The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Tuesday revealed that it will reintroduce On-Street Parking Policy in the nation’s capital, by 1st of May, 2021.
Speaking on behalf of the administration, the Acting Secretary, Transport Secretariat, Malam Usman Musa Yahaya hinted that the administration has backed the scheme up with adequate laws.
He gave this hint at a media briefing to herald the planned flag off of On-street Parking Policy in Abuja.
It would be recalled that the On- Street Parking Management was suspended on April 14, 2014 as a result of of an FCT High Court rolling that declared the operation illegal because it was not specifically mentioned in the 2005 FCT Road Transport Regulation.
Yahaya stated that; “Prior to the court judgement, the scheme was riddled with so much complexities. The operators were variously accused of many underhand activities ranging from unprincipled, dubious, deceitful, unprofessional and unscrupulous acts.
“It was based on these shortcomings that the Dentist Savings and loans limited challenged the power of the FCTA to impose levies on motorists that park their cars on FCT streets. Justice Peter Affen in his judgement commended the park and pay scheme which was introduced for the purpose of effective traffic management as laudable but ruled that the scheme was unknown to the FCT laws. He blamed the FCT authorities for not backing the scheme with adequate law.
“Investigations from both the authority and the public revealed that the activities of ticketing clerks contributed in no small way to the public disdain for the scheme. They were variously accused of intentionally making themselves unavailable when motorists want to obtain tickets but resurfaced as soon as the vehicle owner leaves the scene out of frustration of not seeing the clerks.
He continued; “Clamping and towing of vehicles became the order of the day. This, however, informed the jubilant reactions of the public when the Court suspended the scheme.
“In the past seven years, I the Administration had embarked on various measures aimed at addressing the concerns raised by the court and the public with regards to the scheme. Consequently, the Administration, in collaboration with an external Counsel produced a Federal Capital Territory Parking Regulations 2019 to amend the parking section of 2005 FCT Road Transport Regulations. This is to provide the required legal basis for the On-street Parking Management.
“The policy has been gazetted with the title: Federal Capital Territory Parking Regulations. With the new regulations, we are ready to hit the streets”, he explained.
He, however, assured the public that the licensed Operators who will be on the streets from 1st of May have turned a new leave and will serve the public well.
While adding that, as regulators they will be on their toes to ensure that the they operate according to the laid down rules and regulations.
The Acting Secretary hinted that the administration is going to organize training for personnel who are detailed to work under the scheme.
While adding that they are going to monitor the personnel to ensure that they don’t go back to the nefarious activities that lead to the initial problem that lead to the suspension.
Due to the global coronavirus pandemic, the bilateral trade loss between Nigeria and France is as high as US$2.2 billion, France’s Minister of Foreign Trade and Attractiveness, Franck Riester has said.
He made this known in a speech after meeting with the governors of Nigeria’s states on Tuesday that bilateral trade totaled US$4.5 billion in 2019, but it will shrink to 2.3 billion by 2020. US dollars.
The Covid-19 pandemic. “France is Nigeria’s main financial partner. With the participation of the French Development Agency (AFD), France has become the second bilateral creditor country after Nigeria.
In the past ten years, the French Development Agency has invested in more than 35 development projects. More than 2 billion euros. The minister said: “France will also work on financing and capacity building for the health sector in some states in Nigeria.”
He added that France is also one of the major partners of the COVAX initiative, noting that last February, French President, Emmanuel Macron warned that the failure to share vaccines would entrench global inequality.
The Riester said that , the president proposed sending part of the coronavirus vaccine supplies owned by European countries, the United States, China and Russia to developing countries.
The minister further explained that there are about 100 French companies presently in Nigeria investing in the health, energy, environment logistics and other secrors, and with over 10,000 employees.
He,however, disclosed that a €3.5 billion “Choose Africa” conference on President Emmanuel Macron initiative will be opened in Lagos, to support start-ups and SMEs in Africa, which Nigerian entrepreneurs have already benefited from.
Riester who is on a two-day visit in Nigeria, said the visit followed on the priorities set by French President Macron during his official visit to Nigeria in July 2018 and his willingness to change the narrative of the relations between Africa and France.
The French Minister will have several official meetings in Abuja and Lagos, to stress the importance of the bilateral economic relation.
Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong who stood in for Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Dr. Kayode Fayemi, said the meeting was fruitful, adding that the minister would meet with business community and other stakeholders today.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has indicted some tertiary institutions in Nigeria, including the University of Abuja, for engaging in illegal admissions procedures without following the prescribed guidelines.
The head of public affairs and protocols Fabian Benjamin (Fabian Benjamin) made the allegations in a statement he made available to newsmen in Abuja.
According to JAMB, its attention has attracted illegal admissions allegedly conducted by a number of universities, including the University of Abuja.
The statement that, these universities have been reported to be issuing admission letters to candidates without recourse to the Board. Insisting that it is pertinent to state that such admissions that have not been proposed, approved nor accepted on the Central Admissions Processing System(CAPS) are null and void.
Fabian added that, the said institutions ask hapless candidates to pay acceptance fees for such admissions that had not been processed through CAPS amounts to illegality.
“Consequently, such admissions are illegal, unacceptable and offensive to extant rules and regulations guiding admissions to tertiary institutions in Nigeria as approved by the Federal Ministry of Education and provided on Caps, “he stated.
It would be recalled that the Board instituted CAPS in 2017 as an automated platform designed to ensure that admissions are transparently done to protect the interest of all Nigerians desirous of tertiary education.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), therefore, advises all candidates not to accept any admissions that are not provisioned on CAPS. By implication, any candidate who has not accepted and printed his/her admissions letter on CAPS should not pay any acceptance fee as any admission done outside CAPS is an illegitimate admission that would not be sanctioned by the Board.
It should be noted that the admissions guidelines stipulate that colleges and universities should recommend qualified candidates through CAPS in accordance with the prescribed standards of CAPPS for approval by the board of directors.
Therefore, any such acceptance without the approval of the board of directors is futile. The board of directors pointed out that any institution that violates this good guiding principle has many concealments, and the board of directors will not shy away from its responsibility to ensure compliance with the required admissions guidelines.
The Board of Directors will spare no effort to ensure that no institution violates existing admissions guidelines. JAMB’s management emphasized: “It is recommended that for personal benefit, not to accept applications outside the scope of JAMB’s authority, nor to pay any acceptance fees, because such admissions will never be allowed.”
Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, Director of the National Food and Drug Administration (NAFDAC), warned Nigerians not to add chemicals and additives to food and beverages to enhance the taste, and emphasized that this practice may lead to serious illness and even death.
Adeyeye in a statement signed by its Resident Media Adviser Sayo Akintola on Sunday and made available to journalists in Abuja stated that the the agency will spare no effort to ensure that only safe food and other regulated products are edible on the market and used by Nigerians.
She made the announcement in the context of the recent Kano incident. According to reports, three people were killed in the Kano incident as a result of eating dangerous chemicals used as additives. At the same time, flavored beverages are provided for consumers who are not aware of the ancient city.
She, however disclosed that a preliminary result of the Agency’s investigation was submitted to the Kano State governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje during her two-day visit to the state on an on-the-spot assessment of the incident.
Adeyeye noted with regret that three fatalities were recorded with many people having their health compromised. ‘’Even if just one person died; that will be one too many’’, she said, stressing that it’s heart-warming to note that all the merchants of the deadly chemicals and additives have been apprehended while further investigation continues.
According to her, the importance of food cannot be over-emphasized. She however, noted that ‘’but when dangerous foreign elements find their way into our foods and water, then it becomes poisonous rather than being nutritious’’.
She pointed out that food contamination and poisoning could occur through consuming expired food. The NAFDAC boss added that food poisoning could also occur by preparing food with poorly sourced water and putting cooked food on the shelf for several days or months: or in the refrigerator for too long amongst others.
‘’ We are very particular about food additives, about the temperature at which a food can be kept, or about the expiration date of food. If all of these are violated, then there could be food poisoning’’. She said, adding, whether it’s food or water, adding chemicals and other substances either to enhance the food or change its form can be dangerous especially when we can’t verify the source and content of such additives.
Adeyeye disclosed that NAFDAC is now working assiduously in partnership with the Kano State government with a view to preventing the reoccurrence of the March 11, 2021 incident. She said that her Agency will be working with Kano State Task force under the Federal Task Force on Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods, which is domiciled in NAFDAC, and the Nigeria Consumers Protection Agency in Kano.
She explained that shortly after the news about the Kano incident was received by NAFDAC, six directorates of the Agency immediately swung into action to unravel the mystery behind the sad event. She added that internal checks revealed that only two of the five flavoured drinks identified in the incidence were registered by NAFDAC while three were not on the Agency’s data base.
She said samples of the chemicals and additives that were added while preparing the flavoured drinks for consumption were collected and taken to NAFDAC’s laboratory in Kaduna for testing. She said further testing was conducted at the Agency’s central laboratory in Lagos for confirmation.
‘’We have five flavoured drinks. Two were registered while three were not. Any food that is unregistered are not guaranteed by NAFDAC and could be is unwholesome. It’s fake food. It was most likely smuggled into the country, she further explained, stressing that, ‘’we tested all the food samples, and there was E-Coli bacteria in some. One would wonder how E-Coli bacteria would get into powder. It depends on the storage. If it’s stored in a very humid condition, and expired, the packaging probably was getting compromised, you can get bacteria into dry powdered medium. But ordinarily it shouldn’t happen’’, she said.
Adeyeye further explained that they also brought an additive that was kept in transparent freezer bag. There was another unknown chemical that was sold as food additive. This chemical for 25KG bag was supposed to be sold for N30,000. One of the merchants got it for N3,000 and sold it to another merchant for N7,000. The merchant that got it for N7,000 thought it was Dantsami (Hausa for “something sour”) that they normally use and tasted it to confirm that truly it was Dantsami. Dantsami is what is used in some parts of northern Nigeria to make drinks sour. 25KG kilo bag of the unknown chemical was also sent to the Agency’s laboratory in Kaduna for testing.
The NAFDAC boss disclosed that having tested the additive chemical, it was discovered to be HYROXYLAMINE. ‘’It’s a poison. Sometimes it’s used for terrorism. This is very sad because it involved people dying’’. She said that the Pharmacovigilance directorate of the Agency sent an alert to all its 36 State offices of NAFDAC and the FCT to mount surveillance on the unregistered products and mop them up.
She emphasized that the chemical did not pass through NAFDAC as there are no records at the Chemical Evaluation and Research Directorate to suggest that permission was given to anyone to import the chemical into the country while internal checks at the Ports Inspection Directorate revealed that the chemical was not imported through the ports.
‘’Definitely, it was smuggled into the country’’, she said, noting that before any chemical can be legally imported into Nigeria, full authorization and permit must be obtained from NAFDAC to ensure that no dangerous chemicals are brought into the country and used to the detriment of the Nigerian people.
‘’For safety and security concerns, NAFDAC does end-to-end monitoring for all chemicals. We request for distribution and utilization patterns before we give importers permits to import chemicals. We must know who you have sold the chemicals to in your report. These are the things you must clarify to us before we give approval for permit to clear chemical consignments.’’
The NAFDAC DG opined that Nigerians have a critical role to play to ensure that they don’t fall victims to food poisoning, noting with dismay that despite all the measures being put in place by NAFDAC to ensure safe foods, chemicals and other regulated products, there are those who still find ways to smuggle these chemicals into the country.
‘’The public should know that they don’t have to add chemicals to food except table salt. Chemicals kill very fast because there is no prescribed amount to use.’’, she said, stressing that ‘’to use chemical to make a food or drink sour, you may never know what you are adding’’.
She listed the regulated additives as Sugar, Saccharin, and sweetening, adding that ‘’there is prescribed amount to put. Sugar for drinks, Saccharin for drinks and sweetening. These are inside the food and not something you sprinkle on the food like what happened in Kano’’
The Federal Government is set to commission the Lagos-Ibadan rail way project in no distant time.
The Minister Of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi gave the hint in Moniya station Ibadan at the end of an inspection tour. The Lagos-Ibadan rail project which started in 2017 had recorded rapid progress, but witnessed a set back and suspension of work due to the outbreak of covid 19 pandemic at the verge of near completion level. Despite the effects of the aftermath of the pandemic, work picked up immediately as Workers had to return to the construction site for speedy completion. According to Amaechi, all is now set for the commissioning of the massive project. He said his ministry is liaising with the presidency towards a convenient date for President Muhammadu Buhari to commission the project.
Although the Minister expressed displeasure with the contractor CCECC over the slow pace of work especially at the level of putting finishing touches, he acknowledged his team for their commitment in converting a forest into magnificent edifice that would boost the nation’s economy.
On the date of commissioning he said “we are trying to get appointment from the office of the President for the date of commissioning. Once they give us date, we will make the public know. There are lots of things involved in bringing the president to commission the project”.
On the slow pace of work Amaechi said “At this point we can say to ourselves that we have tried from con MBverting a bush into a usage that will grow the Nigerian economy. For CCECC am sick and tired of them and that is why l asked them to see us on Wednesday, although most of the things remaining are minor and it cannot delay the movement of goods. They have promised to finish by the end of the month, okay I believe them but I want them to reiterate that”.
He further said, “We have asked them to increase the parking space for future purposes, if there is surge in passengers there would be enough space for parking”.
In addition to the ongoing railway projects in the country, the Federal Government is about to begin the construction of four new rail line projects across the nation.
The Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi disclosed this in Abuja at the 2020 edition of Annual Ministerial Press Briefing on landmark programmes, projects and activities of the ministry and agencies.
Amaechi said that funds for some of the projects have already been obtained and now waiting for cabinet approval for work to commence.
“The ones we are about to start are Ibadan-Kano, we are waiting for fund from China, Port Harcourt-Maiduguri, we have a bit of the fund, but we are waiting for the cabinet to approve. We are also about to start Kano-Maradi, and Lagos-Calabar rail lines. But, one thing that is unique in all these projects is that the President earlier in his government directed that all rail lines must terminate at the Seaports. There is a bit of adjustments in the pricing because we had to adjust Kano-Maradi to link up to kano-Lagos so that it will terminate at Lagos seaport. The Port Harcourt-Maiduguri is not only terminating at Port Harcourt seaport, it is going from Port Harcourt seaport to Bonny, we are building a deep seaport” he said.
Amaechi said the 185.5km Lagos-Ibadan double standard guage line with extension to Apapa seaport is near completion level, while the 186km Abuja-Kaduna and 302km Warri-Itakpe standard guage lines had been completed and were functional.
The Minister said that the Itakpe-Warri rail line has been testified by many to have drastically reduced transport fare to and from that axis.
Amaechi however decried the alleged growing incidences of sharp practices by ticket sellers on the Abuja-Kaduna route, lamenting that some complain that tickets of N2,500 are sometimes sold at N10,000 by racketeers.
According to him, Nigerians are breaching the electronic ticketing system put in place for efficiency and accountability, warning that such actions can compromise national security.
“We must match the tickets to face carrying the ticket so that we don’t run into security problem. Security is central, a man who may be a bomber may be given a ticket that is not meant for him and then we are in trouble ” he said.
He further said that economic considerations informed the decision to settle for narrow gauge for the reconstruction of the Eastern Rail line, from Port Harcourt to Maiduguri.
“Some people may say why did you have to build narrow gauge for the Eastern line, simple, the answer is we had two approvals, the two approvals are as follows: we have a standard gauge approval that is between $11 to $14 billion for Port Harcourt with the same alignment, no changes, but it is costlier”
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Basement Africa Productions, Engr Okiemute, has hinted that the winner of the Basement Search Reality TV show tagged: ‘The Film Makers Edition’ will go home with a car gift and other items worth twenty five million naira.
It would be recalled that the organizers have so far covered the City of Warri and Port Harcourt where thousands of Nollywood lovers and aspiring actors besieged the audition venue for a spot at the Basement Search Reality Tv show.
He gave this hint in a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen in Abuja, stated that the participants are expected to showcase their acting skills to wow the celebrity judges.
He further stated that other places covered include Aba, in Abia State, Owerri and Awka.
According to him, on the 10th and 13th of April, the audition train is expected to hit Enugu and Benin at Ofuobi African Cultural Centre and Hexagon respectively while April 16th, 20th and 24th are for Golden Tulip Hotel Jericho, Ibadan; Grand Cubana, Abuja and Vienna Hotel, Asaba respectively. Accreditation for participants kicks off at 10a.m.
The stakes are high and the competition is getting tougher as the train is expected to go round a total of 10 locations to pick potential film makers into the House, where contestants will compete for the grand prize of a brand new car and 25million worth of prizes.
The organizers said that, it is a reality show where 30 housemates will be elected to the house for 42 days and movie makers will be available to develop the movie making skills of the house mates.
The winner will emerge by votes of the viewing audience at home who are expected to vote for their favourite contestant.
According to the CEO, the essence of the programme is essentially to create fresh set of movie stars for the Nigerian film industry.
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) has advised farmers in the North-central zone of the country, particularly Nassarawa, Niger, Benue, Abuja and neighbouring states like Kaduna against hasty planting in order to avoid losses due to the false onset of rains recorded.
NIMET says that the recorded rainfall is as a result of the forcing functions namely: Mid-latitude wave and the Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) that led to the Northward pull of the inter-tropical discontinuity (ITD) and increased moisture into the country.”
According to the Director-General/CEO, (NiMet) Prof. Mansur Bako Matazu, “the recent rainfall activities recorded over the central states as well as Kaduna, in the North-west between the12th to 20th March, 2021 is a false onset as captured accurately in the 2021 Seasonal Climate Prediction.”
Matazu, in a statement made available to Journalists in Abuja by the General Manager, Public Relations, NiMet, Muntari Yusuf Ibrahim, also added that, the above, coupled with the abundant energy in the atmosphere, resulted in the recent rainfall events in and around Kaduna, Nassarawa, Niger, Benue and the Federal Capital Territory.
He explained that the onset of the rains in the South-south of the country has been established as predicted in the 2021 SCP, that is, 1st of March to 20th March.
The forecast for the South-west and South-eastern part of the country are gradually being established in line with the predicted date of 13th March to 25th April.
In spite of the above advice, the agency however, recommends that other preparatory planting activities such as clearing, purchase of inputs by farmers should commence as scheduled.
He, however stated that the earlier predicted onset of rains for the rest of the country remains valid, with the central states witnessing the rains in late April to Mid-May while the Northern states would experience theirs in late May to June ending.
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the reshuffling of Agencies under the Ministry of Aviation. In a statement signed by the Director, Public Affairs, Ministry of Aviation, James Odaudu, Buhari approved the appointment of Professor Bako Mansur Matazu as the new Director-General of the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET). He replaces Professor Sani Abubakar Mashi. Professor Matazu holds a PhD in Geography (Applied Meteorology), with membership of the Nigerian Environmental Society, African Forestry Forum, Nigerian Meteorological Society, the Climate Change Network, Nigeria and the renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, Nigeria (REEN).
He was, until his appointment, the General Manager, Meteorological Research in the Agency.
In the statement, the President further approved the appointment of Captain Modibbo Alkali Mahmud as the new Rector of the Nigeria College of Aviation Technology, (NCAT) Zaria.
The new Rector holds the Airline Transport Pilot Licenses of the Federal Aviation Administration, USA, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Embraer, Citation and other international professional certifications.
Until his appointment, Captain Modibbo had served in various capacities, including Pilot in Training, Fleet Captain at Dornier Aviation Nigeria, Max Air and other organisations and has clocked about 6000 hours of flying career.
In a related development, he also approved the reappointment of Engr. Akin Olateru as the Commissioner / Chief Executive Officer of the Accident Investigation Bureau, Nigeria.
An Aircraft Maintenance Engineer with Nigerian, UK and USA licenses, Olateru began his career in engineering maintenance with Pan African Airlines and the Nigerian Police Air Wing after which he left Nigeria for further studies abroad.
He has also worked with multiple airlines in Europe including KLM, Martin Air in Holland, British Aerospace Engineering and British Midland Airways.
He attended City University, London and graduated with an M.Sc. in Air Transport Management with specializations in research and simulations into accident investigations.
All the appointments are with immediate effect.
It should be noted that the reorganisation is a continuous exercise that will involve other management staff of all agencies of the Ministry.
The Federal Government has assured the tripartite labour community of the organised labour, organised private sector and indeed all Nigerians that there is currently no increase in the price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
In a statement signed by the Deputy Director Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Labour And Employment Charles Akpan, and made available to journalists, the Minister of labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige says there will be no increase in the price of PMS for now, as discussions are still ongoing between government and the organised labour as well as other stakeholders on the matter.
“I have made contact with the relevant authorities, the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the NNPC and wish to assure members of the public, especially the organised labour and workers that there is no such increase for now.”
“We have an ongoing discussions and standing committees comprising labour and government on one hand and another, comprising the office of the Vice President, Secretary to the Government of the Federation , Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Group Managing Director of (NNPC) and the Ministers of Labour, Petroleum and Finance.”
The statement further explained that these two discussions are ongoing concurrently and that the next meeting between the Federal government and the organised labour will hold immediately after the Easter break.
According to Ngige, the present attempt to hoist a fait accompli on the government and all its efforts runs against the ongoing discussions. We hence wish to warn the insidious harbingers of such information not to portray government as cruel , irresponsible and unamenable to social dialogue and Collective Bargaining.
“Government will at the right time do an appropriate pricing for petroleum products but not without taking other issues into consideration. This is to ensure that Nigerians don’t suffer the pangs of any price increase in petroleum products.”
“Government has deregulated petroleum products and market forces have to dictate pricing. That notwithstanding, government has decided to give it a human face by agreeing to some palliative measures that will make the price realistic and affordable to the ordinary Nigerians.
“We therefore wish to re-assure our partners in the organised labour, the NLC, TUC and affiliate unions that there will be no increase in the price of PMS for now. They should therefore continue to cooperate with government side to have a fruitful outcome from the discussions.”
