flag of one of the political parties rode in a frenzy as if he was under an influence of something.

However, voters in the area immediately apprehended the motorcyclist and handed him over to security operatives deployed for the election.

It would be recalled that , the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command of the Nigerian Police Force had on the eve of the election announced a restriction of movement but hours later released another statement relaxing the restrictions and urging all residents to go about their normal duties.

Yet, hours later, at about midnight, the Command again issued a notice of restriction, saying it was in receipt of credible intelligence to the effect that some miscreants were trying to cash in on the relaxed atmosphere to foment violence.

Yobe Govt Reconstructs, Renovates Over 300 Schools

By
Toyin Adebayo
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0

… Restates Commitment To Enhance Standard Of Quality Education

…Thanks President Buhari, Security Agencies For Fighting Insurgency

Gov. Mai Mala Buni of Yobe has said that his administration has constructed and renovated over 300 schools and established six Model schools and seven Mega schools across the state.

While adding that, his administration is also committed to enhance quality education.

He made this known at the Yobe State Education Fund Raising held at Sheraton Hotel, Abuja
with the theme,” Revitalising Education in Yobe State”.

He also revealed that the state government had procured Text books and Laboratory Equipment worth N1 billion and supplied class and office furniture worth over N1 billion to create a conducive environment for learning and teaching in the schools.

Buni, however, stated that his administration had trained and retrained about 10,000 teachers to improve their capacity on teaching methodology to impart knowledge and skills efficiently and effectively.

According to him, “The state government is employing more qualified teachers to man the schools.

” This administration has also taken deliberate measures to enrich the school feeding programme and recently, we introduced chicken and eggs on the school menu to ensure that no student abandons school due to lack of feeding.

” Our investment in education in the last two years has paid off handsomely. Our students’ performances in national examinations have improved tremendously with more qualified candidates to exhaust the state’s admission quota in tertiary institutions.”

Buni also expressed his gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari and the security agencies for the commitment and resilience in fighting insurgency to give Yobe the desired peace and security to rebuild education.

Saying,” I also wish to appreciate the federal government, our development partners and the World Bank for supporting our efforts to revitalize education in Yobe state.

” However, the enormity of the task to rejuvenate education in the state is far beyond the traditional Treasury capacity of Yobe State, even as we put forward our best efforts.

” Consequent to this challenge, we decided to approach your good selves, our potential benefactors, through this education fund raising event to seek your support, in cashor in kind of endowment seed fund to an estimated value of N25 billion.

” This will go a long way to help us satisfactorily sustain the delivery of the work we have set out to achieve,” Buni said.

He further explained that the fund raising would enable the state develop and maintain high standard of education philosophy; education policy; legal, regulatory, and institutional arrangement in the Basic and Secondary Education sub sector.

He also said that the fund would help the state eliminate the problem of out-of-school children; maintain the highest standard of enrolment, attendance, and retention with special attention to girls’ education.

” The fund will also improve the adequacy in quality and quantity of teachers and para-teaching personnel among others.”

Also, the Senate President, Ahmed Lawal, commended Buni for according priority attention to education and effort toward enhancing the quality of education in the state

The highpoint of the event was the donation of N1 billion to support Yobe education by the Chairman, Mangal Group and Chief Launcher, Alhaji Dahiru Mangal.

The Chairman Dangote Group of companies donated N350 million, Nigeria Governor’s Forum N350 million, Tahir Group of company N100 million and others.

FG To Complete Kano Gold Souk In 2022

By
Toyin Adebayo
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0

The Federal Government has promised to complete the on going Kano Gold Souk before the end of the year 2022.

Arc Olamilekan Adegbite, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development made this known on Tuesday in Kano while inspecting the construction of the Gold Souk.
 

In a statement made available to newsmen by the
Etore Thomas (Mrs) Director Press&PR stated that the establishment of a Gold Souk in Kano is part of the current administration’s efforts to establish strategic Artisanal & Small-Scale Mining Clusters in each of the six (6) geopolitical zones of the country to harness the potential of the Artisanal and Small Scale Miners (ASM) operators in the Country.
 
The Gold Souk which is being constructed in Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State, when completed and fully developed according to the Minister, would rival Gold Souk(s) in other parts of the world. 
 
The Minister who was accompanied on the inspection by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Oluwatoyin Akinlade and the Director Artisanal and Small Scale Miner (ASM) Mr. Patrick Ojeka was impressed by the level of work done even as the ground breaking took place four months ago.
 
The essence of the Gold Souk according to him is about value addition. “We want our gold in Nigeria to be enhanced here, we add value, create jobs for our people as well as generate revenue for government”, he emphasised.
 
“It is important that we add value to our gold instead of taking it out in the raw form, we will make jewelries such as bangles, wristwatches, necklaces and so on and then people will know that there is a Souk in Nigeria where they can visit and buy just like in other part of the world”, he further revealed.
 
Adegbite charged the contractor to work faster and smarter while adhering strictly to the approved project masterplan.

The Permanent Secretary, Dr. Oluwatoyin Akinlade said the Ministry is doing all within its mandate to support ASM. She said the Federal Government approved the establishment of Clusters in the six (6) geopolitical zones so as to develop the minerals in which each zone has comparative advantage.
 
These zones and the minerals being developed according to her, are Kaolin in the North East Zone (Bauchi), Gold Processing Plant in North Central Zone (Kogi), Lead/Zinc in the South East (Ebonyi) and Barite in the South-South (Cross River).
 
Others are, establishment of a Gem Stone Market in the South West (Oyo) and Gold Souk in the North West Zone (Kano)

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